NationStates Jolt Archive

“And the sun goes down on a sleepy little town…”

The DJ let the Doobie brothers fade away then cued the X files theme…
“Here’s another for the wall of weird folks. The police blotter reported the capture of a dope hyped Elvis impersonator, but our sources on the inside say that when the jailers went to bring him from holding for processing, the cell was empty.” He let his listeners think on that for a moment then brought up …

A pleasant faced man steps up to greet you
He smiles and says he’s pleased to meet you
Beneath his hat the strangeness lies
Take it off, he’s got three eyes
Truth is false and logic lost
Now the fourth dimension is crossed

He shook his head and looked at the tidbits he chose not to report, as he ran his tongue over his fangs. It hadn’t been easy getting this job ( even for a vampire ), and the pay minimal ( but it wasn’t as if he needed the money ), but he’d wanted to be a DJ ever since the job had been invented.

Ryan’s flight on Delta was first class, departed IAH at 8 pm and arrived at Atlantic City three hours later. Cain had make all the arrangements, even to having a driver pick Ryan up at the Atlantic City International Airport. Once at he picked up his passenger the other details would be finalized. It would take three nights of driving, over fifteen hundred miles. Given who the passenger would be that might just bee to long. But the car Ryan would be bringing back might prove to be a mitigating circumstance…and Cain always paid well.

And the Dj cued...

Somewhere in a lonely hotel room there's a guy starting to realize that eternal fate has turned its back on him. It's 2AM.
The fear is gone - the fear is gone
I'm sittin' here waiting - I'm sittin' here waiting
The gun's still warm - the gun's still warm
Thinking my connection is tired of taking chances
Yeah, there's a storm on the loose, sirens in my head
Wrapped up in silence, all circuits are dead
Cannot decode - my whole life spins into a frenzy

Cyrian hadn’t been the easiest of house guests, at turns pleading, then hostile and argumentative, then unbearably arrogant, or sleeping for days straight, as the caffeine poison slowly cleared itself from his system. He was more forth coming with invective than with anything resembling courtesy or thanks. Vanessa had never returned to her job at Cabretta’s, and all her coworkers could say is that she hadn’t even collected her last paycheck. A brand new cart had appeared at Lillian’s door one morning, all her items that had been in the old one neatly placed with in. A Petsmart gift card was tucked on top with a elegantly calligraphed note that the company’s online store had an account in her name with five thousands dollars credit waiting. Petsmart delivers in brown paper packages…

The rain is all over, it's only stopped for an hour
And I stop you, and I stop you
When you go too far
And you stop me when I go too far


Sian sighed happily as she completed her nightly run. She’d rebroken the partially healed joint trying to do too, much too soon. One of the Healers had come in, threatening to cold cock her, and Heal her while she was out. She acquiesced, knowing that Angelo must be upset; he hated violence, much less suggesting it. Now less than four weeks after she’d broken the ankle badly, it was perfectly healed. She missed seeing Ryan, she had been avoiding him and she figured he was doing the same. Cain was a problem she’s have to face sooner or later and the anger that hadn’t gone away at all was building.

Then let the music take command
Back to back to another dimension
Stop the force and pay some attention

The old buck had indeed been as tough as shoe leather, but the meat was rich and properly ‘gamey’ tasting. It had taken all three of the Were’s working in unison to take him down, the injuries his antlers and flailing hooves had given them added spice to the dining. Heyoka had let Rivan and Merry split the steaming liver, he wanted the brain. He was going to tan the not too tattered hide in the traditional manner. He’d redyed his fur into blue and purple mottling and was thinking of getting an ear pierced. It would have to be silver of course to stay open, and he was still debating whether or not the constant annoyance of the pain would be worth it.

Mike lived in the neighborhood known as Montrose. He’d driven Dilana through it as he took her back to Sian’s house that first night. “This is the poor folks version of Houston’s answer to the French Quarter, or Soho. Leather bars, fetish bars, blues bars, artsy shops, quirky restraunts, Rice University students crammed cheek to jowl with every sort of alternative life styles. Lots of Houston’s gay population lives here, and the way some of the old houses have been renovated is just spectacular…but there are a number here and there that are fit only for squatters, and you have a lot of runaways in the area. Not much in the way of gangs though.” He’d explained as they drove through the just after dawn hush. “I like it because it’s close to the Hospital and the Mundanes here are very accepting of just about any weirdness. The Strange Folk population here isn’t very high though one might think it would be.”

When I hear this melody
This strange illusion takes over me
Through a tunnel of the mind
Perhaps a present or future time oh, oh
Out of nowhere comes this sound


No iconoclast incursions or presence occurred to endanger the Night Life of Houston, not had any independent bounty hunters arrived. Red, and her two subordinates, were able to rest up.

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.
It is a dimension as vast as space and timeless as infinity.
It is the middle ground between light and shadow,
between science and superstition,
and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge.
This is the dimension of imagination.
It is an area which we call...

Taking up the reins of a branch of an international corporation is never easy, and Jessica found herself immersed in work from dusk to dawn and back again. However it became increasingly easy to note that Houston seemed to be haunted.

She lays in bed at night and that is when I make my call.
But when she stares at me, she can't see nothing at all,
Because you see I can't take no shape or form.
It's been three long years since I've been gone.

I can't get used to purgatory, you know it really makes me cry, I'll never know the reason why I had to go….

“And the thirteenth caller to tell me what connects all these songs wins tonight's golden cookie!” The mellow voice of the DJ intoned.

“And the sun goes down on a sleepy little town…”

A heavy caliber gun thundered and the radio died.

Godolkin was already moving toward Reds room as Harrow was still processing what happened. He grabbed his favorite sniper rifle with his own specially made scope, the only weapon at hand, and followed the Iconoclast down the hall. When they reached the door she was standing with gun in hand glaring toward them.

"If I have to hear ... the Doobie brothers ... one ... more ... time ...."

It had been quiet for them. No pursuit at all from Iconclasts or bounty hunters. They had a chance to rest. Danger could never be far away for them, and Harrow realized that now, a greater danger loomed.



Red was bored .......



"Any word from the that Doctor?" she asked.

"No", harrow replied. "She's injur.."

"Injured and healing. yeah, yeah. I know. How fucking long does it take?" she asked.

"Mundanes and most mutants take a long time, Holy one."

Godolkin turned and went back to the window, where he had spent most of his time.

"Well?" Red asked Harrow.

"Holy one?"

"Call the FUCKING DOCTOR!"

Harrow nodded and went back out to the phone. He had already tried twice. Once in the morning and around noon. In thier time here he had transferred her account and she had moved them to a house in a relatively quiet area that didn't ask to many questions. He had built some transportation for them, seemingly a car, but using a black market drive with a government issue non-fossil fuel, high output engine. Though it could be used on land, it was safer in the air, or just above the ground, low enough to not show up on radar, which was the key.

Red, herself, was looking at the possibility of returning to the Vatican City, the home of the Iconoclast warriors. The present Pope held the reigns of power over most governments and the warriors were called Iconoclasts for just that reason, except that the sacred religious images that these Iconoclasts destroyed had to do with anything that the mutants or non-humans valued.

He picked up the phone, dialing the Doctors number again, hoping she picked up this time, because he wasn't sure how much longer Red would be able to contain herself.

********

Lauralin nodded as Jessica pointed out the hauntings.

"Yes, and we keep track of these things. This is our true focus. The preternatural and supernatural. We stop invasions from the worlds and planes beyond. Our mundane protection agencies are secondary, though, I assure you, still fully funded. The real threat lies with these situations. All are to be investigated, documented and stored to the Defenders central data base."

Lauralin pulled out a file and handed it to Jessica, "I am placing Michael here, in Houston. I am sure that you can be of benefit to him. And he is a fine investigator, very good at his job."

They continued going over procedure. Jessica had the Houston area and it's surrounding sections. She had a board of hand picked people to help her in making decisions. Anything that was beyond Jessica was to be directed to Lauralin herself.

********

Michael was chomping at the bit as he kept going over anything he could find. The woman hadn't turned up anywhere else that he could find. She seemed to just vanish. He was certain that no one had caught her, yet she didn't seem to surface.

"Rhys residence" The voice was briskly feminine, as the phone was picked up on the thrid ring. As she waited for a reply Sian picked up Para's water bowl and refilled it, the cordless hand set tucked between her ear and shoulder. 'I ought to get one of the bluetooth ear gadgets' she thought, and decided that yes she did get enough calls to justify it. Though she hated being even furthered tethered to technology.

"Doctor Rhys? This is Judas Harrow. You don't me but I'm calling about a woman you met some weeks back. You had given her your card. It was in the parking garage, during the fight? You told her to call you?" he told her, surprised that actually answered this time.

Sian blinked. She hadn't, after this many weeks, expected to get a call from the one know as the Scarlett Huntress. "Six inch heels." Her lips quirked a small smile

"And I have to add a line to that card." She sighed at the surprize she could hear in the man's voice. "Let it ring at least eight times....So how can I help you?...or her?"

Dilana had stayed at Sian's house for 3 weeks until she had found an apartment in the downtown Houston area, right in the heart of the city. The nurse had only been at her new place for a week, however already she was loving it and settling in to the town and her nursing job. Dilana worked at the hospital on Friday and Saturday nights, also on Wednesday and Thursday. Sian had told her that nurses usually started working 4 days a week. The hours were long, however with Dilana's energy she was able to keep up. Things for the first time were going well for the young human/lioness woman, however as she showered and sat in her living room flipping through the channels on the tv, the woman couldn't help but wonder how long her good life would last in Houston. Over the weeks, she had found Mike to be a pleasant and inforative person to talk to, and he had quickly become her second friend. Dilana leaned back and pressed the button on her remote, her mind drifting back to the woman she knew as Red.
'I wonder what has happened to her?'
Dilana mused as she rested her head against the back of the leather couch that she had found somewhere.

Rivan had been enjoying being a part of a pack, however intermitten it might be, thought it was presenting a bit of a problem to him, though he avoided letting it show or at least tried to. Actually two problems that were closely interwoven, and a third minor bit. The minor bit was learning the particular customs of the pack. The two problems he was finding were his feelings toward Merry, and to a lesser extent the pack in general, and the fact that he'd lived as a lone wolf and was finding the constraints, subtle as they were, constricting.

As he sat, gazing at the moon, he was wondering if the liver, or a challenging kill at least, was viewed in the same or at least similar manner to that of his own pack. If it carried the same meanings here as it traditionally had in his birth pack, he hoped Merry hadn't gone shopping at any bridal stores just yet.

"Umm", Harrow was able to get out. Actually he didn't know. He pulled the phone away from his mouth, "Holy One!? I have Doctor Rhys on the phone!"

There was a moment and then a muttered brief exchange and then Red was on the phone.

"Doctor Rhys?" Her voice had that husky yet feminine sound that melted most men. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean by what can you do for me. You told me to call you."

"Holy One?" The raised eyebrow could be clearly heard in Sian's voice. "Do I want to know?.. Now as to helping you, you did ask me to explain the local rules to you, but I will admit having that death scream hit right as you were asking made it rather forgetable."

She paused a second, deciding if she wanted Red and her cohorts in her home or some place more public. The greater privacy aspect decided her quickly. "Why don't you and your friends come over here, and have dinner with me, say in two hours?" Sian remembered well what the slim dossier had said about Durham Red, and her nutritional needs. She kept such on hand so that would be no problem. "Then we can have a long talk, get questions answered, and get some potential problems settled."

Merry waded out of the deep creek that meandered through the miles long floodplain that lay between Bear Creek Park, and the levy. With a brisk shake water flew everywhere. She gave a wicked lupine grin as Heyoka woke from his nap with a yelp. Her partial transformation was slower than that of her cousin, she didn't partially tranform as often as he did.

"You guys have fun, I'm going to take that haunch that's left to your mom."

There was no use leaving it, no scavenger would touch a Were kill. So to leave it would be to waste it, and that was anthema to the Green Waters pack. There were several Were's that would appreciate the venison, and Windra would make sure that it got distributed.

She looked over at Rivan, smiling gently, watching him look up at the silver gray orb. "Mom's beautiful tonight, isn't she." It wasn't really a question that needed an answer. Every Were worshiped the night's sun to one degree or another.

"You're welcome to drop by later, but I have to be up early tomorrow. Windra has asked me to drive out to Big Bend and look at some property available there. You're welcome to come with me if you'd like, but it's going to be an two dayer due to the drive time."

She'd appreciate his input on the property and didn't hesitate to let him know that. However she wouldn't push the issue, if he didn't feel like such a long road trip.

Big Bend, a national Park that encompassed many parcels of still privately owned land, was west along I-10 and nearly ten hours away at highway speeds. Merry would be back the day before their flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, but it meant a busy week.

If you can imagine it, you can build it. If you can dream it, you can become it.

It was over before it even began. Money had been placed, shit talked, people had been called, and of course, cameras set up. The two warriors, a car and a bike, sat side by side in a parking lot to some random coffee shop. They were amidsts some of the best, and fastest in Houston. Cobras, all styles of Fbodies, FD RX7s, a few Nissan Skylines, Corvettes, Vipers, all of the best took residence in the parking lot. American muscle, pacific street fighters, Autobahn Bombers, two wheeled terrors, all clad in the armor of body kits and sponsorship stickers, wielding swords known as LS1, 2JZ, and Supercharged V8.

However, none were here to race tonight. No, tonight was a grudge match. Yes, summer, the best time of the year for racing with warm nights, no school for the younger ones, and relaxed work hours for the older. It was the perfect time to settle all the winter talk bullshit. But it was understood that tonight, a real battle would be settled. A match not for bucks, but bragging rights. The winner would not go home with cash, but the right to call himself one of the fastest in the city. Racers had traveled down from the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, Austin, San Antonio, and even as far as Lubbock. A few cars even sported Louisianna and Oklahoma plates.

The first racer was an enigmatic, lanky Japanese man who had no real known name. He traveled the internet forums, and the streets, going by the name Hayabusa. It was Japanese for Falcon, but it was also the name given to the GSXR1300 by Suzuki. Considered one of the fastest, if not the fastest, production motorcycle in the world, it was a force to truely be reckoned with. It was not the vehicle to test on the straights, or around the twisties. And Busa was one that couldn't leave well enough alone. A high flow K&N intake, bolt on high flow exhaust, polished headers, and a Jet Kit put the motorcycle at clean and legitmate two hundred pluse wheel horsepower.

Everyone knew the bike was fastest, and the smart money was on him. But then again, the smart money had bet the world was flat, that we were the only ones in the universe, and that UCONN would have beat George Masson in the 2006 Final Four. The contender was a similarly mysterious man, one who talked little, often wore black, and would only show up when serious stakes were on the line. No one really knew him, but many knew of him. He had once terrorized the strips in a black Camaro SS, but now, he was riding a Japanese street fighter, real pacific muscle, a 1998 Toyota Supra Turbo. The car looked stock beyond the wheels and spolier, but many knew differently.

A bell rung out as the clock struck exactly 11:15pm, and as if a blank gun had gone of to signal a race start, drivers made their way to mounts. Ryan nodded over to Busa, who smiled back, and then slid into the driver's seat of the black Toyota. A random kid, someone Ryan knew nothing about, jumped into the passenger's seat, and held up a camera. He 'sighed' and nodded. "Fine, just sit down, shut up, and hold on."

Fifteen minutes later, overpasses and breakdown lanes on Houston's Highway 59 were crowded with cars and on lookers. They ignored the honks and fingers from angry motorists. Inside the Supra, a phone rang, and Ryan answered, expertly piloting the vehicle at legal speeds.

"Yo?" he asked, calmly.

"Ryan, this is Cain. I have a job for..."

"It's gonna have to wait man, got shit I'm doing."

He clicked the phone up, and steered the Supra around a eighteen wheeler, slowing to seventy miles per hour next to the bike. The kid nodded, he was filming now, and so was every camera that could focus in on the two. Ryan rolled his window down, holding up three fingers. Busa, looking back through the helmet's visor. The window came back up, and the horn on Ryan's car beeped.

One.

Two.

Three!

The motorcycle wheeled up, flying an instant two car lengths on the Supra. However, the Toyota was neither down, nor out. Ryan mashed the gas, the single big turbo spooling up quickly, the exhaust letting out a noise that could only be described as beastly. The devil roar Supra hissed loudly as the blow off valve spit out excess air from the throttle closing as Ryan shifted hard, the Supra quickly covering the two car lengths, adding a third to pull out on the bike. The speedometer screamed upwards, flying past the century mark, pulling just as hard as the needle on the tachometer.

The Supra continued its pull, increasing another length, now two on the bike. Seconds later, two became five, and another second later, five became six. After fifteen seconds, the JZA80 Supra had hit near a bus length and a half on the Supra. Busa flashed the highbeam on his bike, and let off. Ryan did as well, a blue flame spurting out of the exhaust as he let of the throttle.

Ryan looked back at the motorcycle, and chuckled. "Don't mess with a cage, bitch," he said, and pulled out the cell phone, clicking it open and hitting redial. "Now what do you want?"

Cain, annoyed with Ryan's recent 'insubordination' quickly and curtly explained the details. Ryan never responded, just hung up. He looked at the kid who had done the in car filming, and pulled off to the side of the highway. "Time to get out," he said, clicking the seatbelt release button.

"But, I don't have a ride?"

"To damned bad," he said, pushing the kid out. He floored it, the door closing automatically.

It was three days later when he walked sleepy eyed down to gate, heading towards the airport's doors. He had been told there would be a car waiting for him, and began scanning for a placard with his name, or something of the like.

His name had to be Bruno, it could be nothing else. The casting director for The Godfather - and the Godfather himself -would have found him the perfect 'soldier'. Even the accent was perfect, though if the stereotype carried true he would ever say much.

He hulked, even in a custom tailored, thousand dollar Italian suit. Perhaps it wsa the fact that he stood nearly six foot six, and looked like King Kong on steroids. Perhaps it was the fact that what ever he was wearing under his left arm made a Desert Eagle hand cannon look like a derringer. Maybe it was all that and more, someting subliminal but obvious to Everyone.

He stood with ox like patience, a small piece of white cardboard in one ham sized hand. Scribed on it in large, easy to read letters: Mr. Ryan Hammond. He never seemed to notice, or perhaps took it as a given, that people veered wide around him, leaving a dead pool in the middle of a bustling international airport.

"Two hours", Red replied, "we have your address", and she hung up.

"Alright, we're going to dinner", she said and headed to her room. "I'm going to change. She put on her formal outfit, that is her red leather, just like her black and her 8 inch heels. Then she strapped on her guns and blades and came back out.

Harrow had dressed in a dinner tuxedo, but carried his .45 with the silver and holy water rounds like he made for Red and his sniper rifle on his back. Godolkin was dressed forally with the same pants and heavy beats, the same weapons and weapon packs but also a combat harness with various special equipement attached and his eyepiece in place.

They made thier way to the garage where harrow had built a vehicle for them. It looked like a large cargo van from the outside but it had an illegal government issue drive, meaning a small plutonium drive and scanners that could match the best stealth fighter. It couldn't reach it's maximum speed on the street, the tires wouldn't take it and it wouldn't turn fast enough but it could fly as well, though awkwardly. What Red liked most were the four mini-gun mounts, two micro missile launchers and the heavy laser.

They got in and made it to the security gate in under two hours, moving through the streets at little more than a streak, the sophisticated equipement telling them exactly where the law enforcement vehicles were located. When Godolkin pulled up to the gate he rolled down the window and looked at the guard.

"We're to see Doctor Rhys, we're expected", he said simply.

Sian had phoned Dilana, and invited her to come to dinner as well. She knew that her friend had an interest in Durham Red, though she didn't know if she'd classify the Scarlet Huntress as some one healthy to have an interest in.

We're to see Doctor Rhys, we're expected"

The guard merely nodded, with an odd uncuriosity, and toggled the heavy gate open. The boulevard was lined with old oaks, their thick branches almost forming a tunnel as the street wound deeper into the Enclave.

The Rhys family home (http://www.atddm.com/rhyshouse.htm), the original house in what became Wild Bend Enclave, was- unlike the rest of the houses - visable from the road, despite having nearly an acre for the front yard. Her's was the last house on it's particular narrow and muchly winding side lane off of the main boulevard. The property backed up to the bayou on the 'back', and parts of the Enclave's extensive 'green space' lay on either side.

The house had been extensively updated by Sian's mother just before her death, but it was obvious the house was old and comfortably nestled into the land. The drive way curled in a loop then a smaller drive split off to head to the low slung semi detatched garage.

Sian had been waiting out on the front porch, alerted by the security officer at the main gate. When the cargo van pulled into the drive, she walked down to meet them. "You can park here, or pull around to the back, however you feel most comfortable." She called.

For being her night off, Dilana wasn't expecting an dinner invite from her friend Sian. She had told her that Red was going to be there which had gotten Dilana's interest.
The young woman had brushed back her dark hair, letting it fall down her back. A simple black knee length skirt with a white off the shoulder top and her sandles completed her outfit and she walked down towards the parking lot where she kept her car she was paying off in order to own. Since Dilana had lived at the house, the woman knew where it was and arived to see a van sitting in the long drive beyond the gate.
The guard had waved her through the wide gate as Dilana drove down towards the garage and parked her car. The young woman got out and began her walk towards the house, she sencing that Sian knew she was here; however as she reached the porch she called out, "Hi Sian, long time no se!"
Dilana waved as she smiled and waved at the van, not seeing inside it.

Godolkin nodded to Sian and waited for the new arrival to park. Seeing the woman he put the van in drive and pulled it out of sight around back. Red hadn't seen anyone, only heard her, as she was sitting in the back at the weapons console, though she detected the new vehicle.

Once parked, Godolkin got out first, the mini-gun and purifier along with the blade, all strapped on. The combat harness held an array of instruments and his lens was in place, allowing him to see in several spectrems.

Red got out next, dropping down onto the ground in her impossible seeming heels and striding forward to look first at the tattooed iconoclast, who nodded and then around the rest of area, looking and listening for anything her sharpened senses might pick up.

Harrow was the last to come out, having shut down the drive and looked odd in his suit and .45, carrying the sniper rifle with the large scope.

They strode around front to meet Sian. One oddity was that, though there were three of them sian could pick out four minds, two of them seeming to belong to Harrow. Both minds were highly intelligent.

Reds mind was an open book. She was curious, but cautious, looking for a trap. The life of a person hunted on all sides.

Godolkin's was, if possible, even odder than Harrows dual minds. His was locked. Not from the outside, but from himself. The iconoclast training not allowing him to access remorse or pity or fear. Only the ability to despise anything not human. He did follow Red, but because he believed that she had his soul after feeding from him.

Red smiled at Dilana, "Hey cutey", she yelled over, though she was looking at Sian. Once she reached them she looked at Sian, "Doctor Rhys I take it. I'm Durham Red, The Scarlett Huntress. And no, don't ask about the Holy One", she said and rolled her eyes.

"All seems clear blasphemy", Godolkin told her, and raised the eyepiece.

Red nodded, "Yeah, seems to be."

Rivan chuckled at Merry's wetting of Heyoka. At Merry's comment about the moon Rivan caused him to blush slightly as it held some connotations that were slightly unsettling at the present.

"I think I'd enjoy that, thought I'm not quite sure what I could do." He replied as he would like a chance to travel, if only a short distance. A chance to stretch his legs so to speak, in the company of one he quite liked.

"Hi Sian, long time no see!" Dilana called as she came around the corner.

A wide smile lit Sian's face as she helloed Dilana in return. "Not all that long. That outfit looks great on you!" She complimented the younger woman's choice of clothing "There is some fresh made rasberry lemonade in that pitcher. Feel free to pour a glass if you'd like some."

Turning back she watched as the van pulled around to the back, and out of sight from the lane.

Sian winced at the sight of the three coming back around the corner. She could understand their wariness, but ...she sighed internally. They didn't know her yet, and didn't know -yet- that here, in her place, they were safe.

"Doctor Rhys I take it. I'm Durham Red, The Scarlett Huntress. And no, don't ask about the Holy One

"Okay, I won't, for now. What do you prefer to be called? Red?" Sian looked at the impossibly high heels and wondered if the woman knew just how much damage she wsa doing to herself.

"Lets go inside so you can get comfortable, stand down and dump the weapon over kill."

She gave Godolkin a speaking look. She reached out mentally doing a thorough, instantaneous assessment of the big Iconoclast. She could heal him. Physical Healing was outside of the range of her Gifts, but Redaction, mental healing, was. It itched, the instinctive response to fix what had been so wrongly broken. However, for the moment she had to ignore it.

She turned her survey to the one named Harrow, and an eyebrow arched. Dual personalities were seldom so clearly distinct. She wondered for a second if each know about the other.

Ushering her guests into the house, Sian showed Godolkin and the others where they could leave their ordinance. "You don't need that while you are here." Her calm statement had the force of an natural law

"I think I'd enjoy that, thought I'm not quite sure what I could do."

"I was hoping for the pleasure of your company." Merry blushed slightly and added a very practical reason. "You have the strongest earth sense that the pack's ever encountered."

It was true - the pack had been astonished at how attuned to the earth Rivan was. "I was hoping that you would come with me and tell me what you thought of the land. It has an unhappy history and..." Her voice trailed off.

All Were's were sensitive to one degree or another to things even strange for the Strange Folk. If the land was warped, it would do the pack harm in the long run.

"I would likewise enjoy your company." He replied, her blush somewhat mirrored on his face. "Thank you, and I will do my best. Could you tell me a little of the history of the land?"

Ryan moved gracefully through the airport, dodging in an out of crowds. He eyed those around him, wondering who were like him, who were the ones who would hunt him, and who were the ones he would have for dinner. He felt naked without any weapons on him, but new his powers would be enough to get him the hell out of any situation if not stay and fight.

Then he noticed it. Like a pillar of granite, crowds parted to get around the man. He was tall, muscular, and looked as if, even with his vampiric abilities, he could flat out crush Ryan like a bug. Bruno stood like a hulking mass, a gorilla amongst ants. He walked up slowly, and nodded. "Hey, I'm Hammond," he said, feeling tiny next to the man.

"Would you ride with me to get this meat over to Windra? I can explain on the way." Merry asked Rivan. They'd parked close to the park tonight, rather than run the distance.

"I'll catch up with you all later." Heyoka said as he began flensing the hide of any extra tissue, the broad bladed semi curved knife held in expert hands. "I want to find a place to burry this, right beneath the biggest live oak that I can find. Natural tannin." He replied to Merry's questioning look.

The accent was Jersey, the accent was Italian, the timbre of the voice ..a high tenor...almost girlish. No one laughed, no one even cracked a smile, though a number of those within hearing range gave Bruno surrepetitous looks.

"Mr. Santini sent the Limmo to pick ya up." With that he turned and headed out of the concourse, not even looking back to see if Ryan followed him.

A stretched Hummer in black awaited.A small, slightly build man in a chauffers uniform waited by the open passener rear door. What could be see of the interior though that open door suggested extensive decor in leopard print, black laquer, multi hued neon and showgirls three in the three basic flavors Blonde, Brunette and Red. Appropriately dressed to please.

Bruno occupied himself by opening the front passenger door and hauling his bulk aboard with a surprizing turn of agility.

"That sounds like a good idea." He replied as he stretched and stood. As they walked toward the car, both carrying meat, he mused, "I wonder what Heyoka's planning for the hide after he's finished tanning it."

"What happened to just calling me D?"
Dilana shouted back at Red's greeting as she aproached Sian, "Thanks Sian, just something I through together. Thanks for the drink by the way; it's nice to kick back when I have a night off."
Dilana finished as she picked up the pitcher and poured herself a glass of the liquid.

"I have not a clue. He's an excellent leather worker, made me a suede jacket a couple of years ago that is very comfortable and warm." She looked both ways before dashing across Highway 6 and whooped with laughter as she ran across.

"Wouldn't the county mounties have a field day with us, public nudity and the heebie jeebies about where this meat came from!"

She pulled the keys from the hidden magnetic box tucked into the under carriage and opened the trunk. She kept a heavy plastic tarp 'just in case' and laid the meat on it before using wet wipes on her hands and arms- blood dried sticky and itchy. She offered some to Rivan and while he was wiping his arms off, leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Thank you. I enjoyed the hunting tonight." She said softly as she turned to put on the clothes she had left neatly folded.

"They probably would, scratch that, if the ones here are at all similar to the average they'd be quite annoyed. At least if my experience with them in other states are any indication." He added as he likewise laid down the meat and began cleaning himself off.

When she kissed him, he blushed almost scarlet. "I enjoyed hunting with you as well," He said as he paused to wipe a bit of dried blood off his ear.

Having Cyrian as a houseguest showed Lillian what she'd missed by not having children. She was deeply grateful she'd missed it.

At first her heart went out to him, rolled in a ball on her sofa with a pillow clutched over his head to muffle his cries for his Guardian. So, he was no ordinary member of the Fae, then, but a princeling? Lillian knew the High Elves cherished their rare children so much that each one had a warrior Guardian appointed to him for his entire childhood. How harsh the streets of Houston must seem to someone so privileged.

But soon the laments of the lost child gave way to the impossible demands of the adult: for coffee, coffee, coffee; and then, worse, for something -- anything -- to stem the pain and the craving. There was nothing she could give; she had no idea what effect even a simple paracetamol tablet would have. The first day she couldn't even leave to buy food, for fear of what he might do. It wasn't so much his loudly stated belief that he could fly, as her fear that perhaps, somehow, he could.

So much for the meeting she'd promised him with the 'someone who'd suffered more than he had'. So much for her city-kitties, starving, no doubt, without her. So much, too, for herself and Seklh; she had no objection to baked beans, but her feline companion had decided views on the unsuitability of tinned food.

Well, the hot-rodders wouldn't disappear, and surely their unseen guest, the riderless Steed, would stay where it was safe. Nonetheless, Lillian worried herself to sleep. Next day, though, her fog of trouble lifted a little with the arrival of the magnificent replacement trolley and a solution for half a dozen problems at once. Petsmart, summoned immediately -- Seklh, at least, would eat properly -- proved prompt and even more useful than they probably suspected. Scrawled on one of their trademark brown paper bags was a telephone number.

At the other end of it was a nice doctor; a nice hospital, nice nurses and -- at last -- nice medications for Lillian's problem child. Lillian got to know a part of her city she'd never known existed -- who'd have thought the Night Life had their own hospital? In the next few weeks, the route became so familiar Lillian included it on her regular cat-care round. Lillian, too, became familiar.

Later that fact might set off gentle ripples in an unexpectedly large number of private worlds. But for now Lillian was too busy dealing with a major ripple in her own: Hurricane Cyrian.

(OOC: First I want to apologize for long delays. My home comp isn’t working so I’m logging in from work and from a friends house.)

“Yeah, Red will do just fine”, she told Sian and smiled at Dilana, though her fanged smile usually frightened those who didn’t know the difference, “Dee it is, how ya been?” Red definitely had an almost completely gone british accent, but it was still there, easier, now, to hear with no crashing music or bleeding bodies about.

"Lets go inside so you can get comfortable, stand down and dump the weapon over kill." She gave Godolkin a speaking look..

Godolkin’s eyes were cold and unmoving as he looked back at the Doctor, his body loose, but alert, ready to move at a seconds notice with rather impressive speed for a mortal non-mutant. As she looked at Harrow his gaze met hers for only a second before a slight flush came to his cheeks and he suddenly found something very interesting on his sleeve to pick at. Though highly intelligent he didn’t have much experience with women at all, so one staring so openly at him flustered him.

Ushering her guests into the house, Sian showed Godolkin and the others where they could leave their ordinance. "You don't need that while you are here."

“I don’t like this, Blasphemy”, Godolkin told Red.

“Yeah, well, we’re guests”, she said, and then continuing in a steep british accent, that sounded rather natural to her, “and where I come from we treat our hosts right propa.”

Godolkin’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Red, “This is no joke, Monster.”

“No it ain’t”, Red told him, her voice equally cold now and her normal slight accent back, “so fuckin lose em.”

“Yes Mistress”, he replied, his voice not so cold and more subservient.

She removed the guns and holsters then the blades along her forearms, the silver and rune etched blades glinting with a dangerous edge in the light. Once they were off she reached down, taking out a normal, though well hidden blade, from each boot. The pommel of the blades actually snapping into place and looking like the top buckle of her boots. Once done she reached between her breasts and pulled out a bodice fist dagger, the handle being able to be held in a closed fist while the blade protruded from between her ring and middle fingers.

Godolkin undid the fastenings to the mini gun and purifier flame unit then removed the whole assembly from his back. He took off the holster holding the handgun and laid it down with Red’s weapons and his and stepped back.

Harrow had laid down the sniper rifle and the .45 and holster. He glanced at Sian, though didn’t quite meet her eyes, “Sorry, Lady”, he muttered, then stepped back to Red, trying not to look openly as she removed the bodice dagger from her ample cleavage. He looked away as she did so and toward Dilana, only to find an equally attractive woman and decided that the floor was the best place to look.

“I don’t think you’ll need the harness either”, Red told Godolkin, “I doubt she going to try to poison us or otherwise take us out.”

Godolkin said nothing this time as he removed the battle harness with the instruments and the eyepiece, setting them with the rest. He was now, once again, bare chested, having lost his Iconoclast issue metal shirt and chest protector and not particularly comfortable in anything else. As he moved away from the weapons corded muscle rippled beneath the tattooed skin that served to protect against vampires and were folk.

Red looked at the pile, never having seen all they’re weapons assembled in one place like that, “Jesus Christ, you’d think we were paranoid.”

“We are, Blasphemy”, Godolkin replied.

“Oh yeah”, Red said grinning and looked around at Dilana, “So, what are you packing?” She asked her, grinning.

Ryan looked at the ladies as he slid into the "back seat" of the Hummer. Cain certainly knew how to treat a driver, especially one with the tastes of Ryan. He tossed his one carry on aside, and looked at the girls. "Well, hello ladies. How are we this evening?"

"Well," Dilana began to answer Red's question, "I don't have much since I'm at Sian's house."
Dilana reached down in to her shoe on her right foot and pulled out from a shieth a knife.
"Just a knife," Dilana said, "I don't keep much in terms of weapons, I have strength and, other weapons on my body; that it produces for me. I don't think that makes sence perhaps I may be wrong."
Dilana placed the knife back in her shoe;

Red looked at the little knife and grinned again, "That's not a knife, that's a letter opener. Someone lied to you about they were selling you."

She glanced back at Godolkin and then looked at Sian, "So, who's for dinner?" she asked, unable to resist the temptation to bait the big warrior.

The itch had turned to anger. She could clearly see in her mind's eye the wrong that had been wrought on the big Iconoclast. Fixing it would not be easy, even for her, but she would not, could not, let such vileness go unanswered. Nor would she let Red's baiting go unnoticed.

"So, who's for dinner?"

Her mind voice lanced out crisply clear, but for Red alone. * I'm going to fix him you know and when he's healed he might not thank you for your casual cruelties.* Her eyes were coldly level as she looked up at the taller woman, holding her eyes for a long second.

"Well, hello ladies. How are we this evening?"


"Oh we are just excellent!" The platinum blonde replied perkily "I'm Sugar and just so pleased to meet you."

"We all are Sugar, Mister Santini said you were something Special...and I'm Cherry" The green eyed red haired hastened to add in a sultry voice.

The brunette just patted the seat closest to her, a champagne glass in her hand and a come hither look on her face.

The chauffer closed the door behind Ryan and trotted around to the drivers side. In moments the stretch Hummer was pulling away from the curb.

"Looks can be so deceiving," Dilana said after Red's comment and smiled. Dilana stepped back and allowed her eyes to scan the room, she clearly sensing the tention between Sian and Red, however since it had nothing to do with her as far as she could tell she stayed out of it.

Once Merry had the car on I-10 she began explaining the possible problem with the parcel of land that they were going to be looking at.

Big Bend is semi desert, useable only for subsistance level cattle ranching, thats is why there was no trouble with it becoming a national park -Big Bend ( 801,000 acres plus)- with the state park ,Big Bend Ranch ( 299,008.38 acres )- adjoining it. Both areas surround quite a number of privately owned pieces, ranches that centered around the few springs and oasis's in the region. The Apache and the Comanche were the few native american groups to extensively dwell in the area.

"And back about the time of Texas Independance and just after there were several massacres and attrocities on both sides." Merry explained further

"The legend goes that a small band of Quohadi Commanche ended up on the Ceil Verde ranch, comprised only of women, children and very elderly. They were starving, it was winter and it is said that the ranch hands rounded them up, and led them to some nearby caves. The Ceil Verde is close to the mountains, and once there they forced the Commanche them inside, piled up brush at the opening and set it ablaze. Supposedly they used any who tried to escape for target practise." Her voice was grim and she swallowed hard. "One of the elderly was the tribal shaman and it is said that he laid a curse. The land is fertile, has the best water around, but the ranch has never prospered since then. Suicides, suspicious deaths, mental illnesses, and many odd happenings."

Ceil Verde, Green Sky covered over ten thousand acres, and was the largest contiguous parcel in private hands, and had been swamped in estate issues for over twenty years. The judges had finally ruled just three months ago and the heirs were looking to sell as quickly as they could.

"We can get it at rock bottom prices, but not if it's going to hurt the Pack to live there. We were thinking of doing both ranching and running a small winter resort up in the mountains. Something pricey, exclusive and known only to a few."

Rivan listened to the problem with interest. He'd come across a slightly similar situation in his travels, and he'd found it unpleasent. Also interesting and at times enjoyable, but mostly unpleasent as he lacked the 'mojo' to deal with it properly.

"I might be able to help, I'm not sure. An on site evaluation will give me a much better idea as there are just too many variables to try and work out at present." He replied as she finished and he'd considered the problem for a little.

Her mind voice lanced out crisply clear, but for Red alone. * I'm going to fix him you know and when he's healed he might not thank you for your casual cruelties.* Her eyes were coldly level as she looked up at the taller woman, holding her eyes for a long second.

"Looks can be so deceiving," Dilana said after Red's comment and smiled. Dilana stepped back and allowed her eyes to scan the room, she clearly sensing the tention between Sian and Red, however since it had nothing to do with her as far as she could tell she stayed out of it.


Red looked at Sian while she responded to Dilana's statement, "Can't they though." She smiled as she looked at Sian and tried to think her response, though she had no capability of reached out to Sian herself.

"If you can fix him, I'd like nothing more. But be wary. He's never known emotions other than what the drug barriers and mental barriers allow. To be suddenly inundated with them could cause more harm than good."

Seeing Dilana take a step back Red turned from Sian and smiling took Dee's arm, "Uh uh. If I have to be here then so do you. Your not running away. So what have you been up to?" she asked lightly.

"I might be able to help, I'm not sure. An on site evaluation will give me a much better idea as there are just too many variables to try and work out at present."

"Your company will be equally appreciated, Rivan. I enjoy hearing your tales of your wanderings" Merry exited the interstate and headed into the residential area known as the Memorial Villages. The streets were narrow and winding and required her to keep a keen eye out for cars pulling out of often nearly hidden driveways.

Soon enough however they were at the home of the Alph of the Green Water's clan, her aunt Windra. The older woman bustled out to meet them, as they pulled into the car port.
"Oh that will be greatly appreciated, Merry, Rivan" She exclaimed as they pulled the heavy haunch of venison out of the trunk and stored in in the meat locker.

Windra cocked her head at Rivan "So, did Merry ask you to go with her tomorrow?"

If you can fix him, I'd like nothing more. But be wary. He's never known emotions other than what the drug barriers and mental barriers allow. To be suddenly inundated with them could cause more harm than good."


Sian's eyes lost a lot of her coldness at Red's reply *I know it won't be esy, safe or something to hurry. but what they did to him is an abomination I can't allow to contine.It is an intrinsic insult to his humanity, his 'self'.*

She led them back out to the porch. "Dinner will be in about thirty minutes, and it's a glorious evening so I thought we might start the explanations out here." She collapsed tailor fashion on a thick floor pillow, a glass of the rasberry lemonade at her elbow. "Feel free to help yourself to some" She indicated the pitcher which was accomapnied by a carafe of water, and another of iced tea. "There's also as variety of beers and such in the fridge. She nodded to the old but still quietly chugging along fridge in the corner.

"Then I shall endevor to keep you well supply with my tales." He replied as she had to avoid a car that had pulled out.

"Yes, she did." He replied as he tilted his head slightly, "How'd you know?"

"Well no shit", Red said, commenting to Sian's last statement to her. Then realizing her mistake she continued with, "beer in the fridge. Didn't think a saw bones would stoop to that. Who else wants one?" she asked as she made her way to the refridgerator, took one out and opened it. She took a long pull from the bottle, halving the contents and reached for another then looked around.

"Blasphemy", Godolkin said, crossing his massive arms and looking at Red, "I think it unwise to be out in the open like this."

"We've been alright so far. SB here has been straight up", she said nodding toward Sian.

Harrow poured himself some water while Red tossed a beer to Dee, without realizing that she hadn't asked for one.

"I don't think that's it", Godolkin stated.

"No? Then what do think it is?" she asked him.

"I think you trust her because she's a doctor", he stated.

"And what's that supposed to mean?", Red asked, her eyes narrowing.

"It means that you trusted Doctor Galvenskian", he replied, referring to the world reknown genetacist.

Suddenly Reds mind burst with anger and faster than either of the women or Harrow could see she threw the bottle in her hand at Godolkin. Fast as he was he only just barely was able to deflect it.

"FUCK you! What did he do to deserve death Godolkin? He wasn't mutant and he wasn't non-human", Red said visciously.

"He betrayed us", he stated coldly.

Harrow, only just realizing what was happening stepped between them, not that he stood a chance if either of them really went off.

"His work was perverted by the government, creating things worse than any of us", Red said without thinking. Suddenly her teeth snapped as she closed her mouth to late.

"Holy One, don't. You know he's only trying to bait you", Harrow said calmly, "it's the way they work."

"We're human at least", Godolkin replied, ignoring Harrow.

"Yeah, that's what the government wants. Only pure humans, anything else gets eliminated. But I'll ask you what Stephen asked me before they killed him. How do you define a pure human? You have different skin color, there's different nationalities. What is pure, Godolkin? And who goes next after the non-humans and mutants are gone?"

She turned away, leaving Godolkin to consider her question, and got another beer from the fridge. She snapped off the top, ignoring the small pieces of glass that might have gotten in it and down the entire thing, then grabbed another and opened it more carefully.

Godolkin couldn't answer her question, it was never something he had considered. What would happen after they were gone? But suddenly the thoughts were repressed and he fell into sullen silence.

Harrow, the situation seeming to have dissipated, looked toward Sian, not quite meeting her eyes, "I'm sorry, Doctor, please, go on."

Dilana, seeing the fight between the three of them, was greatful for the beer as she opened it and took a long drink from it.
"Fight nice kids," she chuckled as she cleared her throat, "To answer your question Red, I haven't been up to much. I became a nurse at the night life hospital and that's it; I work about 4 nights to start with anyway."

Red looked at Dilana as she spoke and smiled somewhat, her anger dying down in the face of the woman that she was fast considering a friend.

"It fits you. You have the right attitude for that. I'm sure many a patient won't forget you once they leave." She took another sip of the beer and then raised the bottle to Dilana as she swallowed, "Thank you.. by they way. For tending to me in the garage. Oh .."

She looked over at Sian and then continued, "I should make introductions. This", she said, pointing to Godolkin, "is Godolkin. He's an expert with weapons, ships, vehicles of any sort really, and a strategist to boot. Not to mention a hell of a good man to have at your back.

She pointed to Harrow, "This is Judas Harrow. Expert with systems of all kinds, building practically anything you need and one hell of a shot with his rifle."

She looked back at Dilana, "This is Dee, the woman I told you about, and the one who tended me as I had said. And that", she said, nodding toward Sian, "is SB, or Doctor Sian Rhys, who invited me over to fill me in on the rules around here."

Godolkins eyes simply shifted from one woman to the other, his arms still folded, while Harrow smiled toward each woman and nodded politely.

Dilana grinned, "I couldn't just let you lay there, although one funny moment I remember is when I hooked up the bag of blood to your arm and you simpley said something to the affect of, "I could've drank the blood."
Dilana laughed as she made finger quotes, "You aren't the last person who has told me that, I forget sometimes."
The woman's eyes shifted over to Godolkin, "That might explain why Godolkin looks that way?"
Dilana asked as she raised her bottle and hit it against Red's, "Why do you call Sian SB? What does that mena, or am I better off not knowing."
Dilana smiled as she sipped at her beer;

Red grinned at her comment, "Yeah it's easy to forget sometimes, but I'm sure you'll get used to it. Harrow is our med expert, or the closest we have. He did two years in med school, then the school found out he was a mutant and kicked him out. Outright shitty if you ask me, but it's the way of the world, you know?

Godolkin, well", she glanced over at Sian then back to Dilana, "we'll leave explanation for another time. And SB over here", she said, nodding toward Sian now, "Well it's just short for Saw Bones", she told her and chuckled. "Hope your not offended", she said to Sian.

Sian could have stopped the thrown bottle, her psionic telekensis was faster than Red's physical reflexes. However she didn't. It was an old hurt that the three of them had to address between themselves.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, please, go on."

Once things had calmed down for a moment, she turned pitiless, but strangely compassionate, eyes on Godolkin. "You aren't a 'normal' human, a 'pure human' any more than Red, or I or Dilana, or Harrow is. Want proof?"

There was no challenge in her voice simply a firm 'I'm going to settle that bs once and for all' matter of factness. His continued use of certain words had decided her on starting with that part of the nights discussion.

Dilana just sat there, not saying anything as she leaned back, the young woman didn't know what to say.

"How'd you know?"

Windra just shook her head and laughed. " I asked Merry not to drive out there alone. Yes, she's a grown WereWolf and capable of taking care of herself, but I act exceptionally 'mom' like at times. And some stretches of 1-10 out that way are very empty. I'd hate for her to get a break down in the middle of nowhere all alone. You don't mind going with her do you? " She knew she sounded anxious and while she didn't like it, couldn't help it.

Merry had been orphaned when she was only eleven and Windra had happily taken her in. Her parents had died in a multicar pile up when an eighteen wheeler tanker had smashed into a stalled car. The chain reaction had seen nearly twenty fatalities, most trapped in their vehicles when the tankers load of avaition fuel exploded. The loss of her sister had just made Windra's dislike and distrust of cars, semis, and traffic even more pronounced.

"Merry you just put everything on the card, the reservations are made, the appointment with Mr. Sinclair the ranch foreman is all set up. Just drive Safe."

Godolkin seemed unphased. “I never said I was human. We were created to purify the race. To remove the cancerous disease in the body of mankind…..”

“We are the white blood cells that kill the infection”, Red went on, quoting from the same book that had been given out to all the Iconoclasts, “We are the final defense for true humanity. We serve to protect it and preserve. And yada, yada and more bullshit and crap. Yeah that’s the speech.

Godolkin glared at her as she quoted the holy scripts, “You DARE Blasphemy? Your words are poison to our holy writs.”

"No, I don't. I'd be honoured to escort her." He replied with a smile and a faintly extravegent bow.

"I'll make sure she doesn't drink and drive." He added as he paused, then added, "Does this Mr. Sinclair know about Weres?"

“You DARE Blasphemy? Your words are poison to our holy writs.”

"Actually you are the Perversion, Godolkin, youare the Blasphemy and Abomination. There is no such thing as the 'true human race', a 'pure human race'- every single human on this planet is a mutant. Some just don't show it. Even your precious pope, better and best known as 'The Rat' is a mutant. All human are mutants and the human race has gotten to sapience because of mutations. So you and yours are going to have to kill every last human on the planet."

"And you are a human that has been deliberately, by evil- for evil ends, been warped into what you are." She spoke gently. "You, and the other Iconoclasts, are the ones that have been warped from the Divine's designs."

"You were made, and are being used. If you are going to do evil you atleast ought to do it with open eyes."

After a moment of silence Dilana spoke, "if it makes you feel better Godolkin, none of what they said made much sense to me; then again I was kind of drifting off."
Dilana drink from her beer, she knowing all to well in what Sian was talking about. She agreed with the doctor, however did not feel it was her place to say anything about the matter.

"Actually you are the Perversion, Godolkin, youare the Blasphemy and Abomination. There is no such thing as the 'true human race', a 'pure human race'- every single human on this planet is a mutant. Some just don't show it. Even your precious pope, better and best known as 'The Rat' is a mutant. All human are mutants and the human race has gotten to sapience because of mutations. So you and yours are going to have to kill every last human on the planet."

"And you are a human that has been deliberately, by evil- for evil ends, been warped into what you are." She spoke gently. "You, and the other Iconoclasts, are the ones that have been warped from the Divine's designs."

"You were made, and are being used. If you are going to do evil you atleast ought to do it with open eyes."

“We were made to do the bidding of the holy one.”

“Which isn’t”, Red said, “me, just to clear that up. I’m a whole different order of holy one.”

“You are a dream. The whole concept of the mutants holy one is a dream.”

“Yeah, I have to agree”, Red said grinning and stretching to show off her curves, “I AM a dream.”

“I am not amused”, Godolkin replied.

“Ya never are”, Red mumbled.

After a moment of silence Dilana spoke, "if it makes you feel better Godolkin, none of what they said made much sense to me; then again I was kind of drifting off."
Dilana drink from her beer, she knowing all to well in what Sian was talking about. She agreed with the doctor, however did not feel it was her place to say anything about the matter.

He looked at Dilana, “Then let me explain. You, like Harrow and the Huntress, are monsters. And the governments are seeking to put you down like diseases. That is why we were created. Because no human can match a non-human like you or some mutants.” After that he fell silent, unable to utter prayers as he believed that he himself was a blasphemer, having consorted with mutants.

"You are a dream," Dilana said as she smirked at Red as she had stretched.
"I understand what you mean about the government," Dilana said, "However, I've slipped under the radar thus far; no one is after me as far as I know."
Dilana knew she could be wrong, but didn't voice it outloud.

We were made to do the bidding of the holy one”

Sian watched as Godolkin litterally ignored what she had said. It gave her a good idea of exactly how deeply his conditioning had been wrought. Holy one. She wondered what he would do if exposed to some of the more nightmareish examples of the 'holy ones' activities.

She let Red's byplay go past unremarked, she'd get the 'holy one' details later. Though she did have to admit that the woman had a spectacular set of curves and dress to show them off.

.”“Then let me explain. You, like Harrow and the Huntress, are monsters. And the governments are seeking to put you down like diseases. That is why we were created. Because no human can match a non-human like you or some mutants.

"If their latent mutancies were activated they could. And the goverments won't allow anything they can't control. And once again you are a human, just a human who has been warped. And Dilana is a human, just one with her mutancy activated." However she knew at this time he wouldn't, couldn't, hear what she was saying.

So she turned the topic to Houston's Night Life. " But as it may. You are here to hear about the way thing work in Houston."

For the next fifteen minutes or so she explained about the Council and the societal structure they had encouraged over the years. "The basic tennant is and will be -until things change - Don't do any thing 'wall of weird' where the Mundanes can witness, don't make a Mess, and accept your fellow Strange Folk."

"Now, who's up for pot roast? " She finished her lemonade and stood. "I'll answer questions over dinner, and there's a kick ass Death by Chocolate waiting for us as dessert."

"Does this Mr. Sinclair know about Weres?"

"Not that I know of. The ranch hasn't been a working ranch since the inheritance dispute started. He is really just the local who hold on to the keys to the gate." Windra explained further that the elderly gentleman had broken both legs two weeks ago and was confined to a wheel chair. His daughter would drive him out and he'd meet them at the main gate.

"His daughter is the 'house keeper' and his som in law the maintence man. They keep the house ready for occupation, but all three live in town. If you think the house really is habitable, you can chose to stay there over night, but I made the hotel reservations just in case it isn't."

["Alright, so we'll have to be discreet, but not overly so." He commented as he turned to look at Merry and felt a surge. Her position, the light, his feelings everything combined to give her an image of an Angel, a Perfect being and he blushed scarlet.

In a slightly incoherent voice he added, "Al.. Alright."

"You are a dream," Dilana said as she smirked at Red as she had stretched.
"I understand what you mean about the government," Dilana said, "However, I've slipped under the radar thus far; no one is after me as far as I know."

Red nudged Dilana, “Jeez, thanks for the smirk”, she said grinning.



So she turned the topic to Houston's Night Life. " But as it may. You are here to hear about the way thing work in Houston."

For the next fifteen minutes or so she explained about the Council and the societal structure they had encouraged over the years. "The basic tennant is and will be -until things change - Don't do any thing 'wall of weird' where the Mundanes can witness, don't make a Mess, and accept your fellow Strange Folk."

"Now, who's up for pot roast? " She finished her lemonade and stood. "I'll answer questions over dinner, and there's a kick ass Death by Chocolate waiting for us as dessert."

Judas Harrow and Red perked up, looking at each other then at Sian.

“You mean we’re really going to have dinner?” Red asked, not having had anything but delivery for the past month and a pot roast sounded mouth watering.

Godolkin seemed unphased, having subsisted on nothing but Iconoclast ration bars. They provided everything the Iconoclast body needed, without all the extra unneeded substances. ‘Or flavor’, as Red was wont to point out.

“You mean we’re really going to have dinner?”

Sian blinked at them as she opened the door leading into the kitchen. "Ah..yes? I did invite you all over for dinner." She smiled as she pulled the heavy cast iron pot from the oven while moving first a casserole dish from the oven as with her telekensis, then a pan of whole wheat rolls from the warmer.

"Dilana would you grab the salad from the fridge, and the various dressings as well?" Sian asked as everything landed on the granite topped buffet that divided the kitchen from the informal dining area. There was a large green salad with about five different types of dressings in the door of the refridgerator."

The pot roast was smothered in gravy and bulwarked with pearl onions, thick chunks of carrot and new potatoes. The casserole dish held green skinned zucchini and red bell pepers in bright contrast.

Everything needed for serving and dining had already been laid out, with more pitchers of tea, lemonade, and ice water sat on a side bar, along with a bottle of red wine open and breathing. "Serve yourselves, but warning it's hot"

Sian blinked at them as she opened the door leading into the kitchen. "Ah..yes? I did invite you all over for dinner."

"Well, yeah. Just the last two dinner invitations neglected to mention that we were the main course. Guess it just never occurred to me to take you at your word”, Red replied.

"Serve yourselves, but warning it's hot"

Red held back, waiting for the others to take what they wanted. She didn’t need to eat, only enjoyed it. Harrow waited for Dilana and Sian, and then looked to Red who shook her head and indicated that he should go before her.

Red, herself, took only a small sample of each thing, savoring the flavors as she ate.

Harrow dug in with gusto, drinking quite a bit of the ice water, and with none to good manners, that seemed to go unnoticed by Red. She, herself, didn’t think anything of the way he ate. They had both come up on the streets and she was more than passingly familiar with the virtue of eating your food before someone else did, though she considered it an odd contrast to Judas gentlemanly ways of letting lady’s go first.

Godolkin stood behind Red protectively, eyeing everyone as they ate. He didn’t require anything and wouldn’t for some hours yet. The bar having satisfied his need for sustanence for twelve hours.

Dilana followed Sian's order, and brought the salid bol and all the kinds of dressing over to the table.
"Everything looks delicious," Dilana commented as she sat down at the table. She watched as the man stood behind Red, watching the woman eat as Dilana began to dig in.

Sian thanked Dilana, and served herself a hearty portion of everything. However she frowned slightly at Godolkin, and with just a little push behind the words to make it an order. "Why don't you sit down and have some of the delicious food. You might not be too hungry but I'm not a bad cook, and Red is perfectly safe here."

Ryan just smiled. "I think I've come back to life and gone to heaven," he muttered quietly. He slid his arms around the blonde and the red head, but kept his eyes on the brunette.

"A varitable buffy of assorted deserts. Well, I always liked skipping the main course and moving on to the sweets. "How long is the drive going to take?" Ryan asked, not really concerned about time.

Mentally, he sized each of the girls up, and figured that while the bloned and brunette would probably be the most pleasurable physically, the red head would be the best tasting in a sense that only another vampire would understand. His toothy grin hid the fangs, not sure if the women knew he was undead. He eyed them up, and slowly slid his hand tighter around the red head, pulling her in close, getting a soft feel of her breast, the warm breath of the blonde carrsesing his neck.

"I might need some time to work," he said, with a wink.

I might need some time to work,"

"Oh take all the time you'd like." Cooed the brunette, as she returned the wink, and introduced herself as Chokolate.

Cherry smiled softly in anticipation as Ryan's arm tightened about her, and she cuddled into him. She enjoyed what he was doing to her, arching her breast so that his soft brush could strengthen if he so chose, a small sound of pleasure escaping her.

Sugar nuzzled Ryans neck and taunted his earlobe with teasing nibbles. Chokolat went to her knees between his and leant up to offer him the flute of champagne. "What ever you want, you have just to ask." The brunette beauty offered.

All three had been carefully chosen not just to please the senses,, but because all three enjoyed not only men and pleasure but each other, playing well together.

Godolkin just looked at Sian and finally Red, not one for subtelty, pushed out a chair, "Grab some grub and plant your ass."

Godolkin looked at her then moved over to pick up a plate. He looked back to see what Red had and took somewhat larger portions then moved back to the chair she had pushed out. Unlike Harrow, who had a habit grabbing anything possible with his fingers and resorting to a spoon otherwise, a project that Red had all but given up on, Godolkin watched her carefully. He picked up similar utensils to what she used and took the occasional correction from her with a surprising polite nod. Then again he considered proper dining a 'human' custom, which he had never learned and would take instruction even from someone he considered a blasphemy.

"So", Red said, after most of her meal was complete and Harrow was already diving into seconds, "have you tracked down the funding?"

Godolkin finished chewing and swallowed, "To some extent. The exact source is still unknown. But the large portion of the funding for the Iconoclast project was three quarters of a billion dollars from an unknown source."

Red whistled through her teeth, unable to purse her lips properly because of the non-retractable eyeteeth. "They don't know who?" she asked.

"I'm sure they do", he responded, "the one piece of information I got was that the funds to be transferred and the 'benefactor was not to be notified.' I think they were bound for other projects."

"ONE benefactor?"

"Yes, blasphemy. Only one. I read it three times to be sure."

"Damn thats a shitload of dough. Any chance of finding out who's it was? I'm sure they'd want to know."

"I'm working on it. I anticipated your desire for that knowledge."

Red nodded and went back to eating, Godolkin following suite.

Surprisingly she was an elegant woman in the custom of proper dining. She had learned because of the numerous times that they had shown her off to others as the prize Huntress. It was her defense, since her obvious mutation often brought stares from surprise to hatred and even despising looks. Though she ate little it didn't seem to do much for her as far as nutritional requirements went, but she said nothing about that, continuing to eat her meal and relishing the fine food.

"So Dee, how did you come across your new job? I bet you enjoy it, you seem well suited to it I think. You have a gentle touch." She didn't address Sian, figuring the woman had spoken quite a bit already and that thier conversation wasn't done yet, only temporarily put on hold.

Dilana swallowed a bite of food before answering Red's question, "Well, after I treated you in the garage that night I got a ride to the hospital. Sian had told another person there that I would be coming to help so when I got there, I set to work in helping the people that came in."
Dilana finished as she took a drink of her beer that she still had a few drinks from it. As she set it back down upon the table, she thought about the reason she didn't say Mike's name. She wasn't sure if Sian would want her giving out names of the people that worked at the hospital, and she couldn't sense Sian's reaction if she did. Plus, she had a growing fondness for Mike as a friend and maybe more and she wanted to keep his identity a secret in order to protect him.
'Although he has more power than you.'
A voice said in her head but she ignored it as she resumed eating.

"Al.. Alright."

Merry looked at Rivan, concerned by the unusual stutter and the fierce blush. She stepped close to him, her eyes searching his intently. "Rivan... is every thing alright?" She asked softly, worry - yet something more - evident in her tone. Lightly her hand touched his forehead, then strayed to his hair, brushing it back from his eyes.

Windra just found reason to head back into the house leaving the younger Were's alone in the night.

"Yes." He replied in a slightly hoarse voice, "I'm fine."

He noticed Windra was departing and added, as Merry brushed his hair out of his eyes, "You look especially beautiful today." His voice had an almost shy, nervous tone to it.

"You look especially beautiful today."

She looked up at him just slightly, for she was almost as tall as he was. Golden brown eyes met his bright amber ones. "Oh...I do?" was her soft, wondering reply as her fingers traced lightly down the planes of his face. She moved even closer to him unable and unwilling to break her gaze from his.

"Yes, you do." He kept his eyes on hers as he replied. As her fingers played lightly over his face, he shivered slightly. He wanted to tell her he loved her, but also didn't as he was scared it'd mess everything up.

The problem was he had absolutely no experience in any of these matters and his instincts and reason were clashing, further adding to his confusion.

With a happy sigh Merry laid her head on Rivan's shoulder. "Thank you" Her voice even softer. "No one's ever told me I'm beautiful." Now it was no more than a confiding whisper "Just that I'm hot, or sexy or edibile."

She let her eyes close, as she slid her arms tenatively about his waist. "I am so comfortable with you. And so glad we met...You'are so special to me...I love you Rivan."

Females generally have clear instincts about such than men, or are generally far more willing to say what they feel.

Red nodded and smiled. "Your good people kid, don't let no one tell ya otherwise. You always been here? I mean, were you born here?"

When Merry said those three little words, something seemed to break in Rivan. Tears touched his eyes as he clasped her to him, like a man drowning clutching a life line though with none of the crushingness, and replied in a choked up voice, "I love you too Merry, more than anything else."

Merry's tenativeness vanished and she cuddled in close to Rivan, appreciating his quiet but solid strength. She hadn't known the exact moment that like had been joined by love but it didn't matter. Nuzzeling his neck she drank in the rich male Werewolf odor that rose from his skin, enjoying his unique scent.

Eventulally she raised her head and smiled shyly at him, she usually was not so bold with such potentially dangerous words, but she trusted her instincts. "I think we'd better go before Windra thinks we're staying the night. The drive tomorrow is just about ten hours. Care to stay at my place?" He'd spent nights in her tidy house's spare bedroom before. Merry didn't push the offer though - she wanted the pace of their relationship to be comfortable to both of them.

Hurricane Cyrian was having one of his quietly bad nights. Few words were exchanged, but the greenish white line of pain about his lips spoke eloquently. He refused all offers of food and the tailored- to- his- species medications they had recieved at the Hospital.

He avoided Seklh and Lillian staying mostly to his room. He tended to be very nocturnal anyway, aviding daylight if at all possible. As night fell he became restless wandering sullenly about the apartment, with still, halting steps. Quite unlike his normal fluidity. He shrugged off any questions or conversational openings directed his way, but the look in his eyes was as much worry as pain.

Rivan held Merry to him as she cuddled close, for once the conflicting demands of reason and instinct both subsumed in the Now. He inhaled the rich scent of Merry, enjoying the closeness.

When Merry raised her head and smiled, he felt like he was going to burst with joy. "I'd like that, and you're right, if we stay much longer your aunt will likely we stay here."

"Hey, thanks Red," Dilana replied as she took a bite of her food. She swallowed before saying, "I'm not originally from here. Actually, I found Sian, I had just arrived in Houston that night and I had followed Sian to her house; slipping through her gate. I think that really freaked her out."
Dilana looked at Sian, "She let me stay until I could get back on my feet, she practically gave me the job at the hospital, she's a really great person."

"In that case," Ryan smiled, pushing the blonde towards his crotch. She could figure out what to do, but the red head and brunette would be a different story all together. The brunette had moved in for a kiss, and Ryan pushed his lips against hers. There was a pinch, and nothing more, and the brunette was out cold. He slid her down onto the bench she had been sitting on earlier, and pulled the red head close.

"Damn, that must have been one hell of a kiss. Let me try," she cooed moving in to kiss him. Their lips met breifly, and has one hand guided the blonde, the other turned the red head's neck to his mouth. His fangs extended, and he drove them into the red head's throat, feeding as she moaned and whimpered with pleasure.

"Whats going on up there," the blonde asked, pausing.

Ryan paused his feeding, the red head was just as tasty as he thought she would be. "Nothing, you'll get your chance shortly."

The blonde moaned pleasurefully as Ryan pushed her back down, saving the brunette for desert.

Red's eyes shifted to Sian and then pushed the plate away, having eaten all she would. "That was great", she told Sian, "Thanks. So are you one the guy at the club works for? He said he worked for an orginization, but he was talking to some woman, not to me."

(OOC: sorry for the ooc, but were you talking to Sian or Dilana?)

(OOC - I'm sorry, I should have made that clearer. Red was asking Sian if the guy at the club (Michael) worked for her).

Sian paused a moment, dirty plates hovering in mid air as she telekenesed them into the kitchen sink. "What man? I have a lot of people working for me, but none of them were at the club that night."

She shook her head a little at a loss "Any body working for me would not have spoken of it unless they were talking to some one else who worked for me." She continued clearing the talbe as she headed into the kitchen to check on the coffee and pull out the dessert to warm to room temperature.

"Why don't we get comfortable in the den, and I'll light the fire, it's getting chilly out. Winter is really lingering on this year."

"I'd like that, and you're right, if we stay much longer your aunt will likely we stay here."

Merry chuckled softly as she stepped back from the embrace slowly, not really wanting to leave the circle of Rivan's arms.

Her house was less than a twenty minute drive away, on a quiet cul-de-sac that backed her up to green space that bordered Briar Branch, one of the many large streams that fed eventually into Buffalo Bayou. It gave her a great deal of privacy in her four footed comings and goings.

As she slowed to turn into the narrow driveway she frowned. There was a car almost blocking the drive and she didn't recognise it. "I guess that must be a car Heyoka borrowed from some one. He could have parked it better."

Heyoka refused to own a car, just borrowing cars from which ever of his many friends wasn't useing theirs at the moment. However he generally was a better driver than that.

Rivan felt a pang of regret as Merry left his arms, but knew it was necessary sould they want to get anywere.

"Looks like it, thought it could be a visitor. Are you expecting anyone save Heyoka?" He asked as he looked at the car. "Want me to go ask him to move it?"

"Was there some one in the car? I couldn't really see." Merry has been far more paying attention to navigating up the narrow drive. Her frown deepend and a touch of concern edged her voice " I'm not even expecting Heyoka, much less any one else"

She turned on her high beams as she used the remote to open the garage door. Once she pulled inside the semi detatched garage, she cut the motor as the garage door descended. "If you are going out there then so am I. Two WereWolves are better than one, even if I am no great shakes as a fighter."

"I didn't see anyone, but it never hurts to be cautious." He replied as she took them into the garage.

As he sniffed, to see if he could catch a trace of who, or what might be skulking around Merry's house, he added "You are a good fighter, you just got caught off guard with the vampire." He was basing his evaluation on what he'd seen of her hunting skills.

All three stood and followed her to the den. "He seemed to be looking for me, questioning someone. He was human, but he knew nightlife, at least non-humans, when he saw them. I've been lying low, but as soon as anything happens and my name gets out I'm sure he'll get closer."

Dilana followed them into the den, "I'm not sure who you're talking about."

Switching from working in a small convience store to heading up a branch of a large corporation was by no means an easy switch. For her first three days she worked non-stop around the clock juiced up by hard, black coffee until her assistant found her exhuasted behind her desk and managed to drive her home. Jessica was slowly getting the hang of things, though she of course had the usual stumbles of a new employee such as going down the wrong corridor. Though the thing that bugged her the most was going through mounds of TPS reports.

Jessica still lived in her same old apartment but it seemed to her she was spending more time at the office than at her home. She looked across her desk at Lauralin. It was hard to believe it was barely a month since the pair had met and Jessica had taken up such a demanding job. The weretiger was always grateful Lauralin was confident in her ablities.

On her mohagany desk were several stacks of cursed TPS reports and information about the hauntings in and around Houston. Jessica reached across the desk and took Michael's file. She smiled happily, she hadn't seen him since he had left Lauralin's apartment several weeks before.

"Thanks, I could use him. How soon will he be here?"

Red looked at Dilana, "Some woman in a white tiger suit. Were, that I know. What type I couldn't tell you. Quite a looker at that. He was asking around about me. He went with her, I think. So either he's still looking or she ate him, not sure which."

********

Lauralin looked at Jessica, "He is here, he has been. Working at finding the Huntress. I do not think he has even left the building since that night." She stood up and walked over to the window, looking out of it for a few moments.

"If you would ... regardless of what happens between you ... do what you can to see to his safety, will you?" She never looked over, only continued to look out and went quiet once again, a habit she had as she gathered her thoughts.

"Long ago, before recorded history, I had adopted a daughter. She, of course, died since then. But several millenia later, about ..." Lauralin stopped, thinking for a moment, "I beleave around 1560 I found another little girl. She reminded me so much of Chrissy. I adopted her and for sometime, 2 or 3 generations, I stayed close to the family. After that I could no longer hide the fact that I did not age. So I seperated from them. I have kept track of the different branches of the family." She turned now, looking at Jessica, "Michael is a distance relative of that adopted daughter, that is why I took him in, regardless of his drinking. He still does his job well, even for that. If thinks work out between you, that would be wonderful. If not, then just please, see to his safety."

Dilana sat down on the floor, folding her legs under her as she did.
"Sorry," Dilana said, "I don't know him. Why do you ask, is he after you or something?"

Red shrugged. "He was asking about me. I can only assume he was after me. Ain't like people track me down for an engaging conversation. He said worked for some organization, but I didn't get the name."

Dilana bit her lip in thought, "Hmmm, I'm not sure about him, I don't know; sorry. However you may be right, I always keep my guard up."

Red eyed Dilana curiously. "Always keep your guard up? And why is that? What, exactly, is your past, Dee, that you have to be so careful?" Not that Red really cared. Her own past was far from cleared of blood and in fact, drenched in it. I Dee had a past she was running from then it was simply an interest to Red in contrast to the woman who stood before her.

Cyrian had become increasingly agitated as the evening wore on. He paced to and fro down the long hall that ran between the bedrooms in the rear to the parlor at the front end, often stopping at the entry alcove and seeming to listen intently.

"They are coming. Can't you feel them?" He'd mutter to himself then start pacing again.

Dilana sighed, "It's nothing really, not as interesting as your own past I'm sure. I guess you could just say that I'm always on the move, I really don't know why."
This part was true, Dilana didn't exactly know why she went from place to place. It could be she never felt welcomed, accepted, wanted.. the list went on in the human/lioness's mind.

Jessica listened intently to Lauralin as she described why she kept a close eye on Michael. The fact Michael was a competent investigator was a reason to keep him on but the fact he did drink was something that always made her curious. Now it made sense to the weretiger. She wanted to see him again and gave a nod to Lauralin.

"I do hope something blossoms between us. Still, I will look after him and make sure that he is well."

Jessica turned to the ghost reports. "So far the only real thing we have is this Elvis report. I wouldn't usually believe in this stuff but considering what I am...well it isn't such a streach of the imagination. From the Elvis incident there was just a scare and nothing that violent. But, things could change. What should we do if we do encounter a ghost or whatever it is?"

“Interesting”, Red said, “yeah I guess that’s one word for my own past.” She licked her lips, unconsciously, feeling thirsty and hungry even though she just ate. She didn’t need to feed every day but she had limited herself in her feeding while she was here in order to not have to leave the safety of the place they had gotten.

“So”, she said, turning to Sian, “What else is on the agenda?”



Jessica turned to the ghost reports. "So far the only real thing we have is this Elvis report. I wouldn't usually believe in this stuff but considering what I am...well it isn't such a streach of the imagination. From the Elvis incident there was just a scare and nothing that violent. But, things could change. What should we do if we do encounter a ghost or whatever it is?"

Lauralin set down a personnel file that hadn’t been in her hand a moment ago.

“Each branch has a team of investigators in the paranormal. This is where Michael fits in, though his particular specialty is in locating people for interviews rather than actual investigation of such entities. The branch, here, is led by one Andorov Narastovich. A rather competent man and rather skilled in the art of Necromancy. He handles such things, so should it be encountered then he should be contacted. He will lead the investigation or assign someone from his department to do so. Should it become to much then you should contact me directly. By to much I mean if he should request resources beyond those in his department, which would have to go through you. That means it is something rather large in scope and I should be informed immediately.

Now, I believe you should take a moment to eat. Perhaps go out, Micheal has been here for some time, and unless I miss my guess he has eaten very little in the past month, throwing himself into his work.”

A folder materialized in her hand and as she extended it.

“Your credentials. And a credit card from the Defenders account. Feel free to charge the meal to it and eat well. There is no limit on the card. Investigators get cards in the city they are working in at the time. Administration has one on hand at all times. You may need to dine a client or buy something to ease the mind of a witness, feel free to do so within reason. Also it may be used for the purposes of appropriating proper attire. I do not expect you to pay for your required clothing from your own pocket. I do not keep close account of such things as long as there is not something like 75 pair of 300 dollar shoes. And yes, I have seen such.

First, however, please try to ring Doctor Sian Rhys for me. I should like to see if she can and will accept a visitor, assuming, of course, she is in good health now, since her attack. I shall be back upon the moment, I have something I must do briefly.”

Then was she was simply gone, only to arrive about 10 minutes later.

Jessica looked at the credit card she was handed. She had always preferred cash as it didn't leave a paper trail due to her near constant travel before she took the job at Defenders.

"You don't need to worry, I am not big into collecting a lot of shoes."

The tiger smiled at the thought of a nice dinner with Michael, but that would have to wait till later. Business before pleasure. Jessica did a quick check of phone numbers and found Sian's. She picked up the phone on her desk and dialed the number.

Seklh was developing quite a talent as a babysitter. Cyrian seemed to find the cat's gaze embarrassing. Lillian was glad to leave Seklh in charge, knowing that the Sidhe would go to great lengths to maintain his dignity in front of the feline's critical eye.

Lately she had been just ducking out for half an hour or so to do her cat-supply-train act. But today there were matters that simply had to be seen to, no matter how long she was away.

First was the Steed. The hotrodders were used to her by now. A trio of cats, led by a snippy little calico, had established a home under the sleek black 'car'. It was strange; normally the hotrodders chased cats away. Who wanted the glorious scent of petrol and burnt rubber ruined by the reek of cat? But they left the Steed's little family alone.

Lillian took full advantage of it, nattering away in her best crazy-cat-lady fashion as she fed them. No-one ever got close enough to hear that her words were a constant flow of reassurance and information for the Steed, updating it daily on Cyrian's condition and on any other Fae she spotted -- but never, she feared, on the one Fae the Steed wanted to hear from.

Her next task, though, would be harder. She had armed herself with information from Sergeant Kaminski on the desk at the local cop-shop, but he had no news about the runaway waitress Vanessa, Cyrian's girl from the coffee-shop. What he did have was a warrant for her arrest on a charge of stealing $3000 from the till. Lillian was determined that today she'd get that withdrawn.

She wished she'd been able to take Cyrian with her. He might be ill, but he made convincing back-up. How could she take him to a coffee-shop, though? Slipping unobtrusively through the door, she searched for her alternative muscle. Yes, there she was: the reassuring bulk of Rhoda the cab-driver. Lillian edged her way around tables to the back of the shop, where the owner was frowning as he scrawled an unpractised signature on some document.

Her heart leapt: it was an insurance claim.

"Like me to check that?" she queried, all old-lady-friendly. "I used to work in insurance."

Before he could protest she had picked it up from the counter and was reading it carefully.

"Oh, dear," she said. "Oh, my. Ohhhh, dear!" Picking up the proprietor's pen, she wrote an address on the envelope he had ready; folded the claim briskly and stuffed it in the envelope; fixed a stamp on it and bustled out the door.

"Back in a minute!" she cooed. "I'll just drop this in the mail for you!"

He was still sputtering variants on, "But, lady ...!" when she marched back in.

"Now," Lillian said, and suddenly her voice rang with the calm authority of a million dragon-lady secretaries. "Let us discuss the fraud you have just perpetrated."

"But ..."

"You have just signed a claim for $6000 stolen from your till by a waitress named Vanessa," she said. "I have confiscated that claim as evidence and forwarded it to a friend of mine who will take good care of it until it is needed."

"But you can't do that!"

Lillian ignored him. "However, the complaint you made to the police, the complaint on which an arrest warrant was based, said she stole only $3000. And I have it on good authority" -- she didn't, but how was he to know -- "that takings from this shop have never topped more than $1000, and that was once in the middle of the tourist season."

"In short, you swore out a false warrant and you signed an insurance claim for six times the amount you could have actually lost."

She fixed the furious man with a schoolteacher's unforgiving eye, then suddenly relaxed her stern approach.

"Now I do understand that a businessman has unforeseen expenses," she told him warmly. "And of course you can't be expected to carry a loss like that on top of your legitimate outgoings. So I am prepared to offer you $1500 here, now, cash in hand, on Vanessa's behalf, to make reparation."

With a flourish, she deposited one of the mysterious brown bags of dumpster-cash on the counter.

"When I confirm that you have withdrawn your complaint against Vanessa, I will send you the signed claim," she said. "If it isn't done within a week, I will be compelled to forward that fraudulent claim to the insurance company. With, ah, appropriate documentation."

Turning smartly on her heel, she marched out of the coffee-shop. Behind her she heard a confused roar and a clatter, as of a chair falling over. Then Rhoda surged out of the shop, giggling.

"Inta the geddaway car!" the cabbie urged, and spent the whole journey back to the apartment regaling Lillian with an account of what the scene had looked like to an amused observer. By the time she pulled away, she and Lillian both were wiping away tears of laughter. Standing on the footpath, Lillian waved her accomplice off with the gaiety of a job well done.

The adrenalin rush wore off as Lillian slowly mounted the stairs. All was quiet above, but she couldn't help worrying about Cyrian every time she went out. She raised her head eagerly, looking for the first glimpse of the fresh, white-painted door that signalled home and safety.

It was wide open.

She could see a figure huddled on the floor. Cyrian! Her mouth dry, she dumped her trolley and rushed to his side. With trembling fingers she checked his airway as her other hand fumbled for her cell-phone. Thank goodness she'd put the hospital on automatic dial ...

"Mike? Mike! It's Lillian! Cyrian's unconscious! He's passed out in the doorway! I just got home, I don't know how long he's been like this. His breathing's sterterous and he's sweating, but his skin's cold to touch. Pupils dilated and non-reactive ..."

Her report continued automatically as she looked around for something to wrap him in, something to cushion his head. Mike's professional tones promised speedy help; she should have felt calmer. But instead her skin began to creep. For the first time she noticed a glow outlining her difficult guest; it began to spread up her own hand even as she watched.

"Rrrowww-owww-owww!"

It was Sekhl, moaning: a desperate, angry wail, a sound she'd never heard a cat make. Hair rose on the back of Lillian's neck and stood up along her arms. As she began to stand up from her cramped position, a blow from behind knocked her sprawling.

"I may have to take a hand in this, after all!"

The crabby old voice rang in her head as Lillian leapt up fluidly, hissing. Her steely claws scored a hand that was reaching for Cyrian. Her slender brown paw knocked away the sword that seemed to be descending in slow-motion. Blood jetted from the enemy's wounds; drops sizzled as they fell on the antique flat-iron Lillian used as a door-stop.

Seklh pushed her aside as another body sprang towards her. The cat froze, one paw raised in that ridiculous and useless defensive pose she had seen and laughed at in ancient coats-of-arms.

"Touch Not The Catte!" Lillian laughed, joining him. They stood shoulder to shoulder, one as tall as the other, filling the doorway; two creamy limber bodies that had never known the pangs of old age lashing their whiplike brown tails, two pairs of bright blue eyes burning angrily in dark brown masks.

"But this is ridiculous!" Lillian told herself. "I'm not a giant Siamese cat, and nor is Seklh!"

Then there was no time for thought as the invaders renewed their onslaught. Unseiligh Sidhe! Here, in her run-of-the-mill, totally mundane apartment! She could see the cruel purpose in their cold, pale eyes, feel herself responding with unbelievably fluid grace to each new attacker. But there were too many! She and Seklh had to wrench themselves around constantly, not daring to leave Cyrian. The difficult, unbalanced mode of fighting was taking its toll on even resilient cat-muscles. White teeth snarled in her face and a chased silver dagger plunged toward her heart.

"What's going on up there, Miz Lillian? Need a hand?" Jim Hanson's round face appeared above the last stair, redder than his hair with the effort of hurrying up two flights.

The building manager gasped in disbelief at what he saw. A gang of toughs was beating Miss Lillian! She was standing up to them, but what could a woman her age do?

"Hang in there, Miz Lillian, I'm calling the cops!" he shouted, fumbling for his phone and reaching for the heavy wrench he'd been using for 'percussive maintenance' on the water heater downstairs.

"No, no, Mr Hanson!" panicked Siamese-cat Lillian. Her opponent risked a glance behind and Seklh sank his teeth into the descending arm. Trying to duck, Lillian fell across Cyrian. Her bat-ears circled towards a small voice chirping at Cyrian's feet. She snatched up the cell-phone, amazed to hear Mike was still connected. Impatiently she cut across his bewildered questions.

"Mike! Help! Someone's attacking us! The Sidhe! They're after Cyrian! My apartment, Mike, quick!"

She flung herself towards the iron door-stop and threatened her attacker with it. She didn't see his companion behind.

A sedate black UltraRazor cellphone was clipped to the slender leather belt that encircled Sians trim waist. It was the latest technology, actually four phones in one slim case, each with their own dedicated 'line' and access to the tiny, nearly unnoticeable Blutooth V that slid over over one delicate ear. The vibration that pulsed against Sian's hip was dedicated to Line1, her code blue line from the hospital.

As it vibrated she stood and flicked a finger along the upper right side of the cellphone, opening the line, answering the call. "Yes?...GPS?...Coming"

She absorbed the information Mike passed along and turned back to her guests.

"We're needed...Now!" Her voice was a whipcrack of command, as any one who had ever been in a military would recognise. That snapped her guests from their conversations and to their feet.

She had been to Lillians apartment once before when Cyrian's withdrawl had been nearly at it's worse, almost but not quite full crisis. And as she almost always did, she had 'marked' the buildings lobby, as wwell as Lillian's living room - she had learned long ago that the larger the space to teleport into the better. Hallways were generally too cramped and there was a pitched batttle going on in the apartment . No it was safer to risk being seen by Mundanes.

A flash of nothingness, and notime, and the quintet found themselves in the first floor lobby.

Another flash of nothingness- and a clangor sounded as Cold Iron bound staves and fighting sticks rebounded from the marble floor. The armory she had aquired ovcer the years was Very complete.

"Sidhe. Cold Iron is needed to hurt them" She snapped as she swooped up a pair of the fighting sticks and headed for the stairs.

The nearly unstoppable creature that was a Sidhe could be harmed by Cold Iron ( steel to a far lesser degree ), Charged water, magery, Psionics and little else. Oh the weapon might carve bloody furrows, but they healed nearly as fast as they were made. And even a Vampire heistated to take one on, they were generally equal matches in speed, strength, and endurance. The only real edge a vampire had going is that while those of Court of Light were warriors, they weren't predators. That bet was off however when it came to those of the Court of Dark...some of those ate vampires for light snacks...

Dilana snapped to attention as Sian's voice rang out, the young woman getting to her feet. She walked closer towards Sian, signalling Red and her followers to do the same. She then felt the flying motions before she was in a lobby of the apartment building. Dilana looked up as she saw the sticks of irron coming towards them, the woman reached forward and took two of them, just as she had seen Sian do.
"I've never fought one of these before," she said after Sian had explained briefly about the sidhe as she quickly followed Sian towards the apartment.

As the two moved down the narrow driveway they could see that there was no one in the car. The night's chill breeze only brought the scent of many fireplaces having been put into use. Her next door nieghbor's had a number of interior lights on, Merry noticed, though it was hard to see, hidden as the house was behind many trees and high shrubs. Like her house their front yard was deep and heavily landscaped; but unlike hers their front yard was normally well lit with many exterior lights to show case the carefully tended gardens. The yard was dark this night.

Her frown deepened, despite the absence of unusual scents. A small chill chased up her spine. "Rivan, I wonder why the lights are on at the Warrens. It's well after ten and they're never up past nine." She said uneasily, knowing that her very elderly neighbors were people of steady habits.

Rivan hadn't noticed the unusuality of the lights, not being so use to the neighbourhood and had also failed to pick up any glaringly odd smells.

"Should we check it out?" He asked as he caught her unease, which caused his neck hair to stand on end somewhat.

Merry started to shrug it off but they were close enough now to the older model sedan to get a good look at it. "Ummm, yeah, Rivan, that's their car...What's it doing out in the street like this?"

She sniffed deeply but got not even a faint smell of over heated metal, spilt automotive fluids or burnt electircals. What she did smell very, faintly - so vaguely that it had her unconsciously moving closer - was cordite and blood.

"No!" And she was darting across the yard, moving as fast as she could on two legs towards the Warren's front door. She wasn't close friends with the eldery mundane couple but liked them alot.

Rivan caught the smell of blood a half second after Merry, as well as the smell of cordite though he didn't immediately identify it as such. Merry's cry and actions caused him to put one and one together and he began running toward the door after her.

The barely ajar front door let out enough light that Merry could see that the storm door, while still intact, hung at a broken angle, the top hinge nearly torn off the wall. She'd slid to a stop in the damp earth of the wide garden border that 'framed' the raised entry alcove.

She gave Rivan a look, eyes dilated, as he joined her. Then with a slow, silent exhale she moved like the Werewolf she was, stepping silently on to the polished concrete and ghosted nearer the doors. Tuning all her more than human hearing she held still for a long moment, every fiber fixated on hearing even the faintest sounds from with in. It wasn't easy. These were older homes, stoutly built with thick and well insulated walls.

A unidentifiable sound, came from with in and she slowly reached out a hand for the door, knowing that if she didn't want it to screetch in protest she'd need to support part of the weight of the door as she pulled it open. Merry looked over her shoulder at Rivan. "Should we just jump in?" She'd read plenty of mystery and adventure novels but she's never had a situation like this come up in her life.

Rivan followed Merry's example and moved up behind Merry, treading with less sound than a cat. He was also listening, and smelling for something foreign, as she put a hand out to the door. "I'm not sure, but time may be important so I'd say yes."

He'd likewise never been in this type of situation, and didn't have Merry's knowladge of mystery or adventure novels to fall back upon.

The Redhead went limp in Ryans arms, swooning under the intensity of the sensations that his feeding engendered. Below the blonde plied her skills expertly and finished with a little cats grin. Licking her lips she looked up at her friend and then at Ryan. "My turn now?" She asked hopefully.

Merry gave Rivan a tiny nod and still whispering. "I'll pull the door open, you go in first." Despite his reasurances earlier, she knew he was a better fightrer than she and stronger. The faint sounds could be heard again, and the small air currents caried more blood smell out to the pair.

"One"

"Two"

And she yanked the glass storm door open, being careful to hold its weight so the remaining hinges wouldn't screech.

"Three"

The solid core wood front door would be no obstacle to Rivan, as it was ajar. The entry hall was maybe ten foot deep with a closet door innediately to the right. The short wide hall 'T'd ' into a short hall that to the left headed to the bedroom wing and on the right opened into the formal living room or the family room depending if you turned right or left though the opening. All the lights were on, but the curtains pulled closed. The entry hall was empty but the hardwood floors were freshly marred with scratches, scuffs, and clots of mud.

Jessica listened to Sian's message machine play before the ring. "This is Jessica Pickett of Defender's Incorporated. I hope you can give me a call my boss would like to speak to you. Call me anytime."

Jessica left her office number and her own cell phone number before hanging up the phone. She got up and went to her coffee pot and smiled seeing there was some hot French Roast left. She poured what was left in the pot and made a not to ask her assistant to get it cleaned so she can brew some more. As she headed back to her desk, her office doors opened.

A young man about twenty-seven with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes walked into the room. He adjusted a blue necktie and looked up from a few sheets of paper he was holding. "Ms. Pickett?"

"Yes Josh?"

Josh Vaughn was Jessica's assistant/errand boy. She knew he could be trusted in taking messages from one office to the other without peaking into envelopes and preforming the most mundane task. He was a bright and cheerful person, but now he seemed a bit worried. "There are apparently some strange happenings on the north side of downtown. It came in a phone call and we didn't get much outta it as it cut off a few seconds later. But..."

"But what?" The tiger asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Well, it was hard to understand..but it sounded like the person was mentioning Ellen or Erin or something that starts with an E."

Jessica nodded. "Keep on it and call Michael and tell him to head to downtown just in case."

"Yes ma'am." The human said quickly before leaving the office. Jessica slid down into her chair and blinked. Life is getting kinda screwy around here. First chance I get, go home and take a nice hot shower.

Rivan shifted as Merry began counting down. On three, he jumped down and knocked the door open. He quickly moved down the corridor to the 'T' and sniffed, planning to follow the strongest source of the scent of blood, before noticing the general mischief to the floor. He quickly moved to pull the curtains back, bracing himself incase there was someone, or something behind it.

Ten fender benders occurred in as many seconds as a glowing congo line of dazzlingly besequined Elvi danced down the middle of Main street headed south. They were clearly visible to all, though it was equally apparent that you could in places see that their forms were transparent...ghostly infact.

The original 'line' dance ended five blocks later with various of the apparitions fading from view, sinking into the street surface, and yet others floating off like errant Macy's Thanksgiving Parade ballons.

Unfortunately there were no enterprizing tourists to cannonize the moment.

Ryan grinned, zipping up his pants. "Of course," he smirked back, pulling the blonde close. A kiss, a lick, and then a nip, and he was at it again, taking in deep draws of blood. He drank his fill of the blonde and then brunette, convienently as the limosuine slowed its roll. The door opened, and Ryan stepped out, looking around briefly. The mountain of a man stood holding the door open, and Ryan glanced up at him.

"So," he asked, wondering if he was about to get shot in the back, or if he was about to recieve a more appropriate gift for his services, "whats up?"

"How many?" Jessica asked of her assistant as he carried the news of Elvis came back, this time there were a lot of them.

"Well, not exactly sure ma'am. We intercepted some calls from motorists and apparently there were some Elvis spottings around Main Street apparently. Caused a bit of an accident." The boy said.

Jessica thought for a few minutes. "Alright, I'll take a look myself."

Josh scratched his head. "You sure ma'am I can get..."

"I'm sure...I am quite capable of handling myself. Keep me updated and divert my calls to my cellphone."

"Yes ma'am." The human said as his boss walked past him.

Jessica walked outside into the night to a silver Honda Accord Hybrid and headed out. The King is back in town.

"Wait!" Merry whispered, too late. "We should touch as little as possible. Finger prints you know." The pheremone of fear and the bitter copper tang of blood seemed to permeate every breath they took, almost thick enough to be a haze. What ever had happened here had not been quick.

Rivan had turned right and right again into the living room. The room was empty of life, and physically undisturbed, but the longer the par stood there the strong the psychic miasma became. Emanating from a focal point, one that both their eyes becam drawn too, as every fine hair on their bodies stood in atavastic response.

"Rivan..." Merry's voice caught in her throat as her eyes locked on the pocket doors that closed off the far end of the living room. Heavy, hand carved, solid teak doors that had slid in and out of the walls on special rails - rails that has long ago warped and made the doors uncloseable. Her throat went dry and it took her a second to finish her sentence "the..those doors. Neither of them could slide those those doors out, too heavy." Her voice became even softer as if fearing to attract somethings attention. "Can't you feel..."

"So, whats up?"

The mobile mountain replied in his high voice, his tone deeply apologetic

"Mr. Hammond, Mr. Santini sends his deepest regards and apologies, but an unexpected corporate decission must be rendered. He will be available anon. He requests that you make yourself at home. There is a suite reserved for you if you would like to refresh yourself, the casino if you wish spend a few leisurely moments at the tables. Or if you prefer I am authorized to take you to inspect the vehicle that you will be transporting to Mr. Cain."

It was a surprizingly long and eloquent speech for one that looked to be the quintessential 'body'.

Rivan felt the miasma as an almost tangible entity and felt his stomach flop. The reek of blood and fear pointed to something with an unbelievably sadistic streak, whilst the doors pointed out that it was quite strong.

"Yes I can." He replied in a hushed voice. He was wondering if there happened to be any Avengers in Windra's pack as whatever had done this needed professional attention. "What should we do?" He asked in a voice that bordered on the nervous, even though there was very little likelyhood that whoever, or whatever, had done this still remained.

Merry stood frozen with indecission. Her vast collection of crime and mystery novels said they should just leave, call the authorities and let tem deal with it. Crime scene comtamination and such, but something in her wouldn't let go. "We should just..."

Then her eyes pulled back a bit and she saw something that the deep carvings had semi obscured. Deep vertical score marks...clawlike.

"Rivan, are those claw marks? Here help me!" She jerked forward a step and what ever had her frozen fell away. Her next strides were smoother as she crossed the length of the room. A deep breath as she stopped at the doors, deliberately ignoring her raised hackles. There wasn't enough space between the edges for her fingers to get a purchase, and so she tried digging her fingertips into the deep carvings. Merry intended to force one of the doors back into the wall.

Rivan hadn't noticed the claw marks until Merry had pointed them out. Unlike her he wasn't worrying about crime scene contamination but about what had cause it.

"They do look like it." He said as he began helping her to force the door back into it's groove after he'd found a grip and heaved.

Ryan was sure the driver didn't need it, but he pulled out a money clip, and slid off a few fifties, and handed it to the mountain of the man. "Thanks for the ride, it was, nice."

He stretched out again, and looked at the hotel in front of him. "I'll stay here for the night, get some rest, maybe win some cash. I'm sure Mr. Santini has my number, and hte number of the suite. Thanks again," he said, waving, and walking towards the hotel and cassino.

Hammond had been to Vegas only once, and that was to settle the usuall challenge that one with his tallents had often been faced. The stay had been breif, and his exit quick. He didn't remeber much, just that some guy named Cash owed Cain money, and a few legs had to be broken. It was always hard to perform on stage when you were missing a few pints of blood as well.

However, the hotel and cassino looked promising, and Hammond stepped through the doors, exiting the muggy night and entering the climate controlled paradise.

"I'll stay here for the night, get some rest, maybe win some cash. I'm sure Mr. Santini has my number, and hte number of the suite. Thanks again,"

The mob hardbody looked at Hammond, ignoring the hand holding out the money, the money meaning nothing to him. His voice was nearly a sneer "Yes, Mr. Santini does. He owns the city. Welcome to Atlantic City." He turned away, pulling a cellphone from a pocket. His custom tailored thousand dollar plus suit fit him properly, and did not expose the shoulder rig he wore to the casual glance.

Sian didn't wait to see Red's and the other's reactions. If they came they came, if not well they weren't required to. She tossed a few bits of information about the Sidhe off to Dilana as she started up the wide staircase.

"Cold iron is their major weakenss. It can be fatal in and of it's self just touching bare skin. It also mucks their majoics up, warps it or negates it. Elves recieve part of their 'sustenance', their life force directly from the energies we all 'magick'. Iron, and to a lesser extent steel, interfers with that."

Her voice was grim as she skidded to a halt on the first floor landing. Their way was blocked by the biggest Sidhe she'd ever seen. Elves on the whole were taller than humans, most averageing around six foot two or so. This one wore deep grey and black enameled armor and the sword he carrried was of no metal known to man.

Sian gulped slightly. The sword was nearly as tall as she was and he held it as if it weighted nothing. Ther was no room to try and pass him, the landing while wider than the hall was just perfect for one warrior to secure.

Dilana said nothing as she followed Sian up the stairs, holding the two sticks of iron in her hands tightly. When the doctor had stopped in front of her, Dilana haulted as well, looking over Sian's shoulder and then up at the giant sidhe.
"Damn," Dilana breathed as she moved closer.

(OOC - Sorry for the delay. I have no comp at home at the moment and I was sick yesterday and couldn't make it into work, from which I am doing my posting right now.)

Jessica walked outside into the night to a silver Honda Accord Hybrid and headed out. The King is back in town.

Michael had already left, being slightly ahead of Jessica. Typically, Elvis reports didn't concern him, but the number of sightings and the number of Elvises was something out of the ordinary. He pressed the button on his bluetooth earpiece, "Jessica, work". His call went to her secretary.

********

Harrow hung back, being rather frail by even human standards, though he did pick up one of the iron bars, just in case.

Red grabbed a bar and Godolkin a sword and moved past him and up the stairs. They overheard what Sian had said and when she stopped Red looked up. "That ain't like no elf I ever read about..." she stated.

Godolkin moved past Red and Sian, gently taking Dilana's arm and pulling her back. He grinned wickedly at the creature. "Now Blasphemy, time to go to hell", he told it and moved to attack.

Dilana didn't mind when Godolkin had taken her arm and moved her back, she knew nothing of the sidhe things until Sian had explained to her about them. She had heard the term before, but had no clue back then what it had truly meant. Dilana stepped back, holding her bars of iron just in case she was needed.

Sian nooded at Red's comment. Rare was the mortal human that ever saw a Sidhe without a glammor, or at all. They were few in population and highly reclusive, though that had been changing of late.

She could see past the elf's armored bulk jus barely; though he was tall and muscular, he did not have the pure mass a human of that size would have. The landing leading to the next flight of stairs up was just long enough that she could teleport behind him, though she sincerely doubted that it had space for more than two.

Dilana was still closest as Godolkin closed with the coldly smilling Sidhe, so Sian laid a hand upon her shoulder and teleportd the two of them past the Sidhe. Tugging Dilana with her she started up the steps to the next floor. The sounds of a fight on the upper floor was readily audible.

****************************************

A high wailing scream errupted from the throat of the Unseiliegh Sidhe that sought to land a blow from behind upong Lillian's grey haired head. The razor edge of the blade shrilled and shattered as it met an invisible barrier that clung to Lillian like a secong skin. Blue fire cracked up the sword as it shattered and leapt to the Sihde's hand and began to consume his body.

"They do look like it."

Together their combined strength began to cover come the barrier of the warped slide rails.

"They look to 'clean' to be bear or wolf" Merry noted absently, letting her mind think on something more pleasant than anticipation of what they might find. Bears and wolves could not retract their claws and thus were blunter, leaving splintery, broad trails behind. These gouges were smooth, and deeper thatn a woles claws could make.

"So maybe a feline were might have done this?" He suggested as they heaved and slid the barrier back. He didn't have much experiance with the cat were so he was unsure if they might have done such a thing.

Josh picked up the phone. He heard Michael's familiar voice on the other end inquire about Jessica. "Just one second sir she walked out the door a few seconds ago."

He put Michael on hold as he dailed Jessica's cellphone. "Ma'am, Michael is calling and asking for you."

Jessica smiled as she adjusted her own bluetooth earpiece. "Put him on."

She waited a few seconds before she heard Michael's breathing. "Michael, it has been a while. What are you up to?"

'I guess one...ooohf" Merry's comment cut off with a woof as the door was shoved past the warped portion of the rails and unexpectedly slid easily beneath their combined strength. And something else gave as well, something intangable - though it dispelled with a nearly audible 'pop'.

The smell that rolled over them in an almost visable miasma was more than just blood, fear, and the smell of death. The sight that met their eyes was more than just dead bodies. It was horror, it was body parts rendered unidentifiable, it was blood laping over their feet as it poured forth from the room.

...Evil takes a moment to register, for a sane mind to discern what exactly it is observing, to overcome the barriers the mind erects to protect itself from shock...

Merry spun away, burying her face in Rivan's broad chest, tremmors wracking her body.

The last classes of the evening were ending at the Downtown campus of the University of Houston. Students werre pouring out heading for their cars, or the more popular light rail system that would take them wither out along the I-10 corridor or south along Main street to the Done or the Olympic Village.

That is until a rail 'bullet' arrived and a horde of phantasmagorical Elvi poured off and began snatching purses, book bags. Any one who tried to stop them was slimed. Most didn't- most ran screaming away from the open air terminal in blind panick.

The young woman felt Sian's hand upon her shoulder, then another second past and she was following the doctor up the stairs.

Rivan blanched as he saw the deliberate, and sadistic cruelty that had been worked upon the innocent people. Closing his eyes, he would have likewise spun away had not Merry clasped herself to him. He knew the sight, and noxious scent would likely remain etched into his mind for the rest of his life.

Partially picking her up, he carried her as he slowly walked away from the horrific sight.

Godolkin raised his blade high, in a typical move of a novice. But as he fainted downward he circled the blade at the last moment, cutting low for the legs even as he rammed his shoulder into the Sidhe's stomach, slamming him with the force he could into the wall, pinning him just long enough for Red to move past quickly.

"Cheater", Red told Sian as she reached the room behind the two women. Once outside the door she looked in, surveying the scene and calculating her attacks even as she looked.

********

Michael smiled at hearing Jessica's voice, wishing he could see her. "I'm checking out a passel of elvises. Normally not my area but there were too many witnesses and too many of them to not catch my attention. I left just a couple of minutes ago. I was just checking in with you, so you know where I am. It's S.O.P. and frowned on if forgotten."

Dilana watched as the fight was happening before she then turned her attention back towards the room.
"Do you have a plann?"
Dilana whispered to Red or Sian, whomever would answer her.

"Yeah", Red replied, "kill them before they kill us." Then she leapt into the fray, swinging with all her strength and speed.

"Don't worry, I'll be leanent with that sort of stuff...sometimes." Jessica said as she made a mental note of what he said of S.O.P. "I am currently heading to through Downtown."

Jessica continued with her drive and as she stopped at a light, she turned her head at the sound of screaming. The tiger stared as college students began to rush from a train terminal. Just barely she could see strange shapes moving about and through the students. Shit.

"Michael, get to the University of Houston Downtown campus right now! I think we have Elivs."

She parked her car a little ways down from the terminal and climbed out. Jessica pushed and dodged her way through the panicked students, hoping to get a closer look at what was scaring them.

Dilana smirked, "Well, that's a plann," before she looked at Sian for reassurance. In her 25 years of life, Dilana had no idea just what exactly she was up against. She had delt with vampires, lions, people that had tried to kill her but nothing like this.
In her mind she voiced to Sian;
'I'm not scared persay, I'm just a bit unsure do I go in swinging like Red did?'

Sian caught the loud, but untrained thought from Dilana *not unless you're as good a fighter as she is. I know I'm not and that is why...Now! Hit her over the back of the hear, HARD!* She thought back to Dilana as she reached out telekenetically and tangled a Sidhe's feet out from under her. A female in black and gold armour she had been trying to get past the confusion, her eyes locked on Cyrian's twitching form.

[i]The scene in the small apartment was chaotic to say the least. She could see Cyrian, somewhat from where he was, and even from a distance Sian could tell he was unconscious, and seizing.

Lillian was on her hands and knees with an old fashioned iron door stop in one hand. She was trying to batter an attacker with it, but was not having much suscess at landing a blow with her rather wild swings. But then again her attacker was so busy dodging her dangerous weapon that he was having trouble striking her. A cat, that glowed with an inner radience, was also attempting to attack Lillian's attacker. Sian hadn't known cats could glow.

A human male of about Lillians age lay against a wall bleeding badly from a dangerously deep gash in his side, a wrench lay on the floor near him.

What really widened Sians eyes was the Sidhe screaming, soundlessly now, as a wierdling blue flame destroyed him. As she watched, near horrified, he vanished, consumed by the fire that vanished as he did.

Two had turned to Red as she lept into the fray, and were, for the moment at least dismissing her as just one more puny human attacker.

Sian knew that wouldn't last past a second or two.

The open air terminal was a raised platform, three wide steps up from the side walk and the gothic arches of decorative pillars held a copper roof pierced here and there with skylights. At night light came from the many security lights - they provided over all lighting - and many of the pillars held decorative down or up lights that highlighted the statuary, or art work that hung from the arches. The students of the University had provided all the decor and it had been featured in several international magazines. Now the various statues and hanging art were sadly desecrated with slime in various nauseating hues splattered copioulsy about.

Three of the Elvi were doing an impromptu rendition of Blue Suede Shoes as Jessica entered the terminal. Others rooted happily though book bags, purses, billfolds and more, tossing the contents about in fine abandon.

Dilana wordlessly followed Sian's instructions, bringing one of the iron bars up and then down with all her weight onto the female sidhe's head. She then wacked it again for extra measure as she kicked the sidhe.

Once they were out of the house, away from the abbitoir it held, in the cleaner air Merry whispered. "Rivan, I need you to let me down." When he did so she collapsed to her knees and quietly vomited up all the venison she'd eaten earlier. Once it was down to just dry heaves she began crying, tiny sobs that were as much anger as horror.

Rivan had come within a hairs breath of joining Merry in emptying his guts across the lawn. Only with a great deal of will did he force it down, but he did join Merry on the grass. He put his arm around her and rubbed her back.

After she'd calmed down somewhat he spoke, "We need to see Windra. They won't get away with this." Who they were was unknown as yet, but whoever it was would be found and dealt with.

Michael had already passed the Campus, just having missed the students and pulled a 180, barely missing two cars, and floored the heavy vehicle. She wasn’t quick on pickup, but the huge engine had a high speed once she got moving. He pushed the gearshift into neutral and hit the brakes, skidding around the corner into the lot, then jumped out, moving toward the source. Ahead he could see Jessica making her way through the crowd.

********

“Okay”, Red said as she moved toward the two who turned toward her, “you FUCKED UP my chocolate death desert.”

As they moved closer, with a confidence bred of ignorance, she moved with lightning speed, the bar crashing into the side of one of the attackers head, crushing the helmet and the skull beneath. She struck another blow to it’s face for good measure as the other back pedaled to give himself some room.

Red grinned at him, showing her wickedly sharp fangs and forcing him to reconsider his position before turning quickly and brining the bar around into the side of the one fighting with Lillian with such force that he was thrown into the wall.

She turned back to her former second aggressor, swinging again, but this time he was more ready, though still a bit slow to react. The impact fell against his jaw, breaking it. Though painful, it wasn’t lethal and he again backpedal, again rethinking the danger this woman presented. She swung again, to far away, and he grinned as the swing took her around exposing her back. He took, what he thought, was an opportunity, but he was mistaken.

Red swung, knowing she wouldn’t connect, but continued around, bringing her longer leg up in roundhouse kick the would be within reach. She connected with the Sidhe, only to be disappointed. She had forgotten about the dress heels she wore and the damage was all but non-existant, the only helping with the kick being the fact that it was the same place that the iron had struck before breaking his jaw.

Godolkin was having a hard time in the narrow space on the landing. Though bigger and stronger it wasn't serving him in this close space. Finally, bellowing in rage he dropped the sword, grabbed the Sidhe, lifted him off the ground and threw him down the steps. Then he grabbed the sword again as Harrow barely managed to escape the flying Sidhe, and bound down the steps, jumping down the last half dozen and burying the blade in the Sidhe's neck, almost completely decapitating him. The second stroke cut into the skull and brain and a third completed the severing of it's head.

He then stood up and oddly enough crossed himself then uttered in latin, 'May god have mercy on your soul'. Then he turned and bound up the steps, heading for the room.

This is going to play merry hell with my decor. I'll never get that blood out of the carpet.

Lillian knew her thoughts were just the shock talking. Thinking. The human mind refusing to think the unthinkable. Because the 'thinkable' would mean she was fighting for her life in her comfortable, safe apartment.

Thank the Goddess for cat reflexes. All the while hysteria had been ricochetting through her human brain, her cat body had been defending itself. Cat body?I'll have to deal with that later. But right now ...

As brain and body meshed again, Lillian darted out a deliberate paw (How am I holding a flatiron with a paw? Ah, shaddup, y'old bag, just get on with it!) and her opponent went down screaming, clutching his face. To her human horror, it was being eaten away everywhere the iron had touched.

But Lillian-the-cat just rose fluidly and shook a disdainful back paw above the foulness. Seklh was down on the floor, but not in trouble: his front paws were holding his opponent in a lovingly crippling embrace and his jaws were locked on the intruder's throat while his back legs tore the Sidhe's entrails out. He might be a giant for the time being, but he was still all cat.

That should slow the bastard down! Lillian told her pet approvingly, streaking past the pair as she launched herself onto the back of some fool who apparently intended to slice up Jim's helpless figure.

That's wasteful! He's out of the game, why attack him? You're being really stupid! she scolded. Her victim didn't seem inclined to debate the subject, merely screaming and clutching for the eye she had removed. Lillian dropped the iron on his foot. Oh, sorry, it slipped. She snatched it back up and headed for Cyrian.

As Jessica walked up the stairs to the terminal, she smelled a familiar person. She spun around to see Michael rushing through the crowd. She flashed a cat-like grin as he came up to her. Before he could speak, she put her finger to her lips.

"We gotta be quiet." Jessica whispered softly.

The pair moved up to the terminal and were concealed behind some vending machines. Jessica peered from around the corner and blinked at the bizarre sight in front of her. She ducked back and allowed Michael to take his own look. The tiger stared and waited for the human to duck back behind the vending machines.

"Okay, we are going to try and get talking to them. Don't do anything random alright?"

Red may have broken his jaw but it was the iron poisoning that was truly doing the damage, for any injuries not caused by iron were healing nearly as fast as they were given. And being immortal, the Sidhe had all had centuries to practise combat. Red's roundhouse leg kick was answered with a lightning fast but weak blow to her back that left a deep wound to her ribs.

The female warrior that Dilana hit then kicked began to try and rise to her hands and knees but collapsed back to the floor. Closest to Dilana was the Sidhe who was intent on finishing off the man slumped against the wall, mostly unconscious. Red had deflected his first attack by bouncing him off a wall, and Lillian had already blinded him in one eye, and broken a foot by dropping the iron on it before she turned away. However the armor protected the foot and the break while painful was already healing. The removed eye was not and with an enraged snarl the Sidhe was turning from the unconscious man to attack Lillian from behind.

When you looked at Lillian it was most remarkable, for one got a double image. One a thin, grey haired, elderly human woman, the other of a lithe brown and cream cat. Her feline partner had susceeded in grasping his chosen target in the most punishing position a cat can when fighting- belly to belly, and his hind claws were doing horrendous damage to his foe's abdomen, ripping entrails out with gusto. That the cat was not only glowing but fully human sized was another noteworthy particular. However the Sidhe was not out of the fight, for the wounds were healing, though far slower than normal for a Sidhe. This one had managed to draw a dagger frm it's ornate sheath and now plunged it into the cat again and again. Blood flowed freely down Seklh's glossy pelt.

However the Sidhe only managed to get three strike in before a pair of iron bound thai fighting sticks broke both arms in a flurry of blows. "Oh not you don't!" Was Sian's snarled comment as she landed a last blow directly on the back of the Sidhe's unprotected neck.

The Grand Montage Casino and hotel was much like every other casino and hotel complex in the US. Lush, Lavish, noisy, with more security than Fort Knox, and most of it far more unnoticeable. Slot machines abounded and to get to the more private area's where the high rollers sat quiet and concentrated you had to run the gauntlet.

But Ryan had had no difficulties negotiating the labrynth, he didn't do anything pennyante. As he had made his way back to the high end 21 tables he had been intercepted by a floor boss and discretely informed that an open line of credit had been opened in his name. He had also been given the card key to the suite reserved for him.

The dealer was male, pleasant faced, just the right level of professionally friendly, and very skilled at his trade. The minimum bet was a thousand dollars, and there was very little minimum going round the arc.

"Dealer stands at 17." The somberly clad man looked at the first player, an older but immacualtely kept woman in a comfortable dress that spoke volumes about her wealth. But then again none of the players here had less than a hundred K in chips before them, though this was only a mid range table.

A complimentry drink sat at Ryan's elbow, as they did at the elbows of every person at the crescent shaped 21 table. No one was more than sipping at their drinks, those here knew what alcohol did to concentration.

Red knew that she had lost the element of surprise and had paid a price for it. Not a bad one, as the wound was already healing. Unlike most, who would have backed up and evaluated the opponent, looking for an opening, however, she moved in. Her speed never kept her in the same spot for more than a second or two and she never followed a pattern. That would have been lethal, she knew.

Dodging, more than parrying, she let her fury vent against the Sidhe, doing her best to find openings in the armor. Her goal, however, was his face. Landing several blows to the same side, then tending to stay on that side as it was fast becoming his blind spot.

********

Micheal looked at what was happening with a critical eye, evaluating the situation. He looked all around, trying to find anything that would explain what he was seeing. No mirrors, no equipement out of the ordinary. No evidence of projections such a reflected light from a source that wasn't explained by the normal lighting for the place.

"This is about the wierdest things I've ever seen", he said. "Apparitions are one thing, but multiple apparitions of the same thing, and thieving apparitions at that ..."

"Agreed." Jessica said as she looked around the corner again. She took a deep breath and walked out from the cover and into the full view of the Elvis ghost things. "Hello Gentlemen. I wish to enquire as your why you are here."

Dilana's eyes focussed on the cat, then back towards the man that was slumped against the wall. She was satisfied for now that the female sidhe was down on the ground, but Dilana's green eyes flew over towards the closest sidhe. She swung at him, then mentally said sorry to Sian for nearly hitting her.

"Hello Gentlemen. I wish to enquire as your why you are here."

Silence so complete it was almost tangible fell the moment the last words left Jessica's lips. She found herself the object of complete attenion of nearly a hundred pairs of eyes.

"They got on my blue suede shoes" One wailed

"They didn't love me tender" Another one sobbed.

"They weren't lonesome out tonight" yet a third screamed in falsetto tones.

"We got kicked out of Heartbreak Hotel" Announced the one that looked the most solid growed, an ugly undertone to his words. "And Bubba Hotep ain't arround to play with! Slime her boys!" He commanded, transforming in the blink of an eye to something that look far less safe that Elvis.

The phantasmal Elvi nodded in agreement and in barest moments were streaming towards Jessica, intent in burying her in ectoplasm.

Jessica arched her eyebrow at the words of the things before her. Oh man these guys deserve to be in the looney bin...and who the heck is Bubba Ho-Tep? The dangerous tone in one of the phantams gave the weretiger second thoughts as she began to back up. When the Elvis swarm began their move to her she caught the sudden shift in movement and leapt to the side and with another bound to the top of the train that was still sitting there. Jessica turned and saw the mass falter and almost as one scan for her before finding her location again.

Jessica hated what she had to do next. Confined in her human body she could not take full advantage of her cat-reflexes. She felt a trembling in her body as she began to growl and rip her clothes off. White and black hair began to grow along with a tail as her body began its transformation. Within seconds, Jessica had fully transformed into a weretiger. Her body was covered in a fine layer of white hair with black stripes, it was a little more muscular than she was normally but a tail that swung behind her and her face had transformed into a tiger's face was her most tell tale feature.

Jessica snarled and bared her fangs as the Elvi in hopes that she could draw attention away from Michael who she just barely saw from behind the vending machines.

Ryan looked at his cards. Fifteen. It was a nasty number in twenty one, one that could really go either way. However, one thing Ryan knew well was odds. it was the street racer in him, it gave him the ability to take numbers and just crunch away. Hell, he had gained a good amount of his personal riches by betting on street racing, just by calculating numbers like horsepower, torque, driver skill, and gearing.

He needed a seven or less to not bust. That was eight possible cards, including aces. He quickly ran through the numbers, with four possible of each, that was twenty eight cards. Of course, the lady in front of him had a six out, and the dealer a five and an ace. To his right, however, were all above sevens, with no aces. That took out three, so he had twenty five cards. That was barely a fifty one percent chance that he would get a card he wanted.

But that wasn't why one gambled, was it? He looked down at his bet, just a click over eight hundred, and nodded, tapping the table. "Hit me up," he said, watching as the dealer flipped out a card. The card, the six of diamonds landed next to the five of hearts, and Ryan sighed. Twenty.

The smart man would stand. A dumb man would hit, hoping to whatever diety he chose as his own for an Ace. Ryan was not dumb. But he was risky. It was in his blood, or the blood of whatever poor human that he had sunk his teeth into, or maybe it came from Cain. The options were endless, but Ryan was tossing those out now. He wanted the next card. Less than a full twenty four hourse earlier, he had destroyed the fastest motorcycle in Houston in a car. He had survived fights with some of the craziest, meanest, and downd right ugliest beasts the natural world had ever seen.

And now, he was hoping against hope that an ace would show.

"Hit," he said, taping the table.

"Sir, I suggest that you stay at twenty. You've already beat the house." The dealer eyed the man, and clicked a small button, letting the security system know he might have a nut case. A well dressed nut case, yes, but a nut case none the less. This was a common stunt done by table robbers, hit on a sure win, and when the dealer goes for the card, grabb the cash and run.

"I got the cash in case I loose. Give me a card," Ryan repeated.

The dealer nodded, obliging the guest. It wasn't his fault if he wanted to loose so bad.

The card, crisp and fresh from a new deck, snapped as the dealer pulled it out. The world went in slow motion at the table, eyes on the card and the man who just hit on twenty. The plastic laminated rectangle came down, next to the diamond six, staring out at the world that stared at it, some in shock, some in awe, all in amazement. "The Ace of Spades," Ryan said, looking down at the winning card. Twenty one.

The dealer looked on in amazment, and breathlessly and wordlessly paid out. The chip stack rose, and Ryan stood. He looked down at the card, and before the dealer could sweep it up, he put his finger down on it. "Mind if I keep this?" he asked. "I have a feeling I'm gonna need something lucky later on."

"It's a pussy cat, boys! I want it's fur for a rug!" The apparent leader was now little more than eyes, and a mouth full of fangs as the Elvi swarm turned to where Jessica crouched atop the train. In seconds they were all over her, douseing her with jets of silme in a variety of hues. A feeling as if she were beset by a swarm of bees, thousands of tiny burning pinpricks swept over the weretiger.

"I have a feeling I'm gonna need something lucky later on."

"Why certainly sir." The dealers smile never wavered as she slid the deck into the discard bin, and began unwrapping an fresh deck.

"It looks like you have made your self comfortable." The voice was smooth, bearing no trace of an accent. "I'm glad to see you are enjoying my casino"

As Ryan swung about to see who was speaking to him, the stranger introduced himself.

"I'm Jackie Santini, and I'm sorry that I got called away and couldn't meet you myself." His face was impassively polite, his voice smooth. Nothing outward to give away the fact that he disliked the man...no that's a vampire, have to remember that, and still a prick. Wouldn't it be nice to hang him up as a trophy. already.

The mob boss was an impressive figure, standing roughtly six foot three and well muscled withought being muscle bound. His movements were limber and controled, speaking of more than a little martial arts training of some school. His dark hair fell full and loose to brush lightly against the shoulders of the imculately tailored italian suit. Sharp dark eyes scanned Ryan from head to foot, missing nothing.

His body guards had faded into the wood work, like all the best did. None of them liked that their boss was going to let some stranger drive him half way across the country. Jackie had listened politely then vetoed every alternative suggestion they had made. Jackie was not just a title holder, he was a working boss that took good care of his people and that brought about a sort of loyality one can't buy.

No Jackie decidedHe think's he's the shit and has every thing the way he wants it. I wonder how much fun I can have with him on the way to the Big H and my bride?

"So are you going to get me to the church on time?"

Ryan snapped up the Ace, and slid it into the breast pocket of his shirt.

He was about to place his next bet when a man spoke.

I'm Jackie Santini, and I'm sorry that I got called away and couldn't meet you myself.

Ryan spun, coming to see another tall, imposing figure. He was imposing in another sense. Nothing quite like the mountain of a man who drove him, this man had another imposing form. It wasn't in his size, but in his presence. Ryan had once been told that one did not need to be forcefull, just project strength. Santini did.

"No problem Mr. Santini, I understand. It happens to the best of us." He wanted to do a quick mind probe, see what the man was thinking. Of course, Ryan had no where near the psychic ability of most vamps, instead honing the powers that he believed benifited him most. Even in a mere mortal, his probe would most likely be picked up, maybe in the form of a headache, or worse. Instead, Ryan would go about it the old fashion way.

So are you going to get me to the church on time?

Ryan nodded. "Thats what I'm good at Mr. Santini. Give me the wheels, I'll get ya there. I'm kinda known for it."

"Thats what I'm good at Mr. Santini. Give me the wheels, I'll get ya there. I'm kinda known for it."


"Excellent then Mr. Hammond. Would you care to see the Ferrari you'll be delivering? Mr. Cain had it specially customised I am given to understand."

It was a 2010 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano that would make any car afficinado drool. Jackie could appreciate a hot car like any other red blooded male, but he was not deep into the technical mysteries.

Excellent then Mr. Hammond. Would you care to see the Ferrari you'll be delivering? Mr. Cain had it specially customised I am given to understand.

"Ferrari eh? Didn't know Cain was into pasta rockets. Always seemed to be more of the Lincoln Town Car kinda guy to me. But hey, if it has wheels and a motor, I'll drive it. So lets go see it."

Ryan glanced around quickly, more out of habit of looking for snipers, gunman, ghosts, or maybe the trick hunter. He wouldn't put it past Cain to drop Ryan into a nest of hunters with out weaponry on hand, and Ryan was more cautious than ever.

Jessica lashed out with her claws, only to find her nails tearing through a gel like substance and having no effect on the Elvi. She snarled as her fur was being soaked in tons of multi-colored slime, she wouldn't be able to transform back into her human state, afraid of what effects it might have. It was then the pain started. First in on her tail then all over her body as it felt thousands of bees were stinging her at the same time.

Jessica snarled and thrashed, trying to break free of the mass but just as she broke from it, the blob settled upon her once again. Jessica spun and swung her claws at the eyes of the apparently leader but all it did was the pain increased around her.

As the tiger stumbled around blindly on the top of the train, the pain continued to tear into her like knives and her wasted effort at fighting the mass drained her of engery.

Jessica collapsed, exhausted.

But hey, if it has wheels and a motor, I'll drive it. So lets go see it."


Jackie lead Ryan through the complex, his bodyguards having fallen in to covering postions quietly. Through several card key protected doors and out to a private section on the parking garage.

"I believe it is a reward for one of Mr. Cain's associates." Jackie commented as the lights spilled over a cloth covered form. At Jackie's wave an attendant came over an whisked the cover off, revealing a gleaming beast in the classic Ferrari Red color scheme.

"According to the broker, it's been properly been broken in but Mr. Cain thought any last touches might benefit from your skills"

Ryan studied the deep red of the Prancing Horse. He looked over the wheels and tires, studying the paint, and then, lacking permision, opened the driver's side door and slipped in. He pushed himself into the seat, and squirmed a bit before finding the best way to sit. He adjusted the seat and wheels, happy with the position. "Keys?" he asked, not looking up from the steering column. He was covering everything on the dash, making sure he could moniter it all properly. Ryan was used to driving heavily moddified beasts, with interiors abound with veiw screens and gauges monitering every little aspect of the motor.

An aide came over, handing him the keys, and he pushed them into the ignition, starting the car. The V12 roared to life, then settled at a smoot burbble, distinctly a mix of Ferrari and Tubi. He nodded, and gave it a quick rev, letting the V12 open up. As the motor came back down, he slid out of the driver's seat, and moved around to the front of the car, popping the hood to get a good look at the V12. He studied it breifly, then reached in, and ripped out two plastic boxes, dropping them to the floor.

"Ya know, you would think with a performance car, Ferrari would leave the fucking air boxes off."

The engine idled louder, and Ryan got back into the driver's seat, reving again. This time it was louder, and seemed to rev faster. "Thats it," he said, and the exited one last time to close the hood. He looked over at Santini and then back at the car.

"So ya wanna leave now, or go tommorow?"

Jackie hadn't raised an eyebrow when Ryan tore off the Ferrari's air boxes. If Mr. Cain had said Hammond knew his shit, then he did, besides if Hammond ruined the vehicle it ould be on his head not Jackie's. And Jackie wouldn't mind at all if Hammond found himself in more hot water. Mr. Cain had intimated that one Ryan Hammond was a pain in the butt that needede a little lesson or two.

"So ya wanna leave now, or go tommorow?"

"What ever is good by you. I'm all clear here, and can leave any time. I understand you have an allergy to sunlight, only drive at night" The way Jackie smirked at Ryan told him he knew exactly what Ryan was...and Jackie wasn't bothered by it one bit.

Ryan nodded.

I understand you have an allergy to sunlight, only drive at night.

"Well, its better than dying at sixty," Ryan chuckled. He looked over the car again, and pulled the keys out of the ignition, and pocketed them. "We'll leave tommorow. Sundown. That work?"

"We need to see Windra. They won't get away with this."

Merry looked up at Rivan, horror filling her eyes once again. "One of us did that?" She gulped again- the memory of what she had seen would probably haunt her dreams for a long time. She was shaking her head wordlessly, fine tremmors wracking her body.

She had seen death, hunted and eaten her kill. Merry also knew that most infected Were's, 'bitten' Weres developed a great hunger for human flesh, but that wasn't just hunting or eating in back in what had become an unholy abbitoir. The air of staisfaction, of satiation through others pain and death had been an almost palpable sensation.

"I...I think we need to call the police, Rivan. I don't know what the pack can do..." She was about to start crying again, feeling very lost and helpless.

"A night-lifer." He replied as he held her as she was wracked by tremors. The horror, savagry and pure malice, while not beyond a human, it was far more likely the actions of a night-lifer.

"That too." He replied as he held her whilst she sobbed.

It hurts, Lil!

Lillian's eyes widened. A voice in her mind -- Seklh's! Like many a solitary cat-companion, she'd often talked to her pet, but never expected him to talk back. Nonetheless, the response he'd trained into her from kittenhood clicked in: Seklh wanted something, Lillian would get it.

Hold on, I'm coming, she answered automatically.

Don't you dare! said the old, crabby voice she'd heard before. I'll look after him. You guard your Elfbrat.

Elfbr--? Oh, Cyrian. Recalled to duty, Lillian searched the room. She couldn't find him! Possibilities flooded her mind: had he teleported, the way he had at Cain's? Sick and far from sane, where in all the dimensions would he end up? Could anyone trace him? Or, worse, had they taken him?

No, that wasn't on. If they'd managed to get him they'd have been out of here, not hanging around taking punishment. He must be still here ... Lillian tasted the air with her quivering whiskers, checked the room with the nose and ears that could hear a mouse in the walls -- good lord, there was one, too, she'd have to do something about -- NO, Lillian! Hunt like a cat, concentrate like a human ... she could hear gasps, someone writhing on the carpet, but that could be anyone, given the mayhem going on ... wait, there! She wasn't sure what it was, but some combination of sickness-smell, weakness-sound, was unmistakably Cyrian.

Ah! Somehow he'd crawled, or twisted, or been pushed, almost under the sofa. But he wasn't safe: two of the invaders were heading for him. Not to kill, she was sure. If they'd wanted to, they could have done that in the first seconds ... they wanted to ... take home and eat! My kitten your prey? Seklh! Dogs, wolves, eagles hunt the kitten!

Humans on the attack give warning. Their busy minds broadcast their presence to those who can hear. Their targets gain vital seconds of response time.

Cats don't. Hunt, attack, it's not something cats do, it's what they are. Cream and chocolate, sweet, sleek, beautiful, two snarling fates met their Sidhe.

"That too."

Rivan's calmness restored Merry far faster than anything else, and she managed to take a deep breath and think things through. "If we call Windra it had better be quick, she needs to see this before the police get here. They won't let any outsiders in." She looked around the quiet of the dark street. "Okay the Morris place is empty, and both the Simms and the Westons are out of town. So nobody close to notice anything wrong. Lets go call her."

Merry though was not going to let go of Rivan's hand as they made their way back to her house. Nor did she stop testing the air, wary of what might be still about, wary in a way she hadn't been before.

"That's good, it's bad enought someone did that, if there had been witnesses, they might have done it again." He replied as he felt her clutching his hand, and he returned the pressure, at a conforting level. He also had his senses stretched to the max, just in case.

Nothing assaulted the pair as they journeyed back across the darkened yard. Standing by the back door Merry looked up at Rivan. "Help me check out the house?" She asked plaintively. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and headed inside.

Hers was the smallest house on the block, just two bedrooms, though it had full formals - tiny living room and dining room - and a good sized den with a fireplace. The back door led to a laundry room and on to the eat-in kitchen. All seemed undisturbed but Merry found herself checking the closets and looking worriedly at the pull down door to the attic. Realizing this she gave Rivan a sheepish look. "I am really a wuss, aren't I?" She managed to laugh at herself, then pulled Rivan into a strong hug. "Thank you Dear One"

Relieved to find nothing amis she called Windra on the Kitchen phone. She had the best view of the Warren's house from there. She merely let her aunt know that she had an official Mess and could use some help. Windra alarmed by the shakiness of Merry's voice, said she'd be there as quickly as possible. "She'll be her quick" Merry told Rivan.

Hanging up the phone Merry busied herself by making coffee, though she generally prefered tea before bedtime. "Rivan did it seem to you that any of them was ...missing...or was it all just" She swallowed heavily but couldn't turn her thoughts from what waited next door. "scattered about?"

"Of course." He said as he helped her search her home. "No, you aren't," He said as he jumped a bit at the hooting of an owl and she caught him in a hug. Her 'Dear One', in it's own way, effected him almost as much as the sight of the abattoir they'd left.

"Alright." He replied as he began helping her make coffee, partially as she seemed to be shaking slightly, and slightly as he wished for some to help calm himself. "I don't think anything was missing, but I couldn't be sure. I hope nothing was."

Michael placed his back against the machine and hoped that Jessie could hold on. He tapped the earpiece. “Defender’s”. When the woman answered the phone he told her the situation. “We need your demonology team … fast. Jessica is here, she’s under attack and I don’t have the appropriate ammunition.”

“Understood Mister Gassington. Do try to hold tight. I’ll be contacting Andorov Narastovich immedietly”, came the woman’s voice on the other end.

Michael ended the call and then looked for Jessica. Finally he spotted her, or rather the activity on the train roof.

“HEY! DID I EVER TELL YOU HOW MUCH I HATE FUCKING BLUE SUADE?!” He waited to see if he got their attention before moving.


Red finally crushed the skull of the one she was fighting and turned to see if there was any more. As she did Godolkin arrived at the room, striding in like a hunting lion, his heavy boots thumping on the floor.

“I got the entertainment, you got the beer?” Red asked him, grinning.

Behind Godolkin, preferring to be close, but not too close, came Harrow, looking about nervously.

“You stay here, Blasphemy”, Godolkin threw back to Harrow as he made his way over to Red and joined her in surveying the current situation.

“No problem”, Harrow muttered.

This is the next night for Ryan Hammond ONLY - for every one else it is still "tonight"

Jackie Santini waited patiently till nightfall. Patience didn't come naturally to him, but it was a lesson hard learned that now served the thirty eight year old mob boss well.

His thoughts turned to what awaited at the end of the drive. He would have prefered to fly, and had almost insisted on it, but the information that his enemies had red eye missiles and intended to use them detered him. Now driving would be safer and unexpected. However while the Ferrari looked sporty, he had serious doubts about the comfort factor. He'd just have to endure it.

His own 'Boss' had arranged the marriage, but he'd not demured. It gained his forces a toehold in Texas that no one else had been able to establish. And a wife could be easily ignored.

He made some last minute plans and handed the information over to his aides and sat back to wait the arrival of his driver.

The female Sidhe that Dilana had killed was dissolving into nothingness. The one that had been attacking the downed apartment manager had turned and Dilana had intercepted himbefore he could attack Lillian from behind. Sian had finished off the one that SEKLH had first attacked, as Red had taken out the two that first attacked her. The last two were now in close combat with Lillian and SEKLH but the two Sidhe were gaining the upper hand, despite the duo's best efforts.

"Well you tell that little fucker if he thinks a shot of go gas is gonna make his little two wheeled terror faster than my Supra, he might as well just give up now. No. No I'm nost saying is bike is slow, I'm saying it isn't fast enough to keep up with me."

Ryan walked through the door, speaking into his cell phone. "Well, fine, tell him I'll run from a dig or roll, and I'll put down however the fuck much he wants to run for. Damnit, when you punks gonna realise, I'm the fastest mother fucker in Houston!"

He slammed the phone shut, dropping it into his pants pocket. "Man, some bitch ass punk thinking he's fast. Fuck that shit. Sorry I'm late, had issues to deal with."

He walked over to the Ferrari, eyeing the Itallian thoroughbred, the deep red paint reflecting back the image of Ryan and Santini. He smiled a child's smile, not being able to contain the enthusiast in him. Few ever recieved the chance to even drive a Ferrari. He was getting to drive one fast. His grin grew, and he looked back at Santini.

"Damn she's a beautiful piece of machinery. Wish I had one. Meh, I'll live for now. So I'm taking you back to Houston, right? Quick and clean ride."

Ryan didn't show his fear. It would be pushing it, even if he held the Ferrari at it's top speed the entire way, never got stuck in traffic, and managed to stay away from any police presense, they would be making it back to Houston maybe two hours before the sun kissed the horizon, and Ryan said goodbye to his life.

His short cut sleave shirt revealed his newest tattoo, a stylized Spade on his right bicep, and the shirt hugged his frame. It hung out over a pair of black deniem jeans, which stopped just short of the floor over a pair of Puma Kart shoes. They were designed specifically for racing, allowing good pedal feel and acurate heel toeing. However, with the lack of a clutch pedal in the paddle shift Ferrari, the shoes were more for effect than anything. Ryan studied the car one more time, checking the tires and suspension, and then looked back at Jackie.

"Well Mr. Santini, ready to roll?"

“HEY! DID I EVER TELL YOU HOW MUCH I HATE FUCKING BLUE SUADE?!”

The spectors ignored him as they gathered about the limp form of the unconscious weretiger. One by one they slipped in between her partially opened lips, until only the apparent leader was left.

"Okay boys get me that skin!" he yelped hysterically as Jessica's body began to glow. Then something seemed to move and shift under her skin.

There was a blinding flash of eerie green light and suddenly there was a naked unconscious body covered in a fine film of blood and serum. Next to it lay a white tigers pelt.

Another flash and the Elvi reappeared, though more transparrent now, as if drained.

"Thanks boy's TCB at it's best!" the leader crowed, scooped up the pelt and vanished, leaving the strains of Love Me Tender filling the paper strewn terminal.

From where she stood, Dilana could see that the sidhe that she had killed was in fact desolving in front of her eyes. Not far off, she saw two more of the sidhes, after she had finally killed the one that was behind a person that she didn't know.
All she knew was the person was innocent, picking up on that person's energy right away.

Michael couldn’t see what happened until he got up onto the train, then his eyes widened and he dropped to his knees. He looked at Jessica’s bloody form and images of his parents and his little sister’s broken bodies suddenly came back to him forcefully. He could do nothing but wait until Andorov and his people arrived, who were already enroute.

********

Red and Godolkin moved quickly toward the remaining two, Godolkin slamming into his opponent before initiating his attack and Red immediately attacking her chosen opponent, blindsiding him as he was engaged with Lillian.

Jessica's body was covered in blood and slime, her hair matted to the top of the train and shivering from a slight wind. Her breathing was shallow and her moan was so low it took Michael a bit to realize it was her. One eye cracked open, it held onto the cat-like pupil for only a second before going circular.

Jessica's mouth parted slightly, no words came out as her eye closed and she drifted off into a deep and troubled sleep.

Michael waited a relatively short time, though it seemed like an eternity. Authorities had come and cordoned off the area. They had asked him some questions but when it turned to paranormal issues they quickly dropped the matter, agreeing to let the Defender’s handle the investigation. Finally Andorov arrived with his people.

They had the latest in paranormal investigative equipement, but they were also each gifted in some way. Either channellers of spirits or sensitives or psychometetrists who could read an object’s history by touch. Some were inclinced toward magic, like Andorov himself.

Andorov looked down at Jessica’s body and then seemed to ignore it. Citizens were not his concern, that was for the hospital or the coroner.

“It’s Jessica”, Michael said looking up, “can you do anything?”

Andorov looked down again. One of their own now his mind. He muttered something, placing his hands less than an inch over her body. A slight aura enveloped her and her pain left her. The preservation spell was typically used to keep corpses from rotting but it would work just as well here. Preventing further damage and sealing out any infection.

“Best I can do”, he told Michael, “get her to the medical facilities at the hospital. We have no way of dealing with this in our facilities onsite in the Defender’s building.”

Michael nodded and lifted her gently. He carried her to the Enterprise while Andorov led the investigation that would last him until well into the morning hours. As quickly, yet gently, as he could Michael got her to the hospital and carried into the emergency room.

The police, were not pleased at having to 'back off' but word quickly came down from on high that what they wanted was of no importance. And that the private firm that had been called in to deal with the problem would be handling all aspects of the unusual incident.

However a call was made to the owner of Defenders Inc, from Cain that she would need to present herself to him the next evening and explain why he had to interfer with Mundane Activities. He did not sound pleased in the least. Night Life activities were not supposed to become known to the Mundanes and if she thought her people were going to be allowed to get away with such public activities she had better learn differently.

Upon hanging up with Lauralin, Cain made several other calls, including one to the Camarilla.

The Night Life Hospital always had a police scanner on and they had heard early on about the manifestation of phantasms at the U of H downtown campus, but nothing had come over the scanner about what had happened to Jessica, so they were a little surprized at Michael's arrival with A still unconscious Jessica.

It was barely midnight.

**********************************

The Sidhe that Godolkin slammed into knocked SEKLH down. It was simple physics - he was bigger and bulkier than the man sized feline. However he spun with the reactions many centuries of training gave him and his sword was a blurr as it connected with the Iconoclast's chest leaving a terrible wound behind it.

Red's opponent took several blows - mostly stopped by armour though before he could execute his own turn and reply to Red's attacks. His first attacks failed but an opening was noted and taken, his sword lancing deep into Red side below the rib cage.

Dilana's Sidhe snarled at her and made a gesture - firey pain lanced up Dilana's weapons hand, as if her iron bar had suddenly become read hot.

Sian found herself pinned in a corner by the press of struggling bodies that were trying to fill spaces fat to small to hold that many under any circumstances. Her left fore arm was bleeding badly from a blow from the same dagger that had been used on SEKLH but it was more a nuisance than anything else. She could see just enough to throw up bubbles of telekenetic force around the unconscious human man and Cyrian, and hope that the fight finished soon so she could get to both of them.

It took Windra nearly an hour to arrive, and Merry ws beginning to get frantic, but when a blue minivan pulled into the driveway and she saw who climbed out she relaxed.

"Rivan, you're about to meet some one special" Merry whispered as she headed out of the house to greet the new arrivals "I didn't even think to ask for him to come."

Waving aside the help offered by the three members of the Green Waters pack a small, incredibly ancient Were climbed down. He was a pipestem figure, gaunt with age, but his back was unbowed. He did lean heavily on the gnarled and carved walking staff he held in one deeply veined hand, it's many feathers and tiny bones cluttering and clicking as the night wind jangled them. The swirl of power about him was strong and steady, reassureing in it's presence.

Merry approached, her posture almost submissive, and definitely reverential. Quietly she waited for him to notice her, and Rivan.

Windra, the Pack's Beta and L.B. as well waited for the ancient one to indicate readiness on his part. His nostrils flared as he took in deep breaths of the night's air and something flowed outwards, seeking tasteing, testing.

After a few moments he nodded to himself and waved an imperious hand at the others. "Well why are you just standing there. The girl I remember, but who is the travelling man with her? Introduce me." The 'you dolts' was unsaid but the ascerbic tone to his voice clearly added it. The elderly shaman Were had little patience even at the best of times, or so he liked people to believe.

"Well Mr. Santini, ready to roll?"


Jackie looked at Ryan and smirked. "When ever you are" He knew that Ryan would need to stop before sunrise, and that they couldn't make it the 1200 miles to Houston in one night. Even if this early in spring gave them a dozen hours of darkness and they were running west.

He'd make hotel reservations while they were enroute, last minute work that would leave them less exposed to being found. He wondered as he slid into the Ferrari if Ryan knew his bride to be and what he could tell him about her.

Ryan nodded. "All right then, lets jet!"

He slid into the driver's seat, and pulled the key from his pocket. He slid it into the ignition, and turned it, then depressed the start button. The V12 barked to life, then settled at a smooth idle. The seat was right where Ryan had left it, and he revved twice, letting the engine warm up quickly.

Jackie slid into the passenger's seat, and closed the door, pulling the seatbelt on. Ryan buckled his, and smiled. "Lets get outa here."

With a light tug, he pulled the small black paddle on the wheel that sat behind his right hand, and the car shifted out of nuetral and into first. Ferrari's paddle shifting gear box was one of the best, as it controlled every bit of tallent that was needed when shifting. Throttle controll, clutch, everything went into a single tug of a piece of carbon fiber.

Ryan rolled out of the parking garrage and out onto the street, towards the highway. He looked around, carefull to dodge traffic. "So, any specific route you wanna take, or just straight through?"

"So, any specific route you wanna take, or just straight through?"

"You're the driver, just let me know where you want to hole up for the day. Ya know, I didn't think a vampire could get a tattoo." He commented as they rocketed out from the parking garage. Without appearing to he watched Ryan carefully, wanting to see if he were as hot a driver as has been advertized.

He'd wait until they'ed made it out of Atlantic City's infamous traffic before he popped the top on a Black Cherry Coke however. And he also thought he'd wait a bit before asking about what his driver ate. It had been brought to his attention that all three of his gifts had survived the evening, which eased his mind. The large calibur hand cannon that resided in his custom fitted shoulder rig was carrying silver hollowpoints filled with holy water, and that eased his mind even more.

Rivan wondered who was the special one until he noticed the diminunitive ancient Were. With the staff in hand he gave the appearence of a shaman which is what Rivan took him as, at least until he found out one way or the other.

While his posture was not submissive, it was most definately respectful as he approached and waited with Merry.

The old Were remined Rivan a great deal of his mother's father's brother, the one time he'd met the man, in presense and attitude if not in body, and thus he was prepared for almost anything out of the shaman.

"Sire, this is Rivan Otaku from Colorado. Rivan, this is our clan's Founder, and Shaman, Wolf Who Rides the Storm." Windra said respectfully. Her naming him as the clans founder gave his age, he was nearly three hundred years old, and born before the first of the People had crossed to the greater spaces and safety of the Americas.

He looked Rivan up and down with gimlet eyes. "So it looks like your clan, which hasn't been mentioned, is not one of our better branches. They think color of fur is better than a true heart. Stupid of them." He displayed a fine set of teeth in what was not a smile, and thumped the ground with this staff in seeming annoyance. With an imperious forefinger he summoned Windra and Rivan to walk beside him as he turned without saying more and stalked towards the house of blood. "I need no more escort."

Windra followed, but looked back over her wshoulder and called to Merry "Tell John and Linden exactly what you did and saw. And make more coffee. He likes it strong enough to walk on." Her voice was almost amused at the last and her many times great grandfather ignored her as he stumped relentlessly towards the other house.

"Tell me Rivan WanderFar, what did you sense within? " He asked, his voice all but a whisper, but carrying to Rivan clearly.

"Greeetings." Rivan said to the elder, his position that of respect and differential but not subserviance.

He followed the shaman, granting him an indulgence he wouldn't to most other wolves, or in fact few other creatures, as he was obviously both use to it, and appeared to be deserving of the respect.

"It seemed sort of like a vampire's scent mixed with that of a Were, thought I wouldn't have believed any vampire could waste that much blood." He replied with a shudder. "The only thing is I could have sworn I've smelt the vampire before."

"The only thing is I could have sworn I've smelt the vampire before."

"No it is not like the blood drinkers to waste, as it is the essence of their lives it is nearly sacred to them. A Vampire and a Were working together is not completely unheard of." The ancients face showed what he thought of such a notion. "More though than mere scent. What else, young one, did you percieve?" He probed deeper, wanting more than a report of the five obvious senses.

Jessica heard footsteps in the distance and her world was dark. Slowly the noises drew closer and her world became brighter till she was almost blinded by bright ceiling lights. She moaned painfully. Her head and body hurt and it took her several minutes before her eyes had adjusted. She looked lazily around, she was in a bed in what seemed to be a hospital room. Hospital...why...

Her memory was hazy for a while before she remembered what happened. The train, her transformation and the attack by the Elvi. She didn't know how long she was out, all she knew was she was now in a hospital and that was dangerous if she was in a human one. As she tried to lift herself, a lighting bolt of pain shot through her spine to her head and she collapsed back on the bed.

"I wouldn't try to move." a woman's voice came into Jessica's ears.

She turned her head to a vampiress working with some needles and other things. The tiger would naturally be nervous, but the vampiress proved to her she was in a Night Life hospital and the vampiress was an employee. Jessica had never been to a NL hospital, she never had to. Her tired eyes followed the vampiress as she walked up and began to work on her arm.

"Just drawing some blood for tests." She said. Jessica simply nodded. She cringed slightly as the needle went in and relaxed as the vampiress drew the needed amout and cleaned up.

Jessica watched her go and placed her head back against the pillow. She felt empty inside but she wouldn't worry about it. "God I need a Tylenol."

"No, it was closer, the scents were two, but also one, almost as if a merge of vampire and were blood had taken place. There was something beyond pure savagry that bordered on the obscene, almost as if it was done deliberately, done to hurt the living." He replied, not sure how else to put it as he'd never shown much aptitude for shamanistic skills, even thought he could pick up on vibrations and such not.

The Staff at the Night Life Hospital wouldn't let Michael accompany Jessica into the treatment area, but once she had been admitted for an over night stay - her doctors were concerned about hewr being unconscious for so long - they did allow Michael into the room.

They had just finished a second blood draw and were possibly planning a Cat Scan or MRI in the morning, though those plans had not been finalized yet.

God I need a Tylenol."

Shortly after Jessica had made her request for Tylenol, a nurses aide appeared with two caplets and a glass of water. "If you want to talk to the doctors, or need a nurse, please just push the call button. If you are hungry in a bit the doctors have said you can have a little something as well" The aide showed her where the bed controls were, and where the call button was.

There was something beyond pure savagry that bordered on the obscene, almost as if it was done deliberately, done to hurt the living."

"Strange" His interrogator said "Never has a Were been a vampire, it isn't possible by all the studies I know of, and I know it's been tried....However" His voice trailed off as he approached the door to the house and the blood scent was strong now.

With a 'hold here' hand wave he walked on in alone, now a much larger figure, for he shifted as he walked, into full half form. Not much over five foot in human guise, in Crinos form he stood nearly ten foot and all but glowed with the power at his command.

Rivan looked on in amazement. He'd never seen the kind of shift that had taken place in the shaman. Doubling in size was an exceptional feat and the energy was most impressive. It appeared he'd found what was likely one of the most powerful Were in the world as he'd only heard of this kind of thing in what he'd thought were his mother's bed time stories.

Wolf Who Rides the Storm smiled to himself as he walked into the place of defilement. A Shaman or a Showman, well the best Shaman was one who was also a Showman, for often to get through those with the densest heads one had to Show, and forcefully...And he, while not the mighiest of those, had been a Shaman for a very long time.

The small smile wanished as he crossed the threshhold and discerned the unusual, the never before scented by him in all his long life odor. His lips pulled back in an involuntary snarl, as the 'threat ridge' of fur that ran down his spine rose on end. Yes it was an instinctively negative response he noted calmly, Vampire and Were. But his nose, still the keenest despite the wearing of time, revealed something to him. The youngester had picked up on it, probably had had too little contact with that to really identify it. A Bitten Were, one of those infected with the virulent disease that humans dared title Lycanthropy. Lycans were an abomination, a vile distortion of all that was Were.

And some how the abomination had been 'turned', made into a vampire, but his nose also told him it was not a normal vampire either. There was a sickness there, a madness. At a gesture his spirit companions brought him hairs, fur shed from the pelt of the monster. Another gesture and a shimmer appeared in the air before him and time wound back and replayed the horror for him, though he did not let it flow till the end. Turning, for he did not need to see more, he left the house. His nose had told him the monster had long left. "Good thing for the cubs that it had." He muttered to himself.

As he returned to where Rivan and Windra waited he resumed his human guise. Handing the hairs to Rivan. "You were correct in a way." He would say nothing more until they were in Merrys small breakfast nook, and a cup of strong coffee was set respectfully before him.

'We have a problem."

Jessica gratefully took the two Tylenol and washed them down with some water. She reclined in the bed, wondering what the Elvi had done to her. Had they implanted a few of them inside of her and could now force her to do stuff? Or had they done something far worse to her while she was unconsious? Jessica twisted slightly, the stinging sensation from the Elvi attack had yet to die down yet there were no marks and it was more than a slight annoyance than any actual pain.

Jessica relaxed in bed and drank the rest of the water. She was stuck here for a while, might as well enjoy it before the waves of paperwork hit her at work.

The confirmation that he was correct, even had it been in a limited fashion, had been most certainly not what Rivan had been hoping to hear.

Once they were seated and the shaman said the imfamous line, 'we have a problem', he frowned and asked, "What happened?"

While he would prefere to spare Merry, he was one of those who held the general belief of know thine enemy.

Dilana felt a horible pain shoot up her arm as her iron bar felt like it was on fire in her hand. Thinking that perhaps the sidhe had put some kind of spell on it to make the bar hot, Dilana dropped the bar in her other hand; unsure if that would make a difference or not. Although it hurt a lot, Dilana gritted her teeth, gripped the bar in her left hand and swung it at the sidhe. Dilana knew that she would most likely have some kind of burn scar on her hand, but she did not care as she quickly dropped her one iron bar and hurriedly picked up a second one.

"What happened?"

"You were right in that you smelled vampire and Were blended together. Apparently a Lycan, as some term 'bitten' Were's - those infected with the virus- can become a vampire." The ancient sipped his coffee silently for a few moments letting the others absorb the hideous concept and come to terms with what it might mean for the future of their kind and others of the Night Life.

Were Wolves and Vampires had never been on very good terms with one another. And for over three centuries, since the Lycanthropic virus had first shown up. what tenuous civility there had been between the two had mostly fled. Though in most places, (generally meaning Europe) the warfare was kept between the Lycan's and the Vampires - the Were Wolves having long abandoned Europe to the Vampires - with what few hadn't imigrated living in the vast, mostly uninhabited by humans, stretches of Siberia or in tiny enclaves in the rural areas of France and Germany. But in the cities of Eurpope the blood shed between Lycans and Vampires was a constant running battle.

Natural Were Wolves, those born to the race of WereWolves, would not tolerate the presence of a Lycan in their holdings. Not only was it too dangerous, but there was a natural antim

Lycan's generally weren't tolerated anywhere by the Night Life. Yes other forms of theiranthopy could be transmitted by a virus, but those who were infected with the feline form, canine form, or other very rarely 'turned bad' - became the antisocial, raving monster that one who recieved the lupine or rodent variant of the virus mostly did.

"Oh," Rivan said, and a few seconds later he added, "Crap. This not good. What kind of vampire would have both the strength, and ferocity to vamp a lycan."

He thought for a few more moments and, "Bat shit, an animalistic vampire is the only one I can think of that would be able to do it, with the those two combined..." He trailed off as the implications that thought led along those lines hit.

Jessica lay on the bed, unsure of what to do. She wasn't hungry and her headache had calmed down due to the Tylenol given to her earlier. She didn't know how long she had been in the hosptal, yet it was still night outside. Jessica turned her head to the remote the nurse had left her and pressed the call button for the doctor. She wondered if they had found anything out of the ordinary in whatever pre-tests doctors do.

Jessica did not have long to wait, before an energetic youg doctor bounded into the room, his bright red Ked's sneakers giving him extra bounce. His hair was short and as black as his nearly ebony skin. He wore jeans and a dark red tee under his white lab coat.

"Well it's good you're awake, though of course you know already that we're keeping you over night. I'm Dr. Martin Lawton." His teeth were very white in his dark face and chocolate hued eyes twinkled warmly. "So, what questions can I answer for you?"

What ever the Sidhe had done, stopped abruptly as the bar Dilana swung connected. The Elf snarled, his perfect looks marred by the grimmace, and his sword flashed towards her. However the maintence man was not as un conscious as he had been, and a old fashioned iron wrench laned had on the Sidhe's ankle, shattering it. The killing blow meant for Dilana went wild, leaving her with naught but a modest, but painful, gash in her righ bicept.

Jessica stared at the man in front of her. This was the doctor? Last time she was in the doctors office back in the 1970s the doctor had worn a stripped shirt and nice shoes. She remembered the old saying of 'never judge a book by its cover', it pertained to her and everyone else. She smiled at Martin.

"Pleasure to meet you Doctor Lawton. I'm Jessica Pickett." She said. "Since I don't think there is much need for secerecy in this hospital I should say first I am a weretiger...if that will help you any. I am not very well versed in what doctors do when patients come in and I was wondering if in whatever testing you do when they come in if you picked up anything unusual about me. I'm feeling...funny inside."

I'm feeling...funny inside."

"Just call me Martin, if you'd like. Our tests are showing that you have lots of ectoplasmic residue, coating everything down to the cellular level. It may well have some effects. We don't seem much of this here. I have a teleconfrence call scheduled later between, myself, and two specialists, one in New Orleans and on in Port au Prince. But currently other than a very mild allergic type reaction and your lapse of consciousness you are seemingly fine. But seemingly is all I'll say for now untill I've had a chance to speak with the specialist and other test results come back."

He pulled a print out of some lab tests and ran his eyes over them again. "Your blood sugar is a little low, if you are hungry you can have just about anything we can get delivered. Which is actually a pretty wide variety. The Spanish Flower is just up the road and their TexMex is just killer."

"Okay thank you Martin." Jessica said with a sweet smile. "I'm not hungry right now...but thank you."

Specialists, she didn't like the sound of that. Something was brewing here in Houston and to the best of her knowledge she was the first victim in an act of violence by the phantams or whatever they were. Because of it she was coated all throughout her insides with some supernatrual slime. It must have happened when she was turning back into a human after losing consiousness, while her hair and body twisted some could have gotten inside.

"Martin, this may seem silly...but since these phantams have proved themselves to be aggressive and I go their ectoplasmic stuff in me. This may seem silly, but is it possible for them to use it to control me?"

Martin frowned and sighed. "I don't think so. Possession usually occurs one entity at a time, and you were apparently the target of quite a number, so it is doubtful, and they did leave." His manner made it clear that it was one of the questions on his mind.

He looked at his watch and stuffed the lab paperwork back in his pocket. "Jessica I really want to confer with these specialists, so if you will excuse me, it's coming up." Excuseing himself he left the room, as briskly as he had entered.

"Bat shit, an animalistic vampire is the only one I can think of that would be able to do it, with the those two combined...

Rivan's language was ignores. Windra, the Beta and the LB were too busy exchanging their own dismayed looks .

Merry went white and took Rivans hand for comfort. "You mean the thing that attacked me last month. It isn't dead, it's still out there." Her voice was little more than a whisper.

Wolf Who Rides the Storm, gave her a compassionate look, but his voice was firm. "Perhaps it is as dead as you thought it is. This abomination could have had to incubate for a time. In fact that is the most likely. As I understand a vampire, when a human is turned into one, takes a period of time to change. That could be at work here. But now it must be found and disposed of."

Rivan held Merry's hand, and said to her, "If it is, I'll protect you."

He then looked at the shaman, "Do you have any ideas on how that could be done?" and then turned to Windra and asked, "Does this pack happen to have any Avengers?"

"Thank you very much." Jessica said as Martin departed. She had been worrying about being taken over and until she got hard evidence of she was safe, she was still worried. She looked at her hand and lifted it up. Jessica concentrated, trying to force herself to turn to do a full body check. Only, she wasn't turning. As the seconds dragged on, her mind told her what stage she should be at; hair, fingers and nails, tail, legs and torso, and then face. She stopped and lay back, her mind exhausted.

What the fuck is happening? Why can't I turn? Maybe its that residue stuff. Can't wait for the doc to get back with information.

"If it is, I'll protect you."


Merry's spine straightened, and she squeezed his hand, "We'll protect each other!" She said firmly."

"Does this pack happen to have any Avengers?"

Windra tilted her head at his question. "Avengers? Do you mean those specially trained to hunt Lycans?" She made a guess.

"Actually those specially adept at dealing with anything that might threaten the pack that can't be handled by the average Were, and by extension with anything that poses a threat to the general community." He replied

When the slash had hit Dilana, for a moment she felt no pain as her energy was still high and she swung; hitting the sidhe twice before feeling the pain. For a few seconds she didn't know what had happened until she briefly looked down at the gash in her side.
"Damn bastard," she swore as she placed one hand over the wound to try and stop the blood flow as she swung hard for a third time.

"Actually those specially adept at dealing with anything that might threaten the pack that can't be handled by the average Were, and by extension with anything that poses a threat to the general community."

"My husband was such before he died. " The Green Water pack hadn't any one to replace him. And while they were the oldest and most prestigious clan in the state they were also one of the smallest. "Since the Night Life Council was formed we've generally let their people handle any thing that falls under the perview of 'threat to the general community'. Threats to the clan haven't come from other than other Packs in a coons age, and we've handled those privately." Windra said with a sigh.

The Green Water's LB ( or Legal Beagle - despite her being a tidy surprizingly dainty WereWolf) nodded. "You'd be surprized what even the hint of legal action today can do to many sorts of attempted take overs" She shook her head though, for while she'd plowed her way though her law degree and bar exam she quietly felt that being a lawyer just wasn't a proper profession for a WereWolf. However she's also gotten a degree in exotic game management and couldn't wait for the Clan to launch thier long range plans.

"But as that may be." Windra pinched her nose. "We have a very bad situation and I know that the Mundane law enforcement must be called in as soon as possible. And if the tv shows are correct they aren't going to want you and Rivan to go out of town in the morning." She looked at Merry. "Sorry to have this spoil your trip. I'll get some one else to go." She covered that detail and went back the discussion of how to handle the abomination from thier side.

"I think we must go to the Night Life Council and have them deal with this, for if it both vampire and Lycan it will most likely take more than just one group of us to deal with. Rivan, Merry, would you be willing to be the packs representatives to the Council for this?" She looked at the pair.

"You were attacked by the vampire, and now this has occured next door. Both of you saw the results. I know neither of you are trained as Avengers, but Rivan I have heard that you handled yourself admirably agains the Vampire, and Merry you are stronger than you think."

Michael finished his cigarette, or rather his third, and hung up from Lauralin after explaining everything he knew. 'Screw Cain', he thought, the man was fishing for blame and he could damn well look elsewhere. He re-entered the hospital and made his way to Jessica's room, stopping just at the doorway.

"Hey, beautiful, how are you feeling?"

********

Lauralin had taken the call from Cain, though she was unable to answer any of his questions.

"You must understand", she told him patiently, "I run companys and divisions all over the world. Barring major situations I do not take active roles in investigations. I shall endeavor to ascertain what has occured and brief you upon the morrow."

'Impertinant, youthful twit', she thought as she hung up and dialed Michael. As luck would have it he had been there at the time so there was no need to wait while he investigated. That Jessica was injured in some fashion was not a major concern.

"Werefolk heal quickly", she told him, unaware of the nature of the injury, "I am sure she shall be quite alright in short order. I am on my way to visit her now, there are some things I should have told her about personal interest in investigations. She certainly may, but she should have a bit more experience first."

********

Red lashed out in all the fury and anger she possessed, which was no small amount, crushing the creatures skull and then continuing to beat it into a bloody pulp.

Godolkin ignored the pain for now and lashed out at the sword arm, cutting deeply into the beings arm.

"Well if I have to be under 'house arrest' so to speak, I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend it with." He replied with a glance at Merry.

"I would be honoured to serve as the pack's representative." Rivan replied and then said to Merry, "You're aunt's right, you are stronger than you think."

"You're aunt's right, you are stronger than you think."

Merry never felt insecure when in wolf form but often she did in human shape. However Windra's and Rivan's words helped immensely.

Merry you call the polices, and report it as you found it " Windra didn't need to add not to mention calling her, or the activities of the ancient. "I'm going to take g'reat grand home."

Windra turned to her second in Command and the LB, requesting that they stay, but in wolf form, to keep an external watch. They agreedreadily. A pair of eyes and ears in the back yard would be excellent security. "And I'll send others over in a few hours to rotate out, so no one looses too much sleep. I'll alert the other packs as well."

Merry nodded and stepped over to the kitchen phone to make the call as the two pack members stripped and shifted, ghosting out into the back yard.

Wolf Who Rides the Storm had listened quietly to the deliberations, and approved. Now he stood and began setting his own protections about the house and grounds.

Windra looked at Rivan and handed him a business card. " Here's the number for contacting the Council and reporting a Mess. Given what it is I'm sure they'll send a liason or investigator out to here rather than asking you to come to them." She knew he'd be canny enough to say nothing over a phone line that would be suspicious to any possibly overhearing Mundanes.

Behind them Merry dialed 911, and let her voice go high. It didn't take that much acting, the shivers brought about by memory made her voice properly shakey.

"Police, Fire or Ambulance" The 911 operator asked per the cue card..

"Police! Please, my next door neighbors...they've been killed!!..."

Jessica looked up and smiled at Michael as he walked into the room. The obvious smell of cigarettes covered his otherwise enticing aroma. Must have been worried sick, or something else is bothering him.

"I'm doing okay I guess. The doctor say I got that ectoplasmic residue in my body...right down to my cells. A little depressing." Jessica picked up a glass of water near her bed and sipped. "Its making me feel a bit awkward inside and hopefully after he talks with some experts and a few more tests he can see if it can be removed. I hope it can be since it seems to be preventing me from turning...which really sucks cause there is nothing more than I want is to feel hot water over my fur."

Jessica realized that she was rambling and stopped herself. She blushed a little. "Sorry, sound like a school girl. Well, don't just stand at the door do come in. Have you talked to Lauralin?"

Rivan had been considering the 'guard-dogs' idea and commented, "Windra, might not any observant police notice that the 'dogs' in Merry's backyard are changing?"

He took the card and waited for Merry to finish with the phone so he could get in touch with the council for the message.

"Windra, might not any observant police notice that the 'dogs' in Merry's backyard are changing?"


Windra thought a second and shook her head "The back yard really isn't seeable from the fromt, and the fence that seperates here from the neighbors is solid. I don't think they'll even notice whats in her back yard, not with whats apparently in the Warrens house. They were nice old humans. I met them once and they made Merry feel welcome to the nighborhood when she first moved in." She shook her head, saddened that innocent people had come to such a horrid end. She wanted the abomination found and destroyed. " Rivan I want you to know that any resources the Clan has are available to you."

Merry finished her call and came back to the table. "Done, but I don't know how fast they'll arrive."

The Shaman had finished his efforts and returned. "We had better leave before thosse noisey sirens make my ears scream!" He announced "And I think the young travelling man will do just fine Windra." He fixed Rivan with a stern but approving eye. "Good manners, and inner strength. Not a common combination now days"

Windra shook her head and rose to leave. "Yes we don't want to get caught in what it it called...the dragnet?"

Taking the set aside clothes of the two in the back yard, she nodded and led the way back out to the minivan. Wolf Who Rides the Storm climbed in and in moments the van was out of the drive way and rolling smoothly down the dark street.

"Alright." He replied as he saw that Merry was finished with the phone. He'd just been about to suggest that the others hit the road when the shaman beat him to the proverbial punch.

Meeting the Shaman's eyes, he thanked him for the compliment and with a nod to the others, headed for the phone to get the message to the NLC.

Michael entered the room and pulled up a chair, swinging it around and straddling it. He took her hand as he sat down in both of his. He just sat for a moment, holding her hand and looking at her, blinking rapidly so as not to cry.

"Yeah", he said. "Yeah I spoke to her. She called me. Cain is miffed about us causing problems. I explained what happened. She's going to come by to speak with you. She wants to look into this herself but she doesn't have time. Something she has to do, she has to leave Houston, but she has to meet with Cain tomorrow evening."

He stopped for a moment, looking at her. "We .... we don't have the medical facilities for this sort of thing. Lauralin wants to see about financing the night life hospitals and maybe opening some other hospitals elsewhere."

Jessica looked at Michael as he tried to prevent tears from leaving his eyes. She reached out and gently carassed his cheek and with a lean from her bed kissed him on the lips.

"Its going to be okay Michael. No one has caused any troubles except for the phantam Elvis." She paused and then scoffed. "Vampires, just like politicans. From what I have seen of Cain he might know of a problem but doesn't act on it till someone does...then blames them, which is us right now, for causing trouble. Lord knows we are probably not the only ones with these kinds of problems right now but we are the ones acting."

Jessica kissed him again and stroked his cheek. "Everything is going to be alright Michael. Lauralin financing and trying to open more night life hospitals is a good thing." She paused and decided to try and get his mind off the current situation. "You know, if it wasn't for all of this I was going to ask you out to dinner. You game when I get released?"

The number of the card that Rivan was holding was a 1-800 number, toll free...

The voice on the other end of the line was male, and warm with a broad hint of Jamacian accent. "Hotline, speak to me mon. You have an incident to report, no?"

"Yes I believe I do." Rivan replied, "There appears to be a very dangerous stray in the neighbourhood." He was keeping it ambigious but trying to give it the right 'kick'.

Dangerous stray in the neighborhood"

Jan Michael Stringfellow sat up right, dropping his feet to the carpet. It had been busy but moments earlier and he'd tilted the chair back and put his feet up hopring to relax.

"You didn't misdial Ghostbusters did you?"

If it were another Elvis sighting he'd scream. Then exactly what had been said registered.

"Is it life or death?" The voice retained the accent, but was now just as guarded and serious.

"It's killed at least two tames and possibly more." Rivan replied, leaving it open to interpretation as two pet dogs, but trusting that the man would realized he meant humans.

Michael smiled and reached out to run his fingers down her cheek. "I'm always game with you." He kissed her lightly and then pushed her gently back. "Rest. The sooner you get out the better." He sat back, looking at her and smiling. "I'm really glad your okay."

The one who's skull Red had crushed with the iron bar began to dissolve.

Godolkin's target snarled as the Iconoclasts blow landed and returned the favor, ripping another gash in the giants tattoos.

SEKHL bounded back to his feet, his claws flailing at the one who had knocked him down, adding to the damage Godolkin was inflicting.

The one that had been trading blows with Dilana fell heavily, the iron wrench having landed just as hard against his other ankle.

Stringfellow typed the information that Rivan had given him quicky into his data base. He'd understood exactly what Rivan meant, and the address he was calling from came up in the system. One of the Green Waters clan wouldn't be calling with out very serious reason.

The line also showed up as untapped and Stringfellow relaxed "Sir, your line is currently secure. However let me just say that one of the detectives that will be assigned is one of us, and will help cover any thing 'unusual'. Not so with any patrol officers for your subdivision." He wanted to give the caller a heads up.

"Alright." Rivan replied, "And thank you for the prompt action. I'll be sure to meet the detective and give him a more detailed explaination when he gets here."

He then hung up and looked at Merry, "It appears help is on it's way."

"It appears help is on it's way."

"Good" Merry shyly slipped an arm about his waist. "And I have to admit to now being starving! I'm going to heat up the spagetti I made yesterday. Would you like some?"

She had no idea how soon the police would arrive, but knew she needed to stay busy and not dwell on the memories. Giving him a one armed hug she padded over to the fride and pulled out the bowl of leftover pasta and hearty meat sauce.

He smiled as he felt Merry slip her arm around his waist and he caught the hand that was on his hip and gave it a 'hand-hug'. "Would you like help cooking?" He offered even thought he wasn't exactly a good cook.

Dilana finally saw the sidhe fall to the ground, she gave a greatful smile to the man that had thrown the rench. She then picked up her iron bar and bashed it over the sidhe's head, seeing how Red had done to another sidhe and it had dissolved. She hoped that the sidhe she was fighting would do the same.

Red turned and leaped to the one that had been knocked down before Dilana, snarling like an animal and cursing the beings with each blow as the bar decended again and again in her primal fury upon the being’s skull.

Godolkin felt the cut and realized that he had to do something soon to finish this. The first cut hadn’t fully healed and the second one was telling. In an attack, more of desperation then tactical skill, he took the sword in both hands and thrust it upward with all of his strength and speed at the face of his attacker.

"Would you like help cooking?"

Sliding the 'getti into the 'microcave' she looked over her shoulder and gave him the most natural smile she'd had since they'd pulled into the driveway.

"This won't take but a few minutes. There's a green salad in there, Rivan,why don't you get that out and some dressing." She kept a wide variety types on hand in the fridge, but she prefered her homemade Thousand Island.

A low 'rrwruff' at the backdoor let them know that keen WereWolven ears had caught the sound of serveral vehicles turning on to the cul-de-sac from where it joined the neighborhoods more travelled roads. The narrow street wound several 'blocks' but it was late enough at night that those waiting doubted that it was late out residents, or a causal visitors. Especially since the engine sounds suggested they were coming fast, though there were no lights or sirens.

Merry didn't bother to turn the microwave on as she threw Rivan an apprehensive look.

The Sidhe that Red joined Dilana in attacking suscumbed and began disolving.

Godolkin's opponent screamed as he was impaled by the Iconoclast's desperate move, but his last faltering blow opned yet another fearsome wound in Godolkin's chest. The the Sidhe's sword dropped to the ground as it's weilder too dissolved, 'goning to the wind'.

Every one stoood stunned for a second as combat ended abruptly, leaving none of the would be kidnappers behind.

Rivan nodded as he got out the salad. He looked through the dressings and decided to pick up Merry's homemade stuff. He looked as she looked apprehensively at him and replied, "Hopefully it's the council rep that's coming so fast. I'm pretty sure that it won't be the problem."

Merry gave a short bark of laughter. "I just wonder what the cops are going to make of me being hungry, especially for 'sgetti." She did feel more than vaguely guilty not only of being so calm, but of being hungry. She'd liked the Warrens alot and she wasn't quite sure if she were having 'Mundane' enough reaction.

She told Rivan her worries as the sounds of several fast moving vehicles was audible in the kitchen. "Rivan, I...I" she rather stumbled "Am I unnatural for not being more upset? I want to find monster and rip it's throat out, watch it die slowly. They were such harmless old folk, and Ellen brought me more than a few homemade pies. Shouldn't I be" She shrugged helplessly "hysterical?"

"I think you, and me as well, are going through what soldiers call battle-shock." He replied as he moved to her side caught her as she stumbled. "As to what the cops will think, shock would be my guess."

He tilted her head up and gave her a quick kiss. "It'll be tracked down and destroyed. I promise you that."

Merry returned the kiss, hugging Rivan close for just a second as a trio of squad cars pulled up at the two houses, one driver and passenger strode quickly up to rap authoritively on Merry's front door. The other pair, and a supervisor, walked carefully observing everything that they could as they made their way upto the open door of the Warrens residence.

Marry found herself starting slightly at the brusk rap upon her front door, even though she ws expecting it. She gae Rivan a beeseaching look, wanting him to come with her and started for the door.

She looked through the glass side pane,the front porch light illuminating the officers. Once she had ascertained who it was she opened the door.

"Thank you for comming so quickly" She said after they showed her their badges and photo ID. She opned the door all the way and invited them in.

Rivan menatlly smiled at himself, even thought it had taken a horrific event, he now felt completely comfortable with Merry. Catching her look, he joined her to meet the cops. He let her deal with the ID as while he didn't think she'd know what the ID and badges of police officers would look like, she'd have a better idea than him.

As it was, he was there if she needed him, however that might be.

Godolkin leaned heavily against the wall as the last blow struck, bleeding heavily from the multiple injuries.

Red glared around, looking for any more opponents before she spotted Godolkin. "Harrow", she said, her voice unconsciously commanding, "see to injuries."

Harrow tended to Godolkin, applying the balm that would cleanse and seal the wound and then help it to heal. It didn't need to be removed as it would be absorbed into the body during the healing process. He then moved to Red's wound and applied it to her as well. He didn't dare administer anything for pain, not, at least, until they were certain that everything was going to settle down.

"See to the others", she told him. He nodded and began examining the rest carefully since he only had four more applications of the balm. He could apply standard to dressings to the rest and stitch any wounds that needed it, or at least up to eight other suture and dressings. He rarely needed to tend to more than Godolkin, Red and himself and therefore carried a minimal amount of medical supplies.

********

Lauralin left the cell phone number of the phone Michael had given her in case Doctor Rhys called and made her way to the hospital. Once she arrived she smiled as she entered the room. "Lady Jessica. This is far to soon to be taking vacations."

Dilana sighed as the fighting stopped around her, the young woman lowering her iron bar however not dropping it intirely. She looked down and gazed at the wound in her side, the blood slowly coming out before she knew it the blood would stop adventurely.
"Can I help anyone?"
Dilana asked as she lowered the bar even farther and stepping forward in the room.

Sian hadn't wasted any time either, seeing as she looked - other than Harrow and Lillian- to be the least injured person there. She turned to Dilana first, as if Dilana could help that would give them another trained person. But she noted the numerous blood stains that Dilanas clothes showed and knew that no her friend need help more than she could help at the moment.

To no one in particular she said "Some one call the hospital and tell them Sian says to get the ambulance here asap." Though she suspected that it was already in route, since they had been the ones to call her. But even this late at night the traffic through down town could stretch the arrival time. Unfortunately the Night Life Ambulance could not advertise itself, and indeed lookedd, outwardly nothing like an ambulance.

Dilana had a nasty burn on her hand and was bleeding moderately from a slash on the same arm's bicept, as well as from a wound in her side. "Sit down Dilana" As Sian tore one of the sleeves off her shirt she watched Harrow to judge his level of skill. She nodded approvingly at his work on Red and Godlokin, as she wrapped the impromptu bandage about Dilana's arm, then folded the other sleeve into a pressure bandage for Dilana'sr side. "Harrow, Dilana needs some of that over here, on this torso wound." Sian advised him, noting how much the salve assissted Red and Godolkin. "That looks like 'Blue Goop'."

She looked about and noted that every one was exhausted. Combat was far more draining than any who hadn't been in such a fray realized. She noted that SEKLH was bleeding. Can that be used on animals? The cat has taken several deep stab wounds." She glanced over to where the cat now lay rather limply. He'd more than earned all the assistance that they could give.

"Then if you could get Dilana, I need to see to the Sidhe they were after." She watched Lillian who was trying to move Cyrian out from under the couch where his last seisure had spasmed him. He looked like he had stopped sizing for the moment, and that ws the best that could be hoped for the moment.

"Red, Godolkin, sit down, it's safer."

Her own wounds had stopped bleeding and the older gentleman who had been there, assissting Lillian when they arrived, was climbing unsteadily to his feet- or he was until Sian requested that he stay down. "If you try and get up you could pass out again."

Then she moved over to Cyrian.

Jessica looked up and smiled at Lauralin as she walked into the room. She liked her boss, unlike others she had worked for in her years Lauralin was far more down to earth. Jessica just shrugged as Lauralin made her comment.

"Well, I guess I am now taking off sick days then. They are apparently keeping me here for a day or so to see how I am. From first hand experience I can say the Elvi are not interested in talking. They are like a pack of feral children running around raising Cain. My opinion...when seen...shoot first ask questions later."