 
Nyx Slaughter

Books 1 - 7

By Amber Lynn

Copyright © 2013 Amber Lynn

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

Warning: This book is the musings of a foulmouthed female assassin with Violence for a middle name. Reader discretion is advised due to language, violence and sexual content.

Table of Contents

Night Calls

Night Marks

Night Bites

Night Howls

Night Lurks

Night Finds

Night Rises

Night Calls

By Amber Lynn

This is the first book in a series I hope to write many more. I want to thank my best friend for taking the time to read through my ramblings and pointing out a lot of times my mind wandered and made absolutely no sense.

I have to also thank my husband for putting up with my days of ignoring anything he said. I know it caused a lot of frustrations, but in the end I baked him a cake and everything was forgiven.

Thank you to you, the reader, as well, for taking the time to download this book. It was fun for me to write and I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1

My life, isn't it grand

"Any last requests?" I ask my captive. It's become more of a catch phrase with me than anything else. Frankly, I get a little bored asking it, but I don't want to disappoint. The fact that it took me two days to run this jerk to ground has me hoping this will be over quickly.

"Yeah, go fuck yourself," he says as he tries to spit at me.

The silver chains holding him down make it very hard for him to move, though. Unlike some of my other acquaintances in assassin school, I like to do things up close and personal. None of that sniper shooting from blocks away.

If someone has warranted me being called in, they have a right to know exactly why they're dying. You'd hope they already had a clue that killing a person eventually catches up with you, but most of the ones I meet aren't that bright.

"That isn't a very nice thing to say to a lady," I retort.

"Show me a fucking lady and you may get nice. You're just the bitch they hired to kill me. Stupid no good Collective, what have they ever done to help any of us?" he asks.

"From what I understand, they've made the world a better place for all of the paranorms out there, it's people like you who go around killing humans that make it harder for them to work."

"They try to strip away what we really are. We're killers; haven't you ever read the book before? It spells it all out. We're meant to rule the world. The Collective wants to make us humans, but we ain't ever going to be human," he snarls at me. "Why don't you just get it over with, so you can go back to hiding away with the other werewolves who think blending in is a good idea?"

"Since I'm not a werewolf, I think that would be a little hard to accomplish and I'm getting tired of talking, so let's get this over with," I say, raising my gun.

"How in the world do you not know you're a werewolf? You hang out with paranorms all day; one of them would've had to tell you by now. This is just great; the famous Nyx Slaughter doesn't even know what she is. Too bad you're fixing on killing me, we could've tried to have a little fun now that I know you could handle my extra energy in the bedroom," he says with a sad laugh.

"Gross. And I'm not a fucking werewolf," I say, really getting pissed off. This is the second execution I've attended recently where the guilty party tried to claim I was a werewolf. Maybe it's the fact that I do hang out with paranorms all day and their scent is finally wearing off on me. I don't really know, nor do I care.

"Come on, it'd be a lot of fun. I promise I'd make it good for both of us," he states.

"In your dreams, dog. Everyone knows that Nyx Slaughter is the mangy human left on the Collective's doorstep the day she was born. I've gotten over it, so you can, too," I reply.

"Just so you know, when I die I'm totally coming back to haunt you just so I can get a look at what I'm sure are your delectable boobies," he says, laughing. This guy is clearly delusional because flat chested and I go hand in hand.

"And just so you know, William Gene Johns, you are sentenced to death for taking six human lives. A jury of your peers has already convicted you. I'm just here to carry out the execution. In the name of the Grand Collective, I remove you from this world to make it a better place for others."

With my speech over, I shoot him twice in the heart. Once would've been enough, but he was really pissing me off. I watch as the silver works its way through his body. It's not exactly a pretty sight seeing his veins expand and start to burst. After about thirty seconds, his body is nothing more than blood and fleshy bits.

I collect my chains and toss them in the back of my vehicle. They'll be due for another hose down when I get home. You would've thought William would've noticed me throwing the silver chains at him. Obviously, if I can touch them, I can't be a werewolf. Just goes to show his IQ.

I leave his remains to wash away with the next storm, and climb into my old, beat up Suburban. I know it's a tank, but I need the room for all my supplies. I never know what I'm going to run into on one of these assassin assignments, but I like to be prepared for anything.

For vampires, I have the UV headlights that help slow them down and an arsenal of cutting and burning devices. Staking them in the heart, like books suggest, will do you very little good when they can just regrow it.

Chopping their heads off and burning the body is about the only thing that keeps them down permanently. As for werewolves, silver really is the key for them. I imagine, cutting their heads off and burning their bodies would work just as well, but why go through all the extra effort when a single bullet will do?

Most of my calls are for those two species, and most of them are for execution purposes. I get occasional calls to help with other kinds of shifters, demons, witches and general misbehaving paranorms, but they're rare. People have started to figure out that if you want someone killed, you call Nyx.

I try to only take cases from the Collective, because they've tried the guilty party. Every once in a while, I'll be compelled to take a private party case, if enough proof of wrongdoing can be given to me. I'm a simple assassin and could probably detach myself from the situation if need be, but I prefer to take cases where the target is a no questions asked ruthless killer. I don't get involved in political killings and revenge stuff, if I can help it.

I check the clock and see that it's just after one in the morning. It seems like my day is just getting started, but it's already half over. When you spend your life chasing down the things that go bump in the night, you tend to pick up their sleeping habits. I'm usually only outdoors from nine at night to about five in the morning. The rest of my time is spent indoors training. I don't think I've actually seen the sun in three years.

I've been on this earth for twenty-two years and all of that time has been spent with paranorms. I don't know why, and no one else has ever appeared to know, but the day I was born a woman dropped me off at the Collective's door. No note or explanation, no name given.

I've since found out a little information about my dad, but nothing has turned up about my mom. I don't know if she was who dropped me off or not, but I was told looking into it would be dangerous, so I've resisted finding out more information. Not that the danger part scares me, it's just no sane person leaves a human with a collection of paranorms for safe keeping, meaning I'd be searching for some crazy psycho I'd eventually have to kill.

From the moment I was dropped off, Frank, who's one of the top werewolves in the Collective, raised me. He's been a strong father figure and groomed me to be able to do the job I do today. For a human growing up in the world of paranorms, it was both interesting and aggravating.

Normal humans know about the Collective, but that wasn't the case just a few decades ago. We were a back alley type of society that skirted along the edges. Nowadays it isn't as bad, but I doubt the human world knows of the assassins like me out there, and for the most part paranorms just blend in with society. They do know we police our own kind because they're ill-equipped to do it, and they hate that fact.

Learning my training and being the kick ass fighter I'm now probably wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been dropped off that day. For that, I'll always be grateful. The aggravating part of growing up there was never belonging. Everyone else around me was special, and no one wanted to be friends with a human.

My only consolation was my friend Ryan. He was an orphaned werewolf who also fell under Frank's guidance. With him being a paranorm, he didn't have to hang around with me because everyone accepted him, but he always tried to make me feel special.

He's kind enough to pretend to be my boyfriend. We both know he has a mate out there somewhere for him, like all paranorms do, but he still sticks around to try to keep the teasing down. He also claims that I need the protection. Recently, I've been trying to set him free of any obligation he feels towards me. The man is twenty-four and needs to start thinking about settling down and making his own little pups.

So far, I've allowed his excuses to stay linked as a couple, but they're going to have to stop soon. More and more he tries to act like a real couple, even when there aren't other people around. Hand holding in private and kisses that go past our previously agreed on pecks are starting to annoy me.

I realized early on in life that I was never going to settle down with a husband, two kids and a white picket fence. I think the Collective realized that as well, and that's why they've been grooming me for this job from the moment I could hold a knife in my hand. It took a lot of work as a human to learn to fight well enough to take on any species thrown at me, but I've made it through, and I can only get stronger.

That's enough thinking about how I got to this point for now. I take my smart phone out of the glove box and start up my Collective app. I scroll through looking for the now deceased Mr. Johns and hit the terminated button when I find him.

As I go to put the phone away, it starts vibrating. When I'm on cases, I never have the ringer on, and even the vibration has been known to give off my location, so I leave it in the car. When I look to see who it is, I find a text message waiting for me that makes me smile.

_Hey Cheeseburger, I'm a little hungry tonight and was wondering if you weren't too busy to come join me for a midnight snack. XXX Hawk_

I guess that means I'm going to have to make a pit stop before heading back to the Collective for the night. With no one else on my target list currently, I welcome the interruption, especially from Hawk. I start up the Suburban and head towards town.

Chapter 2

A hawk in the hen house

Hawk, known to everyone else as Sebastian deYork, is a vampire who runs, for lack of a better term, a den of iniquity called Sins. It's actually a pretty nice place, if you don't mind getting eyefuls of people doing activities most people don't witness outside of the bedroom. I take that back, most people probably don't even see these activities there. That's one of the reasons the place is so popular.

I've spent quite a bit of time over the years either visiting Hawk or running down targets who frequent these types of locations. Long ago I lost my blush at what went on between those four walls. I mean you can only see people getting it on in so many ways before it becomes a little bit boring.

As Ryan is my best friend inside the Collective, Hawk is my best friend outside. If it came down to it, I would love for Hawk to be more than just a friend, but we both know that isn't possible. It's a little odd how connected I feel with Sebastian.

We met about three years ago during one of my first missions. I tracked the vampire, whose name I don't even remember, to Sins and froze when I first got a glimpse of what really went on inside the building. At the time I was a nineteen-year-old rookie who hadn't even thought about kissing a boy, so my brain took a little while to process things.

I knew the basics. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl, although rumor is love isn't a requirement. Boy ends up sticking appendage between his legs into any hole the girl lets him. Even that knowledge doesn't prepare one for Sins

In my frozen state I heard a whisper behind me. "A newbie, how nice. Do you find anything appealing?"

I turned around to face away from the chaos and found a pair of onyx eyes staring back at me. They drew me in like they were delving into my soul to find all my hidden secrets. I had no idea how long I stood there as he studied me, but I finally shook myself out of it to take in the rest of the man standing before me.

He was probably almost a foot taller than me, making him around 6'4" and had a pale face with very Roman looking features. His shoulder length hair was black to match his eyes and his lips had an unnatural redness to them. I knew instantly he was a vampire and, thankfully, not the one I was after. He could have killed me ten times over as I stood there like an idiot. He looked not much older than me, but had this sense of age about him. He had to have been the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

"I can help you find who you're looking for, but I do ask that you please take the killing outside of my place of business," he told me in a velvety smooth voice.

"Crap. I can't believe I came in here with my guard down. What a rookie mistake," I said, chastising myself.

I'd trained for years with a mind reading vampire within the Collective just so instances like this one didn't happen. Put a little porn in front of me and evidently that training went straight out the window. Thankfully, over the years, that was the only time I met Sebastian without my walls securely in place.

"You're still just a baby, don't worry about it. I didn't get that much information out of you, so you had to have been pretty heavily guarded. I just picked up your reason for visiting my establishment because it was what you were concentrating on before your mind went blank," he extended his hand and said, "My name is Sebastian, by the way."

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Sebastian, but it was still stupid of me. I'm Nyx, and as you may have guessed I'm here with an order of execution from the Grand Collective," I told him, shaking his hand.

During the shake, he lifted my wrist up to his nose and inhaled deeply. I watched as he closed his eyes and they rolled back in his head. When he opened them again they were totally black, no whites at all. Having been around a few of the vampires in the Collective, I knew that look wasn't a good sign, but as quickly as it appeared, his eyes shifted back.

"You'll have to come back some time to visit me once this nasty assassination stuff is over. I have a feeling we have a lot to talk about, Nyx," he said my name almost purr like.

That night he helped me lure my target outside of Sins and into my vehicle, so I could carry out my order. A week later, I returned to Sins with a bottle of blood as a thank you gift. From what I understood, it was a good year, hence I thought it would be a nice present.

He'd met me just as I entered the building, like he somehow knew I was coming. I handed him the bottle, telling him what it was for and after looking at it carefully he said, "Thank you for this, but I have a proposition for you that I'm hoping you'll accept."

"I'm all ears," I said to him, curious what this centuries old vampire may have in mind.

I'd been asking people who would actually talk to me around the Collective what they knew about him and all they could come up with is he's one of the old ones. Not exactly, the life story I was hoping to come back there equipped with.

They also hinted that I should stay away from him. Okay, it wasn't really a hint. They were shocked that I was actually standing in front of them after meeting Sebastian. Every other Collective agent who has had the misfortune of meeting him has gone missing. He seemed pretty nice to me, so I just shrugged it off.

"Well. Nyx, my sweet, I was hoping that we could come up with a business arrangement of our own. Follow me to my office, so we can talk in private," he said, leading me towards the back of the building.

When we reached his office, I glanced around to find an organized space. There was a large desk with a beautiful green marble top against the far wall. It had neat piles of papers covering parts of it. On the left wall, there was a black leather sofa that seemed to match the black leather office chair behind the desk and the two guest chairs in front of it.

The right side of the room was more of an art display that contained pictures of people in different states of undress. At least one of them showed a vampire feeding on its victim while pleasuring them in other ways.

"Please sit," he said. indicating the sofa where he took a seat himself. He set the bottle of blood on a table and focused in on me.

I glared at him for a second, wishing he would've chosen to sit behind the desk. He did say this was supposed to be a business meeting of some sort. Reluctantly, I took a seat on the couch opposite him.

He softly chuckled and said, "I choose the couch because if you accept this arrangement, we'll have to get to know each other a little better in order for you to be comfortable. I know you're new to the world of assassins and anyone worth half their mettle in the field has built up a network of contacts over a number of years.

"As you've noticed, my establishment here attracts all sorts of people from the lower sect of life. With my age has come talents that are very useful in the crime-fighting field, but nothing has ever compelled me to use them in the past. If it got out that I'd been helpful in this capacity, I fear that my loyal customers may not be so willing to enjoy the attractions I have to offer."

"I can see where that would be a problem," I told him. "Do you mind getting down to exactly what you want from me? I have a feeling you're willing to offer what help you can, but I want to know what it's going to cost. I'm relatively new in this line of work and haven't got that much saved up in bribe money, just yet."

"Patience, my sweet," he purred at me. I remember how annoyed I was that he kept calling me that. "You'll find I like to draw things out a little when I can. After being alive as many years as I've been, the status quo way of doing things gets really mundane, so I have my own style.

"The business arrangement I want to set up with you involves me giving you information on when the miscreants you may be looking for show up here and, when needed, my assistance for removing them from the premises. In return, all I ask is that once a week, or so, you join me for dinner where you'll be the main course.

"Now, while you let my request sink in, let me say that I won't be taking much from you for obvious reasons. If I want this to be a weekly affair, I can't very well drain you dry. If you want, during these feedings we can engage in other activities designed to take your mind off of me having supper, but that part of the deal would totally be up to you."

"I'm guessing these other activities do not include us playing Parcheesi?" I asked, knowing the answer to the question already.

"No, and the fact that you ask makes me believe that you won't be willing to partake in those activities, at least not in the beginning, and I accept that decision. I'll just have to work at trying to make you want to take me up on that offer," he replied with a predatory grin.

"So basically, you help me advance my career and I come over to feed you when you're feeling a little low and no one else is available," I said, working it out in my mind. "Why? From what's been hinted, you don't exactly like the Collective and you aren't the helpful type."

"I don't approve of the Collective, you're correct in that statement. I have many reasons, none of which I'm going to share with you tonight. This deal we're speaking of has nothing to do with them. It's between you and me. I find you intriguing and that isn't something I find very often."

I laughed. "I'm sorry to say that you're sticking yourself with a dud. I'm a mere human parading around with paranorms. There isn't anything special or even slightly interesting about me."

"I'd like to find that out for myself. I think there's something just under your surface that maybe you haven't realized, yet."

We locked gazes for a few moments, trying to read each other. I have no idea what he was expecting from me, but his deal was way too good to pass up.

"I can live with your proposal. I haven't fed anyone before, so I should be free of any vampire-transmitted diseases. I'm currently only given about a case a week, so I should have plenty of time to swing by for dinner."

"You're clean, I've already checked. You can't live to be as old as I'm without picking up the ability to sniff out diseases. I also know that now that you've spoken your verbal agreement to the deal there's no need for us to sign on a dotted line. You'll live up to your end. Are you ready tonight to fulfill your part of the bargain, or do you need some time to prepare?"

"There's no time like the present. You didn't mention having a preference on where you took from, but I'd prefer left wrist, if it isn't too much to ask for. Neck and thigh are a little too personal and I'm right handed."

"Your wrist will be fine. I'll heal it right away, so you really don't have to worry about which side I take from. I imagine you don't want to return to the Collective full of holes, like some of the feeders who show up here," he said, taking my wrist into his hand.

"I'd be grateful, if you did," I replied, watching as he paused and sniffed my wrist again like he did the other night. His eyes instantly changed to the full black eyes of a vampire about to feed. I saw his lips move briefly, almost like he was speaking, but I heard no words. I thought maybe he likes to say grace before his meals.

I leaned back and saw his fangs lengthen to their full two inches. I hadn't ever seen fangs that long, which means he must be older than I thought. He slowly licked my wrist like he was swabbing an injection site with alcohol. He then, gradually, began to sink the fangs into my wrist. Surprisingly, I felt no pain and after a second I had a reaction I wasn't prepared for.

Then, he began sucking and making sounds I had only heard in the outer area of Sins. I imagine, by the way I was feeling, if noises were escaping me they sounded very similar. I focused just on him because the thought of how I was being affected was too much to think about for more than a second.

He only took a minute that first time, and I think he got way more than he bargained for, because when he withdrew and closed the wound, he looked up at me with starry eyes. Literally, his eyes were still black, but white and gold little lights could be seen moving in the blackness.

"You really should have asked for more," he told me, shaking his head to bring his eyes back to normal.

"Technically, I didn't really ask for anything. You came to me with a business proposal and I accepted said proposal."

"It was good for you, right?" he asked, staring at me with those dark eyes, like my answer to that question was the most important thing in the world.

Not really wanting to let him know how good it was for me, I replied, "It didn't hurt and I'd go as far as to say that I enjoyed myself."

"Next time, I'll try to last longer, so maybe you can finish as well," he said with a knowing smirk. "I don't want you to get all offensive on me, but I didn't actually know it would be like that with you. I wouldn't have offered to play Parcheesi, if I knew it wasn't actually going to be necessary."

I laughed at his joke, a little bit more at ease with him. "You didn't know?" I asked not really believing him. "I'm sure this wasn't your first time feeding, so I find your statement to be questionable."

"Cross my heart and hope to die," he replied with a statement most people would find comical, since he was dead already according to them. "I've never experienced that with just drinking alone. I've heard rumors of things like that happening, but always believed they were just that, rumors. Because of the reaction, I'd prefer if you refrain from feeding any other vampires."

"No problem there. I'm not planning on making any other deals where I have to give of myself so literally. I should be making decent money soon enough that my bribes can be paid in cash." I moved to stand. Since it seemed we both had what we wanted for the night, I thought it would be a good idea to take off.

"If you need any help with those bribes, let me know. I have a feeling you'll be a good investment," Sebastian said, rising quickly and going to the door. "Before you go, we should probably exchange numbers, so we're able to keep contact."

It was a good idea, so I got my phone out ready to enter his information. "Just in case either of our phones is compromised, we should probably come up with code names, then you aren't immediately linked to me."

"Great idea," he said after thinking for a second. "How about this, you can call me Hawk in all of our communications and I'll call you Cheeseburger?"

"You're joking, right? Cheeseburger. Can't you come up with something a little more, I don't know, sexy?"

"No, I think Cheeseburger is perfect. I've never been able to taste one before and as much as the humans go on about them, I'm sure that's just what you taste like. You have a kind of special sauce taste going for you."

"Whatever," I said, ready to leave his presence after that remark. We exchanged numbers and I hurriedly made my way back to the front of the building without his assistance.

Over the years, it turned out that he didn't call me once a week. It ended up being once every three weeks or so. I imagine during the down time he's had other people to snack on, and that's fine with me. No matter how sexual in nature the feedings are, we aren't exactly romantically involved. He's well aware that I have a fake boyfriend in the Collective community and I don't know for sure, but I imagine he has a harem of women just waiting at his beck and call.

It's actually been a month since our last meeting for this purpose, and with how busy I've been, I'm happy he's been able to find other sources. I pull up into my usual parking spot a couple blocks away from Sins.

With how recognizable I've become these days, I've had to work at concealing myself from wandering eyes. I put on my blonde wig and blue contacts, which is a total one eighty from my usual long black hair and dark brown eyes. The curls on the wig tend to make me want to vomit, but no one would expect me to look like this.

I climb in the back of the Suburban and quickly change into an outfit more fitting of the environment. The bright pink, plastic mini dress is another thing people wouldn't expect to find in my black outfit laden closet, but it fits well with the wig. One of these days, we'll have to find a more beneficial place to conduct these meetings, but in the past three years, neither of us has come up with a good solution. It could just be that Sebastian likes to torture me by making me come here.

For now, I climb out of the van, putting on gold sparkly stilettos that may or may not have knives that shoot out of the heels. Hey, besides the little bit of space under my wig, where I hide a small gun, there isn't a whole ton of room for weapons in this outfit, and even with Sebastian's protection, I have to be ready to throw down in case anyone recognizes me.

I walk down the street, allowing my hips to sway and ingrain myself into the persona I become in this outfit. If anyone asks, I'm Kitty and I can make anyone purr within minutes. Yeah, I know, it makes me vomit every time I think about it, but it's necessary. There's a lot of vomiting going on in my mind right now.

Chapter 3

Just a little midnight snack

As usual, when I walk through the doors of Sins, the smell of sweat and perfume assails my nose. It always turns my stomach and tends to make me want to immediately leave. With the amount of sweat and the temperature in the building, it feels humid, and sweat humidity is really nasty.

The scenes before me are uninteresting. It must be Beginner's Night at Sins. Sebby, my personal nickname for Sebastian, doesn't want to scare away potential customers, so things tend to be tame at least one night a week.

The walls of the place are different shades of red and pink, with the overhead lighting casting red shades throughout the room. The floor is black and white tile, but other than that, the pink and red theme carries through the showroom. It kind of reminds you of someone eating a Valentine's Day cupcake and throwing it up on every available surface. There are pink couches and pink comforter coated beds spaced around the floor with red dividers interspersed, giving couples or groups that want a little privacy the illusion that it exists.

If you can't tell, it isn't my idea of cute decorating. I guess I shouldn't really talk, because I came in wearing a pink dress to only add to the vomit. That's probably part of the reason I usually wear this color here. If I want to disappear, I just have to go stand up against one of the walls.

I carefully make my way towards the back of the building, doing my best not to draw attention to myself. It usually isn't hard because people are either watching or a part of one of the shows going on. Today is no different and I easily make my way to Sebastian's office. When I arrive, I knock softly as a courtesy. Sebastian already knows I'm here.

"Come in, lover," I hear him say softly and I open the door.

The place hasn't really changed much since the first time I visited. In fact, other than a few personal photos he has put on his desk, it's the exact same. Oddly enough, the photos are of me and him, but none of the photos actually show my face and some are in my disguises to give the illusion they're of more than one girl.

"You know I hate it when you call me that," I say, taking a seat next to him on the sofa, allowing him to wrap his arm around my shoulders as he pulls me close and smells my hair.

"I know and it's because you don't think the term applies in our situation, but I beg to differ. So, did you have any trouble with your target tonight?" he asks, giving me a quick kiss on the neck.

"Does it smell that bad?" I'm aware that I must have left over werewolf guts on my hands or something from picking up my chains.

"To someone without my acute sense of smell, probably not, but to me it's a little rancid. Do you want to wash up first? Are you in a hurry to get back to the Collective?"

"A shower would be great if you don't mind waiting. I had no other plans for tonight, so I was actually glad to see your text. Ryan has been acting weirder than usual and I was hoping to spend most of my time out this evening," I say, standing up and heading towards the secret panel leading to his living quarters. "Can I trust you to stay out of the bathroom like a good boy, or do I need to lock the doors?"

"I'm always a good boy around you, my love. Go clean up, then we can enjoy the night without having to smell dead werewolf."

The plan sounds good to me, so I quickly make my way to the bathroom, grabbing a pair of black workout clothes, which I leave over in case I want to change. I shimmy out of the dress, chuck the wig off to the side and jump in his very large and awe-inspiring shower.

After I wet my hair, I glance at my options for shampoo. Sebastian loves different scents, so he has a wide variety. I find a coconut pineapple kind that I don't remember seeing before and decide to go ahead and give it a try. The bottle feels full. I'm guessing it really is a newer purchase.

I soap up my body, making sure to get everything cleaned, especially under my nails where guts like to hide. When I finish, I step out of the shower and grab my towel. Yes, it's my towel. It even says Cheeseburger on it. Isn't that romantic?

I dry off and throw my sweats on, not bothering with underwear. I wrap the towel around my long hair and leave my wig, dress and shoes to retrieve later.

I walk out of the bathroom into Sebastian's bedroom and find him lying on the bed. It doesn't really shock me these days. I'm just happy to see he's remained in the majority of his clothing. His shirt must have spontaneously combusted on his way in, though.

I settle in on what's considered my side of the bed while I'm here. "Better?" I ask.

"You used the new shampoo that I got for you. I like it, and yes, you smell much better. So, do you want to tell me why you're avoiding your 'boyfriend'? I can only hope he's offended you in some way that you're finally ready to end the charade," he says, rolling over to face me.

"I'd love to end it. He's gotten way too wrapped up in the acting and has started carrying it over behind closed doors. At first it was kind of cute, but now it's just annoying."

"That sounds like we have an issue. I'm okay with sharing you to keep the idiots from making derogatory comments about you, because they seem to upset you, but I won't allow him to have any other part of you," he says angrily.

"I think you're getting a little possessive of your dinner there, buddy. Plus, this day in age anyone making fun of me is just a tad bit moronic, if they do it within my hearing range. Your anger is kind of sexy. You don't usually get worked up over such little things," I say, brushing my hand across his cheek.

"We both know, love, that you're more than just a meal to me. You have been from almost the very start." He pauses to lean down to kiss my forehead. "If the boy makes too much of a nuisance for you, just pack your things up and move here with me. You can still pick up their little contracts, without having to be under their watchful eye. I've even offered you the head security position here, if you want to get out of the assassin business altogether."

"I know and you're a sweetheart for giving me options. I'll talk with Ryan tonight and see if we can't get this worked out. It's been the only home I've known my whole life. Even with the way the others act around me, it'd be really hard to leave."

"I just want to make sure you don't forget those options exist. So, aside from pea for brains, how have things been going for you? We haven't had a nice sit down, or lie down, talk for a while. You've been so busy that I didn't want to bother you."

"I trust Hamburger and Milkshake have kept you nourished without me," I say with a laugh. "Things have been good. Lots of paranorms acting out right now, so I've been spending most of my time seeking the riffraff out. I got a short trip to Paris out of the deal running one of them to ground."

"I'm guessing you didn't get a chance to enjoy the scenery. Maybe sometime we should take a vacation there. Get away from the dreary underground of Night Owl City and spread our wings." This is a new tactic. He hasn't ever tried to get me to go on vacation with him before. It's somewhat intriguing. "And just for the record, I'm surprised you haven't figured it out, but there are no Hamburger and Milkshake around when you're off crime fighting. That'd feel like cheating and I find that very distasteful."

I stare at him for a full minute after that comment. What is it about the guys in my life revealing things I'm not sure I want to know? First, Ryan acts like we're a real couple and now this.

"There's no way that's possible. Vampires have to feed every day to even function. You wouldn't be here talking to me, if you hadn't fed in the last month."

"Well yes, most vampires would need to feed that often, but I have two things going for me that make it so daily feedings aren't necessary. One, I'm old, really old. I don't go around town telling people my exact age, but suffice it to say I'm probably the oldest vampire anyone can find. Because of my age, even when we first met I only had to feed once a week. From the beginning, you were always meant to be my only source of nutrition.

"The second reason I can go so long is your blood itself. I didn't realize it at first, but eventually I started testing how long I could go without having to call you. As you can see, we're up to a month now and I called you more tonight because I missed you than really having to eat. Don't get me wrong, I still hope to have a bite of my cheeseburger, but I wouldn't go insane or weak without it," he says, lifting up my arm and smelling my bloodlines.

"Seriously? I'm the only vintage you've tasted in about three years? You don't even take that much. I guess I hang out with more werewolves than vampires, but it just seems odd," I say as he starts licking my arm. "I'd think you needed more."

"You should stay away from other vampires when not in my presence. I don't think it would have the same effect on them, but I don't want to chance someone else finding out about you. This vintage is one that I've bought the entire stock of," he says as he sinks his fangs into my wrist.

Briefly pondering why he thinks he's special, I'm quickly wrapped up in the normal feelings that come with Sebastian eating his dinner. He quickly figured out how to make it so we both feel completion during our intense feedings. Like usual, the second he bites down I'm taken to a world so full of pleasure a tornado could rip the building to shreds around us and I wouldn't care.

"Oh God, yes," I hear Sebastian scream as he releases my arm.

I become aware enough to realize that at some point during his snack, I grabbed his arm and bit down hard enough to draw blood myself and am now slowly having my own unexpected meal. I quickly release the arm and try to figure out how and why that happened.

Sebby has, obviously, gone delirious, because he decides now would be a good time to test the sponginess of my tonsils and crawls on top of me, securing his lips to my mouth. His kiss is nothing like the ones Ryan has given me, even the ones where Ryan was trying to be passionate.

Sebastian's kiss blows me into the Milky Way with the amount of desire that starts to flow through my body. Before he goes too far, I bite gently on his tongue to try to tell him we need to talk about this. Just because the Kool-Aid was extra sugary tonight, doesn't mean we get to sleep together in the way he seems to be hoping.

Knowing me as well as he does, he takes the bite to be a red light, and not some symbol to move on full steam ahead. He pulls back after giving me one more kiss on the lips and rolls over on his back, returning to his side of the bed.

"Well, that was different," I say, trying to clear the air as we both catch our breath.

He chuckles in a sort of drunken way. "Love, you have no idea. When you bit me I thought I might shoot fireworks out my head. That was without a doubt the best experience I have ever had and I'm still wearing my pants. Here, in the chaos I didn't get your wound sealed. You don't want to leave here with that still opened." He grabs my arm and swiftly closes up the small holes.

"I don't know how much time passed, did you get enough? I don't really want to offer more right now, but I don't want you to be hungry," I say still a little blitzed from the feeding.

"After that, I'm not sure I'll ever have to eat again. I guess I should ask if you got enough, love. I think your trying to get a little taste is what blew it up to volcanic proportions."

"Since that's the only thing that was different this time, I'd have to agree. I really don't know what possessed me to do that. I didn't know I even had at the time. Is your arm okay? I don't exactly have nice pointy teeth to make clean incisions." I pick up his hand, worried about the damage I may have done.

"No problem, it's all healed," he says, waving it in front of me. "You're going to have to keep yourself alive for the next week, or so. I don't imagine you got a ton of blood, but until it's out of your system, there's the chance you might turn. Maybe sometime we can talk about finishing that process, but I don't think either of us is quite ready."

"I'm not sure I could handle being a vampire right now, so I'll be extra careful on my next mission," I say, sitting up.

Now that they euphoria is wearing off, I should probably get going. Sebastian has already been talking like we are a couple and it pains me to hear these things from him. I try to go into our meetings thinking he just finds me a delicious meal, and attempt to make myself deaf when he calls me love. If I knew my heart wouldn't eventually get broken, I'd go ahead with the relationship. It'd be a great solution to my Ryan problem, but in the end, I know it wouldn't work out.

"Running already. You'd think I'd become used to it. Maybe next time, if I don't wait a whole month, you won't turn into a wild woman," he says, standing in one fluid motion. It's really creepy sometimes to watch him move. "Remember, if pea head starts acting stupid, my door is always open for you, my love."

He walks around and lifts me off the bed and to my feet. "You'll be my first stop if my talk doesn't go as planned. I probably better brush my teeth before I go and change back into my dress. I don't want anyone getting suspicious."

"You do that," he says as he caresses my face. His hand feels good, so I lean into it and close my eyes. "I wish I could ask you to not take this next mission. I've seen things that worry me and may affect how you feel towards me. If I could prevent them, I would, but I've always promised myself to allow you to live your life."

"No hints?" I whine as I open my eyes to stare into his sad ones.

"No, the gift of the future I've never hated more than I do now, but I still won't sway you. Just know that I'm always here for you and will always love you," he says, giving me one last kiss before he flashes out of the room.

"I love you, too," I whisper to the empty room.

Sadly, it's the truth, even though eventually he'll be forced to leave me, I can't help but feel love for him. He may call me love all the time, but this is the first time he's actually declared his love for me. For now, I choose to be happy with his declaration.

I hurry in the bathroom to change and get myself righted. No one in the club would notice a disheveled woman walking through, but I never know who may be waiting outside while I make the trek back to the Suburban.

I fold my clothes and I know Sebastian will have them laundered while I'm away. I also take a moment to send him a quick text saying I'll see him again within two weeks. A month was obviously too long for one of us, and amazingly enough it wasn't the hungry vampire.

Chapter 4

Man troubles. Who needs them?

The trip back to the truck and the ride to the Collective habitation are uneventful. In fact, they're downright boring. After quickly changing back into my assassin attire, the only thing I had going for me was trying to figure out how to make Sebastian happy and what his cryptic message actually meant.

I don't know of anything that would make me feel different about him. Even though I've only known him for three years, he really is my closest friend. Short of going on a human killing spree, he can do no wrong.

With my oldest friend driving me crazy as of late, I really can't stand to lose Sebby. He has to know I'd always choose him over something one of my targets say. I mean, my targets are marked for death, they'd say anything to get me to not kill them.

I haven't received my next assignment, yet, so I have a little time to decide what I should do. I know he said he wanted me to make my own choices, but the fact that this choice may make me not want to be close to him, has me not wanting to take the assignment.

After parking the car, I follow the path to my living quarters. The co-Hab, as we call it, is a secluded building in a large wooded area. With all the werewolves it houses, the forest comes in handy when they need to shift and go for runs. It's more or less a motel. Entrances to the rooms are all on the outside, so there isn't a lot of mingling, which is all done in the Collective proper. Right as I'm about to initiate the fingerprint scan that will allow me entrance to my pod, a voice startles me.

"You reek of him tonight. I thought maybe so much time had passed that you'd stopped seeing him."

I turn around to face Ryan, looking at me with angry eyes that match Sebastian's from earlier. There was a small moment when my night was actually going good. Maybe I should go back in time and not kill the target for tonight and see if it doesn't turn out differently.

I complete the scan, so we can take the conversation inside the apartment. I'm guessing by the way he's acting this isn't something I want to be heard by others. For that reason, I press my privacy button the second we enter. That should jam any listening devices that have been installed in my quarters and keep outside ears from tuning in.

"How do you know my informant isn't a female?" I ask.

The answer is obvious and Ryan thankfully doesn't know who this informant is or what the nature of our relationship really is. I do have a few other vampire informants, so it isn't like Sebastian is the only one. He's the only one I see privately in his bedroom, but not the only one I talk to.

"You already know I can sense the difference. This werewolf nose is at least good enough for that. What happened tonight that made it so I want to stand downwind of you?" he asks, plugging his nose. We both know that won't do him much good, and it's more a gesture of his disgust for the kind of people I've been hanging around.

I'm guessing the fact that I have a bit of Sebastian's blood running through my veins has something to do with that, and no shower is going to make it better. Of course, I can't exactly just come out and say that to Ryan. It would be the second time tonight that I had a guy thinking about shooting fireworks out his head, and this wouldn't be the happy variety.

"Nothing really. He just asked to meet, so he could tell me about a shifty character he's seen around town the last few nights in case it's something I end up having to follow up on. It was like any of our other meetings." As far as meetings went, the description was on par with what usually happens with my other informants.

"I'm tired of playing second fiddle to him. Maybe I should come along on these meetings to see what really does transpire. I'm your boyfriend and I have a right to know how you're spending your time with other males."

"First off, in case you didn't notice, you're my pretend boyfriend and if that's getting to be too much of a hardship for you, we can make that relationship go away easy peasy," I say, getting angry myself.

I can't believe he thinks he owns me. Sebby gets upset that I have Ryan here, but he doesn't try to control how I live my life.

"Secondly, in case your werewolf nose has taken a little vacation, or can't sense it through the vampire stink, as you'd call it, my virtue is still safely intact, so there should be no worry on your part about how I spend my time. I'm not out there making myself available to anyone who can offer me some information on one of my targets.

"They, like you, have mates that I'm sure they'll eventually find, so I don't waste my time trying to hook up with them. Now, if you started smelling tasty humans on me, you might have an issue, because with them I don't have to worry about some girl walking in one day and breaking my heart by taking a guy away from me."

I really wish that dang mate issue wasn't standing in my way. Sebastian and I have such an easy relationship that it wouldn't be hard to fall into a habit of living with him day after day. Of course, living behind a club where people have sex, do drugs and try really hard each day to be even more depraved than they were the day before, may have an effect on that decision.

"Wait, hold on just a second," Ryan says in his calming voice. "No one said anything about us breaking up. I don't want that at all. I just get frustrated when I smell another male on you and it's worse than usual. I'm sorry I lost my temper."

"Look Ryan, you've been my friend forever and I really appreciate that." I try to copy his calmness, but it's hard. "You stuck around even when that made you unpopular, but I really think you should get out and try to find the right girl for you. We both know she isn't me because I'm not a werewolf. You've spent so much time with me that I'm afraid you're missing out on other opportunities."

"It's him isn't it," he yells back, doing a total one-eighty. Heck, this might be a three-sixty. His face is growing redder by the second. "That's it. I don't care what kind of information he's giving you, you can't see him anymore."

"Out!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "You get out of this apartment right now and don't you ever come back making demands of me again. You don't own me, Ryan Hart." I walk to the door and open it, waiting for him to exit.

Things escalated quickly and I'm not one to let shouting matches go on. It's either the two parties separate or fighting breaks out.

"I think we should both take some time to calm down. Being around your scent and his is making my head muddled. I'll leave, for now, but once you're cleaned up, we'll continue this conversation," he says, storming out of the room still acting like he'd have a say in whether or not I meet with Sebastian.

Fat chance, I think to myself as I start moving my tongue around in my mouth. My gums have started to hurt and for some reason something feels off. I shut and lock the door and head to the bathroom to see if maybe during Sebastian's thorough kiss something got nicked.

When I look in the mirror to investigate, what I find is definitely not what was expected. First, I have targets telling me I'm a werewolf, and now I conveniently sprout little baby vampire fangs. Oh, this is just too good to be true.

Sadly, since I've spent more time with the wolves, I don't exactly know how to make the teeth pop back into my gums. I really hope I don't start having crazy cravings. As I mentioned to Sebastian earlier, I just don't think I can handle being a vampire at present. Speaking of the devil, I should probably call and ask what to do about the teeth. Even though they're kind of cute, I don't want to walk around here flashing them.

I dig out my secure throwaway cell phone that I've never had to use. It only has one number in it and that goes straight to Sebastian's cell phone of a similar nature. I really hope he has it on him, because I don't want to spend all night trying to get a hold of him.

Thankfully, he answers on the second ring. "Love, what's wrong. Pea brain didn't try to hurt you did he?" He sounds worried, which is adorable.

For some reason, I find it funny and laugh. "No, darling," I respond calling him something I've never called him before. "He yelled some, but even he's smart enough not to take me on. I do have a slight issue, which is probably going to cause me to move out of co-Hab for a while, but not necessarily in with you."

"Do you want me to set you up in one of my offsite houses? I realize Sins probably isn't the place you want to live and I'm fine with that. I have two houses and three apartments that can be made available for you."

"I may take you up on that. I haven't started packing yet. That won't start until you can give me a little advice."

"If you're wondering if you should really leave pea brain, then my advice is to go for it," he says enthusiastically.

"No, silly, that's probably a given with the advice I'm really looking for. I'm surprised your all-knowing self doesn't already know."

"As I may have mentioned before, my clairvoyant tendencies aren't always clear, and with you I tend to have more trouble than most. You change your mind so much that nothing is ever set in stone. So please, fill me in on what you need."

"Okay, so hypothetically, say you know someone who was just turned into a vampire," I start.

"I thought I mentioned it'd be best for you not to be around other vampires," he interrupts. He knows I have occasional meetings with other sources, but I imagine he also has meetings with those sources to ensure my safety.

Ignoring him and continuing my thought, "and this person was having an argument and just after or during that argument they sprouted little adorable baby fangs, how would you suggest you teach them to put the fangs away?"

"Nyx," Sebastian says in his serious voice. "Being around a baby vampire is not safe for you. You have my blood in you and they may not be able to control their hunger. I'm on my way, but please lock yourself in a room to try to keep them away until I can get there." I hear a whoosh and the call is dropped.

Crap. I didn't handle that as well as I should of and now he's on his way over here. With our secret meetings, he's never actually been here, but he knows where I live, so I know he won't get lost. I hope I can keep his arrival as much of a secret as possible.

To ease things along, I walk over to the front door and open it. I figure he isn't bothering with a car, since he can fly faster, so I might as well clear the runway. Within a minute, I find him standing in my pod and I shut the door behind him to give us some privacy.

"If you would've waited five more seconds I could've told you I wasn't in any danger," I say, crossing my arms over my chest and giving my best irritated look.

"Nyx, you were talking about helping a baby vampire with their fangs out. Usually that indicates they're either ready to fight or hungry. Either of those things might have been deadly to you if you weren't prepared." He walks over to me and sweeps me in his arms. "Now, where is the vampire? I'll help them and make sure they have a good, legal source of food lined up."

"Well, so far, the vampire isn't showing any signs of being hungry, and as far as location, I would say she's in your arms."

Chapter 5

I'm a freak, see picture in dictionary

"In my arms?" he asks, stepping back to stare down at me. I just open my mouth wide to show off my new chompers. "How in the world did you manage to die from my place to here? You haven't even been gone a full hour. Not only that, it usually takes at least a full day for your body to make the conversion. How in the world are you up and moving already?"

"I told you they were cute, didn't I?" I ignore all of his questions, mainly because I don't have an answer for any of them.

"Yes, they're adorable, love. In fact, you should probably quit showing them to me because they're making me think naughty thoughts. Now please try to answer my questions as best as possible."

"Fine." I close my mouth. "Pretty much the only thing I really know is that I didn't die. I drove straight home, no problems, and then arrived here and faced off with Ryan. He was really pissed that I smelled like I'd been rolling around on a vampire. I figured it was just your blood in my system that was irritating him. When I finally kicked him out, I started to feel my new fangs popping through and went to the bathroom to check it out."

"And you aren't thirsty? Usually babies are pretty hungry once they turn."

"I don't think I am. Should I try to find a bottle of blood or something to quench it, so I don't go all crazy when I move into my new place?"

"We can quench your thirst if you want, but it won't be with a bottle of blood or some willing donor you find. It would seem that at least for the next few months, you can't leave my side for more than an hour or two."

I look at him trying to figure out what he's saying. The way he's looking back indicates I should have no problem reading in between the lines. He waits patiently as I think back to something he's said that would make sense in this situation. I finally remember earlier today when he mentioned that feeding on someone else would be like cheating on me.

"If we're both vampires that means I'm not your cheeseburger anymore, right?"

"In most cases that would be true, but in ours it means I get to be your French Fries."

"How is that even possible?" I ask. "I thought you had to have human blood to live."

"Technically, blood is blood to us. Usually vampire blood is not very appetizing and we don't feed from each other often. In the case of mates, as you would call it, they're only able to drink each other's blood. I'm sure you haven't run across many vampire 'mates' because they tend to be really rare, so you aren't equipped with that tidbit of information."

Reading between the lines, he just told me that we're mates. I didn't know they were rare amongst vampires. I thought they were just like the wolves and everyone, eventually, ended up paired. It's kind of cool for me to actually have one, after I've been on the edge of society so long. As I was thinking earlier, he would be the mate I would choose, but I don't understand how it's possible. The revelation is making me a bit excited. Evidently, so excited that I'm rambling in my mind.

"So, we're mates and that's awesome news, but how in the world did I go from being human to becoming a vampire? I keep having people tell me I'm a fricken werewolf. It doesn't make a lot of sense."

"Do you know anything about your father?"

The subject is a delicate one for me. I'm not supposed to know about my father, but I've found a little bit of the information the Collective has been hiding from me about that particular person.

"I know he exists and is probably alive. Aside from that, I don't know much."

"Okay, from what I can gather, you have both recessive vampire and wolf genes. I've known from the moment I first inhaled your scent that you were not human. You believed yourself to be, though, and I wasn't sure if there was a reason for that or not, so I never said anything.

"You didn't mention the traits, but I thought having grown up in the Collective they would've mentioned it. I'm sure you had a blood test some time in your twenty-plus years. Taking my blood today must have triggered your vampire genes," he explains. "I really didn't know it would cause this. I would've been more careful otherwise."

"Wait a second. I'm some sort of wolf vampire hybrid? How is that even possible? Those two species can't breed together," I counter, still trying to make sense of the fangs, while be given something equally not plausible to ponder.

"True, they can't and if they could, they wouldn't. Our species get along well enough inside the Collective, but we really dislike each other when it comes down to it. Werewolves, even though they claim otherwise, don't have a great sense of smell in their humanoid form. They're good with genders, but other than being able to smell another wolf on you, they can't determine species. I imagine, unless they had access to your blood test, they'd think you to be a really weak wolf because of the human and vampire genes that also make up your being.

"If they tell you they smell a vampire, they're really just guessing. Pea for brains probably just smelled a male on you in general and knows it isn't another werewolf. As far as he was concerned, it could've just as likely been a human, but since you aren't known to hang with that crowd, or demons, or witches, he made an educated guess that you probably confirmed.

"Back to your genetics, I have a feeling your father was actually a werewolf," he says, and I do know that is a true statement, but I don't verbalize it. "I have to believe your mother was a human, otherwise this just isn't possible. She had to have been attacked by a vampire late in her pregnancy and was either turned and then still gave birth to you or she died and you were cut out of her with vampire blood somehow still in your veins."

That part of the story I haven't heard. I only know for sure the paternal side of the equation. I was told that him being a werewolf wasn't enough to pass the gene down to me, so the thought that my mother was human makes a lot of sense.

"I guess I can understand that. I'm a little hurt you didn't tell me we were mates sooner. I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion, since I clearly know nothing about how mates work, but that might have been more fun in the bedroom for you."

We hadn't moved much from the spots we'd established in my boring room. I didn't spend a lot of time there, so everything was kept utilitarian.

"As I've said, I don't want to influence your choices. You're only part vampire. You're also part werewolf and if those genes were ever triggered, you may feel more of a connection with your werewolf mate than you do me."

"But now that I have my vampire mate, I don't have to worry about my werewolf one, right? Those genes can't be triggered, can they?"

"You are one of a kind, love. I don't know if they can be triggered or not, now that you've sprouted your little fangs," he says with a laugh.

"But I can't be both and you better hope Ryan hasn't really been my mate all these years and he just never figured it out. If so, I think you're going to have a fight on your hands."

I take a second to ponder the possibility. I can't believe the universe would choose Ryan as a mate for me. As much as I like him as a friend, he's too soft.

"I don't think the wee lad will be much of a challenge for the twelve-hundred-year-old vampire. The poor boy won't know what hit him if he tries to take me on," he states with a cockiness that makes me want to take him on just to knock him down a peg.

"Are you really that old?"

It's the first time he's actually given me an age, and it's much older than I thought. I'd guessed maybe four hundred. Most of the vampires I've met that are willing to give an age are under two hundred.

"I was born in 743 A.D., so yes I'm twelve hundred and sixty nine years old. I hope you don't mind being stuck with a cradle robber."

"You don't look a day over two hundred, so I'm sure no one will notice the age difference." I start laughing at my little joke. He joins me, and then puts his palm to my cheek.

"Love, your fangs have gone away. I know how much you liked them, but for now it's best that they stay hidden."

I put my fingers up to my teeth and sure enough, they're back to normal. Cool. Now I just need to pack and figure out living arrangements.

"Let me pack a few days' worth of clothes and we can get out of here. Anything else, I can just pick up at the store. It isn't like I have a ton of keepsakes." I run to the bedroom and get out a duffel bag.

After I throw in an assortment of pants and tops, I grab the few weapons I have in the house. Since I just got back from an execution, most of my main gear is still in the Suburban. With my clothes and weapons packed, I'm ready to go.

"Are you riding with me, or are you going to fly back?" I ask.

"I'm with you, of course. I did mention that it's probably best that we don't separate for a little while. Since you weren't actually turned and were born with the trait, you may not experience the baby hunger pains, but I'm going to be there if you do. No feeding on anyone else." He waves a finger at me, like it would help to get his point across.

When I open the door, it is only to be faced with Ryan, whose hand is raised getting ready to knock. He looks at my bag and then looks up at me sadly, right before he notices Sebby standing behind me. As soon as he sees him, his eyes light up as if he's going to shift.

Son of a sea faring walrus, and here I thought my day was finally looking up. Obviously, my life has become one huge joke to whoever is out there controlling the cosmos.

Chapter 6

My new home sweet home

"What is he doing here?" Ryan yells, practically foaming at the mouth. Someone really needs to get the boy some mood stabilizers or something.

"Shh. You don't have to shout. We all have very good hearing," I tell him.

I hope that's a true statement. I've always thought werewolves had good hearing, but since Sebastian brought up their sense of smell not really being as good as they pretend, it makes me wonder. Either way, I'm still happy I had my privacy button hit during me and Sebastian's conversation.

"I know for a fact that Sebastian deYork isn't your little vampire informant, so why would he be here helping you pack a bag?" Ryan asks. "He doesn't seem like the kind of person you'd be hanging around with. In fact, if the rumors are right, he isn't the type of person any Collective agent hangs around with unless they want to be deceased."

"You're right. Sebastian isn't an informant, it'd be idiotic on his part. He is, however, someone I've met and consider to be on friendly enough standings that I'm going to move into one of his available apartments until I can think about things."

Standing between a pissed off werewolf and vampire is actually a little exciting for me. I guess it just goes to prove that I'm always going to be an adrenaline junky.

"You're just going to up and abandon your kind for a vampire?" Ryan asks harshly.

"Last time I checked, I was human, Ryan. I haven't been among my kind since the day I was dropped off." I don't want him to find out I'm actually a vampire now, or the fact that I'm aware there might be a little werewolf in me.

"I wasn't being literal," he back pedals.

I look into his eyes and for the first time, I realize that he actually knew I wasn't a plain, ordinary human. I wonder if he's known all along. Sebastian said that the wolves would've thought I was a weaker version of them, so he must have. It hurts more knowing that he kept that information away from me than me losing him as a friend because he thinks I'm having some crazy vampire affair.

"No, of course not," Sebastian pipes in for the first time. "Needless to say, it isn't that far from dawn and I'd like to get Nyx settled before I have to retire for the day."

"You don't have to go, Nyxie," Ryan says. "We can work this out. It was just a little lovers' quarrel. You can't just walk out on what we have."

Part of me is a little bit happy that if I had to go one way or the other, that vampire was the side I landed on. I'm starting to think werewolves aren't all that mentally sound.

"Ryan, to have a lovers' quarrel I'm pretty sure you have to be sleeping together and everyone here knows I've never slept with anyone. You've always been a great friend, but lately there's been something wrong, and until we can both figure out what that is, I think it's best if I move away." I reach for his hand, but he jerks it away.

"As I told you earlier, this talk isn't over. I don't really want to discuss this in front of your 'friend', so why don't you come back when he takes his nap for the day. Then, we can figure out where things have gone wrong and work to fix them." Done with his speech he runs off, shifting as he goes and heads for the woods.

Sebastian spins me around real quick and makes a zipper motion with his lips. I nod, understanding that the werewolf hearing thing must be true, because he doesn't want us to talk about what just happened.

"So, do you know which apartment you'd prefer me to stay in?" I ask as we make our way to my vehicle. "I don't want to be too much trouble. Oh and thanks again, for letting me use it until I can find a place of my own."

"Not a problem, Nyx, and yes, I have an idea of which one to put you in. It's the one I use the least, so there's no problem with you staying as long as you need. When you exit the drive take a left."

We get buckled in and I follow his directions out of the Collective. As I leave, I wonder if I'll actually come back. Any assignments they have for me, I can pick up on my phone, so there isn't really a reason to come around. After finding out they've lied to me all my life, I'm leaning towards striking out on my own.

Although, I think if they still offer me the assignment that had Sebby worried, I'll take it. At first, I was hesitant, but now I'm curious to find out what this target could say to sever our bond. I doubt there's still an issue after everything that's happened, but my inquisitive mind needs to know.

"They're following. This will make things interesting. Head towards Park Street. That's where I want you to stay. You'll have plenty of space to yourself, and there's even a gym, so you can train. If you ever need a partner to practice with, just give me a call. I'm usually not far," he says, putting his hand on my thigh.

"Sounds good and thanks again for allowing me to use the space. I'm hoping it won't be for too long. We should probably figure out how much it's going to cost me a month to stay. I assume I'll be able to afford it, but I don't know how long that will last." I know Sebby enough to know that if I wanted it, he'd just give me the apartment.

"I'm sure we'll come up with a figure we can both live with. For now, let's just worry about getting you settled," he says as he directs me to the underground parking garage of my temporary home.

We get out, he quickly grabs my bag and my hand and drags me inside. He steers us through a couple of hallways before coming to an elevator. He swipes a card, and then hits the penthouse button.

"Really?" I ask. He just turns and smiles. I'm guessing we're still within hearing range of Collective ears.

When the elevator opens, it's into a foyer decorated with elegant black marble floors. The walls are painted a rich gold color and there are two statues to greet us. One is of David and the other is the Venus de Milo.

"Even if they're replicas, I imagine those set you back a pretty penny," I say as the elevator closes behind us.

"Those are originals, I'll have you know. The replicas have always been on display for others to see. You'll find I have a very extensive art collection. I've always had an eye for talent and I like to surround myself with the finest art." He leads me into the penthouse proper.

"Wow," I say, taking in the sleek, modernly decorated place. From the co-Hab to this, one might just have a heart attack.

The space is wide open. In the back corner, I can see a king size bed with gold and purple ruffles and pillows. It has stairs to climb up into it because of its size. That area also hosts a couple gorgeous cherry wood dressers and a matching armoire.

The living area has black furniture, two sofas and a chair. They're leather and sit low to the ground. Not really comfortable looking to me, but when you have a bed the size of Texas in the same room, nothing looks all that comfy.

The rest of the space is filled with art to make you feel like you are in a gallery. Everything is gorgeous and expensive looking. The ceiling has recessed lighting that highlights each piece perfectly.

I notice there's no kitchen or dining room area and suspect, or hope, that somewhere there's a hidden door revealing a bathroom. Aside from the art, the room's main feature is the floor to ceiling windows that offer an incredible view of Night Owl City. It's still pretty dark outside, but I can see the sun just starting to rise in the horizon.

"Do you need to retreat to a hiding place?" I ask, still studying the view.

"No, love, the sun won't bother me. I should probably leave, so our watchers don't get suspicious. I'll return shortly. Make yourself at home while I'm gone. Let me show you where the bathroom is, if you'd like to wash up."

I don't think I needed to wash up again, but I let him drag me away from the view. He walks towards the bed and moves to the wall about ten feet away from it. I notice that he hits a button, which without knowing it's there, you would never see. The wall slides back to reveal an oasis.

I thought his bathroom at Sins was nice, but this takes the cake. The centerpiece of the room is a huge Jacuzzi tub. I swear at least ten people would fit in that thing. There's a large vanity area to the left of the tub and in the back corner is a beautiful walk-in shower.

"Can I just sleep in here?" I ask, noting that it does have a toilet as well.

"That'd be rather uncomfortable, I'm sure. I'll also show you how to find the kitchen. With your genetic makeup, I'm not sure if you'll still need to eat normal food or not." He guides me to the wall close to where we entered the room. A hidden button later and we're in a chef-inspired kitchen.

"Do a lot of entertaining in here?" I ask, marveling at the shininess of it all.

"No, other than the workmen who helped move things in, this apartment has been untouched by outsiders. It's one of the reasons why I wanted to bring you here. Now as I said, love, I should leave to make this look like something other than me moving my girlfriend into our love nest." He quickly takes my hands and kisses my cheek. "I won't be gone more than a half an hour, make yourself at home. The remote on the coffee table runs everything, in case you get bored."

With that, he releases me and hurries out of the penthouse. Okay, I'm not sure how he expects to get back in if he's being followed, but it seems like he knows what he's doing. I walk to the fridge and open it to see what bounty there may be. Since he doesn't entertain here, I'm guessing there won't be much. I'm correct in that assumption, but upon checking out the freezer, I notice that my options are looking up.

I grab a frozen steak and fling it into the microwave to defrost. I haven't eaten in a while and I'm actually feeling a little bit hungry. This will be a good test to see if my diet has dramatically changed in the past couple of hours.

While it's getting all unfrozen, I decide to change into something a little more comfortable. I switch into a black workout outfit similar to the ones I always wear at Sins. Now, I need Sebastian to come back, so he can tell me where to discard the rancid smelling clothes I was just wearing. Werewolf guts really do smell bad.

When the steak is done defrosting, I grab a skillet and get to work. I've always enjoyed my steaks on the rare side. I wonder if those werewolf genes had anything to do with that. After giving it just enough heat to get a nice sear on the outside, I find a plate, fork and knife and dish it up.

There isn't really a place to sit and eat, unless there's a hidden dining room I don't know about, so I take my food to the coffee table and make myself comfortable on one of the sofas, or at least as comfortable as you can while sitting on a rock. They really aren't that nice to sit on. If I stay here very long, we may need to make some furnishing changes.

I cut into my steak and pretty much start to drool. I take it as a good sign and put a big bite into my mouth. As I chew, my mouth explodes with flavor. Yum, a steak has never tasted so good. In fact, it's so good that before I know it, I'm left staring at an empty plate.

I glare at it, pouting slightly that there isn't more. "I thought you saved those noises only for my feeding times," Sebby says. I look up to see him leaning up against the wall across from me with his arms folded across his chest.

"Please tell me I wasn't moaning," I say, slightly embarrassed.

"Not really, but I could tell you were enjoying it. So, food is still important to you, that is good to see. I didn't want my little mistake to totally change your life." He moves across the room to sit next to me.

"I'm pretty sure it was I who bit you, so I'd say it was my mistake. I'm not really sure it should be classified as a mistake, though. I mean, I found out I can actually have a significant other who isn't going to find a mate and leave me someday. To me that's basically my dreams come true. That's what everyone is taught to aspire to at the Collective."

"Yes, I know what hogwash they teach at the Collective. They want all the paranorms to pair off and make new little paranorms they can corrupt for their own goals. Me and them have never seen eye to eye, and to find out that you've been lied to all these years, doesn't make me want to kill them any less."

"Hey, for now let's not think about them. I'm thinking after one more mission I should probably cut ties with them anyway. Eventually, they'd see my baby fangs and that wouldn't be good in a place mostly run by werewolves. I'm sure the vampires there would get a kick out of it, but probably only for a couple minutes. Then they'd perceive me as a threat and issue an execution order on me," I say, grabbing his hand and curling my fingers around it.

"An execution order on their perfect assassin, that would be kind of funny. We have a lot to talk about, but as the sun gets higher in the sky, I'm getting a bit sleepy. Come, let's sleep our first day together in hopes that there are many more to follow." I'm lifted bridal style from the couch in one quick motion.

"You sure you wouldn't be more comfortable sleeping on the couch?" I ask. "I haven't ever actually slept in the same bed with another person."

"Those couches are like rocks, so no, I wouldn't be more comfortable there. If you want space, the bed is surely big enough for the two of us. I've had plenty of time to think of us as a couple, but I know this is all new to you, so I won't push. Everything is your choice."

"Sebby, I wouldn't allow myself to think of us as a couple because I was sure it would never happen. Now that it has out of the blue, it's going to take me a little time to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm not actually dreaming," I tell him as he lays me in the bed.

"No worries, love. We have eternity to figure everything out, in case you hadn't noticed. It seems I have a lot to teach you in the coming days because the Collective's curriculum doesn't seem up to snuff from what I've heard," he says as he relaxes on the bed next to me, but he keeps a respectable distance.

I guess he likes to sleep in his clothes, because he makes no move to change. Fine by me. The second my head hits the pillow the enormity of the things that happened today hits me and I find myself exhausted by the lot of it. Within minutes, my eyes shut and I'm fast asleep.

Chapter 7

Relationships are trouble

I wake up the next evening to wonderful smells coming from the kitchen and an empty bed. A girl could get used to this, I think rolling out of bed and heading towards the kitchen. I can make out the smells of eggs, bacon and something cinnamony. The cinnamon smell is making me very happy and seems to be on top of all the other scents.

"What ya making?" I ask as I peruse the bounty.

"I ran out and got some perishable items since you may be here a while. I haven't had to cook anything for a long time, and back then we didn't have fancy stoves, so I thought I'd try my hand at it. I also wanted to do a little experiment," he replies as he turns to kiss the end of my nose.

"I'm not seeing anything with cinnamon. Why am I getting that scent really strong and why am I finding it so appealing?" I take a deep breath and let the smell travel through me.

"My guess is that would be me, love. It seems your sense of smell has kicked up a few notches to go along with the fangs. Eventually, you'll get used to it, but for a while it might be overwhelming," he says, smiling and turning to start putting food on plates.

"What do I smell like?" I ask curious, not really picking up anything as I smell my own skin.

"We each may smell like something different to other people, but to me you smell like coconuts. Whenever you're around, I picture us on a sunny beach watching the waves roll in." His voice sounds dreamlike, and I wonder how often he's played that particular scene out in his mind.

"Interesting," I say, thinking of how funny it is for a vampire to be thinking about sitting on a sunny beach. "You're going to have to fill me in on all the rules of being a vampire. I have a feeling, like you mentioned last night, that my teachings have been wrong."

"More than likely. We're a very secretive species, so we like to leak half-truths to confuse people on what we're really like." He walks me to the table with plates in his hands.

I settle down on the rocky couch and take the plate he offers. "What's the second plate for?"

"Me," he says, bringing his plate to his face and taking a deep breath. "After watching you eat that steak last night, I got to thinking that maybe your part human and werewolf blood has given me the ability to actually digest this stuff. For some reason, I woke up hungry this morning and it wasn't for you."

"Interesting," I say, taking a bite from my own food. There's no seasoning on the scrambled eggs, which is fine with me, but they do seem to have some cheese melted in with them and they're really tasty.

I look up and watch him slowly put his fork in his mouth and remove it. He gradually starts to chew and then swallows the food. Not really knowing what vampires do with normal food, I'm not sure if the experiment is a success or not.

"I think I like cheddar cheese," he says and proceeds to annihilate the food on his plate. That, I'm guessing, isn't a vampire response, so it seems I do bring a little something to this partnership. I quickly finish my own food and clear the plates, so I can do the dishes.

"You don't have to do that," he says, joining me in the kitchen.

"You cooked, I clean. Those be the rules." It doesn't take me very long to clean the few dishes he dirtied.

"I can have a maid come in here to clean up after us. When it's just me, I don't make much mess, but the two of us, actually eating, might."

"It isn't a bother, so I wouldn't worry about it. Do you have plans to go into work today?"

"Nope, I'm taking a vacation. Although, if anyone asks for me at the club, I'm in an important meeting," he says, picking me up and carrying me back to the comfy bed.

I situate myself so I'm sitting leaning against the headboard and he joins me. "How have you been able to come and go without raising the alarm?"

"Tunnels. All my places have secret tunnels into them. It gives me a needed sense of freedom, because more than likely my movements are usually watched, even without riding in to your rescue," he explains.

"I could see why the Collective would want to keep tabs on you. You're a very resourceful person, even more so than I knew.

"That I'm," he says, linking our hands together. "So, where should we start your reeducation?"

"You've already mentioned that you personally only had to drink once a week before meeting me, can you go into more detail about vampires' eating habits in general? I'd always thought it was an everyday thing."

"More than likely meant to keep you away from potentially hungry vampires. As babies, yes, vampires eat usually three or four times a day. They can't really help it. It's just something their bodies need. Around the century mark, they can usually start to limit it to once a day. As they get older, more time can pass, but most still seem to enjoy once a day feedings. My goal has always been survival of the fittest, so I've been working for years to go longer. By myself, I was able to make it to a full week. With your help, who knows how long I can wait now."

"Interesting, and the fact that I haven't had to feed since baby fangs appeared is because I'm not purely vampire?"

"Probably, or the fact that you've had my blood. I haven't done a lot of studies on vampire mates because they are really rare, so it may just be we're able to nourish each other for longer periods."

"See, I don't understand that. The Collective teaches that every paranorm has a mate and acts like they're just standing outside the door waiting to be introduced, but you're saying for your species that's rare."

Everything I thought I knew was being questioned. It'd taken me twenty years to figure out needless facts; it'd probably take just as long for me to figure out the right ones.

"You can change the your in that statement to our. You're part vampire. Werewolves do actually have predestined mates and since that place is pretty much run by them, I believe they're teaching their own ways. For the most part, vampires don't have 'mates', per se. We have a person that we connect on a deep level with, and decide to spend the rest of our lives with them.

"We have a choice in the matter, they do not. Their chemical makeup physically binds them to the other person once they find them. One can reject their chosen mate, but they rarely ever do because it's painful. For us, we make the decision and say a few words and voila we are bonded." As he says the word voila, he waves his hand in the air like there's magic involved.

"Say a few words? I haven't said a few words and I don't remember you ever saying them, but yet you called me your mate." If I needed to say something, I would jump at the chance.

"Yeah about that, as long as your vamp gene was still recessive there wasn't anything for you really to do. I knew I wanted to bind with you, so I said the words three years ago when we first spoke about our business agreement. It's the reason the feedings are more than just me taking blood. Therefore, technically we've had a one sided bond for that long, which I was totally fine living with.

"It made it so I found all other blood gross and I was more than fine with that. I think you taking a nibble closed the circuit. Like I've been saying, this is my mistake and I'm sorry. I imagine if I hadn't done the binding, then you wouldn't have probably turned."

"If none of this would've happened, I would never have found out I wasn't human, so I can't see it as totally a bad thing, but I'm pissed you bonded with me and neglected to tell me about it. What if I would've been killed at some point on a mission? Would you have been able to start drinking from someone else?"

"No, chances are I would've probably died with you." His head was cast down so I couldn't see his eyes.

"Then, it was really moronic. I was just a rookie when you did it, as a weakish human fighting paranorms, odds were not on my side," I scream. Scream might be a bit strong, but my voice is definitely elevated.

"I know, but it couldn't be stopped. Your unique genetic makeup drew me to you. I thought after our first meeting that it was just a fluke, and I was picking up something that didn't exist, but when you came back, I could still sense you were different, and I knew I had to be tied to you. Since then, I've stepped back and let you make all of your own decisions. Thankfully, I've agreed with most of them, so I didn't drive myself insane."

"So, are we truly mates then? It doesn't sound to me like we are."

"Mates is a werewolf term. You don't see demons out there running around with mates. I've never really liked the word, but I figured you'd understand its underlying meaning. We are simply now two halves to the same soul.

"From the beginning, I felt that you'd complete me and that's why I did the binding. I know there's something special about you, and as old as I am there's never been another person who I've found the spark of life you contain."

"You know you're really trying to be too romantic for your own good. I do realize that you did this just because I was different, and not because you were madly in love with me. I was like a new toy and you wanted to keep me all to yourself." I'd been around Sebastian enough that I knew exactly how he worked.

"I can't say that's totally false. You were new, shiny and so interesting to study. Another part of it was I knew you were special and I felt the need to help protect you. The bond, even though you probably haven't felt it yet, allows me to feel your emotions. Therefore, if you were to ever become extremely scared, I would've dropped everything and run to find you. Over the years, and even a little at the beginning, I did feel a strong emotion towards you. Nowadays, and for at least the past couple years, my heart is totally yours."

"Part of me wants to believe you, but finding out about the binding done behind my back makes me leery," I say, removing my hand from his grasp.

"Well, in that case, you'll be happy to learn that because of that bond, I can't actually lie to you. I imagine that part will be kicking in for you pretty soon as well." I can see his face again, and the smile spreading across it looks just a little devious.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"Try it. I know the emotions haven't kicked in yet or otherwise you would know exactly how I feel."

"Okay, let's try something easy. My eyes are..." I try to finish with green, but for some reason can't.

"Perfect. I've always hoped we would one day get to this point. Now you can see that in three years, I have never been able to lie to you, and it isn't the kind of thing where you can skate by with half-truths. Believe me, there were a couple of times I tried. My options are to tell you the truth or not say anything at all," he mumbles.

"Really? I want to know about those instances," I say as I hear my phone go off. I forgot it even existed. "I better check on that. It might be my new assignment."

"So, you're going to keep working for them?"

"Just this one last case. You got my interests piqued when you said there was something going to happen during it."

I look down at the phone I retrieved from my bag. Sure enough, the message is for my next mission. I click the app to see what evildoer I'm going after now, and find it to be a werewolf named Alexander Monroe. He's been convicted of killing at least three children. Just one child, is a death sentence in the Collective law. "Hmm. Why is it all the really bad guys have to be so cute?" I ask with a smile.

"That isn't very nice," he growls.

"I was just joking. He isn't really even that..." I say before stopping.

"You were saying, my dear? I have a feeling this whole not being able to lie to me might be eye opening," he replies with a smirk.

"Whatever," I say, waving my hand in the air. "Last known location is Emerald Town. At least this one is staying within the paranorm community. Are you going to join me on this last hurrah?"

"You'd let me join you on one of your little adventures?"

Even without seeing the grin on his face, I can sense that he's pleased. It's probably just the fact that I haven't stormed out of the house after being told we've been bound together for the last three years. I still can't believe what an idiot he is.

"Well, you did mention that we shouldn't be apart in case I get hungry," I say a little harshly. "It's probably a good idea that you come anyway to make sure I stay alive."

That sets him down a peg. Good. "Those are both good reasons. How soon before you want to leave?" he asks while I hit accept on the mission.

"I'd like to get it over with as soon as possible, so I can get on with my new life. You know another fun reason for you coming along?"

"What?"

"Just think of how aggravated the Collective will be at seeing us together in action. I can almost see their heads exploding now." Rubbing my hands together evilly, I mentally prepare a little for the fight ahead.

"And here I've been dreading you going on this mission. I believe you've become a monster." There's a lot of mock astonishment behind his words.

"Takes one to know one," I say, sticking out my tongue. "Now, that I've closed our bond, are you still worried about me meeting this guy? I have a feeling that might have made a difference."

"I still don't want you to meet him. He was going to tell you about what I'd done. Since he can't exactly do that anymore, I don't imagine he'll change how you view me. I've already taken care of making you upset with me. He's still someone I feel threatened by, but I'm not giving out the details on why."

"You know that's silly, right? You've said it yourself, we have to stick together now or we'll die," I remind him.

"Yes, but you may take things back to the way they were when you just stopped by every few weeks. I was hoping you moving in here was a turning point in our relationship, but I'm afraid my underhandedness has set us back."

"Since you could feel my emotions, you knew how I felt before your big reveal. You knew that I was thrilled we were what I thought was mates, and was totally ready to see where this ship takes us. You revealing that you pretty much caused this did anger me, and I'm still angry, but mostly because you're an idiot and endangered yourself. Either way you look at it, we still aren't jumping into bed together to try to make little vampire babies. Not that I'm even sure that's possible, because from what I've heard it isn't. So, enough with relationship woes for now, let's go kill us a bad guy."

I hated rambling on, but he needed to know where I stood and I needed to make it all clear to him. With that out of the way, I was ready to go hunt the bad guy.

Chapter 8

Road trip fun

In the bathroom, I hurry to change into one of my assassin outfits, since we're going to a paranorm community, I don't have to worry about concealing my weapons, which always makes me happy. Thankfully, the artillery I want to take tonight are pieces I have multiples of, so they were packed in my duffle bag.

I put on my skintight black jeans. The material is a little bit stretchier than normal jeans, and they may not even be considered jeans in some circles. The material is specially woven to make it harder for bullets to penetrate, but still flexible enough for me to move around easily. My top is made of the same material and is a long-sleeved V-neck.

With clothing in place, I add my thigh sheaths for my throwing knives. Tonight, I'm carrying the whole enchilada with six in each sheath. One set is silver and the other is iron.

I wiggle into my triple holster. It's kind of like putting a vest on. The right side of it has one holster for my Smith & Wesson 9mm automatic and the left has two holsters, one for my Colt 1911 and the other for my Beretta.

The Colt has a special bullet that stops vampires in their tracks. The others carry silver. Technically, no vampires are on my list tonight, but along with the iron knives, I'm prepared for practically anything that jumps in my path.

Anything else I could need is in my vehicle, so I'm good to go. "Have I ever told you how sexy you look in that outfit?" Sebastian asks from the doorway.

"You actually have once or twice," I say, moving to exit the bathroom. "I just remembered that my chains are probably still nasty from last night, so we'll have to make a pit stop somewhere to get them taken care of."

"Already taken care of. I had one of my day runners get them cleaned up. On the way from the co-Hab to here, I had to hold my breath the smell was so bad. Other than the last known location, do you have any other details on your target?"

"No, that's usually all it takes. I'm pretty good at picking up a trail. I'm hoping any new abilities that come with baby fangs will only make it easier. We really do need to sit down, so I can figure out what I can expect. I don't imagine I'll be running around and flying like you immediately, but I know you do those things."

"Probably not, but as I've said, you're a unique situation. Maybe when you finish this mission we can do that sparring I suggested when you moved here. That will teach you what it's like to fight a real vampire. So far, I imagine you haven't met anyone over the age of two hundred."

"Sounds like a plan. So, how are you getting out of here, if no one knows you're here?"

"Meet me at Sins," he says, and then vanishes.

Freaky. I retrace my steps from last night and make it to the Suburban without any difficulties. I make the ten block drive over to Sins and see Sebastian waiting in the parking lot. I pause long enough for him to jump in, and then start towards Emerald Town. It's a three-hour drive, so we have plenty of time.

"Safe?" I ask, wondering if we can talk in the car.

"Yes, I had the day runner install some extra sound proofing. No one will hear us."

"Good. So, are you up to answering some questions?"

"You need to be more informed, so I think that'd be a good idea. I doubt there'd be anything on the radio I'd be interested in listening to anyway."

That didn't surprise me. I hoped they pop music they played at Sins some nights wasn't his pick for music. There was a mountain of things I didn't know about him, but I liked to think I could decipher his tastes in music.

"As far as abilities, I was wondering about your clairvoyance. How exactly does that work?" Having thought I was human for so long, special abilities were at the front of my mind.

"It isn't really anything that's predictable, or reliable. With free will, it's always changing. If I concentrate on a person, I see glimpses from time to time of things that may happen in their future. By no means do I see everything.

"I didn't see us in this situation, for one. Your choice to bite me changed the path I saw you on. You'll still end up at the execution for this target, but the circumstances have changed. If I wouldn't have mentioned it to you at all, you may have just been done with the Collective after last night, and would have never met him," he explains. "I guess what happens after this mission is done, really is my fault."

"Nothing is going to happen. I go in, read my lines and kill the guy. If you want, I won't even ask if he has any last requests. That way he isn't given a chance to talk."

He laughs. "I'd love to see you try to do that. I have a feeling this guy's a talker. No matter what, you and I will remain in each other's lives, so I can live with that. No one can technically take you from me without killing us both, so that will have to be good enough."

"No wonder I never spent more than a couple hours with you. You're really morose and it's really annoying."

"It's just the situation I find myself in. You just watch, once this is over, I'll be my cheery self again. In fact, I'll be so cheery you'll probably be complaining about that. Why don't you move on to other questions? I don't imagine glimpses of the future are in your future. Not that I want to claim I'm the only one who can do that little trick, it is rare."

"Fine. Like you said, it was the one that seemed unique to you, so I wanted to know more. Lay it on me about the rest. Smell is already coming online. When can I expect hearing, speed, strength, wings and whatever other things you can think of that normal vampires have?"

"You already have a jump on most. Your diet and your ability to be in sunlight are two biggies most other vampires will never see. Since you didn't die to become a vampire, you'll be able to walk in the daylight, I'm pretty sure. It took me many centuries to even be able to stand some level of ultraviolet rays.

"As far as the other things you listed, yes, those are typical and you may start seeing them surface in the next month, or you may not. Everyone is different. Usually the powers start out weak and you have to train yourself to use them fully."

That didn't sound like I'd learn anything specific, so I move on to more questions. "I already know the myths about wooden stakes to the heart are false, but you're confirming sunlight is deadly?"

"For the majority, it isn't really deadly, but they'll get burned horribly, and if they stand in it long enough, they won't be able to recover. Infants usually are scorched the second they step outside. They're the most vulnerable to the myths. If I was able to lie to you, I'd insert a joke about garlic being able to ward the infants off, but sadly I can't."

"That's actually pretty funny. So, what kind of things have you wanted to lie to me about before or have just plain kept from me?" I ask as I switch lanes. I'd travelled the route enough that I spent more time glancing over at Sebby than I did the road.

"Let's see, I neglected to tell you I'd bonded with you against your will. Oh wait, you already know that one. Most of the things I've kept are things I see in the future and my real opinions on the Collective. I didn't want to influence your path, so I kept that information to myself.

"As far as not talking to keep me from covering lies, I can't think of anything specific. It was never anything major. I kept quiet about my age the few times you've asked. Just little things like that."

"Okay, that doesn't seem too bad. No disgruntled girlfriends coming out of the woodwork?"

"No serious relationships within the last century, so you should be safe there. I already know I have Ryan to worry about on your side, and I can only imagine how fun that will be when he finds out what I did. The anger I was expecting from you is going to be about a thousand times stronger in him."

He laughed as he took a second to look out the window. He'd been studying me, so he'd seen even less of the road than I had.

"From what you've mentioned, and what I heard last night, the boy has turned your fake relationship into a real one. I see the logistics behind it, I mean you are awesome, but he's rather delusional to think he really ever had a chance. Someone needs to hurry up and find him his real mate before he goes off the deep end."

"Maybe with me away from the Collective he'll have that opportunity. So, what are we going to do about our relationship getting out in the open? I won't be working for the Collective anymore, but I do want to continue doing assassination jobs. I get a lot of requests that I've been turning down. Now, with some more free time, I can use my skills to help others."

It's going to be weird, and I'd have to come up with strict guidelines, but I don't see myself doing anything else.

"I have no problem shouting from the rooftop that you're with me. You not being associated with the Collective probably doesn't hurt, but I imagine eventually people will realize that I've been your accomplice these past few years.

"Of course, they won't figure that out until they stop scratching their heads on how in the world goodie two-shoe assassin extraordinaire, Nyx Slaughter, ended up slumming it with the likes of Sebastian deYork, the king of all things wrong in this world. Can you imagine the headlines? _The Incorruptible Corrupted, Opposites Attract_ , _Holy Cow! What is wrong with this picture?_ " he says, laughing hysterically.

I'd never heard him laugh as much as he was, and I want to do everything I can to keep him that jovial. The thought took me back to the case I'm on my way to and what a single werewolf could say to change things.

"Seriously, you aren't that bad, and I'm not that good."

"Did you know there are rumors out there that you're so on the straight and narrow that the Collective handed you down an order to kill your father and you did it? I've never brought that up because you've said you don't know about your biological parents, but I do find it to be an interesting statement."

"At the present moment, I choose not to comment." With my lack of comment, I'm probably saying more than I should.

"Interesting reply. I have a feeling at least part of that statement is true and before the end of the night, I'll know which part," he says cryptically.

"Once we're in a place that I'm for sure is secure, I may just let you in on some secrets of my own. I don't know a lot about much, but there are a few things you may be interested to know."

"You know I love it when you're mysterious. I'm in no hurry to hear your secrets, and if this vehicle isn't secure we're in a lot of trouble, because we've been followed most of the way. They picked us up just outside of town."

"I figured as much, but have enjoyed living on the dangerous side. What we've said only affects you and me. I can live with the repercussions, and anyone that has something to say about what we've been discussing can take it up with me. Other people aren't as resourceful, and I always champion the underdog."

"See, the kickass assassin with a heart. That's what everyone sees when they look at you. It's kind of an oxymoron if you think about it. Usually, for that occupation the heart has been removed."

"I know for sure no one sees me having a heart, you're so full of it. Lucky you are going to be able to see what I'm really like, since we're living together now. Let me just say that I clean up nice for the public, but after being raised as an outsider, I don't walk down the straight and narrow as much as people think."

"Oh love, this is going to be so much fun. Why don't you pull over and get some gas? I have the munchies and that gas station up ahead is attached to a fast food restaurant. I can finally try a real cheeseburger and see how it compares."

I have a feeling he's going to be sorely disappointed, but I do as he directs.

Chapter 9

What do you do when bullets aren't enough?

"Oh my God, your face," I manage to get out between laughs. We're still sitting in the parking lot. I'ts just after midnight, so it's pretty much empty. There are a couple cars, but no one's paying attention to us.

"You could have warned me," he says, cringing at the thought of his burger.

"I could have, but first, what fun would that be? And second, how was I supposed to know that your palate would reflect mine? I've never been able to handle processed foods, so fast food has always been a no-no for me."

I start the vehicle back up and get back on the road. We're only thirty minutes from Emerald Town and I'd like to hurry up and find the trail.

"Well, since I got my appetite for food from you, it might have been nice if you mentioned what I could actually handle." He throws his one bite short cheeseburger out the open window, and then rolls the window up.

"What did you just do? You littered. You're as bad as all the papers say," I comment, still chuckling. It'd be a while before the smile would disappear from my face.

"I'm so happy you find me amusing. We're pretty close, have you picked up anything, yet?"

"Don't think so. All I can smell is baked bread, and with your cinnamon flavoring it has me wondering if a cinnamon roll would taste good. I'm guessing there's a baker in the neighborhood getting a jump on things. Why there'd be a baker in a paranorm city is beyond me."

"Just for giggles, why don't we follow the smell? Maybe I can see what your face looks like when you eat something new and different."

I find it odd that in a closed vehicle I'm actually able to smell something other than cinnamon. Must be this ramped up new nose. I do as he instructs and end up parked at the edge of a forest.

"So, what are we looking for, the witch's house from _Hansel and Gretel_?" I ask, trying to look through the trees.

"Highly doubtful, love." He reaches down and takes my hand. "This is where the fun begins. Keep following the smell and see where it leads."

"I'm looking for a target, not a fricken bakery. Let's go back to town and show his picture around."

"You said it yourself, you're good at tracking. Follow the scent," he says sternly. Something was putting his panties in a bunch, and I don't like it.

"Woof," I reply, and run off into the woods. At this point, I'm not sure if I care that Sebastian follows. He's being a bit of a dick.

Without the vampire speed I hope to develop soon, I run slower than I'd like, but I'm able to quickly track down the source of the scent. I enter a small clearing and find a man sitting on a rock, looking at me expectantly.

"Babe, you made it. I heard the newest contract went out a few hours ago, and I wasn't sure if you'd be here tonight or tomorrow, so I've been waiting around."

It would seem I've stumbled upon my target without even trying. Usually I wasn't that lucky.

"I've promised to make this quick, so for now I'm ignoring that you called me babe. Alexander Graham Monroe you're sentenced to death for taking three human children's lives. A jury of your peers has already convicted you. I'm just here to carry out the execution. In the name of the Grand Collective, I remove you from this world to make it a better place for others."

I take out my Beretta. Without further ado, I pull the trigger and watch as the bullet hits him in the arm. Dang it he moved, but no matter, the silver is in him. The death will just be a little slower than I anticipated.

"Now you've done it. Since you brought your friend," Alexander says, tipping his head towards Sebastian, who has made it to the clearing, "I have to assume you're being followed. Things would've been easier if you'd come alone. At least, that's how I always pictured our first meeting."

I stare at him bleakly. "My being followed shouldn't be your concern. I just shot you with a silver bullet, so you don't have all that much time left on this earth."

"One would think that was true, with me being a werewolf and all. Luckily, I have an ace up my sleeve. Since we're being closed in upon, why don't we carry over this conversation to tomorrow night? Try to lose the tail and meet me at Molly's at one.

"Day or night, it doesn't matter, I'll be there at both times. I suppose you can bring your friend if you choose the night option, but I wouldn't mind meeting alone," he says, just before shifting into a pitch black wolf and running off into the woods.

"Time to go," Sebastian announces, and then grabs me and pushes off the ground to launch us into the air as enormous wings spring from his back.

"Holy crap. Why are we in the air?" I ask, wrapping my arms tighter around his neck.

"The mutt was right. Collective agents were closing in. We're going to need to lose them tonight. It wasn't bad on the road because they were just reporting back a location, but since I'm under the assumption they're out for blood now, we're going to need to be more careful."

"How do you know they're out for blood? They might have just wanted to make sure the job was done and take back the goo for evidence."

"I have my reasons. You'll find those out tomorrow. Until then, we need to find a place to stay and figure out where Molly's is. I'm not aware of one here in Emerald Town."

"I'm hoping you have ideas on places to stay, because I don't know of anything other than a hotel, and with the Collective on our asses, I'm guessing that'd be the first place they look," I supply.

"I have numerous acquaintances in the city. We should be able to find a place to lay low. There are a few tunnels that I'm aware of that we can probably use to get out of town even." He flies us deep into the heart of the city and then lands on one of the tallest buildings.

"Are you going to go all King Kong on me now?"

"No, hurry up and get inside, so we're off the radar," he says, pulling me to a door.

I notice that his wings have already retracted. I can't wait to see what mine will look like. In the dark, I couldn't really see his.

He leads me through a maze of hallways and stairs before arriving at a door with a number eight on it. There, he does this weird little secret knock and waits for acknowledgment from the other side.

"What's the password?" a male voice asks from the other side of the door.

"Open the door now, Smitty, I don't have all day," Sebby replies.

"Are you sure, Sebastian, because if I remember right, the day hasn't given you too many issues for a while now." Even with the witty reply, the man is smart enough to open the door.

I'm dragged inside and placed in a corner while Sebastian turns to stand in front of me.

"Mine," he says before anyone can say another word.

"You actually brought her here. That's a little bit surprising. I figured you'd keep her hidden from me forever." With the Sebastian wall in front of me, I can't get a look at our host.

"No time for fun and games this time, Smitty. I just wanted to clarify that she's my girlfriend before I introduce you."

I don't know why, but girlfriend seemed a little odd. If Sebby hates the mate label, he could've come up with something better than girlfriend.

"Girlfriend, really? I know you mentioned that you were interested in someone, but I didn't know it had gotten to that stage just yet," Smitty replies.

"Yeah, where did the girlfriend label come from?" I ask, tired of their five seconds of bickering. "I can't say that I ever agreed to be called that."

Sebastian turns to face me, and more than likely to tell me to save it for later, but before he can, Smitty yells, "Oh shit! You brought Nyx Slaughter into my house. Are you insane?"

He disappears for a second and returns with a gun in his hand, pointing it in my direction. I just roll my eyes. I'm used to people running in fear, but they usually don't arm themselves.

"Really? What do you have in the gun? For some reason, I have a feeling only rubber bullets would work on me right now," I say, laughing while thinking this is where Sebastian thought we'd be safe. I doubt vampire healing has kicked in, but I still feel confident anything he's packing won't kill me.

"Currently they're silver, so I imagine they'll work on you," Smitty replies.

"Like I said, rubber bullets are your best bet in caliber. I imagine a hatchet would probably scare me more than the gun."

"You aren't killing her. There are so many reasons why you aren't, but at the top of the list currently is the fact that it would kill me, too," Sebastian states. "Can you imagine how the state of our movement will be stunted without me around?"

"Oh shit!" he yells again. I have a feeling it's a favorite phrase. "The only way that's possible is if you bonded with her, and I know you're not a big enough idiot to do something as stupid as bonding with Nyx Slaughter."

"Hey, Smitty, we agree on something. I had the same reaction when he told me what he'd done. I mean, he has to have a death wish, right?"

"I'd prefer if you pretend that you don't know my name."

"How about we lower the weapon?" I ask. "You may not love me, but everyone loves Sebby and we don't want him going hungry."

Defeated Smitty switches the safety on and sticks the gun into his waistband. It gives me a chance to actually take a look at the guy without the imminent threat of a bullet. He's tall, probably right at six feet. He has sandy brown hair and blue eyes. With his pretty boy face, he's the exact opposite of Sebastian. More a cheerleader's wet dream than a Goth girl's.

"How long?" Smitty asks.

"Three years. She's only found out about it in the last twenty-four hours, though," Sebastian replies.

"That's just wrong man. She's enemy number one. Why would you tie yourself to her?"

"Have you not smelled her yet? I'd think my original reason for doing so would be obvious. Aside from that, I do actually love her," Sebastian says, grabbing my hand.

"Seriously, dude? I've known you six hundred years and you're claiming you did this because you love someone? Do I need to start listing off names?"

"See, I knew it, you've been in love before and this is all because of the shiny toy feeling." I don't know if I'm upset by the revelation, but I feel I should be.

"Love, we've gone over this. I can't lie to you; we've already run that test. Shiny toy feeling left the building long ago," he says, trying to calm me.

"Have your lovers' spat later. Why does she smell so strong of wolf if she's been hanging around you? You don't usually play with the beastlies," Smitty states.

I notice that for some reason the room has started getting really warm. I'd thought it was imagination while I had a gun pointed at me, but there's definitely something wrong with the temperature. I'm not feeling all that great and I hope this conversation is going to be at an end soon, because I think I may just throw up.

"I was afraid of this," Sebastian says. "Smitty, we'll be back to talk in a second, but we need some privacy for about five minutes." He quickly lifts me and runs into a room, slamming the door behind us.

"What's wrong?" I ask. The quick movement didn't really help the way I feel. I'm definitely sweating now, which I didn't think a vampire tended to do.

"You need to feed now," Sebastian says, lifting me up. "Wrap your legs around me. Since I let you choose wrist years ago, my choice is neck, so get going."

"But baby fangs aren't out. I don't know how to do it," I whine, feeling sicker by the second.

"Just put your nose in close to my neck and inhale." He tilts his head to the right to make it simpler for me.

I do as instructed and breathe in his cinnamony goodness. "Yum," I whisper, rubbing my nose against his neck. Just the concentrated smell is making me feel not quite so bad.

I feel my gums tingling, so I open my mouth and start sucking on his vein to make it easier to get to.

"That's it, love. You're a natural." His voice as mysteriously gone hoarse.

When I start to roll his vein around with my tongue, I decide it's probably safe to bite, so I slowly sink my little baby fangs into his skin. The second the blood hits my tongue, I'm in ecstasy. My lady parts literally explode with pleasure.

"Perfect, that's just perfect," I hear Sebastian say as I start to feel him move our bodies against each other, causing some delicious friction. "See if you can't go just a little deeper." I bite down harder as instructed. "Oh God, that's it. Take as much as you need, love. Make sure you get good and full."

At this point, he's moving our bodies together so quickly and roughly, I'm about to climax again. I've sat on his lap a few times, but usually when he feeds we aren't touching this intimately, so there has never been the friction component. It's a factor I may have to insist on in the future.

"Sweet baby Jesus!" I yell, releasing my grip and hitting an octave, I didn't know I had. At the same moment, Sebastian suddenly stops moving and is holding me up while his body convulses.

After a few moments of deep cleansing breaths, he lowers me to the ground.

"Wait, I didn't do anything to close it," I say when my feet touch the carpet.

"No need. Super old vampire here, I heal immediately," he says, picking me up again anyway. "But I did forget how much I love to taste myself on your lips." He proceeds to crush his lips to mine, while working his tongue into my mouth and playfully toying with my fangs.

A knock on the door startles us into separating. "It sounded like a fascinating show and all, but could you guys come out, so we can finish our conversation?" Smitty asks.

Drat, dang vampire hearing. As lively and fun as our talk earlier seemed, I can just imagine how the end of the talk will be after two-thirds of the participants just took a break to pleasure themselves.

Chapter 10

A game of secrets

Sebastian leads us out of the room. He looks like he's floating on air, while I feel more like I'm taking a walk of shame. As a technical virgin, someone overhearing what happened in that room has got to be my most embarrassing moment.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he's heard a lot worse things than your first real feeding," Sebastian says, trying to soothe me.

"Worse, God yes. I've heard all sorts of things that I wish I didn't have supersonic hearing for. Your audio, though, would've probably scored big at any porn awards show. I can't remember a time I almost got off on just noise alone," Smitty responds as we enter his living area.

"That doesn't make it better," I say, covering my face.

"You needed to eat, love, before you got really sick. I gave us as much privacy as I could. I didn't figure you wanted to give him a floor show to go along with the sounds." Sebastian lifts my hands from my face and lowers them to my sides.

"You're right. I mean it isn't like we had our clothes off or anything, but visual would be worse."

Now that I'm not stuck behind Sebby or arguing with Smitty, I have a chance to look at the apartment we are in. It isn't anywhere near as nice as the penthouse, but it's tastefully decorated in a minimalistic way.

A black leather sectional is set up in the middle of the room as the focal point, with a glass coffee table set out a couple feet in front of it. There's a television hanging from the ceiling close to the wall opposite the sectional. There's no art, but the lighting is recessed like the penthouse. Other than that, there's nothing but black carpet and red walls.

"So, now that you guys have had your fun, let's go back to the question I had just asked. Why does she smell like dog?" Smitty asks.

"Because she's part wolf. She was born with both genes, but they'd been recessive traits. One of my feedings the other day got a little intense and she ended up taking a sip for herself, which we believe is what activated her fangs," Sebastian explains.

I smile at Smitty, showing off baby fangs, since they're still out. "Cute, aren't they?"

"This is priceless."

I decide to take offense to the snort Smitty followed his words with. "Apologize to baby fangs. They don't like you laughing at them."

"Don't worry, Ms. Slaughter. I'm not laughing at them. I'm trying to figure out how the Collective's human assassin has been out there this long and no one has reported back that she wasn't actually human," he says with a hysterical edge to his voice. "I mean, really, how ironic is that?"

"Sorry, I've lived a relatively sheltered life. I imagine most of the people at the Collective knew, but just couldn't, or wouldn't, tell me. Sebastian has known for years, but thankfully, he was nice enough to keep the information private. Although, it would've been nice if he mentioned it to me. Most of the other people I meet and deal with end up dead after the meeting, so they aren't fountains of information," I explain.

"So wait, not only are you this one of a kind hybrid, but you also didn't actually know it? This really does just keep getting better."

"All true statements, which brings us back to the reason we're here. She's parting with the Collective, but agreed to take on one more mission. I inadvertently made her interested in it, and it has now become a suicide mission.

"Even if she hadn't converted and left the co-Hab, this was going to be her last Collective mission, but since she did, we're now being followed, so we need to hide out until we can figure out where we're supposed to meet her target," Sebastian briefs him.

"Interesting. I'm guessing, since you're sounding knowledgeable of this mission you saw something in the future and that's what has led us to this point."

"That would be a correct guess," Sebastian confirms.

"So, is this target supposed to call or something? How are you going to know where to meet? Why would a target schedule a meeting in the first place?" he fires off.

"Because the target is Alexander Monroe," Sebastian states, like the name means something.

"Oh, now that makes things really interesting."

"You have no idea," Sebastian comments.

"Okay, who in the world is this Alexander guy? All my phone said was he liked to kill kids, but you obviously both know him."

"Yes, well I can tell you right now that Alex doesn't go around killing children. The Collective just wants him killed because he's the werewolf leader of their opposition. How they found out that information, I don't know, but, obviously, they feel threatened by it. We try to keep that kind of info on the down low," Smitty answers.

"There's actually a group mounting to take on the Collective?"

"You've been a part of them since you were a child, so you don't understand how corrupt they are," Sebastian says. "I mentioned that one of the things I've kept from you over the years is my real opinion of the Collective, and that's mainly because I'm a part of the opposition. Your oath at the time was to them, so I couldn't let you know."

"How involved are you? Maybe if you told me sooner there was this organization banding together against them, I would've gotten out sooner. I've known for a while that there's shady business going on inside those walls."

"How involved is he?" Smitty asks. "Alex may be the leader of the wolves, but Bastian here is the leader of us all. He's been looking for a way to take down the Collective since they had one of his pals killed decades ago. Probably before you were even born."

"Wow, look who's been keeping secrets," I say, staring at Sebastian.

"You have to admit telling the Collective's number one assassin that I was trying to bring the organization down, wouldn't have been a very healthy idea on my part," he claims.

"True, but if I told you my father was Aaron Gentry, would that mean anything to you?" I ask. I figure it's time to get all my cards out on the table.

"No way," Smitty says in a whisper. "Aaron has been buried deep underground for months now. After he infiltrated the Collective a while back, he said it was necessary to lie as low as he could go for at least a few months."

"That's because I told him it was necessary. I had an order of execution for him. It's the only one I've ever been handed that I didn't actually see through. I let him go and marked him as terminated. When anyone asked if he said anything before I killed him, I just always told them he didn't have a chance and didn't clue them in that I found out who he really was."

I turn to Sebastian and say, "I told you I wasn't the straight and narrow person everyone always believed me to be. I couldn't kill my own father, and I can tell you right now I don't regret that decision."

"You shouldn't. Aaron hasn't ever done anything wrong except work against the Collective. In your assassin status, you were only supposed to be sent on missions where the target had killed innocents. I wonder if they figured out that he was a spy," Sebastian says, stopping to ponder for a second.

"What if that wasn't what the order was about? He's very good at disguising himself and shouldn't have been found out. What if they figured out that you were his daughter? A simple blood test would've done it. They've had your blood for a couple decades, so if they somehow got a hold of his and put it in their computer, a match may have come up. We'll have to ask him what he remembers about the time."

"Why would they order him terminated for just being my father? Not only that, but why would they send me to do it? He might have said something, if he knew the truth, and I'd think they wouldn't want that to come out."

"It could've just been to test your loyalties or a test to see if he actually knew. Since you turned in the termination, hopefully they've closed the book on that chapter, and will allow Aaron to live in peace," Smitty says. "The man has done invaluable work for the cause and he deserves the rest and relaxation he's currently receiving."

"You knew who Alexander was and you still let me shoot him, why would you do that?" I ask Sebastian.

"A couple reasons, really. One, it made me feel better. Two, I had an interest in seeing if the bullet would harm him," Sebastian replies, shrugging at his description-lacking reply.

"I take it that's all I'm going to get out of you, so moving on in the here and now, what are our plans?" I ask.

"First things first, does Molly's mean anything to you?" Sebastian asks Smitty.

"Sure. It's the code name for an underground bar called Webster's. It's just before the end of the east tunnel." I didn't understand his words, but Sebastian seemed to.

"Good, then tomorrow afternoon we're heading there to have a meeting with Alex. If you still want to," Sebastian says.

"Might as well. It sounded like he had something he wanted to say, and I'd really like to know why my bullet didn't do the damage it was supposed to." I question whether I loaded that gun with the right bullets, but I know I don't make those kind of mistakes.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure he has tons to say. Sadly, I'm sure I won't like a word of it."

"I thought you were like brothers in arms with the guy. Why are you sounding so against him now?"

"Situations change, my love. There's no doubt Alex is a great guy to go into battle with. I'm just having a slight issue with him currently."

"Well, mister, just because you like my mysterious answers, don't expect the feeling to be reciprocated. In other words, if you got no real answer for me, zip your lips," I say, sticking out my tongue and just now noticing Lil and Bebe have disappeared. Those would be the names I decided to give my fangs for those of you at home.

"That could equate to days without hearing my voice," Sebastian says sarcastically.

"Whatever. Now, I'm getting a little sleepy. Are we staying here for the day or are we running somewhere else?"

"The spare room is yours," Smitty says. "Sheets should be clean and Bastian already knows where the bathroom is. I'm going to step out for a few minutes for a snack, but feel free to make yourselves at home." Just like that, he vanishes from sight and I hear a quick opening and closing of a door.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty," Sebastian says, picking me up. "You've already visited the bedroom once tonight. This time I'll turn on the light and you can actually see there's a bed."

"Don't bother. Just lay me on the bed and cover me up. If you really love me, you'll go ahead and remove my weapons. I'm down for the count and can't be bothered," I say as he follows orders perfectly and I venture off into dream world.

Chapter 11

This just keeps getting better

"Wake up, love," I hear Sebastian say as he nuzzles my hair.

"Why? Sleeping is fun," I reply.

"That it is, especially with you in the bed, but it's noon and I thought it would be fun to show up in the day just to mess with Alex."

"That does sound like fun. I'm guessing the majority of people don't know about your love of the sun," I say, stretching trying to wake myself up.

"That would be very true. I'm sure none of the wolves know, and very few vampires do. I think it's time to let my true power be made aware."

"We don't have any clothes here, do we? We'll have to remedy that after our meeting, because I'm feeling grungy." I push him over on his back and giving him a sweet kiss on the lips. I packed all of my weapons on my person, but left the duffle bag full of my clothes behind. It was a brilliant move on my part.

"So, are you really offended by me introducing you as my girlfriend? Is there another term you'd rather me use?"

The fact had taken a back burner to everything else, and I'm a little surprised he's bothering to bring it up.

"You don't think acquaintance is strong enough?" I ask sweetly.

"Since we can't live without each other, I think mere acquaintances is a little weak, love."

"You're probably right. Can I think of what term sounds good to me and get back to you? I guess for now you can go with girlfriend, unless you want to tell everyone I'm your midnight snack. How far away is this meeting location?"

I manage to drag myself out of bed, but other than getting my feet on the wood, I don't get very far. I'm not used to having someone wake me up.

"It'll take us about thirty minutes to get there, so we should probably get going. When we're done here, hopefully we can get back to our penthouse and figure out where to go from there," he says, joining me at becoming vertical.

"You think it's safe for us to go back to the city?" I'm sure the penthouse is being watched, so I figured we'd be going underground, especially since he believes the Collective is trying to kill me.

"Don't worry, we'll be well protected. Let's go. Smitty's asleep for the day, so he won't be joining us." He grabs my hand and leads me out to the living room.

Walking over to the television, he hits a button causing it to rise into the ceiling. He then stands on tiptoe and presses a button on the wall behind where the television was. The wall slides away, opening up a passageway.

"If I spend more time in the penthouse, will I find cubby holes like this?"

"As I said, we'll be well protected there. You can't go up against an organization like the Collective and not have plenty of secret weapons," he states, walking into the passage.

"And do you consider me one of those secret weapons?" I follow him closely, not wanting to get lost.

"Not unless you want to be. As always the choice is yours. If you did want to become a weapon for our side, you'd be the greatest one we have in our portfolio."

"I think greatest is a little overkill." We start making our way down a very long flight of stairs. For the most part everything is dark, but there are little sconces every so often lighting the way.

"You're unique, so no one knows what you can really do, especially since you grew the fangs. I don't think greatest is too far of a stretch." His voice echoes a little in the tunnel as he speaks.

"I do. So, do you know what's going to happen at this little meeting? He'd made it pretty clear he had some ideas, but he wasn't sharing with me last night.

"This is one of the moments where I choose to be silent. I haven't seen anything specific about your interactions with Alex since the first time, and many things have changed since then. I do, however, know Alex, so it's bound to be exciting." I can tell he's smirking.

"You should've stopped at choosing to be silent," I retort.

"But it's so fun to ruffle your feathers, love."

"Is Tuesday your day to be annoying?"

"Turn here. We're done with the stairs, now we just have to get to the other side of the city," he replies. "And no, Tuesdays aren't my annoying days. I reserve those for Saturday."

"Good thing I'm in shape, otherwise I would've been dragging by now. How well do you know these tunnels?" I don't know the extent of them, but I figure they cover the whole city.

"I helped build them, so I know them better than most. There are also markings on the wall to indicate where we're going. I'm guessing your night vision isn't active. Just as well, I like leading you around."

So, he proceeds to do just that. If I was asked later to follow the path from Smitty's to the bar alone, I'd be lost. If the way smelled like cinnamon still, I might be able to make it a little ways, but I highly doubt it.

As we go deeper into the tunnels, shops start to appear. A small grocery store, a bookstore and a couple restaurants line the way. Before too long, Sebastian stops in front of a nondescript door.

"This has to be it, we're at the end of this tunnel," he says as he reaches out and turns the doorknob. It doesn't seem locked, so that's a good sign.

We enter a typical looking bar. There's a giant wood counter lined with a dozen or so bar stools. The wall behind the bar is lined with alcohol of all kinds and giant mirrors. Scattered throughout the room are half a dozen tables. The lighting is low, but I can make out a few pool tables in the back of the room. This time of day must be really slow for business because I don't see a single customer.

"What can I get ya?" a man behind the bar asks. He has an Irish or Scottish accent, for some reason I never can tell those two apart.

"Just here to have a talk with Alex, Joe. Have you seen him around?" Sebastian asks.

"I'm a little surprised at ya bringing an assassin into our midst. If Alex hadn't already mentioned she might be stopping by, I would've probably shot her on first sight."

"You would have tried," I remark. "Others have tried and, so far, no one has been successful."

"It's the thought that counts," he counters. "Alex said you could go on back. Didn't even ask me to check for weapons. Pretty silly, if you ask me."

"He knows she won't kill him once they speak, so he has nothing to worry about. When does the traffic start to pick up in here?"

"Not until the sun goes down, so you have a few hours. Every once in a while a wolf or shifter may stumble in before then, but it is rare."

"That's what I wanted to hear. We probably won't be long, so your customers won't run away from the sight of her," Sebastian says, laughing as he leads me to the back of the room. On the way, he pulls a light cord hanging overhead and a wall opens.

"How did you know to do that if you haven't been here before?" I ask.

"The bar and name are new to me, but I know everything there is to know about the location."

We walk behind the wall into an open area where bench seating around the wall horseshoes the entrance. Alexander is casually lying along the far wall with one of his knees up.

"Babe, you brought the blood sucker. I find myself a little disappointed. Don't trust yourself to keep your hands off of me without him here?" he asks.

"I have a name, use it, and my hands are having no problem not reaching out to you."

"That really hurts, Nyx," he says with emphasis on his use of my name. "I take it you were able to help her out last night, Sebastian?"

"That was a little rude of you, but yes I helped. It wasn't my place to say anything and since you were absent, I thought it best."

"It would've probably been a lot to take in. I'm guessing the fangs are a newer touch, since the grapevine hasn't reported them, yet."

"How did you know about them?" I ask, moving my tongue around to make sure they aren't sticking out.

"The only way Sebastian could've helped last night is if your vampire gene was activated," he states simply.

"What do you know about my genes?"

"Enough. We've crossed paths before, correct that, I've come across you before. Just one chance passing on a street, told me a world of information about you."

"Sebastian, have you been giving him mysterious lessons? Because I've had it up to the sky with all this crap. Someone just tell me what is going on," I bellow.

"Well, love, last night answered whether or not your werewolf gene could ever be activated now that I've triggered the vampire one. That answer is yes. I didn't feed you last night because you were hungry."

"I do wonder what would happen if she ever tried to take a sip from me," Alexander interrupts, causing Sebastian to growl. "Don't worry. We aren't at that point in our relationship yet, fang boy.

"Babe, the reason you had to take a bite out of him last night is because meeting your werewolf mate made you want to shift. You got all connected on the chemical level everyone is always talking about. If he wouldn't have interrupted the change, you would've gone furry, and since I wasn't there to assist, it really was best for it not to happen, just yet."

"I sincerely hope you aren't implying what I think you are. As far as I know, you're the only werewolf I met last night and I would rather die than have you as my mate, you inconsiderate jerk."

The scowl I gave him would probably be forever etched on my face. I don't know him well enough to really take it that far, but first impressions are trending that direction.

"You're just too cute. Apparently, you dying is just what the Collective had in mind when they sent you after me. If you'd been successful, you wouldn't be standing here right now. Of course, since you have a connection with both of us now, I do wonder if you may be able to survive a single one of us dying. I guess it will depend on your diet and such, but that's talk for another day," Alexander remarks.

"That's what you meant by it being a suicide mission," I say to Sebastian, trying my best to ignore there was someone else in the room with us for as long as I could. "But wait, I did shoot you. How come it didn't have the normal effect?"

"That would be because my mate isn't a normal werewolf, and as I imagine parts of your lifestyle are rubbing off on Sebastian, I, too, get to benefit from our relationship. You aren't the first assassin they've sent for me. Thankfully, the others came after I saw you eight months ago. Since then, I've learned silver doesn't have its usual effect on me. I have to assume that's because of you.

"I imagine that's also why the Collective ended up sending you. After three assassins returned to them peeing their pants, and two were never to be heard from again, they had to resort to the big guns. Whether or not they know why silver no longer affects me, I can't say, but I have a hunch they're aware of our tie," he says, finally deeming it time to sit up.

In the darkened room, I can't get a good fix on his features, but the Collective's photo indicated he has bright green eyes. Those are what actually made me comment on his appearance to Sebastian. Even in the photo, they searched you out and made you want to spill all of your secrets. Too bad, he's an ass in real life.

"So, this means I'm seriously going to be sprouting fur? What if I don't want to, can it be stopped?" I ask. "It seemed that Sebastian was able to stop it last night, can we just keep doing that?"

"I would prefer you didn't," Alexander replies. "At least not when I'm not forewarned, it's rather awkward from my point of view."

"What do you mean?" In my mind, my feeding shouldn't have any effect on him.

"He feels it when we feed. Probably even experiences the same ending result, if I were to guess," Sebastian offers.

"Yup, for the last eight months, nine times my regular scheduled life has been interrupted by you two. As I said, if someone sent me a memo about it, so I can seek privacy, I wouldn't be complaining. It's made a couple strategy meetings more interesting, though. Thankfully, I'm a gentleman and don't kiss and tell, so the people around me don't really know what happened," he explains.

"How did you know it was us causing it? Maybe you were just really randy at those times," I suggest.

"I didn't at first. I followed you into Sins after the fourth time, just to try to make sense of it. I didn't know anyone else I could be connected with on that level, and since I experienced the phenomenon that night, I put two and two together. Remarkably, I came up with four."

My newly developing relationship with Sebastian seems to have grown a third wheel, and I'm not really sure how I feel about that. Okay, that's a lie. I'm pissed by the thought of even being connected to this jerk.

Chapter 12

How do you spell jerk? A L E X

"Great. So, what do we do now?" I ask.

"Well, Babe, I thought at first about the rejection way out of this mating, but decided I liked being immune to silver, so I discarded that idea pretty quickly. Plus, even though I can take bullets now and heal pretty quickly, I still don't enjoy pain that much and rumor is rejection hurts.

"I think you've had quite a bit of time to grow affectionate with your fangy side of things, so eventually I think we're going to have to spend a little bit of time together. Otherwise, our relationship would be a little bit strained.

"I say, you go back home and get settled into whatever life you're planning to make for yourself, and in a couple months I'll seek you out so we can go on some dates to get to know each other better. I'll note ahead of time that Sebastian is not invited to these dates, so please leave him at home."

"Why? Do you see us settling down sometime soon and having one big happy family? You can keep your extra abilities and just let us live our lives. Sure, Sebastian may need to help keep me from changing into a wolf, and we'll probably feed every once in a while, but I can call you when we plan to and give you warning," I propose.

"You want to tell her, or should I?" Alex asks, his full name is just too long I've decided.

"It's part of your culture, not mine," Sebastian says.

"Fine. Since it's September, we have less than four months to get to know each other better, before we're forced to get to know each other better."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I know how it sounds, I just really hope I'm not right. If my life hadn't already changed enough, being forced into intimacy is definitely a line I don't want to see in the sand.

"Love, it means that January is the Wolf Moon. During the Wolf Moon, wolf mates do what they do best and mate. You basically will be going into heat, and sadly, he'll probably be the only one who can alleviate the problem," Sebastian offers.

"No, that just ain't right. You can't expect me to submit to that. Lock me in a closet and throw away the key until it is over." I pray that tactic will be enough.

"You really are just adorable," Alex says, standing and crossing the room to pinch my cheek, like a child stuck in their grandmother's clutches. "Don't cause us both unnecessary pain. I've already offered to adjust my schedule so we can get to know each other better. I'll even allow the fact that you'll probably practice with your vampire before then, but I won't allow you to refuse me."

"What makes you think you get a choice of what you 'allow'? I live my own life and make my own decisions," I screech. People thinking they have any say in my life is becoming a big pet peeve for me.

"You haven't made a decision by yourself since the day you were born. The Collective has guided you all the way. I've already stated my aversion to pain, and the pain from not mating would be so intense I would find you anyway and take you against your will. It'd be for your own good if you didn't resist."

"And what if I were the one to just reject you now. That would mean we don't have to go through with it, right?" I ask.

"Do you know how to reject a mate? It isn't something they teach in school, sweetheart, so I don't think I have anything to worry about."

"I hate you!" I yell at him.

My first impressions are turning out to be right. I hate having any freedom stripped away from me, and every word that comes out of his mouth seems to be taking more. I never thought I'd want to be a regular human, but the idea passes through my mind.

"We can't all be as perfect as Sebastian. Maybe if I didn't have such a problem with sharing you, I'd be a little bit more sympathetic. Mates are supposed to be instantly connected and all lovey-dovey I've heard, but you not being single natured is causing a strain on that easy relationship. It isn't like I can just run out and pick a willing girl to fill my bed when you aren't around," Alex retorts.

"Maybe you should try it. It might take the edge off a little for you," I suggest.

"Wouldn't that be nice? Too bad, it isn't possible. If I were to do that, as my mate, you would feel it and feel like your heart was being stabbed with very sharp knives. The thought of you being hurt, for some odd reason, is distasteful to me. Believe me, if I could find a way around that fact, I'd be out having fun at all hours," he says with a look that would probably knock over most women and children.

"Your 'feedings' with the vampire don't have an adverse effect because we're all somehow connected, but don't think I haven't felt you kissing someone else. It isn't as bad as it could be if you had full intercourse, but I still feel it."

"You don't have to be so cruel about it," Sebastian says. "We can work something out. We're all adults and you and I are leaders in our species, there's no reason to be childish."

"You want to see childish, watch this," Alex says, and then moves so fast that I don't see him grab me, instantly locking his lips on mine.

As big of a jerk as he's been, I don't open my mouth for him, even though the contact itself is increasing my body temperature dramatically. He realizes he isn't getting any further and sets me down. His release of me doesn't help my overheating, and I feel myself start to shake. I slowly fall to the ground in pain.

"Sebastian?" I call weakly.

"No, he isn't helping you this time. This time we get to see what you really are," Alex interjects.

I close my eyes, trying to find a calm place somewhere in the pain. I feel arms wrap around me and know they are not the evil wolf's.

"Shh, love," Sebby says, smoothing my hair back from my face. "It will be okay. It's probably best to have your first change in his company, even if he's going to be a jerk about it and not guide you through it."

"She thinks she knows everything, I figure she knows what to do."

"Way to make an already difficult situation worse, Alex. I'm not trying to keep her to myself. I could have and she never would've made the bond with you. Instead, I'm letting her make up her mind on where her life will go after the Collective, but you're being a grade A ass about it. You really need to grow up and think about someone other than yourself," Sebastian yells at him.

Hearing him stick up for me makes me extremely happy to have him by my side. "What do I do?" I weakly ask.

"Sorry, love. This is a case where I can't help you. I would if I could. Just try to let the process take over. Don't fight," he says still caressing me.

"Why didn't she just change? I initiated the process; it should've been pretty much instantaneous," I hear Alex say in the background. "This pain shouldn't be happening either."

"She isn't a full wolf, idiot. Who knows how things are supposed to happen for her? She's one of a kind and needs to be handled a lot differently than I have seen today," Sebastian snaps at him.

"Here step away. Let me see if the scent of the wolf doesn't calm her more." I feel shuffling, and then feel my head lifted so my nose is in the curve of a neck. "Inhale, Babe. Breathe it all in."

I do as the voice says and instantly I'm hit with the smell of baking bread. "Hmm. Smells good," I mumble.

"It does, doesn't it? You smell real good, too. Now, think of a wolf. You saw me change last night; think of me in my other form. Think of what it would feel like to run your fingers through my hair. Think of running through the forest chasing the moon beams floating to the forest floor," he instructs.

His voice has changed from the harshness I've heard since we entered the room. It's like a soft serenade that's drawing images in my head. I can vividly see him in his black wolf form, standing proudly and running through the trees.

As I'm imagining it, I start to feel pressure in my mouth very similar to what I feel when Lil and Bebe make an appearance. This feeling is more, though, and it's like someone has put their hand in my mouth and is trying to tilt my head past the point of my jaw hinge.

"Hurts," I say, not sure if I'm really speaking. The next thing I know, I've been released and I'm sitting on my hands in knees as my body starts shaking even more violently. Bones seem to be realigning themselves and I can feel my form shifting. If this is what I have to go through to shift into a wolf, I'm hooking up an IV between me and Sebby, so I never have to do it again.

After a few more moments of shifting bones, the pain stops. I collapse down, so I'm lying flat on the floor. A gasp is sounded in the otherwise dead silent room, and I direct my head to Sebastian where it came from.

"Love, I have to tell you, you are the prettiest wolf I have ever seen. Since I don't particularly like the wolves, you should take that as a very high compliment," Sebastian says affectionately.

A wolf howl echoes through the small space and the next thing I know Alex, in his black wolf form, is pushing his snout into my side trying to get me to move. I stand up and say, "What do you want?" I don't think any words actually left my mouth, which kind of bites.

"Oh good," Sebastian says. "I was worried only another wolf would be able to understand you, but I can hear you, too."

"I just need to scent you," Alex says. "Sorry, this is probably weird for you, but when you finally changed I couldn't stop myself from changing as well. I won't actually bite you to mark you as mine until January, but until then I have to ensure that you carry my scent."

"What exactly does that entail?" I ask suspiciously.

"I'm not going to pee on you if that's what you're asking. I'm just going to bite down gently on the back of your neck. It won't leave a mark, but it will hold my scent on your skin, even if you shower, for a couple weeks," he explains.

"Sebastian, is that okay?" To me, he's as much a part of this as me or Alex. From how Alex has acted today, him getting close to me with his wolf fangs is not exactly appealing.

"Always your choice, love. It may help the situation. You smell strongly of me right now because of the feeding last night, so it's probably been difficult for him. I can acclimate myself to the combined scents without too much misery."

"Okay, you can do it," I instruct, and feel Alex move to lower me back to the ground, probably for easier access to my neck.

When I'm lying back down, I feel him hover over me before lowering his head and clamping his jaws around my neck. His teeth make contact with my skin and he holds the position for a few moments, and then steps away.

"Thank you. I feel more at ease now," he tells me. "I'm sorry for making this change hard on you. I hope future ones aren't as painful. I can't promise I'll stop being a dick. It's really hard knowing I have to share you and that will take some getting used to, but hopefully Sebastian is right and we can find some kind of happy medium."

"That's a total one eighty from what you have been like, so far. I'm not comfortable with the situation myself. I've had years to reluctantly fall in love with Sebastian. You were kind of just thrown at me, and every time I turn around you're a jerk." I decide werewolf males must be really hormonal, or something. They flip from hot to cold like nothing.

"I know we didn't start out very well. Feeling your pain just then broke my heart. Like I said, we'll work on it. Sebastian has my number, when you get things settled, give me a call and we'll try to get together. I think we both have a lot to learn about one another," he says.

"So, fences are being repaired, how about someone answer the important question for me? What color wolf am I?" I ask. "The room is too dark for me to really tell and I don't think my vision has quite adjusted to things."

Chapter 13

A little tale about me

"Gold," Sebastian says with a little bit of awe and whisper to his voice. "It isn't a shade I've ever seen in a werewolf, or natural wolf. It's really quite beautiful. If there were more light in here, I imagine it would reflect the beams making you sparkle."

"He's right, gold, at least that shade, is not an expected color for a wolf of any kind. It's something we should probably keep under wraps. You're already unique enough with your triple nature, adding this may cause others to become concerned," Alex adds.

"Darn, I was hoping I was somehow purple. I imagine that would really get people talking. Now that we've gone through the painful shift, how do I change back?" I dreaded the process, but I didn't want to sit around in the confined space all furry.

"I can shift back and bring you with me, if you want. I really didn't know you weren't going to be able to do an instant shift earlier, or I would've tried a different method to call out the wolf."

"As little pain as possible would be preferred," I impart.

"One, two, and three." Alex counts it out and we're both back in our humanoid forms fully dressed.

"That was a way nicer experience." Not having to feel bones reshaping again was more than likely going to be the highlight of my day. "So, where do we want to go from here? Now that you've calmed down, let's try to talk about some things like adults."

"Got it, practicing my yoga deep breathing exercises now. I promise I'm not usually as uptight as you've seen me today."

"First, on the very top of my list of things to work out, is nicknames. I hate the term babe, so unless you want to lose testicles, you need to come up with something else. Love and Cheeseburger are already spoken for. Nyxie has been used by others, but it currently saddens me a bit, so I don't suggest it either," I explain.

"Really, it offended you that much that with the chaos between us, you made it number one priority?" Alex asks, sounding a little offended. "Fine. I'll come up with something different. As we spend more time together, I'm sure I'll come up with the perfect name."

I see his eyes roll as he speaks, and suppose it isn't the number one thing that needs to be addressed, but if he calls me babe one more time, testicles really were in danger.

"Thank you. As for the rest of our personal issues, I really don't know where to start. I only started what I see as my first romantic relationship within the past two days, so I don't even know how to make it work with one guy, let alone two. I kind of feel like a child whose parents are going through a divorce. I mean, do you guys get me every other weekend or what?"

"If you want, I won't stay with you at the penthouse," Sebastian suggests from beside me. After the changes were done, he'd moved quickly to be next to me. "At least for the time being when Alex is in town. I'll be in the building, but not sharing a bed. That way you can be independent and be allowed to date us both without the weirdness of me being there when he walks you home."

"Sometimes you're just way too understanding, Sebby. I'm still nervous about this, but that seems like a way for us to all start getting used to being around each other. If I'm going to for sure need to eat every once in a while, and at least once a year turn into a wild woman, we need to find a happy medium where we all coexist."

"As long as you're still offering phone calls before feedings, I'm game with us taking it slow and becoming accustomed to each other's company," Alex says.

"See, that wasn't that hard. So, for today, Sebby and I are going to head back and try to piece a life together for me post Collective. I need a storefront I think. I'm imagining me being like a private detective or something. I don't really want to just go around killing people for no good reason. I want to first substantiate the claims made against them, and then hack them to little bits."

"I can see that. Previously, you've had the Collective making the choices on who should die and I'm sure you realize now, like in the case of Alex and your father, not all of their execution orders are legit," Sebastian says.

"Really? I heard rumors they sent you after your old man, but that's really harsh," Alex offers.

"Thankfully for him, when I asked if he had any last requests, he had a really good one."

"Now that's a story I'd love to hear. Why don't we all sit down and you can tell us what happened," Sebastian suggests.

"I second that. It sounds like you let him live, so I'd love to hear an answer that moves killer Nyx Slaughter to spare a life," Alex adds.

"Fine. I'm not really that great of a story teller, but if you guys insist, we can go over the tale. This is a secure location, right? I don't want to endanger the man. At some point, I'm going to want to sit down with him and figure out how I came to be on this planet."

As far as I knew, he was the only one who had those kind of answers. Things had moved so quickly to get him to safety, that we never had the chance to really talk.

"As far as we know, the Collective doesn't know of this place and even if they did, we have so many jammers in place, we're lucky we can even carry on a conversation ourselves," Alex insists.

"Okay, it was five months ago. I'd actually just finished one execution and got an emergency assignment. I'd never gotten one before, but had heard of others receiving them, so I didn't think anything of it. The location was nearby and the offense was killing a woman. I tracked him to the west side library in Night Owl City.

"I waited for him to come out, and then followed him to a hotel nearby. After following him to find out which room he was staying in, I scouted the place for a couple hours to see if anyone came or went. Eventually, I snuck into his room. He was sleeping at the time, and since I like to give my speech, I nudged him with my gun to wake him," I tell them, remembering what it was like first meeting my father.

"They're quicker than I thought," he said. "Let me straighten up real quick. I want to look my best for my execution." I backed up a little giving him some room. The gun remained pointed at him the whole time, so I wasn't worried about him getting away. "I find it very interesting that they sent you, Nyx."

"I was close by and available. Don't read anything more into it. Your offense was actually pretty mild for what I usually handle," I informed him.

He stands up next to the bed and adjusts his clothing. He doesn't totally tower over me, like most male wolves, so he's maybe five nine. He has shoulder length dark hair, probably black, but I can't see for certain in this light, which is preventing me from getting a really good look at him.

"What trumped up charge did they get me for?" he asked.

"Have you done so many things that you don't have a clue what they could've charged you with?"

"Technically speaking, I haven't done anything to warrant death, so you'll have to tell me."

"Your crime is killing a woman, and I have other things I want to do tonight, so let's move on with this. Do you have any last requests?" I asked.

"I have many, the main one would be to let me live, but I imagine you hear that one a lot," he stated.

"A few times, anything else? Because that request has never been granted."

"How about the fact that I'd like to live to see my grandchildren grow inside of you?"

"I'll give you a point for originality. I haven't heard that request before."

"Because no other male could make that request. Since I'm the only one that can make the claim and back it up, I have the right to make the request," he replied.

"And just how do you expect to make me believe that you're my long lost father? I was a baby when I was left to the Collective to raise and have been told all my life no one knows who my parents are."

In my mind I had no trouble disbelieving his claim. The odds of me running into my father during an execution are astronomical.

"You have me for a father and just my werewolf blood isn't enough to make you wolf, but everyone from my line gets a small purplish wolf head on their right thigh. You obviously don't have to show me yours, but if you'd like, I'll show you mine."

"That information could have been found in one of my files. Drop your pants and show me the mark," I told him. "Slowly."

"Yes, dear," he said, and proceeded to turn a little to the side and work his sweatpants down to his knees. He then lifted the corner of his boxers slightly to reveal the birthmark he described that matches mine perfectly.

"Aaron is your dad?" Alex asks bringing me back to the present.

"You've seen the birthmark?" I ask.

"No, but the family mark is well known. They're descendants of the first werewolf. If we still had a hierarchy, they'd be at the top. I always thought that the Gentry's didn't have female offspring," Alex declares. "In fact, I'm sure I've never heard of one."

Interesting. I knew I had a lot to learn about my heritage. Maybe I can find some reliable books somewhere. "Do you want to see the mark to prove my story?"

"No need. I imagine, eventually, I'll see it anyway, but you taking off clothing with all three of us in a room won't end well, so we should leave that reveal for another time," Alex says.

"Good, I didn't feel like doing it anyway. Well, my two potential beaus, I think I've had enough revelations for a while. What do you guys expect the Collective to do when they figure out we haven't killed each other off?"

"They'll send more people after us. As Alex has already said, you're the sixth to come looking for him. We're currently very durable, well at least us guys are. I sincerely hope with the two genes activated, you've become so, too. If not, we're screwed. As a precaution, when we get back to the city I vote to have guards with you at all times," Sebastian suggests.

"I'm a trained assassin. I'll look like a pansy, if I have to have guards," I whine in my most unpleasant voice.

"This is one thing I agree with fang face on," Alex comments. "Right now, you may be the weak link between the three of us. If you go down, we all do, and as much as you currently dislike me, we all know you love Sebastian and would hate to be the cause of his death."

"Do I get to pick the guards at least? What about the fact that I'm still a baby vampire and may need to feed on a frequent basis?" I ask.

After finding out that last night's meal was only necessary for wolfy reasons, I highly doubt I'll have an uncontrollable thirst any time soon. The more I think about it, the more I realize I have no idea what to expect.

"I'll be in the city and be able to reach you within a minute. I imagine, at least half of the time I'll be with you anyway. Not in boyfriend, or whatever you want to call it, capacity, but as a teacher to the real paranorm way of things. I won't have all the wolf answers, but I'll be able to help you make sense of the lies the Collective has been shoving down your throat," Sebastian replies.

"So, I'm going to start my new business with guards shadowing my every move? I don't think that sounds like something I want to put on my business cards."

"Do you have plenty of guards for the different shifts?" Alex asks. "With all these attempts on my life, I'm not sure I can personally come and offer my assistance, at least not immediately. I have a few things I'll need to tie up here first. Then, I can bring myself and my guard into town and see how brave the Collective really is."

"I have quite a few vampires readily available. That leaves daytime hours a bit open still. We usually sleep then, and I imagine that might be when the biggest threat is. Maybe if we turn our hours around for a little while, that will catch them off guard.

"If you have a few werewolves you can spare, I think we may be able to give a big enough display that the Collective will be forced to step back a little. I doubt they've seen a vampire walking around in daylight. I think that will be one of the first things I show them upon our return. Just to let them know what they're really dealing with," Sebastian says with a smirk.

"If it's played as a sign of strength, and not just people milling around waiting to jump in front of a bullet for me, I'll go for it. I also want to start the real vampire training as soon as we get back. If I can prove to you that I can fight good enough to defeat you, I get to lose any guards, right?"

"Sure, I will make that deal," Sebastian says instantly.

"I don't know how old he is, but I think you just made a deal you will never win," Alex provides.

"We'll just have to see about that," I state.

"One more thing before we go," Sebastian says. "She has a wolf who's severely attached to her in the Collective. Your scenting her will block his attentions, right?"

It's Alex's turn to growl. "For everyone except me, her triple nature should be a turn off. The bit of wolf they could smell would confuse them more than anything when the gene wasn't fully activated. Does the kid have mental damage?"

"If you were to ask me, yes. He believes them to be a couple and, last I knew, was hoping to talk things over, so they could get back together," Sebastian replies.

"Ryan isn't a bad guy. He's stuck by my side all my life. His feelings just went in a direction that mine didn't," I explain.

"His feelings have no place going in that direction. Yes, it's possible for us to enjoy the company of others before we find our mate, but usually we keep them to little flings where both parties know one day it will end with no hard feelings on either side. We just don't fall madly in love with a person other than our mate. I wasn't joking when I asked about the mental damage. Are you sure there isn't something physically or mentally wrong with him?" Alex asks.

"As far as I know, he's fine. Just recently, he tried to take a relationship to a place that I wasn't comfortable with. Knowing that he had a girl out there somewhere who was made for him, I pulled away from the relationship. Maybe he just wanted one of these flings you described and didn't articulate that to me. I wouldn't have consented to it, but that could have been the case. The last time we talked, though, he was so irate that I smelled of another guy that he blew his lid. I'd never seen him that way before."

"I'll investigate. We have a couple operatives in the Collective now, so I'll see if they can get a hand on his medical records. I have a feeling something is wrong with him," Alex says. "Now, my dear and fangy, we should probably draw this meeting to a close. I'll try to wrap up my business and head into Night Owl as quickly as possible. I see no weapons on our girl, so I assume you have to go back to where you stayed last night before you leave town, and that place is Smitty's, yes?"

"That would be correct," Sebastian offers.

"Good. I'll have two guards sent to join you on your journey and I'll work to rustle up some more to meet you in the city," he says.

He moves to my side and grabs a hold of my hands. I'm still not really comfortable with his touch, so I don't close my hands around his. I can see the hurt in his eyes at this action, but there's nothing I can do about that. "I'll see you soon, but until then, try to keep yourself alive. I'd love to give you a kiss right now, but I have a feeling we aren't at that point in our relationship."

"Your feeling would be correct. It was interesting meeting you, Alex. You'll go down with the heralded after accomplishment of being one of only two targets Nyx Slaughter had an execution order for that she didn't carry out," I say with a smile.

"I hope in time, I'll add many more accomplishments to that list. For now, I bid you adieu, Nyx Slaughter, with the hope of seeing you again soon," he says, returning the smile.

"Good-bye, Alexander Monroe," I say, and follow Sebastian back out into the bar.

Chapter 14

Making friends as I go

"That could have gone better," Sebastian says as we're making our way back to Smitty's.

"You think? I was thinking, at the beginning, we were really going to have to test that theory on whether I'd die if he were killed. I wonder how many bullets I could've shot into him before he stopped being a jerk."

"So, you really aren't instantly in love with him like normal mates would be?" he asks quietly.

"Are you kidding?" I scoff. "No way. It will probably take us years of therapy to get to the level you and I are on, if that's even possible. Not that I really want another 'love' added to my life. I was more than happy just trying to grow what we have. Even in our relationship, I didn't picture me ever settling down and being the quote perfect couple. I love you and all, but I still don't see the white picket fence in my future."

"You're a very unique being, love. I strive for us to be that perfect couple, but of course I've been connected to you a little bit longer. I 've spent years feeling your emotions and adjusting myself to the person you need me to be."

"I believe that answers a question I haven't felt like asking, just yet. If you wouldn't have bonded with me, you wouldn't be in 'love' with me today, would you?"

"We'll never know. I don't regret doing it for a second," Sebastian says firmly.

"Of course not, you get to eat real food now and who knows what else you may have picked or will pick up. So far, the freak events of my birth seem to have great benefits to the guys involved."

He stops in his tracks and turns around to face me, causing me to stumble. "I don't regret doing it because I'm stuck for eternity to an amazing, strong, beautiful woman. Like I really care about being able to eat a steak. So far, your wolf side has done little or nothing for me.

"Other than them sprouting fur, there isn't much they can do that I already couldn't, so unlike Alex's new found silver resistance, I don't benefit. The bond made it so I could only feed from you, which actually makes me more vulnerable. Does that sound like I achieved tons of benefits by doing this?" he asks, shaking my shoulders gently.

"I did this knowing what drawbacks there were, but still decided that you had something I had to be connected to in order to protect. Did I do it out of love? No. We didn't even know each other at the time, but the romantic side of me hoped that maybe something would grow out of it. We at least started off friendly, so I'd hoped I wouldn't find you over my bed one day with an execution order in your hand and you carrying it out no questions asked."

"You always know the right things to say. How do you do that?" I ask. "Okay, pity party over. We can't go back to change the circumstances of your decision. I still think it was stupid and as far as I've seen there isn't anything all that special about me. If anything, I'm just a freak of nature."

"Maybe I'll suggest to Alex that freak would be a perfect nickname for you, or maybe I'll just start calling you that myself. There's no denying that the word does describe you. I'll have to write to the dictionary companies and submit your photo to be included next to the word."

"Jerk. Let's hurry up and get my guns and knives. I want to go home."

"Aye, aye, Captain," he says, lifting me up bridal style and taking off in a run. Within seconds, we are back at Smitty's door.

"Why didn't you do that in the first place?" I ask, catching my breath.

"On the way there, I was buying time. On the way back, I wanted to see what you were feeling."

He puts me down and I see we're in Smitty's living area, but we're not alone. Smitty is sitting looking very disgruntled and two hulking men are standing leaning up against a wall with their arms across their chests. These guys are literally huge. I think someone needs to check them for banned substances.

"You two have an explanation for why these two mutts were pounding on my door, waking me from a very peaceful days rest?" Smitty asks.

"I'm guessing they aren't door-to-door salesmen," I offer.

"No, they're your guards, love," Sebastian explains. "Alex and I thought it best that she be guarded at all times. If anything happens to her, we all three would probably die."

"Oh shit!" he exclaims, making me laugh. "She's Monroe's fricken mate, too? What did you guys do last night? Go to bed praying that this already messed up situation would step up the ladder a little on the totally preposterous scale?"

"I already knew the situation, so no praying was necessary," Sebastian states. "A few other things were revealed that would probably blow your mind, so I'll save those for another date." Sebastian directs his attention to the wolves in the room. "Can I get your names, please?"

The slightly bigger of the two steps forward. He has dark brown hair with matching eyes and a scowl that seems to be permanently attached. They're both dressed in all black attire that should blend in well with me. "I'm Jonas and this is Jake. We've been told to protect the woman with our lives."

"I'm sure giving up your lives won't be necessary. I imagine, you already know who I'm, so you should know that I can defend myself fairly well."

"We're aware you are Slaughter. Alex was very clear in stating that we were not to allow you to even get a paper cut, though, so we may have some issues about what you think we're going to do here," Jonas responds.

"Seriously, the jerk said I couldn't get a paper cut? I'm going to shoot him. Sebastian, you had better straighten him out. If I have to talk to him, we're all going to end up dead. I can't believe he'd say something like that. I told him what my plans were for when I got back to the city, and they weren't wrapping myself in bubble wrap and sitting in my room all day," I yell a little louder than necessary.

I'm pretty sure there's smoke coming out my ears at this point. I thought we had left the meeting all on the same page. Why in the world would he decide I needed this level of protection?

"I'm surprised he only sent you two, if those where his instructions," Sebastian says, giggling like a girl.

"Not helping. Let's get on the road. We can figure out how this is actually going to work later. It's not like Alex will know if I get a paper cut, so maybe we can just keep that information from him," I propose.

"You guys are chemically bonded now," Sebastian says in the midst of a full on laugh. "He'll feel any damage your body takes. Since he already felt the bond before, he's probably been feeling it for months."

"I need a second, please," I say, heading to the bedroom I stayed in last night. I see my knives and am happy they haven't been moved. I pick one up and stab it into each of the fingertips on my left hand. I've never been shy around pain and the wounds don't even bleed. Temper tantrum over, I walk back out to the living area.

"Hold on, she's right here," Sebastian says, handing me the phone. "Your picture is going next to childish, too."

I put the phone to my ear and say, "Not even a paper cut. Are you insane? I can't believe you'd order something like that. Are they to watch me while I shave my legs to insure I don't nick myself?"

"I miss you too, pumpkin. Did you really have to stab yourself to make the point? I was a jerk earlier today and I thought showing my concern for you in this matter would make you feel better," Alex says.

"Just because you don't like the idea of being in pain, doesn't mean you can send Frick and Frack over here with orders that I can't live my life. In what universe, do you think a person who has trained and lived her life as an assassin, would be okay with that?"

"It wasn't only about me. I thought we all agreed you were to be protected. Maybe the paper cut comment was a little too harsh. I'll adjust the order if you promise to try to not injure yourself unnecessarily," he replies.

"I don't go out of my way to be injured. Other than in training, I probably haven't been hurt in a long time. Have you been in constant pain these last eight months?"

"Not constant no, but there's been pain involved. You'd think I'd get used to it, but the fact that the hurt is coming from you actually makes it worse. Let's go with a happy medium, and I'll change my orders to preventing anyone else from hurting you. They didn't exactly do a bang up job of stopping you from stabbing yourself a minute ago. I forgot to mention to them that you're a tad bit psycho. I'll have to solve that problem," he mutters.

"Fine. If they have to stick around, they can assist when others are involved, but I get to take the lead in those situations, and it can only be if I look to be in trouble," I counter.

"Maybe. I'd prefer you not fighting anyone right now. I'm guessing that's a pipe dream on my part."

"That would be correct. I can't do the job I'm creating for myself with my hands tied like that. It's going to be bad enough that I show up everywhere with the Cujo twins in tow. It isn't very professional."

"Okay. They've heard the conversation, so the new orders are protect you without getting in your way. Sound good?" he asks.

"I can live with that. Thank you."

"Good. Now have a safe trip home and I'll see you soon, pumpkin."

"Good-bye again, Alex. Maybe I'll actually get out of town this time before we have another argument," I say, ending the call and handing the phone to Sebastian. "Thank you, secretary that will be all."

"Cute. Gear up and let's hit the road. Smitty is going to be joining us. I have plenty of room in the building and the older the vampire, the better to guard you," he replies.

"So, we're going to have day and night shifts?" I ask.

"Probably. The wolves can guard you in daytime and the vampires at night," Sebastian suggests.

"I have to interject here," Jake says, speaking for the first time in a very deep voice.

Even though he's as big as Jonas, his features are lighter, light brown hair and hazel eyes. He doesn't look quite as mean, either. Maybe he just isn't as upset with the assignment as Jonas. "Alex changed the orders as far as when we step in, but there's still the order that one of us has to be with you at all times. He said, even when more wolves come, me or Jonas will be by your side."

"Really? Phone please, Sebastian," I say, holding out my hand. When I have it in my possession, I hit the button to return the last call. "You forgot to tell them they don't need to watch me shower," I say when I hear the line connect on the other end.

"No, I told them they had to be in the room, but couldn't watch," he counters.

"Bathroom and bedroom are off limits, and any feedings they have to leave the room for."

"Turning their backs isn't enough?"

"They have really good hearing as it is. Even if they're outside the room, they're already going to get more information than I want them to know. There are just certain times I need to be alone. In a lot of those cases Sebastian will be with me, so I won't need extra guards. If something comes at me and Sebby and we can't fight it off, chances are we'd die anyway."

"Fine. They can use their own best judgment on whether they're needed in a given circumstance, but one of them will always be on duty. That won't change. They're the best guys I have and I need at least the illusion that you're safe at all times. These dang feelings weren't that bad before we officially met. Now, for some reason my protective instincts are running wild," he explains.

"Hmm, I'm not feeling any different. Of course, my emotional type stuff hasn't changed in regards to Sebastian either. I really hope there isn't going to be a time where I catch a sudden onslaught of what you two are feeling. Talk about a nightmare. Well, good-bye again, I'm done talking," I say, and hang up the phone.

Chapter 15

The strong, silent type

Night hasn't fallen yet, so we have to leave Smitty behind to catch up in a few hours. Granted, him flying instead of driving with us means he'll probably beat us home. Jake drives us in his Jeep to the edge of the woods where we left the Suburban. Jonas is going to ride with us while Jake follows, so they have a vehicle available for them when we get to the city.

Surprisingly, the Suburban is in the spot I last saw it. I can't believe they just left it untouched. I'm envisioning a bomb exploding the second I turn the key, if the key is even still in it. I kind of forgot to grab it last night when I was searching for Alex.

"Do you want to drive, Sebastian?" I ask almost shocked that those words came out of my mouth. I've never let another person drive the Suburban. Where in the world did that question come from?

"I'd love to, but would've never asked myself, and know how much you'd hate for anyone else to be driving," he replies. "You must be picking up on stuff. Isn't that great?"

"No," I say, knowing he was joking. "I'm still driving, even if something is telling me you'd like to."

"I know," he says with a big grin. "I don't smell any explosives. I imagine they just put trackers on it, so we should be fine. For now, we want to broadcast where we're going to make sure they know we aren't afraid of them."

I climb in the driver's seat and see the key still in the ignition. Sebastian takes his place in the passenger's seat, and we wait as it seems Jake and Jonas are deep in conversation outside the vehicle. After a few moments, Jonas kneels down and looks to be searching under the vehicle. Jake takes something out of his pocket and starts walking around the vehicle.

"I told them it was more than likely safe. I wouldn't have gotten in if I didn't believe that," Sebastian muses.

"They're just being thorough," I say, wishing they'd hurry up. It takes them five minutes, but finally Jonas joins us and Jake returns to the Jeep.

"Three trackers were found. Don't you think that's a little overkill?" Jonas asks.

"I wonder if they all belong to the same people. Doesn't really matter either way. Take us home, love," Sebastian says.

I start the vehicle and make my way back to the road I need to be on. The car remains quiet for ten minutes before it starts to bother me. Usually I don't feel the need to fill a silence, but today is different for some reason.

"So Jonas, tell me about yourself. If we're going to have to spend a bunch of time together, it'd be nice to know about you," I say.

"Not much to tell and I'm not really sure I want to tell you anything personal," he replies. "Rumor is people don't get close to you and manage to stay alive."

"Rumor should be people don't get close to me at all. I've only ever had two friends. One, I was raised with in the Collective and the other is sitting in the front seat with me, and has been a rock in my life for the last three years. Seems like they're both alive and kicking. Granted, there have been numerous times when I've wanted to kill both of them, but I've refrained."

"I still don't think you need to know about my personal life. All you need to know is I'm usually one of Alex's personal bodyguards, and then you show up and suddenly I'm demoted to babysitter," he grumbles.

"Hey, it wasn't my idea. In fact, I advocated against it. I've never been popular with wolves, so the thought of having some of them look after me doesn't leave me feeling all warm and gooey inside. Think of it as still being his bodyguard. Since me and him are connected now, if anything happens to me, he'll suffer. That's the way he's looking at it. In reality, if he could sever the connection without pain or death for himself, he would," I inform him.

"Oh, I doubt that," Sebastian offers. "If you guys ever have children, they'd be the heirs to the wolf kingdom from the sound of things. I doubt any self-respecting wolf would turn that away."

"Wait, you think you're a Gentry?" Jonas asks. Evidently that fact is way more interesting than I thought. "They don't have female offspring, so that's impossible. Did you somehow get Alex to believe otherwise?"

"Why couldn't the birthmark be on my forehead? My father is Aaron Gentry, so yes I'm a descendant of whatever the Gentry line is. As far as I know, they're just a bunch of wolves."

"We'll get the history of wolves all worked out later. For now, though, Jonas you've gone from guarding a general, so to speak, to guarding the princess herself. To me that sounds like a climb up the ladder," Sebastian says.

"I still don't believe it. Until I see the mark or hear from Alex that it exists, there's no way you could be the princess. A princess isn't even supposed to exist."

"Sebastian, don't put ideas in his head. I'm not a princess. My dad didn't say anything about being royalty when I met him, and I would've thought that would be something worth mentioning," I scold.

"Hey, Alex is the one who said your family was the top of the werewolf hierarchy. Plus, on the vampire side, since I'm the oldest around, you might as well be considered a queen." He lifts my right hand off the steering wheel and gives it an old-fashioned kiss.

"Do vampires have a hibernation mode? I think I'd like to sleep the next ten years or so away," I groan, returning my hand to the wheel.

"Anyone want to explain that comment?" Jonas asks from the back. "We weren't given a lot of information for this assignment. I can smell Alex on you, so I know he has scented you, indicating you as his mate. You sharing pain was another indicator of your relationship, but I don't understand why you're affectionate towards the vampire. As a wolf, you should find it distasteful."

"I guess since Alex did his little scenting trick that must have covered your other smells for the wolves," Sebastian inserts. "Not that they would've picked anything up."

"So, he doesn't get surprised when he meets Lil and Bebe, we should probably fill him in a little. If I told you that until a couple days ago, I thought I was human, what would you say, Jonas?" I ask.

"Besides laugh in your face, I don't know. I currently smell Alex so strongly on you I don't know what your own scent is like, but in order for him to do that, you would have to be a wolf."

"It seems that the fact that I was carrying the wolf gene was kept from me and since it was recessive, I never showed any wolfy traits," I inform him. "Also kept from me, was the fact that I carried the vampire recessive gene. I don't believe any wolf without access to my medical records knew that tidbit.

"Sebastian found out three years ago and bonded with me, and neglected to tell me about the gene or bond. Without going into any more detail of how insane my life has become, I'll say I'm a freak and if I have to learn to live with it, as long as you are guarding me, you're going to have to live with it."

"Are you a unicorn as well? Everything I've heard you say has been impossible. First, you're a princess, and now you're a werewolf vampire hybrid. Did they destroy all of your brain cells while you lived within the Collective?"

"That could be, or maybe I'm actually dreaming. I could really see this as all being a dream. All my life I've hoped to be something more than just a human and now I'm part human, wolf, and vampire. My imagination is great," I suggest.

"I think I should call Alex and resign this post. I didn't sign on for crazy," Jonas responds.

"Love, concentrate on Lil and Bebe for a second. See if you can get them to appear," Sebastian suggests.

I follow instructions and feel a little tingle indicating it actually worked. "Awesome. That's all I have to do? I don't have to be hungry or angry?"

"You should be gaining more power, so you'll be able to achieve more control on the little things like that. Now, I'll take the wheel for a second, so you can introduce Jonas to the girls," he says moving over to reach the wheel.

Jonas is sitting directly behind me, so once Sebby has control of the wheel I unbuckle my seatbelt and turn around in my chair. "See, vampire," I say, opening my mouth for him to see.

"Holy shit!" he yells. I smile and turn back around.

"Thank you, dear, but I can take the wheel back now," I tell Sebastian.

"Of course, love. I think you might have made him pee his pants."

"She did not," Jonas immediately says. "I don't understand how this is possible. It shouldn't be. A vampire and a werewolf can't produce offspring."

"Just like a Gentry male can't produce female offspring. Until I'm able to have a more in depth talk with my father, I don't know the situation of my birth. Sebastian thinks my mother was a human and either turned or was killed by a vampire before I was born. I imagine she was human, but I don't know where the vampire part came from," I explain.

"The whole situation seems bizarre. Wolves shouldn't be able to produce offspring with humans. If that's what happened, a witch would've had to be involved at some point. There had to have been a spell to make the female attractive to the male and another one for her to even be able to be impregnated by him," he states.

"Interesting. More things I wasn't aware of. When Dad comes out of hiding, he'll have a lot of explaining to do. This conversation that started out with me trying to find out more about you has led to me revealing most of my life secrets. Are you still not going to tell me about yourself?"

"Nope. All you need to know about me is I'm a very strong werewolf and I've been named one of your permanent guards."

"Have it your way. It wasn't like I was looking to become best friends. I just thought if you were going to do more than sit there silent while on duty, it might be a good idea to see if we had anything in common."

"I'm good with silence," he replies simply.

"I'm a solitary person, so I'll just pretend you aren't in the room. It'll be like any other day. So Sebastian, would you like to stop for a cheeseburger?" I ask, laughing at my own joke.

"I'm sorry I ever referred to you as the assassin with a heart. It's clear that along with your messed up biological makeup, your creator also forgot to put that necessary organ in your chest."

"When we get home, I'm cooking you a steak to make it up to you. What sleeping arrangements do you have planned? I don't know the floor plans of the building, and I don't want to kick you out of your penthouse. Oh, and please tell me Jonas has to sleep on the couch."

"There are a few rooms in the penthouse you haven't seen, so there's plenty of space for everyone there. Until Alex comes to town, I'll be staying with you. When he arrives, I'll still be close by, but will refrain from sharing your bed, most nights. The floor directly below yours will probably be my choice. Tomorrow we can go pick out new sofas and you can scout some different storefronts that I know are available." It's nice that one of us has a plan.

"Thanks for always thinking two steps ahead. At some point in the coming days, I'd like us to sit down and have a discussion on what your underground organization has been doing in its efforts to get the Collective to shut down. I lived inside for over twenty years and may be able to help. I know I was always treated as an outsider, so I don't know all their secrets, but I may have overheard things that didn't seem important at the time that turn out to be helpful to your cause."

"I wasn't sure how soon you'd be ready to go against them. I'll bring you up to speed once we get things settled. I believe there's a big meeting in a couple days. Maybe you'd like to accompany me to it," he suggests.

"They tried to get me to kill my father and my mate. Even if they didn't know the exact relationship I had with those two people, the charges brought up against them were lies. It makes me question whether my other executions were legit. Thankfully, I do things in person and not with a sniper rifle or poison. I actually talk to the people before I kill them, and most of them don't act innocent."

"If it puts you at ease, our spies haven't indicated that any of your kills were amongst our ranks. We've lost five people over the last year to unjust killings, which is actually lower than it has been for a while. I hope that means we're getting better at hiding ourselves," he says as I finally pull into the parking area.

Usually at this time of day, I'd just be waking up, or at least starting to think about waking up. Today it feels like I've run a marathon and have already finished my waking hours, but in reality, the night is still young. Let's just hope I can get through my first night possibly being on the Collective's hit list without taking a bullet.

Chapter 16

Dinner with the new guys

As I predicted, Smitty is waiting in the parking lot for us. As we all climb out of our vehicles, I wonder how soon it'll be before I can fly around and cut my travel times down.

"Hey, Smitty, long time no see," I say, smiling at him. "Just out of curiosity, what's Smitty short for?"

"Didn't I tell you just last night to pretend you didn't know my name?" he asks.

"Sure, but why in the world do you think I'd actually listen to you? Plus, you got to hear a pretty intimate situation between me and Sebby, so I think that gives me the right to know your name."

"Not really, but you're starting to grow on me, so I'll tell you my name is Grant Smith," he says giving in, and surprising me that he was an easier pushover than Jonas.

"Thank you, Smitty," I say, choosing to continue calling him by the nickname he seems to prefer. We've started making our way up to the penthouse. "I have a feeling we'll end up being great friends. You know a lot about Sebastian. You're going to fill me in on all those old girlfriends, right?"

"He is not," Sebastian says darkly. "I already told you there's no chance of anything affecting our relationship. Even if someone showed up, which they won't, we're bonded, so they'll be barking up the wrong tree."

"Come on, he said you'd been in love before. I'd love to know more about the women of your past. I'll even tell you about all the guys I have ever loved," I barter.

"I've been around enough women to know they never want to know about a guy's past conquests, so don't try it. I'm also aware of the fact you've never loved anyone other than me, making your offer fall just a little flat, my love," he replies. "I'll fill you in on my history minus all the 'loves' I've supposedly had."

"Party pooper. Who's up for steak? I promised to cook Sebastian one, so I might as well cook one for anyone else who's hungry," I suggest as we exit the elevator into the penthouse.

"I'm always up for a nice, juicy steak," Jake says, taking in the foyer.

"If you have enough steaks, I'll prepare my own," Jonas says.

"What's it going to take for you to trust me, Jonas?" I ask. "I promise I don't bite. Unless you're Sebastian, you're pretty safe in that aspect."

"I didn't like you before I met you. Meeting you has not increased my opinion of you," he says gruffly.

"Hey, I don't like the assignment either, but a steak is a steak," Jake says.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to ride with her and hear her stories about being a unicorn," Jonas tells him.

Jake looks me up and down. "Doesn't look like much of a unicorn to me."

"Exactly. Alex sent us to guard a lunatic. Just wait until she shows you her vampire fangs," Jonas counters.

"Why would Alex scent a vampire? That makes no sense. I mean she's cute, and I wouldn't mind spending a little quality time with her, but she's Nyx Slaughter. Just thinking her name makes my balls kind of shrivel up trying to hide."

"Glad to know I make such an impact on you Jake. I'll let someone else explain to you the situation you find yourself in. I'm going to cook us some steaks, as long as you're still willing to allow me to cook for you."

"A steak is a steak. If you say it isn't poisoned, I'll believe you."

"Thank you for the benefit of the doubt. Jonas, if you'd like to follow me, I'll get you out your own skillet and you can prepare your own," I say as I walk off to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, I look in the freezer first and find it to be not as full as I remembered it. I open the fridge and see that Sebastian must have set out some meat to defrost. Good. It won't take as long as I thought to get dinner in my stomach.

I set out four steaks on the counter. "Pick the one you want. I don't want you thinking I'm giving you a poisoned one," I instruct Jonas.

He grabs one from the middle with a grumble. "My brother was one of the five anti-Collective operatives killed this year," he states as I start looking through cupboards to find skillets to cook our steaks.

I stop and look up at him. Those few words made our stiff conversation make a little more sense.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I know it probably doesn't mean much to you, but Sebastian assured me I haven't killed anyone that didn't warrant it."

"I believe he's right, and I know you weren't the one who killed him. I still don't trust you, though. You've been the poster child for the Collective's reign for a couple years now, and that doesn't cause warm fuzzy feelings."

"No, I imagine it wouldn't. They sent me to kill my own father five months ago, so I know how ruthless they really are. I trust that in time you'll see that I'm on your side. I was hoping that you or Jake would be able to fill me in on what it's really like to be a werewolf.

"I don't know when Alex will be able to join us and, so far, I've only had one very painful shift. I don't know how often I'm required to go through that, but I'll need help," I say, standing and handing him a small skillet for his steak.

"Shifts shouldn't be painful," he says, going to work on his steak.

I work on my three and within a couple seconds they're sizzling on the stove. "That's what Alex said. It may have been my triple nature that caused the pain. I don't really know. I could feel every bone in my body shift and it was something I hope not to have to feel again."

"For now, I'd look to Jake for assistance. I'll have to verify your switch in allegiance with my own eyes before I even attempt to help you. He doesn't seem to have as big of an issue with your change of heart."

"No problem. I'll ask him if he's comfortable teaching me. Sebastian is going to start training me soon. If you'd like to take some of your aggression out, let me know and we can meet in the gym," I suggest.

"I may just take you up on that," he says as we finish the steaks and I set out plates for us to put them on.

I grab my plate and Sebastian's and he takes his and Jake's. We head out to the living area where the guys are waiting.

"Did you guys have a nice talk?" I ask, handing Sebastian his plate.

"I can see why Jonas is hesitant around you," Jake responds. "A weird, freaky female hybrid that happens to be of the Gentry line. If I wrote a science fiction book, I couldn't have come up with a more unbelievable combination."

"Glad I can be entertaining for you. Smitty, did you want something to eat? I feel strange eating in front of you."

It's strange for me to feel the need to be hospitable. I usually ate alone, so checking on my visitors had never occurred.

"It's very kind of you to think of me, Nyx. I ate just yesterday, so I'm fine for now."

That's good enough for me, and I dive into my food. Looking around it's apparent that I won't be able to take these guys out to a restaurant anytime soon. Jake actually didn't even bother with silverware and is eating the steak with his hands. Jonas at least is using a fork. He's pierced the middle of his steak and is eating his way to the fork. Sebby is cutting and eating his slowly, savoring the flavor. Who can blame the guy after not eating food for over a millennium?

"Better than a cheeseburger?" I ask him.

"Still not as good as you, but yes, much better than that cheeseburger."

"You guys have no idea how weird it is to watch a vampire eating a meal," Jake comments, licking his fingers. "If I wasn't watching it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it."

"Hang around with us long enough and you'll find out all sorts of weird things," I tell him. "I bet no one would've ever thought it was possible to turn a rock into a sofa, but you're sitting on the proof."

"Fine. We'll go tonight to get new furniture. I can also show you a storefront next to Sins that I think would work well for you," Sebastian says.

"I don't know about that location. How close are we talking?" I reply, collecting everyone's plate. "Sins can be pretty noisy can't it?"

"Your building would be soundproofed, so as not to disturb you or any potential clients who came to visit. It'll also be good to keep you close, in case you get hungry. It would only take me a second to get to you anywhere in the city, but the closeness would probably soothe us both," he says.

"Stepping out on my own in the world doesn't seem to be as freeing an experience as I thought it would. I'm surprised you didn't ask me to actually set up shop in Sins." I leave the room to do the dishes, knowing I probably shouldn't have put the thought in his head .

"Unlike your werewolf boyfriend, I know how much you like your independence. I led out with my middle option. There's also a place a few blocks away and, of course, Sins itself." he says while I turn on the water.

"Well, Sins is out no matter what. We can check out the other two places. Being next to Sins, and the people who go in and out of there, might actually drum up some business."

"I want to pick you up and lick you like an ice cream cone," he says very softly.

"What?" I screech back at him. I can hear the rest of the guys laughing from the living room.

"Just checking your hearing, love. Since I said that part under my breath, I think it's improving. I guess I won't be able to say any words of bonding quietly anymore."

"Good. That will come in handy. I'm going to finish these dishes and then take a shower. Does anyone else need to take one before we go?" I ask.

"I wouldn't mind one," Sebastian replies. "Are you offering to take one with me?"

I think about it for a second. Sadly, my initial thought is how great an idea that sounds, but I quickly get my hormones under control. I don't want the first time I see a naked man to be with a house full of paranorms with great hearing, especially when that naked man is Sebastian.

"Rain check," I say softly turning off the water.

"Not a flat no. I like that response. It gives me hope for our relationship."

"You know it's just going to take me time to get used to everything. If it was just you and me, the answer would have been different," I tell him, walking through the living area to the bedroom area to grab some clothes.

I grab one of my normal outfits and some underwear and head to the bathroom. I make quick work of cleaning up and getting dressed, including putting my weapons back in place. I head out and announce, "It's all yours."

"Thank you, love," Sebastian says, appearing before me. He gives me a quick kiss, and then enters the bathroom.

I make my way to the living area and sit next to Smitty. There seems to be a little tension between the guys, which from the things I've learned recently may not be that out of the ordinary.

"So Jake, would you like to share any information about yourself?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"What do you want to know? I'm twenty-seven, have been in the resistance for six years. Before that, I spent most of my life in the Collective. I was never allowed to think for myself and did everything I was told. One night a group of guys brought in a witch they decided would be a perfect sacrifice for the moon goddess. I'd done questionable things before, but when they handed me that knife, I couldn't bring myself to kill her. I refused and was beaten pretty badly.

"When I came to the next day, I ran. I didn't want to be a part of an organization that condones that kind of thing. Not long after that, I met Alex. He taught me what it was really like to be a wolf and I've been with him ever since."

"Wow. I wasn't exactly expecting you to open up that much. Thank you," I say to him. "Did we ever see each other in the Collective?" I don't remember him, but most people weren't exactly friendly to me, and their faces tended to run together.

"You would've probably seen me with a group of people. For the most part, we were ordered to stay away from you. They had a thing worked out where only certain wolves were allowed to be around you and we were told to make sure you believed you were human and unwanted. It wasn't something one would question," he explains.

"Well, it's good to know I wasn't imagining things all these years."

"Of course not, my love," Sebastian says, joining us fully dressed. He somehow took even shorter showers than I did. "You're usually most observant. Are you ready to go? I imagine since we woke up early today, we'll want to turn in a little bit early as well."

"Yes, I can't sit on these stones for another minute," I say, standing ready to go. It was going to be a while before my rear end felt normal.

Chapter 17

Another team member

Our entourage makes our way to the furniture store in the business district. Most businesses are open twenty-four hours in Night Owl City to cater to the different species. I've never had to shop for furniture, nor do I have much decorating sense, so as long as it's comfortable, I really don't care what it looks like.

Walking into the store, we get a lot of stares, and there are a few people who take one look and exit the store immediately. I'm used to having that kind of effect on people. Maybe I should've worn a disguise.

"I say we stick with something in black," Sebastian suggests, eying the remaining customers.

We make our way through the store. I'm flanked by Sebastian and Jake, with Smitty leading the way and Jonas bringing up the rear. I'm still finding this whole guard thing pretty annoying. After sitting on the ten different options of black sofas, I make my selection and Sebastian takes care of paying for it and scheduling the delivery.

"What are you going to do with the old ones?" I ask.

"Maybe you can use them for a waiting area in your new business," Sebastian replies.

"Yes, because I didn't actually want to try to keep the customers once they make it into the door," I say sarcastically, causing him to laugh.

"The people delivering the new pieces will take the old ones away. What they do with them, I really don't care," he responds.

"So, which storefront is closer to us?" I ask, ready to hopefully get this new business set up. I have to add furniture, get a phone set up, make business cards and figure out how to market myself. It seems like a ton of work, and I'm pretty sure I'm only thinking of the basics.

"The one not right next to Sins is the closest. Let's head there." Sebastian directs our group through the other people out for an evening stroll.

Six blocks away he stops in front of a pretty normal looking building. It's brick with large picture windows, allowing people to easily see inside. With the lights currently off, the interior is still a bit of a mystery. The big windows aren't appealing to me. I really don't want to have people watching me all night.

Sebastian takes out a key and guides us into the building. I stop just inside the door, waiting for someone to turn the lights on. When they do, what I see doesn't make me feel like this is the right space. It seems it used to be a secondhand store or something, because it looks like a very large garage sale. Hangers are everywhere with obviously worn clothing hanging from them. There are different sections for other departments like electronics and kitchen supplies. The location may be further away from Sins, but this place is going to take a while to set up the way I want it.

"The owners unexpectedly had to leave town a few months back. Didn't take a thing and didn't phone to say they were leaving. I can have a crew come in and toss everything within a few hours, then you could take another look at the raw materials, if you would like," Sebastian says.

"This place is really grimy, are you going to send cleaners in as well?" Smitty asks, glancing at an extremely large reddish brown spot on the carpet. The spot makes me wonder if the owners really left town.

"I can do that as well. I probably should've before bringing you in, but it was short notice," Sebastian replies.

"I've seen enough for now, let's go check out the other place, and then I'll decide if this one deserves another look," I say, trying to exit the place as quickly as possible. I feel like there are bugs crawling all over me.

I know the way to Sins from here, so I start walking in that direction. Quickly, the guards are in place and I see Sebastian texting on his phone next to me. This reminds me, I really need to pick up a new phone. I left my Collective issued one behind when we left Emerald Town. I still have the secure one, but I don't like using that often in case someone is able to pick up the signal.

When I reach Sins, I stop, waiting for Sebastian to direct me to the location we're inspecting. I don't notice that we aren't alone until a figure detaches himself from the wall.

"Marcus, thanks for meeting us," Sebastian says, offering to shake the man's hand.

"You call, I appear," Marcus replies, taking Sebastian's hand, and I watch some odd handshake between the two of them. "I heard the rumors that you'd taken up with Slaughter. I see they're true."

"Yes, my friend. That isn't really a new development, however. She's been with me now for three years. As you can imagine, our relationship has been kept a secret. Wouldn't have been good for either of us if that information was leaked before she broke with the Collective," Sebastian explains.

"I heard there's a bit of a fuss brewing about that. The Collective isn't exactly happy about losing her," Marcus informs us.

"Really? Must be why they tried to kill me the other day."

"I don't see them wanting to do that. From what I heard, they want you back on their side, alive," he replies.

I look to Sebastian and he just shrugs. Maybe they don't know about Alex and me, and were just sending in backup to secure him. Sebastian seemed sure that wasn't the case and I trust his instincts, so I'm still leaning towards them wanting me dead.

"So, what can I do for you tonight, Sebastian?" Marcus asks. "Oh, nice to see you again Smitty, it's been a while."

"I'm in need of our strongest vampires' help in protecting a precious package. Long story short, Nyx here is a hybrid and is connected to both myself and Alex Monroe. As you can imagine, if anything happens to her, our resistance movement will suffer greatly from the three deaths."

"I can see how that'd be an issue and will gladly help. I'm guessing that's why you're walking the streets with the mutts. I'm a little surprised that Alex chose Jonas to guard her. His distaste for all things Collective is well known," Marcus answers.

"Whatever Alex's reasoning, it's his own. Against her will, Nyx is going to now have guards at all times to ensure she's kept alive. Since she isn't fully vampire or werewolf, or even human, we don't know what will kill her. I'd like to ask for your assistance in being one of her permanent guards opposite Smitty. There are few I can trust my love's life with," Sebastian says.

"I'm between missions right now, so I'm available," he replies simply.

"Really? Just like that. No yelling about how it's impossible for me to be a hybrid or how stupid Sebastian has been for bonding himself to me?" I ask.

"I can smell that you smell of both Sebastian and a wolf, so I know what has been said is the truth. You're right that it should be impossible, but with the evidence in front of me, I feel no need to argue. As for Bastian bonding with you, I've known for some time he was infatuated with you, making that not come as a surprise either."

"Infatuated? Sebastian? You've got to be kidding," I say.

"Oh no, I've never seen him like this, and we've known each other for close to six hundred years. I've been in meetings with him where he was all business, and then your name would be brought up and the expression on his face would totally transform, and it wasn't to the one of disgust like most people around the table were wearing.

"You could actually see how much he cared about you, and Sebastian has never deemed it necessary to care about another. Sure, he's had women people would say he loved, but it isn't the same. The emotion I've seen on his face for you is borderline worship."

"She did hang the stars and moon," Sebastian says, grabbing my hand.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I hear Jake say as he turns and makes gagging sounds.

"Now, I'm sorry I said anything. Let's leave the mushy stuff for behind closed doors please. I don't want Jake losing his dinner. Show me this other place, so we can get back home and start working on schedules now that we have more guards than I know what to do with," I state.

"Sure, it's right there," Sebastian says, pointing at the building to the left of Sins.

On initial glance, I have to say I like it a lot. It's similar to the other one, but instead of clear glass allowing all to see inside, I can tell that the glass has been given a smoked over treatment. I may not like my men mysterious, but buildings I can deal with. Sebastian leads us in and flips a light switch right inside the door.

"Explain," I say, taking in an office space that's everything I ever hoped it could be.

There's a nice waiting area to the right as you enter the space with a half dozen comfy looking black chairs, similar to the ones in Sebby's office. On the left, there's a nice size desk where a reception type person would sit and greet customers. On the wall opposite the entrance, is a door leading to what looks like an office, judging by the desk and computer I can see from here.

"I redecorated about a year ago with you in mind. You know I always hoped you'd leave the Collective, and this was to be my gift to you when you did."

I wander back into the office and see the desk matches Sebastian's, with its green marble top. On the wall behind the desk, is a collection of medieval looking weapons. I see swords, daggers, maces, bows and arrows and a couple axes. It's really an impressive collection and I imagine it's pretty expensive.

I look down at the desk and see a phone and a pile of business cards. I pick one of the cards up to get a better look. On the left of the card, there's a picture of a smoking gun that looks an awful lot like my Colt 1911. To the right of it, is my name in an elegant type that looks a little funny next to the gun, but I still like it. Below the name, it says 'Have ax will travel'.

I glance up to see Sebastian, staring at me expectantly. "It's perfect, but way too much. I can't believe you did all this."

"One of these days, you'll realize I'll do anything for you. Since you seem to like it, the signage guys will be here in an hour or so to put your name on the building. As promised, you can't hear the music or noises from next door. All I need is your word that you're ready to go to work and my network of people will start spreading your name around. I'm sure that will bring customers to your door within a day or two."

"I don't know how I can ever thank you," I say, picking up the cell phone.

"I'm sure someday we'll figure out a way," he says, with a naughty looking smile on his face.

"Perv," I tell him and make my way towards him. I stand on my tiptoes and place my lips on his. What I planned to be a short and sweet kiss, transforms into something a bit steamier.

His tongue immediately asks entrance by tracing my lower lip. I give up and allow him in. Neither one of us wants to give over to the other, so we battle for control of the kiss, unaware of what's going on in the outside world.

I finally relent and allow him to take control. Eventually, we both decide we need air to breathe and separate. I'm a little surprised to find that I've climbed up Sebastian and have my legs wrapped around his waist. A very persistent and hard piece of him is knocking at my core.

"Oops," I say, making motions to climb down him.

"Just a second," he says, holding me tight and breathing in deeply. "We're going to have to be more careful."

"It'd seem that kissing should be avoided," I reply.

"I wouldn't say that, but we should probably plan it out a little bit better. Poor Alex probably just achieved a very unexpected hard-on. Being in a triangle as connected as ours makes everything more difficult."

"I still don't get how this is going to work between the three of us. I mean the dating part will be doable, even though it will suck because I'll always feel like I'm betraying you when I'm with him, but the actual physical relationships are what have me really worried."

"As you get to know him, I don't think you'll feel as bad. He's as much a part of you as I am. I knew when I started the bond there may be a time where I'd have to share you. I've told myself that as long as the other guy cherished you as much as I do, then I'll be happy. You deserve all the greatest things in this world, Nyx. I'm hoping between me and Alex we can provide them to you," he answers.

He finally loosens his hold, and I climb down, keeping eye contact the whole time. Sebastian is really too good to be true and I'm just afraid one of these days, the other shoe will drop.

We head home and the rest of the night is spent going over things with the guards. Where they were sleeping, who was following me around when, and general rules on how to not get on my bad side are gone over. Overall, they seem like an interesting group. Jonas still dislikes me with a passion, but I realized long ago I was never going to win any popularity contests.

After our discussion, I'm done for the night, so I decide to hit the hay. The guys stay awake and if Sebastian wasn't with them, I imagine they'd be plotting my demise. I, on the other hand, fall asleep wondering how long it will take me to lose them.

Chapter 18

Duty calls

I wake up the next day at four in the afternoon. At some point, Sebastian joined me in bed, but is on his stomach facing away from me. I think it'll be funny if he ever does decide to try to cuddle when I'm already asleep.

I'm a relatively light sleeper and don't tend to like to be touched all that much. Ryan tried to wake me up once and ended up getting a black eye for his troubles. Maybe I should suggest Jonas be my wakeup call one of these days.

I carefully make my way out of bed, trying not to disturb Sebby, and notice black curtain type things separating the bedroom area from the rest of the penthouse. I have to say I like the idea, but right now, I really need to use the bathroom.

I turn to the living area after I finish my business. Jonas looks to be napping on one of the new couches and Jake is watching something on TV.

"Anything good on? I usually don't wake up for a few more hours, so I don't know what's on now." I don't remember the last time I actually watched television.

"Nothing really good. I'm just channel flipping until you get up. Jonas has been out for a few hours now and I'll be waking him shortly, so I can get a nap in," he replies as he powers off the television.

"I was hoping to head to my new shop and see if I can start getting things organized. Sebastian should probably head into work himself tonight, so I want to keep busy," I tell him.

"Hey, Jonas, time to wake up," Jake says, causing Jonas to immediately sit up and focus on his surroundings. Can you say creepy? Instant awake Jonas scares me.

"Good morning, Jonas. I trust the new furniture is more comfortable than the old," I say.

"I have no problem sleeping on frozen ground, so anything is comfortable to me when I sleep," he says as his reply. Obviously, he didn't have warm and fuzzy dreams about me.

"Slaughter wants to go into work. I can last a few more hours until the bloodsuckers wake up, but we have to be in pairs. You good to go?" Jake asks Jonas.

"Sure. This place gets pretty boring. I sincerely hope there are a couple more rooms Sebastian neglected to tell us about. There's supposed to be a gym, but I haven't seen it," Jonas replies.

"I've heard that rumor too, but have yet to be introduced. We'll have to remedy that the next time Sebastian is vertical. I'm going to go get dressed, and then we can head out, if that's okay with you guys," I say.

"Sounds good. That old scar never did heal very well, did it?" Jake asks looking at the scar that runs the length of my inner leg. Most people don't see me in my sleeping shorts, so really only the people who were there when it happened know about it.

"Were you there or just heard about it?" I question.

"There. Tommy always was a jerk. He was huge compared to you and had full use of his werewolf strength. Why he decided to slice you has always eluded me."

"You haven't seen his best work," I say, spinning around and lifting my shirt to expose my back.

"Holy shit!" Jake yells, and Jonas takes an audible breath. "That isn't something I ever heard about."

I'm used to seeing the deep T shaped scar that spans across my shoulder blades and down my spine in a mirror, but other than Tommy, no one else has seen it. It's something I've had to look at for the past four years.

"It was a private lesson in how big of an asshole he really is. He claimed he didn't want me to ever forget him. One of these days, we'll meet outside the Collective and I'll see just how tough he really is," I say, heading towards the bedroom to get dressed.

There are a lot of demons from my Collective past that one day will need to be exorcised. Today isn't that day, so I have to keep focused on what's right in front of me, and not waste time planning gruesome deaths.

I get dressed in my usual black pants, but just to mix things up I wear the red version of my black top. I don't see myself having to go into stealth mode tonight, so a little color is nice. I put on my holster and throwing knives, then add a boot knife and my sawed off shotgun that I wear on my back.

I know supposedly I'm this weird hybrid and shouldn't need to hide behind my weapons, but until I've verified extra strength and speed, you're going to find me armed to the teeth. Plus, I don't really know how good my bodyguards are. Yes, they're huge and could probably juggle cars, but can they fight? Until that's verified, I feel I have to protect them as well.

"Ready," I say, emerging from the bedroom. Sebastian is obviously a real deep sleeper, because he still hasn't moved.

"Good, so are we," Jake says, looking up. "Your car or ours?"

"Mine is loaded with my gear, so I prefer it," I explain.

"Fine, but I'm driving," Jonas says.

"Umm. No. I'm the only one allowed to drive the Suburban."

"I rode with you yesterday and you drive like a human grandma. We'd like to get to your place of business sometime tonight, so hand the keys over," Jonas replies.

"If I drive like a grandma, I'm terrified to see how you drive. I was going over the speed limit the whole time."

"Then there is something wrong with your speedometer, because you were going probably ten under. If you promise to go at least ten over, I'll allow you to drive. I like to have my arms free, just in case," he states.

"Fine. Sebastian never mentioned this, and he's ridden with me a few times," I state, twirling my car keys around my finger.

"Sebastian is probably the person who adjusted it for you, so you were forced to go slow. Evidently fang face has been overprotective without you knowing for a while now. He even had operatives in the Collective to ensure your safety there," Jonas claims.

"I don't think we were supposed to tell her that," Jake says.

I shrug. "He has himself to worry about. If anything happens to me, he feels my emotions and I'm guessing he didn't want to run in the Collective personally to make sure I was protected. I haven't had an issue fighting my own fight for about three years, so I'm hoping those operatives were able to gather other information."

I walk towards the door to indicate we're done standing around. The boys follow in line and we quickly make it to the Suburban. They stop me from getting in while they survey the vehicle.

"Looks clean," Jake reports and opens the door for me.

"Thank you," I say as I get in. The guys situate themselves with Jonas in back and Jake riding shotgun.

The few minutes ride is over without a word between us. I park in front of the new building and admire the new signage. In a script that matches my business card, it says Nyx Slaughter big and bold on the left window. Underneath it, in block letters, it says Private Investigator. I like the sound of that.

I pull out the key Sebastian gave me and enter the building. Since it's still light out, I don't need to flip on the lights, but I do anyway. The Cujo twins take seats in the waiting area, and I leave them to look over the space again.

Nothing looks to have changed overnight, so I make my way back to the office. On the corner of the desk is a vase filled with roses. I pick up the card to read it, expecting it to be a cute note from Sebastian, but am surprised to see it's from Alex.

_The guys reported in things were moving fast for your new venture. I hope you have a great first day and don't forget to knock them dead ~ Alex_

I can't say that I'm particularly fond of flowers, but the thought is nice. He must be trying to get on my good side. I put the card back in its holder and sit down in my plush leather chair. I've had my new phone on me, so I know no calls have come through. I decide to start up the computer to see what all is installed on it.

Once it boots, an email client auto starts. Not one to miss anything, Sebastian seems to have set me up with my own work account. I see an email from him dated a few months ago and am forced to ignore it because the most recent email has "urgent please read" in capital letters. I imagine it's spam, but it's always best to be safe and it doesn't indicate there are any attachments, so I open it.

_Ms. Slaughter,_

_I have heard about your new business venture and am in desperate need of your help. I don't know what your hours are or when you will officially be open for business, so I will show up today at 5:30 p.m. in hopes you are available. If you get this before then and are available, please call me at 499-304-2234._

_M_

I may get a client quicker than I expected. I look at the clock and see it's five now, so I'll just let the person come in when they're ready. I open the desk drawers while I wait to see if there's anything interesting. The top one is loaded with a handgun. I pick it up and take a look at the ammo. My vampire beau has armed me with UV bullets. I can't help but laugh.

The middle drawer contains electronic devices like trackers and bugs. I hadn't immediately thought about needing those. I'm so used to just tracking people down and killing them, I didn't think that I might need to follow someone around.

The third drawer is locked. I look around, but don't find a key. Sebastian is going to have some explaining to do about locking drawers in my office. The search for the key unveils a crossbow under my desk with a bolt already loaded. I find the arrowhead is silver and points directly at the seat in front of me.

I start to take a closer look at the office for other interesting finds, but I immediately notice a red light flashing above my office door. I stand up to get a closer look and notice that Jake and Jonas are in the waiting area with a visitor. They seem to be giving the woman a tough time and she's already crying, so I decide to intervene.

"What's going on out here?" I ask, making my presence known.

"This lady says she's here to see you and has an appointment. We're just checking her out to make sure she's legit," Jake informs me.

"M?" I ask the woman. Her strawberry blond hair looks like it has seen better days and if she hasn't been on a beer diet, it's clear she's very pregnant. She's carrying a large bag that I'm sure my guards aren't too happy to see.

"Yes, that's me," she responds shakily.

"Boys let her through. She was expected and is obviously upset," I walk towards her and lead her back to my office. After I get her situated, I ask, "Can I get you anything? I don't believe I have anything here, but I'd love to send one of the boys out to get you something."

"I'm fine and I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time. They took my mate last night. They just came right into our house and ripped him away from me. I know they haven't killed him yet because I'm still alive, but you must help. There are three lives at stake and I know it's just a matter of time before they do worse than just beat him a little," she says.

"Okay, first things first, who took him?"

"The Collective. I don't know what your ties are with them, but as a woman I was hoping you would have mercy on my child and help us," she explains.

Babies don't exactly make me feel all warm and fuzzy, so it doesn't really appeal to my maternal instincts. I do, however, have no problem going against the Collective, so I give her a warm smile.

"I'm under the assumption that my ties are totally severed with the Collective. I do know the layout of the main building pretty well, though. I think I could get in. It won't be an easy job and because of that will cost a pretty penny in hazard pay. I don't think I could do it for less than a hundred K."

"I understand. I'm willing and able to pay that amount. I was expecting it to be more, but, of course, I value my mate's life differently."

"Since I'm just starting out, I don't have contracts or anything for you to sign. I'll go in tonight and get him. I'll expect payment by end of day tomorrow. If I don't receive that payment, you won't like the outcome," I explain.

"Thank you. Here's a picture of Greg," she says, digging around in her bag and handing an image to me. I don't see anything really special about the guy. Brown hair, muted green eyes, and olive skin. I should be able to pick him out.

"Got it," I say, sliding the picture back to her. "Why don't you go home and wait for your husband's return. I have some preparation work to do, and then I'll be heading out."

"Thank you again. I was afraid to come here, but didn't know where else to turn. My neighbor told me about your new venture and I was hoping it wasn't something Collective organized," she says, standing up to leave. "We've only been with the group against the Collective for a short time. I don't know how they found out."

"No worries there, you're looking at the newest member of the resistance," I say after her as she hurries from the room. "So boys, can I talk you into waiting here while I run a quick errand?" I follow the woman's path, but she's long gone before I make it to the waiting room.

"This is a stupid idea," Jonas says. "It's way too dangerous for you to try to break in there. If you're caught, the resistance will suffer greatly."

"That's why I don't plan on getting caught. I need to get supplies from the Suburban. Are one of you going to escort me?" I query, not pausing for them to answer as I exit the building.

Chapter 19

Getting down to business

After grabbing my gear, I return to the office and close the door before either guard can enter.

"I'm changing clothes, so give me a second," I say as I take off my shotgun and start stripping out of my top. The pants are fine for my disguise, but the top would be a very big clue that I'm not who I claim to be. I hurry into a plain black top. "You can come in now."

I sit down and take out my case of contacts. I select the hazel color ones and plop them in.

"There aren't many females in the Collective. In fact, if you didn't know, there are only three, and that number included me. Any of the males who have mates keep them away from the Collective proper. Out of the two other females, one of them has my general build. I'm a bit thinner than she, but with a wig, people might confuse the two of us from the back.

"I know of an entry point just big enough for someone my size to squeeze through. It isn't guarded or alarmed because it's literally a twelve-inch wide by ten-inch tall exhaust vent. No one besides me or a small child would be able to get through. This is one of the few times I'm thrilled to not have big lady mounds on my chest.

"Once in, I'll make my way through the ventilation system towards the holding cells. I've been there many times and am pretty good with directions, so I don't see finding them to be an issue," I say as I finish rolling my long hair up and securing it. I put on my light brown shoulder length wig and give my head a shake to get used to the weight.

"You make that sound easy enough, but how are you expecting to get out? You aren't recovering a small child that can follow you back the way you came," Jake says, showing a bit of grumpiness that's new for him.

"There are a few less guarded exits. I have a badge that says I'm Julie Richards, who happens to be a real person, and as long as they don't know her and don't look too closely I'm good to go." I explain.

"I don't like this at all. There are too many ifs involved," Jonas states, shaking his head.

"These people joined your group under the assumption there would be some level of protection. So far, you've failed, and now they're asking me to correct the issue. Think of me as your new fixer. It's night now, so Smitty and Marcus should be able to join us. All I need is for you guys to keep a lookout. I'll do the dangerous part."

"I believe that's the issue I'm having, you doing the dangerous part. Call Sebastian. He should be up by now, see what he says since Alex isn't here," Jake suggests.

"Neither of those men run my life, I shouldn't have to ask them if I can take a case."

"No, Princess, they don't run your life, but their lives sure depend on you not doing something stupid, so at least make the courtesy call to let your fanged boyfriend know you're doing something idiotic," Jonas growls.

"I guess I'd like to see how his day has gone so far," I say, pulling out my new cell and dialing his number.

"Love, you weren't here when I woke up," Sebastian responds immediately.

"Sorry Sebby, I wanted to get a jump on things. How has your day been?"

"I've risen and bathed. Marcus and Smitty are up and moving as well. They're both getting ready to leave to get some breakfast before visiting you. I was planning to drop by my office for a little while, just to make sure things aren't piling up."

"That's a great idea. I was hoping you were going in today. I actually just got my first case and was getting ready to leave," I claim.

"Really. Is it an assassination?"

"Nope. It's more search and rescue. A werewolf was kidnapped and his wife requested I go retrieve him from his jailors."

"So, open and shut. That's a nice first case for you. It's something a little different than what you are used to," he replies. I picture him tying his shoes for some reason, but I don't ask whether that's what he's doing.

"I think it's a great case. Jonas and Jake have been whining about it, though. They keep claiming it's too dangerous. I don't think they really know me that well, because if they did, they'd understand I can take care of myself."

"Nyx," he says, using my name, which usually isn't a good sign. "Those two are well-trained warriors. What about this case has them worried?"

"Just the location of the captive, but I have a really good plan for getting him out. There's no reason to worry. I'm the one in harm's way and I'm not worried at all."

"Marie came to see you," he states.

"I don't know her name, but it might have started with an M. The target's name is Greg."

"I was alerted of the issue last night. My men were going to meet tonight to form a plan of action to get him out of the Collective's grasp. She should've known that," he says.

"The woman looked like she was going to pop a baby out any second. I'm sure she wasn't thinking exactly straight, but I have an entry and an exit strategy already mapped out and was getting ready to carry it out."

"Explain this strategy to me. Getting in and out of the Collective unnoticed is next to impossible. We have some people on the inside, but they can only do so much without blowing their cover." I quickly fill him in on my brilliant plan and then wait in silence for him to digest it. "It could work. How close do you really look like this other woman?"

"With the wig and contacts from a long distance I can pass. I'll be in and out within thirty minutes. Me going in armed to the teeth won't even look suspicious. The other girl is a fighter, so she's normally armed," I explain.

"I still don't like it, but at least wait for Marcus and Smitty to join you guys," he insists. "As much as I'd like to go and protect you myself, being seen on Collective property wouldn't be a good idea, especially after making that stop at the co-Hab the other day. The rest of the group isn't as well-known, so less flags will be raised if they are spotted."

I'm pretty sure Jake and Jonas may still raise some flags, but oh well. If Sebby is good with it, they can't complain.

"I was already planning on bringing them along. How long before they get here?"

"Not long. They only needed a small meal. Knowing them, they probably shared it. I'll warn you now, if I feel any extremely strong emotions, I don't care who's standing in my way, I'll be there within moments to get you out. Allowing this is a really dumb move on my part, but your plan seems more doable than anything my guys would've probably come up with."

"Thank you for your support, Sebastian. I'll finish this up and then come visit you."

"I love you, keep safe," he replies.

"Love you, too." I hang up and look over to Jake and Jonas. "See, no problem."

"You're going to get everyone killed," Jonas says coolly.

"Doubtful. The rest of our crew should be here in a second. Let's head out to the car," I say, grabbing my bags, leaving the shotgun. The knives and handguns are normal, but not many people carry the sawed off, so it might give me away.

I lock the door, and then skip to the vehicle to stow my gear. As I finish rearranging a few weapons that may come in handy if we are being chased, I feel the air whoosh around me marking the arrival of the rest of the crew.

"We hear you're leading us to our deaths tonight," Smitty says, and when I turn around, I can see him smiling.

"Nah. I'm just trying to make your lives more interesting. You've been around for centuries, you have to get pretty bored every now and then."

"This is true. Daily life can be a little boring. We're told to stand guard while you do something crazy, like break into the Collective and release a prisoner," Marcus states. His mood doesn't seem quite as lighthearted as Smitty's.

"Good, you were given a full report. Now get in the vehicle, so we can get this over with. I have a lot of settling in to still do," I say as I hurry to the driver's seat.

Everyone follows suit and we head towards the witch's castle. I can feel a pre-battle tension emanating from the others. Maybe I'll have to lure some people to them, just so they can get the fight out of their system. I turn on the radio to pass the time, because no one seems to want to talk.

I end up parking in a wooded area about a mile from the Collective proper. Any closer and I know there are cameras that would've picked us up. Everyone else in the group could probably cover the mile in about a minute, but I really don't think my super speed has kicked in.

"Okay, don't ever say I don't ask for your guys' opinions. In this form, I don't think I'm probably that fast. Do you think I should remain this way and we all go in slow, or should I shift and we can all cover the distance quickly?" I ask. I figure it's okay for them to see what my wolf looks like. They're supposed to guard me with their lives, so seeing what I look like in my other form is a good idea.

"My vote is for fast. I don't want to be this close to the Collective for long," Jonas says.

"I can shift with you. That way it will look like you aren't just out wandering alone. A pair might cause less suspicion, if we're picked up," Jake adds.

Marcus and Smitty look at each other and just nod. "Shifting it is. I'll warn you that last time this was really painful, so it may take me a minute to recover."

Really, I don't even know if this is going to be possible without Alex here. He seemed to guide me the last time. I start thinking about him in his wolf form and his delicious doughy smell. I raise my head, eyes closed, and focus on nothing but him. I fall to my knees and thankfully feel just little stabs of pain as my bones start to move and grow.

"Wow, you are kind of tiny," I hear Jake say.

"But look at her fur. Have you ever seen such a color? She can't go in there glowing. There's no way we'll get past the cameras without raising alarm," Jonas says.

I ignore him and head over to a big area of dirt, and start rolling around in it trying to disguise my coloring. After I feel I have rolled enough, I return to them. "Better?"

"I guess a little bit, you still look goldish, but you've knocked most of the shine off," Marcus says.

I'm glad my wolf speak works on vampires other than Sebastian. This would've been more difficult if only half the guards were able to understand me.

"Do you think I'll pass, or should I go roll around in some mud?"

"If you aren't reflective I don't think the cameras will pick up the color. Why in the world do you look like that anyway?" Jake asks.

"You're asking the person who a week ago didn't even know she could turn into a wolf?" I question.

He looks at me, trying to figure out where in my response his answer lies. "She doesn't know, dude. It's just another part of her being a unicorn. Hopefully, someday soon she'll run out of surprises. Shift so we can get this over with," Jonas tells him.

Jake quickly transforms into a chocolate colored wolf. I didn't notice with Alex before, because I was still recovering, but I must really be a tiny wolf. I haven't seen another female, so maybe it's a gender trait.

I dart off through the woods at a fast clip, leaving them to follow. I can hear Jake running just off my right flank before I even get a yard away. I start thinking about how I'll need to get some training in wolf form done soon, and before I know it, I've arrived at my vent.

I quickly think human and shift back with no pain. I'm glad that part was just that easy. Being on a mission, I didn't really have time to stop and smell the roses in wolf form, but I put it on a mental list to do in the near future.

"Someone give me a boost, this is my entry. I'll be back in about fifteen minutes, baring any interruptions. I'm sure you guys can figure out what to do if you're seen," I finish saying as I walk over to where Jonas has taken position by the wall.

He quickly lifts me, and I unscrew the lid covering my passage. With that done, I grab on the edge and pull myself up and into the shaft. Now, the fun really begins.

Chapter 20

Slight deviation from the plan

The vents work just as I expect, and I make my way towards the holding area on the west side of the building. The path is long and winding with very little to look at, unless you liked looking at aluminum. I've been to the holding area many times during early missions that weren't assassination based. I know that if I go far enough, I'll get to a vent that's behind the guards' door, so they won't even see me.

There aren't cameras on the prisoners, making this much simpler. For some reason, the Collective authorities think their little jail is impenetrable and the video cameras would be a waste of money. No one ever said they were smart.

I reach my vent, and as quietly as possible work the screws out of it. The guards may not have visual, but they do still have excellent hearing. This opening is a lot bigger than my original entrance. It's about twenty-eight inches by sixteen, so as long as Greg isn't a body builder, I think we'll be able to make our escape.

I lift the grate and stick my head down slowly to see if anyone is in view. I see nothing but the cells and hear only some soft breathing. I carefully swing myself down and drop to the floor in a crouch.

I start looking through the cells and am surprised to find them empty. When I reach the last cell, I see a form lying on the ground. He's the source of the breathing, so I know he isn't dead. Not wanting to talk I tap on the bars lightly to get his attention.

The muted green eyes I'm looking for look up at me in surprise. It looks like someone has taken a jackhammer to his face. It's extremely swollen, probably from several fists repeatedly bashing it. I place my finger over my lips to make sure he keeps quiet, and he nods understanding the signal.

I take out a lock pick kit that I knew would be needed and silently go to work on the lock. When the lock clicks indicating it's unlocked, I pause for a second to make sure it didn't alert the guards. After a minute of no one running in to shoot me, I swing the gate open and run to the man. I check out the condition of the rest of his body, and other than just being in his underwear, things look good. If I had to carry him out of here, we would've been in trouble.

I do the whole finger to the lips thing again and lead him out of the cell. I point up when we reach the opening and he nods understanding to go that way. He lifts me up on his shoulders and I crawl back into the vent. A second later, he leaps up and joins me.

I wave for him to follow and I head back towards an exit I believe will be easy to get out of. Three minutes of twisting and turning later, I'm once again using the screwdriver to get us out. I hear nothing down below, so I imagine it's safe for us to exit. I slide down swiftly and grab the Beretta the second my feet hit the ground. I see no one, so I signal Greg to follow me out.

The exit is about ten feet behind us, so I push him in that direction, while I follow and try to keep my senses open for any intruders. Everything is going just like I planned and Jake and Jonas are going to laugh when I get out within ten minutes.

"I thought I smelled you," a voice I hoped to never hear again says way too close behind me. "I can't say I like the hair, though, it better be a wig."

"Run Greg. Get outside and go left to the woods. You should be safe," I tell him. I sense his hesitation, so I add, "Marie needs you and so does your baby. Now go." That's all the reminder he needs and he takes off.

I turn around to face Tommy, hoping to just shoot him and be gone, but he has other plans. He already has a gun pointed at me and rushes to take mine out of my hand. Now, with two guns in his hands we stand staring at each other. My expression is one of hatred, and his, well, I really don't want to know what his is, because it isn't hate.

"So, are you going to shoot me or turn me in?" I ask calmly.

"I don't think I want to do either of those options. I think I'm going to keep you all for myself," he replies with a very creepy smile. I find any smile on his face creepy, but the slight turn of the corners of his lips to reveal his teeth makes my skin crawl.

"I don't think you have that option. It won't take long for someone else to come along and find us here. I doubt they'll shoot on sight, but I imagine they'd raise the alarm."

"You know as well as I do that at this time of night this hall rarely sees people. Your plan of escape was well thought out. I don't know how you got in, but you've always been clever. That's part of the reason I've always wanted you."

I shiver in disgust. "It's a good thing I know we aren't mates, because I couldn't handle having you for one."

"Oh, but we are mates," he says simply, with the grin stretching even wider across his face. "I can smell that you've been scented already, and I have to say you've been one busy girl, but it doesn't matter anymore.

"You see, I'm in a special program here in the Collective. For the past year, they've been giving me experimental drugs that weaken the mate bond. Whoever my mate originally was is no longer important, because I don't have to worry about that bond. I'm free to bond with any bitch I like and as you know, I marked you as mine a long time ago," he says, coming closer.

I grab one of my throwing knives and prepare to stop him if he gets too close. He sees it and stops about five feet from me. "You need to let me leave now. There's no way I'm letting you form any kind of bond with me."

"That's the reason I picked you. You're so feisty. I can't wait to see what you do in the bedroom," he states with a laugh. "The fact that you're the hottest female werewolf out there only adds to that initial appeal. I imagine the bit of vampire you have in you makes you pretty tasty."

"What do you mean vampire?" I ask. He shouldn't know about that. Sebastian said wolves shouldn't be able to figure that out unless they had access to my medical records, and I don't believe Tommy has that kind of clearance.

"No playing dumb. I have a better nose than most, so I've always known about you being a hybrid. Your little fangs peeking out, confirmed that you've already activated that part of you. Being young, you must be kind of hungry. Why don't you come over here and take a sip," he suggests, tilting his neck to give me access.

"Gross. That's not going to happen, ever, even if I was starving to death. If you want to fight, let's get this over with. I have places to be." I move my tongue around in my mouth to verify that Lil and Bebe have made their presence known.

"You know what's better than fighting?" he asks, rushing over and taking my hand. He places it over his zipper, so I can feel the effect this talk is having on him. I need to figure out how he can move so fast because it isn't natural. "Fighting without clothes. What do you say; want to give it a try?"

I jerk my hand back and wipe it on my pant leg, causing him to laugh. When I get out of here, I'm spending a week in the shower. "Clothes are a requirement and I'll die before letting you try to mate me. I already found my mate, so you can't just break that bond."

"No? I believe I can. I can either do it by just marking you myself, notice I didn't say scent. The bond would break if I fully mated you. If I do that, your current mate would die, leaving you wide open for me.

"I could also pump you full of the drugs I've been given. That way, your guy would probably live, but you'd still be mine. I'm leaning towards the full mating version. I don't think I want a guy alive that has scented you."

"And you think my mate is just going to stand for this? You know he knows what I'm feeling, right? Who's to say he won't come barging in here any second?" I ask, hoping he doesn't realize it's a bluff. I've been trying to keep my emotions relatively flat, so Sebastian doesn't show up. I'm hoping disgust isn't a strong enough emotion for him.

"I'm sure whoever your mate is doesn't have the guts to step foot inside the Collective. It couldn't have been a Collective wolf or you would've triggered the bond years ago. So quit worrying about him, and why don't you take your shirt off? I've only seen the bloody version of my mark. I'm interested to see how great it looks now against your silky skin," he says as he adjusts the front of his pants. I vomit a little in my mouth at the thought of what's behind that zipper.

I hear something zip by my head from behind me and see Tommy switch his focus back there. Not wanting to take my eyes off him, I choose not to move. Whatever it was, it didn't sound like a bullet, so Tommy is still my number one threat.

"Her mate isn't afraid of the likes of a little pup like you," Alex says from behind me. I'm so in shock that it's Alex, I can't help but turn around. Just as I do, I hear a thump from Tommy as his body hits the floor.

"Alex?" I question, not sure what he's doing here.

"Let's go. His body probably won't take that long to metabolize the paralytic agent." He rushes over and maneuvers me so he's carrying me bridal style, and then runs out of the building. In my confused state, I don't even argue about being carried.

He doesn't stop until he makes it back to the penthouse where the gang is all waiting. He sits down on the couch with me still in his arms. As he settles, I hear him take a big inhale of my scent.

"Greg got out, right?" I ask, remembering the original mission.

"Yes, we saw him running towards the woods and tracked him down so he could fill us in on what was happening," Jake reports.

"That's the important thing. Now, would someone explain to me what Alex is doing here?" I ask. "Last time I checked he was three hours away.

"That's where I was, enjoying a nice shower until your guards called to inform me that my mate was meeting with a woman asking you to break into the Collective, and it sounded like you were going to accept. When I hear something like that, I drop everything and get on my jet," he explains. "If it wouldn't hurt me, you'd be in the process of being strangled right now, or paddled at the very least."

"It wasn't that bad. I freed the prisoner and would've been able to handle Tommy. I've fought him before and I didn't have fangs or fur during those times. Not only that, but I learned valuable information about a secret Collective program," I say, defending myself.

"I heard. I'm guessing the side effects of the drug are vampire speed and increased aggression. Granted I didn't watch the whole scene, but he seemed to be moving faster than normal," Alex says.

"That's true, I don't know about the aggression, though. He's always had it in for me, and I have the scars to prove it."

"I heard that part, too. Care to show me your back?" he asks.

"I don't think I trust you in this mood to see it. Jake and Jonas have seen it. They can fill you in on what it looks like while I take a shower. I really want to get his scent off of me." I try to stand, but I don't get far.

"Just a few more minutes. I'm still calming down and your presence is the only thing that will help."

"How you feeling, Sebastian?" I ask. So far, he hasn't said a word, which is a little unlike him.

"I'm actually enjoying watching someone else go through the same emotions I do every time you go on one of your missions, love. If nothing else, Alex and I should be able to bond over you taking years off of our lives."

I laugh. "Well, since you'll live forever, I have to do what I can."

"I'm pretty sure Alex will live just as long as me. Sorry it wasn't me to come in and rescue you. When Alex showed up, we thought it best that he go in since he's already on their assassination list. Plus, I would've brutally killed anyone who held you captive. Alex tends to be a little more level headed on that account and we didn't want to leave behind any dead bodies," Sebastian explains.

"Be thankful you didn't hear the things the creep said to her. I had trouble not pulling out the silver ammo," Alex tells him. "Pumpkin, you can go shower now. I don't think I'll smash things in your absence anymore." He loosens his arms a little allowing me to move.

"Thank you for being there, even if I still don't think it was all that necessary," I say giving him a little kiss on the cheek before rushing to the bathroom. The kiss is out of character for me, but I feel good about doing it.

Chapter 21

Slow down while I'm hitting you

I tune the guys' conversation out while I start my rinse cycle. I should've asked Sebastian if he has any bleach available for my hand. I've been wavering between sticking my hand in bleach or just cutting it off altogether, and so far the bleach idea is winning. Silliness aside, I use the antibacterial soap and some scalding hot water and scrub until I've taken a layer of skin off.

Hand taken care of, I work on the rest of my body to make sure any lingering scent is washed away. After thirty minutes, I deem myself clean. I step out of the shower and dry off before I realize I didn't bring any clothes into the bathroom, and I have to walk in front of the guys to get to them. Since walking out in my towel would reveal my back scars, I decide to call for reinforcements.

"Sebby, a little help, please," I say in my normal voice, knowing he'll hear.

"Right outside the door, love. Just open it a little and they're to the right," he answers.

I do as he instructs and find my pajamas sitting outside. "Hey, I was going to try to get some things organized at work."

"Maybe in a little while. For now, Jake is making us some food and we're going to hang out," Alex replies.

I put on the black boy shorts and the purple sleeping shirt he picked out. I brush out my hair real quick, gargle some mouthwash and open the door to rejoin the group. My leg scars are visible, but unless you're really looking for them, I don't think they're that noticeable.

"That is so much better. I never liked Tommy, but hearing him talk about mating with me made me want to wash out my brain," I say, making faces that show the yuck that I'm feeling. I settle in on a couch between Alex and Sebastian. They must have decided a Nyx sandwich was better than someone getting hurt feelings.

"We're going to have to watch out for him. He really wants you and I don't think he's just going to give up. I imagine this program is what your other fella was involved with as well. You mentioned he was getting a little aggressive and wanted to take your relationship to the next level, right?" Alex asks.

"Yeah, but he was never as cruel or crude as Tommy. When Tommy asked me to drink from him, I seriously threw up in my mouth. Can you imagine how nasty that would be? No offense to wolf blood, but yuck." I think I probably had vomit in my mouth for the whole conversation. Just remembering it makes me want to run to the toilet.

"No offense taken," Alex replies. "I heard you shifted successfully by yourself."

"I did with a little pain, but not too much. It was so much better than the first time."

"I'm glad to hear that. The guys were a little surprised by the gold. We probably should've warned them."

"Yeah well, Jonas doesn't even believe me when I tell him who my father is, so I doubt he would've believed me when I said I shimmer."

"If you have the mark, your shorts are pretty close to showing it now. Why don't you make us believers?" Jonas asks, earning a glare from Alex.

"I see no reason not to," I say, moving my right hip so it's visible to all, and then lift the shorts up a couple inches. "It will teach Jonas not to call me a liar."

"How is that possible?" Jonas questions.

"My father might know, or mother if anyone has a clue who she is. Other than those two, I doubt anyone would be able to answer that question."

With Alex sitting on my right side, he decides to reach over and touch the mark. I get this tingly sensation and glare at him.

"Sorry, I felt the need to touch it and didn't know it would cause a reaction. I've heard of the mark, but haven't ever seen it. It's something that leaves you a little in awe, once you have."

I settle myself back down and cover up, so no one else gets the desire to be touchy-feely. "How soon before food is ready? I'm starting to get hungry."

"I'm coming," Jake announces entering the room with a large restaurant style serving tray. I glance at Sebastian wondering why he'd even have that in the penthouse and he just shrugs.

Jake places the tray on the coffee table, so we can all gaze upon our bounty. It's heavily protein based with beef and chicken skewers, ham steaks, and sausages. It looks like he cooked up enough to feed an army. Everyone grabs a plate and starts digging in.

"So, since I missed the big reveal, does that mean I get a private showing?" Jake asks with a little smirk.

"Really not the best time to ask something like that in front of me," Alex growls at him.

"Come on. It was funny," Jake answers, laughing. "I didn't have to see it to know she was special. A gold wolf has to be an indication of someone important. I imagine only her father would know exactly what it means. With him in deep hiding, it might be a while before the rest of us are clued in."

"I have some people doing research in general on gold wolves. They don't know the reason why they're doing it, and are smart enough to keep their mouths shut. Hopefully, they can come up with something," Alex replies.

After a couple skewers and too many sausages, I'm full. "Plans for the rest of the night?" I ask, placing my plate on the table and then leaning back on the couch. "Oh and thanks for the meal, Jake. It hit the spot."

"You're most welcome, Nyx," Jake responds.

"As for the rest of the night, I'd like you to focus on some training. If the Collective's soldiers are gaining extra abilities, then you need to be prepared," Sebastian tells me. "I'm hoping not every case you take is breaking into the Collective, but I don't fool myself into believing you won't be going up against them again in the near future."

"Training. Me like. Does this mean I finally get to see this gym I was promised when I moved in?"

"Yes. Now go strap back on your knives, at least. For this first class, let's leave the guns in their holsters. Your bullets wouldn't hurt me, but you never know when they'll go off course and strike one of the spectators," he replies.

I bounce up and run to collect my knives from the bathroom. Not wanting to fight with bare legs, I also run to the bedroom and switch into one of my usual outfits before returning to the living room. I have both sets of throwers on and a sword sheathed across my back. He said knives, and it's really just a bigger version, so I hope that it's okay.

"You aren't going to go easy on me, right?" I ask.

"No, love. You'll probably feel it in the morning and I'll be somewhat sorry for that, but you need to know what's really out there. You've only dealt with young wolves and vampires. For your previous line of work that's somewhat acceptable based on the targets you usually went after, but to bring down the Collective, our targets are going to be a lot harder to beat. Follow me," he says, standing and making his way towards the kitchen.

I follow and feel the rest of the gang trailing right behind me. I'm smart enough to know I'm going to get my brains beat in, and I don't know that I really want them all watching. From my first days in training at the Collective, I'm used to being embarrassed in this manner, so I decide not to say anything.

Sebastian hits a button above and behind the fridge that causes the fridge to move out and the wall to open behind it. I really am going to have to just go around touching every surface of this place to find the fun stuff. We continue following until he stops and flips a light switch, revealing a large open area with a track, many cardio and weight-lifting machines, and several large wrestling mats.

"Where do you keep the pool?" I ask sarcastically, wondering how big this top floor really is or if we even are on the penthouse level anymore.

"Just through that door," he responds, pointing at a door to the right of us. "It's Olympic size, in case you were wondering."

I just shake my head and trail him to one of the mats. The rest of the guys stand against one of the walls looking on. "I think you've been holding out on me all these years."

"There are many things for you to learn about me, love. Thankfully, we have many years for you to explore my dwellings as well as my person," he replies. I roll my eyes and take a position opposite of him. "First thing you need to learn about older vampires is they are super-fast."

Before I know it, he's no longer in front of me and I feel my body being pushed to the mat. There's no way for me to prevent the fall. Crap. He's even faster than Tommy. He holds me down for a second and then kisses my neck before releasing and returning to his side of the playing field.

"I'm slow, I know. Since I'm part vampire, will I ever be able to prevent that move?"

"From me, who knows? I'm a few years above you in training. I doubt even Marcus moves as fast as I do, and he's the closest here to my own age. The key for you will be about anticipating the move. You won't be able to see me coming, but maybe you can hear it if you really try.

"I think the first exercise you need to learn is to trust that hearing. For that reason, I'd like to blindfold you. It'll allow you to focus on my movements."

He takes a piece of cloth out of his pocket and starts folding it to make it less see through. "You know I don't like this idea," I tell him.

"I know. That's why I'm in charge of training and you get to just stand there and do everything I tell you. If you want to be this big private detective who chases after kidnappers and killers, you're going to have to be prepared. Your Collective missions were nothing compared to what you're in for." He moves to place the cloth around my eyes and I can feel him tying it tight above my ears, so they aren't covered. "Can you see anything?"

"Just the little squiggles I sometimes see when I shut my eyes."

"Good. I'll start off somewhat gentle. I don't want you bruised too early."

I hear nothing else as he starts to move around me just poking me here and there as he goes. It's quite annoying and I'm thinking about breaking his fingers when this is done. I feel that playtime is over when I get my knee kicked out from behind. It still isn't as strong a hit as I know he can do, but it hurts, and I drop to my knees.

"I guess I should be glad I'm here and not over in Emerald Town," I hear Alex say. "I can handle the pain a little better when I know the cause."

I tune him out and try to concentrate harder. There has to be a way to hear Sebastian moving. I stand back up and am met with a punch to my left arm, causing me to grimace. I get over the pain and listen. I finally start to hear this really quiet whistle. It's coming from my right, so I swing around to face it, pulling out a knife as I move.

The whistle changes directions before it gets to me, so I start turning as I hear it coming from other places. A couple of times, as I thought I heard it getting nearer, I lash out and make contact with something. No other noises are made, so we continue our little dance.

Every once in a while I get a punch or a kick, but I feel a lot better that he doesn't seem to be able to get through as much as he did at first. There's no way that I could move after him and try to mount an offense, so I stay in my spot and try to be as defensive as possible.

After probably hours, okay maybe an hour, the whistling stops. I wait a second to confirm he isn't moving, and then sit down. It's a lot of work concentrating that hard on something and I feel exhausted.

"Not bad. You picked up the movements pretty quickly. You couldn't really fight back, though, and a couple of those baby jabs seemed to ring your bell," Sebastian says from right behind me. I feel his hands as he removes the blindfold and moves to kneel down on the ground in front of me.

"Baby jabs? Some of those felt like I was running into a wall. No wonder you don't carry weapons. You have hands made of steel," I say, still catching my breath.

"I was only using a quarter of my strength, love, if that. Most paranorms have to spend a good month recovering if they take a full blow from me. I know you have excellent fighting skills, so hand-to-hand isn't something we need to focus on, neither is your use of weapons.

"We need to work on speed, strength and endurance. Your improved eyesight doesn't seem to be available yet, so we'll work to improve your sense of hearing and smell, as well. It's going to be hard and grueling work. I know you have your new business, and you should spend a few hours a day dealing with that, but any free time you have I'd like you to spend in here preparing.

"Also, I prefer you didn't take any more Collective based cases until you're at least able to hold your own against Smitty. He's the youngest of us three, but still quite old, and will give you a brutal fight. His full strength punches are harder than the ones I gave you today, and he only moves slightly slower than I do."

"You expect me to turn people away if someone else is taken by the Collective just for supporting you?" I ask.

"No, I ask that you come to me and let me make plans to rescue them. Your plan tonight was good, and I knew you wouldn't be seriously hurt with me close by, so I didn't protest. Finding out they have been doing experiments on their wolves, does make a difference, though. If you had met with more than an altered wolf enamored by you, there could've been trouble. I'm not going to shackle you to my bed, but I do want you to use your head about these things."

"Fine," I say, remembering how quickly Tommy got the gun from me. "I'll run any cases that I think are Collective oriented by you to ensure I don't get my ass handed to me when I pursue them. Do you have a specific schedule in mind for my training, or do I get to go at my own pace as long as I make progress?"

"Good question, young grasshopper. You can do what you want, but I'll be around watching, and if I think you need pushed, I'll gladly do the pushing," he responds.

"Great. Can I go shower again and head back to the office? I need to work on putting a contract together for future cases. I don't want to have to resort to threatening to kill someone if they don't pay every time I take a case."

"Do you need anyone to scrub your back?" he replies with a wink.

"No, my hands still reach," I say, standing and feeling more like myself.

"Speaking of backs," Alex says. "Can you show me now?"

"I know you well enough to know it's just going to make you mad, but if you insist." I lift the back of my shirt up to my neck.

"Son of a bitch. He's dead. That's all there is to it. I may just go back there tonight to finish the job," Alex says as he takes quick steps to reach me. When he does, he carefully runs his fingers along the scars.

"I appreciate your concern, but if Tommy ever dies, it will be by my hand. I've put up with him enough over the years that it's my right to kill him. No one will take that privilege away from me." I put my shirt down and exit the room quickly, leaving them to consider my vow.

Chapter 22

The night that just won't end

"So, who's coming with?" I ask after taking my second shower of the night and redressing slash arming myself in the bathroom.

"Marcus and Jonas. Alex is going to head back to Emerald Town now that he knows you're okay and I'm going to head to work. Smitty has some errands he wanted to run and Jake needs to sleep. If you need any of us, I've programmed all of our numbers in your phone," Sebastian relays.

"Sounds good," I say making my way over to Alex. "Hey, thanks again for dropping everything for this visit. I'll attempt to not cause you grief again, but it's me we are talking about, so I make no promises. Maybe next time you visit, I'll make you a cake. Since neither of us is probably big on starch or sugar, it may have to be a couple steaks wrapped in bacon, but it will look like a cake."

"Keep safe, pumpkin. I need at least two more weeks before I can join you here on a more permanent basis. I've gotten a lot of things done, but there's still much to organize. I trust you to keep alive in the meantime. You up to the challenge?" he asks, taking my hand and placing it on his chest.

"I'll see what I can do. I kind of like breathing so it's high on my priority list."

"Glad to hear it. Would you mind walking me out to my car?"

"I'm going that way already, so I might as well," I respond.

"Give us five minutes," he tells the others, and then leads me out. He doesn't speak again until we reach the parking area. "You know I'm really sorry, right?"

"About what?" I ask.

"Treating you the way I did when we first met. It really wasn't cool. I was always told when you meet your mate you're instantly in love with them. The world only begins to make sense when they're near, that kind of stuff. I've seen it happen, so that's what I expected when you finally saw me, but it didn't happen did it?"

"Sorry, no."

"It didn't happen for me, either. I don't understand it. I know we're mates because I feel connected to you, but I'm not feeling the emotion I expected. I get some protective urges, but that's probably more from my testosterone than anything else. Maybe it's better this way. Even though you were raised by wolves, they didn't really teach you our lifestyle. This way you can learn about it as we learn more about each other.

"I'm hoping I can find a way to make your heart expand past Sebastian. I know he'll always be there in our lives and I'm coming to terms with it. For a vampire, I know he's a good person to have on your side. To have as big of a mouth as he does, and live as long as he has, probably took a lot of head bashing along the way. I don't know how old he is, but he has to be pushing the millennium mark," he states, leaning against his car.

"He's told me a number, but I don't think it's my place to divulge it. We have a long time to figure out this love triangle we've fallen into. I know you said January is going to bring a required mating between us, but since our bond isn't normal, who's to say it will actually happen for us?

"I'm totally good with spending more time together to prepare just in case, but right now I'm hoping it isn't thrown at us. It's not you," I say putting both my hands on his chest. "I'm not rushing into things with Sebastian either and I've had pretty strong feelings about him for a while now."

"I hope that isn't totally my fault. When you're with him, I don't feel pain just the same feelings you guys are experiencing. It's a little weird, but I don't want you abstaining if you don't want to," he replies, pulling me in close to him for a hug. I'm not sure we're really at the hugging stage, but for now, I let it pass.

"I'll admit that finding out you'd share the encounter with us is a little creepy, but that isn't the main reason. I like to be my own woman. After he came into my life, Sebastian has always been important to me, but I'm not used to seeing him more than once a month. Now, I have two guys connected to me and I'm feeling a little smothered. Not that you guys are actually doing anything wrong, it's just my life has totally changed and it's going to take some time to settle into the new routine," I explain.

"I'm sure it doesn't help that both men in this situation have had more time to come to terms with what could happen," he says with a snort.

"That's a little unfair, but I learned long ago my life was never going to be fair. So far, the cards I've been dealt aren't insurmountable," I reply.

"No, from what I've heard, you've come out pretty good in the scheme of things. The others are coming, do you think I could maybe sneak a good-bye kiss before they get here?" he asks, and looks down hopefully.

"Sebastian will feel it, right?" I ask. He nods and I smile. "Good, my knee still hurts."

I reach up and wrap my arms around his shoulders and on tiptoe, I press my lips to his. We don't go full on tongue, but it's really sweet and a couple times I feel him licking my lips. It isn't the same as when Sebastian and I have kissed recently, but it's nice.

He lifts his head and smiles down at me. "Just so you know, in the future you don't get to punish Sebastian by kissing me. That's just mean and I don't want you to reverse the players, and you to use him against me."

I separate from him and lean against the car next to him. "I won't. Next time I'll just attack him while he's sleeping. Have a safe trip back, and I'll try to stay out of trouble long enough for you to finish your business."

"Thanks, I may call in a couple of days to just check in," he says with a grin before he gets in the car. He waves and then drives away while I make my way over to the Suburban. Since he said he flew a jet in, I suppose he also had a car waiting for him at the airport, so I don't question whose car he's taking off in.

"Knee still giving you some grief?" Sebastian whispers as I take inventory and switch out the sword I was carrying on my back for a machete.

"Now why would you think that?" I ask, trying to answer without being stopped by a lie.

"We both know why. It's nice to see, or should I say feel, you guys getting along."

"He asked for a good-bye kiss and I was feeling nice enough to oblige him. We both admitted we didn't feel anything towards each other, so for now, you're currently the only love of my life."

"I know that won't always be the case, but I get the honor of being the first, so I'll be happy. Try not to get into too much trouble the rest of the night," he says, kissing my forehead and then disappearing.

I close up the back of the Suburban and take my seat in front. Marcus sits beside me and Jonas takes the back. We make our way back to my building without a word, which seems to be a recurring event with any of the guards.

The guys settle in the waiting area and I venture to my office. The computer is still on, so I bring up my document creation software and go to work. I get a good working contract, and then I jump around on the Internet to make sure I'm not missing anything from my wording and call it good.

Having that ready to print out was my goal for returning tonight. Since I still have plenty of time, I start searching for ideas of anything I'm missing to start this new business venture. My biggest issue I'm coming up with is what I would do if I go after someone who doesn't deserve to die. Like if someone stole something, I'd go retrieve the item, but what do I do with the thief?

The Collective has a system of trials for a person, but they really only deal with killers. I'll have to talk to Sebastian and Alex and see if they have any ideas on a system for crime and punishment. In the meantime, let's hope that any purse snatchers are dealt with by other means.

I shut the computer down, not really having anything else to do tonight. I stand and stretch, popping my neck as I go. If I was still with the Collective, I would probably be on a job right now. I really hope business picks up, because just sitting around is going to get boring fast.

"So guys, you ready to head back to the penthouse? I guess if you guys wanted to take in a show we could stop next door," I say, joining Marcus and Jonas.

"I like to watch my porn in the privacy of my own room, so if it's all the same to you guys, I vote to head home," Jonas says.

"I'm fine with that decision. I'm pretty sure it's Beginner's Night anyway and that usually puts me to sleep," Marcus says, standing up.

I turn out the lights and then lock the door as we exit. It's pretty cool outside tonight and feels like it may rain soon. I actually love the rain. I don't really know why, it just makes me happy.

I turn around after locking the door and hear a whistling heading our way. I'm sure it's just because I spent so much time tonight practicing, but I can tell that it's a bullet hurdling itself in our direction. If you shoot enough of them, you get the sense for the noise they make, even if you don't have super hearing.

Oddly enough, I also know it isn't aimed at me. I quickly move to push Jonas out of the way, just before it reaches him, and hear the glass shatter behind me. I feel a small sting in my shoulder and guess some of the glass shrapnel hit me.

"Hey, that was my new window!" I yell, and take off in the direction of where the shot was fired figuring Marcus can make sure Jonas is okay.

My speed is still cheetah slow, but does seem to have improved. It takes no time for me to catch up to a man running in the opposite direction with a sniper rifle in his hand. Not exactly the look of an innocent man. I tackle him to the ground and throw the rifle from us.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" I ask, pulling him up by his shirt, so we're facing one another.

He looks very young to me and really needs to hit the gym more. For a male werewolf, he's small. In the dark, I can't really make out his features, other than light skin and a skinny nose to match the rest of his body.

"Oh crap, you were hit. I was supposed to kill at least one of the guards. You weren't supposed to be injured," he says, going pale while he looks at my shoulder. I glance down and don't really see anything with the dark shirt and limited lighting.

"Who wanted my guards killed?" I ask. "Why shoot at them and not me? I would think I'm the much bigger threat here."

"I'd agree, but the orders are you live. Anyone that kills you now forfeits their own lives," the man mumbles.

"Whose orders?" I ask, just before I hear a sickening snap and watch as he crumbles to the ground. In his place, Sebastian is standing with a fuming look on his face. "Hey, I was still questioning him."

"And he will live, so you can finish the job. I couldn't let the wrong he committed stand unpunished. When he wakes up, I'll give him back to you, but for now, someone will be along to pick him up. We need to get that shoulder looked at. I have a feeling the bullet is still inside you and judging by the target it's silver."

"That shouldn't be a problem, right? Silver doesn't even hurt Alex," I remind him.

"True, but we don't know enough about your makeup to be sure it won't affect you. Let's go get it removed. The pain has dulled to a sting, but I wouldn't mind being without it."

"I didn't feel a thing and still don't. Why are you in pain?" I ask.

"Because as soon as I felt it, I decided to keep it all to myself. Usually, I just get the emotions, but this I can feel. I might have given Alex a little, but I didn't know the situation, and I thought you'd be more level headed without the pain," he replies, touching his shoulder in the spot of my wound.

"You can do that? Just take my pain. That's a little weird. Why am I feeling woozy?" I ask, suddenly swaying a little.

"Blood loss, my love. Here, let me carry you," he says, swooping over as I start to collapse.

"You may have the pain, but I'm definitely getting the effects. Why can't I just heal like you guys?"

"Other than your father, I doubt anyone knows that answer. For now, just rest and we'll get the bullet out and stop the bleeding. You'll be as good as new in no time."

Not really wanting to, but having no strength to fight it, I pass out.

Chapter 23

Power makes the world go round

"How soon before we can get some answers from Aaron?" I hear a voice ask when I finally wake up.

"No one's really sure what rock he's crawled under. We've sent scouts out with the message and hope to find him soon," someone answers.

"We need to know what we can expect. I don't know that he'll have the answers, but he may have some idea of where to start looking. At least she doesn't heal at human speed. After we got the bullet out, the wound closed up pretty quickly," the first voice that I now remember is Sebastian replies.

"She would've been pissed if she had to lie around for more than a day recovering," Alex tells him.

"She's a little pissed to find you're still in town. I thought we said good-bye already. Am I really that irresistible?" I ask, finally opening my eyes. Thankfully, I find that I'm not in a hospital, but in my bed. Finding a hospital in this town would've been a trick, but with the current group of guys hanging around the apartment I wouldn't put it past them.

"Well, if she could've kept her promise about not getting hurt, I wouldn't have had to have the pilot turn the jet around the second we landed. I wasn't gone even two hours and you got shot," he scolds me.

"Hey, I didn't make any promises. I said I would try," I defend. "Anyway, it was just a little scratch; you could've called to verify that."

"I was too curious to see what you got yourself into, that I couldn't not come."

"Has my prisoner recovered?" I ask. "I want to find out who has it in for my guards."

"That neck is probably going to take some time to heal. Usually when your head spins around a couple of times, most of the bones are broken," Sebastian informs me. "I was kind enough to spin his head to face the right way and not let it start healing backwards."

"Next time, find a wall to punch. Someone is trying to kill my guards and I want to know who."

"I'm sure he's just a Collective operative. He seemed pretty green, so I imagine he hasn't been in the business very long," Sebastian says.

"Yeah he about peed himself when he saw that I'd been shot. Is Jonas okay? I pushed him and then ran after the twerp. I didn't check to see if he was hit."

"He only had minor cuts from the glass shards falling on him. They healed almost immediately," Alex reports.

"The bullet, though, would've killed me," Jonas says from probably the living area. The dark curtains are drawn, so I can't really tell. "Thank you for pushing me out of the way. I didn't even hear it coming."

"I'm glad you're still alive Jonas. It means I still have time to get you to like me. I was so shocked at the time that it wasn't aimed at me that I'm surprised I had the ability to push you away. I talked with the shooter long enough to know they wanted me rid of my guards, but if I hadn't, I'd be asking who you pissed off with that shitty attitude of yours."

The curtain moves slightly and he peeks his head in. I about faint from the sight of a smile crossing his face. "Let's just say, I may not despise you as much as I did when we first met." He closes the curtain and goes back to whatever he was doing.

"I knew I could wear you down," I reply, returning the smile even though he can't see. "So, how soon before I can go survey the damage. I can't believe my new window was broken. I loved that window."

"You've been out for three hours recovering. It's already past dawn, but we had some wolves replace the window and clean up the glass. A new sign will be put on later today," Sebastian says.

"Wait a minute, if I had a bullet still in me, why did the glass break? That doesn't make sense."

The guys glance at each other before Alex speaks up. "There were two bullets, different calibers and different trajectories. We think the one that hit the glass was from the man you caught straight across from your location. The other one came from the right and was probably fired after the first one, and we're afraid that it hit its target."

"So, someone does want me dead," I say, oddly excited by the fact.

"Or they wanted to check to see how silver treated you. We checked the area out, but didn't pick up a recent scent strong enough for us to lock in on," Sebastian states.

"If people are out there shooting at me, then I don't feel so bad about having the guards. Not that I want them taking bullets for me, but it's nice to have a reason for them to be around."

"You're a very strange person, Nyx Slaughter," Alex says.

"I imagine you'll learn to live with that fact. It isn't something I can really change," I respond, shrugging. "So, it's daytime, I'm supposed to be suffering from a lethal bullet wound and Alex is supposed to be out of town running from assassins, what do you think about us walking down Main Street together, so I can verify that nothing is out of place at my office?"

"Other than we should've probably checked for mental damage, I think it sounds fun," Sebby replies.

"Good," I say, throwing off my sheet to see that I'm in nothing but my underwear. Since my chest is so small, I don't own any bras, so it's totally open for anyone to see.

I'm secure enough to not huddle back under the blankets and start screaming. I get out of bed and move to the dresser with my clothes. I slowly get dressed, just to torture the guys for allowing me to lie around practically naked.

As I put on my shirt, I realize the bullet was able to penetrate it. I've tested the material on a dummy before and I know bullets shouldn't just go through it like butter. That means there's something new out there.

"Tell me about the bullet," I say as I grab my socks and boots. I sit back down on the bed and put them on waiting for the answer.

"All that was left was a silver core. We don't know what the shell was originally made of, but we're trying to get fragments from the silver to test. We should know within a day what it was," Sebastian replies.

"And whose idea was it to let me lie around for hours without my clothes?"

"They had to be removed for us to get the bullet out. You looked so comfortable I decided not to put them back on. Don't worry, I only fondled you a little, and made sure no one else took advantage," Sebastian says with a smile.

"Perv," I call him as I finish lacing my boot.

"Do you want something to eat before we go?" Alex asks.

I think for a second. "Nope. I'm good for now. Maybe when we get back."

Jonas is waiting and holding the front door open for me when I go to leave. "After you, milady," he says in a mocking tone.

"Thank you, kind sir," I respond, bowing slightly and walking through the door.

Sebastian and Alex flank me, with Jonas catching up and leading our pack. I can smell Jake following us. He has a very earthy scent to him. Kind of like freshly mowed grass. Jonas smells like oranges or one of those orange citrus fruits. It could very well be clementines for all I know.

"Here are the keys, love," Sebastian says handing me my Suburban keys. "I imagine when you said we were walking down Main Street together that we'd drive there first."

"Of course. Maybe we could park a couple blocks away, but I don't really feel like walking the whole way from here," I say, taking my keys and spot in the vehicle.

"Alex can sit up front," Sebastian says, avoiding what would've been a fun argument to watch. "I was the one who got to fondle you after all."

"You're joking about that, right?" I ask, glancing in the back seat at him. He's sitting so we can see each other in the rearview mirror.

"I can't lie to you, so no, I'm not joking."

"Next time I find you passed out, expect the same treatment from me," I tell him.

"I look forward to it."

The way to my building is traveled with friendly conversation about nothing. They tell me I slept right through the rain shower I was hoping to enjoy, which is a bit of a bummer. We don't get a lot of rain in the city, so it'll probably be another month or two before the next one.

I find a parking spot a block away and pull in. We all exit the Suburban and meet in front of it.

"Should we really freak them out and hold hands?" I ask, directing the question to Sebastian and Alex.

"You have a wicked mind, love," Sebastian says, taking my right hand.

Alex follows, taking my left and the second he does a jolt of energy seems to move through and around me. When it passes, I shudder, getting rid of its last effects.

"Tasty," Alex says, squeezing my hand gently.

"That was a nice little power boost. It really cleared the sinuses," Sebastian says.

"Is that what it was? I felt like I was being shocked repeatedly. At first it didn't feel very good, but in the end it kind of tickled," I say.

"I think it was meant to tell us we're stronger together. Maybe eventually we'll be able to draw power and use it to our advantage. I already know that Sebastian can transfer pain amongst us, but if we were able to harness each other's power, even when we were separate, we could be a much scarier force to reckon with," Alex says.

"I have zero to no power, so it'd all be coming from you two," I say, and start dragging them down the street. We've stood out in the open long enough.

"I have a feeling that won't always be the case. From what I've heard, with your lineage there has to be some power in you somewhere. We just have to find a way to break it out. I have some great experiments that I think would be good places to start," Sebastian says.

"If those experiments involve us getting freaky on flat surfaces, you can forget them," I tell him knowing exactly what he's thinking.

"Party pooper," he replies.

Within two minutes, we're standing out in front of the previously shattered window. As promised, an undamaged smoked window is in its place. My name is sadly missing from it, but it gives me a chance to actually name my business. As much as I love seeing my name in big letters, I think something niftier is needed.

"Can the sign people make a different sign? I'm thinking I want to call it ParaNorm Inc. Capitalizing the P and N in paranorm. My name is awesome and all, but it may scare people away at first. I like the sound of the new name," I say.

"ParaNorm Inc. It does have a nice ring to it. I'll make the call and have them create the new sign," Sebastian says.

"Have them include the saying from the business cards. I really like that one," I suggest as he takes out the phone. He winks and places the call.

While he does that, I use the key to enter the building. I'm curious to see where the bullet ended up, and whether they left it as a souvenir. If I remember right, the trajectory would've carried it into my office, so I head that way.

I examine the wall behind my desk and sure enough, I find the little hole that may still have the bullet inside. It's just to the left of one of my maces.

"Sebastian said you'd want the hole to stay, even though we had a team here to Spackle it," Alex says, taking a seat in one of the chairs.

"He's right. I see it as a badge of honor, and it gives the space some extra character. Is the bullet still in there?" I ask.

"Nah. We took it out, so we could test it. After seeing the one that hit you was special, we wanted to check it out. It was just plain silver."

"Can we put it back in the wall?"

"If you want. I'm sure it's still around somewhere. Sebastian can have someone find it and insert it back in."

"Since we're here, I think I'm going to check emails real quick before we go," I say, taking my seat and turning on the computer. "My first client contacted me that way, so I should probably keep on top of them."

When the email client starts up, I have two new messages. One is still the one from Sebastian that I haven't got around to reading. The other is from someone named Ron Noble and has no subject line. Thinking it might be a client I open it.

_Nyx,_

_Daughter, it sounds like your life is turning upside down. I'm glad to hear you have parted ways with the Collective. If it was my choice from the beginning, you would have never been left with them, but alas, we can't change the past._

_I can't come to you immediately, but I'm aware of the things going on in your life. If things get too crazy, I will risk it and come out of hiding, but for now I think you can handle the situation. You can trust both men tied to your life, but there is someone in your midst that you need to watch out for. Keep your eyes and ears open and don't give your trust to anyone but Alex and Sebastian._

_If you can make it just a few more months, you will be safe. At that time, I will be by your side and shouldn't have to leave you again. Just remember, you are a Gentry. You bear the mark and I'm sure you will make our ancestors proud._

_Love,_

_Your Father_

Good. Only a few more months and then maybe I can get some answers. Until then, I guess I'll just have to try to stay out of trouble. I have a feeling the odds are against me.

**THE END**

Night Marks

By Amber Lynn

As with all of my books, I have to thank my best friend for reading through them when they are still in their rough stage. I think we will both always remember the time I used bathroom instead of bathrobe. It totally ruined a scene.

My husband also gets my thanks for giving me ideas, even if he doesn't know it. One of these days, he will read one of my books and figure out I use all of his good quotes or jokes.

Thank you to you, the reader, as well, for taking the time to download this book. It was fun for me to write and I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1

Rich humans annoy me

"Mr. and Mrs. Willard, I'm trying to understand this. You're both human, right?" I ask the people sitting in front of me. They're hoping to hire me, but are only succeeding in annoying me.

"Of course, we are," Mr. Willard replies. From the get go, my impression of the man wasn't very high. He walked in as if he owned the place with his thousand-dollar suit and slicked back, probably dyed, black hair. His brown eyes hold no warmth and I can just picture him hawking fake miracle cures on a street corner.

"Your daughter, the one who is missing, is also human. The man, Harvey Smalls, who you believe took her is believed to be human as well," I state, picking up a mini slinky that I keep on my desk with my left hand and start toying with it to try to keep my hands busy.

These two have been in my office for the last thirty minutes, going over their story and things just aren't adding up. I know the details on their missing twenty-year-old daughter. She's been missing now for three days and was seen leaving a high-end shopping center in the company of a man the authorities later identified as Mr. Smalls.

"We've already gone over all of this," Mrs. Willard says, sighing. She isn't the only one tired with this conversation. Her bright blue eyes bore into me, and I stare back until she finally looks away.

Don't humans know not to start a pissing contest with a paranorm?

"My company is called ParaNorm Inc.," I say, trying to remain calm. "I tend to only deal with paranorm cases. Why would two humans walk into Night Owl City, where the only reason humans usually visit is to donate a pint or two of O negative to the local vampires? Are your local authorities not looking into the case for you?"

"They're doing 'everything they can' is what we're told. Sadly, that isn't good enough for us. Even if they catch the guy who took our little girl, we don't think justice will be served. We're coming to you because you live outside the human laws, and we're hoping that if you won't kill the cretin personally, that you'll at least bring him back to us, so I can deal with the matter," Mr. Willard says without a lick of emotion.

Things are starting to make sense. Why didn't they lead out with the fact they wanted the guy drawn and quartered? That's something I can understand. Killing tends to excite me, especially now that I don't officially do it solely as my way of life.

"We're willing to pay a quarter million, if you return our daughter to us and hand him over, dead or alive," Mrs. Willard says with as much emotion as Mr. Willard.

I don't get the feeling that either of these two really cares that much about what their daughter has gone through. Usually, from what I've heard, mothers should be in tears when their daughters are kidnapped. I get the feeling that the woman across from me has had her tear ducts removed just to ensure she never ruins her makeup.

"Fine. If I bring him back to you that will be the cost. However, if I don't and only find your daughter, I still expect $50,000," I explain.

"What are the chances he'll get away?" Mr. Willard asks.

"There are no chances he'll get away from me, but I'm not just handing him over with a big red bow plopped on his head. I don't know the circumstances of this abduction, yet, and until I do he lives."

"But we're hiring you to kill him or at least let us do it," Mr. Willard interjects.

"See, that's the beauty of me running my own business, I do things my way. If you don't like the way I run my business, the door is right over there," I say, gesturing towards the exit behind them.

They share a glance between each other and I see Mrs. Willard nod her head almost imperceptibly to the human eye. Good thing I'm not human, or I would've missed it.

"Bring our daughter home," Mr. Willard says coldly. "If you deem it appropriate, please dispose of Mr. Smalls while you're at it."

"Glad we could see eye to eye," I reply, taking out one of my contracts and filling in the important details. "If you'd just sign on the dotted line, I can get to work."

I push the paper across the desk and Mr. Willard quickly squiggles on it. Now, I just need to get them out of my office. Luckily, once he's done signing, he escorts his wife out of my building as speedily as possible. Well, I didn't enjoy their company either, I think to myself as I turn to my computer.

"So, who's going to make the travel arrangements?" Smitty, one of my vampire guards, asks from the waiting area, where I imagine he's lounging casually across the furniture.

"I don't know exactly where we're going, and until I do, no one can make plans," I reply as I start searching the numerous databases I have access to for this Harvey Smalls character.

"A more important question would be which of your boyfriends is going to join you on the case?" Jake asks, chuckling. Out of my two werewolf guards, Jake is the friendlier one, but I'm starting to find him really annoying after two weeks.

"If it's up to me, I'll be going alone. No one has tried to attack me in two weeks, so I think it's safe for me to run a little human mission on my own."

"Neither of the bosses is going to like that, especially after you slipped us last week. I heard Alex saying he was going to tie you up for a couple of days as punishment, since he can't actually hurt you," Jake states. Sadly, he isn't joking.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault I wanted to test out my new wings and neither of my werewolf guards had the capability to join me in the air," I say as I bring up my target's information from the FBI database.

It looks like they've been brought into the case, which may throw some curve balls in my way. I'll have to work to fly under their radar, if they're out actively investigating. Their reports give me the address I need to start my search. It looks like a trip to D.C. is going to be needed.

Nothing in the report indicates that good ol' Harvey is a menace to society. He has a good chunk of money in the bank and no previous arrests. That, on top of being human, means he isn't going to be much of a match against me.

"You'd found out that your wings grew in two days before the incident," Jake reminds me. "You didn't have to test them out in the middle of the day."

"Says you. I still don't have good night vision, so nocturnal flying has proven difficult. I wanted to see what I could do on my own without Sebastian guiding me."

"And the fact that we found you stalking Collective agents should be overlooked?" Smitty asks. By the time they found me, it was night and all the guards were called in.

"If you guys were really worried, I'm sure Alex or Sebastian could've found me quite easily. They claim to be all in tune with me." I've navigated to Harvey's Social Friend page to see if I can find anything interesting in his posts.

"Alex wasn't in town, yet, and Sebastian couldn't stop laughing that you got away from us. Neither of them proved to be very useful, and when your guards are threatened with death if anything happens to you, you put us in a very difficult situation," Jake says, and I can feel him pouting.

Poor little babies had to run all over town looking for me, and I spent most of the time sitting in a library reading Dracula. It wasn't until almost dark that I witnessed a group of guys I remember from the Collective acting suspicious.

I decided to follow them and make sure they weren't planning something stupid. There were three of them, and I had plenty of knives and bullets to take them on. I trailed them for thirty minutes before Marcus, my other usual vampire guard, finally caught up to me waiting outside Sins, my vampire beau's place of business.

"Thinking about putting on a show?" he asked, stepping out from his self-created shadows. "I think you'll have a couple pissed off paranorm boyfriends, if you do."

"I think they'd get a kick out of it," I replied. "Sadly, I was just tailing wary Collective kids who I thought might be up to no good. It seems they just didn't want to get caught frequenting Sebastian's money maker."

"Have you verified that? They could be in there causing problems," Marcus stated.

"I went in a little bit ago and verified they were just getting their rocks off with a couple female wolves. It wasn't a very entertaining show, so I came back out here to wait."

"Sorry to hear they bored you. How about you call Jake or Jonas and let them know you're okay. They haven't told Alex you're missing and if you don't turn up soon, they're going to be forced to make the call. You know that won't end up well for anyone."

He was right, so I made the call and the grand search was called off. At some point, Alex was made aware of my time without guards, and he immediately called all his business in Emerald Town to a close and flew into town. He never lets me have any fun and since being here, he's put a damper on all of my chances for a little amusement.

"It looks like I need to go over to Looneyville," I tell the guys. Looneyville is my code word for D.C. That area is full of crazies, and they all think they somehow run the country. "The kidnapee and the kidnapper are both from the area. I don't imagine it will take me more than a couple days to track them down.

"I'm really thinking the girl just ran away with the dude. The reports and videos don't indicate any force on the guy's part. His Social Friend page actually has pictures of them together, so they probably just ran off to elope."

I wish the reports told me if they purchased anything in the mall. It might give me a clue to what the duo was planning.

"The masters will still want you guarded, even if it's an open and shut case," Smitty informs me.

"Don't call them 'the masters,' it makes them think they have more power than they do," I reply.

"Over us, they have all the power in the world currently. Sebastian made Marcus and I took a blood oath to protect you. We skip out or let you get killed, we forfeit our lives. I'm pretty sure that means they have all the power," Smitty says. "The mutts are no different. Alex isn't known for his pleasant disposition, and they've sworn their allegiance to him, so whatever he commands, they do."

"I guess it's up to me to set them back a few pegs. Maybe I can get Alex to spar with me soon. I've really been working on my super speed and I think I'm about ready to take him on. If I knock him on his ass a few times, he won't be all high and mighty."

"No, he'll be pissed and probably take it out on us," Jake states. "Oh, and in case you forgot, he's going to be here in ten minutes for your date. Thankfully, I think the restaurant he's taking you to doesn't require you to wear a dress, because you don't have time to change."

"First, he'd be stupid to try to take me to a classy place, or any place that doesn't allow me to walk in with a sword across my back. I don't do class and he knows that. Second, if I needed to, I can change in four minutes flat to be ready for any occasion," I respond as I start printing out all the significant information for the case.

"That last point is probably a good thing," Smitty says. "He's walking to the door now and he looks to be in a suit."

Chapter 2

Always bet on black

"Come on. It won't be that bad," Alex says as he tries to convince me to put on a dress he bought for me.

He seems to forget who I'm, and the fact that we're currently in my office, which just happens to have a wall filled with medieval weaponry. It wouldn't take anything to pull down a mace and bash him in the head.

"I don't do dresses," I tell him with an aggravated glare.

"Really? Sebastian has pictures of you in way more revealing dresses than what I picked out for you. Mine is even black, so it matches your usual attire."

"I was in disguise in those pictures and you know it. I don't willingly walk around wearing a dress. Not now, not ever. If you planned something that requires me to wear one, we should probably just cancel the whole evening, because I can already tell I won't like it."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you're trying to weasel out of getting to know me better. I thought we agreed it was for the best that we get to know each other before January. You don't seem to be putting forth the right amount of effort," he says with a smile on his face.

He obviously thinks the fact that I'll be forced to have sex with him in a few months means I'll play nice. He must have missed the memo declaring me the most stubborn person in the world.

"No dress," I say, continuing my glaring. "You want to go on a date, fine. I'll go out with you, but if you expect me to wear anything other than my normal outfit, you're in for a rude awakening."

"Are you really going to let Sebastian win this bet?

His insistence on the dress immediately makes more sense. Why he'd bet against Sebby is a mystery. Sebastian and I have been together for three years and, even though we only saw each other forty or fifty times in those three years, he knows most everything there is to know about me.

"What were the terms and prizes?"

"I just have to get you in the dress and take a picture proving I talked you into it. If I do that, I get to spend the night tonight. Otherwise, he does," he replies.

"And I don't get a say on who's sleeping over? I'd have to say that it's my choice." I'm surprised Sebastian didn't insert a clause that Alex couldn't mention said bet to me. Sebby is well aware of how I'd feel about the subject, which is pissed.

"Everything is your choice when you're dealing with just Sebastian. Throw me in the mix and, well, things may not always go your way," he states, shrugging his shoulders.

"How bad do you want to spend the night? It'd be your first time, and you have to know going in that there'll be clothes on at all times."

"I'm well aware that the night would be spent actually sleeping, but it'd be nice to be in the same bed instead of a floor down thinking of you in that big bed all by yourself."

"Since I'm feeling generous, hand me the dress. I'm guessing the terms didn't indicate I had to leave the building wearing it, or you would've been plain dumb to accept. You just need a quick picture and I can give you that."

He hands over the dress, and I begin the motions of taking my weapons off. First, the machete running up my spine and then my gun holster. I put the weapons on my desk and stand to take my shirt off and throw it onto my chair.

"Would you like me to step out of the room?" Alex asks, staring at my naked torso.

"You've seen most of it, if not all of it, before, so I didn't think there'd be an issue. It isn't like there's a whole lot going on in way of boobs," I reply, waving my arm towards and around my chest area.

"Believe me, there's more than enough there to sink my teeth into. Do you know how connected Sebastian and I are through you? Do you think he just went stiff, too?"

"I think I have to be in an aroused state for you guys to feel what the other is feeling, so hopefully not," I say, removing my boots and sliding my pants down.

I pick up the dress and get a good look at it for the first time. I guess it's cute. It's black and that scores some points. The material is silky and stretchy, probably some kind of spandex type stuff to stick to my skin.

I pull it on over my head and slowly straighten it out. It hits me about mid-thigh and I raise my eyes to frown at Alex. There isn't enough money in the world to bribe me into wearing this thing out in public without being undercover.

"Who picked it out?" I ask.

"Sebastian did. I said it had to be black, though. I figured that's the only way I could get you in it. He thought the length and material would be enough of a deterrent for you."

"Hurry up and take a picture. I better not find it posted anywhere on the Internet tomorrow. I'll be super pissed and any good work you've done to make our relationship more comfortable will go up in smoke," I say, trying to pull the hem of the dress closer to my knees.

With his phone, he snaps a few pictures and messes around with it, probably sending the dang things to Sebastian. I should've made sure Sebastian got the same warning about posting the pictures, but I'm hoping he knows better. Then again, he did make this stupid bet.

I go through the process of removing the dress and putting back on my comfortable clothing. I've already started thinking about ways to get back at Sebby for this travesty. The fact that Alex is the one spending the night tonight will be a good start.

"So, you ready for the date now?" Alex asks, putting away the phone. He seems way too happy. He might need some punishment as well, but that's for later.

"Sure, where are we going?" I ask, walking around the desk to join him.

"I was thinking a boxing match followed by a late dinner at a steakhouse Jonas recommended."

"You really know how to treat a girl, don't you?"

If I was choosing what we are doing, I probably couldn't have picked better. Start off with blood and carnage from the fight and move on to a juicy, still practically mooing, steak; it really is an ideal evening.

"Well, I imagined you didn't want to go to the theater, and I knew unless there was a chance of blood being drawn you'd end up bored," he says, taking my hand. "Guys, I'm giving you the night off. I won't let her leave my side and would like to have a little alone time."

"Thanks boss," Jake says. "Not to question your judgment, but are you sure that's a good idea? She doesn't usually like to be tethered and has been known to wander off."

"I'll behave for the night," I promise. I'm all for not having two extra people following me around. It still annoys the Hell out of me every time I see their shadows cast over mine.

I've killed probably more men than any of them, and yet they still think it's necessary to follow me around like a little baby. It's pathetic I tell you, pathetic.

Alex leads me out to a classic black Chevy Camaro. If I had to guess, it's a '69. It's in gorgeous condition with some, rarely seen these days, white wall tires.

"We kicking it old school tonight?" I ask as he leads me to the passenger door and opens it for me.

"One of the many things you don't know about me is that I'm somewhat of a car collector. The '69 Camaro is one of my favorites, so I thought I'd share it with you," he says, shutting the door after making sure my knees were out of the way.

"What's it got under the hood?" I ask, knowing he can hear me as he makes his way around the vehicle.

"It's a stock 302 V8," he replies, getting in and quickly starting the engine. "You know anything about cars?"

"Not really. I just know the ones I like. It's mainly a cosmetic thing to me. Classic muscle tends to be very appealing." I make a little purring noise in my throat.

"Good to know. I'll have to show you around my garage when everything gets delivered," he tells me as he drives away from my building. "So, before we get to the match and are unable to have a decent conversation, let's play twenty questions."

"You do know I hate that game, right?" I ask.

"It won't be too bad, some of these I could even figure out myself. What's your favorite color?"

"Black." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. "What's yours?"

"Red. Favorite weapon?"

"Depends on the situation and the person it's being used against. For all around effectiveness, I'd probably pick my flamethrower. I don't use it often, but if I'm looking to kill something, it tends to be the best option. Burn them to a crisp and then take off the head. For close hand-to-hand, I have a couple daggers I really like. I call them Helen and Clytemnestra. I have another set named after their brothers, but I prefer the girls," I explain.

"You've named your daggers after people in Greek mythology. Interesting. What's your favorite food?"

"Rare beef. Cut doesn't matter, too much," I answer without having to think about it. "What exactly do you do?"

"I imagine you mean as an occupation and not what I do for the resistance. These days I do nothing. I'm independently wealthy and am devoting all my time and resources to bringing the Collective down," he replies. "I go into 'work' every day, but it's mostly just strategy meetings and sharing of the most recent intel."

Great. One of my little 'mates' runs an army and the other runs a sex house. Fate picked me a couple winners.

"I thought you were staying in Emerald Town to tie up business issues, before moving to be closer to me."

"Business in the sense that I was working to rearrange the troops and make sure people under our protection were being cared for in my absence."

"How old are you?" I ask, trying to through him for a loop.

"Fifty-five," he replies, glancing over to gauge my reaction.

Already knowing werewolves can live to be a couple centuries old, it doesn't really surprise me that he's over twice my age. It's nothing compared to Sebby's and my age difference.

"You're just a baby," I say jokingly as I pinch his cheek.

"I can assure you there's nothing 'baby' about me."

He pulls into a packed parking lot and drives to the front of the arena. Stopping at the entrance, he puts the car in park and gets out. A valet opens my door and holds out his hand to help me exit the Camaro.

"No touching," Alex says, making it to my side, batting the valet's hand away from mine.

I ignore them both and step out of the car. In the last few weeks, I've learned just how childish boys can be.

"So, do you have a list of which menfolk are allowed to touch? Because I spar with the guards and Sebastian all the time. There's a lot of touching that goes on then," I say as he grabs my hand and leads me towards the entrance.

"Yes, there's a list and it's very short. Both Sebastian and I agreed on it when all of this started. We want your physical contact with others kept to a minimum."

At the door, he hands over a pair of tickets and the ticket taker points to a sign that says "No weapons on the premises for the match."

"That better not apply to me," I say, scowling at the guy. "I didn't even bring my full arsenal."

"He must be new," Alex says, trying to soothe me. "Since your other boyfriend owns the arena, I'm sure you'll be allowed in armed."

"Hey, I'm just doing what I'm told. The boss says no weapons allowed tonight and I'm here to enforce it," the man says. I'd love to see him try to "enforce" anything with me.

The man is really a vampire, and a relatively new one at that. I've been cultivating a new skill where I can sense the energy levels off other vampires, and that helps me gauge how old they are. It's kind of nifty and helpful, but still a work in progress.

"Which boss are you reporting to tonight?" I ask.

"Marcus Turner is running the fights."

"Good. I'm close with Marcus, would you mind calling him and telling him Nyx is outside and would like to have a chat with him," I say, grinning. I imagine there's nothing nice about the smile.

"Wait, you're Slaughter? No need to make the call, you can go right in. You should've identified yourself sooner. If I would've known, there never would've been a question of you getting in armed. I'm hoping to be put on your protection detail one of these days, but I'm still going through training," he says, clearing the way and opening the door for us.

"Keep up the good work, I guess," I say as Alex drags me inside. He would probably be an easy guard to get away from, so I'm semi-serious about my comment. If I was worried about my life, though, I'd make sure that guy wasn't on the short list of people sent to protect me.

Chapter 3

There's no need to fear

I haven't ever been inside this arena before. Wait, that isn't right, I did chase a mark from a concert a couple years ago. For obvious reasons, I didn't really take the time to check the place out back then.

My initial reaction to the inside of the building is, bright. They could really stand to tone down the overhead lights. I don't know if I'm just light sensitive, but the rays are giving me a bit of a headache.

There are merchant booths lining the side of the long walkway that seems to be the only way to go. I see food stands promoting the freshest cuts of meat. It looks like you can sign up to have the choicest cuts delivered to your house daily.

That might be something worth looking into. It's one less trip to the store I'd need to make, granted I don't remember the last time I actually went grocery shopping, since my meals are usually provided, but it's food for thought.

There are also a lot of weaponry stands that draw my eyes. I thought the guy at the door said no weapons, so how does he justify the sight before me? Someone has some explaining to do.

"People can purchase items, but they don't take possession until later," Alex states, seeing the questions in my gaze. "I doubt anyone has anything you don't already own, so let's get to our seats."

He attempts to drag me away from a booth and I allow it. We head further down the hall to the open doorways into the arena proper. I try to glance into the openings, but there are too many people milling around for me to get a good look. About halfway down the long tunnel, he turns and pushes through the crowd to get to our seats.

We end up front and center. To be any closer we'd have to actually be in the ring. We're looking at an elevated platform that supports a black chain linked cage. There's currently a scantily dressed woman walking around the ring with a digital clock counting down the time until the fight.

The crowd is joyous already, crying for the blood sport to commence. I've been involved in a lot of fights, but I've never been to an actual event like this. Rumor is they can get pretty vicious.

"So, what are the terms?" I ask Alex. I figure he knows all the details, since he brought me here.

"No weapons, shifts allowed, tap out," he replies.

It isn't a death match then. I imagine the opponent who taps out is probably knocking on death's door. A loss in this division knocks you down to the bottom rung of the ladder and you have to fight your way back up. Most of that journey is paved with death matches. I like fighting a whole lot, but the whole to the death element has always left me queasy.

The countdown clock is ticking off its last second and a male werewolf joins the ring girl. He has a microphone in his hand, so I'm guessing he's the ring announcer for this evening.

The lights in the arena dim and spotlights start circling the room.

"Ladies and gentleman, thank you for joining us this evening. Night Owl City Hall is proud to present tonight's match between Joe 'The Hulk' Murray and Trevor 'The Wolfman' Amonte," he shouts to the crowd.

One of the contestant's entrance music kicks on and the people get on their feet. I stand too, thinking about how these guys need to find themselves more original nicknames.

It looks like The Wolfman is the one making his way to the ring. Judging by the look of him, you wouldn't think he was in the right place. Alex looks more built.

That might not be a good reference point because Alex is pretty large, but this contestant is way too small by my standards. Wolfman is only wearing a pair of orange trunks as he bobs and weaves his way to the ring. I can see some definition in his abs and arms, but he doesn't project a lot of strength.

A different entrance theme immediately starts and a giant of a man enters the arena. Now this is more like it. Hulk is wearing green shorts covering his tree trunk thick thighs. His biceps don't look much smaller and he has to be seven feet tall.

If I stood next to him, I'd probably look like a child's doll. Definitely not someone I want to meet up with in a back alley.

As the music dies down the announcer picks up the microphone again. "The rules are simple. We'll have three five-minute rounds. No weapons are allowed, but you can shift. We go until tap out or the end of the third round where we'll go to a judges' decision.

"On that note, please allow me to introduce our judges for the night," the spotlights move to highlight a man in the audience. "First, we have Riley Mullins." The man stands to wave at the crowd. I wonder how these judges are picked, because the guy seems kind of random. "Our second judge is Trent Hughes." Stand and wave repeated. "And our final judge is relatively new to the city, so I want everyone to give him a warm welcome. Put your hands together for Alex Monroe."

More standing and waving happens while I sit next to him with my jaw hovering around the floor. Totally not cool. I'm so not thrilled about having the spotlight this close to me.

The cheers finally wind down and Alex retakes his seat. He reaches for my hand and gives it a little squeeze.

"Surprise," he says. That's it, surprise? This kind of information is something I tend to like beforehand.

"I don't think I'm happy with you right now."

"That's nothing new. Watch the fight, so you can help me pick a winner, if they last the full time," he instructs.

Looking at the two contestants, I don't think it's going to be much of a challenge, but I settle in to watch. It's nice that these front row chairs are well padded. The seats we passed coming in were mostly bleachers. I'd probably be more irritated if I was sitting on the cold medal.

"Round 1," the little ring girl screams, interrupting my thoughts.

The opponents start circling each other, trying to take measure. Hulk doesn't move around too well, while Wolfman is hopping and bouncing around as if he's part rabbit. I still think size is going to rule the match.

They finally get close enough to touch and the little guy tries throwing some punches. It looks like they're running into a concrete wall. Hulk just stands there grinning, showing everyone what little effect they're having on him.

Eventually, he gets bored and picks Wolfman up. He then throws him across the ring. Wolfman hits the cage hard and falls to the ground, but he isn't down long. He springs back up and goes after the giant again.

He picks up his pace and starts darting around Hulk, giving body shots when he can, while trying to stay out of the bigger man's grasp. He keeps it up for the rest of the round, not letting another hit touch him.

I have to give it to him, his strategy is interesting, but he doesn't seem to be doing much damage. I think the judging is scored on the most violence or blood drawn for this type of thing, and skating around giving jabs here and there isn't going to go over well with the judges.

"What do you think, so far?" Alex asks during the wait for the second round.

"It isn't as violent as I was expecting. It actually seems pretty mild."

"I think they're still trying to size each other up. The Wolfman is a relatively new fighter, so The Hulk probably doesn't have a full dossier on his moves."

"I'd call his move the bunny hop. He doesn't seem to hold still for a second."

"Would you if you were in the ring with the giant?"

"Not if I wanted to make it out alive." The bell for round two sounds and I turn my attention back to the ring.

Things start out the same as the last round ended. Hulk is trying to move around more, working to catch the smaller man. Frustrated with failing his task, he finally gives up and changes to his wolf form.

He's a dark brown wolf with some scattered silver streaks. Humanoid size and wolf size don't always manifest evenly. Alex has the largest wolf that I've seen. I expected Hulk may be bigger because of his massive size, but he's quite a bit smaller. He isn't a runt or anything, just smaller.

He starts lunging at Wolfman, who's still in human form for the moment. Wolfman does some fancy flips to keep Hulk at bay. This only works to aggravate him more. After one of Wolfman's flips, Hulk takes to the air and leaps to the corner the humanoid is standing in.

With his opponent in the air, Wolfman sees his opening and shifts into his silver wolf form while leaping to meet Hulk in the middle. As wolves, they're almost even in size, so the previous advantage Hulk once held is gone.

They meet with The Wolfman's jaw clamping around Hulk's jugular. He locks his jaw in place and The Hulk is stuck wiggling on the ground, trying to get free. It isn't a hold you really want to rip away from an opponent, because chances are your throat will go, too.

A torn out throat wouldn't kill any of us, but it'd sideline him for a least a week while it knitted itself back together. I've seen the injury happen before during my time with the Collective, so I'm pretty familiar with it.

After some last tries to break free, The Hulk finally gives up and taps his paw on the mat. Wolfman releases and stands back, allowing doctors to come in and work on Hulk. The injury shouldn't be too serious and both men will live to see another day.

The biggest lesson of the day for me is to not bet against the underdog. Small and mighty can win over big and slow. Being small and mighty myself, I never should've doubted it.

Chapter 4

My spidey senses are tingling

"That was awesome. Did you see how seamlessly Wolfman shifted into his wolf and went right for the jugular?" I ask Alex excitedly as we leave the arena. Of course, he saw it. He was sitting right next to me.

"I still can't believe this was your first fight. As much as you like violence, I'm surprised you haven't joined the women's division," he replies, grabbing my hand while we wait for the car to be brought around.

"Good idea. I wonder who I need to contact to get in on the action." A decent sized crowd is milling around us, and I'm checking out everyone I see to make sure no one decides to try out any weaponry they happened to purchase.

"I shouldn't have said anything. You do know you won't be allowed to fight, right? You have enough threats against you. No need to add more. Those women on the circuit are nothing nice. They've been known to leave a lot of permanent scars."

I wave my hand in his general direction. "That isn't a problem for me. I've trained with men ten times bigger than me my whole life. Even the toughest female would be a joke for me to fight. Maybe I should look into joining the men's league."

"There's no way that is going to happen. I'll restrain you every way I can," he insists.

Too bad I feel his threat is a joke. As it is, I'm just trying to get a rise out of him. I don't have time in my busy schedule to grapple around with sweaty men, or women.

The Camaro appears in front of us and as Alex goes to open the door for me, I stop him. All of a sudden, an immense sense of wrongness washes over me. It makes no sense, but I don't want to get in the car.

"Wait. Something isn't right. Don't touch the car and get everyone back from it," I say, dropping to the ground and looking under the Camaro as I hear Alex directing people away.

"Get to the arena, now," I hear him yell. I'm guessing he made a phone call.

Under the car, I see a red light blinking and a timer that says 00:05:27 and is counting down. I've seen enough C4 to know that it looks to be attached to a few bricks of it. That being said, I haven't worked with explosives, so I can't really be sure what I'm looking at as far as the device.

"How much do you like your car, Alex?" I ask, standing back up.

"It's one of my favorites. Why?"

"Because in about five minutes you won't be able to recognize it. I'm not a bomb expert, but I don't think there will be much left to it when this thing goes off."

"Thankfully, Jonas is a bomb expert and he's on his way. It shouldn't take them more than a minute to get here, and maybe we can save her."

Sure enough, thirty seconds later Sebastian arrives followed by Smitty, Jonas, and Jake.

"And you thought you guys were getting the night off," I say to the guards as Sebby walks over and wraps his arms around me.

"Getting into trouble I see," he whispers into my ear.

"Me? Never. Someone just doesn't like true American muscle cars and is taking their hate out on this beautiful piece of machinery," I reply like I'm actually speaking sense.

"Jonas, would you mind taking a look? Do we have people scouring the area? I imagine the person who planted the bomb wanted to watch the show, so they shouldn't be far," Alex states.

"There are at least thirty of our people looking for anyone out of place or just in general suspicious," Sebastian reports.

Jonas takes a look under the car and takes out a multi-tool. He starts fiddling around with something, and I really hope he knows what he's doing. I go to take a step back, just to add some distance, but Sebastian is still behind me.

"It's a decoy," Jonas says, carrying out the "bomb". "The wires aren't connected to the explosive."

"Why would someone plant a fake bomb, and how in the world did I sense something wasn't right?" I ask.

"Shit," Jonas says under his breath. "Thirty minutes ago our prisoner woke up. We brought most of our people out here for this threat. I imagine security for him is currently low. Do you think someone is trying to get to him?"

"Hey, I was supposed to be told the second he woke up. That little pipsqueak has some questions to answer and, hopefully, this time Sebastian won't snap his neck before he tells me everything he knows," I say, and immediately stretch out my wings.

I haven't really figured out the science of where the wings go when I'm not using them. They aren't there all the time and I don't have any ridges that seem to hold them. The wings, by the way, are not black like the other vampires I've seen. They match my wolf and are shimmering shades of gold.

I bend my knees and take off into the air. I want to make sure my prisoner is still in the holding area, and I don't trust anyone to report back the details. Within seconds, I feel Sebby and Smitty pull up beside me.

"Alex is going to be pissed you just took off like that," Sebastian taunts.

"Alex spends his days pissed, so it won't be anything new for him," I return. "Plus, it looks like he gets to sleep in my bed tonight. I'm sure that will negate any hard feelings."

"He told you I picked out the dress, didn't he?" he asks as I start to make my descent close to our jail. The jail happens to be in the lower levels of my apartment building. It comes in handy.

"Why would you think that?" I reply.

"That's the only way you would've put it on," he says. "By the way, I didn't pick out the dress. It's not fair that he's allowed to lie to you and I can't. Of course, when you guys become fully mated his options for deceiving will be limited."

"Really?" I ask, landing on the ground. "What exactly will change to cause that?"

I'm still working on learning what it means to be a vampire or a werewolf. The guys have helped explain some things, but I still have a lot to figure out.

"At that point, you'll be able to read each other's thoughts. So, if you think he may be lying, you can just take a look-see in his brain and find out."

I spin around to face him. "You're joking about that part, right? I know I don't pick up emotions and stuff as strongly as you two do, but that guy is horny twenty-four seven. There's no way I want to know what he's actually thinking. I'll have to give myself daily brain washes to get all the crud out."

He smiles at me and opens the door. "After you, love. Since you don't get the emotions, maybe the mind reading part won't happen either."

I still have problems remembering that Sebby can't lie to me, so he must be telling the truth about the dang mind reading. Stupid werewolf genes.

We make our way to the elevator for this facility. Once inside, I press the secure level and we descend three floors. When the doors open, we're met with a destruction area. The guards' station has been demolished. The video terminals are smashed and thrown towards the opposite wall. There are papers everywhere and there are three guards shaking their heads as if coming out of a fog.

"What did you guys do, play vampire Twister?" I ask, walking into the area.

The guards look up and then at each other nervously. "No, ma'am," one of them says.

"Just tell me the prisoner is still here, and alive," I say. "Once I know that information, we can discuss what exactly happened."

"The door is still secure, so I believe he's still there. We were knocked out for a little while, though," the same guard replies.

"How many were there?" Sebastian asks.

"Just the one. Sorry, but he was wearing a mask, so we couldn't get a lock on him. He came in and immediately shot us with tranquilizers. The thing is, his scent was familiar, so none of us thought to arm ourselves for a fight," another of the guards claims.

"So, it was an inside job," I say. My father told me recently that I couldn't trust anyone but Sebastian and Alex. He seemed to know there was at least one traitor in our midst.

"Had to have been. It was a wolf and none of us mingle with the furries, so for all of us to know the scent, it must have been someone from here," the last guard says.

"I take it the security codes were changed like I requested?" Sebastian asks.

"Yes, sir. As soon as he woke up, we changed them to the new system where it changes every ten minutes to your preset code combinations. Whoever tried to get to him wasn't aware of the change," the first guard says.

"Excellent," Sebastian says, dragging me over to the door.

He enters in a long series of numbers. How he has them all memorized, I have no clue. When he finishes, a green light flashes and the door pops open.

"Right this way, love," he says, guiding me into a long corridor with jail cells on each side.

We keep walking until we reach the end of the hall. There, he starts entering codes into a keypad.

"Remind me never to piss you off enough to lock me up down here," I say as he finishes and we make our way through the second door.

"I have much nicer facilities to keep you locked in, but trust me, they're just as secure."

This hallway is lined on each side by five doors. He picks the middle door on the left-hand side and inserts his finger into a scanner of some sort. For a second, I smell iron and realize it just scanned his blood.

"So, who all has clearance to go this far?" I ask.

"Technically, only I have all the new codes at this moment. Only you, Alex and I would actually get by this scanner, if someone were smart enough to crack the codes. As you can see, Smitty didn't even come with us down the hall."

I look back and see we're alone. The door opens after Sebastian's blood is analyzed and we walk through to find a man, or werewolf, lying on the cot in the room.

He looks up and sees us standing in the doorway. "Good, you're alive. I would've been an even bigger dead man, if you didn't make it."

"The bullet that hit me wasn't from your gun, so as far as that goes you'd be safe anyway," I tell him.

"How much time has passed? I have a feeling it hasn't been just a few hours. I woke up with a really stiff neck and I'm not sure why."

"It's been a couple weeks. The neck issue was Sebastian here being a jerk. He didn't like the fact that I was shot and you were the closest target for him to take out his aggression. I'm sure he's extremely sorry for spinning your head around."

"Why does a vampire care if a wolf gets shot? I was sent to try and get you away from your guards," he says. I have a feeling getting him to talk won't really be that hard if he's already providing information without any prompting.

"Sebastian is my boyfriend." We still haven't come up with better terminology for our relationship. "Enough about me, why don't you tell me who sent you?"

He pauses before speaking and looks to be thinking about something really hard. "I know Jonas, the wolf I tried to shoot. He's with Alexander Monroe and whatever cell of resistance they're trying to mount. Does that mean you're part of the force against the Collective?"

"I don't know that it's wise for me to just give that information over," I tell him. This is supposed to be a case of me getting all the answers, not show and tell with Lucy. I'd think it was pretty obvious we're part of the resistance, since I know the Collective doesn't have holding cells this nice.

"The reason I ask is that if you are, I'd be willing to join. After you left the Collective, for all of the like two days before I was sent after you, things had been a bit chaotic. There are tons of rumors floating around about you and how maybe you had the right idea to leave," he explains.

"As you can see, I'm not a very strong wolf. That has always made living in the Collective difficult for me. I was shocked when I was told they were giving me an assignment. Now, I figure they thought you'd just catch and kill me."

"The Collective sucks, but I don't know that we can just bring you right into the fold. We have to be very careful about who gets close to us. We could maybe offer you some training, so you aren't stuck in here all the time, but I think it will be a while before we can trust you," I say.

"That's understandable. I was sent by Frank, in case you were wondering. The objective was to get rid of the guards, as I've been saying. I don't know if they had someone else who was going to get to you or not. I was just told to shoot the guards. I'm actually a pretty good shot when my target isn't pushed out of the way," he claims.

It doesn't surprise me that my Collective father was the one to send the troops out to get me. He's pretty high up in the food chain. I guess I'm just glad to hear it wasn't Tommy. Of course, that creep wouldn't send someone else to do his dirty work.

"I guess we should officially introduce ourselves. As you know I'm Nyx," I say, holding out my hand.

"And I'm Sam," he says taking my hand and giving it a shake.

Sebastian asks a few more questions, but it's quickly apparent this guy is bottom of the totem pole green. Any theories on why he was sent, other than the Collective wants me back, aren't made available. It's kind of a letdown, but not a big surprise.

Next time we get a Collective agent in our grasp, we're going to have to find a higher up target. I have a few in mind who would shed all sorts of light on the situation. Maybe I'll bring them up later and see if the boys will let me go on a little mission. I doubt they will, but I can at least try.

Chapter 5

Conversations you never want to have

"I'm hungry," I say as Sebastian and I exit the holding area. He makes sure to lock everything back up. With his level of security, I'm pretty sure leaving one door open still would make it impossible to get in, but better safe than sorry.

"Alex should be here by now. You should be able to finish your date," Sebastian replies.

"It was a really great date too," I say, elbowing him in the side. "How come we haven't ever gone on a date?"

"You mean you don't consider all those great meetings we had at Sins dates? You know neither of us is big on crowded places. Our quiet nights at home are more our speed. Plus, if we go out, there's the potential that I have to share you with others."

"Very true. The fights were fun tonight, though. We'll have to go together sometime," I reply as we make it to the guard area and find Alex, Smitty, Jonas, and Jake standing with the jail guards.

"Did you find out any new information?" Alex asks, immediately coming to my side and putting some space between me and Sebby.

I give him a quick glare for the gesture. "Not really. He was sent by the Collective like we assumed. He was to get rid of the guards and he thought someone else might try to take me, if he accomplished that task."

"Didn't figure someone at his level would have been given accurate information," Jonas says.

"He wants to join the cause," I say, watching the startled expressions come over their faces. "I told him we can start giving him some better training, but we aren't just going to open our doors to someone who was taking orders from the darkside."

"Since we're mostly all here, would now be a good time to bring up your trip?" Smitty asks, moving the conversation on to a new topic. It seems to be rare that we can stick to one topic for long.

"Trip?" Sebastian and Alex inquire simultaneously.

"It's a new case. I need to go to D.C. for a couple days to track down a girl and her supposed kidnapper," I explain.

"What variety is the kidnapper?" Alex asks.

"One you don't need to worry about. He's human," I answer. If I need help taking care of a human, we're all in trouble.

"A human was able to kidnap a paranorm, and she hasn't gotten away yet?" Alex queries, continuing on his information quest.

"She's human, too," I say with a grin.

"So, the dad wants him killed." Sebastian doesn't even question the reason for the contract.

"And we have a winner," I say, making ding ding noises like a bell. "Yes, that's his hope, but I haven't promised to turn him over or kill him personally. I think they just ran off together and daddy doesn't like her choice of boyfriend. Not really a killing offense, if you ask me."

"I don't know. When we have kids, our girls better choose someone I approve of. If not, I may not have the guy killed, but I'll make sure he isn't able to ever have children," Alex says, thinking now would be a good time to hold hands.

I look over at him with a look that could create an iceberg. "There are so many things wrong with that statement, and I bet it wasn't even fifty words. First, I'm not planning to have any children. How do you think they'd survive in the lifestyle I live? I know I won't be just doing assassin calls, but I still kill people.

"Not only that, I have a lot of enemies and my children would be in constant danger. Secondly, if we had children, I imagine they'd have that pesky trait that turns them furry, meaning they'd have a mate. If they found him and you didn't like him, there ain't shit you can do to stop them from being together."

"Hence the fact that I would probably not kill the guy. I'd just make it impossible for them to ever have children. Wouldn't want a jackass being able to create new tiny versions of himself," Alex replies, ignoring the part of the statement about not having children to begin with.

"Whatever," I say as I roll my eyes. "I'm hungry. Can we still go out to get something to eat?"

"Of course. I called the restaurant on our way over here and told them to hold the reservations. You know you're really crabby when you are hungry, right?" He swiftly draws me out of the room to the elevator.

"She's crabby all the time," Jake puts in his two cents. "Do you want any guards for the rest of the night?"

"I'd like Jonas with us. If Sebastian wants to send one of his, I'll allow it. We weren't in any danger tonight, but the threat seems to always be present," Alex replies.

Jonas and Smitty follow us. I guess Sebby must have given a silent signal to follow. During the elevator ride, I ponder why I even thought to look for a threat with the Camaro. I have to guess there was a smell that triggered something, since that's my most keen sense. I just don't remember anything specific and it's going to bother me until I figure it out.

I clear my mind of everything as I'm led to the waiting Camaro. Might as well try to enjoy the rest of my date. Sebby made a good point about me being a private person and normally being out around people makes me a little edgy, but when I have the choice to get to know Alex in public, where I don't have to worry that much about him trying to get my clothes off, I'm going to take that option.

The ride to the restaurant ends up being silent. If I was concerned about Alex's welfare, I'd check his forehead for fever, but sadly I really don't care that much. The quiet gives my mind time to think about how my life is shifting.

After spending the past couple weeks with the guy, Alex seems cool and all, as long as you define that word by being a total ass, but my heart doesn't pitter patter at the thought of him. Truthfully, my heart doesn't really do that for Sebastian either; our relationship is more grown-up than that.

When we arrive at Cattleman's, I climb out of the car, much to Alex's chagrin. He tries to be courteous and I've been trying to thwart every attempt.

"One of these days you'll let me open the door," he says, coming up next to me and taking my hand.

"I'm pretty sure world peace will happen before that, so I wouldn't be holding my breath," I reply with a dazzling smile. I can feel our shadows falling in step behind us.

"I'm surprised the Collective allowed you to be so stubborn. I thought they preferred the people in their group to be more like sheep and just follow orders." He holds two fingers from his left hand up to the greeter, indicating how many people would be sitting at the table.

"With the shit I put up with while I was in the Collective, you're lucky I have the cheerful disposition you're witnessing today."

He glances down at me with a look almost like sorrow as we're led to our table. Great. I really didn't want him to start feeling sorry for me.

As I sit down, I grab my menu and start studying it like there will be a pop quiz any second. When the person who greeted us leaves, I decide to change the subject and get our minds focused on something other than a pity party for me.

"So, we've all been playing happy family for a couple weeks, I'm curious to hear how you think this will all work out?" I ask as I see that Jonas and Smitty have taken a table not far from us. What good little guards they are.

"In what regards are you wondering? Day-to-day life or how Sebastian and I plan to take turns screwing you until you forget your name?"

I take a second to glower at him before responding. "I'll let you decide which part of your question I was referring to."

"Okay. Well personally, I was thinking I could have Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Sebastian could take Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We'd give you Sundays off. I don't know about Sebastian's specific plans, but on my days, I plan to keep you tied up in bed the majority of the time. I guess bathroom breaks would need to be required, but I think that will be the only time I let you up," he replies with a smile I'm sure would light a fire in most women.

In my case, it makes me want to light him on fire. He's known me long enough to know that those comments aren't going to fly.

"Really? Because I was thinking you and I would only be sleeping together once a year. I still don't believe I'm going to go into this heat and feel compelled to actually let you touch me in a way that currently disgusts me." I finish speaking as our waiter walks up and immediately turns as white as a ghost hearing my comment.

"I can come back later," he stutters out.

"You're a werewolf, right?" I ask, looking up at the waiter with a grin.

"Y..yes," he answers.

"I sense you aren't mated and it sounds like come January I may need a fuck buddy. Would you be up for auditioning for the role?"

I really didn't think he could lose any more of his coloring. Poor guy. I'm starting to feel bad, but I guess it's better that he's passive compared to Alex, because I can imagine a guy with a little more testosterone would've actually considered my offer, causing Alex to probably kill him.

"I think that's enough, Nyx," Alex states, giving me a charming smile. "We'll take two very rare steaks, John." He grabs my menu from me and hands it over with his.

John quickly scurries away from the table, leaving Alex and I watching each other intently. I wonder if we'll be seeing those steaks tonight, or if John's fear of Alex will cause us to go hungry.

"That was a little unnecessary, don't you think?" Alex asks calmly.

"And you don't think tying me to a bed three days a week, literally becoming your sex slave wouldn't be a little overkill?" I counter. "Not only that, but you say something like that here, where everyone can hear it even if they're across the room."

"I could've said a whole lot more, gone into way more detail of what I plan to do with you once I get you in that bed. How I was going to take my nine inches of very thick..."

"That's enough," I scream at him in a whisper. I know it doesn't make sense to scream in a whisper, but I somehow achieved it. "You won't talk to me like that. I'm sorry I got us started on this subject, but we need to get off of it now if you plan to keep that specific appendage attached to your body."

"So, tell me about this upcoming trip. How long do you plan to be gone?" he asks immediately changing the topic.

I know he's just doing it to amuse me. My threat actually bounced right off of him. I swear nothing ever fazes the guy. He may just be made out of stone.

"I thought you didn't want to talk about my dick. If you really want to continue the conversation, I think your bedroom would be a better setting. I can show you just how made out of stone it is."

"What the fuck was that?" I ask. I'd been staring at Alex, so I know his lips didn't just move, but that sure as Hell was his cocky voice I was hearing.

"I'm sure at some point it's been mentioned that with enough contact, mates can become telepathic. Evidently, two weeks is a good time. I've been trying for a while and I do believe that's the first time I've gotten through that thick skull of yours."

Oh yeah, it's been mentioned, all of about two minutes ago by Sebastian. Why do they never tell me these things early enough that I can make some preparations?

"So, you can just go around picking up my thoughts as you please now?" This has to be the worse night of my life. I think this might even beat getting carved up by Tommy.

"You need to take that back. You won't compare me to that son of a bitch," Alex replies to my unspoken thoughts, allowing a bit of his cool to slip.

"You need to figure out a way not to read my mind, and then I will consider taking it back."

"It only works when I concentrate on it, so it isn't like I hear everything. If you try, you could probably pick up mine."

"No way in hell do I want to know what's going on in your brain. If you won't be courteous enough to keep out, at least don't reply. Especially, if those replies include mentioning your granite dick. That's information I really didn't want to know about."

"You sure you don't want to take a peek? I have some really good replies to what you just said and I doubt you want me to say them out loud."

There really is only one answer to that and since I see Waiter John on his way with our food, I smile and kindly give Alex the one finger salute.

The rest of dinner passes without conversation. Chances are he's listening in, but other than ideas on how to kill him and prayers I never really have to have sex with him, he's probably coming up empty on interesting facts.

After I take my last bite, he throws some money on the table, not even waiting for the bill.

"Just think, you helped me win a bet that's allowing me to spend the night. I imagine you're finding that very disturbing about now," he says, leading me out into the parking lot.

"Not at all. I'm thinking you'll at some point fall asleep, allowing me to get to the castrating. I've come to the conclusion if a mate doesn't have the equipment to actually 'mate', then we won't run into any problems come January."

That statement draws him to a halt. I take a couple steps and turn around to face him. He's staring down at his crotch. After a moment, he looks up at me with his usual grin.

"I'm sure once you actually see it, you'll have trouble damaging the work of art it really is. In fact, why don't we hurry to your place, so you can take a look at it? I'm imagining you falling to your knees to worship it after just one glance."

With that, he steps forward, grabs my hand, and hurries us to the car. I think any future dates I go on are going to have to only include a violent diversion. Anything that involves conversation is out.

In the car, I crank up the radio and jam to some head banging music, not only to keep the talking to a minimum, but it also keeps my mind from wandering.

Chapter 6

An evenly matched fight is boring

I've come to realize that anytime Alex and I are in a room together I end up really pissed. His sleazy personality still hasn't won me over. He gets little flashes of niceness that make me think he could win me over, but the big brain tends to get overruled by the little brain a little too often.

I wonder if he overheard my pun about him being little. It was a really good one.

By the time, we get back to our place we've both had a chance to calm down. I'm even thinking he may be allowed to keep his man bits for another night. He'll probably open his mouth and blow my generosity out of the water, but for now, everything's good.

"So, are you thinking of heading right to bed, or can I interest you in a workout?" he asks, holding the door for me.

Even in my mellow state, battle has its appeal. "You're talking a vertical, hand-to-hand combat type of workout, not the horizontal mambo type of workout, right?"

He glances over at me as he hits the button for the elevator. "After hearing I'm currently allowed to keep my favorite appendage for another day, I thought it best we work out my sexual frustrations another way, unless of course you're hungry for your other boyfriend. That usually takes care of my needs."

"Sorry, bud, but I'm probably good another couple of days on that front. As for the grunge match, I'm all for getting sweaty," I say, giving him a little wink.

He laughs, which should probably be illegal. His personality annoys the Hell out of me, but sadly his body does speak to me, and the way he looks with a smile and just a glint of naughtiness in his eyes could raise a three-century dead nun from the grave.

"Ah, but what would she do with me when she found me? Would she just be a bunch of bones, or would her hips have filled in so I have something to get my hands around? Do you think maybe since she's dead, that it would be a way for me to get around the fact that I can't have sex with another woman?" he asks, and I can see the possibilities flash in his eyes.

"You're sick. You'd seriously contemplate having sex with a dead person?" I experience a full body shiver just thinking about it.

"Nah, you know I just like to rile you up. You're the only girl for me, dead or alive, my little Nyxie Poo," he says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leading me into my apartment.

"That isn't an approved nickname. I'm going to change into my workout clothes. Why don't you scamper off and do the same?" I extract myself from his arm and hurry towards my sleeping area.

"I had some clothes left here for me, so I think we're going to the same place," he states as he catches up.

Wasting no time, he removes his shirt and goes for his belt. For the first time in my life I'm too shocked to do anything more than stare as his pants hit the ground to reveal a pair of navy blue boxer shorts. Judging by the outline that I'm seeing, wolfman is well endowed. I guess his nine inches remark earlier probably wasn't too far off.

I allow my eyes to meander up his torso, pausing to fully appreciate his abs of steel. Hot damn. He's a romance novel come to life, and not one of those fluffy kinds either. We're talking the smuttiest of smutty here.

He's from the kind that's nothing but hot, wild sex on every imaginable surface. No backstory needed, straight to the good parts.

"It's good to know when the time comes you won't be suffering from lack of visual stimulation," he says, drawing my eyes to meet his.

In them, I see that he was just trying to gauge my reaction. I do believe he's determining the mission a success.

"From what I've seen it's rare for a paranorm not to be able to light a fire in the opposite sex. Plus, from what you've said, it sounds like when the time comes I won't be worried about anything other than satisfaction." I turn from him to open my hidden closet door.

"It still does a man good to know his mate doesn't find his appearance lacking."

"Yeah, because I'm so sure you doubted how great your body looks." I've been introduced to his ego many times, so I know he thinks highly of himself.

I quickly grab some tight sweats and a tank top and change in the closet, not wanting to give him the same show, even though he already saw the top bits earlier tonight. I'm secure in my body, scars and all, but I don't want to give him any ideas with a bed five feet away.

Walking back into the sleeping area proper, I find him waiting in a pair of shorts. Yup, that's it. Usually my workout partners start with a top. By the time I'm through with them, it tends to be shreds, but at least they attempt for some modesty.

"I'm in the mood to feel your claws on my bare skin tonight," he states simply.

"Fine. It's your body. If you don't mind looking like a waffle iron imprinted on you, I'm not going to try to stop you."

"I'll heal. Let's get out of here, our adoring fans are waiting."

One of the bad things about living with a bunch of extraordinary beings is a lack of privacy. I imagine everyone in the building has heard what's been going on tonight and are lined up waiting for the "king", I use the term loosely, to take the little princess on. I hope they aren't too disappointed when I kick his ass.

When we arrive at the gym, I see the sides have already been drawn, vampires, including Sebastian, on the left and werewolves to the right. It looks like there are twenty or so men in each faction. I know even with the lines drawn, most are rooting for Alex. Me and him haven't really gone at it full tilt, yet, but officially the big scary master type vamps have been the only ones who could beat me.

"So nice of everyone to come out for this lesson," Alex says, drawing in cheers.

I roll my eyes and start my stretches. I have to be really good and limber. Wouldn't want to pull a muscle. Alex just struts over to his friends and gives me my space to get in the zone. Smart little puppy.

"I thought we determined that there was nothing little about me earlier." I hear him think at me. I decide to ignore him and focus more on how to use this newfound skill of his to my advantage.

After cracking my neck a few times, I call it good. "So, we going straight hand-to-hand or do you want to throw weapons into the mix?"

"No weapons. Everyone here knows you're proficient with them. I want to see how you defend yourself without them."

"Good by me. I hope you ate your Wheaties."

He smiles and says, "No worries there, sweetie. I had a couple Porterhouses with a side of bacon for breakfast."

Mmm. Bacon. I could really go for some right now, but things that are more important are pressing.

We face off against each other, immediately the spectators fade away in my mind. Not wanting to dance around too much, I jump in the air and flip to land on the other side of Alex. He anticipates the move and has already turned around to face me. As I come at him with a roundhouse, he blocks and attempts a punch to my chest. I dodge and the fight has officially commenced.

We exchange blocked shots for five solid minutes. Not one punch has landed on either side. We're well matched and it's different to not be either totally dominating or getting my ass handed to me. Jonas is the only other wolf who has given me even an inkling of a challenge.

I have no doubt we could keep at this for a while, but not even landing a punch is kind of boring. The fact that he's probably reading my mind leaves most surprise attacks out.

Feeling the need to play dirty I continue fighting, but focus on a picture of him standing before me in his boxers, with the image still burned in my mind it isn't difficult. I then proceed to add myself to the image. Of course, imaginary Nyx is a very bad girl and leans over to further inspect those glorious abs with her tongue.

With that picture primary in my mind, I vault over him again and front kick him square in the back.

"That's cheating, my little devil," he says, jumping back up from the floor.

"A girl has to use everything in her tool belt when facing off against a big, strong man like you," I reply with a wink.

We're back to blocking each other and after enduring the boredom for another twenty minutes, I spread my wings and take to flight. A couple of passes around the gym and I descend next to Sebastian.

"Hey, lover boy," I say, wrapping one of my wings around his shoulders like it's an arm. "Enjoy the show?"

"I have to say it was a little dull. I was really hoping you'd kick his ass."

"You and me both. Too bad he's figured out how to read my mind. I only got a hit in after thinking dirty thoughts. He's been thinking with the little brain all night, so I knew I could use it to my advantage."

"That's my girl," he says, turning to place a chaste kiss on my lips. "I'm sorry you have to spend the night with him. I know better than to bet on you, but every blue moon I do something stupid."

"I'm already over it. He knows to be on his best behavior or he'll wake up one brain short. I'll be leaving tomorrow for D.C., possibly during the day. Do you foresee any issues?" I ask as I relax my wings back into their invisible home.

"I'm sure the humans will be annoying, but it doesn't have a large population of paranorms, so you shouldn't have a hard time. I'll send Smitty when he wakes up for the day and you should take both mutts, at least until he arrives."

"I figured that would be a requirement. It's just humans, though, and I wish you guys would give me some breathing room."

"Sorry, Babe," Alex says, coming over with a towel around his neck. It doesn't look like the towel has done a very good job of wiping the sweat from his body, judging by the trickles still rolling down his chest. "I know you hate the guards, but at least neither of us is demanding to tag along. If you prefer, you could dump the guards for one of us, but since neither of us travels without our own guards I can imagine what your choice will be."

"Yeah, big surprise there." Directing my next thought at Sebby, I say, "I imagine it won't take more than a day to run the duo to ground, so I shouldn't need one of our romantic interludes until I get back, right?"

"Nah. You're up to at least a week in between, so a few days won't kill you. If you do start feeling sick, call and I'll hop a flight to you. Now, as much as I hate to, I'm turning you over to your bed partner for the night. There was a disturbance at the club earlier tonight, so I'm going to run there and make sure everything is back in order."

"Fine. If I don't see you before I leave, stay out of trouble until I can get back," I tell him before giving him my customary goodnight kiss.

Oddly enough, on the way back to my room, Alex is quiet. An even odder fact is that he doesn't say a word as I undress and crawl into bed. Oh well, his loss. I need some shuteye.

Chapter 7

Nobody better lay a hand on my bacon

In the morning, really late afternoon since I fell asleep around 6 a.m., I wake up feeling a furnace snuggled in behind me. How cute, we're spooning, and evidently, someone is happy to see me. Talk about morning wood.

"It's in its natural state when you're in the room," Alex says from behind me. "Morning, noon, and night. Makes it a little difficult to get any sleep."

"I can imagine. You mind if I get up to take care of my own morning business?"

"Be my guest. It sounds like the guys have our breakfast ready, so I'll meet you in the living area." He gives me a quick kiss on the top of my head and is off.

Boy, am I glad I insisted on having some partitions put in to make somewhat of a room for myself in an otherwise very open apartment. We started with some curtains, but it evolved into making me a bedroom suite. Just knowing that there are always others within about twenty feet of me is creepy enough.

If they were actually able to stare at me the whole time, I'd go nuts. Well, at least nuttier than I already am.

I quickly take care of aforementioned morning business and make my way to the kitchen. The smell of searing meat makes my tummy grumble. Being part vampire means I probably don't have to eat solid food anymore to survive, but old habits die hard, and you won't find me saying no to a nice juicy steak.

"So, you guys all packed?" I ask, sweeping in to make my grand entrance.

"Clothes thrown into duffle bag. Check." Jake says, handing me a plate piled high with bacon.

It's one of the only meats I eat actually cooked to a crisp. Crunchy, salty goodness. Ignoring the rest of the room for a moment, I dig in. Five seconds and a licked clean plate later, I look up to see three sets of eyes stuck on the plate.

"Puh-lease. What are you guys looking at? You eat the same exact way."

"Maybe, but you usually don't," Jonas insists. If they believe that, they haven't been watching very closely.

"I was hungry and craving bacon, so sue me. I can eat however I want." I stomp off to put my plate in the sink.

"Of course you can, sweetheart. It was just a little surprising," Alex says. Under his breath, I hear him tell Jake, "You're lucky to still have all your fingers. We should probably insist on her getting her own plates from now on."

"I heard that."

"You were meant to. I'm going to head to my place so I can get ready to go to the office. I want updates at least twice a day while you're gone, no slipping your bodyguards, and no getting yourself killed. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Daddy. If I'm a really good girl, will you buy me a pony when I come home? Please, oh please, I really want one." I roll my eyes and head towards my closet.

"No ponies, but I promise a spanking if you're bad or find yourself injured in any way," he says. I can tell from his tone he's really hoping he can punish me.

I don't expect anything to happen, but it's a bit rare these days for me to go out of the house and not find myself in some sort of altercation. Practically any injury that takes place will heal within a few hours, so I'm not worried about him finding out.

"Ah, but these days healing wounds are harder to hide, aren't they, baby."

"Shut up and go take care of your own business," I shout from the closet. He's already left the apartment and is on his floor. I'll have to figure out the range on his mind reading. There has to be a limit, right?

"We taking the car or jet?" Jonas asks as I'm pulling on some stretchy combat pants. They're be black, like the rest of the clothing that will be joining them on my body. It happens to be my favorite color, if you haven't heard.

"It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away. How about I fly and you guys drive?" I ask, knowing what kind of response will be coming.

"So, car it is," Jonas replies, and I can sense the smirk in his voice.

"You're going to have to get over it one of these days, big guy."

"Or I'll have to just clip the wings, girlie girl. I've never lost a charge before. That kind of thing doesn't just disappear from my mind."

"I doubt any of your charges were able to kick your ass, well maybe Alex, but the rest of them were pansies to begin with, so they had to put up with you." Matching top joins pants and many knives join top to finish my ensemble.

I grab a bag and throw a couple outfits, including some of my disguises and some of my heavy lifting weapons in. I'm insisting on taking my Suburban, but even armed to the teeth, I can never have enough artillery.

I pack my gun holster and my back knife. I've learned road trips longer than down the street become painful with them in place. The knife sheaths I'm currently wearing come with a no chafing guarantee and I like to test it out every chance I get.

Thinking I'm ready, I pause and look in the mirror to find birds must have nested overnight. "Eek!" I can see how watching the Bride of Frankenstein scarf down bacon may have frightened the fellers. I imagine, it was the combination of the two and not just my speed eating that caused the shocked expressions on their faces.

A quick brush through my hair and a ponytail later, I'm officially ready.

"Let's blow this banana shop and see how many humans we can freak out."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Jake replies, joining me at the elevator.

"Oh, did you sharpen your little girlie fangs?" Jonas asks, winking. "You know showing them off is the only way you'll get a rise out of the norms."

Jake finds the comment funny and adds, "I can see it now, 'oh help me Mommy, the scary vampire who's shorter than me is going to bite me'."

"Obviously, size isn't everything, jackass. If it was, your past lady friends probably asked for a refund."

"Hey, don't be dissing Hank. The only place he can be associated with the word small is in the antonym part of the definition."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just tell me your penis is named Hank." Wanting to get away from this turn in the conversation, I skip ahead to the Suburban and stow my gear.

"It's a great name," he claims, joining me and situating himself in the backseat.

"Whatever." I jump in the driver's seat and wait for Jonas to take his place next to me before I start the SUV and pull out.

Not long ago, I'd say you were crazy if you told me I'd prefer sitting next to Jonas over Jake. When we first met, Jonas hated me with a passion. I could do no right in his eyes. Push a guy out of the way of an incoming bullet and the hate just disappears. Not that I recommend trying that, but it worked well for me.

Even being bosom buddies, Jonas still operates with a filter when it comes to talking to me, which is something Jake evidently lost. The boy can be so childish it's getting beyond annoying. One of these days, Alex is going to walk in to find his little pet bodyguard duct taped to a chair with at least ten layers wrapped around his mouth.

"You're getting tense," Jonas whispers. "Ignore him. If you react, it only encourages him."

"Sage advice. Sadly, the roll of my metal gray, sticky best friend is in the back of the truck. Do you think I can convince him to climb back there and apply a piece himself?" I glance into the rearview and see that Jake has put in his earbuds, so maybe the trip won't be that bad.

"Probably not. It doesn't involve food or his johnson, meaning he most likely won't go for it," he says with a shrug. "Changing the subject, have you heard anything more from your dad?"

Aaron Gentry, my father and, if werewolves believed in royalty, the true king of our race, is in deep hiding from the Collective after I was sent to assassinate him. Before the assassination attempt, any of the components that led to my genetic makeup were a mystery to me. I still know nothing about how I came to be in this world, but I figure eventually I'll get him in a room and have it out with him.

"Nope. Still have only the one email communiqué. Must not get reliable Internet connection from under his rock."

"I know we didn't start out that well, but I want you to know that it's an honor to serve as your guard, Princess." He's reiterated the statement many times, since the whole saving his life thing.

I remember a time when he didn't believe my lineage and I had to pretty much moon him to prove the fact. No one believes you're really born of the Gentry line unless they see the mark we all have on our thigh. I still ask, anytime I can find someone to listen to me, why it couldn't have been located in a more convenient location. So far, there haven't been any good answers.

"The monarchy was put to an end a long time ago, and to most werewolves the last known individual from that line is dead, so a princess I be not."

"What do you expect to happen once we defeat the Collective? We're planning to reinstate the true leader of our race."

"Is he aware of this?"

"It's his revolt, even if Alex is leading it on our side. I imagine he has a pretty good idea where it's heading."

"You think the wolves will like going back to the days of old?"

"Once they're debrainwashed, maybe they'll remember how things used to be. The newer generations won't remember, but they'll learn quickly."

"And what of the other species that the Collective 'governs'? You think they'll be okay with going back to separate factions?"

"No offense, but that's a pretty moronic question. You think the other races like being ruled by werewolves? The Collective lets a token number of fang heads in, but the werewolves are making all the decisions. All the wrong decisions, if you ask me."

Out of all the people I've met in the resistance, not that I have met many, Jonas has lost the most. The Collective killed his brother for no reason other than standing against them. I can't imagine what that lost meant to him. Until recently, I've only been close to my pseudo brother, Ryan, in the familial sense, and I'm pretty sure that relationship wasn't what I thought it was at all.

"No, they don't make very good decisions for us as a whole," I quietly reply to his last thought.

The mood has grown somber and I, being the uncheeriest person in the world, have no clue how to turn it around. Thankfully, we only have two more exits to go before the turn off to Felicity Willard's apartment. Research shows she has a roommate and I'm hoping they're the B.F.F. variety of girls.

You know, the kind who tells each other everything, so when I show up she can just tell me the happy couple is hiding out across town in the Motel 6. This is my life we're talking about, though, so the chances of that happening are about zero, but I can always hope.

Chapter 8

The joys of a pregnant woman

The apartment complex I pull into looks pretty high-end. Of course, after meeting Mr. and Mrs. Willard, I only expect the best for their little girl. I pull around to building four and find a nice place close to the entrance. The change in speed from highway to city awoke Lemonhead in the back seat, but thankfully, he hasn't opened his mouth, yet.

"So, we all going in or what?" he finally asks.

"Can't you guys just let me go check it out by myself? I don't feel any paranorms in the area, and I think I can handle questioning one human."

"You know the rules," Jonas says as a reprimand. "I'll go with. Jake can stand guard down here and make sure no undesirables get in behind us."

"You do notice all the fancy cars parked around us. I'm pretty sure we're the only undesirables that have ever visited this place." There might be a crazy uncle somewhere out there that stopped by, but I highly doubt it.

"You know you aren't getting around this, so don't try. We'll go up and I promise to stay in the background. Two sets of eyes are better than one, even if the main set of eyes is yours, Princess."

"Fine. Let's get this over with," I say, hopping out of the car.

As we walk in the front door, which I have to say I'm surprised there isn't a level of security there, I start picking up faint traces of something that smells like strawberries. We climb the stairs to the third level and the closer we come to our destination the stronger the smell gets.

"I have a feeling your case is about to get exponentially more complicated," Jonas tells me as we stop in front of the door that says three-twenty-four.

"Why would you say that?" I ask, raising my hand to knock. All I pick up is the dang strawberries, and I doubt there's a giant strawberry army behind the door.

After I tap twice, I turn to him. "Because there's been a demon spending an awful lot of time behind that door, if the stench is any indication."

"What do you smell? All I smell is strawberries."

"Sulfur. It's clinging to the air pretty good. For as strong as it is, I'd say within the last month a demon has been in residence here."

Hmm. Interesting. Something to put away for later. I go to knock on the door again, but it swings open to reveal a very pregnant woman. At least I hope she's pregnant, because while her belly is huge, the rest of her looks frail and petite.

"I didn't order anything," she says, glaring between me and Jonas. Oh joy, a pregnant chick with attitude.

"Would you happen to be Jillian Murphy?" I ask.

"Who wants to know?" Maybe I shouldn't have shown up in my combat gear. I did leave most of the artillery in the car, so she should be thankful. Now that I think about it, my weapons are all hidden, so I don't know what her problem is.

"I'm Nyx Slaughter and this is my associate Jonas. I've been hired to look into the disappearance of Felicity Willard. This is her apartment, correct?"

After giving us both another once over, she steps back and opens the door. "You might as well come in. It wouldn't be prudent to have this conversation in the hallway."

I imagine in a place like this, being seen with the likes of me and Jonas wouldn't put anybody on the tenant of the month ballot.

We walk in and she leads us towards a sofa. The apartment has a wide open feel, similar to mine, but I can see a couple doors that probably have the bedrooms behind them. The furniture and décor is straight from the 70s. There are bean bag chairs, shag carpet and lava lamps. Not at all what I expected, and the smell of strawberries is overwhelming. I can just imagine how Jonas must be enjoying it.

"You have a very nice home here, Ms. Murphy," I say, working on my politeness.

"Yeah, well, Fliss did the decorating. She was in a hippie phase and wanted to do something that would appall her mom at the same time."

"After meeting Mrs. Willard, I imagine the decorating had its desired effect."

"Her parents came over once and have never been back, so I suppose you're right."

"Jillian, I hope you don't mind if I call you that, I want to find Felicity as soon as possible so I don't have to deal with her parents again. Can you help with that?"

"Straight and to the point. I think I like that. Would you like any refreshments? I have to ask, my mother would be appalled if I didn't, and right now I kind of need her to be behind me," she says while looking down at the giant pumpkin that has become her stomach.

Having no tact, I say, "Is the father not in the picture?"

That induces a cynical laugh. "Now there's a great story. Would you believe I'm only three months pregnant?"

I glance down at her stomach again. I don't know much about babies, but I do know they don't become all that noticeable until the fourth or fifth month, even with how small she is to begin with. At her current size, something is wrong.

"You having quads or something?"

"Nope. The doctors can only find one of them in the ultrasounds. They have no logical explanation for why my fetus is already developed to the size of an eight-month-old fetus."

I know that other species have shorter gestation periods, but no shifter would knowingly impregnate a human and Jillian is all human.

I still have to ask, "The father is human, right?"

"I'd call him the lowest scum on the planet, but genetically, yes, he's human and so is the baby."

Being sidetracked from my mission isn't usual, but this is kind of a bombshell she's thrown at me.

"And you aren't confused about the date of conception?"

"Nope. I've been regular all my life and had been on the Pill until just recently. The dad, Pete, works with me and I've secretly had a huge crush on him. One day he asked me for lunch and I couldn't believe it. I mean, I know I'm not a dog or anything, but Pete is gorgeous. We started dating and about a week later, he asked me to go on a trip with him. It was to Barbados, how could I say no?" she asks, pausing apparently expecting a reply.

"Barbados, hot guy, you're right. No one could say no to that."

"Exactly. Anyway, we get down there and almost immediately, we head to the bedroom and don't come out for the whole week. Greatest sex of my life. Totally ended up missing taking my contraception the full week. When we finally come up for air, he says he forgot about an appointment and had to get back, but I should enjoy the last couple of days myself. By the time I left the island, my clothes already weren't fitting quite right."

"He doesn't happen to have any witchy friends does he? Maybe he had a spell that accelerated development."

"That's the great part in all of this, tests have proven the baby is most definitely his, but he claims he's never met me. Not only that, he wouldn't have sex with me if I was the last person on earth."

"How the fuck does he explain the watermelon?" I ask, pissed on her behalf.

"No explanation. Doesn't remember any of it. Claims he blacked out for about a month."

"That pig!" I yell, letting my anger out. It's weird for me to get so involved, but I have enough of my own man troubles that for once I feel I have a voice.

"Believe me, I've called him names much worse than that. Anyway, enough about me. There isn't anything that can be changed, and I've come to accept my situation. You're here about Fliss, so why don't you ask your questions?"

"We should probably get back on that subject, but if you want me to, I can go remove Pete's stick and berries so he doesn't get away with what he did," I offer.

"That's a nice thought, but I really need to put it behind me. He'll never know his son and that's good enough for me right now."

"I'll leave my number in case you change your mind later. As far as Felicity goes, do you know where she and Harvey are? Her parents seem determined he kidnapped her, but I'm not jumping to that conclusion."

"They're idiots who think Harvey isn't good enough for her. Smalls and Fliss wanted to get away for a while, so they did. No harm in that. Actually, I talked to her yesterday and she said they're coming back tomorrow. She just didn't want her parents to get in the way of the wedding."

"So they eloped. Did you mention that to the police? They're treating it like a kidnapping."

"Of course, I told them everything was fine, but the senior Willards have most law enforcement agencies in their back pocket, so they'll only believe what they're told."

I look over to Jonas. "You know, at this point, I'm pretty happy I never had to deal with my own parents."

He smiles. "Can't speak for your mother, but I highly doubt your father would've been that bad."

"Well, I thank you for your time Jillian, but I don't think I have anything more to do here. Do you know what time the newlyweds will be back tomorrow? I'm going to have to stop in and have a chat, so I can collect my fee." It's going to be the easiest fee I've ever picked up, but it's still my money.

"I think she said her plane was landing around one in the afternoon. I'm supposed to pick her up at the airport, but I might just have to call her a cab. I'm to the point where I don't move around all that easily," she says finally taking a seat. I should've probably insisted she did that before now.

"If you want, we can take care of that. I need to meet with her anyway."

"I couldn't ask that of you."

"It's no problem. I have a large SUV, so I'll have plenty of room for them and their luggage."

"Wow," she says, starting to tear up. "Sorry, my hormones are all over the place. You're so nice. First offering to castrate Pete and now playing chauffeur for me."

"I'm pretty sure you're the first person to ever call me nice. How about you write down the flight information and me and Jonas will get out of your hair?"

She quickly jots down the information on a piece of paper from the table beside her. With the paper in hand, me and Jonas rise to leave.

"Thanks again for your time, Jillian. It was nice to meet you, and I don't say that to too many people. I hope everything goes well with you and the baby."

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Thanks for allowing me to do a little venting."

She remains sitting and looks to be about to fall asleep as we make our way out of the apartment.

"See, that was a piece of cake, just like I said it'd be," I say, leading the way, skipping just a little, back to Jake and the Suburban.

"Get any good leads on the missing heiress?" Jake asks as we climb back into the vehicle.

"Yup. Airport. Tomorrow. One o'clock," I reply.

"Is that someone landing or us taking off?"

"Landing. The happy couple will be returning from their honeymoon then."

"I'm guessing that means we don't get to watch you kill somebody."

"That would be correct. Unless, of course, you decide to really get on my nerves, and need a firsthand demonstration," I reply, starting up the car.

"Now come on, we both know you could never kill me. I'm like a brother to you," he states, acting innocent. Sure, a very annoying brother who I would've tried to sell as a child.

"No, you're like a persistent fly that has a death wish," I say ready to move the conversation away from my irritation with Jake. "Do we have a set place we should stay tonight or am I looking for a hotel?"

We are far enough away that I don't feel like driving back and making the drive again.

Jonas, picking up on my cue, quickly says, "Alex has a safe house here and wants us there. Since the sun is down, I imagine Smitty is already there waiting for us."

"Great. Tell me where to go. I'm getting a bit hungry. How about you guys?"

"When we get to the house, one of us will go to the store to stock the kitchen, if it hasn't already been taken care of," Jonas replies.

"He means me," Jake says sulking. "For some reason, he's decided I'm low man in the pecking order."

I totally agree with Jonas' thoughts on the matter and follow the directions to the safe house, after turning on the radio to end any bickering that would indubitably occur otherwise.

Chapter 9

What? Squirrel? Where?

The safe house isn't in the city proper. Thank God. I've decided being around humans makes me itchy. I wouldn't be surprised to find I've broken out in hives under my clothes.

As I pull in the drive, Smitty walks out to greet us. He's dressed in a black dress shirt and matching slacks. If he hasn't had dinner yet, I imagine he's looking for a high-end donor.

"I see you mutts have kept her safe today. Did you run into any issues?" he asks, walking towards us to help carry my bag.

"I can carry that myself you know," I say, throwing a mock fit. If he wants to pretend he's a gentleman, I won't really stop him, even though a few weeks ago I would've probably challenged him to the death for doing such a thing.

"Since your boyfriend isn't here, he requested me to act in his place, as far as taking care of you goes. Since he's my master, I can't refuse the request."

"I can imagine how much it grates on you that he asked. Don't worry. I'll tell him it was just like having him around, and you can act like you normally do around me." In Smitty's case, that's usually with a high dosage of disdain.

As I've been making "friends" with the wolves, I've found it hard to find much common ground with Smitty and Marcus. We aren't really hostile towards each other; we just kind of give each other all the space allotted when we're forced to be together.

I guess, Marcus and I have made up some ground, but I have a feeling Smitty believes I'm some sort of an abomination. Being what I'm, I can't really fault him for that belief.

"Oh, if it were just that simple," he says, sighing and leaving us for a second to put my bag in my room. "You didn't tell me how the mission went."

"It was fine. We're meeting the missing girl tomorrow when her plane lands. No stress or problems at all," I reply as I find the kitchen and investigate the protein situation. Sadly, Old Mother Hubbard's cupboards are bare.

"That's good. I hate being out of Night Owl and in the human world. Their manners are atrocious and they kind of smell," Smitty says as we meet back up in the living room. Jonas and Jake also return from dropping off their bags in their respective rooms. Smitty's attitude towards humans is kind of funny when they're his main food source.

"Speaking of smells. The apartment we were in today reeked of demon. The roommate had a crazy story about her pregnancy, and I'm not sure how the two of them fit together. If they don't somehow link, I'd be amazed. She said the father is human, baby tests human and the pregnancy is in its third month, but the baby is eight months along," Jonas informs the others.

"Interesting, but hardly worth our concern. Humans can't always be relied upon to know what's going on with their bodies. With all the drugs and other stimulants they take, they tend to be clueless," Smitty says in his pompous voice. Something has really crawled up his ass tonight.

"He's right. The pregnancy and demon really aren't our concern. Jillian seemed cool, but maybe she made a deal with the demon and was just playing us. She was really obsessed with that Pete guy. Demons like to play tricks, or so I've heard. Maybe she made a deal to get the guy in the sack and the demon twisted it that Pete forgot all about it after the fact," I state. Now, that I'm away from the hormonal pregnant woman, my charity seems to have vanished.

"Sounds good to me," Jake says, bouncing a little, clearly bored with the subject. "I probably better go get the princess her food before she turns furry and starts gnawing on our ankles."

"Hmm. Ankles. Don't remember the last time I had a good ankle bone."

"Exactly. You probably haven't, but I've learned you aren't afraid to try new things. I'll be back in fifteen." He quickly runs out of the room. Maybe he's a little hungry himself.

"Is it just me or does he get stranger every day?" I ask, taking a seat on one of the comfy looking sofas.

"He's always been a weird bird. I've known him since he defected from the Collective and I don't remember him not being a touch flighty. These days he may be a little worse, but I figure it's just the fact he isn't used to guarding someone with boobs," Jonas says with a shrug.

"You mean he actually notices them? I can't tell they're there most days." If I wanted to go undercover as a dude, there'd be no need for tape to flatten them. It's something I've just grown to accept over time.

My statement causes both men to laugh. "Even without them sticking out loudly, you do smell a bit different than just one of the other guys. Jake is still pretty young and, even though you're spoken for, exponentially I might add, you're a hot little lady. Your small size brings out the protective streak in all of us," Jonas informs me. "And before you get huffy, we all know you don't really need the protection."

"Well, at least you admit it. So, does this place have any amenities or are we roughing it?" It really isn't much more than a little country cottage or cabin. It's cute from what I've seen. There are two grandma style flowered couches in the living area, a beat up looking green recliner and a small dinette with four chairs.

That does it for what I can see. There's no visible television or any other electronics, for that matter. Thank God for smart phones.

"It's really just a place for us wolves to hunt when we have to come into the city. Being around humans for too long brings out the earthiness in us, and the woods behind the cabin are full of game."

"Going for a run sounds like a fun time. I've only shifted a few times and I don't see anything better to do tonight. Smitty, you're going out for dinner, right?"

"I don't like fur in my teeth and I'm pretty sure taking a sip from you would make me ill, no offense," he says with a wink, showing that he may not totally hate me.

"Ill maybe, dead for sure," I supply with a smile. "I figure we could go for a quick run while you were out, and then the guys are probably going to need to alternate naps, so you'll have to make sure I stay out of trouble."

"You get in trouble? Never. At least I have wings in case you try to fly away."

Him and Jonas share a chuckle. My guards, such comedians. Jake returning draws their chuckles short.

"Food," I shout, jumping up and grabbing a couple bags from Jake's hands.

"Calm down, tiger. I have plenty of food and it will only take a second to put some heat to it."

I growl at him softly. "I'm so hungry I think raw will work tonight."

Jake shakes his head. "Fresh off the bone raw is one thing, but this has probably been sitting out under harsh lights at the grocery store all day. Trust me, you want it at least seared."

He puts his sacks down and grabs a pan. Taking one of the butcher paper wrapped packages, he quickly pulls out the steak and throws it on the heat.

"Twenty seconds each side will be enough tonight," he says, flipping the steak over.

"While you play with your cow, I'm going to head out," Smitty says. "I should be back in three hours or less. I have some regulars in the area, but I think I'm in the mood for some fresh blood. Enjoy your run."

Before I can respond, he's out the door. At this point my food is done, so I really don't care. Barely waiting for it to hit the plate I dive in. This is probably worse than the bacon I had for breakfast, but as I may have already mentioned, I don't care. I'm hungry and as long as the guys don't have their phones out videotaping, it's going to stay between the three of us. I'll make sure of it.

By the time Jake cooks a steak for Jonas and himself, my plate is totally clean. I quickly start doing the dishes while they finish up. We're only going to be here the one night, so I don't want to make too big of a mess.

"Ready to get furry?" Jake asks as I finish with his dish. While I was zoned out on my steak, Jonas must have clued him in on our run plans.

"Sure, let's head out back, I hear nature calling."

I walk to the sliding glass door at the back of the living area. I try to move the door, but it doesn't budge, so I flip the little lock and it moves much easier on my second try.

There is a gentle westerly breeze. The air smells nothing like Night Owl City. There's a heavy staleness that makes my stomach a little queasy. Even with a city full of living, breathing humans not that far away, the air feels dead to me.

"Takes some getting used to, doesn't it?" Jonas asks, coming to stand next to me. "My nose isn't as good as yours, but I sense it too. It's one of the reasons you won't find wolves in heavy populations of humans. They make the air just wrong."

"Yeah. Even the ones like me who like to toy with the human girls, don't do it very often, or we figure out a way to draw them to the closest paranorm community," Jake adds. Jake has to be the only paranorm I've met who would stick his male bits into any species of woman.

"I guess I didn't notice it when we arrived."

"You were too busy worrying about getting some food. Your stomach overruled your nose," Jake says with a smirk. "Don't worry. It happens to the best of us."

"Whatever." I take off in a run, heading for the tree line. Halfway there I focus on the way Alex smells. I figure my wolfy side is a big slut since his smell seems to draw it out of me quicker and easier than anything else does.

A flawless shift comes over me and I'm instantly running on four legs instead of two.

"Catch me if you can, suckers," I taunt as I dodge through the woods.

"You can have some fun, but try not to get too far ahead, Princess," Jonas dictates and I can tell he's in furry form.

The world is so different in wolf form. I have great senses when I'm a humanoid, so that isn't all that different. It's my instincts that are radically changed. It took a couple outings, but I'm proud to say I don't go "oh squirrel" every time one passes in range anymore. Talk about embarrassing.

Tonight, I can sense wildlife in the forest everywhere. I feel how they tense when they hear me charging by and see many smaller creatures darting away. I feel alive and very playful.

After running and playing keep away from the guys for two straight hours, I'm worn out. I head back towards the cabin and allow them to catch up.

"I'm calling it a night," I say, shifting back after breaking the tree line. "I haven't woken up as early as I'm planning to tomorrow for a long time, so I need to sleep now or you really won't want to be around me."

"Lack of sleep makes you more difficult?" Jake asks as he shifts as well. "I don't think that's possible."

"Laugh it up all you want fur butt. Just make sure I'm awake by ten, if my alarm clock somehow finds itself flying out the window by mistake."

"Gotcha boss. Sweet dreams."

I leave the two of them to plan the rest of their night and quickly fall asleep, after I get rid of my weapons. I don't even take the time to look around my room, once I follow the scent of my bag to it.

Chapter 10

High school days are here again

A knock on the door jolts me awake the next morning. I look over at the alarm clock and see it says nine-fity-five. Ack! They couldn't let me sleep five more minutes.

"Enter to receive your beheading," I yell at the jerk.

"Sorry, Princess. Alex on line one. You haven't called him since you left and he isn't happy about it."

"What the fuck is he doing up at this hour? This is prime sleeping time." If I wasn't planning on earning fifty grand today, there isn't a bribe in the world you could give me to get me out of bed at this hour.

Obviously, that isn't true because I'm doing it for the now measly looking amount of said fifty grand.

"Some early morning meeting," he explains, handing me his phone before leaving the room.

"I'm so not happy with you right now," I say, moaning and moving myself out of the bed.

"You didn't think it necessary to call to let me know you arrived safely?" he asks in what sounds like a mood matching very closely with mine.

"I figured Tweedle Dum and Dee had to report in, so you'd get the message," I reply, heading to the bathroom to take care of my morning business. Just outside the door, I drop the phone so it isn't with me while I tinkle.

"Of course, they reported in. It isn't exactly the same thing as having you tell me you're okay." Even with the phone outside, I can hear him talking. "Hey, are you listening to me?" he asks when I don't reply immediately.

I flush the toilet and wash my hands before picking the phone back up. "I didn't think Jonas would like me taking his phone with me to the bathroom, so you had to wait outside."

"Nyx, as my mate you need to take things a little bit more seriously. Not alerting me of when you arrive safely at your out of town destination is a big no-no."

"Really? Does that mean that mind reading thing doesn't work long distance? Exactly how long after I left did it stop?" I ask, walking back to my room to have a look around.

It really isn't much to look at. It has a queen sized bed with a royal blue comforter and matching sheets and that's it. I can't envision anyone spending more than a night here.

There's a window on the far wall and I take a second to look outside. Not a whole lot to see. There's grass and there are trees. There isn't really even a good variety in shades of green, so it all just combines into a bucket of blah.

"Our connection still works, and probably would continue to do so no matter where you went. I was trying to be respectful and not use that method of communication because you're still new to it."

Damn. Not the answer I was looking for. I abandon the window and dig around in my bag for the clothes I'm wearing today. Since I'm going to be around a lot of humans at the airport, I settle on the single pair of blue jeans I brought and a black t-shirt. Don't want to overdo it with the usual ninja outfit. Clothes ready, I sit on the bed to finish our conversation.

"I'm safe and will probably be on my way back tonight, so stop worrying. You'll get premature wrinkles."

"We both know that's impossible. Please be careful today and call before you head back so I know when to expect you."

"Of course, dear," I say while thinking I'll get Jonas to make the call for me. As Jake mentioned to Alex yesterday, I hate being tethered and right now my leash seems to be pulled extra tight.

"I did mention I can still hear your thoughts, right?"

"You know Sebastian doesn't give me this kind of grief."

"Sebastian has known you longer and is satisfied with the hold he has on your heart. I, on the other hand, have to fight for everything I can get."

"Well, when we've known each other for a few years, like me and Sebby, maybe it will get easier for you. Things weren't exactly hearts and stars for me and him in the beginning."

"I know, and I've kept you long enough. Be safe today and try not to kill any humans for just looking at you funny," he says with a laugh.

"I'll try, but don't hold your breath. I'll see you either later tonight or when I wake up tomorrow."

"I'll hold you to that." Done talking, I hang up the phone and head for a shower.

Sadly, the shower isn't as refreshing as I would've hoped. The water only heats up to lukewarm at best. Any lingering sleep is shoved aside quickly from the chill, but it leaves me very unsatisfied.

I pull on my undies, jeans and shirt, then insert a few, okay five, knives into sheaths at my ankles, thighs and my left wrist. I think in the human world five is probably overdoing it, but I'd feel naked with any less.

After a quick brush of my hair, I'm ready for some breakfast. This morning I'm not starving, so there probably won't be any fingers lost trying to feed me. I hand Jonas his phone as I join him at the little dining table. The chair I sit in wasn't built for comfort. It's solid wood and with my boney butt, it feels like bone-on-bone contact.

"Smitty in a blackout room somewhere?" I ask, smelling and seeing Jake in the kitchen puttering around.

Both men are in their standard black on black ensembles. Short sleeve black shirts that show their huge biceps and black cargo pants that probably hide more knives than what I'm currently carrying. I'm surprised their shirts don't have security written in big block letters on the back. It has to be obvious to everyone they come across.

"More or less. There's a hidey-hole in one of the bedrooms, like a cellar, that he crawled into a little before dawn. He kept muttering about how it was worse than the Dark Ages or something. Guess he's grown used to a big comfy bed."

"Yeah, all the vampires I know live in style. Even if he could sleep above ground, he'd probably think the cottage's amenities were beneath him," I reply as Jake hands me a plate with a big ham steak on it.

We tend to be a red meat family, so the choice is a little weird, but I guess it will do. I did just have bacon for breakfast yesterday, so maybe it isn't all that weird.

"Thanks," I say before digging in. "I want to leave in about an hour, just in case the flight is miraculously ahead of schedule. We simply have to get the chick to call her parents and give her and her new husband a ride home. What happens to the husband after that isn't our concern."

"Are we coming back here after or heading straight home?" Jonas asks.

"Home, most definitely. I don't think Jake will last much longer without his video games."

"Finally, someone is aware of my plight," Jake responds as he starts cleaning up the kitchen. It seems the boys ate before I got up.

"Plight, my ass," Jonas scoffs. "You've been on your little phone chatting it up with your girlfriend all night."

"Oh," I sound out like a high schooler. "Jakey has a girlfriend. How do I not know this?"

"Probably because you don't associate with other females, so he's afraid to bring her around."

I've only ever met a handful of female werewolves and maybe the same number of vampires, so he has a point. With my competitive, alpha nature, I don't see this changing anytime soon.

"So, what's her name? Will I ever meet her? I'll try to be nice, I promise."

"Girlfriend talk is off limits. She isn't my mate, so she probably won't even be around that long," Jake says grumpily. If I didn't know better, I'd think he's upset the subject has come up. It makes me think there's something he's hiding, and everyone knows I love a good mystery.

"Come on. I'm pretty sure you guys get to hear all the intimate details of my life and I haven't even had sex with either of the guys yet."

"I have to interject there, Princess. You may not have bumped uglies, like the kids say these days, but you pretty much have a ménage a trois any time you or Sebastian feed, so I wouldn't say you haven't had sex with either of them," Jonas states.

"Blarg. That's a technicality that I can't get around, so I don't accept it. It does strengthen my case, however. Y'all know everything about my relationships and I know nothing about yours. Don't you think that's unfair?"

"Nope. We're your guards, so we have to know what's going on in your life. As far as my personal life goes, it's off limits," Jake says, leaving the room.

"Fine. You little baby," I reply. "How about you, Jonas, got any girls I should know about? Are you out throwing pebbles at some girl's window late at night, trying to serenade her?" Just the thought of it makes me laugh.

"No. I've learned that during this fight, personal relationships are liabilities. They make you weak and give your opponent leverage against you. When the Collective is overthrown, I'll think about settling down. Until then, my hand reaches just fine."

"You're a smart man, J-Dawg. We have about thirty minutes. Do you have your stuff all packed?"

"My bag is by the door. I'm always ready to leave at a moment's notice. It's another thing you pick up quickly when you're constantly at war."

"Right. My bag is ready, just not at the door. I'll have to remember that step."

"You'll get used to things like that the more cases you take away from home. Even though we can usually smell a threat before it gets to us, precautions must be made for a quick getaway," Jonas relays.

He's one smart cookie when it comes to these things. Over the past couple weeks, I've been able to get a little bit of information about his life. He's a pretty private guy, but he's told me about his family and how they've always been loyal to my father. He claims his great-great grandfather was a commander in my great-great grandfather's army.

He was raised outside the Collective and trained from birth to play a part in the resistance. He's the oldest of three kids, well two now that his brother was murdered. His other sibling is a twenty-six-year-old sister. He hasn't seen her since she was in her early teens. His parents are both alive and the group lives in hiding because of the Collective's knowledge of their loyalty.

I grew up in the Collective, and yes, it sucked big hairy pineapples, but I can't imagine what it must feel like for his and other families that have had to live their lives on the run. Even with all the shit and abuse I had to put up with, I think I ended up on the better side of things.

"I suppose we better load up," I say, standing and heading for my room.

"I'll be waiting outside for you. Jake's already out there." That makes me pause. As far as I knew, he didn't pass by us and we're in visual sight of both exits, so I give him my W.T.F. look, indicating I'm going to need some further explanation. "Don't ask me why, he went out the window a few minutes ago."

I put up my hands in surrender and complete my original path. Obviously, he didn't want me to grill him more on his girlfriend. What a dork.

Feeling nice, I leave a note before we go for Smitty, telling him we'll see him back at the ranch.

Chapter 11

The things you see when you don't have a gun or a priest handy

The trip to the airport is passed mostly in silence. Jonas is deep in thought as usual, probably reliving breaking every bone in some poor saps body. Jake is being the moody teenager he tends to be. I'm starting to think someone needs to check his estrogen levels. He's so muscular I can't tell if he's growing man boobs, but I wouldn't doubt it.

Left to my own thoughts, which are usually pretty scary, has me thinking about the situation between the Collective and the resistance. From what I gather, we're just doing a bunch of rescue missions when someone gets kidnapped and some covert ops work to try to get information on the Collective's movements and plans.

It's a little too passive aggressive for me. If it were up to me, I'd be storming the Bastille at dawn and taking no prisoners. I'd start with that punk Tommy and strap him to a board with a mirror in front of it, so he can watch as I remove his entrails.

Then, since werewolves are tough motherfuckers to begin with and he's on some super soldier werewolf drug, I'd lay the table flat and have him drawn and quartered. Even with his super strength, that should probably do him in, but just to be sure, I'd saw off his head, stick it on a pike and feed his heart to whoever I can find stupid enough to eat the wretched thing.

"Just whose murder are you plotting out in your mind?' Jonas asks, drawing me out of my amusement.

"Now why would you think I was doing that?"

"The bright light of glee I can see in your eyes and that small, evil smile curling up just a tad."

I guess I'll have to watch myself in the future. I hate being obvious. It's really dangerous when I'm being transparent about killing someone. I don't want someone to see the look in my eyes and have a fair warning I'm about to go crazy on their ass.

Although, if they know it's coming, they might put up a fight. Sometimes a little battle does the soul good. I guess I'll have to keep it in check on a case-by-case basis.

"Can't say. It's like a wish, if I told you, it might not come true."

"I'm ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure it isn't me, and as long as you assure me it isn't Alex, I'll let you have your wish."

"Nah. He has feelers in my mind now, so his demise would need to be spontaneous. Having him knowing what's coming just won't work." I already know what it's like to battle with him and if it comes to it, he'll have to get the quick death option.

After thinking the thoughts, I'm a little surprised I don't hear the peanut gallery in my mind telling me what a bad idea killing him would be. Of course, over the last couple of weeks the fact that we're entwined and death comes to both of us if one of us is killed, has been ingrained into my psyche.

"Yes, well watching you two fight the other day makes me feel a little bit more at ease. I would lay odds at an even fifty-fifty that if he ever pissed you off enough for real battle, either one of you could win. Of course, the fact that you would both die no matter the victor, really allows me peace to sleep at night." He just has to rub it in.

"I'm glad I can offer you that bit of tranquility," I reply as we pull into the airport parking. "So, how far do you think we can get inside before we have to flash our permits for the weapons?"

"With security as tight as it is these days, I'm betting two steps," Jake insists.

Being a fully licensed P.I., I have all my paper work in order and if they huff about it, I can flash my old Collective identification. With that they'd have to let me do whatever I want, but it'd also probably ping back to the enemy, so I'll only bring it out if absolutely necessary.

I find a nice parking spot towards the back of the lot. It's still pretty early, and I don't want to be surrounded by the norms longer than I have to. The rash already feels like it's coming back.

"What does your little phone say about their flight, Jonas?"

"We still got fifteen minutes until it lands. I say in ten minutes we all exit the vehicle, go inside and wait around the baggage claim for terminal C. I imagine it won't take long for them to appear. I checked the flight manifest and both of them boarded the plane."

"I'm guessing with the crowds, everyone will be joining me," I state already knowing the answer.

"Why do you ask such silly questions?" Jake asks, leaning up into the front seat. "I personally want to check out this chick that everyone is in such a huff about and the dude that apparently is a dud."

"I can show you pictures. There isn't anything particularly special about either one of them. They're just humans, so I'm sure you'll be bored immediately."

"I'd give him five minutes before the boredom sets in," Jonas speculates.

"Let's just head in. I know we still have a few minutes, but maybe we'll actually enjoy people watching," I say, opening my door and looking back at the guys doing the international gagging sign. You know, tongue sticking out, index finger pointing at it and making horrible choking like noises.

I step out and pretty much fall into a giant pothole. The fact that humans can't seem to keep their roads hole free is definitely on my top ten list of things I dislike about them. If I wasn't durable, I'd be afraid of the kidney damage I've received in the last couple of days alone. We may be monsters that go bump in the night, but we know how to pave roads.

I pick myself up out of the hole before anyone really notices. After a couple twists of my ankle, it seems everything is okay. "Stupid no good," I mutter under my breath. Stalking to the front of the vehicle, I say a bit too harshly, "Let's go."

"Did you have a nice trip?" Jake asks just trying to tick me off.

"Yes. Now let's get this over with, so I can get back to civilization."

Jonas leads the way towards the entrance. Security is even tighter than I expected because we immediately meet metal detectors. I dig my papers out of the wallet I keep in my back pocket.

Nudging Jonas out of the way, I say, "Good afternoon, gentlemen." The security guards are basic looking humans in my book. Light brown hair and one set of blue eyes and the other green. They're wearing dark blue shirts with their company's insignias. "We'll be causing quite a scene if you make us pass through the detectors. We all have the necessary paperwork, as it's required with our occupations. Here's mine and my colleagues will hand theirs over as soon as you finish with it."

Green eyes takes my license and registrations. He looks down at the paperwork and then back up at me before he passes it off to his friend, who does the same. I don't think I like the look on his face.

"You're Nyx Slaughter?" blue eyes asks.

"I believe that's what the papers say."

"What are you, a teenager playing dress-up?" green eyes questions.

"Is that supposed to be a joke about how short I am? What the fuck do you guys know about me anyway? You're humans." I feel Jonas place a warning hand on my shoulder.

"Doesn't matter what species you are, if you're in security, you've heard of Slaughter. When someone has that high of a kill count, they don't go unnoticed," green eyes responds. He's still eying me up and down. Evidently, he thinks if he does it enough, I'll grow another foot.

"Do I have to show you my name tattooed on my ass?" I ask.

I hope they don't ask for a peek because that would be just dumb. Tattooing anyone's name on your body is pretty stupid. If it's your own, you're just asking for trouble.

"No, the paperwork seems to be in order. If you'd just walk around the side here while we take a look at your friends', we'll have you on your way shortly," one of them says. At this point, I just want to refer to them as dickhead one and two.

Nevertheless, I take my papers back and put them in my pocket, while I move over to the side. I love my short stature because it allows me to easily sneak into places, but sometimes it gets annoying. I should probably look into getting lifts or something. They'd look stupid, but may save me time in the long run.

Neither Jonas nor Jake has any problem with getting by and within seconds, they join me. I suppose it's partially my fault for being a woman in a man's world. I bet the two dickheads didn't really even look at the guys' paperwork.

"It's okay, peanut. I'm sure the big, bad security men didn't mean to be offensive and hurt your little, bitty feelings," Jake says in a sweet namby pamby voice.

Let me introduce everyone to dickhead number three, I think to myself, trying not to kill him. Breathe in, breathe out. Only a few more minutes and I'll be heading home. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts.

Not working.

I stomp off in search of the baggage claim, just as an overhead announcement indicates that my marks' plane has landed. Thank you, God.

I pay no attention to the humans milling around me. At this point, if they all fell off the face of the earth, I'd probably throw a party. Not long after beginning my walk, I start to smell the dang strawberry smell I picked up on at Felicity and Jillian's apartment yesterday.

Not wanting to deal with this, but never being afraid of the inevitable, I follow it.

Jonas catches up to me quickly in full combat stance. "This isn't good, Princess."

"No shit, Sherlock. I imagine you've picked up on something foul smelling."

The smell has totally worked its way up into my nostrils and just as I think I must be getting close, I spot Felicity and Harvey watching the carousel for their bags.

"Neither one of them is supposed to be a demon," I say, stating facts that are obviously false.

"Nope, but that doesn't mean one of them can't be possessed by one. Ten to one odds it's the dude," Jonas predicts as we arrive at our destination.

"Excuse me," I say, trying to get their attention. Before I even get the words totally out, Harvey Smalls, or at least the body belonging to him, turns to me and his eyes flicker red.

Shit. That isn't a standard eye color for any species, except one.

Why when all roads pointed one way, did I find this unexpected, and why in the world is Demon Harvey smiling like he just opened his Christmas present and it was the one thing he'd wanted all his life. Since he's looking straight at me, I guess I'm that present.

Chapter 12

Mom, he's looking at me

Glaring back at DH, Demon Harvey is too long and it wouldn't be right to just call him Harvey, I continue saying what I was going to before red eyes interrupted me. "Felicity Willard?"

Aside from the red glow in DH's eyes, both of them look like the images I've already seen. Her long blond hair is tied back with a cutesy purple ribbon. She's wearing a somewhat baggy, red sweater and some designer looking jeans with purple designer pumps. Purple and red together don't do it for me, so I'm not impressed, and all the designer stuff is a little overkill for me.

DH is pretty much dressed to the nines, without the suit jacket. Sharp, black pants that fit as if they were made for him adorn his lower half. A freshly pressed dress shirt is on the top. His black hair is smoothed back a la douchebag. He isn't really muscular, of course hanging out with guys like Jonas and Jake makes most men seem emasculated.

She turns around and smiles. "It's Felicity Smalls, now. What can I do for you?"

DH wraps his arm around her and grins, evidently, finding it impossible to look at anything but me. I feel Jake and Jonas both stiffen at my sides at the obvious interest.

"My name is Nyx Slaughter and I was hired by your parents to find you. They've worked themselves up into a tizzy thinking you've been kidnapped. If you could please call and tell them you're okay, I can get back home."

Her expression turns pained. "They didn't call in the National Guard, did they?" It sounds like this sort of thing may have happened to her before.

"Sorry, I don't really get involved with human procedures, but I do know the FBI is involved."

"So, you aren't human?" she asks, looking a little startled.

Well Hell, she has a demon standing next to her. My being a paranorm shouldn't be all that surprising. His eyes have been red from the moment I first saw him. I don't know how she could miss that.

"No," I reply simply. I don't think I need to go into the details about the possibility that human genes are playing around in my already too full pool.

I watch as she instinctively reaches down and caresses her barely protruding belly. Two pregnant women as roommates, I can just imagine how fun that apartment is going to be in the coming months.

"Congratulations," I say, again trying for politeness. Being out in the human world must have given me some sort of disease that causes me to be civil.

"Oh," she says not realizing what she's doing. "Thank you. We're so excited. I didn't even know I was pregnant before we went away this week. Then just bam, all of a sudden the baby bump is there."

Well that explains her roommate's hysterical pregnancy. The demon is clearly involved. Realizing that, I turn to glare at him again, only to find him grinning. Then, he has the gall to give me a seductive little wink. He seems pretty proud of the fact he's knocking up humans.

This is totally jacked up. I try to give him my "don't you get any ideas" look, but I think it just intrigues him.

"Anyway, Jillian is somewhat indisposed, so we volunteered to give you a ride home. If you can grab your things, we can get out of here and you can make that call for me," I explain, hoping to get this over with immediately. "Also, Harvey," I say not really wanting to talk to the thing, "you should probably be forewarned that her dad wants you dead."

At this point, I wouldn't mind killing the demon, but the poor sap he's using isn't at fault. I guess I don't know that for sure, but I don't imagine he said, "Oh please mister demon take over my body and shlup my girlfriend."

"Oh no," she says in clear pain from the idea. "Hopefully, with the baby on the way I can convince them that's a bad idea. They can't expect me to raise the baby on my own."

"I don't know, you and your roommate could open a home for fatherless children," I say, rudely staring at DH.

I hear a gasp and look back to Felicity. "He wouldn't kill my baby's father," she says softly.

Sounds to me like she's trying to convince herself more than anything else. I wonder if good ol' Harv is going to remember the honeymoon once DH has vacated his body. She may find herself in for a rude awakening.

"You'll have to be the one to get him to call off his dogs. I told him I wouldn't do it if you weren't kidnapped, which you obviously weren't, so you're safe from me," I tell her, giving a meaningful look at DH.

"Thank you, for that. We have our bags," she says, pulling her fancy suitcase to her side. "So, if you're ready, I'd love to get home and see Jillian. When we left, she was driving us insane with all the talk of feeling like a whale. I guess it won't be long before I'm saying the same." She rubs her bump lovingly again.

Where is my spoon when I need it? I'm totally gagging on one right now.

"This is Jake and Jonas," I say, introducing the pair. "They'll be riding with us."

She glances over, just now noticing the guys. I watch her physically pale. I may be the deadliest out of our trio, but those two, especially Jonas, look the part.

"They work with you?" she asks softly.

"Something like that. Their main job is keeping me out of trouble. Most days they actually succeed." I don't think either of them could envision this case turning out the way it did, but I'm not in trouble, just yet.

"They weren't asked to kill Harvey, were they?"

"No, you're safe there. They follow my orders anyway, so if you aren't worried about me, there's no reason to be afraid of them. You might say they're giant puppies," I say, chuckling a little at my own joke.

After she relaxes, I move my hand to indicate her and Harvey should walk in front of me. There's no way I'm having a demon behind me. This is my first encounter with one, and already I know it's going to be painful.

"Jake, do you mind leading?" I ask, hoping Jonas decides to fall back with me. He does, but just shrugs his shoulders. Really there isn't much to say. After a thirty minute ride, we'll be done with this and heading back to base.

At the Suburban, me and Jonas take the front, the Smalls relax in the middle and Jake rides in the third row. The demon should be pretty well covered. What any of us will do if he tries anything, I have no clue.

I start the truck, turn to Felicity and hand her my phone. "Call your parents. I don't care what you tell them as long as in the explanation you include that you're with me and I'm delivering you to your apartment now."

"Okay. I can do that," she replies, dialing. I go ahead and put the car in drive and start towards her apartment.

"Ms. Slaughter," I hear her father answer. "I'm hoping you have good news for me." Dude must have programmed my number in his phone. I love having super hearing, so I can hear both sides to this conversation.

"No, Daddy, it's me."

"Angel, you're in one piece I assume," he replies, changing his tone drastically.

"Yes, Daddy. Nyx is taking us home now. Daddy, you really shouldn't have worried. Everything is just great. I have all sorts of things we need to talk about, but I prefer to not do them with the current audience. "

"You can't expect me not to worry when you fall off the face of the earth and we knew that you were off with that pond scum Harvey."

"Daddy, that's part of what I want to talk to you about, later. For now, just know that I'm fine and very happy. I'll call you in an hour and we can discuss this further." I bet she's one of the few people in his life that Mr. Willard isn't able to walk all over.

"Okay, Angel. I'll wait for your call," he tells her before disconnecting the call. She hands the phone back up towards Jonas, who takes it and sets it in the console between us.

I look back in the rearview to see what my passengers are up to. Felicity is snuggled into DH, DH is staring back at me in the mirror and Jake is scowling at DH. It occurs to me DH hasn't said a word in the fifteen minutes he's graced our presence.

"So Harvey," I say holding his gaze, "what did you do to get on Daddy Dearest's bad side?"

He lights up seemingly just from the fact that I addressed him, which causes me to cringe.

"Oh, Daddy just thinks Harvey is beneath us because he isn't from one of the families in the neighborhood," Felicity answers for him. He scowls slightly as she speaks. "It isn't like Harvs doesn't have money; he just doesn't have a prestigious enough last name for Daddy. He'll come around, especially with the baby."

"Of course he will, darling," DH says, finally, allowing us to hear his voice, and it isn't anything to write home about. It's actually a little bit high for a man's voice, if you ask me.

"Do your friends ever speak?" Felicity asks, realizing they haven't spoken either.

I look over to Jonas and he just raises his shoulders. "I haven't removed their tongues, yet."

"Please don't give her any ideas," Jake pleads from the back.

"See, my puppets speak. Don't expect much from Jonas, though. He's the strong, silent type." I look over at him and wink. He just smiles and nods. I think he's in overtime observing mode. I know I don't have a ton of experience with demons and I imagine the guys don't either.

"You all seem pretty quiet to me. Most of my friends can't stand a lull in the conversation, so we're all a bunch of talkers." Just what I didn't want to spend thirty minutes in a vehicle with. Thankfully, we're halfway to our destination.

"Yeah well, most things Jake says piss me off and, like I mentioned, Jonas only speaks when he has something important to say, so we try to keep the chatting to a minimum."

"That's too bad," DH says. "I'm sure you have a lot of interesting things to say yourself. Why don't you tell us about you?"

I meet his eyes in the mirror. While grinding my teeth I say, "Not happening." His face lights up showing me his pearly whites.

"Maybe another time."

"Not happening," I reiterate. God help me if I have to deal with either of them after today.

"We'll see," he says softly. Probably even too soft for the woman sitting next to him to hear, but since he knows I'm a paranorm, I hear him loud and clear. Evidently, my two guard dogs do as well because they growl softly.

DH thinks it's funny and laughs out loud, causing Felicity to look over at him. "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing, sweetie. Just remembering a joke Roger was telling me at work the other day. I'll tell it to you later. Look we're already home."

Thank God, he's correct and I pull into a parking spot ready to throw them out.

"Great. I can't wait to tell Jillian our news," she says, opening up the door. "Thanks for the ride and I'm sorry for any trouble my parents caused you. If you're ever in the neighborhood, do stop by."

"Fat chance," I mumble under my breath. Aloud I say, "Actually, you probably don't want to have to deal with me after today. I managed to take my medicine this morning, so I was nice. Most days I'm a real bitch." Figuratively and literally, I add to myself.

She looks taken aback briefly, but her good manners win out and she says, "The offer still stands."

With that, Demon Harvey escorts her out and into the building. Good riddance, I think before backing out of the parking spot and hitting the road.

Chapter 13

Things that piss me off...demons

Once we get back on the highway, I pick up my phone to call Sebastian. It's still early afternoon, so he may still be in bed, but I imagine he'll take my call.

"My love, to what do I owe this pleasure?" he asks after the third ring.

"We're on our way home and I wanted to hear your voice," I say while I switch lanes to pass a car. Slow ass human.

"You know I find this call odd because I'm the mate who allows you to, more often than not, go freely with your guards and I'm pretty sure it's your other one who was expecting a call like this."

"And you wonder why my fingers hit your speed dial number and not his. Plus, he can just reach out to my mind, if he wants to know what's going on."

"I imagine the fact that he can do that makes you want to rebel against him even more, love."

"You are correct, oh wise one. Not being able to lie to you and not being able to keep anything at all from him is quite annoying."

"My poor baby. I'll have to come up with a way to make it up to you. How did your trip go? If you're coming back so soon, I imagine you didn't have any problems."

"No problems, per se. The case did involve a demon, though. What exactly the demon's endgame was, I don't know or care. The girl called her dad so the case is solved as far as I'm concerned."

"I'm sure Alex already knows, but you should probably let fang face know about the demon's interest in you," Jake pipes in from the back seat.

"Thanks, I think you just did," I say, glaring at him in the mirror. Why he thinks he needs to drive my perfectly innocent conversation is beyond me.

"What does he mean by that?" Sebastian asks, taking on a tone with a hint of anger laced through it. Great. Now look what Jake has done.

"Nothing. The demon just kept staring at me. From the moment we met, there was maybe five minutes he wasn't looking at me. No worries though, we dropped them off a while ago and should be home within twenty minutes, or so, based on my speed. I doubt he'd come looking for me once I'm back within your stronghold."

"Demons aren't known for being logical. I'm guessing you don't have any herbs or oils handy to ward him off. I'm going to have an amulet waiting for you when you get home. You'll have to wear it at all times so he can't find you. I already share you with Alex, I don't want to have someone else to worry about."

He's getting really worked up on this issue. My guess would be, with all the years he's spent on this planet, he's run into a demon a time or two. The edge to his voice makes me think he wasn't very happy about the outcome.

"You two are bonded with me, he isn't, so I don't think you have to worry about my attentions being diverted. I already have two cocky alphas; I don't need to collect any more men."

"I'm glad to hear you say that. I have to go get that amulet ready, so I'll let you use both hands to drive. I'll see you in a few minutes. Be careful until then."

"I will be. Love ya."

"I love you, too, Nyx," he says and hangs up.

"Ahh. Love, true love," a deep, unfamiliar voice says from the back of the truck.

"What the..." I say, swerving slightly as I look back in my mirror to see unfamiliar purple eyes staring back at me from the very back seat. The jerk has the nerve to wink at me. What's up with guys winking at me today?

The eyes are attached to a face with dark olive skin. The man has dark brown, wavy shoulder length hair. Obviously, he isn't human. I can imagine the rest of his body is appealing to most afflicted with the female persuasion.

The biggest issue I'm having right now is the fact that I've never seen him before in my life and the fact that he just popped into my vehicle bodes extremely badly. The strawberry smell filling the car also would appear to point the situation into the unpleasant direction.

"I'm pretty sure I mentioned you'd be seeing me again. It took a little while to get disconnected from that weasely meat suit I was wearing because I actually left him conscious for the duration, but I did it just in time to see you before you got home. From the sounds of things, that was good thinking on my part," says the demon, who I'm starting to believe is the D from DH.

The only good thing I heard from his little speech is that Harvey will be aware he's going to be a papa and not go total ape shit on Felicity for ending up pregnant. I just hope he doesn't blame her for not realizing he was possessed. Some guys might be sensitive to that fact.

I look over to see why Jonas and Jake haven't gone on attack to find them both frozen. They look kind of funny stopped mid-motion. It looks like me and Demon Boy are the only things moving in the vehicle. Not only that, he seems chatty. I didn't like riding with a chatty Felicity, just imagine my joy at a demon with the disposition.

The way this day is going, I should've just rolled back over after my rude awakening this morning and stayed in bed. Maybe if I promise not to get out a bed for a week, things will start looking brighter.

"What do you want?" I ask pissed about the situation. "Don't you have some babies to go tend after? It was you that impregnated those two girls." Not only that, he advanced their pregnancies by months, probably just for his own amusement.

"Do you know how hard it is to have a child as a demon? I imagine you don't, so I'll tell you. Demons pretty much have no chance of procreating. There hasn't been a new demon born in a few millennia. Maybe even longer, no one really knows. Demons these days are created from already existing beings, similar to vampires, but we can't create children the old-fashioned way," he explains.

"Over the last couple of decades I've started feeling a paternal desire. I've been trying every method I can think of. I've used this form, my true demon form, others' bodies as vessels, women of different ages, women of different species, and the combinations go on indefinitely." He pauses momentarily to sigh. "No matter what I try, my DNA just won't take. I'm hoping that you may make the difference."

"I hate to break it to you, but you might have noticed I was talking to my boyfriend just a second ago, and I don't think he'd like me having some stranger's kid. Not only that, but I don't plan to become pregnant. Ever."

I do believe this conversation is starting to border on the insane. Of course, at least half of the conversations I've had this month follow along those lines, but eventually that has to stop, right?

He's quiet for a few moments and I start hoping he's given up and left, but a quick glance shows he's still back there. He looks rather pensive.

A demon deep in thought is probably not a good thing. Wanting him to just leave, I don't initiate further conversation. I focus on the road and try to implement the old saying "if you can't see it, it doesn't exist".

"What species is your boy toy?" he finally asks. Drat. The saying is a bunch of hogwash.

"Sebastian," I say, not liking the boy toy comment, "is a vampire, so, as you can guess, babies aren't in our future."

"First, let me say I'm happy to hear you like older men. Sebastian isn't exactly a spring chicken, so things are looking up for me. Secondly, if you were just a vampire, I'd agree with that statement, but we both know you are something far more complex.

"Your tri-supernatural gene pool makes you very unique. Vampires don't generally have babies because they only fornicate amongst themselves and the poor females of the species are barren. We both know that you, however, are very fertile. I believe it's your womb that I have been looking for all these years."

Oh God, that's creepy. I shiver from just the thought of him implanting something in my womb. That thought has moved to another of my many top ten lists. This one is the one that lists things I never, ever want to happen and will do anything possible to prevent it.

"As fertile as this womb may be, nothing is getting planted in it, so you can take your crazy little notion and leave."

"Nyx, we have an incantation that will hopefully cast him out of the vehicle," I hear Alex say in my head.

About time, okay maybe there's one good thing about us being mentally connected. I ponder that for a second and decide that there still isn't anything good about it. I'm almost home and Demon Boy will probably be ejecting soon.

"Oh goodie, an incoming transmission. It would seem you've connected with the furry part of you. Two mates from species that don't get along, I imagine holidays are great fun at your place. Tell him to calm down. I'm leaving, for now, but there's a third side to you that may need a mate one of these days and I'm hoping you will think of me," el creepo says from the peanut gallery.

"Sorry, that third side is not demon, so I think you're out of luck." Oh please, don't let me be part demon. We have assumed that other part was human and they don't need specific mates.

"No, not demon, but nevertheless it is paranormal and I believe I'm compatible with it, so keep me in mind. Until then, if you need me the name is Ben. Just give a shout and I'll come running. Enjoy the parting gift," he says before vanishing.

A searing pain hits the palm of my right hand. "Son of a bitch," I yell, taking my hand off the wheel and at the same time trying not to drive off the road. Looking at my palm I see a burn of an intricate design start to take place. "Shit."

"What the fuck is that?" Jonas asks, unfrozen and looking around for a threat before settling on my palm.

"Sorry, he's long gone. And this," I say. waving my hand around, "after the somewhat short, one-sided conversation I just had, I'm afraid is marking me as a demon's whore. If said demon shows his face again, I'm going to torch his ass."

I don't know what the thing that's still forming on my hand is, but I hope it can be removed. Otherwise, I'm fixing to lose some skin carving it off myself. It's bad enough I have marks carved into me by one bastard. I don't want to have some weird demon's calling card.

My cases had better not all turn out like this. It was supposed to be simple, find the girl and make her call home. Not find the girl, attract her horny demon possessed boyfriend, and get fricken marked by that asshole.

Chapter 14

The creepy truth about sculptures

As I pull into my spot, I see my two very worried mates waiting for me. I get out and walk over to Sebastian, giving him a quick hug. I'm hoping he'll find this latest travesty somewhat amusing.

Looking up at his face, I can see my guess is dead wrong. Caged violence lines every cell of his gorgeous mug. I think I was right about the done wrong by a demon in the past thought. Now, the question is whether it was a male or female demon. I can just imagine some bitch of a succubus getting him hot and bothered and then leaving him high and dry. I'll have to remember to interrogate him later.

"This is extremely serious, my love. Demons may be somewhat lesser paranorms in our society, but they're the most dangerous. Let me see the mark so I can see what it says."

What it says? I thought it was just some drawing. Shows what I know. It's good to know I have someone on my side that reads demonese.

I extend my palm to him and show him the now blackened mark. I feel Alex shift to stand behind me, looking over my shoulder. His heated presence releases a feeling of calmness through my body. Stupid wolf hormones, I don't want to be calm. I want to be pissed.

We all concentrate on the design. All I see is a wicked looking raven centered in a ring that has an outer ring around it. In between the two rings are a bunch of little scribbles. I'm guessing they're probably some demonic language now that Sebastian thinks words are involved.

"It's not as bad as I expected. I've seen some real doozies as far as these marks go. I'm concerned about the raven, though. Each demon has their own symbol. The raven is well known to belong to the demon Benjalarico. He's a very old reaper demon. For him to take interest in what Alex has described to me, based on what he overheard in your mind, is quite confusing."

"Yeah, good old Ben wants to have himself a little baby. I informed him I wasn't interested, hopefully, that closes the case. Now, what do the scribbles say?" I ask, wanting to know what horror is ahead for me. The fact that Ben is a reaper demon means he's been taking time out from his busy soul-harvesting schedule to make his attempts at fatherhood.

"First, there's the protection from other demons. That one is mainly to mark you as his as far as his kind goes. Having to deal with only one isn't so bad, from our point of view," he adds to his explanation. "The next is a tracker. I'm not very happy about that one. He can now pinpoint your location at any time. It will also block any kind of charm I would've tried to protect you with."

"That's just great news. Do we have the ability to at least charm the bathroom so he doesn't just pop in while I'm in the shower?" I ask, starting to get pissed even with Alex trying to calm me. He places his hands on my hips to try harder. Sorry bud, it ain't working. I'm not even going to ask why his presence may cause a change in my mood. I have enough stuff to piss me off, for the moment.

"Yes. The building itself will be protected, I hope. We'll also try to charm the vehicles. Your personal one may be an issue since he's already been in there, but we'll make the attempt," Sebby responds.

"At least that's something," I reply glumly. This might mean I need to trade the old girl in. "Do the scribbles do anything else?"

"The last part gives you the ability to summon him at any time. I'm guessing he gave you instructions on how to do it. It looks like his summoning name should be here, but it's missing."

"He just said his name was Ben and to call him anytime I needed him."

"He must have made it so you didn't need the official name. Demons rarely give them out, so it isn't surprising. There isn't anything here that formally binds you to him. It's just protection and ways to get in contact."

"Did Alex also hear that good ol' Ben says I have some other kind of paranorm gene beside the two we know of?" I ask, tilting my head back to get a glimpse of Alex's face.

"He did," Alex responds, speaking of himself in the third person. "If it's true, it isn't anything we've encountered and the Collective didn't know about it either."

"Whatever it is, let's hope it's like a vampire and doesn't have a predestined mate programmed into it. Having to share you with someone else is already hard enough. A three-way share would be impossible," Sebastian says, taking my hand and leading our group inside.

Yeah, but if the demon possesses one of them is it still considered a three-way share? The possibility horrifies me.

At my floor, we file out and I give a quick wave to Venus and David.

"They can't wave back," Jake points out. He must really think I'm a moron.

"If I ever decide to lift the curse, they could possibly wave. It should give Venus her arms back," Sebby states as if it's no big deal.

"Wait. Hold the phone. Those two are actually real people?" I say, skidding to a halt.

"Of course. Most sculptures of people you see are just curses. As they're passed around over the centuries, the incantation to reverse the curse is sometimes lost, but I know both of theirs. I can release them at any time."

"Are they aware in there?" I ask. I can just imagine the cultural shock of waking them up if they've been encased for hundreds of years.

"I couldn't say. It all depends on the being that laid the curse. Some want their victims to know what they're missing, others just want them out of the way."

The idea that they're real people boggles my mind. It also terrifies me that people are out there capable of doing something like this.

"So, I'm guessing a witch is behind this kind of thing. How worried should I be about pissing one of them off?"

Sebastian full-on laughs. I didn't think the question was that funny. "A witch couldn't dream of anything this complex," he says after calming down. "No, my love, the only being able to do something like this is one like your newfound friend. It be a demon curse."

I wonder how many times I've thought "great" to myself today. I imagine I'm going for some kind of record because I'm thinking it again.

"Don't worry," Alex says, pulling me along and depositing me on the sofa. "We'll protect you from the big, bad demon. We'll also make sure you're clothed at all times. I know you'd hate to be a naked sculpture."

"Jerk," I hiss as I punch him in his shoulder. He just laughs and takes the seat next to me.

"It doesn't sound like being forever immortalized in stone is what he has planned for you," Jonas kindly points out.

"No, he has much grander things in mind," I say with a huff. "So, one case done, I'm hoping to head into the office to see if I have any more prospects. Any complaints?" I glance between Alex and Sebastian, who have taken places beside me on the couch. Neither looks happy about my idea.

"It hasn't been warded yet," Sebastian provides.

"True. I don't think the demon who shall not be named has plans to get me pregnant immediately," I respond. I've decided actually saying his name aloud is a bad idea. He might think I'm summoning him. The day that I do that, will be a very frigid day in Hell.

"I'd feel better if you wait until it's protected. Even if he doesn't go right ahead with his plan, he can still do a lot of things to make life tougher for us."

"And just how long would that take?" I ask. "Can you send someone and have it done by the time we get there?" Usually, that's all it takes. Sebastian makes a call and it's done.

"It doesn't work that way. It will take me about a week to make sure all the glyphs are in the right places and find the best charms to use against this particular demon."

"I'm not staying away for a whole week. Are you joking?" I screech.

"Of course not, love. If I was joking, I'd ask what you do with an elephant with three balls." The joke is a well-known one of his. The punch line is you walk him and pitch to the rhino, of course. "That would be how long it would take. If you can work from home for the day, I can probably do at least some of the rudimentary glyphs, and then tomorrow you should have some protection."

"I need my computer to work," I reply getting piqued. Alex reaches over and grabs my hand.

Where did all this calming energy come from all of a sudden? I think it's moving up my list of things aggravating me at the current moment. I turn to glare at him. I'm finding my glare makes guys smile, so maybe I'll have to start doing reverse psychology glares. I smile at him sweetly and that catches him by surprise, causing him to narrow his eyes a bit. Good.

"You can use one of my laptops to log in to your system from here. The apartment has a general 'keep demons out' charm, so you shouldn't get any unexpected guests."

"So, the amulet charm you prepared for me won't do any good at all?"

"No, his tracker runes are top of the line. I don't know anything offhand that will counter them. He evidently thought it was very important that he be able to find you. I've seen other spells that are a lot easier to circumvent."

When Sebastian doesn't have an answer for something like this, it tends to worry me a bit. I imagine if he's having an issue guarding against just one of the spells, asking if there's a way to remove it altogether is a waste of breath.

"Sorry, Babe, but you'd be right. Demon marks can only be removed by the demon who gave them, or by one stronger than them. In those cases, the stronger demon puts their mark over the existing one, so you're still bound to one of them," Alex whispers through my mind.

Well shit. "You've been awfully quiet about this whole thing. Do you have any other words of wisdom to add?" I think back to him, using our connection for the first time actively. Well, other than that time I flashed a kinky vision at him to distract him.

"I'm trying to fight the urge coursing through me to tear something to shreds. Calming you and being quiet are working, for now. Any higher functioning will push me over the edge," he replies. "I don't want to ruin your nice apartment."

Now that I can understand. "Fine. For today, bring me a laptop. Me and the guys will hang out here while I check emails and file the paperwork for the Willard case. I'm sure I won't find anything new, but I want to spend some time researching reaper demons, my reaper demon in particular, and their marks. I won't leave the building unless a life or death case comes in. If it does, you won't be able to stop me from leaving."

I get up from the couch and go to my bedroom so I can change out of my jeans and into my more comfortable work attire. Looking at the clock, I see it's just now four. Most days I wouldn't even be awake at this hour. I decide that any other human cases that come in are going to have a stiff fine for having to be awake before twilight. Hopefully, that will detour them from hiring me in the first place.

Chapter 15

Message from the flipside

When I return to the main living area, a desk has been set up with an office chair, laptop and printer. What good service I have. I doubt any humans could've made that happen, no matter how much money they have.

I settle into the plush chair and bounce around a little before starting up the laptop. The chair is a bit comfier than the one I have at work. I may have to "borrow" it for my office.

Jake and Jonas are spread out on separate couches. Everyone else has cleared out. Jake looks like he's trying to work a little nap in. Our schedule is royally off today and the vamp guards are useless in daylight hours, so I imagine exhaustion is setting in.

As much as I hate breaking in new personal guards, I think we might just have to promote someone. There are a couple who I've sparred with that would make decent guards. I like my personal guards to at least be somewhat up to my level of fighting ability, so it's hard to find anyone good.

The login screen on the laptop pops up, allowing me to enter in my credentials. My desktop loads quickly and I launch my email client. I usually try to keep up by checking on my phone, but today I just haven't felt like it. If someone really needs to get a hold of me, my number is all over my website and can be found on my storefront.

The newest email in the list arrived only minutes ago and it's from a Rick Goode. The subject line is blank, which I absolutely hate, but I click it anyway because every once in a while something good comes from nothing. This seems to be one of those times.

Nyx,

Daughter, I was just told the very distressing news. Attracting a demon is a very bad thing in your case. If word gets back to your mother that you are alive and well, things are going to get very difficult.

After I found out you existed, I did everything I could to make it appear you were someone other than that innocent baby left to fend for themselves at the hands of the Collective. Since she hasn't come for you, I have to believe, so far, I have succeeded.

If a demon were to let out the secret of what you are, I have no doubt she would hear about it and come for you. You, of course, know nothing about her, but your mother is a bitch in every sense of the word, except literally. (I know that last statement doesn't really make sense, but in my mind it does.) If she were to find you before I come out of hiding, the entire paranorm community would be in great danger.

I don't have everything in place just yet, so please try to stay safe until your birthday. If I hear there is movement from her side, I will come to you, but it will be at a risk to both of our lives. We may be able to secure a visit for you to where I'm hiding, but those are rarely doled out.

Also, please keep in mind there is still someone near to you that you have to watch your words around. I'm sure there is more than just one person masquerading as a resistance member, but there is for sure someone you deal with often. You can only entirely trust your chosen two. Anyone else may be using your information against you. On the wolf side of things, we are working on removing the threat without alerting their superiors, but these things take time.

Love,

Your Father

Wow. Daddy has some great intel. Intel he could have only received from one of four sources. Either one of my mates or a wolf guard must have a direct line to the man. Or he could possibly be psychic, but I think I would've heard about that little detail by now.

I wish he would've said who and what my mother is. Her being a werewolf is out, but we had already figured that out since I get my wolf gene from Daddy. It sounds like she has an ear for demon news, but the demon that won't be named said I wasn't part demon.

This crap is so confusing, and obviously one of my personal guards is untrustworthy. He hinted at it in his last email, but that really sucks. I guess he could mean just one of the regular guards that hang around the building, but I don't talk to them very often. It sounded like I wasn't in real danger I just have to be careful what I say. He doesn't know me very well if he thinks I can keep my big mouth shut.

As far as the guards close to me, Jonas has been really great to me lately and I hate to think it's him because he's probably the closest to me. I kind of took a bullet for the dude. If he's plotting against me, I'll be super pissed. I'm not one hundred percent sure where the threat is coming from, but if the person is a Collective informant, there's no way Jonas can be on the list.

I don't know a whole lot about Marcus and Smitty. They don't really socialize that much with me when they're on duty, but I can't believe Sebastian would allow them to be near me if he had any idea they were working for the darkside. Sebby seems to be really familiar with the pair, like they've hung out for centuries, so I'd hope he isn't that naïve to have one of them duping him all that time.

I can't see it being Jake either. Why would he spend energy driving me crazy if he wanted to get the inside dirt on everything? Making me not want to talk to him won't crack open all of my secrets. I know he gets moody a lot, but he escaped from the Collective. Why in the world would he continue to work for the dictators? It does give me pause that he was once connected with them, though.

Any way I look at it, it's a mess. One that probably won't be cleaned up as quickly as I want, so there's no use crying over it. I focus back on my emails and throw most of them away as junk. I've decided my penis is still just fine the size it currently is.

Two of the remaining three emails are people just curious about rates and what services they can expect. Kind of makes my business sound like a brothel, but what am I to do about it?

The last one is from someone actually in distress it seems.

Slaughter – you are the only one I can turn to. The Collective is offering me no help. My daughter was assaulted, in every sense of the word, by another werewolf. She is only eighteen and is contemplating taking her own life. The wolf in question is in good standing with the Collective, so they refuse to take action. Please help. Allison.

These are the kind of cases I like. Not for the victim. I feel extremely sorry for the girl, but if I can substantiate the claim, it means I get to kick ass. In fact, I'll probably end up killing the guy. It will be a great way to take out some aggression.

The woman didn't leave a number, so I'm forced to reply to the email.

Allison – call ASAP 499-304-5432 Nyx

Hopefully, she's speedy. While I'm waiting, I reply to my other emails, attaching my rate cards, which they could've found on my website, so they can decide whether they really need my services. I ain't exactly cheap.

I'm midway through finishing my Willard invoice when my cell rings.

"This is Nyx," I answer, not even glancing at the number.

"This is Allison, Slaughter. I'm responding to your email. I'm hoping you can help us."

"Is there somewhere we can meet? Abuse cases are always my top priority, especially when someone so young is involved."

"My poor Josephina thinks she's ruined for her true mate now," the woman says, sobbing. "She won't tell me everything that monster did to her, but the damage is pretty severe. Do you think you would be able to stop by our house this evening? I don't know that you'll be able to seek vengeance for us against the perpetrator, but I'd at least like you to talk to her. Maybe there's something you can say that a mother can't. We don't really have support groups in place for this type of thing."

No, we don't, and it's something we need. In general, paranorms don't go around abusing others of their kind like this, but it's been known to happen. When it does, the victim is usually just brushed to the side.

"Allison, I can assure you right now, even if I can't get the shithead that hurt her immediately, justice will be done here. Give me directions on how to reach you and I'll come get the story from your daughter. Then I can better decide how to help her."

I write the directions down and tell her to expect me within the hour.

"Sorry guys, but I'm calling life or death. Alex probably already knows, and I'm calling Sebastian now. Gear up."

I hit the button and wait for him to answer. "It has barely been thirty minutes and you already need to leave, my love. That didn't take very long."

"Sorry, but you did say life and death and I talked to a mom that's worried her daughter is heading towards the latter. I won't sit around and let that happen."

"I know. Just be careful. Don't go rushing in anywhere guns a blazing. You can talk to the girl, but please wait to dole out justice until more backup is available."

He kind of sounds like he knows more about the case than I've said. I've only mentioned a girl may die, nothing about the cause or just going to talk with her. For all he should know, I could be going in for a hostage rescue.

"Where is Alex?" I ask, knowing he's probably the culprit.

"Helping me ward your office, my love. He's currently laughing at you realizing we're together," he replies.

"It has been more than two seconds and you're both still standing. That's got to be a record."

"We're working towards a common goal. Now, hurry on to your little mission, love. You can come visit us when you're done. By then the other vampires should be up, so you'll have as much physical protection as you can get." After seeing Demon Boy freeze Jake and Jonas, I don't know how much extra protection will help, but I decide not to say anything.

"I don't know how I feel about you guys working together, but I gots to go. I love you," I say, standing, phone still in hand, and rushing to my room to grab a couple extra knives and my guns.

"Je t'aime," he replies. Great, now he thinks he's freaking French. Whatever. I have work to do.

The guys are a little slow to do my bidding, but I get them alert, without even having to dump water on their heads, and we hit the door running. For a wolf to take their own life is pretty much unheard of, but there's always a first time for everything and with my luck I'm afraid I'll be too late.

Chapter 16

Things that piss me off...psychotic stalkers

One of the hardest things, probably the hardest, about switching from assassin to private investigator, is meeting the clients. It's something I have on my mind a lot. When they come into my office, it isn't that big of a deal. We're on my playing field and I feel somewhat comfortable.

When I have to go out to a client's house, like I am now, that's when the nervousness kicks in. I don't know this person and who's to say they aren't working for the Collective, just trying to draw me out. I think Allison sounded sincere on the phone, but I don't know her. I guess that's why, in cases like this, I actually enjoy having the guards tag along. Not that I'd ever clue anyone in on that.

Allison's directions lead us to the north side of town. No part of town is really a dump, per se, since paranorms tend to have piles of cash lying around, but it's probably the low end of the social scale. Think in a world full of billionaires, this section is where the millionaires live.

I park in front of a large, two-story cape cod. It's yellow with a bright red front door. There's an attached three-car garage and two cute little dormer windows peaking up from the roof. It looks like a nice little family home.

I get out of the Suburban, yes I drove it even though Demon Boy could pop in any second, and head towards the front walk. Tweedle Dum and Dee take position on either side of me.

Before we even get to the door, it swings open and a woman steps out to greet us.

"Thank goodness you're here," she says, bowing her head subtly. I'm guessing it's a sign of my dominance over her. No one has ever done that to me before, so I have no clue. "I told Josephina you were coming and it seemed to upset her more. I don't know what's going on."

"Can you take me to her?" I ask, curious about why me being here would upset the girl.

"Yes, follow me. I hope the gentlemen don't mind staying in the living room while I take you up. I don't think she could handle being around a male right now."

"Jonas will follow me and stand outside the door so she can't see him. I know she'll still sense that he's there, but he won't allow me to be on a separate floor. Behind a closed door is already pushing it." As I finish speaking, I hear something crash on the side of the house.

Not stopping to ask questions, I draw my Smith & Wesson and pursue the noise. I watch as a small form scuttles out of a bush and takes off in a run.

"Stop!" I yell to no avail. The form keeps running and I chase after it. Before we get even halfway to the woods bordering the rear of the house, I overcome the assailant and tackle them to the ground.

"Josephina," Allison screams as she rushes towards us.

The girl in my grasp struggles to try to break free. She can't be any taller than I am and I have a lot more strength, so she's wasting energy.

I get her rolled over and subdued. Upon looking at her, it quickly clicks on why she doesn't want to see me. Her face is torn up and her one non-swollen eye doesn't match mine, but her hair and general build do. This obviously happened to her because of the resemblance to me. At least it's obvious in my mind.

"There are only a couple people I can think of that would have done this to you. I'm placing bets on it being Tommy," I tell her softly, not wanting to traumatize her any more than I have.

"He kept calling me by your name," she sobs. "It was horrible. I kept telling him I wasn't Nyx, but he wouldn't listen. He kept saying I was finally his and all sorts of things that didn't make sense. I tried to fight back, but he was just too strong."

"Oh, sweetheart," I say, hugging her into me. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. He's the scum of the earth and is already on my list for eradication. He won't be able to do this to you again. I promise."

The poor girl. Punished because of a psychopath's obsession with me. At least when he tortured me in the past, he didn't leave all the scars she'll have to bear. She hasn't had the Collective's training I had that conditioned my mind for this kind of abuse.

"Why don't we get you back up to your room, so we can talk a little more," I tell her while I pull her up off the grass. "We need to find a way to help you get through this."

We make our way towards the front of the house and she leads me up to her room. Jonas follows and her mother takes Jake to the living room. She drags me towards her bed and Jonas softly shuts the door behind us with him on the other side.

On her bed, we sit facing each other. She's still softly crying and my emotionally dead heart hurts for her.

I take a second to check out her room. She's a purple freak with dark purple walls, lavender carpeting and matching royal purple curtains and bedspread. She has a small desk with a computer on it. There really aren't any pictures lying around that would show what she normally looks like.

"I know it's hard to talk about, and you don't have to tell me everything because sadly I can imagine, but I need you to at least tell me some. You can't keep it bottled up."

"How did you know it was him?" she asks.

"Because I bare permanent scars from him already and I'm aware that he's obsessed with me. I only know one other person who's mildly fixated, and he wouldn't take it to this level." At least, I hope Ryan hasn't gone this bat shit crazy.

"Can I see your scars?"

"Sure." I stand up and pull the back of my shirt up until she can get the full glimpse of my biggest mark.

"That's right along your spine. It must have hurt like crazy," she says, getting closer so she can get a good look.

"It didn't feel great. It was back before I had any super healing active, so it took forever to get to where it is. Luckily, you should be back to normal in a day or two, at least physically." I put my shirt down and return to my spot on the bed.

"That's one benefit of being a werewolf," she says with a slight tip upwards to her lips.

"He didn't use any knives on you did he? I can only see your face, so I can't tell if he used the knife skills he honed on me."

"No, it was just the beating of my face and, well you know," she says trailing off. I do know, but it isn't from experience. Somehow after all the years of torment, I'd been spared that last little bit that could have crushed my spirit like it did this girl's.

"He didn't bite you during that time, did he?" I ask. Usually it wouldn't be an issue, but since I know Tommy has broken his mate bond it might cause a problem.

She looks up horrified. She must have an idea of why I asked. "No," she says, moving her shirt to expose bite free shoulders.

"Good. He's more dangerous than a normal wolf out trying to have what they consider a little fun. Do you have any self-defense training? I don't think he'll come looking for you again, but you might feel better if you felt more assured of yourself." I highly doubt someone would've trained such a young female wolf.

"No. It's just me and my mom, and neither of us know much on that front. My dad and brother work in the resistance, so they don't come home very often."

"What do you say to stopping by my place for an hour or so each day, so I can teach you some moves?" I ask, feeling generous. "Guys aren't the only ones fighting for something in this resistance. We girls need to step up and show them we can help."

"Do you think I can actually be like you? I've always thought I was too little to even try to learn."

"Have you actually looked at me? Do you know how often I get teased about being my size? A big knife usually gives the jerks pause. Knowing how to use that big knife knocks them off their high horses pretty fast."

"I think I'd like to learn," she says still somewhat meek.

"Good. I think it will help with your healing process. Your mom mentioned something about you feeling ruined for your mate."

"Yeah, well, I kind of am. What mate is going to want me used as I was?"

"I can almost guarantee he won't be coming into the relationship a virgin. These days I'm surprised you were before this happened, which I'm just guessing is true, since you're so upset. I've hung out at Sins enough to see exactly how unmated males spend their free time and it isn't hanging out at home pining after their possible mates.

"I know how you lost your virginity wasn't what you expected, but your mate isn't going to renounce you over it. If the punk does, you can send him my way and I'll knock some sense into him." I decide it probably best not to tell her I'm still fully intact in that department. The knowledge wouldn't be helpful right now.

"You smell funny, sorry. I mean that in the nicest way, but I'm told you're a werewolf. Have you found your mate?" she asks.

"Rumor is I have and since I can sometimes hear his voice in my head, I imagine the rumors are true," I reply.

"What was meeting him like? I've heard it's epic," she claims, letting her age and innocence show through a little.

"Now there is a great story. I'm guessing yours will be a lot sweeter than mine. I was hired to kill him and we met as I read him his death sentence and I shot him with a silver bullet."

She gasps and looks appalled by the thought of me shooting my mate. I can't really blame her. In most cases, silver would've been fatal to him and eventually me.

"So, you didn't feel an instant connection? Your instincts didn't stop you from shooting him?"

"He's told me he felt a connection, but it was months before I physically met him. On my side of things, I didn't feel it, but that's just because I'm defective. I'm sure you'll know when you find the lucky guy and things will work out fine for you."

"I hope you're right," she says, and then remains quiet for a few moments. "I think I'm doing better now. I don't want to keep you here all night, I'm sure you have other plans. Do you have a specific time I should drop by for my lessons?"

"You're right, I should probably be going. My mates are waiting for me. Why don't you stop by ParaNorm Inc. tomorrow around ten at night? I'd invite you to my home gym, but the security is really tight right now and you'd have to pass a bunch of background checks first. Maybe soon, but for now I think we have enough room in my storefront."

"Sounds good. I'll be there at ten sharp," she replies, and I move to the door to leave. She's a good kid and I hope I'm helping rather than hindering. As I turn the door knob and open the door she says, "Wait a second. Mates?"

I just laugh and follow Jonas towards the stairs. "Yeah. Good luck figuring that one out because the word is plural in my case. I did mention I was defective."

Chapter 17

Some new decorations for the office

"You did good by that girl," Jonas says as we get underway. I'm happy to hear that he approves.

"I hope so. She's a sweet girl and it's partially my fault this happened to her." Stupid Tommy.

"Nah," Jake says, inserting his two cents. "It isn't your fault Tommy won't take no for an answer. Something has always been a bit off with him. I never saw him prey on any other girls, but he always had an evil gleam in his eyes."

"That's true, but if I would've killed him years ago, this wouldn't have happened."

"Do you think you could've done it when you didn't have your hybrid nature activated?" It's a surprise Jake asked me something so silly.

"When I was younger obviously not or I wouldn't have the T on my back. I could've done it this last year, though. I'm a good assassin, and I should have taken him out. I have a lot of places I could've hidden the body and no one would've been able to trace it back to me." By the time I was done with him, there might not have actually been a body left to hide.

"You don't think you would've regretted killing another member of the Collective while you were still with them?" Jonas asks, turning to watch my face as I answer.

"No," I reply looking right at him. We hold our gazes until he finally sees what he's looking for and nods. I turn back to pay attention to the road in front of me.

"I believe you wouldn't. That's good. You know, we don't do it often because we're still in recon mode and trying to keep our members a secret, but there are times when we need to have someone killed. A lot of us are trained for that type of mission and we just tend to draw straws to see who will carry it out. Maybe you should ask the masters if you can get in on the action."

I've only been out of action for a few weeks and I sorely miss it. I can't believe Sebastian hasn't brought the possibility of doing some killing up. Me and him are going to have a little discussion about keeping me from having fun.

"That sounds like a great idea. I'll talk to the guys." Taking out Collective agents won't be easy, but it's the kind of mission I live for. The behind the scenes work of learning my mark's movements, deciding where and when to take them out, and what weapon to use against them is second nature to me.

The car lapses into a quiet. We all have things on our minds and this is as good of a time as any to think about them. My mind files through past assassination assignments and starts critiquing my work. Since all, but two, of the assignments ended in a kill I'd say I've been pretty successful.

I talked to all my victims before their deaths, something most people don't do, but it did allow for some of them to actually fight back. Those are the cases I'm reviewing. Were my fighting skills up to snuff? Just how many hits were they able to land on me? Were any of them innocent of their crimes?

The last one is a big one that hangs heavy on my mind. Sebastian says my kills were all legit, and he can't lie to me, but the fact that I've learned the Collective used some of their agents to kill threats to them and not real criminals concerns me.

Before long, I'm pulling up in front of my beloved place of business. Yes, beloved is probably too strong of a word, but being my own boss happens to make me giddy.

When we enter the building, we find Sebastian and Alex in deep conversation looking over a book lying on my desk. I know they both realize I've arrived, but they don't bother to acknowledge me.

Marcus and Smitty are lounging in my waiting area. They both nod when I wave before I draw my attention back to the men in my office.

At odd times, I'm stricken by the fact that these two gorgeous guys are mine for the taking. We haven't really discussed intercourse amongst us, other than the fact that supposedly in January it will be happening, but there are times I look at Sebastian, in particular, that I just want to jump on him and ride him like a stallion.

I've thought about it enough that the vision is very clear in my mind and I start to get swept into the scene again.

Candles surround my bed, my beautiful purple comforter crumpled, half on the bed and half off, Sebastian lying in the middle in a black satin bathrobe, waiting to be unwrapped like a present. And this is a present I just can't wait to open.

A throat clears and I look over at Alex. Whoops.

"Yeah, not a sight I really want to see there, Babe. If you switched out the partner, we may be in business, but until then, try to keep your thoughts PG."

"Sorry. He wasn't naked yet, so you won't have to wash your eyes out with soap," I say sheepishly, and glance over at Sebby who has a knowing grin on his face.

"I don't mind at all if your thoughts take that turn. Just tell him to tune it out and you can describe to me in detail what you were thinking."

"Sadly for you, that ain't happening. So, what are you guys looking at anyway?" I ask, walking towards them to get a peek.

"We were just trying to agree on which glyphs would work best against this particular reaper demon," Alex answers.

I look around and don't see any sign that they've started marking up my space. I know they haven't had long, but I expected to see some progress.

"We aren't out to wreck your décor," Alex says. "The ink isn't visible without black light, but it's there."

He switches on a light I didn't see sitting on my desk, at the same time Jake flips off the overhead.

Sure enough, another glance at the walls has them covered in symbols that I'd assume no one under probably a thousand knows what they say. They're actually really pretty. Maybe I'll start working by black light instead of candlelight.

"Would any of the symbols help me if they were on my body?" I ask. I know Sebby said a charm wouldn't work anymore, but maybe a tattoo could do something.

"The only thing that would help your person is if you somehow figured out a way to separate your soul from your body. The mark is ingrained to your soul. Our only offense right now is to put a defense around places you're at the most. Even with all this," Sebastian says waving his arm at the writing on the walls, "he can still locate where you are. He just can't come in to get you."

"Do you have any good soul separating spells handy?" I ask casually. I'm not planning on really separating with my soul anytime soon.

"He'd have to be trying to drag you to Hell, before I'd even attempt to use one. Soul separation is extremely dangerous. The chances of reconnecting them are almost zero. You'd be a walking zombie with no connections or emotions. Any bonds you had with people, like me and Alex would be severed," he explains. "As long as I knew he wasn't going to permanently harm you, I don't think I could bring myself to do the incantation for the separating." The last bit he adds softly in a forlorn tone.

"Well, at least we know there's that option if things ever come to that. Let's hope that he understands no means no and lets it drop." I look around at all the symbols again. "I thought you said this would take a week to get all protected like. I can't see it taking much longer with all this already done."

"These are just basic protecting glyphs. There's still a chance your demon could break through them. We need to find ones more specific for reapers. Since they're already triggered for soul finding, they're harder to ward against. The book we're studying here breaks down specific spells that will work against different legions"

"So, what's the discussion about? Do you know which legion he belongs to?"

"He commands about a half dozen of them according to the information we can find about him. The problem lies in the fact that he's a tricky devil and formed his legions so protection against more than one of them cancels out any of the others."

That would be my luck. Not only do I attract a stinking demon, but my demon, as he's being called, is a smart S.O.B.

"Okay, so we'll have to just see how well the walls can hold. We can all do some research and hit up contacts to see if there's any more information available that may help us," I suggest.

"That's probably what we're going to have to do," Alex says. "This book is informative, but I'd doubt if there is any one spot that holds everything there is to know about demonkind."

"Sounds like we have some work ahead of us."

"We do. You even more than the rest of us, now that you've taken on a student," Alex says.

"Yeah. She reminded me so much of myself, and no one should have to go through what she did. I couldn't help but offer to take her under my wing. From what I've seen, it isn't going to be easy to turn her into someone who can readily handle herself in combat, but I'm up for the challenge."

"That's good. Just don't set your expectations too high, love. You being as good as you are is a fluke, and chances are another female won't be able to do a tenth of the things you can do. Add that to the fact that she's young and probably has little to no initial training, you're going to have a tough time. I predict your patience is going to wear thin quickly, causing massive headaches for the rest of us," Sebastian says.

"I think the lessons are more for her to try to feel like she's taking control of her life. I highly doubt she'd ever get to the level that I would want to see in a battle. Light sparring is about my upper level of expectation."

"As long as she doesn't get the notion that she could be one of your guards. If you ran into trouble, you would all be too busy worrying about her to fight the bad guys," Alex says.

"I sincerely hope she doesn't get that thought in her head. I'll knock it out of there if she does. I think my main lesson will be how to break free of a captor, so she can run away. Hopefully, being as small as she is will give her an advantage in the speed category."

"You'll probably have to test her scores in all categories before you can come up with an educated decision on her training," Sebastian says.

"I need my gym for that and we won't be meeting there right away, so I'll start with the basics and then decide when I can run her through the tests," I supply.

"Sounds like a plan. I have a few more glyphs I want to try to get up tonight. Then me and Alex are going to look through a couple scrolls that we haven't got to yet and see if there's anything else we can do."

"I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll head home. I want to try to run a couple searches through my database archives to see if I can find out any more about Demon Boy. I'm sure it will only bring up stuff you've already seen, but I pretty much know nothing other than he's a reaper demon who doesn't like to be charmed away," I say, backing towards my office door.

"I don't want to stay out too much longer, so expect at least me to come over to say goodnight within an hour," Alex says.

"I won't be far behind him," Sebastian adds.

"Later," I tell them, and give a little wave before heading home with all the guards in tow.

Chapter 18

20 questions with a cryptic demon

When you're trying to find out information about a non-human the first place to check is the Collective's giant database of spookies. I'm home now and my laptop is fired up and ready to go. The task at hand is a lot easier if you're on Collective premises, but it isn't impossible to get to from the outside.

I think the first time I hacked into the database was two years ago on one of my assassination missions. Getting in isn't the problem really. They aren't big on restricting access. The issue is making sure you don't leave a trail so they know it's you. If they find you tinkering around in their system, it's a death sentence for you. I'd probably be a special case, but I still don't want to be caught.

My way, and most others, of accomplishing that is a whole lot of bouncing off servers and satellites. The satellites are just to confuse them. So far, they haven't found me and I don't plan on allowing them to now.

I start my program up and watch as the hopping begins. It takes three minutes, but I finally get the search screen of the database to load.

I type in Benjalarico, as Sebastian called him earlier. I figure just typing in Ben won't get me very far. I know of a vampire, two wolves and a warlock who share the name, just off hand.

The search pings back only one result. Cool. I won't have to search through a bunch of entries to find the right one.

I click on the link and up pops Ben's life story. In this case, it's lacking on the details. Evidently, the Collective has had problems researching the guy, because they only have the basics.

Name: Benjalarico

Race: Demon

Subspecies: Reaper

Summoning name: Unknown

Background: Not much is known about this particular demon. Benjalarico is an upper class reaper demon. He is a favorite of Lucifer and is well respected among others of his kind. He currently leads six legions of lesser reaper demons and is known to be a force to reckon with. If approaching, proceed with extreme caution.

Current location: Unknown

Aliases: Unknown

Associates: Unknown

Distinguishing features: Is able to change forms at will, so his true form is not known.

Tell me something I don't know. That was a total bust. How anyone actually knows anything about him at all is starting to amaze me.

"It's actually seven now," his deep voice rumbles next to me ear. "So nice to see you're checking up on me. It's very important these days to do thorough background checks on prospective partners. You'll find I haven't even had a speeding ticket, so no worries on that front."

"How did you get in here?" I ask, glancing over to see my guards yet again frozen in mid-motion.

"Well, you were thinking awfully hard about me, so I thought maybe you wanted to see me. I'm sure your friends have found that it's really tough to find a spell to keep me away from you."

"And you say you've added a seventh level of difficulty to the task," I retort, wondering how long it will be before Alex rushes in to try to save me.

"We're on our way. There have been some obstacles placed in the way. Try to keep him busy for a few more minutes and we should be to you," Alex informs me.

"He's a silly one," Ben states. "You did mention to them I know when they call, right?"

"I'm sure he knows," I reply, trying to wheel my chair back, so I can get a look at my newest annoyance.

He allows me to move and stands in front of me in the same form he wore in the Suburban. The violet eyes are still cool. I'm a sucker for purple eyes. I haven't ever met anyone who has had them, so this is a new development.

He stands probably six-five, but I'm sitting and short, in general, so I've never been a great judge of height. He's wearing a dark purple polo shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. Normally, I believe those colors are supposed to have a calming effect. I don't think they're working. His overall build is muscular, but not body builder or soldier level.

Sadly, he is somewhat appealing.

"So, I'm guessing we have maybe five, ten at the max, minutes before they make it through my maze. If you're interested in learning more about me, go ahead and ask some questions."

"Will you remove this mark?" I ask, raising my hand to put it on display.

"No. Next question."

"Can you be warded against, so you can't just pop in like this?"

"Of course. It's not information you'll probably find anywhere, but it can be done. If you summon me, though, it would be negated," he says nonchalantly.

"Will you tell me how to do it?"

"What fun would that be?"

"I personally think it would be a lot of fun. So, nothing I can do will keep you from popping in when I'm not exactly dressed for company."

"If you find the very archaic charm meant to keep me away, it might just stop me. You'll find I'm a gentleman when it comes to these things, so you shouldn't worry about me seeing your lady bits."

"Thank you so much for reassuring me," I say drolly. I trust him about as far as I can throw him and, I imagine with his ability to appear and disappear like it's nothing, that isn't very far. "Will you tell me what my third source of DNA is?"

"Now that story isn't mine to tell. Your daddy or mommy was a very bad being. I don't know who supplied what, but I like what it made." His eyes roam up and down my body.

"Both parents are missing in action so that makes it a little difficult to ask."

"I bet if they knew about you, they'd come out from their hiding places. Having control over an unknown in our society is everyone's dream. That's why I haven't let it slip to even my closest associates that I've met you."

"Good. I was hoping you'd keep that under your hat. The parental units may both be missing in action, but one has told me to hideout from the other."

"Yes, I would imagine the wolf doesn't want the other to be able to locate you. I believe he'd be your papa. The circumstances of your birth would indicate your mother is the unknown in your life."

"You would be correct."

"And me knowing what your mother is and all, I would have to assume papa is very high up in the food chain, so to speak. I doubt she would've wasted her time on a peon."

I know it's my fault the talk turned from me learning about him to Nyx's life story in cryptinese, but it's somewhat interesting. Who knows, maybe I'll actually learn something useful.

"Far as I can tell, that is correct."

"I have a very good idea who he is. It makes me wonder how you came to be even more. I thought it was impossible for his line to have female offspring. Personally, when we have our kid, I don't care what gender it is, but I was sure the Gentrys never had little girls. Do you carry their mark as well?"

I relax back in the chair, trying to play it cool. I don't think I like him knowing all this information about me. Not many people know of the mark symbolizing me as "royalty." That thought came out wrong. Everyone knows the mark exists, they just don't know I have it.

"I don't think that's information you need to know."

"Hmm. Are you trying to hide the fact that you're a princess, or are you upset you won't be able to pass the trait onto future generations?" he asks while tilting his head and scratching his chin to ponder the thought.

"Since I've already told you I'm not having any kids, I believe that question is moot. And you've already stated you were a 'gentleman', so you won't be able to sneak a quick peek to see for yourself."

"Ah. You're going to turn me into a rogue, I see. I doubt it will hurt my reputation too bad. You might want to start showering in your clothes."

"Great advice. Can we turn this discussion back to you?" I'm so ready for this visit to be over.

"Of course. What can I tell you about myself? You've already read my thrilling biography, but I'm sure there was something left out of it that I'm able to share with my sweet Nyx. I know. I have six dogs. I bet none of the books mention that."

"I'm trying to figure out a way to keep you away from me and remove your mark, and you want to talk about your dogs?"

"Of course. They're quite magnificent creatures. They are Hellhounds and three of them have just grown into their third heads. They're named Hermes, Luke, Archibald, Guinevere, Demeter and Pepa. Hermie, Luke and my little Gweny are the ones that sprouted their third head. The rest still only have the two."

He has six pet Hellhounds. Why am I not finding that a bit comforting?

"I'm sure they're all quite lovely," I say, trying to be polite. What else can I say? I find a three-headed dog to be quite freaky.

"They are. I can't wait for you to meet them. When we have the little one, you'll have to come down and pick him, or her, up from his, or her, daddy visits."

"Do you have some form of dementia, by any chance?"

"Demons can't get any diseases, but I'm sure you already know that," he says a little bit gruff.

"I would seriously look into it. I've mentioned quite a few times that kids aren't in my future, and yet you act like the words haven't left my lips."

"It's still early in our relationship. You have time to come around. Now that I've found you, I'm not in as big a hurry to get the deed done. I think you need a chance to find out more about yourself before you start popping out kids anyway," he says with a little shrug to his shoulders. "Plus, you kind of have the greatest motivator for doing as I ask standing in your front lobby."

"Which one?" I ask, assuming he means one of the two statues that I just found out were actually cursed beings.

"Well, both actually, but your Venus got in that state by telling me no. It wasn't the same situation you're in. I stole something from her, she stole it back. I kindly asked her to return it and she refused. It wasn't one of my finer days. There were times I thought of changing her back because she could be fun to have around, but I never got to it, and never fully forgave her for the theft thing," he pauses, smiling at some long lost memory, I assume.

"David is a completely different story. As you can imagine, my usual humanoid facade had to come from somewhere. Walking around one day, I came across David with a group of young women standing around him, each trying to turn his favor. I figured if they all wanted him so, I should try to look more like him. Gathering souls is a lot easier if people find you appealing. Naturally, it didn't make sense to have two of us running around. I didn't think it fair to kill him, so I've just kept him in storage all these years. I will say, though, proportion wise, I made a couple improvements."

"So, this here right now," I say, pointing at him, "is what David looked like before you turned him all chalky white?"

"Yup, other than the aforementioned improvements and the eye color. I tend to change the latter depending on my mood. The original's was kind of a muted gray and that was way too boring."

I can't imagine the pale sculpture that greets me every day ever looked like this "thing" before me. It seems horrible that his life was taken away from him.

"Sebastian said something about it depending on the person who placed the curse whether the cursed was aware in that state. Are either of them?" I ask. Suddenly that's a very important question to me.

"I'd rather not say. You may not look at me the same way."

"I don't have a high opinion of you to begin with, so I don't think it will hurt your street cred that much."

"Oh look, they made it," he says, turning to the door as Alex and Sebastian rush in. Want to bet he let them through on purpose so he didn't have to answer my question? "Very interesting choice in men, my dear." He waves his hand probably expecting something to happen, but they both keep advancing. "Oh darn, they're too connected to your soul. To freeze them, I'd have to freeze you as well. I guess we'll have to talk later. Tootles."

And just like that he's gone.

Chapter 19

An end to the longest day of my life

"You're safe?" Sebastian asks, pushing Alex out of the way to get to my side.

"Son of a bitch. He did it again, didn't he?" Jake asks from the couch.

"Yes," I reply answering both questions. "He just wanted to chat. You know, get to know me a little better. I think it's part of his dating game."

"So, he's still intent on pursuing you for romantic-ish purposes?"

"I don't think there's any romance involved. I believe he mentioned me and Venus becoming twins, if I had the nerve to turn him down. On the plus side, I do know why both of your wonderful sculptures are set in stone. I don't imagine many people know what they did to get a demon's curse."

I stand up and stretch. Talking with a demon has made me hungry, causing me to head towards the kitchen. It probably doesn't help that he smells like strawberries. They aren't protein, so I rarely ever eat them, but they're still food.

"So, they're both his curses, what are the odds of that?" Smitty asks, not bothering to move from his spot. Personally, if I'd just been frozen in place for fifteen minutes, I'd be up dancing a tango.

"I don't know how many cursed statues there are in the world, or how many demons are powerful enough to lay the curse, so I couldn't give you an educated guess," I reply. I'm sure he meant it rhetorically, but I feel like answering anyway.

I open the fridge to see what has been set out to defrost. I've had too much steak lately, so I think I'll steer clear of the beef. I know I had pork the last two days, but those were the first two non-red meat meals in a while. I don't feel the need for my vampire diet either, so options are pretty limited.

I grab the eggs and some cheddar cheese and decide to make a quick scramble. After setting them on the counter, I decide to be nice and make enough for everyone, so I grab another carton of eggs. While I crack the eggs in the skillet, the guys continue their conversation about Demon Boy.

"Is there anything we can do to stop him from freezing the guards?" Alex asks Sebastian.

"I think so. Since they aren't marked, I should be able to make some amulets to counter his magic. We aren't dealing with your everyday demon here, though, so I won't know for sure."

"Just so you guys know, he said he wasn't in any hurry to get me in the motherly way," I announce. "He won't try anything silly like that until I at least know my lineage. Anyway, that's what I took away from that part of our chat. He also figured out who my father was."

Sebastian and Alex probably heard the whole conversation, but the guards may like to know he isn't going to pop in and try to maim me anytime soon. It might make a big enough difference that they won't get themselves killed for a stupid reason.

"I heard," Alex replies. "I loved the comment about you going to take showers fully clothed."

"Not something I'm looking forward to, but I didn't think him having confirmation of my mark was something we needed at this moment."

"No. He already wants you because of your unique makeup. Adding incentives won't really help." Sebastian walks into the kitchen to join me. I bet his nose told him food was done.

"Some days I still can't believe I'm able to enjoy food again," he says, grabbing a plate so I can dish up some eggs for him.

"Contrary to popular belief I'm good for something other than making babies," I reply while getting my own plate. Everyone else can dish up their own.

I head back out to get a seat next to Alex, who in turn jumps up to get his plate, followed quickly by Jake. Sebastian settles in on the other side of me.

"So, how did Demon Boy keep you guys occupied during our little chat?" I ask between bites.

"He set up a maze, literally. The hallways aren't big enough for us to pass through with topiary surrounding us. Neither of us had machetes on us, so we had to make do with what knives we had."

Note to self: start carrying one of my machetes at all times.

"It's nice that he can't freeze you and Alex," I tell him just as Alex returns to his seat.

"If that's the case, you may find you're going to be spending a lot more quality time with us," Alex says with a mouthful of eggs. Disgusting.

"We could set you up some special accommodations in my office, because I plan to keep going in to work. I don't know if you being near will help all that much, though. He may not be able to freeze you, but he can put obstacles in your paths like he's already shown. Unless I'm sitting right on your lap, it may not help. Even then, I can come up with some ways that would easily separate us long enough to build new mazes."

Encasing the guys in giant bubbles is the first thing that pops into my mind. Ha. Pops, get it? No? It's a giant bubble joke.

"He did say there was something out there that can protect me from unwanted visits. We just have to find that and mass produce it, so it can pour out of a cloud floating above my head wherever I go."

That might garner a few strange looks, but for the sake of protection, I'm willing to do just about anything.

"I'm not really sure where to start looking for whatever obscure text is hiding that information. Next time he's feeling chatty, ask him which continent has the spell. It might give us a direction," Sebastian suggests.

"Will do. I should probably make a list of these types of things. He may not answer, but it never hurts to try."

I pull out my phone and open up my notes app. I never know, for sure, when he'll pop in, but there's a good chance I'll have my phone handy. I type in the first question.

"Any other ones off the top of your heads?"

"How about the medium that the spell is on or in? It could be in a book, but it may also be on a scroll or, if it's ancient enough, a tablet. That will help guide us even more."

"Got it," I say as I finish typing it in.

"I want to know what your mom is," Alex adds. "See if he won't barter with you for the information. He tells you what she is and you show him some skin."

I turn to glare at him in the middle of writing his suggestion. "You want me to give him a striptease?"

"You took that wrong. I meant show him your hip. He seemed really interested in whether you had the mark." He grabs my empty plate and sets it down with his on the coffee table.

"I didn't take it wrong, you said it all perverted. Showing my hip is acceptable. It's added to the list."

"Okay, maybe it was a little perverted," Alex admits.

"Moving on, I have a question of my own. There are female demons, right? Why doesn't he just pick one and settle down with her?"

"That's easy. No sane man wants to knowingly spend more than a second in the company of a female demon. He'd have two options. The first variety of female demon is the succubus branch. They, like everybody knows, feed off their partner's life force while engaging in intercourse. Sometimes they allow their partners to be awake, but not always. Because of the fact that they have sex all the freaking time, they were made to be sterile. Who really wants to have to remember to take that damn pink pill every morning for all eternity?

"The other option of female demon you're looking at is even better. I don't know for sure their level of sterility, but you definitely don't want your kids around them because to them they'd be dinner. Better yet, the ones in that class who kill babies in the womb. Needless to say, motherly instincts are not strong in any demon. They're more likely to just steal a kid to toy with than go through the process of having their own," Sebastian explains.

"I guess that answers that question. If I exist and my mother is out there somewhere, don't you think there are more people who have whatever it is I have in me that's compatible to him?"

"That's hard to say, love. We already know whatever it is, it has to be something rare because we haven't encountered it. I've been around for quite a while and seen, I thought, everything there is to see," Sebastian states.

"There's also the possibility that it isn't so much that third piece that he's after, but the combination of the three. I doubt there's anyone else alive that has that going for them," Alex adds.

"A vampire, werewolf mix isn't supposed to be possible, so another vampire, werewolf, and fill in the blank isn't going to exist," Smitty says, joining in. "How your mom was a vampire or anything else still baffles me. Vampirism should kill any other active genes during the turn. On top of that, it's very rare that another species of paranorm can get vampirism."

"He's right. Once your fangs came in and you bit me, I was leaning towards you not turning furry as well. I knew you had the gene, but I thought I'd override it."

"It all rounds back to me being a freak. Enough depressing talk about my genetics. I have to start training an eighteen-year-old self-defense tomorrow. As I mentioned, I was planning to do it in my office because of all our security measures here. How soon can we get her cleared to enter?"

My office is going to be pretty cramped. As it is, I'm going to have to have the guys move the waiting area either in my office or outside. If I could just use my gym here, I'd be a much happier camper.

"I got the initial scans started. After tomorrow, you'll probably be cleared to bring her to the gym, but not to your actual apartment. With the gym being on a different floor any knowledge she could pass about it wouldn't hurt us," Alex answers.

"I know it's precautionary, but she's just a teenager. She said her dad and brother were already in the resistance, so I doubt she's going to pass things along to the organization they're fighting against."

"You're most likely right. I know her father and he's a good man, but there are a lot of things that can cause good people to do the wrong thing. She was just recently brutally assaulted by a Collective agent. Who's to say he won't come back asking questions if it's found out that you spent time with her? He's beaten her once, I don't think it will take much to get her talking," Alex says and I know he's right.

I don't think there's any amount of training that I could give her that would guarantee she could stand up to Tommy if he comes after her again. I still have to try.

"I get the picture. Just try to hurry the scan as much as possible. If her training progresses, I don't have room at ParaNorm Inc. for all the equipment I'll need. For now, I'm going to hit the sack. Today has felt like it lasted at least a week and I need some rest."

I give both guys a quick kiss on their cheeks and head towards my room. Oh, how I've missed my bed.

Chapter 20

No rest for me even in my dreams

"Come on, Sleepyhead, we don't have all night," a voice says and I instantly wake up. I'm groggy and extremely grouchy.

I couldn't have slept more than a second, why are they waking me up already? Someone is going to pay for this. I try to reach for one of my knives so I can show my true displeasure, but I come back empty handed. Shifting around a little I feel my bed has changed since I fell asleep. It's gotten a lot smaller and my comfy pillows are missing.

I sit up from a couch I've never seen before. It's actually more of a chaise lounge type deal. The red leather upholstery is not my style. Looking down, I see that not only is the furniture wrong, but the white Grecian style gown I'm wearing is way off.

I already established with Alex the other day that me and dresses don't mix. This better not be his idea of a bad joke. When he sees my face, he'll notice I'm not happy and better remember that he never wants to see this particular glare again.

"I always liked the ease of practically wearing nothing more than a sheet," Ben says, sitting in a chair nearby. "Roll out of bed, grab what you were just lying on and wrap it around your body. Now that was the life." He's wearing a toga himself.

Please tell me we aren't time traveling. Ancient Greece isn't my idea of somewhere fun to hang out.

The notion immediately disappears when I take stock of the room. It has the chaise, his chair, a low coffee table, a bookshelf full of old books and a couple curio cabinets full of trinkets that I can't really see. There's also a fireplace across from me with a good blaze going. I see no doors or windows. I imagine that makes escape pretty difficult.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"Technically, you're in your bed and I'm at an undisclosed location. What you see around you is a replica of a room in my house that I've recreated in your dreams."

"Haven't we talked and seen each other enough today?" I know I was hoping to not have to see him for a couple centuries. I'm not saying it was a realistic hope, but it's already been established that my hopes rarely are.

"I just wanted to make sure your beaus didn't interfere with my ability to talk to you like this. I rarely ever mark anyone and usually they're just marks to make it so the wearer doesn't forget they owe me a favor."

"I have some more questions for you," I say, speaking before I think. I don't believe my phone follows me into my dreams, but being metaphysically, or whatever this is, with him and asking questions seems safer than having him drop by the apartment. "I even had a list on my phone, but I don't think my dress has a pocket that it's hiding in."

"We're in a dream. If you want something, just think of it and it will appear." I think of the mace hanging on my wall at work. It appears, but with a flip of his hand, it vanishes. "It wouldn't do you any good here anyway." He speaks for himself. I think having a mace handy would be a great comfort to my mind.

I think of my phone instead and it pops into my hand. "Are you willing to answer a couple of questions?"

He smiles and nods.

"Okay, first question," I say bringing up my app. "Would you like to have sex with me?"

"Yes. I would. Thank you so much for asking," he says with a wicked grin.

I glare back down at my phone. "That was not one of the questions. Fix this," I say, waving the phone in his general direction.

"As you wish," he says, fluttering his hand subtly in the air. "I can make it easy for you. North America. Ancient tablet. And I'm still thinking about it."

"When did you read the questions?"

"When I replaced them with my own. I have to say mine were much more interesting. I think you would have got a kick out of my third one."

"I didn't much care for that first one, demon," Sebastian says, appearing next to me. Man, are my dreams getting crowded.

"I wondered if either of you would be able to show up," Ben says as a flicker of red passes in his eyes. I don't think he's very happy with Sebastian right this second.

"Dream jumping is something I've studied aggressively over the years. I was worried you'd try this. I thought you'd give her at least a little rest. She isn't your play thing."

"I'm aware of that, vampire. She'll wake well rested. I don't cause an energy drain with my dream sharing. Even you jumping in here won't cause the drain it normally would. I'm very invested in keeping Nyx in tip-top shape."

I think their conversation is going to be very interesting and it doesn't seem like they need me for it, so I just sit back to listen and observe.

Ben has become a lot tenser with Sebastian's arrival. His playful smile has vanished and he's started to scowl. Sebastian on the other hand is very relaxed. I find that a little surprising, but I think he has more experience with these things and knows what to expect in this dream world.

"You wouldn't care to share what makes her compatible with your kind, would you?" Sebastian asks.

"I know what genes she carries, but I don't have the full story on how she came to be, so even though I know you want to know the missing link, I can't totally provide it. I can tell you that it isn't solely her third nature that I'm interested in. It's the sum of all her parts.

"The third species alone isn't a fertile one, so if I found one of them, which is very difficult, I still wouldn't be able to produce a child. I believe it's the werewolf in Nyx that allows for her to be as fertile as I sense. I'm sure you can feel it, too."

"Yes, but Nyx doesn't desire to have children. She already has a werewolf she can't tolerate on most days starting to badger her to procreate. She doesn't need added pressure from you," Sebastian states in a very cold tone.

Why anyone wonders about my preference for Sebastian as a mate is beyond me.

Ben carefully eyes Sebastian. "And you don't want any offspring? Having a child is as rare a feat for your species as it is for mine."

"My desires don't always matter. It's her body and her decision. I'll accept what she chooses."

"Wait, you want a baby too?" I ask, inserting myself back into the conversation.

"Not necessarily. Your reasons for not wanting a child make sense. Our lives aren't conducive of raising a child. We also don't know what part of your genes would be passed on. I think we'd need to do more research before bringing a baby into the world. Unless I'm one hundred percent for sure the baby, or anything about a pregnancy, wouldn't cause you harm, I'll fight to make sure it doesn't happen."

"You have valid concerns," Ben interjects. "When she finds out what and who she really is, I'll provide you with the necessary documentation."

"I take it you have some prophecy just laying around somewhere that will ease all of my fears."

"I wouldn't call it a prophecy. I do have medical documentation that should make you feel better. It may even make Nyx change her views."

"So there is, or has been, someone like her?" Sebastian asks.

"Oh no. She's totally unique. I do have some papers in my possession that document numerous experiments that you will find very interesting. When the time comes, I'll happily share them. I've had them for a while, but thought them too fantastical to be true."

I'm tired of all these secrets. All the years in the Collective were full of them. In fact, my whole life is just one big secret. It really sucks. I doubt anything Demon Boy has will make me change my mind on the baby front, though.

I zone out of their continued conversation. If anything important is revealed, Sebby can just relay the information later. I get up and head towards one of the curio cabinets to see what goodies a demon collects over the years.

When I look inside, I wish I hadn't. It's filled with little porcelain, wooden, and glass children figurines. I see children in every imaginable scene. Little kids playing hockey, fishing, holding their dolls, sleeping, and list goes on. They vary in age from little babies up to probably five or six.

"For someone who has spent centuries collecting souls and wreaking havoc on people's lives, I want to be able to actually create life," Ben explains his reasoning as he watches me study his collection.

"I bet your fellow demons get a kick out of this room," I respond, turning to retake my seat.

"As you can see there's no door for them to enter and I have very strong wards in place to keep them out. You're the first person I've allowed to be in here. I would've preferred if tagalong hadn't joined us, but it was expected. I doubt my efforts to have a child have gotten past the other demons, but they don't know, or need to know, the depths of my desires."

"You do know you can't make me feel sorry for you. Many have tried to toy with my emotions before and they figured out pretty quickly that I'm a heartless bitch."

"I know you've had a hard life and it has made you callous. I think meeting your friend here has softened you a little."

He's probably right, but I'm not going to admit any softening on my part.

"We get along because we allow each other to be the people we want to be. Neither of us has changed from the day we met," Sebastian states.

Ben laughs. "It must be nice to have a permanent 'yes man' by your side. Does he ever disagree with you?"

"More often than not. We fight all the time. Not as much as I do with other people, but he's not my 'yes man', or anything that vaguely represents one."

"Well, I think we've spoken enough for the night. I'll try to stay away for a while and give you a chance to think about things. Until you hear from one of your parents what you are, there isn't a rush for my end goal. You can still call me if you need me and I may drop by if I get bored."

"You do know I would have to be breathing my last breath to summon you, and I'm pretty durable."

Ben smiles and nods.

I jerk awake to see that I'm in my own bed. Sebastian is wrapped around my body. He's still asleep and I wonder if he stayed behind to talk to Demon Boy more. The clock in the room says it's only five, so I settle back down to get some more sleep. Even if Ben decides he just can't stay away, I hope he stays out of my dreams.

Chapter 21

Today might just be a good day

I'm borderline chipper when I get up for the day. Maybe today will finally be a good day. Sebastian is still wrapped around me, so I wiggle around until I'm facing him. He feels a little chilly and it makes me wonder if he needs to feed.

He can usually go a long time between feedings, at least a month, and he's fed within the last two weeks, so him being cold has me a little worried.

His eyes flip open and his beautiful onyx eyes meet mine. I hate when he catches me staring at him. It makes me feel like some silly schoolgirl.

"Good morning," he says, leaning down to kiss me.

I open my mouth just a little as our lips touch and he sneaks his tongue inside. I allow it, knowing we'll stop in a few seconds. Even though his skin is chilly, his tongue is on fire. It traces along mine, tempting me to come out and play. I curl mine around his and suck him deeper into my mouth. The passion igniting causes my fangs to drop, and I can feel that his have as well.

His arms tighten around my body pulling me flush to his. The heat we're generating warms his skin to the point of inferno as I rub my hand down one of his arms. He starts to roll us in the bed so he's situated on top of me.

"Knock it off," Alex shouts from the other room, causing an abrupt end to Nyx and Sebby fun time.

I settle on my back and collapse my head against my pillow. "Cold showers all around this morning," I announce, trying to catch my breath. We try not to let play time get this far. I know we're both still dressed, so nothing was even close to happening, but it's frustrating all the same.

Sebastian chuckles and leans down for a last little peck. "You know I dreamed of you last night. I think you were a Greek goddess."

"Imagine that, you were in my dream, too. However, I don't think I was a goddess. I think it was laundry day and I didn't have anything else to wear but the spare sheets. Of course, none of my sheets are white, so it was a little odd."

"It was a different look for you that's for sure. Too lily white, sacrificial virgin for my tastes, though."

"I bet you liked the chaise. It was right up your alley."

"It was a little too narrow to be any fun. Plus, any activity that I'd like to enjoy on it with you gets a little sweaty. Sweat and leather don't tend to mix all that well. You'd probably end up stuck to it, and what fun is that?"

"You have a point. Did you stay behind after he released me?" I ask, moving to get up so I can stretch. I arch my back to get any kinks out and then crank my neck to each side so it will pop. That's better. I always hate the mornings I can't get it to snap.

"Just for a second. I wanted to see if he'd let anything slip without you being there. Since you've had more experience with him, you can imagine the brick wall I hit with my attempts. He's very set in his idea that you'll eventually change your mind about babies and he wants to have one with you."

"I guess I should be happy he isn't asking for a football team worth of rugrats." The clock says it's nine, so I don't have a ton of time to get ready and get to the office before Josephina arrives.

I start by gathering up my knives for the day, and then hit the closet to get my clothes. With my bundle in hand, I walk into the bathroom to take a shower.

"You mentioned cold showers for all of us; you need anyone to wash your back?" Sebastian asks. "It would save water." He likes to use that line on me a lot. It's never worked out like he hoped.

"I don't think we're hurting for money, so we'll be partaking in separate showers today, big boy."

I take a quick, normal heated, shower. My hair feels much better clean. I brush it out and pull it back into a ponytail. Trying to dry it would be next to impossible in the amount of time I have. Even with a full hour dedicated just to it, I don't think it would fully dry.

Hair taken care of, I attach my thigh sheaths and insert their knives before shimmying into a pair of my patented black pants that have slits cut in them to reach the knives underneath. Once they're on, I arm and clothe my upper half. I forgot my socks, so I have to return to the bedroom to find a pair.

Sebastian is still laid out on the bed with the blankets strategically placed to look inviting. I know he has lounge pants on, but if I didn't I might be tempted to try to see under the sheet.

"Hey, you were pretty cold this morning when we first woke up. Do you need sustenance?" I ask, grabbing a pair of socks and my boots, before sitting on the bed next to him.

"Not right now, but maybe after you get home. Dream jumping takes a lot out of me and it's possible that I might be able to regenerate my strength on my own. I almost forgot how it feels in the morning," he replies, moving out of bed.

At some point during my shower, the lounge pants were lost, so he's down to just boxers. I know he's just doing it to taunt me, but I won't let him see how it affects me. And yes, seeing him mostly naked does make my body tingle.

Having just seen Alex in a similar outfit recently, I stop to compare the two. Alex has darker skin, which is kind of a given since Sebby has spent years out of the sun and has only recently started working on his tan. As far as muscles go, Alex would probably just edge out Sebby. Sebby, for me though, looks like a sculpture come to life. There's just something inherently perfect about him.

I could stare at Alex's abs all day because they're just that good to look at, but I could sit back and stare at Sebastian for the same amount of time as a whole body, not just some of his parts. I don't know how to explain and I know my thought process doesn't make a whole lot of sense. In the end, either way you look at it, my mates are studs.

"I'm off to my cold shower. I imagine it will take a while, so I'll give you your good-bye kiss now." He keeps this one very chaste, but it's a bit more than just a peck on the lips.

"If you get bored later, come by and watch me teach. I'm sure you'll find it hilarious."

"You have Jonas and Marcus with you tonight. I'll just ask one of them to videotape it for me."

Note to self: disable guards' camera phones.

"You would," I say to his back.

When I get my feet wrestled into my boots, I slip my boot knife into my right ankle. Now that my knives are in place, I settle into my triple holster for the guns. Usually I don't go total commando just for the office, mainly because my office is armed to the gills, but tonight I want to impress Phee.

Yup, Josephina is too long, so she's getting a nickname. I decided Jose or Joe was just a little bit too masculine.

"Alex, you got my breakfast ready?" I ask as I exit my partition into the living area.

"I thought you were going to be too busy dry humping fang face to eat this morning," he announces from the kitchen. I just love their little nicknames for each other. Not.

"Very funny. We didn't even get to the dry humping stage. If you want, I can go catch him in the shower so we can give it a try." We've actually made it to that stage once before. It was during my first feeding as a baby vampire. Things got a little away from us, but clothing was kept in place.

"Princess," Jonas starts, "I don't know who you been talking to, but I'm pretty sure it's impossible to dry hump in a shower. Two bodies all slick with the water slipping and sliding and the next thing you know, oops, something be slipping into a hole and you graduate to plain, old-fashioned humping."

"Thanks for the visual, Jonas. Now, you're going to have to deal with a hot and bothered ward for the day," I say teasingly before adding, "You better be ready to leave in five." I enter the kitchen where Alex is standing with a protein shake in a to go glass reaching towards me. "Perfect just what I wanted."

"I know, you subconsciously screamed it at me. Now, come over here real quick and give me what I want, so you can go earn your teacher of the year award."

Most days we don't do the whole relationship thing. I allow a kiss here and there to be nice, but there isn't always hello and good-bye kisses guaranteed. Since he already knows that Sebby got some tongue action today and probably ended up really turned on from it, I take pity on him.

I hop over and wrap my arms around his neck, trying not to spill my shake in his hair. I stand on tippy toes and he bends down so our lips meet in the middle. It isn't much because he knows better than to push me early in the morning. At least I like to think he knows better, but he doesn't always behave.

The quick kiss ends and I back up waving at him as I leave the room. "The offer to come watch is extended to you, too. It's only supposed to be for an hour, though, so I'll probably be back here before you know it."

"I have to do a few things at the office, but I'd like you to stop by later for a chat about the positions Jonas mentioned to you last night."

It takes me a second, but I remember the talk about them having assassination assignments come up every once in a while. "Any set time or just show up?" I ask, excited to see what he has to say.

"Any time will be fine. I have some meetings, but people know to come get me if you grace us with your presence."

"Sounds good," I say, collecting the guards and heading to the elevator. I forgot to press Demon Boy on whether my resident statues were aware of me. From the way he spoke, I'm sure at least one of them is. If I had to pick one, I'd say he left Venus conscious. He seemed to dislike her a lot for the whole stealing thing. Shoot, she's even missing her arms.

"Do you mind if we take one of the Continentals?" Jonas asks when we reach the garage. "Even though no one believes it will help, your Suburban is getting protectified."

"You'd think someone would mention that to me," I retort. "I didn't really feel like driving anyway." Not exactly the truth because I don't enjoy being a passenger, but I don't like driving the Continentals. They sit too low to the ground for me.

"Great. We're in the black one then," he says, leading the way.

I take my place riding shotgun, Jonas gets behind the wheel, and Marcus settles in the back.

Time to put my teacher hat on.

Chapter 22

You can't teach common sense

We pull up outside the building, and even though it's a good ten minutes before ten, my new little recruit is waiting for me.

She looks about fifty percent healed. Her face still has some bruising, but it's changed to that really ugly yellowish, blackish color. Her eyes are no longer swollen and I can see barely harnessed anticipation sparkling in them. It actually scares me just a little.

Her attire leaves something to be desired, in my mind anyway. She's wearing baggy clothes, which are a big no-no in Nyx's world of self-defense. They work in an opponent's favor, and them and the sandals she's wearing are going to have to be addressed.

"I hope you don't mind me being early?" she says as I step towards her.

"How long have you been waiting out here? This isn't exactly the best place for a young girl like you to be standing," I reply, gesturing towards Sins, the sex dungeon, right next door.

"It's only been a minute or two, I promise. Plus, I figured beat up as I am, I won't attract any unwanted attention."

I don't think I'll mention to her that some paranorms, mostly werewolves, like their sex a bit rough, and since they heal quickly, they aren't afraid to leave a lot of bruises, or that her standing here is like a giant billboard advertising that she's a good lay.

"Do you at least have a weapon on you that would detract unwanted attention?" I ask, unlocking my door and pushing her inside.

"Well, no. I don't know anything about them, so I didn't think it was a good idea if I had something."

She'd probably end up knifing herself, so I guess I'll let that go. This is going to be more work than I thought. It can be really difficult to teach common sense.

"Guys, do you mind rearranging the furniture real quick. I think we'll just try some holds today, so I don't need a lot of room," I instruct the guards. "Oh and thanks." I add the last bit as they get to the furniture juggling. The big pieces head to my office and the rest are pushed to the side.

I notice that Phee doesn't seem scared of them. I was afraid she might have issues with them being around, but she appears to be too excited to even notice.

"Okay, Phee, first we need to talk about this ensemble. The loose shirt and sweatpants aren't doing it for me, and don't get me started on the shoe choice."

"Phee. I like it. No one has given me a nickname before. It's so cool," she replies, not even touching on my concerns. People wonder why I don't want my own kids.

"Yes, it is awesome. Now, do you have any comment on the clothing situation?"

"Oh. Well, I don't work out very often, but when I do this is what I wear. All my other clothes are like jeans and skirts and such. I thought those would be worse."

Thank God, she didn't show up in one of those skirts. I would've had to ask the guys to shoot me. She seems like the type of person who actually enjoys wearing those death traps. Some days, I fantasize about finding the inventor of the skirt and playing "hunt the idiot" with them. Trust me, in my imagination it's a really fun game.

"You need to go shopping. After we're done here, I'll take you by the store I go to and we'll see if we can find you attire that's more appropriate. If you end up training and hanging out with me, I have a feeling we're going to have to make a number of improvements."

"Wait. Hang out with you? Oh my God, that would be so cool. I can't wait to tell my friends." I'm guessing she's excited, but to me it looks like she's having an epileptic seizure.

"Hold the phones, just a second. I spend all my hours with guys, so having a female around might prove interesting. I'm willing to try it. It's just a trial, though, and you won't be able to mention it to your friends. I don't want a bunch of teenagers showing up at my door trying to befriend me.

"You should know right off, that I suck at being sociable, so you'll probably think I'm mad at you most of the time. About fifty percent of the time I probably will be," I tell her trying to get her to calm down. Why I chose to extend this invitation to squealy here, I don't know, but it's too late to recant.

"Got it. You won't be sorry. I can keep a secret like no one else. My best friend, Molly, told me five years ago about this crush she has on this guy named Liam and how she watches outside his bedroom window while he sleeps and I haven't told another soul about it."

I refrain from pointing out the obvious. Definitely not going to give her the inside scoop on any relationship ideas floating around in my mind. I remove my holster and move to place it on my desk. Probably a good idea to keep her far away from my guns. With all of her excitement, she'd shoot everyone in the room, including herself, and I'd be the only one waking up from it.

"Good," I say, commenting on her fantastic skill of keeping a secret as long as she isn't telling another person how great she is at keeping them. The guys have our area ready and are holding up the wall by the door waiting for us to get started. Looking at Jonas, I can tell he's trying very hard not to laugh and succeeding remarkably well. "First, before we get into any fighting, I think you should learn how to defend yourself when someone gets you into a hold. Since you're so tiny, getting free and running is probably your best bet."

"Okay. What do I do?" she asks, ready to get down to business.

"You stand right here," I say, positioning her in front of me. I reach my arms under her arms and pull mine up, so my elbows bend around her shoulders. I proceed to lock my hands in place behind her neck putting her in a full nelson.

"Ow. That hurts," she whines.

"I imagine it does. I'm being gentle about it. You can imagine what it would feel like if an attacker was trying to really hurt you." On a personal level, I'm kind of enjoying the fact that I'm actually able to put the move on another person. Usually, my stature limits my being able to use any full body holds.

"So, here's what I want you to do. We're going to switch positions now that you've felt and know this hold, and I'll show you how to get out of it. Then you'll try." I release her and move in front of her.

She doesn't immediately take her place behind me and I look over to question her resistance.

"Is it going to hurt? Do you have to hit me to get out? Do you think maybe you should show me with one of the guys?" The scared girl I met last night emerges. I figured I'd see her eventually.

"I'm going to pull up so I don't actually make contact with you, just show you the basic ideas."

She nods and takes her place and I turn around. She wraps me up and I wiggle around to show her that she has me locked in.

"First, use a couple of logical moves to see if you can't get them to loosen up the hold. If your feet aren't too far from theirs, try to raise your right foot and stomp as hard as you can on their instep," I instruct while demonstrating the move, but just stomping on the floor. "While they're distracted with that pain, bend either leg back and try for a good old kick to the groin. Chances are, if you connect with most guys, that will drop them pretty quickly."

She holds on through the demonstration. I expected her to loosen the hold, even though I don't actually hit her, but it's still strong.

"However, versus a strong paranorm, you just irritated them a whole lot and have nothing to show for your efforts. Now, you need to change speed a little. You'll step out wide with your right leg, like this. Then bring your left leg out towards the right and swing it back behind your opponent.

"From here you should have the assailant off balance and you'll see there's nothing impeding you from taking your frustrations out on his man bits until you can wiggle free. If you get some more strength in those arms of yours, I don't imagine it will take long to win that freedom. From there, I suggest running."

I've worked my way loose of the hold. As soon as I stepped behind, she lost her grip.

"Got it?" I ask. She quickly nods her head. "Then show me."

I stand behind her and we proceed to run through it a couple times. She doesn't hold back on her stomping and kicking. She's young, so I wasn't expecting her to. I'm going to have to put her on a strength training routine, because her not holding back is like a butterfly landing on my skin. Any guys she tries to kick in the balls will think she's tickling them.

Once I feel she has, more or less, mastered that move, we move on to some choke holds. She lacks a lot physically, but she makes up for it with her efforts. If enthusiasm could win her a fight, she'd be a champion in the ring.

"I think that's a good start. I'm told tomorrow you should be able to come to my gym so we can work on building some muscles. Do you have any weapons training at all? As you may have figured out, hanging around me can be hazardous to your health.

"I have at least two guards with me at all times, but they're mostly just there to make my mates feel better. I can take on most challenges I'm faced with and it's something you're going to have to learn. Hand-to-hand with another paranorm at our size doesn't usually end well for us. I currently have five blades on me that I'm one hundred percent lethal with."

"I've always been more of a girlie girl, so no I don't have any experience with weapons at all, other than my steak knife."

"Fine. Why don't we go get you properly outfitted and we can find some things that will work for you. You have to promise, though, that you won't treat them as toys. Until you get my approval, you won't be using any of the knives we get today outside of my presence."

"Not even to practice at home?" she asks, obviously saddened by the thought. I can just picture her cutting off a finger, so I have to stand firm.

"No. No, practicing without me there," I assert.

"Yes, master," she says impertinently. "Let's go shopping."

I don't like that crazy gleam in her eye. Being excited about learning to fight is one thing, but to feel that way about shopping is just wrong.

Chapter 23

Things that piss me off...shopping

I imagine no one would mistake me for a shopaholic. After spending five seconds with me, you'd have to be completely daft to even consider the notion. In fact, I really hate to shop.

Why then, you ask, am I currently walking into a clothing store with a bubbly teenager getting ready to outfit her with a new wardrobe?

Because I'm a total sap. I don't think that word has ever been used in the same sentence as anything to describe me, but it's true. For some reason, this young girl brings out my older sister instincts. It kind of sucks.

I feel really bad for Jonas and Marcus, who have gotten suckered into this whole ordeal. If they weren't so loyal, I bet their resignations would be on their respective master's desk the second we return home.

The only marginally sane thing about this little adventure is that we're not in some frilly dress shop, but my favorite military thrift store, Tango Charlie. It's the only store, other than the butcher, that I'll be caught dead in. Usually, though, I just place a phone order and they deliver it.

"Okay, so we'll start with clothing first and then move to the weapons," I instruct Phee.

"Lead the way, oh great one," she says back cheekily.

Seriously, were we separated at birth or something? If I didn't know I was my father's only child, I'd be having a serious talk with him, because she has started to pick up on my attitudes and with our similar looks, this may be dangerous. If she turns herself into a fighter more than a little girl, we're in even more trouble.

"This way, short stuff," I reply, weaving through the racks of clothing. I have about half an inch on her, so I get to be the giant in our relationship. Totally a first for me.

I find a rack of petite black cargo pants and start pulling out a few pairs of the smallest size.

"But I thought I was getting some of the pants like yours," Phee says with a pout.

"Sorry, special order only. It might take a couple of days for them to arrive. You can borrow some of mine until then. For now, we can alter these pants to allow for your knife sheaths. You need some more practicing before I say it's okay for you to wear the sheaths. If you don't know how to use them properly, they can both injure you and become a liability in a fight." I try to reiterate that I don't want her actually using the weapons she gets without my approval.

"Fine," she exhales. I move her over to the shirts and pick out a few different styles to see what she likes, all in black. "So, you aren't going to add any color at all to these new outfits?"

"Unless I'm undercover, I'm always in black. Most of the time, I need to become invisible and bright pink doesn't blend well into the background."

"I guess that makes sense. Can my practice clothes at least have some color to them?"

I don't think the poor girl has any idea what she signed up for. "If you want. Most of the time I wear a tank top and tight yoga style pants. You can wear any color you want, but if you look around this store, you'll notice that black or camo is kind of the theme here. You'll need to pick up your colors at another store. One, I most likely wouldn't be caught dead in," I add just in case she thinks this shopping trip will be extended to another store.

"I think you'd look great with some color. Nothing too bright, of course, but you know, something different."

I hear Jonas and Marcus both chuckle from across the room. I'm glad my annoyance amuses them. I'll have to figure out a way to turn the joke around on them later.

"It isn't like I don't ever wear color. I just don't like to. I have red, purple, and blue shirts in my closet. I also have jeans, I just don't wear any of those more than maybe once a month. I have my own personal style and you have yours. They don't have to mesh, just if you ever go out with me at night on a mission, know now that you'll be wearing all black. It's for your safety as well as mine."

"I guess you're the expert here. I'm going to go try these on. I think I need a pair of boots like yours. Do they have those here as well?" she asks while heading towards the fitting room.

"Yes, I'll find you a pair. What are you, a size 5?"

"Correct." she says disappearing behind a door.

I wander over to the shoe section and try to figure out why I thought it would be a good idea to become a mentor. I really don't think I have the patience for this kind of thing.

I know I can teach her to fight, that's something I'm great at. It's the nurturing part of this relationship that I don't see having a happy ending. For now, I'm resigned to do my best to try to not totally screw the kid up.

I grab some boots that are pretty much replicas of mine and head to the cutlery part of the store. I'm admiring a black pearl handle Bowie knife. It's too much for Phee to handle, but I think I have the perfect place for it in my armory.

"Oh, that one's pretty," Phee says as she sets her pile of clothes on the counter. "It's shiny, but all black that's good, right? Can I get it?" She's pointing at the knife I want, which I hope means great minds think alike.

"No, it's too big for you," I say as I tap twice on the counter to let Paul, my usual sales clerk, know I'll be taking it home with me. While he takes care of grabbing it and its box, I lead Phee down to the knives that are better suited for novices and someone as small as her.

"These knives are more your speed. You'll need a boot knife, a pair of throwing, and maybe a stiletto. You should be able to find the latter in a black pearl handle like the Bowie. Why don't you pick some out of this case and I'll let you know if they're acceptable."

While she's engrossed with her task, I check out the firepower section. I can never have enough bullets.

"Anything in particular you need tonight, Slaughter?" Paul asks, having followed me over.

"I could use a case of those special forty-fives I get for the Colt. I'm also in the market for a few of those phosphorus grenades you showed me a while back."

"Of course. Those are both back room items, so I'll run and get them and then meet you back at the register."

"Thanks, Paul." I tell him as he runs off. I've been coming to see Paul for a few years now. He was the first vampire that Sebastian put on his list of vamps approved to share air with me. Since I make a lot of big purchases, even if they're mostly phone orders, I think Paul has always been grateful to be on the list.

I rejoin Phee and see her eyes are twinkling with delight. "Okay, I think I have everything picked out. They didn't have a lot of choices for boot knives, so I picked that one right there," she says pointing to a suitable knife. I nod my agreement and she continues.

"For the throwers I was hoping I could get two sets. I really like the Technicolor looking ones there, but I know black is all the rage for you, so I also wouldn't mind that set of SOGs." The colorful ones are "pretty," but not very practical. Because she also picked a set that were, I let it slide. She can use them on the practice field.

"For the stiletto, I wanted one pretty flat that had a foolproof switch mechanism. I think after looking over all the options this flat black one here is the one for me." She indicates a sensible and durable looking knife.

"Your choices meet my approval. Paul, I take it you heard everything and can get it all wrapped up for us."

"Right away, Slaughter. I'll just put it on the card on file, if that meets your approval," he says as he starts grabbing the knives.

"That's fine."

A few minutes later, loaded down with shopping bags, we exit the store. If my luck holds, this will be my last shopping trip for at least a year. I'm not sure what luck I'm talking about, but maybe it will hold.

We load the bags into the Continental. It looks like we'll be giving Phee a ride home. "Can we get something to eat?" Phee asks.

"Sure, there's a decent Quick Steak a couple blocks away. We can walk over to it."

"If you guys are going to eat, do you mind if I do as well?" Marcus asks. "I had a bite earlier tonight, but one of my favorite donors is in the area and I could use some dessert."

"Things have been quiet and Jonas is here, so I see no problem. We'll probably still be waiting on our order by the time you get back."

"I shouldn't be more than ten minutes," he says, and then rushes off.

"Shall we?" I ask. Phee interlocks our arms at the elbows and tries to skip off with me. The area must be familiar to her since she's heading in the right direction.

Jonas tags along behind us on watch, as always. I don't think he was thrilled when I let Marcus take off. Oh well.

"Fortunes. Who wants to have their future mapped out for them," a woman yells from a building we're closing in on.

"Let's have ours read," Phee suggests, heading more determinedly towards the woman.

"Oh no. My future is not something I want to see," I insist as I try to hurry past.

"A demon mark," the witch hisses, as we get close. "And it's a powerful demon to boot."

That makes me pause. My mark isn't showing, but somehow she's sensing it. I wonder what she can tell me about it, and if there's a way, other than another demon, to have it removed.

"You know something about marks?" I ask as we stop in front of her.

"Aye, I be knowing about marks. Had one of them meselfs once."

I eye the woman, studying her features for deceit. I don't believe for a second the front she's showing us, long, silky blonde hair, ice blue eyes, perfect Nordic features, is her true appearance. I haven't met a witch who didn't hide what she really looked like. It must be something ingrained in them from birth.

This particular one, has something way off about her, but I can't put my finger on what that is. There isn't much a witch could do to me that would cause permanent damage, I'm however really leery.

"I don't like this, Princess," Jonas says softly from behind me.

"I know, but you know I have to look into it," I whisper back to him. "What can you tell me about my mark?" I ask the witch.

"I imagine many things. Why don't you girls come right in and I'll do a reading."

"My guard goes where I go," I reply, glaring at her.

"Okay then, bring him along." She turns and opens her door, leading us inside.

She sits us at a round table with Jonas standing behind me. The little shop is filled with crazy little trinkets she must have spent years collecting. I think most of them are for show, but wouldn't doubt if a few packed a punch.

"Hold out your hand so I can see the mark. After I examine it, I should be able to tell you more," she instructs.

I do as I'm told and as soon as she sees it, she gasps and starts looking around wildly. She doesn't expect him to just appear from looking at it does she?

I hear a soft thud behind me and Phee starts screaming. I hurry to stand and try to assess whatever threat just snuck up on us, when I feel a pinch in my neck and realize I was just drugged.

Shit.

My muscles go totally limp within seconds and I start to fall to the ground. Phee is still screaming and I want to tell her to shut up, but I can't seem to move my lips. Strong arms pick me up and cradle me close.

"It's nice to see you again, my little appetizer. Lucky for you, I found my main course," I hear a distant voice say. None of it matters to me, though, because my mind is drifting off quickly. Within seconds of the attack, I'm out like a light.

Chapter 24

The chapter of many curses

I start coming to and I feel the immediate need to lose my lunch. I swallow that feeling down so I can open my eyes and look around. Where am I and why the fuck am I here? Oh, and what the fuck was injected into me.

The lights in the room are off, but I can somewhat see that it's set up like a surgery. I'm strapped down to a table in the middle. I test my restraints and can feel traces of silver among other ingredients within them. Whatever the combo, it isn't letting me break them. It's a little difficult to prepare myself for a fight when I can't move.

I don't remember anything after sitting with the fortuneteller. I knew something was off about that bitch. I can't believe I didn't trust my instincts. If she isn't dead already, she will be once I get to her. I can't believe she was able to take me out. Where are my weapons anyway?

My thoughts are still mush and are rambling because of the drug. Well, that's my story anyway. There's no way they are wacky because I'm strapped to a table with what looks like very little possibility of escape.

There's only a certain set of circumstances my training covers, probably anyone's training covers, and being fully restrained with no weapons, tends to mean you are in deep shit. Your only hope is a sympathetic captor. Judging from the list of people I've pissed off in my life, I doubt I'm going to garner any sympathy.

Pretty much my only hope is that one of my guards was able to follow me, or one of my mates can get a lock on me. Alex should be able to contact me, but I doubt I could give him much information on where I'm being held.

"Oh no, Alex, not that empty hospital room, it's the one across town." Yeah, don't think that will give him much to go on.

"So many questions flashing behind those eyes," a rugged voice says from a speaker somewhere in the room. "Care to vocalize any of them, so I can try to answer?"

Tommy. Well, that alone answers my questions about a captor I can try to convince to let me free. The boy knows he has some punishment coming his way, and I bet allowing me loose to dole it out, isn't high on his agenda.

My chance to avenge Josephina is coming a lot quicker than I expected, though. If he was the one who grabbed me, I imagine Phee is freaked out of her mind. He better not have hurt her again.

Thoughts of retribution have to take a back seat for now. If I can't get free, there isn't going to be any vengeance.

I start struggling harder to get out of the restraints. This is not happening. I promised never to be at his mercy again. Fuck. There's no give at all in the chains. No matter how this turns out, he better tell me what he put in these chains. Nothing should zap my strength to the point I can't break them.

"My dear, sweet little bitch. I've taken every precaution to make sure you can't get away from me this time. We'll be bonded and before I let you out of those restraints, you will have my pups growing inside of you. I haven't decided how many we should have in this first litter. I was thinking three or four. That should keep you pretty busy, don't you think?"

"Let me go you freak!" I yell, thrashing around, yet again trying to break free. Did someone put my womb for sale on eBay? It was bad enough thinking about a demon knocking me up, but there's no way I'm letting Prince Cuckoo anywhere near my lady parts.

"Now, now," he says, walking through the door and flipping on the lights. "I was even planning on being nice and administrating the drug version of bond breakage instead of the more physical way. Right now, it does me good to keep Alex alive. If you give me a reason to change that, we can do it the rough way."

Son of a bitch. I'd love for that bond to be broken, but not this way and definitely not if it ends up with me bonded to Tommy. I wonder if the drug affects vampire links. To lose both Sebby and Alex would totally suck. One okay. Both, as far as political standing goes, not great.

"I'm going to tear you to shreds when I get out of here," I growl at him. "My friends will come looking for me and they'll subdue you until I can get free." I start planning how it will play out. My earlier thoughts of killing him slowly are bypassed and I leap straight to the part about chopping off his head.

He laughs. The fucking prick laughs.

"Once we're bonded that first threat will be impossible unless you want to kill yourself. That's a big upside to my plan; aside from the fact we're going to have amazing kids. Also," he begins as he brings a giant syringe out of his pocket. "The drug I initially gave you to get you here blocks any current bond ties you may have. So, if you and your current mate have gotten to the point you can communicate telepathically, that link is offline at the moment."

Fuck. I take another look around to see if there's anything I can use to help me. The room is way too sparse. Me, table, overhead light, and a comfy chair are all I have to work with. That and the fact that my telekinesis skills are a little lacking make the thought of having a weapon a complete fail.

"I can see the desperation starting to appear in your eyes now. Don't worry, once I've imprinted on you as a mate, your feelings will adjust. Now hold still," he says, bringing the needle above my chest, aiming for my heart. With my thoughts focused on escape, I missed the fact that I'm naked.

Son of a bitch.

"The process involves taking this injection once a day for four days. I've upped the dose a little to see if we can't get it done quicker, but I don't know for sure if it will work."

The dude is trying to overdose me on a drug that has made him even nuttier than he was at birth. Why does he think this is a good idea again? Oh yeah, because he's a fucking nut job.

He drives the syringe down into my chest. I feel the path of the needle as it eventually makes a small hole in my heart. He slowly depresses the plunger and I experience lava start racing through my veins. Oh, that smarts. I can handle pain, but this is much more than just a little tickle.

"I remember the feeling. The serum is rushing through your blood, trying to attach to any part of it that holds the mate bond. It hurts, but you know when the pain is over ecstasy is waiting for you. Just remembering it and thinking of you going through it is making me very, very hard."

I've forced my eyes closed, trying to figure out a way to stop the pain, so his words are becoming lost. I do hear a zipper and can only imagine what he's decided to do. At this point, I could really care less.

The pain is to the point of excruciating and if he decides he needs to relieve some pressure, that's his problem as long as it doesn't involve mounting me. I don't think this shit has the same effect on me that it did him, because I definitely ain't horny.

When this is over, I don't believe he'll have any trouble trying to make me his mate, as long as he doesn't mind mating with a corpse. There's no way someone comes out of this alive. I don't know if it's the extra dosage or what, but I think it's lethal.

Long story short, this fucking hurts.

I start thinking about Sebastian and all the years we've had together. Will his bond still be intact? If it is, maybe it will be enough for me to kill Tommy and still live. How can you even tell those sorts of things? I have no problem ending up dead, if it rids the world of Tommy, but I'd really like to keep breathing. I think it's going to become a case of the greater good winning out.

I vaguely hear Tommy's disgusting moaning and groaning noises get abruptly cut off. Thank God, this is bad enough, I don't need sound effects.

"Oh my pretty little baby maker. What are we going to do about this? I wanted that bond to stay in place. It really was to my benefit," I hear a voice say with a tsk.

That does not sound like something Tommy would say. I force my eyes open through the ache to find Tommy's face inches away, observing me. Unless Tommy has been keeping more secrets than I thought, his red eyes tell me Ben has arrived on the scene.

Now the question is, is that a good thing or bad thing? Either way, it isn't something I'm going to find out anytime soon, because my brain chooses this moment to pass out. Have I mentioned I fucking hate passing out?

THE END

Night Bites

By Amber Lynn

Usually, I take a chance to thank my husband, best friend, and anyone who takes the time to download one of my books here. I do thank everyone, but this time I want to thank somebody extra special.

I want to dedicate this book to my own little Hellhound, who passed away this last year. She was a treasure and will always be missed. A new character's haughty attitude was inspired by her in this book and writing it while thinking of her brought back some good memories.

For Brigette

You will never be forgotten

Chapter 1

There was a truck and it was big

"Oh shit, anyone get the license plate on the truck that ran me over?" I think, and probably say audibly, coming alert once again. My body feels like it's been through the meat grinder five times too many. If anyone was wondering, one time is too many.

To imagine, I thought today was going to be a good day. Technically, for all I know a month could've passed, but for me it's all the same day. The same horrible day that I really wish was over.

Without opening my eyes, because I'm horrified to see what's going on now, I take stock of my situation. My arms are no longer strapped against my sides, definitely a good thing. I'm also no longer on a cold, hard table. It feels like I'm on a bed. A nice bed and the sheets have a decent thread count.

Even better, I have clothes on.

Opening up my sniffer, I smell Alex, Jonas, Jake, and Smitty nearby. Sebastian is noticeably missing, which is too bad because he's the person I need most right now.

Behind all the lingering pain I feel, hunger is surfacing and I'm not talking about an order of steak with bacon on the side. I need his blood and I need it soon.

"He's on his way back," I hear Alex say from near my head. "He had a prisoner to secure and you know what a perfectionist he is." If they're securing someone, I'm surprised Alex isn't there to supervise as well. The two of them are pretty particular about that type of thing.

I slowly open my eyes to see him kneeling beside the bed, my bed in fact. I should've known. Nothing feels as good as my own bed.

Alex's face is marred with worry. I know he hates pain, and if he felt even half of what I was feeling via our connection, he's probably not very happy. It's not really something I can apologize for, so I let it slide.

"The drug Tommy originally gave you made it so not only could I not contact you, but I couldn't feel you anymore either. I knew something was wrong even before Marcus made the call. It was like you just dropped off the face of the earth." That must have been loads of fun for him.

"Marcus wasn't there," I say, hazily remembering that fact. "Jonas was though. Did Tommy do any lasting damage to him?" Taking Jonas down permanently probably would've taken longer than Tommy had, so I'm hopeful he's still kicking.

"Jonas is fine. He was just paralyzed for a few minutes. Just enough time for Tommy to drag you away to his torture chamber," Alex replies, taking my hand.

I imagine Jonas isn't thrilled that I was abducted under his watch. I'll have to try to figure out a way to make that up to him. To think, I thought I was getting close to him forgetting about me wandering off one day. This won't help the cause.

For now, though, there are more pressing issues on my mind. Namely, where is that shithead Tommy?

"Oh, Buttercup, it's good to see you awake," Ben, also known as Demon Boy, says popping in, sending a waft of strawberries my way. "You weren't looking too good the last time I saw you, but here you are fit as a fiddle, and mostly no worse for the wear."

I remember his red eyes flashing right before passing out the last time. Being incapacitated with a demon who wants me to be his incubator doesn't leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings about what may have happened.

"You aren't pregnant," Alex says, answering the thought before I work myself into a panic. "He found you and brought you straight to us."

I glance over at Ben a little surprised. He shrugs and says, "I told you I was giving you time. As pretty as you were all set up like a present, I want the mother of my children not to totally hate me." Alex growls softly and Ben sits himself down on the edge of the bed, smiling at his taunt. "I did get to see the cutest little purple puppy head on your thigh. I didn't even have to drop in on you in the shower."

I imagine that isn't the only thing he noticed, since I was lacking any and all clothing. Sadly, him seeing me naked is the least of my worries at the moment. I'll have to scold him for not covering his eyes later.

"So, what happened with Tommy? You did leave him at least breathing so I can skewer him slowly, right?" I ask, sitting up a little in the bed. Being laid out flat around two alpha males makes me feel too vulnerable.

"He's roughed up, but yes he's still breathing. Ben walked him through the front door here and we used the straps he had on you to get him into a cell and secure him there. We haven't had time, but are hoping to get some information out of him before you go crazy on his ass," Alex remarks.

Well, they had better make sure I don't see him, because once I do, nothing is going to stop this crazy train. Another jolt of hunger curls in my belly. I need food.

"I've done my part on checking in on the patient. Fangy mate is coming down the hall, so I'll bleep out, for now. Two emotionally charged boyfriends are a bit much to take," Ben says, moving to lean closer to me. "I'll see you soon," he whispers softly.

"I can't say I'm exactly looking forward to that, but I do have to say thank you for rescuing me."

"Anytime. Next time, though, why don't you think of calling a little bit sooner? Messages relayed through your boyfriends aren't nearly as fun, and I could've saved you a lot of pain," he says, grinning and then disappearing in a puff of smoke. The smoke must be for dramatic effect, because he hasn't done that little trick before.

As the smoke clears, I look to the doorway and see Sebby standing there. Alex had just looked worried, Sebastian is clearly distraught.

He's wearing a nice, or would be nice, if it didn't have splashes of blood on it, button down shirt. His hair is rather disheveled and altogether he looks very unkempt. It's probably a first for him.

He rushes to me and wraps me in a rib-crushing hug. It's good to feel him again, but I'm still a little sore, so I try to pull back without losing all contact. Why my outside is aching when it was my insides that were destroyed, I have no idea. I just know it hurts.

"Sorry, love. I just need to touch you right now. I thought I had a little while longer or I wouldn't have been down securing Marcus." He pulls back to look down at me. I actually see red tears running down his cheeks.

"Oh Sebastian," I say, wiping his tears away. "I'm fine now, so please don't cry."

"She's also hungry. Why don't you go ahead and let her feed?" Alex says, leaning back a bit from the bed.

"I imagine you are, love. Where would you like to feed from?" Sebastian asks. In our relationship, the person being fed on is usually the one that makes that decision. It's a little odd that he's giving me a choice, but I figure it has to do with the fact I'm still pretty beat up.

"Is wrist okay?"

"Of course," he says, rolling up his sleeve. I feel a little awkward because this will be the first time either of us has fed with Alex in the room. Just seeing Sebastian's bare wrist is enough to make me forget to ask Alex if he wouldn't mind stepping outside.

I grab Sebby's wrist and bring it up to my lips. The girls, Lil and Bebe, have descended and are ready for action. I sink them into the waiting vein and feel the rush of blood pour over my tongue.

Oh, so good. I continue sucking until I feel my hunger pains erode. The rest of my aching body feels rejuvenated. It's amazing what a little blood will do for you. The girls start disappearing into their hidey-holes and I release the wrist.

Looking up at Sebastian, I see him crying even more. I know our feedings have never hurt before; in fact usually they are...

"What just happened?" I ask, jumping up and out of bed. The happy ending we usually find was noticeably missing.

"Although the combination of drugs Tommy gave you didn't have any effect on our bond," Alex starts, and I know I'm not going to like the end of this at all. "The bond between you and Sebastian was severed. He's hoping it's just a temporary side effect, but only time will tell if it returns."

"Why don't you just recreate it? You just have to say some words, right?" I ask Sebastian as I tilt his face up so I can see his eyes.

"The vampire bonding that I invoked is a once in a lifetime kind of thing. It isn't something you can do twice, even if it's with the same person," he says, grabbing my wrists as I hold his face.

"But that's not fair. Why didn't the drug sever the other bond?" I ask Alex, but refuse to stop staring at Sebastian.

"Best we can tell is the original bond blocking shot you got also blocked the second drug from doing it any harm. Well, at least any harm to a werewolf bond. The vampire bond is different and something must have gone wrong there," Alex explains.

"It's okay, Sebby. We'll get it back and it will be stronger than ever when we do," I promise and mean every word of it. "Just think, without it I'm still certain I love you. I always thought that was part of the bond, but it can't be if I still feel it. We're going to be okay," I tell him, stroking his hair. I don't really know how you comfort a centuries old vampire, but I'll do my best.

"Without the bond, you two aren't forced to feed from each other. I think that's weighing on his mind a bit," Alex says. Since when did he become Sebastian's mouthpiece? In normal circumstances, Alex would be getting smacked for speaking for the vampire.

"He hasn't been very rational the past few hours. I admit I was pissed that Tommy got to you, but he took the anger to the extreme," Alex explains so no one else can hear. I imagine if the werewolf bond was gone, he'd be in a similar state.

"He has nothing to worry about on my part. I guess, if he wants to feed from other people that's up to him, but I find the idea of trying my fangs out on anyone else very distasteful. I hope you don't mind still being my one and only." I really don't want him going out to find other snacks, but the choice is one he has to make for himself.

Sebastian visibly relaxes and sighs under my grasp. "Thank you, and no, I don't want to find sustenance elsewhere. It would be like living for years on steak and lobster, and then being forced to eat one of those wretched cheeseburgers I tried once."

I laugh, remembering the face he made as he took a bite of his first brush with fast food. It was hilarious. I'm pretty sure fast food went on his list of things to not even consider eating if you were starving and it was the only thing left. Being a protein rich diet girl myself, I'd probably agree.

My brain travels back over the conversations I've heard since waking up and something sticks as important in my mind. Well, there are many things, but one in particular. Alex mentioned Sebby has been on a rampage and Sebby mentioned something about securing Marcus.

"I want to see Marcus," I say in a very clear, authoritative voice.

The looks I receive back don't look promising for a happy reunion. Nevertheless, they both stand to lead me out of the room.

Chapter 2

Who thought I would have to be the voice of reason?

We make our way down into the dungeon under the building. I still don't know how long I was out, but I'm obviously missing some important things. As one can imagine that makes me just a tad bit cranky.

"Why do you have Marcus locked up?" I ask. My dad has been dropping me clues that there's a traitor among us, so I wonder if some big reveal happened while I was taking my little nap.

Alex is walking in front of us to lead the way. Sebastian seems to be afraid to leave my side and he's gripping my hand tightly. Too much harder and we may be having a few words about it.

"Why shouldn't he be locked up?" Sebastian replies, seething. It seems the closer we get to the guard, the madder he's been getting. "He left you and wasn't there for you when you needed him."

"Wait, that's it?" I remark, coming to a halt. "You locked him up and probably did damage to him, judging by the blood on your shirt, just for not being there during the attack?"

"He was your guard on duty. He shouldn't have left you."

"I guess I can see where you'd be upset, but it wasn't like it was known danger was around the corner. The Collective side of things had been quiet and my demon problem was put on hold. You're the one that can sometimes see the future, not him. It isn't like it was the first time one of the vamp guards went for a snack while on duty," I say, trying to get through to him.

"You know good and well that once you grew your fangs, I've had even more troubles seeing you in the future, and it's the last time any of the guards will be dumb enough to leave you down a guard. As far as his punishment, I'm his master. He's sworn a blood oath to protect you. What happens to him when the oath is broken is entirely up to me. Me being alerted to you awakening is the only reason I didn't finish the job and turn him to dust."

I can see this is going to take heavy doses of some kind of anti-anger medication. Too bad I don't stock it in case someone tries to use it on me. I also doubt yoga exercises will work in this situation. Maybe if I lock him in a room painted with pastel colors that will do the trick.

I start walking again. I'd like to have a chat with Marcus and I hope I can do it before Sebastian goes for the heart. I'd guess that Marcus is also getting some of the blame for the bond dissolving. If it was still intact, I doubt we'd be having this conversation.

Alex stops in front of a silver lined cell. There are other things involved in the lining, but I can feel the silver. The dungeon isn't the same as our holding tanks for criminals, like Sam, the guy who was involved in my shooting a few weeks ago. No, this place is straight out of an old-time horror movie.

Chains, racks, iron maidens. You name it, we have it. If you're looking for a great deal, give us a call at ... Oh wait, we aren't doing a commercial now, we're trying to find out if we need to save a vampire from certain death. Let's get back to our program.

We walk in, after Alex opens the door, and I see that Marcus is currently attached to a rack that's stretching his already tall frame out beyond its capacity. His face is bloodied so much that I can't really tell what the damage is to it. Was he punched or was some kind of weapon used? Maybe he really was run through a meat grinder.

He moans quietly, noticeably in pain. I feel bad for him, but I have to know something before I try to fight for his release.

"Can he still talk?" I ask, almost hoping he can't in the shape he's in.

"I suppose. I haven't removed any parts yet and he hasn't passed out," Sebastian says with a little shrug. I'd thought if they weren't close, they at least had a good amount of respect for each other. His callousness is a little scary.

I'm glad I got here before he started cutting off the parts. I move closer, Marcus is still wearing clothes, but I can see large slashes in them where a knife blade must have crossed.

"Marcus," I say softly, not wanting to add to his pain. He opens his eyes to reveal crimson orbs filled with pain and hunger. "Marcus, are you the traitor?"

He looks at me questioningly. Well, that's what I assume that look means. It's hard to tell with his face all messed up.

"You are my queen and I'm loyal to the king. I'm not a traitor," he finally replies.

Now, the question is whether or not to believe him. Sebastian, being the oldest vampire anyone knows, has made himself the self-proclaimed king to anyone who listens. He's spent many years proving to others why the title fits. It's one of the reasons I have a real tough time believing either of the vampire guards could be a traitor.

"I believe you," I tell him softly. He's never shown me any kind of real malice, so I don't think he's the traitor and I don't feel like having dessert is a punishable offense. With that out of the way, I'm on to the part where I have to bargain for his life.

Looking back at Sebastian tells me I'm going to have a battle on my hand.

"I don't want him killed," I say, still speaking decibels below my normal voice. "He asked and I granted permission for him to leave. If you punish him further, you'll have to punish me as well." It's really the only argument I have.

"How can you even stand to look at him? He took away everything we had," Sebby replies. As I thought, the missing bond is the real issue here.

"But he didn't. Tommy took the link away. I'm sure he had contingencies in place for one or two guards. Marcus being there wouldn't have made a difference," I plead with him.

"It feels like you've died," Sebastian says, strangling out another sob. I always knew the guys felt the connection more than me, but I didn't know it was this strong. I love Sebastian and all, but he's still here. It isn't like one of us really fell off a cliff.

"But I didn't," I say, walking over to take his hand. "I'm still here and we still love each other. Even if the bond doesn't come back on its own, there has to be a way to reconnect. You're the scholar amongst us, so hit the books. I'm sure between all of us, including Demon Boy, we can find something that will reconnect us. Until that time comes, you're not going to mope around punishing people who don't deserve it. If you want vengeance, take me to Tommy and we'll kill him nice and slow. Marcus doesn't deserve all of this."

I watch as thoughts cloud his eyes. Evidently, it isn't a simple decision in his mind. Eyes finally cleared, he nods his head and walks over to Marcus.

"You won't leave her alone again, ever. She's your savior now and as such you will worship her," Sebastian says, and the words seem to have a power behind them.

"By my blood I swear," Marcus answers swiftly. It seems a new blood oath is in place. I don't know how I feel about the worshiping part of the deal, though.

"And so it shall be," Sebastian states, ending their little ceremony. He pulls a lever that slowly relaxes the rack back into place. I don't imagine you want your bones all crashing together at once.

Alex walks over and starts helping to unstrap the vampire. Marcus is going to need some food soon, as the red in his eyes indicate. I wonder if they have anyone on hand. I've seen black vampire eyes before, but have never been around one that's this far gone.

Once he's let loose, I'm amazed to see he stays on his feet and makes his way to me. Up close, his wounds aren't any better, but at least they look to be mostly closed and he'll heal quickly.

He drops to his knees at my feet and bows. "My life for yours, my queen." I totally don't like the way that sounds. Things are getting a little bit too formal in here.

"I'm hard to kill, so I hope it will never come to that," I tell him. I bend down to try to help him to his feet, but he's basically dead weight. "Do we have blood available for him?" In his weakened state I'm a little worried for the donor, but he needs to eat now.

"Send Doreen in," Sebastian says to no one in particular. With the super ears in this place, I'm sure the right person heard his command.

Further proof of this is evident when a large woman appears in the cell. Large, in the fact that she towers over me. She isn't exactly husky, but she hasn't been missing meals either. She has short spiky pink hair that seems to glow in the dark.

"Oh Marcus," she sighs and rushes to the man now limp in my arms. "Here you go, love."

She takes her wrist and quickly slices a cut with a knife she pulls from an ankle sheath. With her blood flowing freely she forces her wrist to his mouth, trying to work some of the stream down his throat. It doesn't take long for him to come alive and aggressively start feeding.

The feeding reminds me of the one Sebastian and I just shared. There's pleasure in the gift of taking her blood, but no sparks. Her being human clued me in that they weren't bonded, but she did call him love, so there must be some emotional exchange. Or, of course, she may just be delusional.

As his pulls start to lessen and he loosens his grip, Sebastian says, "Thank you, Doreen. You can go now."

Marcus lets her go and smiles a little at the pout that forms on her face. "Thank you for coming," he tells her, trying to stand on his own.

He makes it up and seems to be in good shape. All of the wounds are for sure closed and I imagine if he washes the blood off, things won't look too bad.

"Now that that's taken care of, you can guess that I have some questions I want answered. Can we head back up to the apartment so we can begin the interrogation?" I ask, bringing myself off the ground and dusting off my pants. I still can't believe the guys actually dressed me in my normal clothes when they had me lying there naked.

"That's probably a good idea. We may have questions of our own, so it will be good to get them out of the way," Alex replies, leading the way out of the cell.

Sebastian takes his place beside me again. This time he wraps his arm around my waist. I think, at least for a while, he's going to be really touchy. I'll have to get used to it, or potentially strangle him. In the early stages, either possibility still has a fifty-fifty chance.

Marcus ends up falling in behind us, the effects of his torture not evident in his step. It's a good thing I woke up when I did, otherwise I don't believe he'd still be breathing.

We make our way in silence and it takes every bit of willpower I have not to ask them to take me to where they're holding Tommy. They want to question him, which is fine, but they better not take their time about it.

I still want his head on a pike and I want it there soon.

Chapter 3

Answers to all the questions a mush mind can come up with

When we enter my living area, Jake sees us first. "Whoa, Marcus man. I think you've seen better days."

Rude much? I look for Jonas to verify that he isn't somehow disfigured for being taken out on the job. On the surface everything looks okay.

"His penance is self-imposed and I've accepted it," Alex informs me.

"What is it?" I think back.

"Not something I'll share. If he wants to, he can, but as I said it was his idea, so it's up to him to say who can know."

I hope whatever it is, it's not that bad, like cutting off one of his nuts. Tommy is a sneaky bastard and could've got by any of us.

I settle onto the couch with Alex and Sebastian surrounding me. Jonas, Jake, and Smitty take up the other couch and Marcus sits on the ground in front of me. I don't want to get into it with him right now, so I stay quiet on that account.

"Before you start, can we get you anything solid to eat?" Alex asks. "You haven't eaten in a day, so I expect you should be hungry."

I think about it for a second and find I don't feel hungry at all. Not even for some bacon, which I could usually eat all day, every day. That being said, or at least thought, I remember feeling a little bit queasy from the drugs and don't think adding solid food would be a good idea.

"No. I think I'm good. Sebastian must have been extra satisfying today."

Said person, leans in next to me and rests his head against mine. From shoulder to knee he touches me everywhere. Yup, definitely touchy.

"The first question I have is how much time has passed?"

Please don't say months. Wait, maybe that wouldn't actually be a bad thing. We might have zoomed right past January, so I have a full year before the whole mating with Alex thing has to be done.

I know it's just a pipe dream. My father isn't here and it sounds like he's going to be around for my birthday, which just happens to also be in January.

"It's the next night. Alex kept you sleeping calmly to hopefully halt any other side effects of the drug," Sebastian claims.

"Okay. How about the witch who lured us in? Was she working with Tommy, is she still alive?" My brain is trying to start working and it's flashing questions at me rapid fire. Too bad half of them aren't getting through the fog because my brain isn't totally back online.

"Tommy did pay her to get you in off the street. When she saw your mark she panicked, though, and eventually sent up the bat signal that alerted Ben to her whereabouts," Alex says. "When he showed up, he wasn't expecting to have to rescue you. He just thought he was getting back something that he'd misplaced over the years."

"It seems that Helen knows Ben pretty well. Fifty years back, she sold her soul to him for a power boost. She's been in hiding ever since and freaked when she saw his mark. He showed up when she started thinking about him and found Jonas coming to and us not far from the scene," Sebastian adds.

"And with my mark he could pinpoint my location without difficulty."

"Yup. He locked onto the closest person and took over," Alex says.

"What about Phee. How's she doing?" I ask. I warned the girl it was dangerous to hang out with me, but I didn't think she'd get proof of the statement so quickly.

"She left here not that long ago. We actually had to force her to go. I think she's okay now that you're back from enemy hands. When we first got to the shop, she was curled up in a corner," Sebastian tells me.

"She cleared her scans, just so you know. You can start training her for real whenever you feel up to it," Alex adds. "It's obvious from her reaction, your work isn't going to be easy. I've never seen a wolf so traumatized, or one who doesn't know a lick about defending themselves."

"You really think she still wants to learn from me?" In her shoes, I'd stay as far the fuck away from me as possible.

"I'm sure of it. She seems more determined to learn how to use her new knives. The only thing that has kept her from practicing is the fact that Jonas reminded her she promised not to do it when you weren't supervising. In addition to her, I was wondering if you'd be willing to take on more students."

"It'd really depend on who the students were. I don't think I can deal with more than one teenager at a time," I reply. Working with two Phees would cause me to yank my hair out.

"The other for the current class you have would be male. He isn't a novice, so you wouldn't have to start from scratch with him," Alex claims.

"Do I know this person?"

"You've met and it was actually your idea for him to get some training. It's Sam, the Collective agent we have sitting on ice in a cell," Sebastian supplies.

I guess that was my idea. Hmm. Working with someone with at least a little experience might help counter being driven crazy from Phee's total lack of any.

"We can give it a try. If it doesn't work out, I will ship him off to someone else. I can give them full evaluations tomorrow and see what I have to work with," I decide. "Speaking of tomorrow, our bond gave you a few extra benefits, Sebby. Are they gone, too?"

"I don't think I'll be eating real food, for now. The only other thing it gave me was a little extra boost in the sunlight, but I've been able to stand the sun, for the most part, on my own for a while now. I went out earlier today and didn't feel any difference."

That's good. We can still appear strong in front of the Collective. As far as they go, I don't want them to know anything special has happened. "Back to the witch, where is she now and did she receive any punishment for her part in this whole thing?"

"Like mentioned, she'd tried for years to stay off of Ben's radar. When she saw him face-to-face she tried to make a run for it while he was distracted finding you. He wasn't all that distracted, though, and waved his hand through the air causing her to disappear. We haven't seen her since," Sebastian says.

I'm not really sure how I feel about that. Yeah, I'm pissed that because of her, Tommy got to me, but what exactly has Ben done with her. If I want to punish a person, I do it and get it over with. I'm hoping he isn't making a new sculpture for the entryway.

"What else was I going to ask? My brain feels all mushy and my thoughts seem to be dripping out my ears."

"I think you're probably all caught up. We were hoping that maybe you'll take a day or two off from work, but know we're pressing our luck. There's also the, um little side assignment you were supposed to come talk to me about yesterday after your training was over," Alex tells me.

"Really? You're ready for me to just jump back into things? That's nothing like you." I thought this little experience was going to cause a monsoon of yelling when I told them I was planning to get back to work immediately.

"Let's just say we feel a little more comfortable with you being out and about now that we know you have a demon at your beck and call," he replies.

I'm glad someone feels happy about that, because I sure don't. No sane person wants a demon just popping in whenever they feel like it.

"So, this assignment from you, who, what, where and when?" I ask, not even bothering with the why. It has to be someone bad for them to want to send me after him. I find that I trust their opinions whether the crime is punishable by death. Isn't that funny, me actually trusting someone.

"I'll tell you more about it on the way to a meeting we have regarding it tomorrow," Sebastian informs me. "Marcus and Jonas will be your guards slash backup and I will be along because I can't be away from you at the moment."

Okay. Sounds a little secretive to me, but it's action, so I'm all for it. I hope my knives haven't gone dull during my day of rest.

"Why we are handling it this way will be revealed when you leave tomorrow, and if your brain wasn't still mushy you'd probably figure it out. The mission is twofold and may not be easy. Marcus has an iron tight blood oath to you and Jonas would never betray us, so we can trust them to go along with you. You may need their assistance at some point. Also, I don't think you're going to be going anywhere for a while without Sebastian. So you better get used to your new shadow," Alex whispers to me.

As much as I love Sebby, him following me around is going to get old fast. I might be able to live with it for a day, or two, but that's about my limit. That means I have forty-eight hours to get this fixed.

My hope is that they're right, and this is just something that will eventually wear off. I can't rely on that, nevertheless, so that means I have to do some research of my own. Hitting the books has never been my thing, plus I doubt I could find something there that Sebastian didn't already know.

I need to talk to people to figure this out, and there's only one person that I know who would possibly have this kind of information. The tricky part will be talking to Ben without having Sebastian present. I hope Ben is up for sharing dreams tonight. I know we just did one the other day, and I was dead set against ever doing it again, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Believe me, you wouldn't want a mopey, love sick vampire following you around twenty-four seven either. Just the last hour or so has made me start to itch. I seem to be getting rashes a lot lately. I should probably get that checked out.

Wanting to talk to Ben as soon as possible, never thought I would be thinking that, I claim exhaustion from my ordeal and head towards the bedroom. Sebastian tags along and Marcus moves to position himself outside my doorway.

I guess better outside than in, but still it's a tad bit creepy. I think we're going to have to discuss the changes in our relationship. When Alex first sent Jonas and Jake to me, we had to have a similar discussion.

While Sebastian strips down to his boxers, I change into some boy shorts and a tank to sleep in. I should take a shower to wash Tommy germs off my body, but I was unconscious when he touched me and as long as I don't think about it, I can pretend he didn't.

"You aren't really tired," Sebastian says as he curls up behind me as I relax into bed. I snuggle into him and feel the hard planes of his thighs against mine.

"Sure I am, I went through a very horrible ordeal and I need to rest," I reply.

"You know that might have been one of my favorite parts of our bond. You couldn't lie to me and I know you are now. I don't want to personally ask him for help, but if he has any idea how to fix this, I'll take any help I can get."

Even not connected, he can read me like a book. "I figure meeting in my dreams is safer than in person."

"I wouldn't say that, but it's more private. Anything he does there can become true in the real world if he wants it. He wants you alive, though, so I don't worry that he'll actually do harm." I personally wouldn't count on that. My mouth has been known to get me in trouble before, and I don't tend to be civil towards the demon.

"He initiated the dream last time, do you think he will tonight? Is there any way I can assure he'll meet me?" I ask.

"I'd guess he has his radio frequencies tuned to you, so just think of him as you fall asleep. He should pick up on your train of thought."

I'm pretty sure I promised myself not to actively think of Demon Boy. Shoot, I didn't even think of him at all when I was faced with torture by forced mating. I guess we really do what we have to do.

"Okay, I'll try. I love you, Sebastian. I'll find a way to make things right."

"I love you, too, and if anyone can find a way to fix this, I know you can," he replies while he takes a deep breath smelling my hair, and then kisses the top of my head.

Chapter 4

A gift that needs a handbook

When you're trying to force yourself to sleep, it's easier said than done. I make it through two thousand jumping sheep before I move on to multiplication tables. If that doesn't work, I'm on to picturing paint drying.

I guess being knocked out cold for a full day isn't helping matters, but I really need to talk to Ben and I'd like to do it before the cows come home. See, I'm thinking his name. Ben. Ben. Ben!

"You know, Buttercup, if I knew your intent sooner, I could've brought you under after only five sheep," Ben says from his chair in his secret room. Somehow, I was immediately transported to the scene without having to reawaken here.

I'm not sure I like the fact that he just insinuated that he could make me go to sleep whenever he wants. I seriously hope I don't develop a case of narcolepsy. I might need to let the guys drive me around for a while.

"I'm sure you've realized by now that I don't exactly believe in doing things the easy way," I retort from my position on the leather chaise.

"No. That most definitely can't be said about you," he says with a half laugh. "I can assume you're here for the fangy one. It was a most surprising outcome, one I've already voiced my displeasure about." I vaguely remember hearing him say something about wanting a bond to stay intact. I think I passed out from pain five seconds later, so the exact words are lost to me.

"You're upset that me and Sebastian aren't tied together anymore?" I ask.

I thought he'd be jumping for joy with one less mate to worry about. It's a little odd that no one seems happy about this development. I can understand why me and Sebastian are depressed, but Alex sure wasn't throwing a party to celebrate being my only mate.

"I wouldn't say you aren't tied. Looking at the relationship strands coming off you, he still burns the brightest. It's kind of a rich glowing purple. Very pretty, if you like that kind of thing."

"You can see lines coming out of me leading to people I know?" I can't focus on the subject of him not being happy about the bond breaking while this new element is exposed.

"Yes, it comes in handy to see the connections. When I take one soul, if they have a strong connection to another, the second one is easy pickings. Your strand to him changed slightly after being severed, mainly in the shading, but it's still very strong. If someone was to kill you, they would have to take him as well and vice versa," he informs me. "You and wolfy have the same level of connection, as far as to death do us part goes."

I take the news that Sebastian and I still have a strong connection as a good thing. "Is there any way to actually get things back to what they were? Do you think the drug will wear off?"

"Hmm," he hums while appearing to be deep in thought. "The drug itself has run its course. It won't do any further damage, but the damage it has done isn't something that will go away on its own."

Well there went the guys' idea of it wearing off. "Crap," I say simply. Not much else to say, other than fuck, but I'm trying to be "civilized".

"It's a bit of a dilemma, if you don't know how to fix these kinds of things," he continues as if I didn't say a word. "You happen to be talking to someone who has that specific knowledge, though."

Looks like things have somersaulted, pirouetted, and done a total one-eighty. Debbie Downer has left the building and Sally Sunshine has made her way to the door.

"So, what do I do?" I ask, eager to be on my way to fix this.

"Good question. The answer to it won't come cheap. I've already saved your life once, well more or less, and have given you my protection, but have little to show in return," he claims. His claims are correct, but I didn't actually ask for those things.

"I thought you planned on collecting a kid from me in the foreseeable future," I reply.

Not that I'm planning on going through with it, but that should be payment enough for as many things as I can think of asking for. If I asked him to accomplish world peace, he should be jumping at the opportunity if he thinks he's getting a baby out of me.

"Oh yes, and believe me, you, me and junior are going to be one big happy family, but that's long term. I want something for my troubles now. You know how demons are all for instant gratification," he says with a smile. His eyes shift to a glowing red letting me know he's all demon underneath the pretty exterior.

Giving up something to him wasn't in my plan for coming here tonight, but I need the information and he has it. "What are the terms," I ask dejectedly.

"I could be a total lecher and ask to watch the bond reconnection ceremony, but I'll give you two your privacy. And since I don't currently have a specific want, all I'll ask is for a favor, in the near future. When I ask for it, you won't balk, whine, or try to figure out a way around it. It's my favor and I can ask for it to be fulfilled any way I desire," he responds.

I'm a little concerned in what this "bond reconnection ceremony" is going to entail, especially when he says he'd be a lecher for watching it, but I don't know of a way to get around it.

"When you ask for your favor, can you at least give me two options, so I can pick the one the least distasteful?" I ask, trying to bargain for a little leeway.

He thinks about it for a second, and then nods in agreement. "That will work. I've added the contract to your mark."

I look down at my hand, not having felt a burn like when the mark was originally placed, I wonder if he really did anything. I can't see anything different about it, but I didn't study it all that closely to begin with. I'll have to have Sebastian take a look.

"What do I do to reinstate the bond?"

"Wait. First, I think we should drink to our agreement," he says, magically making two glasses appear in his hands. He hands me one and I stare at it.

The instant thirst I feel upon holding the glass makes me frown. "What is it?" I ask, looking into the glass.

"Oh, nothing much. It will help with your bond ceremony, though, so drink up."

I don't trust him for a second, but forces that I can't see make me drink the liquid down. It has a sweet licorice taste to it and its thickness coats my throat as I swallow it. When I finish, my glass disappears.

"Good. Back to the subject at hand, reinstate is a good word for it. You won't be creating a new tie, just reactivating the one that's currently dormant between the two of you. It's quite simple really, although you may find it a little awkward and, in general, be squeamish about it," he states.

"It's only been a couple hours and I have a new shadow that likes to be in constant contact. I think I'll get over a little squeamishness in order to prevent future insanity."

"Oh, I have no doubt you'll eventually do it, but it might take you a day or two to accept the idea. It requires a fluid exchange. As great as blood is for these types of things, the kind of bond you had needs just a little extra boost. So, while you're both enjoying cocktail hour, he's going to need to inject you with his man fluid, if you get my drift," he says in what I imagine is supposed to be a cryptic way. Too bad, I understand the meaning right off.

"We have to have sex," I say, summing up his rambling.

"While feeding, yes. It would seem your vampire beau will be the lucky one to take your troublesome virginity."

He's right about me going to need to take a second or two to think this over. Eventually, I'll do it, but you know the saying about being as nervous as a virgin on prom night. It looks like this virgin's prom is right around the corner.

I sigh taking in a big gulp of air. "Okay. I can do that. I should probably head back and tell him the good news. I did have one question before I go, though."

I had a lot of questions, like is he serious, and why in the world I instantly believe he's telling me the truth about what needs to be done. It seems a little too simple.

"Ask your question, but I also have a gift I want you to take with you when you go."

"What happened with the witch?" I ask curious to know how that turned out.

"Aw. Helen. Pesky woman that one. Tried to pull one over on me. Sold her soul and then tried to detach herself from it. She's spent decades trying very hard not to think about me, and you just happen to walk in her shop one day. The little bit of her soul intact rang like a church bell on Holy Sunday when she got a look at the mark you bear," he pauses to laugh about the woman's misfortune.

"Helen is finding that I don't like to be toyed with. For now, she's working as my slave. I've been away from home quite a bit recently and it needs some tidying. Her other responsibilities bring me to my gift," he says, just before an object appears in his lap. "I've tasked her with making sure my pets are properly fed. A fun task for anyone who isn't their master."

As the object straightens up a little, I can see it's actually a little puppy. It's light gray, with very loose wrinkly skin.

"Pepa and Hermes just had their first litter together. Hmm. Do you still call it a litter if they only have one puppy? That's all Hellhounds have at a time. Anyway, this little guy is now fully weaned and I'd like his forever home to be with you."

I look back down at the little guy and decide he's kind of cute, but I don't know the first thing about taking care of him. "Does he come with an iron?" I ask, trying to make a joke.

"No. The wrinkles are a sign of his great breeding. The more wrinkles, the better for a little guy like him."

"Do I have a choice in accepting this gift?"

"Now you're hurting his feelings," he says and sure enough, I look at the little guy and if his face wasn't pathetic before, it is now. All the wrinkles make him look extra sad.

"Fine. What does he eat and how often will I need to let him out?" I ask, giving up before really even starting the fight.

"Raw meat is his primary diet. I don't think he's settled in with a favorite variety, yet. You should probably walk him twice a day. I'm sure it won't be too big of a hassle. You have all those servants to do things like this for you."

"By servants, I suppose you mean my guards. I doubt my werewolf guards will enjoy walking a Hellhound puppy. I'll oversee his care myself," I stand up to walk over and retrieve my pet. "Is there anything else or can we get back to reality now?"

I pick up the little guy and he immediately licks my face. I guess that means he likes me. His breath reeks of sulfur. How exciting for me. I wonder if he'll like breath mints.

"Nope, off you go. I'll stop in soon to see how you two are getting along. Sometimes the baby pups have difficulty adjusting to their new environments."

When the environment is filled with bigger dogs, I can imagine there's going to be a lot of issues with this development. It's too bad the little guy is so cute. I might have been able to say no. I bet Ben trained him to give me those sad puppy dog eyes.

Just looking down into them again, I'm afraid this pup already has me wrapped around his little finger, or paw in his case.

Chapter 5

Fire is not a curtain's best friend

I'm startled awake, back in reality, by some serious little growls. I feel Sebastian with his arm around me caressing my stomach.

"I don't see how a baby Hellhound is going to reconnect us," he says, gripping me a little tighter.

I look down to see the pup sitting in the concave area by my stomach that my current position creates. He's nipping at Sebastian's hand, trying to get him to remove it from my tummy.

"Stop that," I scold, causing him to focus on me. Upon getting my attention, he waddles up towards my face for another lick. Yuck. I need to get him a puppy toothbrush, real quick like.

"So, Ben decided you needed another level of protection by giving you, literally, a guard dog?"

"What? Not that I know of. He just said he was a gift," I say, petting the pup to get him to calm down.

"Gift my ass. Hellhounds have two jobs. They either collect souls for their masters or they're used as protection. Protection in the sense that no one is allowed near their master or mistress without being torn to shreds. We're lucky he's a puppy or I might be missing a few fingers."

"He'd never do anything like that, would you my little babykins?" I ask, making noises that I never thought would leave my lips.

"He may look all cute and cuddly now, but just you wait a few decades. When he grows in that second head, you'll be playing a different tune," he says, releasing his grip on me and rolling over on his back. "Does the little guy have a name?" He sighs and seems to be coming to terms with the new addition.

Ben didn't mention a name, but I guess that's an important detail. "Of course, he has a name. He can't be my pet without one. It's, umm, it's Clyde. That's it, his name is Clyde," I say, repeating the first name that came to my mind.

Upon hearing his new name, my little pup stands up and starts wiggling a bunch. He gives a little yip, I'm guessing his approval, and a small flame erupts from his mouth. Thankfully, it was really small and nothing flammable, or humanoid, was too close.

"Clyde, huh. Well, I guess that will do. At least you didn't say something girlie. You're going to have to work on not overexciting him it seems."

"You've known me for how long, and in that time, have you ever thought to yourself 'oh that Nyx, she's so girlie?' Don't even think about bringing up how you've seen me in pink dresses. I was incognito, so that doesn't count," I insist.

"If you say so, and you're correct, no one would for a second believe you're girlie. Aside from the new mutt, to add to our already growing collection, did you find out anything useful from his royal evilness?"

I'm not really ready to divulge the whole plan, just yet. "He told me something he claims will work. It's nothing you would hesitate over, but I need just a day or two to wrap my mind around it," I plead with him.

"Any hints at all?" he asks in return, rolling to spoon behind me again, earning a growl from Clyde.

"It's something we'll both probably thoroughly enjoy." That alone is most likely saying too much, but I want to give him something.

Clyde darts around trying to remove Sebastian's fingers. He's such a silly little thing. I cradle him up closer to me to try to get him to calm down. He does, but his eyes turn an eerie red when he glares behind me.

"Your demon really thinks us sleeping together will create a new bond?" Sebastian asks after having thought about it for a few seconds.

Guess my clue was too obvious. "He thinks us having sex and feeding at the same time will pull our bond out of hibernation. He says it's still there, we just have to wake it up, and I plan to, I just need time to prepare."

"If it's as simple as that, you can have all the time you need. I can't believe there isn't something more that has to be done. Some kind of incantation at the very least."

"All I know is what he told me. Knowing him, he'll pop in sometime and tell us he forgot to mention the six chickens and a billy goat also needed for a sacrifice and that we have to say the alphabet three times backwards followed by counting to one thousand in a language no one has ever heard of. For now, we're just sticking with we're going to have to have sex, and on my end I'm sticking with me wanting a few days to get used to the idea," I state.

"Hmm. The chickens would be pretty easy to get a hold of, but billy goats are scarce around this city," he says, finding his sense of humor. "And you know, I'm an expert linguist, so any words in any language are a non-issue. This gives me hope, and I'll settle for that until you're ready. Right this minute, though, I think we should take Clyde out for a walk because I believe he's trying to figure out a way to climb over you and take a piss on me."

"Clyde would never do something like that," I tell him, but then look down at the little devil and see him glaring at Sebastian. It certainly looks like he's admonishing him for telling on him. "Clyde," I say to get his attention. When he looks over at me and wiggles his little hiney with happiness I continue. "I think it's time for us to take you out."

I pick him up and jump out of bed. I don't exactly have a leash for him, but I do have some rope. I place him on the floor and head to my closet with him tottling behind me.

I find the rope in my box of stuff I rarely ever need, but when needed it's really important. Sort of like now. I don't want Clyde to be running around loose in the city. Who knows what trouble he would get into?

"You want to come with us?" I ask Sebastian. I don't really know what time of day it is, but he said daylight is still okay with him.

"I wouldn't miss this little walk for the world. I imagine it will turn more heads than when you, me and Alex strolled down the lane hand in hand," he says, standing to put on his pants.

"It's just a puppy. I'm sure they've been into the human environments enough to know what one is," I reply, loosely making a little noose around the pup's neck. I leave a long length of the rope to serve as his leash and then cut the rest of it off with a knife.

"Yes, I'm sure everyone knows what a dog is, but with the high wolf population around here, there probably hasn't been the human companion version roaming the streets of Night Owl City since the Grand Collective took things over." I guess he does have a bit of a point there. "I know not all paranorms are rocket scientists, but they'll figure out what he is if he gets all red eyed around them."

"Yeah, well they'll just have to get used to him," I say, pulling on his leash. "Come on, Clyde. Let's go meet the rest of your new family." This excites the little bugger and he gives another fire-loaded yip. I'd hate to see a full on bark.

I can sense all the usual suspects in the living area. "Anyone close by the door will want to move away until he gets to know you a little better," I alert Marcus, who's still at his post. He moves away, not far, but far enough Clyde shouldn't bite his ankles as we pass.

We make our way out to find everyone staring at us. "Who let the rat in?" Jake asks, drawing a growling Clyde's attention.

Clyde, evidently sensing the words were derogatory towards him, starts lunging in Jake's general direction. Not content on being held back, he lets out a big boy bark. A river of fire shooting out of his mouth accompanies it. The flames stay away from the other people in the room, but the curtains catch fire. Jonas quickly rushes to find an extinguisher and takes care of the blaze.

"Bad Clyde," I say, scolding the pup. "No breathing fire in the house."

"You know that leash isn't going to do much to hold him," Alex states, eying my makeshift work.

"No, but until I can get the leather spike collar and matching leash I want ordered, it will have to do," I reply. "For now, he needs to go potty and it's going to be hard enough to find him some grass to water in this city."

Granted there's a mess of woods not far, but the majority of it is Collective land and I don't think it's a good idea to let my Hellhound just amble around on it. The city proper is just building upon building. I'm sure Clyde is looking for a real jungle not a concrete one.

"Green space for pets to do their business wasn't high on the city council's priorities when the town was restructured. I'm sure we'll find a place for him, though," Sebastian says while gently grabbing my forearm to lead me from the room. Clyde just eyes him warily. We must be making progress.

"Well, we might as well make this a full family outing. The sun is setting, so I don't think anyone will get burned. With him in tow," Alex says, gesturing towards Clyde, "I don't think there will be any issues of security, but I like the idea of us all being there. Hellhounds in this realm are unheard of, unless they're snatching a soul, so people are going to wonder about us having a demon somewhere in our back pocket."

"Would it be okay if I sit this one out?" Smitty asks. "I haven't fed for a couple of days with everything that's going on, and being in dusk level light doesn't appeal to me at the moment."

"Of course," Sebastian says, turning towards Marcus with a questioning glare.

"I'm with you, my liege." Being spared his life has really turned Marcus into a little puppet. I'm going to have to work on him.

"Great. Let's go," I announce, dragging my pet past the guys towards the elevator. Clyde gives a little growl to everyone he passes to assert his place in the hierarchy. Sadly, the little fellow is a bit confused on his size.

We get down to the ground level and I'm not sure where to go. Clyde seems to have it figured out, and he drags me along with beaus and guards following close behind.

While he leads us around, I decide it would probably be a good idea to have a silent talk with Alex about Ben's idea for relinking me and Sebby.

"Not really much to say about it," Alex says, picking up on my thought.

"It's something I'm going to have to do. As much as I love him, I can't be around him all day, every day," I reply.

"Exactly, there isn't anything I can do about it and I told you before that I know you guys will be sleeping together at some point. Might as well get something good out of the deal. It really isn't that big of a thing. We all knew going into this thing there were three of us involved. I don't think you'd be up to having us both in the bedroom with you at one time, so one-on-one time is expected."

From the way he's rambling, I know he isn't as cool about the situation as he's trying to play. He's right, though, we knew this would eventually happen. I didn't expect to live forever still as intact as the day I was born. I just thought it would be something that came a little more naturally.

During feedings and playtime, Sebastian and I have gotten close to taking it to the next level. Maybe we can try to reenact one of those moments. I imagine Sebby is experienced enough to make the task pleasant. I hope that we can find a romantic moment and take care of business.

Clyde finally stops tugging and lifts his little leg, having found probably the only tree in a ten-mile radius.

"Good boy, Clyde. Who's mama's good boy?" I ask, leaning down to pet his head.

"Where's my camera?" Jake asks. That garners a middle finger on my part. If he doesn't stop running his mouth, I'm going to sic Clyde on him.

"Now children, that's enough," Jonas adds. "I think we've probably gotten enough stares for one day. Why don't we get back so we can go to that meeting we had scheduled?"

I guess I was too busy being dragged around and talking with Alex, I didn't even notice any other people about. Looking up now, I see a lot of gawking going on.

That's definitely our cue to head back. I quicken my pace and everyone follows. I can see walking Clyde twice a day is going to be loads of fun.

Chapter 6

Back in the thick of things

Back at the compound, Alex gives me a quick kiss and tells me to be safe, then heads off to wherever he goes when he isn't around me.

"Well, it seems I have the night off, so I'm off to have a little fun," Jake says before jumping into his personal vehicle and peeling out of the parking garage. Lord, I don't want to know what that boy does with his time off. It'd be another one of those moments when I have to wash my brain.

"I guess he doesn't like us as much as I thought he did," I say, looking down at Clyde. "Do we have a kennel or something for him? I don't really want him running free around the apartment."

"The only place we could store him that he wouldn't wreck is the dungeon, and I doubt you'll allow that," Sebastian says.

"No. That seems a little extreme and he's just a baby. I guess he'll have to go with us. Will that be a problem?" I ask.

"If you can keep him quiet, he should be fine. Jonas did you happen to get that sweep done today?" Sebastian asks.

"We're good. No trackers or listening devices on the vehicle. We should probably get going, though. I have a feeling things are going to be a little hairy," he replies.

One of these days, they're going to start speaking English. Until then, they should at least provide me with a dictionary so I can try to keep up.

They lead me over to a black, old school Chevy. It says Impala on it, but it isn't a year I'm familiar with. Sebastian opens the passenger door for me. I climb in and settle Clyde onto my lap. The guards fill the backseat and Sebby climbs behind the wheel.

"So, are you going to clue me in on this mission?" I ask as Sebastian puts it in reverse to start our little adventure.

He reaches under the steering wheel and flips a switch. I see no effect, but for all I know it could have set off an atomic bomb in D.C. After my recent trip there, I wouldn't mind seeing it fall off the face of the earth.

"It just ensures our conversation stays between us. You know very well it's a feature built into all of our vehicles," he says, reading the question in my eyes. "We aren't really going to a meeting, per se. We're carrying out the assassination we wanted to send you on. Any one of us could do it, but the mark is going to be a little bit tricky."

"So, who's the guy?" I ask, excited that I'm going to see action.

"The mark lacks the proper equipment to be considered a guy. Jonas has told us you're familiar with Jake having a girlfriend. What he hasn't told you is that she's a Collective agent."

"That son of a bitch!" I shout, causing Clyde to jump to attention. "That little punk is our rat?" Clyde seeing there isn't a threat settles back down, but keeps alert. Any second now, he looks to expect the boogieman to jump out.

"No one said that, but the girl is a threat and she has past sins to pay for," Jonas says from the back. I turn around wondering if he's referring to his brother's death. He shakes his head to let me know it isn't personal for him.

I should have known. The Collective didn't have any other official, meaning actually making it through training, female assassins. Jonas' brother died, from what I can gather, a while ago so there's no way she could have been involved.

"What complications are we going to run into? You mentioned things being tricky."

"We're pretty sure we know where Jake ran off to in a hurry. He'll have his chance to defend himself. Hopefully, he doesn't stand in our way before he gets that chance. He's been spending time with her every time he has a break, so the relationship may be serious," Sebastian informs me.

Oh Jake. What has he gotten himself into? As annoying as he is, I would really rather not have to shoot him.

Accepting that I'll have to do what has to be done, I ask, "What are the specifics?"

"I believe you're familiar with the target. You even pretended to be her when you broke into the Collective earlier this month. She goes by many aliases, but we consider her to be Julie Richards. She's been in the Collective as long as you, and once they lost their favorite female assassin they started grooming her. She's been on two single missions, so far, and they were both against resistance targets. One got away, the other was not so lucky."

Well, at least the target tonight isn't someone I like. As far as Collective agents go, there probably aren't many that I'd have a problem killing.

"We're heading to her offsite residence. It's where she and Jake have been having their little rendezvous. We don't know what happens, but even if she isn't gathering information during their times together, we want her dealt with. You can take the lead, but we're all going in for backup, especially with Jake being on the scene."

As Sebastian finishes his explanation, I glance down and realize I'm in my boy shorts and tank. I didn't even put on a weapon. Killing a wolf with my bare hands is probably a bit much, even for me.

I can't believe I went out with no weapons. My brain must still be mushy. Why no one else said anything is beyond me. Of course, Sebastian never did get around to putting on a top, so I guess we were both distracted.

"Does this car happen to have any weapons in it? You may have noticed I'm lacking a little in that department."

"I'm sure the trunk is loaded with anything you could want, but Marcus does have your holster and guns. We all know how naked you feel without something. You have your own personal little flamethrower in your lap, too," Sebastian points out.

Too bad I can't control how that flame is used. "Thanks Marcus," I say, glancing back at him. He nods his head in acknowledgment.

"The chick isn't going to live through the night, but what do you want to do with Jake if he makes an appearance?" I ask.

"As I alluded to, that depends on his actions. We need him alive to find out what she knows. I doubt she'll just tell us everything she's passed on to her superiors. Especially since, she'll most likely be staring down your gun barrel."

No, I don't think she'll give us much. Even as a female, the Collective will have taught her to keep her mouth shut. They have some very not fun techniques to drill the procedure into their agents.

Sebastian pulls off on a noisy, industrial street and stops the car. "We're going to walk in from here. The car makes too much noise."

When we get out, Marcus hands me my guns. Unsure what to do with Clyde's leash, I set it on the ground next to him. "You stay right there," I command him.

I quickly put my holster on and check the rounds to make sure everything is set. I still feel pretty naked in a literal sense of the word. "Can I check out the trunk?" I ask, wanting to make up for showing too much skin.

Sebastian moves to unlock it. I don't see any weapons on him, but he really doesn't need anything. He could run circles around Julie and while she's busy trying to figure out which way is up, he's able to just rip her head from her shoulders. Maybe a little gruesome, but it would get the job done.

"These might make you feel better," he says, lifting out a pair of one of my usual pants and a pair of boots.

I look down and just now notice my feet are bare. What the fuck? I grab the items and set the boots down while I wiggle into the pants. My boy shorts won't cause any problems underneath them, so I don't bother taking them off.

I settle on the ground next to Clyde and put on the socks that are tucked into the boots and then the boots themselves. Clyde seems to like untying my shoelaces a whole lot, so it takes me a few tries to get the job done.

I'm still showing my arms, but this is a lot better. Clyde seems to be fine just hanging out, so I leave his leash and look in the trunk for some more artillery. I find a machete I like and strap it to my back and then add a boot knife for giggles.

Feeling more prepared for the mission, I look over to the guys. Sebastian has found himself a shirt. He doesn't bother buttoning the front, but I can see the faint lines of some wrist sheaths that he's probably trying to cover.

Jonas and Marcus don't look like they've changed anything, but being guards I think they're always prepared and armed.

"Who's leading the way?" I ask. "You said we're walking on foot to the location, right?"

"Yes. It's a couple miles out. I don't think she has the place wired, so we shouldn't have to worry about any cameras or booby traps. From the recon missions, we've learned she thinks a little too highly of herself," Jonas relays. In my experience, all Collective agents think a little too highly of themselves, including me when I was one.

I pick up Clyde's lead and motion for them to guide the way. We operate in silence, not wanting to alert the target. This assassination by team is really odd for me. I'm used to doing all the recon work and killing myself. I don't know that I like having to keep my eyes on others when I'm trying to focus on the kill.

As we get closer to our final destination, I can start to pick up Jake's scent. I guess he really did head straight to her. When the smell starts getting really strong, I'm able to pick up audible on what's going on in the house.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah right there," a woman says, moaning. It's followed by male grunting.

Somehow, this is actually a first for me. I haven't interrupted someone in the act, and I don't really want to start now. I don't expect they'd be all that willing to talk if they were denied completion.

I look over to Sebastian, who in turn is looking to me for directions. Wait, I mouth to him and he nods. I hope that they've either been at it for a while or they're quick in general.

Other than some panting, they stay pretty quiet for the next couple minutes and I hope that indicates they're both coming down from their finishing point. That thought is blown away when a female wail rents the air followed closely by another long male grunt.

That has to mean it's over, right?

"Thanks babe, that was great. I'm going to take off," I hear Jake say.

"Can't you stay? You're always leaving afterward," I hear the girl whine. God does she sound pathetic.

"I have a feeling I'm going to have some work to do tonight. The sooner I can get it done, the sooner I can potentially make it back to you," the prick tells her.

"If you leave now, I may not be all that welcoming when you come back," the bitch claims. Prick, bitch, my vocabulary knows no bounds tonight.

"I think you need my cock, more than I need you, so we'll see just how welcoming you get if I decide to not show up for a couple weeks," Jake says coolly. I hear some doors open and see him jog out of the house and down the street away from us. I don't see his car around so he must be heading for it.

Maybe he isn't all that into her and won't be an issue. He's at least removed himself from the scene. I don't foresee him jumping in front of a bullet to save her.

Once he's out of range, I motion to the guys and give Clyde a little tug on his leash. It's time to get this party started.

Chapter 7

My new favorite bullet

We don't hear any more movement as we head towards the house. As we get closer, we can make out a female voice muttering nonsense. It seems she really is upset about Jake leaving her.

I almost wish Jake had stuck around. I have a lot of things I'd like to say to the boy, and me stewing about them are just going to make them less coherent. Maybe I can get Alex to write them down while I think them. I'm always looking for a way to make the telepathy thing useful.

At the side door, the front would be way too obvious, I test to see whether it's locked and feel the knob turn freely. Wow, she really is a dumb bitch. Really, what assassin trained worth even half a damn just leaves their doors open?

I open the door and we make our way in. I have my Beretta out and ready. It doesn't take long to find the bedroom Julie is currently passed out in. Seriously, this is what the Collective is training these days. Maybe it's a good thing I left when I did. I sure as Hell wouldn't have put up with this laziness.

The room itself is sparsely decorated, as was the rest of the house when we walked through. It's basically just the bed in here. Maybe she hasn't had time to make her love nest feel like home.

"Hey Julie," I say, trying to wake her up. I never take a life where I'm not able to look into their eyes while I'm doing it. It's a general rule and tonight isn't going to be the first time I break it. I move further into the room and the guys follow.

"Hey Julie," I repeat, giving her a little nudge with my gun. Collective agents are taught not to fall asleep on the job. If they could see her now, I bet they'd do the killing for me.

She stirs a bit and tries to focus as she opens her eyes. "What? Oh it's you. What are you doing here and why are you dragging around a shrunken hippopotamus?" She focuses on the ground, and then the other people in the room.

Oh no she didn't just offend my little guy. Clyde doesn't care for the remark either because he starts growling and lunging towards the bed. I tug on the rope to get him to calm down.

"Do you think you could get out of bed, or at least sit up, so we can have a little conversation?" I ask the still prone woman. I'm happy she managed to get under the covers. I don't expect her to be wearing a lot in the clothing department.

She manages to sit up a little bit, moaning as she moves. "Too tired," she whispers, finally sitting up. Man, Jake must have really given her a workout. I didn't know this level of exhaustion was possible from a little romp in the bed. If I wasn't pissed at him, I might actually offer him congratulations on a job well done.

Now that she's up, though still not coherent, I want to get on with this, but before I get a chance to try to ask a question, I hear a shot followed by witnessing Julie's head explode. Well, that takes away my interrogation.

I spin towards the perpetrator, and find Jake standing in the doorway. My gun focuses on him. "You better start explaining yourself," I demand, not too happy at all that I won't get my chance to kill anyone tonight.

"That was why you guys came over tonight, right? You got tired of her trying to take out our guys. She wasn't going to be able to tell you anything. The drug I slipped her was going to keep her asleep for at least four hours. You couldn't have parked too close, so I just saved you dragging her for miles," he says, lowering his gun and giving his usual annoying grin.

"You seem pretty happy for yourself, being a traitor and all," I tell him, refusing to lower my weapon.

The rest of the guys are just letting me run the show. Good move by them. I was set to kill someone tonight, and since it looks like the program has changed, no one wants to get in the way of this crazy.

"What? A traitor? I'm not a traitor."

It seems that's the standard answer for anyone I ask these days. I guess you can't really expect someone to cop to the crime. Traitors don't have a record of being treated very well in history.

"We caught you having sex with a known enemy. You've been slipping her your hard-on, what else have you let loose?"

"Just because I was using the situation to get some low grade sex, I mean my own hand is almost better, doesn't mean she was getting anything out of me. If you would've asked her, she might have thought she was, but I was only feeding her false information while doing research and collecting intel for our side. You can ask Alex. I reported everything back to him."

"Alex knows about your relationship?" I ask.

He didn't indicate that to me at any point, but I guess I didn't hear about the real situation until after we left the compound. The little bit Alex did mention made me think he thought Jake would be an issue.

"Of course he does. He set everything up. I romanced the girl, letting her think she was pulling one over on me. Then when we started coming here, I'd slip her something in her drink so after I had a good time with her, and made a big deal about leaving, she'd pass out.

"I'd double back around and come back in to snoop through her things to find out her plans. I was able to save her first target, but she changed things at the last minute for the second one. You don't know how sorry I am that I didn't see that one coming."

So, little Jakey has been playing secret agent. I'm going to have to check out his story with Alex, but I actually think the brat is telling the truth. I may have to smack Alex around a little bit for making me think Jake was a rat.

"If you aren't the traitor that leaves only one person standing," I say looking to Sebastian, since it's one of his men.

"The fact that Smitty is playing both sides isn't a new revelation," he says, nodding. "I didn't know if Jake had also flipped, so I didn't want you growing complacent around him. I'm sure there are probably quite a few people within our midst who aren't really on our side."

"You knowingly have allowed a traitor to guard me? For how long?" I ask.

"Smitty is very complex. He's been by my side since the resistance was started, and I've known him for centuries. He doesn't like to lose, though, and he hasn't figured out which side in this battle will win. That makes him play both. We're careful not to let anything too important slip out when he's in our presence, but these things sometimes happen."

"I can't believe you allow this," I say, astonished by what I'm hearing. He says they don't let anything important slip, but the guy knows about my wacky makeup and paternity. I think those are kind of important things to just let slip.

I try to think back over other things he might know. The big one is the fact that my dad is still alive. He better be in a really good hiding place, because the Collective is probably back on his ass.

"We use it to our advantage when we can. We've uncovered more traitors that meet with him and have taken care of them appropriately. His phone and vehicles are wired, so we pick up any communication he has with the other side. Him being two-faced has actually saved a few lives over the years," Sebastian explains. "We were even able to find the wolf that tried to break into the holding cells to get to Sam, after the perpetrator had a meeting with Smitty."

"And yet you don't make me aware of this and he's sent almost every other day to protect me. What if I let something slip that cost someone their life?"

"Jonas and Marcus were aware of the situation, which is why one of them tends to always be around. I wasn't one hundred percent for sure of Jake's loyalty, so you were rarely left alone with only him and Smitty. Sometimes the grouping was necessary, but not often. I don't think Smitty would ever endanger you. He's given his blood oath to protect you, and those aren't things that can be taken lightly."

"Hey. Why does my loyalty have to be in question? Alex saved me from the Collective. There's no way I would repay that by harming the resistance. Especially not if it had something to do with hurting Alex's girl," Jake says, defending himself. "Wolves tend to take the whole mate thing very serious."

"That's good to know. We're going to have to talk to Alex about sharing information. He didn't tell anyone, that I know of, that you were undercover," Sebastian says, looking to Jonas who shakes his head.

Wow. Alex is a little secret hider. Imagine that. He's also pretty quiet in my mind. I know he said he had to concentrate to hear my thoughts, but I figured he just sat around thinking of me all day, making me an easy read. With any luck, his silence means he's actually busy elsewhere.

"I guess we're done here then. Because of Jake, I didn't get to have any fun like I was promised, so you better get something else lined up for me soon." Like letting me go after the real traitor, I add silently. "What do you guys want to do with the body?" I ask.

I'm not sure what ammunition he used; usually silver just leaves a puddle of gunk. This stuff just blew her head away. It might come in handy if I ever need to produce a body.

"We can just leave her. I don't think she'll be resurrecting and this, trying to seduce me into giving secrets, was something she was doing without proper authority. She'd report any tidbits she thought she was uncovering, but no one was really checking on her," Jake says. "She was really trying hard to prove herself. Apparently, another female agent made it very difficult to look good in the eyes of the Collective. Her tests never measured up to yours, so she was trying to find something to win them over."

"And I'm guessing your bogus secrets weren't working out too well for her?" I ask.

"Nah. She was going to try to kill me before too long. They kept sending agents to places I said our forces lived and found empty houses. I think I was causing quite a bit of frustration."

"So, it was a normal day for you," I retort.

"Pretty much. Can we get out of here? The body is starting to stink and if you haven't noticed, Rat Dog is eying it like a T-bone."

The conversation had made me forget about the little bugger, but sure enough, he's staring at the body while licking his lips.

"No, Clyde," I say, scolding him. I need to record myself saying that, because I have a feeling those words are going to come out of my mouth a lot. "I don't care what your other master allowed. Here in the real world, we don't eat people."

"I guess if you ever did need a body disposed of, you have a new tool at your disposal," Marcus pipes in. "I don't think there would be much left after he got through with it."

"I'm afraid if he gets the taste of people, you guys are going to have to start sleeping with one eye open," I inform them. "Let's head out. I think he needs to have a steak or something. His eyes are starting to look like laser beams."

"I'm parked two blocks north of here, so I'll meet you all back at base," Jake says, nodding and taking off.

"I, for one, am glad he isn't the traitor," I announce, dragging Clyde away from the body. "I wasn't looking forward to breaking in a new guard, and if you say you have a handle on Smitty, I won't have to."

"I think you have a while before you need to. Eventually, Smitty will outgrow his usefulness and have to be dealt with, though," Sebastian says, catching up and taking my free hand.

On the way back to the car, I start salivating, thinking about what it would be like to fight Smitty to the death. He isn't as good as Sebby, but he's far from a novice. It would be a pretty fair fight, and one that would really get my adrenaline going.

I can't wait.

Chapter 8

Things just never go my way

"Oh my God, you're alive!" Phee shrieks at me as I step out of the car, back in the parking garage. She's dressed in Nyx approved workout attire. "I didn't believe them when they said you were actually up and about and out on a mission. I thought for sure you'd be recovering for a few days from your ordeal. I know after my little issue, I stayed in my room for two whole days before my mom even called you in."

Can someone hand me the mute button, please? I think it'd be a handy feature to have with just about any of my companions.

"In a minute, Phee," I say, ushering Clyde past her as she tries to give me a hug. Has she gone crazy? Hello. Hugs and I don't exactly mix. "Clyde needs food." During the ride back, he refused to sit still and kept trying to gnaw on Sebastian.

Sebastian wasn't too thrilled with the idea of being a snack and a sort of staring contest ensued. It made a really interesting ride home, since Sebastian was the one driving. In the end, it was a draw and neither contestant would look away.

I'm leaning towards Sebastian winning because he still has all his fingers.

"You have a puppy," Phee squeals, noticing the Hellhound. She tries to bend down to pet him, even while we're in motion and he leaps towards her, trying to bite. I guess that proves he isn't only after male flesh, like I was originally assuming. He's growing up and in a very confused period in his development, so I'm not counting the looks he was giving the dead female body.

"I'd stay back, if I were you," Jonas says, inserting himself between the girl and the dog. Brave man.

"What's wrong with him?" Phee whispers, now probably terrified of the little thing. Come on, she's a freaking werewolf and he's just a puppy. I think werewolf trumps puppy, even if Clyde doesn't believe it.

"He's just hungry and he doesn't really care about where his meat comes from right now, as long as it isn't from his mistress' bone," Jonas informs her.

It's true. He hasn't made one move to relieve me of a little flesh. Of course, I'm pretty little, so maybe he realizes there isn't enough meat to even bother with. That doesn't explain his lunging at Phee since she is smaller, but it's an idea.

We arrive at the elevator, but I think it's best if I go alone. A small space crammed with people isn't good right now.

"Me and Marcus are joining you," Sebastian says, stepping on as I hit the button.

"Fine. It isn't my appendages that are in danger," I say. I try to talk soothingly to Clyde and let him know he'll get something yummy in just a second, but he doesn't believe me.

After a thirty-second ride that feels like hours, the doors finally open again and we stumble out. I take off in a run towards the kitchen. I fling open the fridge door and grab whatever meat I can in a hurry.

In a panic, I throw butcher paper everywhere to expose two large, juicy steaks. I toss them on the floor and Clyde takes his sweet time waddling to them and then sniffing around. He gives two short yips, charring them both slightly. I guess he doesn't like his food as raw as Demon Boy thought.

In seconds, the steaks are both gone, his eyes are back to their normal black and the rest of our party has joined us to watch.

"What is he?" Phee asks, annoyingly awed by the sight. Just last week, I ate a pile of bacon quicker than he finished the steaks. Now that was something to be in awe of.

"What, you haven't ever seen a Hellhound before?" I ask, picking Clyde up off the ground to snuggle him to my shoulder. I pat his back gently, telling him what a good boy he is.

Before long, he lets out a huge belch causing a stream of fire to hit the wood cupboards behind us. I turn to see that thankfully they didn't catch fire. That seems a bit odd with them being wood and all.

"I fireproofed the apartment while you were out. You'll have to remind me to thank your demon for his little 'gift'," Alex says, joining us. I can't really tell if he's being sarcastic. He sounds pretty sincere. "I am, sincere that is."

"So far, he's caused fire and growled and nipped at any person who has come close to him, and yet you're happy to have him here?" I ask doubtfully.

My eyes even narrow slightly as I glare at him. For some reason I think he's making fun of my puppy and mama bear doesn't allow baby bear to be teased.

"What I'm starting to see is that Clyde wasn't meant as a gift for protection. Although, I'm sure he'll provide plenty of that. Ben gave him to you to get you used to mothering something," he says with a smile.

I look down at Clyde, lazily grinning in my arms. "Oh shit," I say aloud. "That sneaky, no good, low down bastard. Well, I'll show him," I state, stomping off with Clyde.

I don't know how I'm really going to go about doing that. It isn't like I can just abandon Clyde to fend for himself. He's just a baby after all.

I settle in front of my laptop and start cruising around websites with Clyde in my lap. I have a plan formulating, but I have other business to tend with now.

"Nothing says showing Ben like buying a puppy palace and a year's supply of doggy breath mints," Sebastian says right next to my ear.

"No one said I was going to show him right this second and Clyde needs supplies," I fume, and continue with my purchases. Once done, I feel better about seeing to Demon Dog's needs. I'll show them all what a great mother I could be, even if I still refuse to have my own children.

Clyde seems happy about my decisions, too. As far as I can tell anyway. He isn't growling at anyone, just observing. He's probably chronicling who'd be the easiest to take down amongst the people in the room. Phee would be the obvious choice for him there. We probably better get a move on toughening her up.

"Phee, you ready to go through some tests today so I can monitor your physical acumen?"

"Yes," she says, jumping up and down. "I felt so bad about not being able to help when you were kidnapped."

"That was something that just had to happen. I'm already over it." Well mostly. Once Sebby and I are back on track, I'll be over it. Oh, and gutting the bastard Tommy wouldn't hurt either.

"If you guys want to head down, I'll have your other student brought in," Alex says, taking out his phone.

"Sounds good. Come on, Clyde," I say, taking off his leash.

In the building, I don't think I really need it. My two shadows, Sebastian and Marcus, follow behind us, while Jonas sticks around to talk to Alex. I haven't seen Smitty since we returned, which is probably good, because he has a lot of glares coming his way. Also, it looks like Jake made a pit stop somewhere because he isn't back either.

We arrive at the gym and Phee, being a loopy-headed teenager, spins around marveling at the space. She can't even see the rooms off to the side, one of which holds a huge ass pool, and she's already impressed.

"This is so cool," she claims, still trying to take it all in. I guess I was impressed, at first, but I sincerely hope I didn't act like this. "What do I get to try first?"

Light bulbs are going off in her head and I doubt she knows how to use half of the equipment. She's going to need to have a close eye kept on her so she doesn't hurt herself.

"First, I need to get some results from speed, strength and agility testing to see how to begin your training. There's usually a weapons portion to the test, but we already know what the grades will be." The grades are Fail on all accounts. That's with a big F and little ail, and we aren't talking about the lager version of the word.

"Okay, so what do I do, where do you want me, where can I start, oh look at that machine, can I touch it?" she asks in a rush that's hard to follow.

"If you slow down and wait a second, we're waiting for another student. I want to get you both started on the tests at the same time," I reply, noticing that Clyde has run off and is about to water a set of dumbbells. "Clyde, we only go to the bathroom outside. Don't you even think about marking those as your own, little mister."

He scowls slightly at me, but walks back towards me without doing his business. I'm not ready to take him out on a walk again, so I hope that he was just being silly. Like the adult wolves I spend most of my days around, I'm sure he was just trying to mark his territory. I have to say I'm extremely happy Alex hasn't tried to mark me the same way.

I hear voices from the hall and can smell Alex, Jonas, Jake and a fourth smell that's vaguely familiar and can only be Sam. Good, Phee won't go nuttier from waiting to get started. I was preparing to get some duct tape out and stick her to the ground so I wouldn't have to keep an eye on her.

"You're getting this one chance and a very short leash, mongrel," I hear Alex say, obviously not too happy with the prisoner.

Try to shoot his mate and he gives you no leeway, even if you weren't really aiming for her. Sebastian wasn't much better, spinning his head around and all.

"I understand. I do really want to learn and never stepping foot inside the Collective again sounds like heaven to me," Sam replies in his measly voice. Maybe his voice isn't that bad, but when you have Alex and Sebastian yapping at you all day in their deep, rich timbres, Sam is really lacking.

As they enter, I take stock of the man again. He's just as I remember him. Slightly on the small side for a wolf, probably normal size for a human, he has dull, light blue eyes and somewhat shaggy walnut colored brown hair. To me, he's pretty geeky looking, without a lot of build in his arms, legs or chest.

He may have a little bit more experience than Phee, but I'm essentially going to be teaching two novices. I can just imagine the days ahead, an hour or two with them each day, followed by at least an hour of trying to train Clyde. I hope I can find a case at work to stop myself from going crazy.

I focus back up on Sam's face and realize the rest of the room has gone quiet, other than Clyde's growls at the newcomers. Sam's gaze is intent on something behind me and I can already tell I'm not going to be happy if I turn around. I do it anyway, and see Phee staring back at him with the same dopey expression.

Son of a bitch. I don't know a lot about mates, being defective as I am, but that has to be the look of love at first sight.

These training lessons just got a whole Hell of a lot more difficult.

Chapter 9

Two little love birds sitting in a tree

"Shit," I say under my breath. Trying to train Phee in pseudo combat mode is going to be impossible if Sam gets all hopped up on puppy testosterone at seeing her in danger, even when I'm pulling punches.

Bring me a concrete block now, so I can bang my head against it and concuss myself silly. I think that's my only hope for not totally losing my mind. It seems my mental capacity has been on the line and in question a lot lately.

I take a few calming breaths and wish someone else would speak up. Clyde must have gotten a hold of all their tongues because nothing is happening.

"Okay. Sam this is Phee, Phee this is Sam. You can kiss and make out, or whatever it is normal mates do, after we at least get through your initial tests. When they're over, we'll go over some ground rules and then you are free to frolic in the wilderness," I say, trying to draw them out of the trance.

Neither one of them moves, so I walk over to Phee and shake her. "Josephina, you aren't here to stare at the boy all day. You want to get training remember?"

"What? Oh, training. Yes. That's why I'm here. Lead on, master," she says, shaking her head and blushing lightly.

Why do things like this always have to happen to me? Some days I just wish I could stay in a coma until all the craziness in the world has been eradicated. The only problem with that is I'd have to stay asleep for at least a few millennia. I wouldn't go crazy that way, but I sure as Hell would miss a lot of stuff, and it might actually be good stuff.

With her back on planet earth, I turn to Sam to see he's looking around the room in awe; much like his little girlfriend was five minutes ago. "Nice to see you again, Sam."

"Hi, Slaughter. Thanks for letting me out of my cell for this. I can already tell that I'm going to enjoy your teachings," he replies, glancing sideways at Phee. "I was starting to get a little bored staring at the plain wall all day."

I'm sure my teachings are what he's really thinking about. At least now, I imagine he'll try his hardest in the tests. He has to prove to his mate that he can provide for her and all that crap. The way our brains are wired sometimes disgusts me.

Why can't it be the girl that provides for the guy? I mean, we aren't all just a bunch of pansies. We can hunt and gather on our own. Even when there's all this equality talk, we're still the weaker species that needs protecting. It's a bunch of crap.

Feeling better after my mental purging that I hope nobody noticed, I return to the task at hand. Alex chuckles to himself, so I figure he at least picked up pieces of the rant. Oh well, if he doesn't already know it, he should.

"Okay my students, let's start with some speed testing. I want you to run around the track three times at full speed so I can get your times. Once we have those done, I'll be placing objects in your paths and may have some of the guys help provide distractions while you run around another three times to see how they affect your times," I instruct.

"Phee, I know we were going to do this alone, but I don't want you to be intimidated from doing your best. When I started out in this type of stuff, guys beat me in most of the categories, so don't get discouraged."

Hey, I actually said something halfway nice and caring-like, instead of just screaming, "run" at them.

"No worries, Nyx. I got this one," Phee says, winking at me before taking her place at the starting line.

Good, that's exactly what I want to hear from her. With that attitude, the next hour of her life, which I plan on making Hell, will possibly be livable. Things aren't looking so good for lover boy, who has taken his spot beside her and is having difficulties looking anywhere but at her.

I collect my stopwatch and am ready to get started. "Okay, on my mark," I say, moving to stand directly behind them. "Ready. Set. Go."

Phee takes off and Sam is stuck for about two seconds before he takes off after her. Thinking it's a game Clyde runs off in pursuit. I think about calling him off, but what better way is there for me to find their best times than having a Hellhound chasing after them. After the first lap, Clyde gets bored and returns to my side.

Too bad. They both made a first lap time that's pretty commendable. The second lap looks to start out at the same pace, but I notice a drop in speed as they realize Clyde isn't behind them anymore. Phee is still out in front, but not by far. Sam is working his hardest to catch up. That's it lover boy, you show her what a big, tough man you really are. Sorry, the rant wasn't as over as I thought it was.

By the third lap, they're both starting to drag. They have speed, but they don't have stamina. It's the first thing to go on my mental list of notes for improvements. On my list, I add a Taser, in case I need to separate them sometime in the future. In the end, Phee crosses the finish line at three minutes flat and Sam is right behind ten seconds later.

Not bad for the mile and a half. We should easily be able to get them down to the two and a half minute range, either by working on the stamina or getting Clyde to chase them the whole time.

"That's a good start you two. I'm sure you both noticed you started to lag by the end. That's something we'll need to work on. I'll give you a couple seconds to catch a breath, and then we'll start with the obstacles."

I move to place a few weights and hurdles into their lanes. Collecting our observers, I line them up around the track and give them beanbags to toss at the students as they run by.

"You don't have to toss them every time and I want you to vary when you toss them. You know, throw it when they're coming up on you, right in line with you, and after they pass you. I don't want them to expect the hit," I instruct.

With everything and everyone in place, I head back over to Sam and Phee, who are whispering between themselves. We can all hear them clear as day, so I don't know why they bother. They must want the illusion of privacy. They're going to have to learn to do the mushy stuff on their own time. Around me, it's only going to make me have them run more laps. Lucky for them, this is just a testing session.

"Okay guys, this is going to be a lot tougher. You're going to fall. There's no doubt in my mind. If either of you don't, I'm going to have you skinned to check for robot parts. Agility comes naturally for us in our wolf forms, but it takes hours of work to get it drilled into our human brains.

"This will help me figure out what coordination activities will help you hone your skills. It will be another three laps around and whatever you do, don't get complacent. Each lap will be different, I'll make certain of that. You can take your places," I order.

They both quickly get in their spots and I give the command to go. Out of the gate, they're both looking good. I give Clyde a little glance and see him asleep at my feet with his belly in the air. The humanoids must have bored him to sleep. He's making some cute little snoring sounds.

Looking back at the action on the track, beanbags are being tossed aside, but their speeds have really diminished. Sam is out in front of Phee and, as I was afraid of, he seems to be batting some of the beanbags down that are targeting her.

Stupid testosterone.

Shortly after the start of the second lap, Phee takes a tumble on a hurdle. Wanting to see what's wrong, Sam turns around and is hit in the head by a beanbag Alex throws. It catches him off guard and down he goes.

Good, that will teach him. She isn't in real danger, so he needs to let her do this on her own. He lies there for a second, but Phee is quickly back up and works to complete the lap. They each have another fall, but finish up around the seven-minute mark.

The goal of the exercise is to complete it at the same speed you would without the obstacles. They both have a lot to work on.

"Good job, guys. I can see lessons already forming in my head." They're both panting heavily, lying down on the ground. For me personally, I'd want my instructor to get me up and on to the next test as soon as possible, but I don't think either of them have that mentality. "I'd like to move on to the weights. They'll probably be the last thing we do today, are you guys ready for it?"

Phee immediately bounces up, trying to act chipper and ready for anything, but clearly wishing for a thirty-minute break. "Let's do it," she says, walking to the other side of the gym. Sam, not wanting to be outdone, follows slowly behind her.

"Alex, can you assist?" I ask, skipping along behind them. I bet Sebastian is the strongest of us, but he isn't the same species, so I don't want them to get unrealistic hopes of what they could achieve.

"Right behind you," he replies, getting in line. I point to one of our all-in-one weight machines and he takes a seat while removing his shirt.

I hear a little startled "wow" from Phee. Yeah, my wolfy man leaves you kind of speechless. She better hope Sam doesn't catch her eyes falling out of her skull. He might get a little upset.

"As I hope you both know, Alex is an exceptionally well-trained soldier. It's taken him years to get into the condition he's in now, so don't expect overnight results. Alex, what weight can I set this to?"

"On this, I can do a ton," he says, not surprising me at all. At my size, I can only do about six-fifty on a good day. I adjust the dial for a ton, and then let him do a couple reps to show how the exercise is done.

"Thank you, Alex," I say, tilting my head to indicate he can vacate the seat. "Now that you know what you're going to be doing, I'll set it back down to one hundred pounds. We'll start there and work your way up in intervals of twenty-five to see where you're both at. The final goals for you will be about five hundred for Phee and eight hundred for Sam. I think those are reasonable goals, but only time and training will tell for sure."

After they both have their turns, Phee ends up at one fifty and Sam is at three hundred. Many hours of weight training is added to their hurdle jumping in my mind, just as I expected, but at least now we have goals set and I can come up with ways to get them there while training them how not to get their asses handed to them.

"That's it for today, so if you guys want to head back to Sam's cell to have a little chat, you're free to go," I say, walking over to collect Clyde, who's still snoring.

His little feet are moving like he's chasing something in his dreams. It's kind of cute. I imagine the object he's chasing is Sebastian. They kind of have a thing going on between them.

I was going to go over general rules and regulations, but I think they both understand to do what I say and don't give me any shit about it.

Chapter 10

Don't bring a Hellhound home to meet Daddy

When we get up to the apartment, I lay Clyde on my bed to snuggle in for the night. His little snores are still making me laugh.

It's pretty early, so I want to check my work email and see if there's anything to keep my mind off current events. Finding a few clients who have legitimate kills lined up for me would make my night.

The shadows follow behind and I work hard to put up blinders. It only works so far, because Sebastian is again trying to touch me. He attempts to play with my hair. I'm not amused.

"Calm down," Alex commands through our link. "I don't know what I'd do if our connection just dropped one day, but I could still physically see you. When we lost contact when you were first taken, I pictured you dead for a brief second myself. Then I remembered there's no way someone could take my girl down. You have way too hard of a head."

"I'm trying to let it go. I just wish he wasn't acting so needy. He's stronger than this and he knows I hate being touched," I reply trying to state my case.

Not wanting to continue with the short mental conversation, I switch to vocalizing my desires. "Sebastian, is there anything I can do to make things easier for you that doesn't involve constant touch?"

"Nope. Everything I can think of involves touch," he says, after thinking about it for a second. "Are you hungry or anything? I could make you something to eat."

"I'm still not hungry at all. If anything, I feel a little tingle of hunger for my liquid diet. I don't understand why that would be. I was up to at least a week between feedings," I say, bringing my email up on the screen.

"I'd assume it's because your last feeding was on a person who you didn't share a vampire bond with. Our blood was stronger when we were connected, now that we aren't, you're pretty much back to being a newborn vampire that needs to eat more often. It was yet another thing I was afraid of, and one of the biggest reasons why I want to be with you at all times now."

I quietly question that "all times" comment in my mind. He could leave me right after a feeding and I should be good to go until at least the next day. Even now, it isn't really that bad, I can feel it just starting to ache, if I think about it.

"Any idea on why I'm not craving solid food?"

"I couldn't say. I stopped when the bond was severed, but I'm not part werewolf, so I never expected to keep wanting solid food," Sebby replies, moving to take a seat on the nearest couch.

Air to breathe. I take a big whiff and let it out slowly. Okay that was just a tad over dramatic, I admit. My phone, which someone conveniently has placed on my desk, starts buzzing, bringing me out of my moment. I pick it up to read the text. I'm shocked by not only who it's from, but the fact that it says his name as the sender. Who programmed my father's number in my phone and why haven't I noticed it before?

A HELLHOUND!!! YOU BROUGHT A HELLHOUND HOME WITH YOU!!! OF ALL THE IRRESPONSIBLE THINGS YOU COULD HAVE DONE!!! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LONG TALK ABOUT THIS, LITTLE GIRL!!! YOU ARE LUCKY YOU ARE TOO OLD TO BE GROUNDED!!! I MAY FIND A WAY TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR THIS!!!

It actually makes me laugh. "Daddy isn't too impressed with Clyde, and he hasn't even met him yet," I say to let the others in on the joke. "I'm sure once he does, he'll love him as much as I do.

"Your father is texting you now?" Alex asks.

"They must have put a new cell tower in by the rock," I say, still laughing. "It appears Hellhounds don't even rate an email explaining the dangers of them. They require an immediate text message telling me I'm grounded."

"I don't think anyone was expecting Clyde to join the family," Marcus inserts.

I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure there's a psychic out there somewhere laughing his or her ass off at this development.

"You don't think this new revelation is going to bring him out of hiding early, do you? In his past messages, he seemed to indicate how important it was for him to stay away until my birthday. What he expects to happen then, I have no clue."

"I think only your mother sniffing around would bring him out," Jonas says. "Even if she gets close, we have other options now that we have a demon on our side. I doubt she could find you if you went on a little vacation to Hell."

Not my idea of a dream vacation. What would you even pack for something like that? I might need to stock up on some SPF 1000, just in case they decide that really is a good idea. Ben's dream room isn't too bad or anything, but I imagine it might not be as climate controlled in real life.

"Let's just keep trying to stay under her radar as much as possible. I know that will be tougher with the little guy in tow, but we'll have to do our best," I say, still thinking about what visiting Hell would be like. In the end, I decide it's something I want to avoid.

Email, once again, is mostly spam. How are these things getting through my settings? Only one of the emails looks appealing, and that's just because it doesn't have much to say and it's cryptic.

My favorite combination, sort of like Sebby, before he went batty.

Ms. Slaughter

I would like to meet with you tomorrow in your office at noon. I understand that is early for most of our kind, but I will explain the need for the early hour, if you show up. I'm a bit of a distance away from you so I will be leaving shortly after I send this and I won't be able to check to see if you actually respond.

Suffice it to say I'm really getting desperate and you are getting to be my last hope. Please show up at noon.

Kent Newhouse

I'm not sure I like being people's last hope. It tends to be a familiar saying to me these days. I'm not looking forward to being up that early either, but I wouldn't mind hearing what he has to say. Maybe I'll get to kill someone.

"You know a Kent Newhouse?" I ask Alex. I figure the guy is a werewolf when he says things like "our kind" and is venturing out in the middle of the day.

"The name sounds vaguely familiar. Why?" he asks in return.

"He says he needs my help and wants to meet me tomorrow. I'm his last hope and all that jazz, so I think I want to go check it out."

The fact that he's asking me why means he isn't floating in my head. I wonder if he hit his head on a rock or something. He hasn't exactly been his usually annoying self since I woke up. More evidence leading to the rock theory.

"Isn't he the guy behind Ghost Town?" Jonas asks.

"I think you're right. We've sent enough people there, I should remember something like that," Alex replies without going into further details.

"So, what is Ghost Town?" I ask, trying to get more information. I wonder if it's a place where all dead paranorms gather. That would be really creepy. I have killed enough of them, that if they're floating around a town somewhere, I'll be taking a giant step to avoid getting close.

"Kent can tell you more about it tomorrow. He's pretty much the founder. We've sent some people there when they need to go into hiding. I've never been there myself, so I can't give much background information."

"Can I find more information about it online? I'd like to have some knowledge about it going into the meeting."

"Nope. If you were able to, it wouldn't be a secret town. All I can tell you is, that unless you really need it, you won't be able to find it," Alex says.

"It wouldn't happen to be the secret location of my dad, would it?" I ask, wondering about his little definition. My dad definitely needed a place to hide out and this place is starting to sound perfect.

"No. He'd be hiding somewhere even more under the radar, or over the rainbow, so to speak," Jonas quickly says.

Interesting. I do believe Jonas knows exactly where Daddy is, and I'd lay odds on him being the one who sends him up-to-the-minute messages. I file away that little tidbit of information to use against him later. I find it a little surprising, because I always thought Jonas said he hadn't met my father, even though his family has always been loyal. I think he's trying to confuse me.

"Okay. So, we're all good with me meeting this guy tomorrow at noon?"

"I'd prefer it not to be day hours, but yes that should be fine. Right, Sebastian?" Alex asks.

"Yeah, I can tag along. Will both wolves be available?"

"With you being there, I was hoping to only send Jonas. I need Jake for a little side mission," Alex replies. I forgot that I was supposed to be pissed at him for neglecting to tell us about Jake's last mission.

"You have another bitch you want him to seduce?" I ask harshly.

"No, it isn't even business related. I need him to run a personal errand for me."

I don't believe him for a second, but without digging through his dirty mind, I doubt I'll get the truth out of him. "Would it have been so bad if you told us ahead of time tonight that Jake was undercover?"

"That was probably an oversight on my part. I was interested to see how you'd react, though. Whether you went straight in guns a blazing or were calm enough to get all the facts before blowing people's brains out. In case you're wondering, you passed the test."

"I'm so pleased," I say tartly while I close the laptop. "If we have to get up early tomorrow, we better get to bed." I stand and make my way over to Sebastian. "Come on, big boy. I'm guessing we're sharing again tonight." I grab his arm and pull him from the couch.

"Good night, Nyx. I hope you sleep well," Alex says from the opposite couch. No crazy innuendos or demands that I dream of him.

Both of my men's brains have been shipped off to planet Cuckoo and I'd really like to get them back. A sedate, needy Sebastian and a calm, businesslike Alex are just wrong in my book.

Chapter 11

Sugar and spice and a whole cup of vinegar

Déjà vu hits hard the next morning when the alarm wakes me up. Sebastian is wrapped around me and Clyde is nipping at him, trying to remove his hand. I thought the two had made some progress, evidently not.

"Clyde, calm down. Mommy will get up and take you for a walk in just a second," I say rolling over to give Sebastian a quick peck. "Good morning, sunshine."

"Hey, love. When was Clyde's new puppy bed supposed to be arriving?"

"I clicked next day shipping, so sometime today," I reply, rolling back over and setting Demon Dog on the floor so I can get up. "I'm going to take a quick shower. It's greatly needed."

"What are we supposed to do with him while you're in there?" he asks, shifting to climb out of bed.

'Him' has wandered into my closet and I can see him playing with one of my boots. "Clyde, you're already working my patience and I haven't even sharpened my knives yet this morning." He huffs and follows me into the bathroom. "I think he's hanging with me. I won't be too long, but I need to get this funk off of me."

"I know you still won't let me join, so I'm going to use one of the spare baths to get ready. If I get done before you, I'll get some food ready for your babykins."

"Thanks. That's a big help." He's acting almost normal. I'm not holding my breath that it will last. He probably spent the whole night staring all creepy-like at me. "Come on, Clyde."

I take a quick shower, but I spend a lot of time scrubbing. I'm sure I lose at least two layers of skin in the process. Sebastian will have a whole new set of skin cells to touch today.

When I step out of the shower to grab my towel, Clyde is missing. I hope he's found his steaks and isn't causing mischief. I pause in front of the mirror and wrap a towel around my hair, hoping to get it to dry a little before we leave.

I walk back into the bedroom proper and head towards the closet to get my outfit for the day.

"Look, Mommy is all done with her shower, now she can play with you," the most annoying demon in the world says to my Clyde.

"Do you ever think of calling, or at least knocking before you show up somewhere?" I ask, choosing to just generally ignore him and get dressed, which I do.

"Come on, Buttercup. I told you when I gave you this little tyke I'd stop in to make sure you were getting along. He seems to be really happy with his new mommy."

"Why do you keep calling me Buttercup?" I ask, pulling on my shirt. "Does anything about me say buttercup? Really, it's too sweet of a nickname for someone like me."

"You're so full of sass and vinegar that I decided you needed a little something sweet about you."

"Don't expect it to rub off on my personality," I respond, grabbing my weapons for the day.

I'm carrying my full contingency for this meeting. I doubt this Kent guy is looking to hire me for my good looks. I left escort off my list of services for a very good reason; mainly no one would confuse me for just a piece of arm candy.

"No, you'll always be your prickly self. So, what do you call your new pet?" Ben asks.

"You mean he hasn't told you?" I ask, reappearing and taking Clyde from him. Don't want Clyde to get used to having the demon around.

"Don't be silly. He doesn't speak to me now that you're his mistress. He only directly connects with one owner at a time," Ben says, standing up next to the bed.

"Clyde doesn't speak to me," I say, leaving the room to head for the kitchen. I don't see Marcus anywhere, so that must mean he does actually get to rest at some point. Jonas is lounging on the couch waiting for direction.

"He should be speaking to you. He must be waiting for something. He's behaving himself, right? Did you give him some of your blood yet?"

"He's still learning and you could've warned me about him breathing fire. I'm lucky my hair hasn't all been singed off. And what the fuck do you mean, have I given him any blood? Why would I do something like that?"

"For a master to connect with their Hellhound it's well-known that you have to feed him a little bit of your own blood," Ben says like it's common sense. Yeah, maybe common sense for someone who has spent his or her life in Hell.

"I don't see that happening anytime soon. Why didn't you provide a manual with him, if there are all these hidden things I need to know? Thanks, Sebastian," I say, putting Clyde down by the plate Sebby has prepared and set on the floor. "We have a guest, in case you didn't notice."

"Kind of hard to miss, love. He's standing right behind you." Sebastian moves closer to me and wraps his arms around my stomach. "Did you come to tell us more about whatever ritual we need to do to secure our bond? I know there's more to it than what you've described to Nyx."

"You've been around the block haven't you, fangy one. Rest assured the two parts I've already said are needed, if there's anything else you need to know, I'll ensure you're made aware in time," Ben explains pretty much absolutely nothing.

Wanting to be ready to go once Ben is done saying or doing whatever he came to do, I take the towel off my head and toss it on the counter. Having no brush handy, I just use my fingers to comb it out a little.

"I'd watch your supposed insults," Sebastian says. "I wouldn't doubt if your true form included some fangs. I don't know if you've noticed, but love here has them, too."

"All true statements. None of which will change my little nicknames for you. Buttercup, it looks like Clyde needs to go out. I'll leave you guys to that. Call if you need any help with him. It looks like you have everything under control here, so I won't hold my breath waiting for the call. Oh and grueker-tilnay," he says before disappearing. At least, that's what it sounded like to me. It's probably spelled totally different and has those two little dot things above all the letters.

He really needs to learn how to use doors. "That last bit was even less like English than what he usually speaks," I say, finding Clyde's rope where I left it yesterday and wrapping it around him now that he's finished his food.

"That's because it wasn't English. I'm hoping it's a hint to the incantation that needs to be said when we reconnect. It means unbreakable bond in a very old language."

"And does that have a meaning as it applies to us?" I ask him. "Come on, Jonas, we're leaving."

We gather in the elevator and head down before Sebastian continues the conversation. "I think it gives me a starting point to look. It may be the whole incantation, or just something I can reference in a search. While you're meeting with your client, I'll start going through the texts that I have digitized on my phone."

It must have taken someone a long time to do that. I've seen the physical versions of his ancient texts, and let's just say, some of them are full sets of encyclopedias thick. He must have had his minions working overtime.

On a side note, it's nice that he's going to have something to do during the meeting. I wasn't looking forward to meeting this Kent guy and having to introduce myself and my conjoined twin. Then I'd have to explain how since Sebastian is older by centuries, he somehow grew me over the years.

Now that would make an interesting icebreaker.

Because Clyde needs to take care of his business, we decide to just walk to ParaNorm, Inc. It's fun to watch Demon Dog make his way around. He's at the point in his development where his head is still just a little too large for his body and it kind of has a mind of its own.

I'm really going to have to do something with the lack of places for him to roam. Maybe I'll start a committee to build a new dog park. Hold on. I can't stop laughing in my head about the idea of me actually being on a committee. Just another second. Okay, that's better.

My thought should've been more along the lines of me threatening one of my minions to get on a committee for the cause. Although now that I think about it, Clyde is going to be the only dog, so it should be a committee to build 'Clyde's Dog Park'.

It has a catchy ring to it.

"I just wanted to bring up something that I don't think anyone else has mentioned," Jonas says from behind us.

"Jonas, you know they tend to treat me like a mushroom most of the time, so I doubt I'll have heard whatever is on your mind," I reply, pausing while Clyde waters the side of a building. Hmm. I guess I won't be doing business there anytime soon, judging by the glares I'm getting from the owners inside.

"Not long after you woke up, your usual scent changed a bit so you don't smell very wolfy anymore."

"Really?" I ask, raising my wrist to my nose trying to pick up anything. Of course, it doesn't work. I wonder if that's why Alex is being a bit standoffish.

"We probably should've brought that up. We don't believe it's permanent. When we first started picking it up we thought it was a side effect of the drugs in your system, but then we remembered it happened quite a while after you came to," Sebastian explains. "I can't remember the exact moment I noticed it. It was sometime over the last couple days, though.

"Don't you think it odd that the part of me that had the bond disengaged is now taking over? I think that should've been something someone brought up before I went out in the sun. I don't crave solid food anymore and I smell more vampirish, which could lead to troubles with the ultraviolet rays beating down on my head."

"I didn't want to start any big philosophical debates or anything," Jonas says. "I just wanted to make sure you knew in case Kent says something about it. I know how cranky you get when something blindsides you."

"Thanks, Jonas. You're right. Man bits would have been threatened if I wasn't told. I just thought it could've been something mentioned while we were discussing my need to feed more and lack of appetite for steak last night."

"Valid points as usual, love," Sebastian states. That's it. That's my big apology for allowing me to walk out into the daylight and potentially sizzle like a sausage link on a hot stove.

I'm telling you, sometimes men make me think of starting my own colony on a faraway planet filled with only women. And maybe dogs. Clyde would have to be allowed to come with me.

For now, I have to put aside thoughts of my future far off land. It's time to get ready to meet the man who has a town full of ghosts.

Chapter 12

Ride 'em cowboy

No one is leaning up against my building waiting for me. I see that as a good thing. It will give me a chance to get settled before dealing with another male who will most likely annoy me. I unlock the door and lead our troops inside.

"You guys can get comfortable out here," I tell the humanoids amongst us before taking Clyde into my office.

I get him situated underneath my desk. There isn't a lot for him to investigate and his head seems to be navigating to the floor more than usual, so hopefully he'll take a little nap during the meeting. I don't want him to scare off a potential client before I have the opportunity to do it myself.

I still have a few minutes before noon, so I boot up the computer and decide to try to do a search on Kent Newhouse. I was told I wouldn't find anything about the town itself, but I should be able to look up something about the man.

After ten minutes, I don't believe the man even exists. There's nothing about him anywhere. How can that even be? His name must be some kind of alias he uses to protect himself. That may be why Alex didn't immediately recognize the name. He said he has sent people to the man, so I have to guess he knows the man by another name. I think I should have asked more questions last night.

Just as I come to that conclusion, the front door opens. Having a clear viewing path to it, I see a tall man, about Alex's height, enter my building. I work hard to not start laughing audibly, but I can't control it mentally.

The man who walks in is in jeans and a dark blue button down, full sleeve shirt. Those are about the only parts of him that are normal. I shouldn't say that, in general, his physical features are normal; it's his accessories that have me close to my first ever giggle fit.

Picture one of those old-time sheriffs, the kind from the Old West who are half outlaw, half cowboy. Got it in your mind? Well, I don't even have to think about it because it's standing right in front of me.

It's taking all of my willpower, which I have to be running short on as much as I've been using it lately, not to run and look out the front window for this guy's horse.

Kent, assuming that's who this is, comes equipped with gun belt, ten-gallon hat and cowboy boots featuring spurs. The latter is what has me really looking for a horse.

It would be the first one I've seen in person and I'm kind of excited to see one up close and personal. I'm sure I won't get to see one now, because he's probably just come from a very odd costume party that took place in the middle of the day.

"Kent, good to see you again," Jonas says, standing to shake the man's hand and affirming the identity of the person occupying my lobby.

"Jonas," he says, nodding his head in greeting. "I heard you moved back to Night Owl, but didn't exactly expect to run into you here, or find you in such odd company." I'm sure he's referring to Sebastian, and I'm also sure Sebastian is ignoring him.

Vampires and wolves have way too many issues trying to get along. I'm lucky my group has figured out a way to communicate between themselves without killing each other. These days Sebastian and Jonas act like old chums, but they weren't that way when they were first told they'd be spending time together. Part of it might have been the way Jonas treated me like the deadliest plague on the planet, but the differences between species played the biggest part.

"You're fixing to meet with my current charge, so if you have a job for her, you'll most likely be seeing me quite a bit," Jonas informs him.

"Really? Alex has changed his guard?" Kent asks.

Evidently, Ghost Town isn't up-to-date on the latest gossip, or maybe they only get half of the story. He did seem to know Jonas had moved.

"Not really. He just wants his most prized possession protected. They tend to be together often these days, so I get to watch over both of them."

"Prized possession?" Jonas is looking for trouble.

"Obviously I knew Slaughter parted ways with the Collective, but I hadn't heard she'd taken up with Alex." This guy does know I'm sitting right here, doesn't he?

"If you haven't heard that bit of news, you're way behind. I should probably introduce you to Sebastian here," Jonas says.

"The Sebastian. That explains what a vamp is doing out this time of the day. I can tell there are two in the building, but since the other one isn't out here, I figured they were hiding out from the sun." He must have an extra good nose on him, because most werewolves wouldn't have been able to smell me just like that.

"Yeah, well, as you can see he's very busy with his task right now. You should probably go back and talk to Nyx anyway. I'm surprised we haven't seen weapons flying through the doorway. She isn't one known for her patience." Jonas describes me to a T. "On a side note, if you haven't noticed Sebastian is kind of in a mood right now, so don't touch Nyx. Even if she initiates contact, which is doubtful, don't touch her."

I wonder if everyone has been warned that over the past day or so. I can't remember even Alex touching me in that stretch of time. I'm sure he did, but I don't remember it. I do remember me touching Marcus, but Sebastian had already beaten him to a pulp.

"If I'm touched, he won't have to worry about Sebastian kicking the shit out of him. You know I like to give castrations for that offense, and I don't delegate that enjoyable task," I say, bringing their attention to me. "If you guys are done catching up, I'd like to get this meeting started."

"Sorry 'bout that, Ms. Slaughter," Kent says, taking on a cowboy twang he didn't seem to have in the last five minutes.

"No worries, Mr. Newhouse. I'm sure Jonas doesn't have a whole lot of friends, so any conversations not revolving around me are probably a pleasant break for him. Sadly for him, all conversations eventually turn to me." Demon Dog starts growling softly by my feet. He must have smelled a new werewolf he could try to dominate. "Please take a seat," I instruct Kent without standing up. He places some papers on the desk in front of him.

"Don't mind if I do and please don't be offended when I say this, but why the fuck do you smell like a vampire?"

Jonas gets a gold star today for cluing me in that this might happen. I take measure of the close up version of Kent Newhouse. He's still ridiculously silly looking in his get up. He's taken off his hat now that he's sitting with a "lady" and he has a very bad case of hat hair. He should probably think about cutting the golden locks a bit shorter. That might help with the flattened look.

"What were you expecting to find when you came to visit me today?" I ask, holding his gaze.

"Sure not what I've found, so far. You have Jonas and a vampire getting all cozy in the waiting area out there and in here, where I'm expecting to find the werewolf I've heard about, I find something that sure the heck smells like vamp. And what the fuck is that growling? Is someone hungry or do you have a little baby werewolf in here somewhere?"

It's nice to know he won't find my own language offensive. Wanting to shock him and see his astonishment on the growling front, I bend down and pick up Clyde.

"The growling is from my little puppy here. Isn't he just the cutest thing?" I ask while setting Clyde down on a semi clean part of my desk. Clyde continues to growl and lets out a couple yips to show just what a big dog he is.

"You're in the possession of a Hellhound," Kent says in shock. "I've heard a lot of crazy stories about you, but this was never mentioned." From what I've heard so far, he's a bit behind on the crazy stories.

"Clyde is a new member to my family. As you can see, he's still learning his manners. Something you should probably consider if you're coming here wanting me to help you," I say, giving him a glare as I settle Clyde back down at my feet. "You stay there and be good." Clyde wrinkles his little nose at me, but ends up curled in a ball.

"You're correct, ma'am. I haven't been on my best behavior, but I blame it on all the shocks I received after walking in your door." He slips into his cowboy accent again and I have a feeling it's going to bug me if he keeps insisting on using it off and on in the conversation. It doesn't even sound very authentic.

"Yes, well, weird and odd kind of define my life. Until I know you better, I think it best we don't actually delve into my life story. Nothing in it will change my ability to help you with whatever you have troubling you."

"I expect it wouldn't, unless you have an issue with the sun," he says almost like he's fishing for more information. I would've hoped in the last five minutes he'd know better.

"The sun is, and has always been, my friend, as far as not being toasted by it. I do prefer darkness, though."

"Don't we all," he says with a sigh. "Since you hang with Jonas, he may have already mentioned my stomping grounds."

"Ghost Town. Very original name," I state, picking up my mini slinky to keep my hands busy while he gets on with it. It seems most of my meetings give me a lot of slinky time. It stops me from grabbing weapons off the wall and practicing my juggling technique.

"Yes, Ghost Town. The town you can't find unless you really need it. I came across it twenty years ago when I was on the run from a Collective agent. One second the asshole was right behind me, the next I was in a fully functional town with no people to tend it. I was the first person there and I set myself up as the mayor."

I glance at his outfit giving him a questioning look. "The sheriff gig came later, when more people showed up. There are times when we need a little law and order. Every year I get a handful, or two, of new citizens in my little town. Things work out well for us. Crime rate is pretty low, well until recently it was anyway."

There are so many questions floating through my mind. Do goods just appear or do they have someone go into a real town to buy things? If he was on the run from the Collective, is he a criminal or one of those who are just in the way? How is it that this place even exists? And of course, does he have a horse? I think all roads lead back to that last question.

"I imagine I only have answers for about half of those questions," he states, picking up where my mind is going. "Not many outsiders know about Ghost Town. Some people in the resistance, like Jonas and Alex, are aware because they get a hold of me from time to time wondering where to send people to look for asylum. The town doesn't always let everyone in, but we can give them a general place to look."

To me it sounds like a strange oasis out there. "What's going wrong that brings you to my door?" I ask.

"I have a murder spree on my hands and I have no clue how it's even possible," he replies.

Oh goodie. Murderer equals death by Nyx. I think I'm starting to enjoy this little meeting.

Chapter 13

A chapter full of questions

"You know, the easiest way to get on my good side is leading with you got someone you want me to kill," I tell him honestly. "We could've gotten right by our little pissing contest a lot quicker if those were the first words out of your mouth."

"I'll keep that in mind if we have further meetings," he says while he takes a look around my office. Other than the great wall of weaponry and invisible glyphs, there isn't much to look at. Basically, he's staring at my weapons.

"So, tell me about the murders," I say, putting down the slinky and grabbing my phone to take notes.

"They started two weeks ago. A young werewolf who hadn't been in the community for too long was found skinned. She'd just found us the month before the incident. When we found her body, she was still alive, but in the end didn't make it. Between the amount of time it would've taken to regrow her skin and the life she had before she joined us, we think she just gave up. I don't know all the details about her outside life, but she did indicate having issues with males in general.

"We're stumped on who in the community could've done something like this. We're all running from something, but none of us are violent. If someone is violent, they sure hide it well. Anyway, since the first we've found two other women left in this condition. One of them is still alive. The other, we aren't really sure what happened to her. The doctor had her sedated and when someone went to check on her one day she was gone."

Skinning is a really nasty hobby, but I've had the pleasure of killing at least one sick fuck who picked the hobby up. What drives them to do what they do is lost on me, but I have no problem avenging their victims.

"As you can imagine, I have lots of questions," I say, finishing typing in his general synopsis of the situation. "First, is there any link between the victims? Did they know each other well, did they eat at the same deli, did they have similar characteristics?"

"They were all women between twenty and thirty. First victim had just turned twenty, second was twenty-three, and the last was twenty-eight. Other than being that close in age, there are no connections that I can find. They were two brunettes and a blonde, eye color all different. Physical sizes varied enough that I don't think stature was the driving force behind the choosing of each girl," he says, consulting his notes. His are of the pen and paper variety.

"Okay, so getting a victim profile is going to be a little difficult. With that established, let me get the nasty question out of the way. Where is the skin?"

"It hasn't been recovered. If we could've found it, we might have tried grafting it back on the one who's since passed in hopes she would've fought a bit harder to survive."

"I figured as much, but I had to ask. Have you been able to determine the weapon used from what's left?"

Just thinking about having to study a skinless body makes me a little queasy. It isn't so much from the visual. I've seen way too many nasty things in my life to let that bother me. My problem is imagining the pain the person must have gone through to have the skin removed. It's one of the ways I refuse to die. I'll figure out a way to kill myself before allowing someone to skin me.

"Best I can tell, since I don't have a lot of technology and such in my neck of the woods, is that it was an everyday filet knife. I didn't really have to look at the bodies for the information, though. The one witness we have says that's what she saw being used."

"You have a witness who's talking and she saw the weapon? Why isn't she directing you to the person doing the crimes?"

"Her memory of it isn't that great. She's told me very little, but seems adamant on the weapon used. How she's even able to talk astounds me every time I've met with her," he explains.

"What about the victim who's now missing, were you able to talk with her?"

"She hadn't come off of sedation, so no. We only have the one witness that we can try to find more information from," he says, leaning back in his seat.

"What time frame are we looking at? Who was found when?"

"That part is at least following a pattern. So far, it's five days between each found body, starting with the first one two weeks back. The missing woman was the middle victim and the last one we found four days ago."

"Meaning you're expecting a new one tomorrow?" I think he should've contacted me just a bit sooner, especially if it takes hours to get to his town. It doesn't leave me a lot of time to stop this.

"As long as his pattern holds," he says, agreeing with my assessment.

"And the most recent victim is conscious, but the one taken days before her wasn't? When did the missing one vanish into thin air?"

"Sheila went missing the night we found Debra. We were preoccupied trying to see to her needs. When someone went to check on Sheila, she was just gone. As far as Debra being conscious, she has more or less the same wounds, but the severity of hers were less than the others, I guess," he says.

"And just to clarify, for my notes, I'm going on the assumption that these are full body skinnings, correct?"

"Yes. Betty, the first girl, had her ears removed as well. The other two still had theirs attached and in one piece. It's almost like he tried to remove the skin from Betty's and failed, so he didn't bother on the other two."

Yuck. This guy must be a real winner. "Did anyone notice the women missing before they turned up in their new clothing?"

"No one remembers specifically seeing them, but that isn't unusual, as a lot of people tend to keep to themselves."

"Just how many people call Ghost Town home?"

"At last count, minus the recently departed, one hundred and twenty three, so not many people and the majority of those people are extremely wary of others, especially outsiders. I don't know how much you'll actually be able to help because of that fact."

"Are you all wolves, or even paranorms for that matter?"

"Mostly wolves. We have about a dozen witches and I think three vamps. Not an extremely diverse population."

"Out of curiosity, what's the male to female ratio?"

"Pretty even. Females probably have the advantage, sixty to forty."

"And in your investigation, no one has stuck out as a possible culprit? There isn't someone you're leaning towards and you just want me to come in and confirm?"

"No. I can't find any evidence. No scents or prints left on the bodies that I can detect. I've checked a few times and still come up with nothing."

"Where have the bodies been found?"

"Just inside the entrance to the town. It's like they went out and someone threw them back in. It's pretty isolated around the entrance on the outside and I didn't see any tracks leading to it. An outsider wouldn't be able to find the entrance," he explains.

The idea of them being tossed back inside means an outsider could be involved, but would have to be working with someone on the inside. "Are there any townies who have moved back into reality?"

"Yeah. Some people have come through just needing a respite from short-term pressures. Why some people are let in and others aren't, no one knows for sure, but we aren't held there indefinitely. In fact, most get bored after a while and will venture into the outside world. Some come back, others don't."

"If you're with someone who knows the secret, you can get in, right? I mean that is the only way I'm going to be able to come do a further investigation."

"Yes, if I show you where to step, you'll get in. We've had a few people join the town that way."

"What about kids. Does the town have any rugrats running around?" I ask. I'm not looking forward to visiting this town, but I don't think I have much choice.

"There are probably less than a dozen. I think the youngest is five. Are you about done for now? I'd really like us to head back. At last count no one was missing, but I'd like to do another check to see if anyone has been taken before tomorrow," he says, starting to fidget.

I check the clock and see that it's only one. If we take the Suburban, I'll only need to grab some clothes. Hmm.

"Sebby, how soon before Marcus can travel? I imagine you want him to come too," I yell unnecessarily.

"The UV will probably be too high for him until three. Even then, if we leave before him, flying to catch up may be an issue. We've been testing some spray on protection that might help."

In a town of one hundred where everyone is a suspect, I'm going to have to do a lot of interviewing. If we hope to stop the next skinning, I don't have a lot of time to waste.

"I think he's going to need to catch up later. How about you two? How long do you need to get ready?"

"You know me, Princess. I'm ready at a moment's notice," Jonas replies.

"I'd just need five minutes to throw some things in a bag, love. If Clyde's stuff has arrived, we might want to grab some of it. I don't know how well he travels, but maybe having some chews or something will keep him preoccupied."

Having a real collar and leash for him might be handy. Speaking of the devil, I glance down since I haven't heard from him in a while and find him passed out.

"Do you normally travel with all these people?" Kent asks.

"At least. Clyde is new, like I mentioned, but normally I have a couple guards nearby just for bathroom breaks."

"I was under the impression you were this kick ass assassin who could take care of yourself."

"Really? So was I. Maybe you can convince Alex and Sebastian the guards aren't necessary. I think I've been without them maybe three times in the last month. One of those times I had Alex with me, so it doesn't really count."

"Princess, I don't think this is a good time to be bringing those facts up," Jonas says warningly from the other room.

Before I can ask why the Hell not, Sebastian appears in the doorway. "You know better than to try my patience today, love. The guards are permanent. The fact that you were kidnapped just days ago, proves they're there for a reason."

"I know. I know. You're coming in loud and clear. I just miss the days of peeing without five sets of ears listening in. Why don't we head back to base and get everything ready? I'd like to be on the road within an hour," I say, standing up.

Kent does the same and stares down at me from his mile high stature. He blinks and shakes his head. At least he's smart enough not to open his mouth.

"I know I'm short. The sooner you get over it, the sooner world peace will be granted," I say, not caring if it makes a lick of sense. My mind is on the case and I have more important things to do than make sense.

Chapter 14

Every puppy needs a pair of floaties

Okay, so, I was really joking about the whole horse thing, but sure enough tied up outside my building is a beautiful brown horse. I know nothing about them, since like most animals they're scarce around these parts. I'm shocked to see that it isn't skittish around the wolves stopping to take a look.

I think Clyde is sure of his dominance in this case, because he doesn't even bother growling at the horse. Everyone else walking down the street he puts in his or her place, though.

Even with the whole lack of general horse knowledge, I know that he or she isn't going to travel as fast as my Suburban, and the Suburban ain't going to be going slow.

"Do we happen to have a horse trailer we can get our hands on?" I ask, not caring who answers.

"We have a trailer that could work," Sebastian answers. He's by my side, once again holding my hand. "It's a few years old and a spare for the arena so if it gets messed up, no one will mind."

"If they do, I'm sure you can change their minds. Kent, you okay riding with us once we pick up our vehicle and bags?"

"Sure. It's been over a decade since I've been in a vehicle, but I'm sure not much has changed. It's not like I'd be driving. If that were the case, we may be in trouble."

Sebastian takes out his phone to make the call to have the trailer delivered. With him barking out the commands, the trailer might beat us home.

"Okay, why don't you mount up? We're only a few blocks away and are walking."

I wonder if people have started videotaping my trips down Main Street. There's probably a special website out there somewhere for my crazy antics. My walking with a horse will be the talk of the town for at least a day.

Kent climbs on top of his horse and trots it around in a circle. "I take it you're used to the stares?" he asks, stepping in line beside us as we start home.

"It's just another day in my life. I think even Jonas has gotten used to it at this point," I reply.

"With you as a charge, I've learned to be very adaptable," he says, trying to be diplomatic.

"Sadly, there are some things you can't adapt to," I say smiling, thinking of my wings.

"Well, if you're naughty, I will just run and tell Alex so he can deal with you," he responds.

"And we all know how good he is about disciplining me. He isn't very good about sending me to bed without dinner." The guy doesn't like pain, and he can feel my pain through our bond, so spanking me for being naughty is right out. No matter how many times he threatens it.

"So, what exactly are your relationships?" Kent asks. "I hear and sense some very confusing things. I get Jonas is a guard, but I'm not sure what Alex is to you. You also have a vampire next to you that seems to be touchy."

"Here's a quick rundown. Jonas, Jake, Smitty, and Marcus are my guards. You could probably throw Clyde in with them. Although, there are rumors he's supposed to be a practice child for me. I'm pretty sure any baby I have won't be as cute as he is. Moving on, Sebastian is the love of my life and Alex is my mate," I inform him.

"Technically, Sebastian is my mate too, but I prefer love of my life." I'm hoping the bonded mate thing will be true again within the next couple of days. Sebby squeezes my hand letting me know he likes my summation.

"You have a vampire and a werewolf mate," Kent states, trying to work it out in his head.

Now there's a website for me to launch. Pictures of the faces people make when they hear I have two mates. Not a lot of people know it for a certainty, but the ones who do always have this weird look on their face, like I just laid out all the principles of nuclear fission or something. Of course, I don't know a thing about nuclear fission or if it even has principles, but it does have nuclear in it, so I'm sure it's awesome.

That's enough of my mental vacation. I have a conversation I'm supposed to be interested in.

"Either that or I'm a big hussy, and judging by the men I've chosen in each faction I'd have to be one stupid hussy. I'm currently a little altered, or so I'm told. Otherwise, you'd be able to smell a stronger scent of wolf on me. I'm what I classify as defective and what others call special."

"You're dual-natured?"

"Sure, we'll go with that." I don't really want to get into the little technicality in his statement with a guy I don't really know. Plus, being tri-natured would probably blow his mind.

"For this case, smelling more wolfy would've been better, but we'll have to deal with the issue as it comes up."

"Just think about it, a whole three people in your town might be willing to talk to me. That's probably three more people than would usually speak to me by just knowing my reputation alone." By now, we're back at the compound.

Alex may have been listening in, so he'd know I'm planning to leave, but even if he does, I need to tell him face-to-face. It's all part of my plan to be more mature. The plan started a whole five seconds ago.

"So, how are we on clearance?" I know the guys tend to be sticklers about just letting anybody walk into our castle.

"I think Alex would be okay with letting him in, but it's officially Sebastian's place, so it's ultimately his decision," Jonas answers.

"You vouching for him, Jonas?" Sebastian asks.

"He's helped some of our people when we've needed him. I don't think he'll use anything he learns against us. He already knows Princess is a little bit different, and I don't see him finding out all her little secrets within the ten minutes we're in the building."

"Then he can come up. We may need help carrying stuff down anyway. Might as well put him to work."

We make our way upstairs and find piles of boxes in the lobby of my apartment. "Look Clyde, your presents are here." Clyde bounces over to inspect the boxes. Not impressed he starts to lift his leg. "Clyde, what have I told you. We don't potty in the house. Plus, that box is your new puppy palace. When we get home from our trip we'll put it together for you."

"Do you think this is all the deliveries you're expecting?" Alex asks. joining us. I swear the guys never go home. "They've been coming nonstop over the last hour."

When Sebastian first gave me this place to live, I thought it would be a hideaway for me that he would visit occasionally. Now, it's like a big clubhouse for all the guys. The guards have sleeping areas in the apartment proper and Sebastian and Alex both have separate apartments not far, but they only visit them about every other day.

"I can't imagine there would be anything else. As it is, I think I might have gone just a tad overboard," I say, taking another look at all the boxes. Jonas has already started opening them looking for things we might need.

"This box contains swimming floaties and goggles for him," he says, looking at a packing slip. "Did you really think those were necessary?"

"You had to see the picture of them on a puppy. I could just see them on Clyde and we don't want him to drown, do we?" I say, stating my very weak case.

He just shakes his head. In fact, everyone except Sebastian is shaking their head at me. What? Sheesh. It sounded like a good idea at the time.

"You two go get packed. Sebastian should have enough stuff here that he can throw a bag together with you. Kent and I will go through these real quick looking for the leash and collar and anything that would be helpful for a road trip. Hopefully the picture that went with the doggie sleeping pills was just as cute as the one with the floaties," Jonas says, giving up on one box and moving on to another.

"Fine by me. Come on guys," I say, dragging Clyde and Sebastian along. Alex comes with us, which is just what I planned.

I grab a bag from my closet. "Do you want separate bags or can we throw everything in one?"

"I'm fine with sharing. That way my clothes will smell like you," Sebastian says, grabbing things from his drawer. Yes, they both have designated drawers in my room. I had a moment of weakness one day.

"How much do you know?" I ask Alex while grabbing three sets of my favorite tops and pants before weaving to my underwear drawer.

"I heard everything and, of course, do not want you involved and know even just saying that is a waste of breath," he says with a sigh. Well, at least he's learning. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks. "Any idea on how long you'll be gone?"

"I'd love to be able to catch the guy before he skins again, but tomorrow is the deadline and I don't even have the lay of the land yet. It's really hard to say. For sure within six days. I won't let him get two girls under my watch."

All of our stuff is packed. We don't even bother folding anything. I don't know about Sebastian's choices, but mine are wrinkle free, so if they get curled into little balls, it won't matter.

"Do you by any chance think your situation will be taken care of by the time you get back?"

Not immediately knowing what he's talking about, I look at him. He's staring between me and something behind me, which could only be Sebby. Oh, that situation. Sebastian had taken a moment to keep his hands to himself, so I almost forgot.

"I don't know that the opportunity will arise in the middle of a murder investigation. It was implied that we're missing some wording as well. Unless you figured that part out during my meeting," I say, spinning around to catch Sebastian leaning in to smell my hair. I did mention he was going to drive me insane.

"I found some references to the text I think I need to find and have some people working on it. Until we get it, though, I don't think we can do much."

"I can get my people looking, too, if you want. I'd really like to see this bond back together. I never knew how tiring it was for you to be the pillar in this crazy relationship," Alex says, ignoring me and speaking to Sebastian.

"What do you mean pillar?" I ask, curious about his wording.

"As fragile as our little triangle is, one of us guys has to be strong enough to hold us all together. I tend to allow Sebastian to serve that role. He's the oldest and has the most knowledge out of any of us. He rarely becomes impulsive and keeps his head on straight under all levels of stress." That does sound an awful lot like Sebastian and I've always thought of him as my rock.

"I, on the other hand, like to lead my army during the day, but want to come home and let loose. I do things without always thinking them through and have to hope in the end they were the right thing. I like to have fun, take you to fights, taunt you about sex and, just in general, live life to its fullest. With your connection screwed up, I'm forced to try to keep my head on straight and you don't know how hard that is. So, even though, it's weird to have to think about you two sleeping together, I wish you guys would get on with it."

I look over at Sebastian and he just shrugs. Having a guy you're kind of in competition with telling you to hurry up and sleep with his girl is probably a little weird. Oh well. It will happen when it happens.

"I'll do what I can to fulfill your request," I say, smiling back at Alex. "I wonder if Sebastian's dick is solid stone like yours."

"You really are going to get a spanking from me one of these days," Alex says, grinning from ear to ear. "Now get out of here before I break down and make it today."

"Yes, Master," I say, bending down to remove the rope from around Clyde's neck to make room for his new collar. "We'll get of here immediately to steer clear of your wrath."

Chapter 15

Techno what? Oh TechnoJunk

I may be biased and all, but I have to say Clyde looks like a little heartbreaker in his new collar. It has to be the cutest thing I've ever seen, and he knows it. He's developed a little strut to his walk that hasn't been there in the day or two that I've known him. It's making his already too big head even bigger.

"How soon before you have him in a little sweater?" Jonas asks as I try to get Clyde to settle into the big doggy bed I've put in the third row of the Suburban. I think he understands I won't be sitting next to him and is getting a little agitated.

"I'll be right up front. If you get hungry or need to potty, just let me know. You can look out the windows and drool all you want back here." My words don't seem to be making a difference and he turns on the puppy dog eyes. "Fine. You can sit on the floorboard between me and Sebby, but you have to behave." I take him out and walk around to get him resettled.

I can already tell traveling with the tyke won't be fun. He snuggles happily into his new spot and I'm ready to get this show on the road. Well, once I get the holster and back sheath off, I'll be ready.

The guys have been loading the rest of our stuff and the horse. Sebastian takes his place beside me, while I thank the gods I don't have a bench seat. Although, Clyde would serve as a good chaperone in between us. Once Kent and Jonas get in their spots, Jonas directly behind me, Kent next to him, we're really ready to go.

"Why would he need a sweater?" I ask Jonas. picking up on his previous comment. "It isn't like we live in a cool climate. Not only that, but I'm pretty sure he's his own little furnace. The flames have to come from somewhere."

"I know that, but you see human girls all the time with their tiny dogs in sweaters stuffed into a bag they can carry the poor dog in. I figured eventually you were going to get to that point," he comments.

Not even over my dead body is Clyde getting stuffed in a purse. "Rest assured my craziness can only go so far and that's about ten steps past that point." I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror and he gives me a doubtful look. It's just another thing to be added to my list of things to prove to Jonas. I hope that he didn't get a good look in all the boxes. Not that there were any purses, but the floaties probably hurt my standing.

"So Kent, you got some directions? Maybe some coordinates I can log into my GPS?"

"I imagine you know how to get to forty-eight from here. Just follow it when it becomes Highway fifty and I'll tell you where to turn and stop when we get closer," he claims.

"Are we staying in what the humans call West Virginia?" I call it West Virginia too, but the paranorms weren't involved in naming the state. We have so much cooler names for things.

At first, the fact that it took Kent quite a few hours to get to Night Owl City made me wonder on the distance we would have to travel, but he was riding a horse at the time, so any guesses flew out the window.

"Yeah. It's only a couple hours away on the highway. From there, we'll have about fifteen more minutes on some back roads. It isn't far from Tygart Lake, so when you start seeing signs for it, you'll be getting close."

"Sounds good," I say, heading in the direction of the open road. "Why don't we play getting to know Kent on the way? Since I have to work with you on this, I'd prefer knowing a little something about you."

"I'm game, but there might be questions I don't answer."

Well duh. I don't plan on getting to know him that well, just the basics.

"So, what's your real name?" I ask, deciding that's a good starting point.

"And there's a reason why you don't believe it to be Kent Newhouse?" he asks with a little devilry in his voice.

"Just the little fact that I couldn't find you in any of the databases I checked, even the Collective's. You mentioned one of their people was after you, so you should be in the database."

"True and I imagine I am. I was born Nathaniel Rogers, but I wouldn't answer to that name these days."

"And just why was the Collective after your ass?"

"Never have really figured that one out. I'm leaning towards a case of mistaken identity. I'm not inherently a violent person. I just woke up one day and they were after me. If you ever figure out the reason, I'd appreciate being let in on the secret."

"Now that I know your name, I can get into their system and see what they have on you. Where are you from originally?"

"Emerald. I used to run a small tech firm. Nothing fancy, but I made enough to be happy."

"It wouldn't have happened to be called TechnoJunk, would it?" The little clues snap together in my brain and I may be able to help him figure out his dilemma without a computer.

"That would be the one. I take it you've heard of it," he replies.

"Oh yeah, I've heard of it, it was before my time really, but it made big news in Collective scuttlebutt. Since my Collective father was involved, it was a story I heard many times over the years. I didn't know any specific names, but you'd be the one who got away."

This is too good to be true. I'm out of the Collective for a month and I run into the guy Frank could never catch. I should take pictures and send them to him.

"Would you care to share said story? I think after a couple decades someone should clue me in on why I had to run," Kent says, not finding the same humor I am in the situation.

"Sure. It isn't that long of a story. You know the end of it anyway. Frank, my Collective father for those keeping score, ends up staring into space as you disappear right in front of him. It's classic. I was just a whippersnapper at the time, so I can't remember what happened when he got home, but the 'incident' was brought up years later when people wanted to joke around with him."

"I'm well aware of the ending scene. I'm pretty familiar with the middle parts, too. It's the beginning I'm interested in learning," Kent says, still not enjoying the moment.

"Wait. First," I say, giggling like a schoolgirl. No one better be taping this because me giggling does not leave the vehicle. "When you walked past the barrier to your 'Ghost Town' did you turn around and see him standing there?"

"You can see the outside scenery from inside the town, so yes, I saw him. He searched the area for at least a day before giving up."

"Oh how I wish I had a video of that," I say, picturing it in my mind until I hear a throat clear. "Fine. The reason you were targeted is that one of your little developers made a program the Collective didn't like. They wanted to erase anyone who had knowledge of the program."

"It's been awhile, but I can't think of anything we were working on that would've raised any red flags," he replies after thinking to himself for a few seconds.

"I don't know all the specifics, but it was a tracking program, and since it was twenty years ago, I think it was a little before its time. As far as I know, other than you, the rest of the employees have been held in a Collective lab, happily sharing their brains to better equip the Collective. So surprise, they weren't actually going to kill you. The order was for you all to be brought in alive."

"For at least a year after I got away, I tried to think of what they could want with me. I tried to think of anything we could've been doing at TechnoJunk, but we were doing only low-level work. I can't think of anything that would've been considered for tracking."

"I got no answers for you there. For all I know, they were scanning your projects and found something that with a change to one line of code it became interesting to them. There really is no rhyme or reason to the things they do."

"Well, I like to think I'm better off where I'm now. There are some people I wish I could go back and see, but those relationships are long over these days."

He seems a little sad remembering the days long past. His is just another life abruptly altered thanks to the great bunch of men over at the Collective. Luckily for him, he's still breathing. Most of the people they go after don't have that luxury.

"Let's refocus my questions to your current life. Has technology reached Ghost Town? For some reason, I don't expect you to have Internet connection."

How else could he not know about Alex, Sebastian and me making the news? Has he even heard of Social Friend and VideoShare? Why do I keep coming up with more and more questions?

"Inside the bubble that is the town, you won't find a connection. There's a library close by outside town that we use to email and look things up on the Internet."

"That might make doing background checks on the townies a bit difficult," I surmise.

"I think doing backgrounds on anyone would be tough, even if you had an Internet connection planted in your mind. I'm pretty sure I mentioned the folks are real private. Getting one of them to give you a real name isn't very high on my things happening this century list," Kent informs me. It's good to know I'm not the only one who has crazy made up lists.

"Maybe I can scare their identities out of them and then step out of town real quick to run the scans." No, it doesn't make any more sense when I say it out loud. Too bad, it seems I'm going to be working a little blind.

"Hey, this is our turn at the next intersection," Kent instructs. I really wish he would've given me coordinates. I hate backseat drivers.

"You do notice you're having me turn where there isn't actually a road, right?" There aren't even tire tracks where he's pointing. I haven't exactly seen civilization in a while either.

"More people would wander in if it was easily accessible. Trust me, this truck will make it to where we're going. Just make the turn and keep going for about five miles. You may want to take it a little slow."

"And what are we doing with the Suburban when we get there? Can I drive it right down Main Street?" I ask, curious about his little vortex.

"With all the stuff you brought along, just for the Hellhound, we're going to have to try. Plus, leaving it on the outside would draw attention," he says. I think somewhere in there was a dig on me and Clyde. This guy really doesn't want to get on my good side. "Okay, see that tree up ahead?"

"The one that almost looks like it's upside down?" I'd imagine it's the right one, since it's the only fucking one around and it's upside down, making it really peculiar.

"Wait, you see it upside down? Does anyone else see an upside down tree?" he asks.

"I see a normal tree. Looks like an oak," Jonas says.

"I'd agree with it being an oak standing right side up," Sebastian concurs.

Okay. WTF? We're seeing different trees. I don't even think mine is an oak. I don't think I need my eyes checked, but I'm starting to worry.

"For me it's upside down. That's why I ran towards it all those years ago. It was unexpected and odd," Kent says. "It would seem the town wants Slaughter to pay a visit. Only those who see the upside down tree are able to get in on their own."

Great the town wants me. Just what I wanted to hear. If it wants me so bad, maybe it will make its residents cooperate with my investigation. That's not asking too much, is it?

Chapter 16

Welcome to an alternate universe

Before I can even attempt to enter Insanityville, I notice Marcus circling above us. Hmm. Wonder how long he's been tagging along. I stop briefly to collect him. He just hops in, puts his bag with the rest of the cargo and hurries to the back row of seating.

"I'm happy you could join us and glad you did it when you did," I say, having actually forgotten he was supposed to be meeting us. He just shrugs and smiles. I bet he's trying to get a take on the sheriff.

Back to the task at hand, I've decided playing chicken with a tree is a very odd thing. I know good and well that the tree isn't going to move, but Tex in the backseat tells me to drive right into it. I think driving into a tree is going on another list somewhere. If I just stop here, I wonder what would happen. The putting my toes into the water to check the water temperature versus cannonballing into the water sounds like a great method to me right now.

Sadly, my foot and hands disagree with logic and keep us on the path into the tree. I cringe slightly, expecting an impact, who wouldn't, but the impact doesn't come. What does come is definitely a "we aren't in Kansas anymore" moment.

You'd think with the cowboy sheriff in the backseat and the horse in tow, and just in general, the name Ghost Town, I would've been prepared for the scene before me.

You would be wrong.

I don't see any tumbleweeds, but I'm expecting one any second. It's like we just drove back in time and I don't have a DeLorean. I can see a corner saloon occupying the biggest visible building.

We drive by the stables, blacksmith, doctor and a general store. Seriously, I'm not making this up. This is nuts.

I don't see a lot of people around. In fact, I haven't seen another person at all. The crazy skinner person was supposed to be waiting right out front for me. He must not have gotten my email.

"Pull up in front of the jail," Kent says, pointing towards the building closest to the saloon. I guess that makes sense. Don't have to take the drunks far to let them sleep it off.

I do as I'm instructed. "So, are there always this many people out and about?" I ask while I take stock of the "jail," or what he considers one. I wonder if the cells have any special protection to keep the werewolves in.

"I'm hoping people are staying inside to not attract attention to themselves. It's still early and we have no idea when the skinner takes his victims." We start climbing out of the vehicle. Clyde is up and ready for whatever new adventure is in store. I grab his leash and start walking him around a little so he can get familiar with the new place.

"Oh good, that sounds like you're going to be able to kill something this trip," Marcus says in a jovial tone. Being late to the party, I guess he wasn't clued in on all the details.

"You know it's what I live for," I reply. "I forgot to ask during our question and answer period, are all the victims wolves?" I assume they are because of the low percentage of anything else in the town.

"Yup, all wolves," he says, walking to the door for the jail. I'm surprised he actually takes a set of keys out and unlocks it. "I have the first body on ice so you can take a look. Then we can go talk to Deb, see if maybe you can get something else out of her."

As gruesome as I'm sure it is, I was hoping that the body was still available. Every once in a while, dead men do have tales to tell and I'm all for listening to them, if it makes my life easier. They seldom lift their hand and point it in the direction of the killer, but they do tend to hold clues.

We follow Kent into his office. Sebastian has taken his place behind me, placing his hands on both sides of my waist. I think he leaves about a half an inch of space between us as we walk. Insert mental groaning here.

Surprise number one when entering the office is the giant deep freezer. I wasn't expecting either the town to actually have electricity or the body to be on ice right here for my inspection. I thought maybe the doctor would have it embalmed or something over in a morgue.

The second surprise is one I already pondered, but didn't imagine the town of years gone by to actually have. The two cells are standard Collective issue. They look and feel strong enough to hold the rowdiest wolf or vamp. The amount of silver in the bars is tingling the hairs on the back of my neck.

"The cells are unexpected," Sebastian says, verbally acknowledging my thoughts.

"They were a bit of a surprise for me, too," Kent says. "I haven't used them more than once or twice to let someone cool down, but they'd hold just about anything."

"Just to verify, is the body in the freezer or do you have a year's supply of steak on ice?" I ask.

"We don't exactly have a lot of medical provisions here, so yeah the body is in the freezer. Let me grab something we can lay it on," Kent says, walking into another room.

He returns with a large vinyl sheet and goes about placing it on the floor. I look down at Clyde, trying to decide what to do with him while I inspect the body. I pick him up and place him in the chair behind Kent's desk.

"Clyde, mommy needs you to sit here and be a good boy so she can get some work done. Can you do that for me?" I ask, looking into his eyes.

I swear the dog smiles at me. I don't think that's a good thing at all. I'm choosing to believe that means he agrees with my thinking and will stay put.

"Whoever is helping me lift the body out of the freezer will probably want to wear a pair of gloves," Kent says, holding out a pair.

Marcus and Jonas exchange glances before Jonas holds his hand out to take the gloves. "I'll do it," he says, obviously not happy about the idea.

They move over to the freezer and Kent lifts the lid. Jonas looks into it and then looks back at me with a look that clearly states I owe him big time. Yeah, well, add it to my tab.

They each reach in and start to lift the body out. As it makes its way over the lip of the freezer, I can see the horror scene worthy goo of flesh. It's one of those things you have to stare at a long time and maybe tilt your head a little to the left to make out what it is. And let's not get started with sound effects. I'm closing my ears now.

They quickly get her settled onto the tarp and I have a chance to start my perusal. As Kent said, the ears are missing, which helps to make it not look humanoid.

"Can I get a pair of gloves?" I ask. I don't want to, but chances are I'm going to have to touch it.

"They're in the top left drawer of my desk," Kent instructs.

I give Clyde my "you better keep your butt in that chair" look and grab a pair of gloves. Putting them on, they're a bit big, but they'll keep me from touching the nasty flesh with bare skin.

Looking back over at the body, I try to get a feel for how the skin was removed. The hair is missing, so I can't tell if this is the blonde or one of the brunettes. The marks where the knife went into the flesh look inconsistent with the smooth cuts of a filet knife.

"Were the other bodies in this same condition?" I ask.

"They were all missing their skin just like this," Kent says.

"Yeah, but did they all have little marks like this?" I ask, pointing to one of the places the knife left marks. I look back to where the guys are standing and encounter a wall of Sebastian chest.

The touching was bad enough, but for him to be hovering this close over a mangled pile of flesh, is too much. "Do you smell the cloves?" he asks, like there's nothing weird about his closeness.

I'd been trying not to smell just yet because I'd been expecting a putrid smell. At Sebastian's nudging, I open up my sniffer. Surprisingly, there's a strong clove smell coming from the body.

"I haven't smelled any scents from the body," Kent says, coming a little closer, which is good because I want him to looks at the marks.

"Maybe your nose isn't as good as I thought. The cloves are there," I say, wondering what other things he may have missed. "Back to my original question, are these marks on the other bodies?"

"Yeah. They all had those. I figured they were just from the knife cutting into the flesh." As soon as he answers the question, he backs away again.

"And the witness is sure of the filet knife?"

"That's what she said. She seemed pretty adamant about it," he replies.

"Then either she's stupid or was hallucinating. The marks are left by a serrated knife and by the amount of them, and the fact they're over the entire body, I have to believe it was the only knife used."

"I wouldn't call Deb stupid, so maybe she wasn't thinking too straight when she thought she saw a filet knife."

I don't think I can detect anything more on this body, so I'm ready to move on. "You guys want to put her away? I may need to have a look at her again later." I got away with not even having to touch anything. Life is currently good for me.

Jonas and Kent move forward to complete the task. I look over to check on Clyde and he's eying the body as it's moved. Sensing me looking at him, he turns and smiles at me again. I'm starting to think there's something off about that puppy.

"So, is Debra relaxing at the doctor that we passed?" I ask, ready to move on. Betty is safely back in her freezer coffin.

"No, she requested to be moved to her house. We figured she might be more comfortable there. Doc really couldn't have done anything more for her at his place.

"Her body is in the same condition as the one we were just looking at?" I don't care if it's more comfortable. If I'm in that condition, I don't think I want to be at home making my bed all funky.

"She has her ears, but other than that she looks similar. She has a few friends that stop by to keep her company and I check in with her a couple times a day," Kent explains.

"Is she actually up and moving around?" Jonas asks, appalled by the thought, if his voice is any indication.

"I've seen her walking around. She doesn't do it often. The only times I've seen it is when I showed up unexpected."

Now that's an interesting bit of information. I don't know exactly what it means, but it's something I will set aside for later.

"Lead the way, Sheriff," I say, gathering Clyde to follow. I'm very curious to meet a werewolf who was skinned less than five days ago and is actually able to walk around. We may have speedy recovery, but I've never seen anything that good.

Chapter 17

And you think I wanted to come to this town?

The town is small enough that taking the Suburban would be a little ridiculous. Kent does pause to unload his horse, though. We walk it over to the stables where Kent hands him off to someone I'll probably eventually be interviewing. It's nice to see that there's at least one other, not dead, person in the town.

"Deb lives just a block to the west," Kent says, leading the way.

"I've been meaning to ask, where do you get your food from? Clyde and Jonas are going to need to eat."

"Most of the freezers in town aren't full of bodies. A group of us heads out once a month to the closest town and gets what we need. The place I have set up for you guys has plenty of supplies." Good. I'm glad he planned ahead.

There are no paved sidewalks in this town. There are plank walkways lining the front of the buildings. As we make our way down the street, the only thing we can hear is Kent's spurs rattling.

With my good hearing, I was expecting to be able to hear conversations going on, but there's just dead air. It makes the eerie town even creepier.

"This is her," Kent says, turning in front of what looks like a wood shack to me.

Shack may be a little harsh, but it's about the size of my bedroom. The cottage that I stayed in last week looks like a mansion compared to this. The only thing that makes it look lived in is the window box, filled with purple and yellow flowers, bordering the one window.

Kent knocks on the door and turns the knob a little to open it. "Deb, I'm coming in and have some company," he announces, entering the house with us on his tail.

The inside is rather simple. Open room for entertaining with a single couch and coffee table. On the left, there's a semi-modern kitchen with a newer stove and fridge. There isn't enough room for a dining room table.

There's a door opening to a bedroom, judging by the medium size bed that's visible. I see a small movement on the bed and see a red mass shift under the comforter. It's kind of like watching hamburger move around on its own.

"Kent, is that you?" a hoarse voice asks. Clyde does his little growling act to let everyone know he's still there.

"Yeah, Deb. I have some people with me. I'm hoping to catch the guy who did this to you before he strikes again."

"You brought in outsiders to deal with town business," the voice asks, a little bit stronger.

"Well now, where the bodies have been found may indicate it isn't just town business. Nyx here is the only expert I could bring in here without going to the Collective. She has a keen eye for things and has already picked up some things I didn't see. As everyone in town knows, my badge is just honorary because I was the first one here. I don't really know a whole lot about police work," Kent explains.

Speaking of those things I picked up on, the smell of cloves is strong here as well. I'm still too far away to see her body to check for marks, but Kent said they were there, so I believe him.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Debra, but I'd like to ask a few questions," I say, passing the guys and walking into the bedroom.

"Why are you walking a dog?" Debra asks, sitting up some so I can see her face more. I wish she wouldn't have done that. It isn't a pretty sight.

"Because he's my pet. Now, I'm going to start asking some questions and I'd like you to answer as many as you can. First off, do you know what time of day you were taken?" Since we're trying to prevent another victim from meeting this fate that seems like the most important question at the moment.

"I don't remember. I'm having a lot of problems with my memory since the ordeal. I suppose the person who took me might have had something to do with that," she replies. I have a feeling, even injured, she's going to pull the "you aren't one of us" card and clam up.

"So, you don't know if it was a male or female who did this?" I can't see a woman causing this much damage to another woman.

"I don't know for sure," she replies.

"Kent told me you saw the knife being used on you; can you go into any details about it?"

She sighs. I imagine if Kent hadn't told me, she wouldn't even contemplate giving me the details. "I think I did a pretty good job already describing it to Kent, but if you must know, the knife was about a foot long, with a wood handle. It had a smooth blade that tapered in a curve to a thin point."

"Were you awake for the whole procedure?" I ask, trying to be a little delicate. I figure it wouldn't get me too far just yelling "liar" at her. "You actually saw that knife being used to do it?"

"Of course I did, but no I wasn't awake the entire time. After the person got done peeling my right arm off I think I passed out."

"Do you mind if I take a look at your arm. I won't ask to see your whole body. Kent assures me that you have similar wounds to Betty."

"Yeah. Sure," she says, taking out her arm. I see the marks I'm expecting and I'm trying to figure out why she's so confused about the knife that was used.

"Thanks. You've been a big help," I say, allowing her to put her arm back under the covers. "We don't want to keep you, so if you have nothing else to add, we'll leave you for now."

"I've told you all I can remember," she says, looking away.

My group heads out the front while Kent stays behind for a second to see if she needs anything. Either not caring who hears, or not realizing we can still hear her, Debra starts speaking.

"I can't believe you brought her here," she hisses at Kent.

"I couldn't let this happen to another one of us. Betty is for sure gone, you're here like this, and Sheila is only God knows where."

"You don't even know if that guy is going to strike again."

"And you think the guy should just get away with what he's already done?" Kent asks.

"Well, of course not, but we don't need an outsider here digging around."

"I wasn't getting anywhere on my own. I needed to do something. This is supposed to be a sanctuary for people. How safe can they feel with someone like this madman running around?"

"I doubt she'll be able to find anything. The people around here aren't going to tell her shit," Debra seethes. It's pretty bad when even the victim doesn't want me looking into the crime.

"She's still going to be looking around to see if she can figure things out. With me by her side, maybe people will open up a little. Someone will remember seeing something and things will fall into place."

"Well, good luck. Try not to bring her and her posse back here. I'm not really in the mood for company these days."

"I'll see that they attempt to stay away, but she may have more questions," Kent says. "I'll check in with you later. I need to go get the visitors settled."

"See you later, Kent." Debra says as Kent walks out the front door to join us.

"Sorry about that," Kent says. "Let's head back to the office. I have things set up for you to stay in the rooms above the saloon. I didn't know there'd be this many people, but they should have the room. I'm not exactly sure what to do about all your dietary needs." I pick up quickly that he's referring to our liquid dietary needs.

"Marcus?" I ask knowing he's the only one who may have an issue today.

"I'm fine for a day or two. If we're around longer than that, I'll need to leave and come back."

"Just out of curiosity, what do the other vampires here in town do?" I ask Kent as we reach the Suburban. I don't think it'd take more than a couple minutes to walk end to end in this town.

"Like the rest of the town they've paired off with someone to provide their needs," he replies. "You can leave the vehicle here, if you want, and just carry your items across the street."

"Seems reasonable," I say, opening the doors to get my bag. I guess it's actually mine and Sebastian's. I watch as Kent wanders off down the road, leaving us to fend for ourselves.

"I'll get Clyde's stuff," Sebastian says, grabbing his bed and treats. "I wonder if we can actually get him to sleep in this tonight."

"He did fine in the car, so we might be able to convince him it's a good idea," I reply, walking over to the saloon. "Do phones work around here?"

"Not if you're wanting to make calls to your outside world," a deep voice says from inside the saloon. I push through the swinging doors to try to put a face to the voice. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Slaughter."

The man with the voice is standing behind the bar. He has dark tanned skin, no hair, and is the size of a grizzly bear. "I've heard rumors that you may be the only person in this town that has that opinion."

"Well now, people just don't know everything there is to know about you then," the bear answers.

"I know they don't. Is there something you think you know that would make a difference in their mind?"

"Only the fact that you're the future of our kind, even if you're giving off a strong vamp vibe." He's picked up a glass and is wiping it out.

"And why would you be believing something silly like that?" I ask, slightly amused and mostly worried where this conversation is going.

"Why because I'm friends with your daddy, of course," the man smiles with a grin that shows he knows what he just said is going to bug me.

He would be right.

Chapter 18

The friendly bar where everyone knows your name

"Walt, I thought that was you I heard rumbling," Jonas says, entering the building.

"Me, rumble? Surely not. It's good to see you again, Jonas. Even better that Nyx has you hanging out with her." Walt makes his way around the bar to give Jonas a man hug.

If the town wasn't wacky enough, now I know I've entered the Twilight Zone.

"I should be surprised to see you here, but with Aaron off in his hiding place it makes sense that you would need a place to chill for a while," Jonas says, stepping away from the mountain of a man.

"It's been a while. We'll have to catch up later, but I'm sure the girl has questions," Walt says.

"Don't worry about answering anything. She loves it when she feels she's missing a piece to a puzzle," Jonas instructs him, and receives dagger eyes from me.

"Now this is a little bit of a surprise," Walt says, leaning down to get a good look at Clyde. Clyde acts his normal growling self. "I'd heard about the demon you have befriended, for lack of a better term, but I hadn't heard he was giving you little gifts. He's a cute little bugger," he says, giving Clyde a pat on the head. Surprisingly, Clyde stops growling.

"And just where in this little town are you getting news about my life?" I ask very curious. The sheriff didn't seem to know any current events and this guy knows what's going on in my life up to the last few days.

"Your father, of course. He gets bored and we end up having a nice chat every other day or so."

"In a town that doesn't have a phone line to the outside world, you're able to talk to him that often?" That makes a whole lot of zero sense.

"We can't call into your world. That doesn't mean we can't converse with others, but enough about me and your dad. We should get you guys settled in. Nice to see you again as well, Sebastian and Marcus."

Great he knows them too. I'm starting to get a little testy that this all-knowing person hasn't been mentioned to me before.

"Maybe you could answer some questions before we go to our rooms," I say, not wanting to budge without figuring this guy out.

"You'll have plenty of time to hear all of my stories. Right now, you need to stow your things so you can get on with your investigation." He takes off, leading us up a set of stairs.

"Fine," I mutter, dragging Clyde along. I shouldn't say dragging, because Clyde is eagerly trying to catch up with Walt. Turncoat.

Walt takes us down a hallway with a bunch of doors. "These three are for you," he says, indicating a set of doors. "Get settled and come back down, so you can get to interrogating me. About the skinnings," he adds, so I don't get confused on my purpose.

Before I leave, I'm tying him to a chair to question him about my father, but for now I'll focus on finding me a murderer.

The room Sebastian chooses is standard affair for a Wild West hotel room. It has a cute little wooden dresser with a water pitcher and bowl sitting on it. The bed is a bit on the small size, but since Sebastian has become a second skin, we should be able to make do.

Sebby puts Clyde's bed down next to the human bed. Clyde waddles over to it, sniffs it and glares back at me. What? He's been lying in it for hours in the car. How is it any different here in a bedroom?

"That's what I expected to happen. Maybe you should give him your blood like Ben suggested so you can hear just what he thinks of you," Sebastian says, and I know the last part of it's a joke.

"What's wrong with the bed? It's the deluxe model with lots of extra cushion."

"Oh, it's a fine bed. I'm sure Clyde just doesn't think he can protect you as efficiently from the floor. I might go crazy and attack you during the night," Sebastian suggests. Clyde, understanding English perfectly well, growls letting us know he isn't going to stand for it.

"We'll have to deal with it later. I need to find out if there are any people missing and whether anyone in this crazy town can be considered a witness," I say, throwing our bag on the bed and heading back for the stairs. Jonas is standing outside our door waiting. "And you mister are going to have some explaining to do if I read the cards right."

"I figure I got a little time before my inquisition. By then, I should have a great story to tell and all my alibis in place."

We make our way back downstairs and I get a chance to inventory the place. A customary bar set up is what I find. There's a long bar that has a wall of liquor and glasses behind it. Judging by the smell of gun oil coming from the bar area, I'd guess there are two weapons hidden underneath the bar. I deduce Walt likes a little extra firepower, not that he'd probably need it with his size.

Scattered around the room are tables and chairs. There's a little platform with a piano on it and one lone pool table to complete the room. No fancy beer signs or cool lighting, just a place to come have a drink.

"It ain't much, but it keeps me busy, for now," Walt says, drawing my attention back to the bar.

"It's cute. Do you get a lot of customers?" I ask.

"I reckon I get enough. Not everyone in town stops by, but most do. I'm told I'm easy to talk to and my stories keep their minds away from the reasons they're here."

"No one has happened to mention any secret skinning fetishes, have they?"

"Sadly no. We wouldn't have had to call you in if it were that simple."

"So, I'm guessing you aren't going to confess to doing them yourself," I say, finally deciding to take a seat on one of the barstools. It actually makes me a little taller, which is what I was hoping.

"Nope. No luck there. Anyone I've killed over the years, for one, deserved it, and for two, died a lot quicker, less torturous death."

"You knew the victims, right? Anything you know that connects them? The sheriff said they were physically different and didn't spend much time together."

"They've all been known to come in here for a drink or two. Other than the sheriff himself, I can't think of a connection. He's right that they don't look anything alike. They were all wolves, but in this town that isn't exactly a revelation," he says.

"What do you mean they were all connected to the sheriff? He didn't say anything about that."

"He probably wouldn't have thought much about it. We're kind of a small, self-sufficient town here, and we all have natural needs that arise. A lot of the folks have found someone particular for those times. The sheriff hasn't exactly settled down, and it's well-known that each of those girls has spent a bit of time easing his needs," Walt says with a look that says "know what I mean."

Yes, I get it loud and clear. Sheriff Newhouse is a player.

This gives me ideas, but it leads to a woman being behind the mutilations. "So, was there anyone upset about not hooking up with him?"

"Not that I can think of. If a woman isn't already claimed by another man, she has just as much chance of hooking up with the sheriff as any other woman. The town has about seventy women. Of those women, about twenty of them haven't paired with someone to scratch their itch. The rest just kind of share the sheriff, and from what I hear they're getting their own needs met at least once a week."

Wow. Totally didn't get that vibe off Kent. He has to be some kind of beast, because that's like three times a day. I can conjure up a good idea of where he was off to in such a hurry. Sounds like I'm going to have to ask him for a list of the women in his harem.

"I'll look into those women as a starting point. Can you think of any of the men in the town who might be upset about the sheriff's habits?"

"Not that I can think of. Best I can tell, the rest of the men are fine with their chosen and I haven't heard any issues being talked about."

"At least you've given me something. As I meet people, I might have more questions for you. Oh, one more thing, does the scent of cloves mean anything to you?"

"Not specifically. I may have smelled it around here before, but I couldn't say what or whom it was tied to. For scents around the town, I'd ask the local vamps. They probably have them all chronicled. Look for one named Roger. He likes to spend his free time doing silly things like that. You can find him on the south side of town. The house with a blue door."

"Thanks. Do you happen to know if any of the witches have a grudge against the wolves in question? We talked about Kent sleeping around, and I'm assuming that's with just wolves. Is that right?"

"We stick to our kind. The witches have a shop in the middle of town where they hang out. They don't really associate much with the rest of us and they tend to come and go as they want. I doubt they had anything to do with this, but if you want to check them out, they're in the apothecary shop on Main Street.

"Thanks. We might wander over to ask them some questions," I reply, gathering Clyde. It's time to start solving the who done it part of this investigation. I have quite a few ideas on the why they did it part.

"I should probably let you get on with your business. Jonas, you want to stick around and have dinner with me?" he asks the other man. "We can do a little catching up and discuss some issues that may need to be brought up with Alex. You can also leave the Hellhound. I'll make sure he gets his dinner."

It'd be easier to do interviews without him and he does seem to like Walt. I think we have a winner, so I hand the leash over.

"Sounds like a plan, Walt. Sebastian, you okay with just you and Marcus on Princess?"

"We can handle things. I don't know how long we'll take, but we'll meet back here and have a little debriefing before we hit the hay tonight," Sebby replies. "Love, you okay food-wise?"

I think about it for a second and can still feel the beginnings of the hunger, but not enough to actually do anything about it. "I think I'll be good another day."

I hope that during the debriefing that's planned, I can find out how the guys know Walt and maybe a clue as to how he knows my father. Everyone has heard of Daddy, but to actually meet someone who has met the man has been pretty rare in my life.

Granted, I've met Aaron Gentry, but the five minutes we discussed why it was a good idea for him to get out of town doesn't count. From the sound of things, my earlier suspicions that Jonas has been hiding a little something concerning his relationship with my dad are also growing.

Priorities. Right. Time to work on the important stuff.

Chapter 19

Good witch of the north

We leave the bar and start walking across the street. "Do you figure he's had a chance to zip up his pants and make it back to his office?" I ask.

"It has been almost an hour, so I'd hope so. If he does the women back to back, we may have a little wait," Sebastian replies.

"Does anyone think it's funny that we can't hear a mess of conversations going on in a town this small?" Marcus asks. I'd noticed that earlier and just thought people were being quiet.

"We were able to hear Kent and Debra's conversation from outside earlier," I point out.

"But the door was open. I'm guessing the houses and businesses in this town have noise dampeners. I know all of our ears didn't just go bad," Sebastian claims.

Creepy town.

We enter the jail without knocking. I figure it isn't his personal house, so there isn't a need to be that civil. "Sheriff, you in here?"

"What?" the sheriff replies, jumping back from the red head he was locking lips with. His shirt is unbuttoned and I don't think it would've been long before we would've walked in on a full on porn movie in progress.

Gross.

"Sorry. I have a few questions and things I needed from you before we started making our way around town," I say, trying to erase the images in my mind.

"Oh sure," he says, trying to button up his shirt. Red doesn't look very happy about being interrupted and is giving me the evil eye.

"Just who do you think you are?" she asks with a silky, but menacing voice.

"I'm Nyx Slaughter, and you are?" I ask in return.

"Claudia," she says shortly, gathering herself. She glances at the guys I have behind me and decides it's time to make her exit.

"I'll probably stop by your place for a chat later, Claudia, so make sure to put the tea on," I shout after her. Some people are just so rude.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't expecting her to stop by," Kent says. Yeah, but he sure as heck wasn't trying to hurry her on home either.

"I believe she's part of the reason I stopped by," I tell him. His puzzled expression lets me know he doesn't know what I'm talking about. "You didn't think it was important to mention that the three victims all warmed your bed at night?"

"I just thought that might be a coincidence," he says sheepishly. Thank God he doesn't do police work in real life.

"So, none of the girls have been disgruntled lately?"

"Of course not. They all know how this thing works. They know I have an appetite too big for any one of them, so they're happy to let me spread my love around," he explains.

He did not just say that. What a typical male point of view of things. If I were one of the girls, I'd be taking out my frustration on him, not the other girls.

"I think I'm going to need a list of the women you're involved with. I want to ask them a few questions. I think you should probably do a checklist yourself and make sure none of them are missing."

He sits down quietly and starts making his list. "I really didn't think it was because of me. I treat all of them real nice and they get along just fine when they see each other in town. It doesn't make sense." Technically, I haven't proven he was the motive, but it's my best bet at the moment, so I'm going with it.

"Jealousy is thou woman's middle name," I say all cryptic and old school. It's about time I joined the ranks of all the people I deal with on a daily basis. I can be just as cryptic as they are.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asks, writing down the last name and handing the list to me. I'm happy to see he can remember all the girls' names. I sincerely hope he doesn't shout out the wrong one at inappropriate moments.

"Simple. Women are born jealous. Even if they pretend they're cool with some other girl rubbing up on you, not a one of them really is cool."

"They seem fine to me," he replies, standing. I hope that on his check to make sure everyone is still where they should be, he doesn't stop to get all friendly with everyone. By the time he gets through all of them, we may find a couple girls missing.

"Fine. Right. Because skinning the competition sure sounds like everything is fine and dandy to me. Hurry up and make your rounds. I want to stop to talk to a couple folks before I get to work on this list," I say, practically pushing him out his own door.

Guys can be such morons.

Once the sheriff is out of the way, I head towards the witches. They may not have had anything to do with the skinnings, but they may have ways to help the investigation. A good spell here and there can make life a lot simpler.

The shop, like any business around here, isn't hard to find. It has a large wood plaque across the door indicating it's the apothecary. It has a nice open window, but the inside of it seems to be blacked out. So much for getting a quick peek at the insides before actually entering.

Sebastian grabs the door and holds it open for me. How nice of him. If he didn't use the moment to brush his arm across my back, I might have enjoyed his chivalry. Truth be told, if he hadn't been touching me so much lately, I wouldn't have minded the caress.

"How can I help you?" a sprite of a woman asks. She has to be under five-foot. Yes! A woman who's visibly shorter than me. I'm just going to ignore the fact that she's a witch and is probably projecting a false image.

"Hi, I'm Nyx and this is Sebastian and Marcus. The sheriff asked us to come look into the mutilations that have been happening amongst some of the wolves in this town."

She stays behind her counter and eyes us. I allow it while I look around the store. It's basically filled with lots of little bottles on shelves. What's in the bottles, I don't know, but I'm not going to touch anything. I wouldn't want to mess with getting eye of newt out of my clothing on laundry day.

"The Sisters don't have anything to do with wolf business," she states in her sweet little gag me with a spoon voice.

"I don't imagine you do, but I just wanted to know if any of you have seen anything recently that made you suspicious."

"No. It isn't like they'd believe us, even if we had." The little thing is getting a bit hostile. Not what I was expecting.

"Clara, it's okay. Calm down," a woman says, entering the room from a black curtain behind the counter. Clara melts back into the curtain, leaving us alone with the newcomer. "It is nice to meet you Ms. Slaughter. I've been hearing many things about you in the grapevine."

I'm curious to know what grapevine she means. I don't tend to associate with a lot of witches. For all I know, she might have a physical vine in the back room that she uses to communicate with the outside world.

"Interesting. I don't believe I gave my last name," I say, staring at the woman. She's taller, probably five-eight. She has long blonde hair and brown eyes that seem wrong.

"You didn't, but as I've said, I've heard of you. I'm glad you stopped by on your quest. We may have information that can help you and at the same time I'm hoping you can deliver a message for me."

"Do you have a name? I don't like to talk shop with people I'm not properly introduced to."

"Of course. My name is Glenda," she says with a smile. What a unique name for a witch. Not.

"Okay, Glenda, so what do you think you may know that may help me with my investigation?" I ask wondering if I could've figured a way to stick "may" in that sentence just one more time.

"I know that we had a break-in about a week ago. Security hasn't ever been a problem in this town, so we didn't have our toughest wards up. Doesn't matter now. Bottles of elderberry root, cat's claw, white willow and horsetail are each missing, along with a vial of oyster extract. Do you happen to know what those are the ingredients for?"

I did and it didn't spell great news for us.

"They're for a do it yourself, no witch needed, glamour potion. You said this was within the last week, not before the kidnappings started?"

"No. If I remember right, it was a little after the second wolf was found. Maybe a day or two."

"Weird, I'd think the culprit would've wanted to disguise themselves from the start. I know the basics on what the potion could do, but would it be able to glamour objects as well?" I ask, thinking about my knife mystery.

"No," she says, shaking her head. "That one is bio-based. You have to be breathing for it to do anything."

No matter how you look at it, this development adds a big wrinkle to how I go about this. "How many doses do you think the person could make and how long would they last?"

"Each potion would last probably four hours. With the amount taken, you're looking at thirty to thirty-six doses," she says, calculating the numbers in her head. I hope she remembered to carry the one.

"Thank you for your information. Sadly, I think it makes my job harder. If you can think of anything else, will you please let us know?"

"Of course. Now do you mind passing a message along?" Not sure whom the message is for, I just nod my head. If it's some grand poobah from the Collective, she'll be out of luck. "Could you let Benjalarico know I need to change the terms of our deal and I'll meet him at the usual place at midnight next Wednesday? You'll save me from leaving and having to painstakingly summon the stinking bastard."

"I wasn't making any plans to specifically see him, but if I do, I'll pass the information on."

"The grapevine I referred to earlier indicates you see him most days."

"I only met him a week ago and have had a little problem getting him to stay away, but I always hope today will be the first day in a long stretch," I tell her.

"Good luck with that. I've known him for decades and haven't been able to bend him to my will yet."

"Like I said, I'm always hoping. We're going to make another quick stop before meeting back up with the sheriff, so we better be off."

"Good luck. Not with this mission, I'm sure you'll figure it out, but good luck with your little demon problem," she says before she leaves the room and Clara reappears.

"Here, I'm supposed to give this to you," she says, handing Sebastian a book before leaving the room again.

Weird, creepy witches. Alas, I have no time to think about them, I have a vampire to question.

Chapter 20

Things are beginning to look a little clearer

"Walt said it was on the south side of town, right?" I ask, walking in that general direction.

"House with a blue door. In this town full of brown and gray, I don't think it will be hard to find," Sebastian says while swinging my hand in his. The motion brings my attention to the book he received in his free hand.

"What do you suppose is in the book?"

"Evidently, something I really need if the witches just handed it over to me. They don't tend to share well and I didn't see a sign out sheet saying when to return it," he says, bringing it front and center to look at the cover.

"What does it say?" I ask, seeing letters on the cover, but not recognizing it as a language I know.

"Grueker-tilnay," he says, studying it closely.

"Isn't that what Demon Boy told us as his little hint to the missing piece of our bond reuniting ceremony?" I ask, surprised we found a clue here in Ghost Town.

"Yes. Unbreakable bond. It would appear I have some reading ahead of me. I'm sure it's just lines and lines of how many chickens and goats we need and the precise number of times we need to say the alphabet backwards," he says, causing me to laugh at my previous tirade of all the things we may have to do during the ceremony.

"Hopefully, we can wrap things up quickly and, since we have the trailer, maybe we can pick up the needed billy goats on the way home."

"Perfect. I was so worried about how we were going to get those to the city," he replies.

"I reckon that's the place we're looking for," Marcus says, drawing our eyes to a little shack that resembles Debra's, minus the flower box and with a nice blue door.

The monotony in this town would probably drive me insane within a week. I need to hurry up and stay on track so we can blow this pop stand as soon as possible.

Being that an unknown male entity resides behind the blue door, Sebby takes the lead and knocks. Personally, it makes me feel like a pansy, but I'm going with whatever floats his boat today.

"Hmm, fresh meat," a tall, pasty white man says, opening the front door. I get a quick look at him before Sebastian adjusts to block my view. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"Would you be Roger?" I ask from behind Sebastian.

"Hey Sebastian, you're getting really good at that throwing your voice trick. You're going to have to teach it to me," I hear Roger say. Great. Another person already known by my posse. If they ever lost one of their ranks, we could just come here and I'm sure the missing person would reside in one of the other shacks in town.

"Dante, who in their right mind would let you in this town?" Sebastian asks jokingly.

"I'm sure you've heard by now, the town is open for those who need it. Alan, that would be my maker for the gnome that doesn't know me, started getting a little filicidal on me, I needed to get away and it was available to me."

"You did not just call me a gnome," I say before he can say anything else.

I get the jokes all the time, but this is a first for being called a gnome. Gnomes are a foot tall, if they're lucky, and wear them ugly pointy hats. You won't find me in a damn hat.

"I'm not sure if anyone has told you this yet, princess, but you're on the tiny side."

"Duh. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out with all the Amazons I hang out with on a daily basis. I haven't been sitting around trying to convince myself that they're the freaks and not me," I say, pushing Sebastian out of the way. "And don't you be calling me princess. Only one person gets away with that at the moment and it's because I know he means it."

"Nice to finally get a good look at you. Now, I have to ask what you're doing with these two goons?" he says with a secretive smile. I think he's the only one in on the secret and I have no desire to find it out.

"Nyx is mine and on the vampire side of things she'd be considered a queen, not a princess," Sebastian says, letting it be known there's no room for discussion on the matter. "I don't believe you're getting off on the right foot with her."

I doubt there's a person alive who managed to get off on the right foot with me. Some say it's my prickly personality, I say the world is full of jackasses. Thinking back, though, Sebby didn't do too bad of a job when we first met. I don't think I left his sex club planning his demise.

"Really? This is the famous Nyx Slaughter. You're keeping some interesting company these days, Sebastian."

I catch him eying me up. Too bad we don't have Clyde with us. He might need to floss his teeth after supper, on this guy's tendons.

"She's my chosen mate, so I'd prefer it if you didn't stare at her like that," Sebastian says, grinding his teeth.

"Sorry, I didn't feel the bond, but if you say it's there, I'll believe you." I'm sure Sebastian didn't need to be reminded of that little fact.

"We're having a slight issue right now with our bond, but by week's end it will be back and bigger than ever," Sebastian insists.

"Really? I thought the bond was either there or it wasn't, and I thought that once it was in place it was permanent."

"Yeah, well join the party. How well do we know this guy?" I ask, curious how much should actually be said in front of him. I can tell he isn't that old, maybe a hundred years.

"I have issues with his maker and so does he. It's something we've bonded over the years about. I wouldn't tell him all of our secrets, since I haven't seen him in a while and don't know for sure the company he's been keeping, but general things about our relationship should be okay," Sebastian says. I take it by his emphasis on "our," that I shouldn't mention I have a horny werewolf waiting at home for me.

"Ouch. You do know I'm standing right here. Even before coming here, I was out of any scary circles back in the real world and the other vamps here are just hiding out from working with you in your resistance," he informs us.

"Who else is here?" Sebastian asks.

"Cleo and Maria. They said they've been hiding out from Collective assassins for a while now. Obviously, the Collective's assassin extraordinaire here was never put on their cases."

"I retired a month ago for personal reasons," I say, not planning on going into any of the details.

"I didn't know when, but I kind of figured that part out. You two would make very strange bedfellows otherwise. Talk about sleeping with the enemy."

"Have you seen any other resistance associated vampires come through the town? There are quite a few that we haven't been able to find, and as you can imagine, even if they were killed, bodies don't always turn up," Sebastian states.

"Sure, in just the year I've been here there have been a handful of your little soldiers. Brady, Nate, Catherine and Jonathan have all been seen slumming it through town. From what I gathered during their visits, they just needed a place to lie low while some heat cooled down."

"Do you know how long ago Nate, in particular, came through? We heard rumors six months ago that a Collective agent got to him."

"Nah. Couldn't have. He was here for a couple of days about two months ago. The wolves tend to hunker down around here, but I'm the only vampire who's stayed a whole year. The food supply is limited and the company isn't usually worth a shit."

"Can we get on to the reason for our visit? I can assure you Dante, or Roger, whatever your name is, that we didn't drop by to socialize," I say, trying to move things along. Even though the guy has been providing some good information for Sebby, I don't like him and I want to get away from him as quickly as possible.

"My apologies. It's just been a while since I've seen anyone I know, and you haven't even given me a chance to try to rile Marcus," he says, giving me a wink. "Now, why don't you guys come in so we can discuss what has brought you to my door this day."

He moves out of the way and we all scuttle in. The layout and furniture is the same as Debra's, so nothing really new to report. He indicates we should sit on the couch and we follow the suggestion with me being flanked by Sebastian and Marcus.

"I'll get to the point, now that playtime is over. We were told you'd be the person to see in town if we wanted to identify where a certain scent may have originated."

"I do keep my nose open. Things get rather tedious around here, so I write down different things I notice about the wolves around town. Let me get my book and we can look and see what I have on the subject." He moves into the bedroom area and comes back quickly with a large black book. "So, what are we looking for?"

"Cloves. We're investigating the skinning of three wolves in town and two of the victims have smelled like cloves."

"I don't even need my book for that one. The only person I've smelled with that scent is this uppity blonde bitch. I don't know her name, nor do I want to. She thinks she's something real special and parades around the town in next to nothing," he says in disgust.

"Do you know if she hangs out with the sheriff, by any chance?" I ask, wanting to solidify that connection.

"Oh yeah. If she could glue herself to the man, I'm pretty sure she would. Sheriff ain't like that, though, and really likes to keep his options open."

"So we've heard. Do you happen to know where this 'blonde bitch', as you put it, lives?" I ask.

"Sure. She has a house close to the center of town. Maybe a block or two west from the main strip. I'm almost positive it's the only house in town with them purple and yellow flowers. I think she has the sheriff get them special for her each year."

"You're sure there aren't any other houses in town with the flowers?" I ask, wanting to verify before I go charging in.

"I'm pretty certain. I walk around a lot and other people have flowers, but they're usually red or pink. She's the only one who has those purple ones. I want to say they're a kind of hydrangea."

"Great. Thanks, you've been a big help. I hate to end our visit so quickly, but we need to leave. Now," I say, standing, trying to drag Sebastian with me.

"Do you mind if I come along? It sounds like something interesting is going to happen and I've been so bored lately."

"Keep up," I say, wishing I had put my holster back on after the road trip. I settle on grabbing one of my thigh knives and start running. I have a feeling I know how that glamour potion is being used and it ain't pretty.

Chapter 21

Let the killing finally commence

At full speed, I make it back to Debra's house within a minute. The lights are out, so I'm not too hopeful Debra is home. Not worrying about knocking, I barge in. The clove scent is still strong, so I follow it into the bedroom.

Reaching around on the wall, I try to feel for a light switch and finally find one. Flipping it up, I'm face-to-face with an empty bed.

"Crap. We had her earlier. She's probably found a new wolf to take. The questions are who and where they are now," I say, rubbing my hand across my face.

"She seems to be obsessed with a certain individual. Maybe he'll have an idea where to find her," Sebastian suggests. Thank goodness, the other half of my brain is working tonight.

"Dante slash Roger, do you know where the sheriff lives? We can check the jail first, but we might have to go looking for him." The fact that he could be in about twenty homes boinking whichever female caught his eye tonight, is something I'm not even going to think about right now.

"You can just call me Dante, and yes, I know where the sheriff lives. It's actually closer, since it's right next door and the lights were on when we came in here."

"Which side?" I ask, needing to know before I break into the wrong house.

"It's the one on the left when you exit this one," he says to my back as I'm off and running again.

I pound on the sheriff's door and wait. I hear something fall inside, seems like only voices don't carry out, and I hope that means he's on his way. After another thirty seconds with no answer, I've had enough and wave Sebastian forward in hopes he'll break down the door.

"Did you even try the knob?" he asks, reaching for it. Well, no, I didn't. It isn't anywhere near dramatic enough for the moment. Why does he have to be logical at a time like this?

The knob turns easily in his hands and he swings the door open. I can hear three beings breathing inside. Two are somewhat muffled and the third seems agitated. I don't think we're going to have very far to look for Debra.

Like the two other houses in town that I've been in, there's the open area and a single room. Sadly, the door to that room is currently closed, so I can't see the action.

"Debra, I'm guessing that's you in there and I really hope the glamour has worn off, because seeing you in a literal meat suit, up and walking around, has zero appeal to me right now," I announce from just inside the door. I move to the side a bit, so I'm not lined up with the closed door, in case she decides to start shooting or something.

"Figured it out already, have you? I knew you were going to be trouble the minute Kent brought you over earlier. In case no one has told you, there's something seriously off about you."

"Story of my life. Do you mind telling me who the third person in the room with you is? I assume the sheriff is with you, probably gagged."

"Oh yes, Kent is with me. Did you know he hasn't spent the night here since I was found and Sheila went missing? He's spent all his free time trying to figure out who the big bad mutilator was. Long nights combing the streets, all four whole streets. Then he'd usually fall asleep at his desk."

She seems to have a nice speech planned out, so I'm fine letting her just talk. It gives me time to come up with a plan. So far, with the house this tiny and, if memory serves me, no other access points to the room, it looks like the door in front of me is the only option. Would it have killed the "town" to have put bedroom windows in?

"Can you imagine how surprised he would've been if he came home to find his precious Sheila lying in his bed? I'm sure he'd be horrified because she isn't a pretty sight to see at the moment. The pain she's in must be horrible. She's been stuck here with only me knowing of her location, so her pain medication hasn't been delivered in a timely fashion."

"Yes, we all understand what a sick person you are. How about you just turn yourself over now," I suggest.

She laughs, just proving further to my mind that she's lost all touch with reality. I thought my request was totally reasonable. "I see no grounds to do that. I have two hostages in here with me."

"You'd have a point, if I was a regular person, but I didn't become an expert assassin by giving two rat farts about hostages. I'll ask again, won't you come out here and turn yourself over, so I can get on with my day?"

"Let me think about it. I'm going to have to stick with no."

I put my knife away; it isn't going to help me against the closed door. I know Sebastian doesn't carry a gun, so I look to Marcus. He smiles and nods, then reaches behind his back to reveal a beautiful Ruger revolver.

I need to have a few questions answered before I use it, though. I use my hand to make a small circle and then a large one, wanting to know the size of hole I can expect it to make. There's no telling what my guards pack in their ammunition.

He holds his hands far and wide to let me know this would do some major redecorating. Perfect. That's just what I was looking for.

Next question. I pinch myself on the top of my hand and for the opposite I close my eyes and drop my head to the side. I stick my tongue out just a little for an extra effect.

When I open my eyes, he is pinching his hand. Good. The bullet will make a big hole, but isn't packing any silver that would kill anyone in the room.

"Last chance, Debra," I yell towards the door while I take my stance.

"You're going to have to come and get me, crazy bitch," she hollers back.

"On my way," I say, pulling the trigger. Just before the bullet hits the door, pieces come flying off it widening the hole. I can see enough daylight through it to see Debra's clothed torso, which for now at least doesn't look like hamburger, so I fire another shot towards her gut. I don't want to chance hitting the heart. The bullet may disintegrate it before I'm done with her.

"You shot me," she screams from the other room. I can no longer see her, so I'd venture a guess she fell to the floor.

I smile and hand the gun back over to Marcus. "Thanks," I tell him, taking my knife back out and marching towards the door.

"Do you guys always just kind of stand back and let her run things?" Dante asks.

"She is the P.I. and this is her case. I blocked her from meeting you earlier without a shield, but that was a rare moment. Nyx knows how to take care of herself," Sebastian explains.

"Must drive you crazy."

"You have no idea."

Yeah, yeah, whatever. I kick in the already mostly destroyed door to enter the bedroom. Debra is down on the ground, like I expected, whining. Kent is tied to a chair and gagged. I might just keep him like that for a while. It may teach him that he needs to learn to control his boy parts.

Looking to the bed last, I see another grotesque body and I really wish I couldn't tell that it was breathing. Sheila looks just like Betty of the freezer did.

I lean over Debra and smack her face for fun. Hey, I'm a woman and it's my prerogative. "Do you still have her skin?" I ask, hoping as horrifying as it would be that she says yes.

"In my freezer," she whimpers. Good. It should be well preserved. Why she'd keep it, I really don't want to know.

"Why did you take her and then pretend you were the next victim?" I could just kill her already, but I'm inquisitive by nature.

"Kent. She wasn't going to give up like Betty. She was fighting to live. He was spending so much time with her. He still made his rounds, but it was clear he was starting to change just a bit. He didn't flirt as much and seemed more reluctant to partake in the activity he loves most in life. I was getting rid of the competition, not paving their way into his heart. I figured since it was working for her, I'd get rid of her and take her place."

I look over to Kent to make sure he's getting all this. His eyes are closed and he looks to be in physical pain. I still don't feel sorry for him. The only victims here are Betty and Sheila.

"I hope it was worth it. You tortured two women causing one of them to die. To me that warrants a death sentence. It's been a while for me and I'm not a member of the Collective's team anymore, so I don't have a special script, but here goes nothing.

"Debra I don't have a fucking clue what your last name is, I've convicted you of killing another being without provocation and I'm here to serve as your executioner. In the name of my sanity and that of the other inhabitants of your little backward town, I remove you from this world to make it a better place for others."

I shove her so she's lying flat on her back. With the pain in her gut she doesn't give much fight, she must have a weak wolf. I take my knife, which is silver, and place it just a bit above her breasts. I slam it down into her chest, causing her to convulse. Not done, I drag it down effectively cutting her heart in half.

She continues to convulse a few more times, but the light is quickly fading from her eyes. Not wanting to be covered in werewolf gunk, I leave the knife and stand back. I decide to go ahead and untie Kent. While I'm completing the task, I hear a bit of a splat as the silver has worked its way through her body to leave a mess I'm not cleaning up.

"In a way, I'm kind of sorry for your loss, Kent." I tell him, after I finish untying his hands. The ropes have silver strands threaded through them and have left welts on his wrists.

"Betty was a good woman and I'll miss her. Hopefully, with Sheila's skin we'll be able to hasten her healing process," he says and I can hear the tears in his eyes.

"We'll leave you to it. If you need us for anything, we'll be at the saloon. I plan on leaving early tomorrow evening. You can expect my bill sometime. I'm not sure how I'm going to get it mailed here," I say.

"I'll leave the amount your website said at the saloon tomorrow. I have a feeling it's going to be a long rest of the night for me. Thanks for coming. We really do need to look into getting a real sheriff for this town. I couldn't even find my missing person and she was in my own house."

He has that right, but I don't feel like rubbing it in right now. I grab my knife and wipe it off a little on the carpet before sheathing it. What? The carpet is already way past any hopes of salvation. My entourage quickly vacates the premises and makes a slow trek towards the saloon.

"So, do days always end this exciting around you?" Dante asks with way too much glee in his voice.

"I haven't killed anyone in almost a month, so maybe not this exciting. The past week has provided me with a demon stalker and the grand experience of being kidnapped by a demented werewolf. I wouldn't exactly call things boring."

"Cool, where do I sign up?"

"You have to talk to the man with the plan," I say being vague. I seem to only have one and a half vampire guards at the moment. I don't know if I could trust Dante any more than Smitty, but that's for someone else to decide. Right now, all I want to do is find Clyde and convince him that sleeping in his deluxe puppy bed is a good idea.

Chapter 22

It's a family affair

When we get within five feet of the saloon, Clyde comes running out to greet us. I should say, he comes out to greet me, he growls at everyone else, especially the newcomer.

"You have a Hellhound, too. I'd for sure list your life in the exciting column," Dante says, marveling at Clyde, but not getting too close. He might actually have half a brain in that head of his.

"Dante meet Clyde, Clyde this is Dante, be nice." If I tell him that enough, maybe one of these times, he'll listen. Like the other things I've tried convincing myself when it comes to Clyde, I doubt it will happen.

"Jonas, Walt, glad to see he left the bar in one piece," I say, making my way through the swinging doors.

"He was surprisingly well behaved. We may need to take Walt with us to serve as a permanent babysitter," Jonas suggests.

If we have a babysitter lined up for Clyde, now all I need is to find one for Phee. I look over to Dante and consider the possibilities. Sure, Phee now has Sam to follow her around like a puppy dog, but I can just see them getting into all sorts of trouble together.

"Any ideas on why he likes you so much?" I ask, turning back to the active conversation. I'll leave my evil planning until later.

"Probably just senses our similar blood. I imagine he's friendly to anyone in your family," Walt explains, knocking me for a loop.

"Family? I thought you said you were just my father's friend."

"Astonishingly enough, we do keep on friendly terms. I'd say we're each other's closest friend."

"Other than friends, what would you classify yourself as?" I don't know a bunch about my family, other than my dad is the current head of it. The Collective doesn't exactly have the history of the monarchy on their approved reading list.

"If I had to classify it, as you say, I'd go with brothers. I being, the younger, much lesser known, of the two."

"That would make you my uncle?" I ask, trying to grasp this situation. I look to Jonas for confirmation and he nods.

"Wait a second. Walt is a werewolf, last I checked. That tends to mean a sibling is a werewolf as well. How are you standing here as a vampire?" Dante asks. His questions and everything else around me currently don't matter. I keep staring at my supposed uncle.

He's bigger than my father and I don't see any similarities that jump out. I guess the general complexion is the same. I don't know, maybe if I squint I'll see it. I try and it doesn't help.

"The fact that we look nothing alike has helped keep my existence relatively quiet. I was born the spare and have always been well aware of the fact. If you want, I'll show you my mark, but you have to show me yours."

"Have you ever wished it was in a more convenient place?" I ask. I might actually have someone who understands my plight.

"I've never been asked or had to show it and since you're here and alive, I doubt I ever will. You're the new heir and I hear you're pretty resilient."

"The bits of this conversation I'm piecing together are hurting my brain," Dante interjects. Can't someone shut him up? "Not only are you a descendant of a werewolf with vamp fangs, but you're also a Gentry. You really need to show me where to sign up to join your crew. It must be like Freaky Friday every day at your place."

"As I said, see the man with the plan." Doesn't he have somewhere to be? "Since you're family and all, do you happen to know anything about my mother?" I ask Walt.

I think it's become the first question I ask anyone who even vaguely has heard of my father. So far, I'm batting a big fat zero, but this guy is supposedly family. He should have the dirt. My current mission is over, so he can't side step my questions now claiming I have other priorities.

"I take that to mean you've taken care of the skinner already. I'm pretty sure I indicated we wouldn't have any of these conversations until that bit of nastiness was over."

"Yeah, yeah. It was Debra. She was faking her injuries. She's dead now. On with your story," I say, trying to hurry him along.

"I was out of the country on a mission when you had to have been conceived. I do know your father didn't know about you until he infiltrated the Collective. If he would've known, he wouldn't have allowed you to be raised by them."

I've heard that same story from Daddy Dearest. I thought wolves tended to be able to sense when their offspring were conceived. I'm talking just after the deed is done, lying in bed catching their breaths, ability to sense if the little swimmers hit their target.

"Did he ever say anything about the woman who gave birth to me?"

"No. He had a lot of little flings back in those days. Apparently, all except one were with werewolves. I believe he's found out more about her, since he's really started looking recently. From what I've heard, he isn't happy with what he's been able to piece together. He wants to try to explain it to you before he tells anyone else."

"I guess I'll just have to wait until he comes for his visit," I say, sulking.

If Aaron had spent more time with me over the years, he'd realize keeping me waiting isn't a healthy life choice. It doesn't help when I wander upon people like Walt, and potentially Jonas, who I think should be able to give me information and I get nothing from them.

"It's for the best. I know Jonas was joking about the babysitter thing, but I'm really thinking about coming with you guys when you leave. It will give me an opportunity to teach you more about the wolf side of your roots and tell you all kinds of embarrassing stories about your father."

That cheers me up a little. "I'd like that. There won't be any issues with Alex, will there?" I turn to ask Jonas.

"No. They haven't officially met, but they'll get along fine. Having more people around who we can trust in the months leading up to your birthday is a good idea," Jonas insists.

"Am I going to turn into the sparkly unicorn you always used to tease me about?"

"Maybe. It's unsure exactly what will happen, but we do expect something."

"I was joking," I say, not expecting that as his reply.

"I wasn't," he says with an evil grin.

"I'm already a werewolf, vampire, magical elf or something, hybrid. What more could happen to me?"

"Just like your vampire and werewolf sides came online, your something else line is supposed to rear its ugly head," he explains.

"But the other two components were activated by bonding with those species. I don't have room in my life to bond with anyone else." Now I'm whining. This is all my stupid mom's fault.

"I don't think this will be like the other times. Aaron just thinks it's something that will happen. Whatever your mom is, he seems to think her kind doesn't have mates," Walt explains.

That's a bit of a relief. With my luck, a new mate would've been even worse than the great annoying one, Alex. It'd probably be some Kent wannabe who couldn't keep his little brain in his pants.

"So, do you think you can be packed and ready to go by six tomorrow evening?" I ask Walt. "I'd like to leave as early as possible once dusk starts settling in."

"There's nothing here I really need to bring. I just need to throw my armory in a bag and then I'll be ready." The guys in the circles I travel with know how to pack. I'd take a bag full of guns over clothes any day.

"Has the man with the plan decided if I get to come with?" Dante asks in a voice that makes me envision him hopping around like a little girl asking for a pony.

"You can come. I'll have to do a few checks before you're allowed into our inner sanctum, though. With our large force of vampires and werewolves, you should be safe from Alan. I don't think even he's dumb enough to try to take us on," Sebastian tells him.

"So, what's the deal with this Alan person?" Other than Collective people, I haven't heard of really anyone Sebastian doesn't get along with, especially if the person has fangs.

"It's a bit of a long story. Alan is around a century younger than me and hates that fact. He wants to take over things and, so far, hasn't been anywhere close to beating me in a fight. He's spent many of his years creating people like Dante to become a soldier in his fight against me," Sebastian explains.

I look over to Dante and nothing about him really shouts killing machine. He's tall like the other guys, but he doesn't have the body mass that they do. He isn't as wimpy looking as Sam, the underdeveloped werewolf, but his light coloring does give him a wussy look.

I look back at Sebastian and he nods. "Exactly. Dante wasn't a fighter when he was human. He was a freaking poet. How can you take an intellectual mind like his and try to warp it into a brainless robot set on destroying whatever you point at?"

Just my favorite type of person, the kind who likes preying on the meek. "I take it Dante fought back against the scallywag." I've decided I'm in a pirating mood. Shiver me timbers and thar she blows. Okay, I think that's about enough of that. At least I only thought them and didn't say anything out loud.

"The best I could," Dante says, answering for himself. "It's a little hard for a new vamp to fight back against a centuries old one. Plus, there were all those early years of hating what I'd become. Back then, people were starting to become aware of paranorms, but there were still a lot of people like me that didn't believe."

I always wonder what it'd be like before the world, as a whole, knew about us creepy crawlies. I don't guess it was much fun for the paranorms who had to hide their true natures for fear of persecution.

"It seems you're going to be one of us now, which means you'll have our protection. It's something many people try for, so you better respect it and not use the things you learn against us," I say, staring him down.

"He'll take a blood oath like every vampire who comes in contact with you," Sebastian adds.

"Whoa. You guys are really serious about this if you're evoking blood oaths."

"Believe me, it isn't something you'll want to take lightly. Ask Marcus about it if you need a little extra motivating. Sebastian can be a mean son of a bitch when he's crossed," I say as I pick Demon Dog up. "It's time for bed, Clyde. Let's go see how nice and comfy that new bed is."

Sebastian laughs and moves to follow us. "I'm telling you he's going to end up in the big bed curled next to you. We're going to have to leave him with Walt if we ever want to try to get some special alone time together."

I'm not looking for alone time now, so testing that theory is going to have to wait. Right now, I'm focused on a task and I'm going to accomplish it.

When we get to our room, I put Clyde down and open the door. "Bedtime, Clyde." He looks up at me and then runs over and jumps on the big bed. He must be part jackrabbit, because that jump looks a little too high for someone of his stature.

"No, puppy bed," I explain, picking him up and putting him on his padding. It's a nice little bed, really it is. He looks up at me, flashing red eyes, and then smiles his goofy looking grin.

He moves around a little and then settles down. See, it wasn't that hard. Time for mommy to get some sleep herself.

Chapter 23

His bark really is worse than his bite

The morning, or midafternoon, dawns and I feel Sebastian breathing down the back of my neck and breath from another source in the front. Clyde.

I look down and sure enough, he's tucked his little body in close to my chest. I guess I know what the smile was all about. He was just lulling me into believing he was going to sleep. I bet after my first snore he hopped up to join us.

I hope Night Owl City has an opening in Hellhound obedience school. I think the idea is probably just some more wishful thinking on my part.

"At least, he isn't growling at me this morning," Sebastian whispers into my ear.

"I expect that's because he isn't awake yet," I retort.

"Oh, he's been up for a while. He's just pretending, so you don't yell at him." Clyde hops up and looks over my shoulder. I can't see the glare, but imagine it's the usual one Sebastian gets for telling on him.

"Stop glowering, Clyde. Let's go get you some breakfast and then take you on your walkies."

That gets him moving and he jumps off the bed. Maybe if I line his bed with steaks, it will make him stay in it. I think about food and can feel my blood thirst climbing to the forefront. I'm not in the mood to feed, though, so I push it aside. I won't be able to do it for long, but for now, it's livable. I throw on my weapons and grab Clyde's leash so I'm officially ready for the day.

I can hear Walt and Jonas talking downstairs as we climb down to join them. "Morning fellas. We have a hungry puppy here. Do you know anywhere in this town we can get a good steak?" I ask, steering Clyde in their general direction.

Walt had said that he does get business from the town, but since we've been here, I haven't seen anyone stopping by for a drink. If I was so inclined, I might take it personally.

Clyde becomes a bit excited at seeing Walt again. So excited that he gives one of his great big boy barks and tries his hardest to catch a barstool on fire. Thankfully, it doesn't ignite in flames.

"They're really sturdy plastic. I've had to replace a few in my days after the wood versions broke from the rough housing that sometimes goes on here. I got tired of spending the extra money, so I went with something that was more durable," Walt explains the lack of a bonfire.

"Smart move," I say as he bends behind the counter and comes up with a plate with what looks like a couple pounds of ground round stacked up in a nice pile.

Clyde's eyes zero in on it and he starts jumping. The little guy is making it a good four feet in the air. With a running start, I bet he could clear the counter. I study him a little closer and if I didn't know better, I would say he's bigger than when I first saw him in Demon Boy's lap.

"Anyone know how fast Hellhounds grow?" I ask, really wishing he came with that instruction manual.

"From what I've witnessed he seems to be progressing at an inch a day and adding about five pounds in the same time frame," Sebastian says, looking at the pup.

Walt brings around his breakfast and Clyde attacks it while I do some mental calculations of my own. I'm seriously hoping that this is just an isolated growth spurt and not something that continues for long.

"At that rate, he'll tower over me within a couple months. Just how big do Hellhounds get?"

"The ones I've seen were about my height," Sebastian informs me. "I haven't seen one with all three heads, though, just two."

I'm stuck envisioning my little baby over a foot taller than me. It just isn't computing. Walt saying, "Good morning, sheriff," brings me out of my haze.

"Howdy, Walt," Kent says with his cowboy drawl that he has seldom been used in the day that I've known him. "I'm glad I caught you up and about, Slaughter. I wanted to thank you, if I didn't get around to it last night. I was given a pretty big shock and I may not have been my most courteous."

Frankly, I don't remember if he said thanks or not. It didn't matter to me at the time and it doesn't really now. I'm just hoping he's learned from the incident.

"You're welcome, Kent. We're going to be heading out in just a little while, so I'm turning the crime fighting back over to you," I say, laughing to myself at what a hilarious statement that was.

"Yeah, well. I don't plan on having a repeat of the drama. I've decided to take some time out from my extracurricular activities and focus on Sheila's recovery. Doc said her skin looks like it's in good shape and he's optimistic about most of it reattaching, so she doesn't have to regrow the whole thing."

"That's good news for her. What about the rest of your harem, have they been informed the gate is closed?" I ask. If he thinks all those women are going to let him ride off into the sunset, I think he's going to have a ton more trouble on his hands.

"I've started telling them," he says, scuffing his feet on the floor. "So far, they aren't too happy. A few have decided to leave town, but at least a couple of them have said they were going to just hook up with someone else."

I'm afraid in the not so distant future our paths will end up crossing again. I'd better keep his list of girlfriends handy. Maybe back in the real world I'll get a jump on things and run background checks on all of them. I can see if I'm able to predict which one goes nuts next.

"Good luck to you," I say, trying to be nice and hide my doubt of a happy ending.

"Well, I better get back to Sheila. Just wanted to say thanks and give you this," he says, taking an envelope out of his back pocket. Said envelope is very thick and looks to me like my paycheck.

"If you need help in the future, you know where to find me," I tell him, pocketing the envelope.

"I have your email and know where you live. I think we're both hoping I don't have to come looking for you again, but I like to keep my options open. Have a safe trip back home," he says as he walks out of the saloon.

"Well, that finishes up the last of my business in this town. I don't think I even had a chance to unpack. I'm going to take Clyde for his walk and throw my bag in the Suburban. It looks like we're going to have a full vehicle, so pick your seats out now," I say, leading a lip-licking pup upstairs to grab my bag.

We run back down, after the quick snatch, and this time Sebastian follows behind us. He opens the back of the Suburban for me, so I can toss the bag in, and then shuts it with a loud thud.

This town has the same issue with lack of green space as Night Owl City does. Maybe I should go take Debra's flower box down and let Clyde water it. She isn't going to be using it anymore.

As we turn a corner, I hear a growling noise. Looking down I see that it isn't coming from Clyde, who's currently enthralled with a clump of dirt. If it's not him, then chances are it's going to be a puppy of a much bigger variety.

A russet colored wolf walks out of an alleyway up ahead. Great. It doesn't look like she, judging by the missing male bits, is in a good mood and I think she has an issue with yours truly.

I concentrate on Alex's scent like I do when I shift. I figure if she wants to fight, I'll give her a fight. I need to practice my wolf combat skills anyway. The scent trick doesn't seem to be working. I try envisioning Alex in his wolf form and I still can't change.

"It's not working," I tell Sebastian, who has moved a little in front of me, giving me a chance to change and handle the situation how I see fit.

Clyde hears the bit of distress in my voice and looks up from his dirt. He sees the wolf edging closer to us and takes his big dog stance. He growls softly before letting out a loud echoing bark that shakes the ground.

Holy crap. Where did that come from? I look over to the wolf and find Claudia of the red hair in the wolf's place. Did Clyde just somehow command her to switch forms?

"Now that's a trick I didn't know he had in his toolbox," Sebastian says, looking down at the little guy. Clyde looks very proud of his accomplishment.

Wanting to praise him, but wanting to make sure humanoid Claudia isn't a threat, I slip one of my wrist knives out of its sheath and walk over to her.

"Are you done with whatever you were trying to prove here?" I ask, leaning over her horizontal form.

"It's all your fault," the woman cries, huddling herself into a ball.

"I find most things in life are. I'm guessing you didn't take Kent's news too well."

"What was so wrong with him spreading his love around? Most of us were just fine with it. Just because Deb goes and gets psycho about him, doesn't mean the rest of us will," she wails.

"Even if this didn't happen, the way he went around spreading that love couldn't have lasted forever. In this small of a town, something had to have snapped. It would've been nice if it didn't come in a form of one of you crazies starting to skin the others."

"That's true. Betty and Sheila didn't deserve that. It's just so hard when you love something so much to have it taken away," she explains.

Her words make me think of Sebastian and the way he feels about our dead bond. Thankfully, our bond is something we can reestablish. I don't think she'll have the same opportunity. As far as she goes, she's a wolf, so she can't really be "in love" with the sheriff unless he's her mate, so I'm just guessing she really likes the way he makes her feel.

"You'll get over the hurt. You just need to find yourself a more stable man. I hope it's one who's a little bit more dedicated to your specific relationship. I don't know what's brought you to this town, or your general situation, but you're a wolf, so you should have a specific mate out there somewhere. What would you have done when you met him? I saw a mate bond connecting just the other day and I can tell you, when it happens you're not even going to remember Kent Newhouse existed."

I'm getting really tired of giving these motivational speeches. Where I keep coming up with them, I have no clue.

"That's right. I do have someone out there waiting for me and he'll be one hundred times better then Kent," she says, cheering up and uncurling from her cocoon. "I think it's time for me to go face the real world again. Maybe I'll get lucky and find what you two have." She glances between Sebastian and me. Dante may not have been able to feel the physical bond between the two of us, but as Demon Boy mentioned, we still have a strong connection.

"I wish you luck in that venture," I tell her truthfully. "Can you make it back to your place by yourself? We need to be getting on the road."

"I'll be fine. Thank you," she whispers as she stands and goes to leave. "Your pup packs quite a punch."

That's right he does, and right now he needs some praising for being such a good little puppy and I know just the person to give it to him.

Chapter 24

I have had it up to here

After treating Clyde to a good belly rub, we head back to collect our band of misfits.

The ride home goes downhill fast, in my book anyway. I'm cranky from being hungry way too soon, me not being able to switch to a wolf when I called upon it doesn't help matters, and Sebastian's presence has officially driven me batty.

"You're really tense, I think you need a massage," Sebastian says from beside me. That's just what I need, more touching.

"I'm kind of in the middle of driving right this second. That makes it a little difficult," I say between gritted teeth. "Anyone else want to drive the conversation here?"

"Looks like we might be seeing some rain," Jonas says, thinking of the most mundane topic in the world. It's enough to make me laugh, but not enough to keep me amused for long.

"So Jonas, how well do you know my father? I've heard Walt's tale of how they know each other, but I'm interested in yours," I say, knowing the weather conversation isn't going to take long enough, or even take my mind off the vampire rubbing my thigh.

"Aaron and I go way back. I've mentioned before that our families have always been close and I followed in my father's footsteps to serve the Gentry line," he states.

"So you have said. Did you know him about the time I was born?" I query.

So far, the only person who knows about my mother for sure is my dad. Ben knows vaguely what she is, but not anything about their courtship. I really wish Walt hadn't been out of country back then.

"Yes, I was around during that time frame. In answer to the question I'm sure you are wondering, yes, I'm pretty sure who your mother is," he claims. "I don't know her name, but I saw her hanging around with Aaron a couple times."

That causes me to pivot in my seat and look back at him, not caring if I run over everything in my path. Old ladies and small children watch out. "And you didn't think to mention that to me during the last month?"

"I think the phrase 'it isn't my place to say anything' comes to mind," he retorts. "There wasn't much I could tell you anyway. Only your father knows all the details and it's something you should hear in full, not just pieces that you'll most likely make false assumptions about."

"Can you give me anything? You don't have to tell me what she was or how they met, but can you tell me what she looked like?" I ask, wanting to know anything I can about the woman who gave me away.

"She didn't look like you at all, other than maybe the shade of your skin and height. She did have long hair, but it was blonde, almost to the point of white. She had translucent skin that seemed to pulse with the flow of her blood. Her eyes were a bright blue that shone with an unearthly light behind them. I only saw her one time real good, but she sort of leaves an impression on you."

"And you won't tell me what species she is?" I ask, hoping for just a little more information. Now, I have something to picture when I wonder about the lady. Maybe for my dad's birthday, I'll make a giant life-sized target he can use to practice his aim. From what little he's said about her, she isn't his favorite person.

"I couldn't tell you, even if I wanted to. If I didn't know better now, I would've thought she was a human or a witch. She didn't have any special characteristics that would lead me to believe she was any sort of paranorm."

"Ugh. The puzzle of my life never ends," I say, focusing back on the road. The car remains quiet for a second, other than the odd noises Clyde makes. I swear he can't stand total silence. Currently, I'm just happy that he's lying in his bed and not trying to sit in my lap.

"It won't be long before your dad comes out of hiding and reveals more to you," Sebastian says while levitating his hand up to mess with my hair. "You've waited almost twenty three years. What's another few months?"

"A lifetime," I reply. "Hands to yourself." I try to smack his hand away, but he dodges and moves it back to my leg.

"We'll be home soon and I'm pretty sure I have the incantation figured out," he says, looking a little cocky.

"And you're just now sharing this information. If you would've told me before we left, we might have been able to do something about my mental state." I say, glancing over at him. "When did you have time to read the book? We've been together the entire time."

"To answer your first thought, I didn't think we'd have the privacy you'd require to take care of the task. As far as when I studied up for the exam, if you haven't noticed, Clyde snores. Last night, I had trouble falling asleep because of that fact, so I picked up the book. Very interesting reading."

I don't believe his reasoning on the privacy issue. Ghost Town is full of houses that you can't hear what's going on inside. As long as we weren't throwing the furniture around, I don't think anyone outside would've heard whatever noises we made.

"I'll let it go for now, but if you can't keep your hands to yourself for this last hour, I'll be forced to sic Clyde on you, and you know he's just been waiting for permission."

"I can only promise to try," he replies. "It's been days since we had a real connection and touching isn't really satisfying me anymore." Maybe he should take the hint and stop then.

"What do you mean 'real connection'? I may not have mentioned it, but Demon Boy said that our connection was still the strongest out of all my relationships. I told you how much I loved you even with the bond broken. That seems like a pretty big connection to me." He's starting to tick me off even more by acting like there isn't anything between us. I know, how is that even possible?

"I meant real in a way I could actually touch. Before this disaster, I was able to. There was a spot in my brain set-aside just for you and it's a void now. Just a big, black void," he says, already failing to stick by the no touching. His hand is pressed against the side of my cheek.

Aack! I don't think I can get home fast enough. "So Dante, do you have anyone you're looking forward to seeing, now that you've escaped?" I ask, again trying to get a conversation going that will release my stress.

"Sure. I have quite a few friends that will have assumed Alan finally killed me, instead of me just getting away. I don't know how safe it will be to contact them right away, but I'm hoping to touch base with them at some point."

"Everyone I've talked to thought you were dead," Marcus adds. "Maybe you can take him on one of your Main Street strolls, Nyx. Make people think you have the ability to raise dead vampires."

That isn't an ability I'm looking for. "I think everyone is still getting used to Clyde, so give me a week before we make the trek. Don't want to give them too much ammo."

"Too bad we couldn't keep the horse. It turned some heads too. You could ride it with Clyde in your lap while leading the 'dead' vampire to your work. Throw in your two mates and you might make the human news," Jonas suggests.

"If I could switch to my wolf, I'd try to do it all in that form. 'The great golden wolf goes for a stroll', I can see it now. Any ideas on why I seem to be locked in humanoid appearance?"

"Have you tried to spread your wings? I hear they're a sight to see," Walt asks.

"No, I haven't," I say, flexing my shoulder a little and causing them to appear. I don't have a big enough area to do much with them, so I tuck them back away.

"I'm going to have to guess that the issue is whatever is making you smell more vampy," Jonas suggests. "I hope that for all of our sakes it isn't something permanent. I believe having the vampire and werewolf parts intact are important to your future."

I imagine that if I turn around and ask him to extrapolate on that statement, I'll be faced with silence. Sort of like the silence that has descended on the vehicle. Why do the guys always blab when I want quiet and when I want some noise they can't figure out how to string two words together? It's just another perplexity of the universe that will never be solved.

With the conversation stalled again, I turn to desperate measures and blast the stereo. Now, I can zone out to the beat of the music and pretend no one else is in the car with me for the rest of the trip. It works pretty well up until the point I pull into my parking spot and have to turn the music off.

I hustle out of the Suburban, with Clyde on my heels, up to my place trying to get just a little space. It doesn't work, but I've heard it's the thought that counts. After waving at David and Venus, I settle in on the couch, thankful to be back home. I really would like to just relax in a nice bath right about now.

While everyone is moving to put things away and discussing the newcomers, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Right after that breath, I hear another close by my ear. I turn my head slightly and open my eyes to find Sebastian sniffing my hair again. This has got to stop.

"Okay that's it. Everyone else clear out of the building, or at least turn on the sound dampener for my apartment. Alex I need some alone time, so stay out of my head, Walt if you wouldn't mind, please play with Clyde, and you mister," I say pointing to Sebastian, "have about five seconds to get into that bedroom so we can reconnect."

Chapter 25

So that's what all the fuss is about

After my tirade, I stomp into my bedroom, hoping and expecting everyone to do as I command. I start hearing doors close, so I figure they were smart enough to know I mean business.

Now that I'm here in my bedroom and really planning on going through with the whole reconnection ceremony thing, the nervousness is back full steam. Sebastian hasn't joined me yet and I don't know what to do. Should I just strip out of my clothes and climb on the bed or is he one of those guys that wants to treat me like a present he needs to open?

Why does it have to be so complicated?

"If you're sure you're ready, I'd like us to try to take it slow," Sebastian says, finally making his appearance. I know it's been only a minute since I left him, but I'm pretty sure three lifetimes happened in that span of time.

"Slow is good," I reply. "What do you want me to do first?"

"How about we start with removing your knives. We don't want them to cause any damage." He walks over and starts with my wrist sheaths.

Slowly rolling up each sleeve, he releases the Velcro holding each in place. He tosses them onto one of the side tables when he finishes. If we end up on the bed, they're still in my reach. I wonder if he thought that move through.

He reaches down and unties my shoes and throws them across the room once he gets them off. My boot knife disappears at some point. I'm too busy being enthralled by his activities to figure out where it ends up.

He then moves up my body to unzip my pants with the back zipper. Still keeping his movements slow, possibly to keep me from panicking, he starts rolling the pants down my thighs. Soon, he reveals my thigh sheaths and makes quick work of removing them, so they can join the wrist ones on the table. When they're disposed of, he continues the downward path of my pants and they're removed from my person.

Although he's seen me sans clothing, just having the pants off and the method he went about removing them makes me feel more naked than I've ever been. I feel a flush start to rise and my body is already feeling a little tingly.

"So, what all did the book say we had to do?" I ask, trying to distract my mind. He moves to stand back up and draws his fingertips along my legs on the climb. I'm starting to get the feeling this won't be much of a hardship.

"It detailed the process we must take to get our bond back. It also said that the bond would be improved. As the title entails no little drug will be able to snap this one," he says as he reaches his hands under my shirt, making his way up, his hands are introduced to my tiny bumps, otherwise known as boobs. As flat as they are, I didn't expect him to play with them or me to enjoy it as much as I am. When he pinches one of my mini eraser buds, my body goes a little wacky and I swear I hear myself moan.

"I'll warn that this reawakening of the bond will result in a connection even more powerful. I wouldn't doubt it if we end up with the telepathy you and Alex share, among other enhanced feelings," he says as he continues his finger play and starts nibbling on my neck.

He switches from nibbling to sucking, and as the blood rises to the surface in that one location, the blood in the rest of my body ignites. The times when we've fed before, I experienced similar feelings, but it didn't have this slow climb towards something. I don't think he's really gotten started yet, but I'm already feeling like I'm close to some ledge, getting ready to leap off.

"I love the way you react to my touch," he says, releasing my neck. "You're a very passionate person. I could always sense that about you."

He leans in closer, allowing me to feel what his actions and my responses have done to the lower half of his body. It makes me a little nervous feeling his size, but when his lips descend on mine, the thought vanishes.

We've kissed before, tongue and all, but apparently giving him the green light that something more will happen changes the fervor behind the kiss. It's hard and soft at the same time, and full of fire. He nips slightly at my lips and I open the front door to welcome him into me.

His tongue knows what it wants and takes everything I can offer back in return. We caress, battl, and soothe each other just with that little piece of our body. Before long, I feel him raising my shirt up and he breaks the kiss to remove it and throws it on the ground to be forgotten.

I'm down to my underwear and at this point, the whole feeling odd about losing clothing isn't an issue. He starts backing me towards the bed and guides me so I'm lying on the pillows in the center of it.

He remains standing and loses his shirt, quickly followed by his pants. Both down to our underwear, we're on even terms. I can see that his boxers are having trouble containing his happy friend, but for now, they continue to do the job.

"I'm sure you've heard that at least the first part of the first time is going to hurt a little," he says, climbing on the bed to join me.

"I've also heard tell that it's well worth the little bit of pain," I reply, stretching my body into him as he leans over me.

"Yes, you're going to greatly enjoy the end result. I think we should get rid of these now," he says carefully peeling my last stitch of clothing down my legs.

He crawls back up me and for the first time he touches me in a place not even a doctor has ventured before. I thought the neck torture was explosive, but this little touch almost pushes me off that ledge and a couple more just for good measure. No doubt about it, now I'm definitely making moaning noises.

"That's it. You're already pretty moist down here, but I think we should push you over to relieve some of this tension," he says, moving his fingers across my little button. Every once in a while, I feel a finger start to enter me and it increases the pressure he's building.

He said this was supposed to relieve tension, but I think it's just winding me up tighter than a spring. I feel myself reaching for my precipice and keep just missing it. It's getting frustrating to be so close and then falling back down.

"Bite," I hear him say and his neck has moved within mouth range. The hunger I'd been putting off rises to the forefront and my instincts take over. My jaw clamps down on his throat and I immediately taste the sweet nectar he's giving me.

It's what I was looking for. The goal I was trying to reach has been met and I'm arching off the bed as my body is racked with millions of tiny spasms. I have to release Sebby's neck and I'm not sure when, or if, the spasms will stop.

As they start to lessen a little, I feel a tight pressure and am instantly confused. Opening my eyes, I see Sebastian hovering over me and realize he's shoved what I can only assume is the biggest square peg into the smallest round hole possible.

Someone should probably call Guinness.

He's frozen above me, not daring to move a muscle. I thought there was supposed to be a little more action once we got connected in this fashion. I arch a little into him and feel friction take place down below. Hmm. Friction good.

"I wanted to give you a second to adjust, but if you think you're ready, I won't disappoint you," he says, panting and sweating from the amazing restraint he's shown.

He starts moving then. Slow, long thrusts that travel throughout my entire body. Already I feel the bliss rising even this soon after ascending to the clouds the first time.

"I've waited a long time to be with you, so even with my great levels of stamina this is going to be a quickie," he says, picking up the pace. If he lasts much longer, I think people will have to pick my liquefied body up off the bed.

"Kinight abosult yukir polskdo alamas," he says in a hoarse voice before bending down to sink his fangs in my neck. Figuring it's part of the ritual, I go ahead and reciprocate, even though I've already taken a good gulp.

The second I taste the first little droplet of blood, an explosion of power drives me away from his neck and throws my head back on the pillow. I get the instant gratification I've come to expect from sharing blood with Sebastian and feel something pulsing within me to indicate he had the same experience.

It's the general reaction we're used to, but there was something way stronger about it this time. I don't know if it's the new bond or just the fact that we were actually connected this time, but something about it was just more.

"Holy crap," I say when I finally find my voice. The power has dissolved and we're left still connected intimately, puffing for air.

"I sincerely hope that was as good for you as it was for me," he says, disengaging and rolling onto his back beside me.

"Good is an understatement."

"True. It's made it so my void isn't a void anymore. I can feel you again," he says, entangling my fingers with his and bringing my hand up for a kiss.

It takes me a second before I realize I can now feel him in my mind too. It's a little scary, but the happiness he's giving off makes me feel joyous in return. Well, until I start to think about the fact he's affecting my emotions.

"That's good. Now you can go back to being the rock we all need you to be," I say, rolling on my side to curl up next to him. I decide now is not the time to delve into the repercussions of this stronger connection.

"I'd be more than happy to reclaim my title."

Thinking of all that has occurred on this bed to night, I start to get a little worried. "Um. You don't think what we just did created a mini you inside of me, do you?" I think in this case protection on his part would've hindered what we wanted to accomplish, and on my part, there's never been a reason to look into contraception.

"Nah. I took care of all that ahead of time," a voice that shouldn't be in my bedroom right now claims. I swear I mentioned to him that he should always knock before entering a room I'm in. Please tell me he wasn't here for the whole thing.

"Ben, I don't think you should be in this room right now," I say focusing on him sitting in a chair that wasn't previously a feature in my room.

"Don't worry; I waited until the show was over before coming to clue you in on some things. I figured you'd want to be assured that no babies were created in the making of this new bond. Although, I figure if you wanted anyone's babies it would be the fangy ones. I guess we still have a little work to do on that front."

"Do I want to know how you made sure that wouldn't happen?" I ask. Neither me nor Sebastian seem too worried about him seeing us in our current states, so I haven't bothered trying to dive under the covers.

"If you remember back when I first told you what the general process would entail, you shared a drink with me," he begins.

"Yes, I remember the drink that I couldn't help but toss back."

"In the mix, other than some of the finest wine Hell has to offer, was a little potion that would bring your vampire nature to the surface. You may have noticed that over the past couple days. With your wolfy bits in hibernation, your vampire baby developer is barren, as it should be, giving you one hundred percent birth control."

"And just when and how do I get my wolf to reactivate?" I ask, not happy that he did this without my knowledge, but at the same time happy at the peace of mind I have because of his actions.

"No worries. It will wear off four days after consumption. I figured by then you would've succumbed to his vampire charms."

"Well, I guess I should thank you for getting this duo back together," I say, almost causing myself physical pain. I've had to thank the demon too many times these last few days.

"No thanks necessary. Keep up the good work and all that jazz. I have business to attend to, just thought I would stop in for this quick chat," he says, smiling and waving his hands around.

"Oh, before you go, Glenda says she wants to change your deal and to meet her at midnight next Wednesday," I say, remembering my promise to pass the information along.

"Hmm. We'll have to see about that. Tootles," he says, vanishing with the new smoke effect he's been trying out.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that thing," Sebastian says, speaking for the first time since Demon Boy's arrival.

"I still pray we'll never have to," I say in total agreement. "Well, I guess we better get back on with our lives now that we are bound tightly."

"Are you sure we have to go so soon?" Sebastian asks, rolling me over so I'm on my back and he's above me. He leans down and starts another battle with our tongues.

I guess there isn't anything too pressing I need to get to. After all, we've already done it once, if anyone asks, we can just say the second time was part of the ritual.

THE END

Night Howls

By Amber Lynn

I still can't believe that it hasn't even been a year since I first started writing my ideas down. Even when I was a child, I always had thoughts rolling around in my head of great characters and the adventures they pursued, but I never wrote them out. In this day in age, technology makes things so much easier for independent authors to have a chance at sharing their dreams with others.

I want to thank all of the other authors out there and code monkeys for making my dreams of sharing the crazy thoughts in my head possible. Whoever invented the e-reader also gets a big tip of the hat from me, for envisioning a world where we can carry hundreds, if not thousands, of books with us everywhere we go.

Reading is important to all of us, so make sure you pick up a book today. There are so many different adventures out there for you to explore. Thanks for choosing one of mine to discover. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1

A great way to piss me off

"Paul, I'm really hoping you're getting a start on April Fools' Day a few months in advance," I say into my phone, seething at the sight before me and this is after I've had a chance to calm down. "I like you and all, but this may just be a killing offense."

The open package sitting on the desk in my apartment arrived five minutes ago and the glee I felt when I saw it was very short lived after I opened it. Everyone knows I take my weapons seriously, so using them to play a joke on me is practically suicidal.

"Slaughter, what seems to be the problem," Paul replies in a calm voice.

I didn't think he knew me well enough to be used to my temper tantrums, but apparently he does. Most people would've replied back in a scared voice while they were pissing their pants if they heard that tone from me. I like that I can have that effect on people.

"Are you going to tell me you don't know what I found when I opened my package from your place of business?" I've been doing business with the man for years now; he had to have known I wouldn't find this funny.

"Please tell me there wasn't a mix-up with your order." I can't tell if he's just acting or if he really doesn't know what's going on.

"If that's what you want to call it. I don't tend to go around ordering handcuffs and blank rounds. Even when I'm just target shooting, I use live ammo and you know I tend to kill any of the bad guys I go after. What am I supposed to do with handcuffs?"

If you were to ask one of my mates that question, I'm sure they would have all sorts of fun ideas, but right now I really don't want to think about them. My mind already spends way too much time in the gutter.

"Oh crap," Paul curses softly under his breath. "We have a new guy, Larry, who's been shipping out our orders. The guy's missing way more than just a few brain cells and must have gotten things mixed up. It sounds like you got the order meant for the movie crew."

Great. Why in the world would they let someone who's obviously incompetent ship out orders with weapons? Talk about a giant fail. I'm scared to know what else this idiot might have messed up.

"What do you mean 'the movie crew'?"

This is the first I'm hearing about any movie crew being within the general vicinity of Night Owl City. Paranorms don't have their own set of actors, so I have to assume this crew is human. Who in their right mind would allow them access to our city? I know the answer to that; I'm just hoping it isn't really true.

"You haven't heard? That surprises me a little because I'm sure Sebastian and Alex both know about it. The Collective, in their infinite stupidity, allowed a Hollywood crew to come and shoot the latest film in some stupid human adventure series. Why they think mixing a bunch of humans with us paranorms will have a positive outcome, is beyond me."

Good. I'm not the only one that thinks this won't end well. I know I grew up thinking I was a human and one "human" in this town was more than most of the inhabitants could take. Bring in a hundred of them and mass chaos is bound to ensue.

This won't be the first time my two mates kept something from me. I imagine they were trying to keep my blood pressure down as long as they could. I doubt it would've worked much longer, especially if my little minion, Phee, got a hold of the news. She isn't very good about keeping her mouth shut.

These days if she gets too talkative around me, I just have her little mate Sam shove something in her mouth to keep it busy. Okay, that came out all wrong. I meant his tongue, not the appendage I'm sure most minds would've thought of by my comment. I wager that my mind isn't the only one in the gutter.

"Sebastian and Alex must have forgotten to mention that little detail. The Collective isn't hard up for money, so I wonder what this movie crew could've offered to make them actually think this is a good idea. Right now, it isn't my concern. What is my concern is where my new shrapnel bullets and gun are at the present moment. If I got the movie's package, I sure as Hell hope they didn't receive mine." No good can come from them having my gun in their possession.

"I haven't received a call from them yet, but I'm afraid that may be the case. I can send someone down to retrieve your order and get this taken care of," Paul responds, eagerly ready to fix the mistake.

This is the first mistake that's happened with any of my orders. Paul tends to take really good care of me.

"Don't bother with that. I have their order, so I might as well go make the exchange myself." I'd like to check out the visitors anyway. I assume eventually they'll cause problems that make it to my door. I should get the lay of the land now. If I know who's who, I'll know who needs to be yelled at later.

"Thanks, Nyx. In the future, I'll make sure to see to your shipping personally. I know better than to allow the same mistake to happen twice."

"I like the sound of that. You're still my favorite sales clerk, Paul. I'll talk to you next week," I tell him as I hang up the phone.

"I told you he'd take care of everything," Sebastian says as he releases my neck. He found it amusing to suck and nibble on it for the entire phone conversation. I was angry enough that I could pretend he wasn't trying his hardest to get me hot and bothered.

He seems to like me walking around with his marks visible on my neck and the ones he left on it a week ago had finally just disappeared. It has been three weeks since we took our relationship to the next level, and spent a very long night getting to know every part of each other's body. I felt the initiation into the world of passion would last me for a while and, so far, it has.

We haven't had any more bed sheet crumpling interludes, but I know I won't be able to last much longer. I'm trying to not turn into a total slave to his loving, and at the same time I'm trying to respect the fact that our relationship has a third wheel.

Instead of being upset about me and Sebby's relationship moving past the hand holding stage, Alex was excited about the fact that I was now versed in the art of multiple orgasms in a given night. His kisses have amped up in their heat and he's actually moved to second base after getting a good grope of my lady lumps.

Surprisingly, I didn't cut off any body parts when he took it to that level. Instead, I shamelessly ground my body up against him and proceeded to rub myself on his leg until I was screaming in climax. It wasn't one of my finer moments and, thankfully, we were in the privacy of my bedroom, even though the guards got the sound effects. I'm sure my lapse in judgment had to do with the fact that I can now feel what Sebastian does and he was really turned on at that moment.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I have to say it's really unfair that they seem to be teaming up against me in hopes of either of them getting some action.

"Paul was very informative, but you, of course, heard that part. Why didn't you guys tell me about the film crew?" I ask, spinning around in his arms.

"Things have been going so good for us; we didn't want to burn bread. I'm sure they'll come in and do their thing, then leave in a couple of months. We have more important things to worry about." He's right, but everyone knows how much I hate being left out.

"You guys are still in trouble, so don't think you're going to be able to talk your way out of this," I say in a huff and wiggle my way out of his grasp. "Do you know where the crew is set up? I need to go make an exchange."

I head towards my bedroom to grab my Hellhound Clyde's leash. If I'm going out, I might as well take the time to walk the baby. I can't exactly call him a baby anymore, since he's almost up to my hip now. That would be knee level on any of the Amazons who run around with me on a given day. So far, his growth spurt hasn't stopped and I'm dreading the day he's taller than me. Maybe when he reaches that point I can ride him around like a horse.

"They're set up on the south edge of town," Jake replies from his usual place laid out on one of the couches. "The leading lady in the movie is someone who I've been getting to know, if you know what I mean." He adds a little wink, thinking it will help with his description.

That figures. If it's over the age of eighteen and has boobs, Jake is trying to get in its pants. One of these days he's going to come home missing his dick and I don't think I'll feel sorry for him.

"Maybe we should leave you home for this trip," I say, coming back out to join my group of guys. Right now, the group is missing my vampire guards because they went out for dinner, but Jonas, Jake, Alex, Sebby and Walt are all here. Pretty soon we're going to need more furniture, or maybe I can finally convince them they need to find a clubhouse somewhere else.

"You wouldn't do that," Jake says, pouting like the two-year-old he acts on most days. He'd be spending a lot of time in his room without supper if he really was two.

"Are we betting on this?" I ask, knowing that he knows better than to try to tell me what I "would do."

"No, of course not. It's just with the vamps leaving town for their big meeting, I won't have as much free time to partake in my extracurricular activities." He just had to go and remind me of the trip. I'd been doing so well forgetting it was going to happen.

There's some big conference for vampires going on in Emerald Town this weekend. Sebastian is required to go because of his kingly status, but he refuses to let me attend. I threw my biggest fit and tried everything short of stripping down naked and putting a bow on me to get him to change his mind. Nothing has worked and I don't like the idea of being separated from him for that long.

This new bond makes me all wacky about those types of things. I hate feeling so dependent on him. He's only going to be a few hours away, and it feels like he's on his way to Antarctica. There's also something about the trip that just isn't sitting right with me. I don't know what it is, but I have a belly full of dread.

"I'm sure you'll live with not seeing your new inflatable doll for a couple of days. If I have to live without Sebastian for that long, you sure as Hell will live without your girl of the week," I say, attaching Clyde's leash to his collar.

"You still have Alex here to warm your bed, so that isn't the same thing at all," he whines, and I start to ponder just shooting him. I'd make sure the bullet isn't silver, but if he wants to whine, I'll give him something to whine about.

"I'm going to put an end to this conversation now," Alex pipes in. "There won't be a good outcome for you if you continue it, Jake." Of course, Alex knows that for a fact, since he can see what's turning around in my melon.

"Let's go make this package exchange and hope no one tried out one of my bullets thinking it was a blank. The way those bullets spread would leave a very large whole in a person, and those humans probably wouldn't recover as easily as one of us," I say, leading Clyde to the elevator with my entourage quickly following behind.

I love it when they just do what I command.

Chapter 2

If it involves the bedroom and other people, really TMI

You'd think the residents of Night Owl City, at some point, would get used to seeing our group of misfits walking down the street. We still get more stares than I think we're worth. It might be that Clyde seems to be visibly bigger every time we leave the house, but even that should get old quick. Everyone knows what he is, it isn't a big revelation he grows rapidly.

Some days, if I'm looking to stir up trouble, I yell, "It's the bat signal," while pointing up into the sky. I then proceed to spread my wings and fly around the block. I don't pay attention to current TV shows or movies, but I've been known to read a comic book in my day.

It was when I was really bored so don't judge me. I'm working on ways to integrate other superheroes into my antics, but, so far, Batman is the only one I've tried out.

After Clyde waters his favorite tree, the only tree available for him within miles, we head back to my Suburban to make the trip to the movie set. With a group this large, we don't have a lot of choices unless we want to take separate vehicles, which no one ever wants to do. They must really love my mad driving skills.

Now that Clyde is bigger, he doesn't get to sit up in the front with me and whichever lucky guy rides shotgun. I say they're lucky because Clyde always gets revenge for him not being able to sit in the seat. There have been a lot of shoes turning up as chew toys or mistaken as a toilet.

It's a good thing the guys aren't crazy about their footwear, not that they could or would actually do anything to get back at Clyde. They know it would upset me, so they just buy new shoes when they need to and try to slip him extra pieces of meat to get on his good side.

Trying to teach Clyde manners is still slow going. He's stopped growling at everyone he sees, most of the time, and at least pretends to sleep in his own bed. A couple of times a week, I wake up to find him trying to cuddle with me, which is a lot harder for him since he's grown. He does his darndest, though. I kind of miss having his little body curled in next to mine.

"I'm sure everyone else in the car knows where we're going, so someone needs to direct the mushroom amongst us," I say, climbing into the driver's seat after getting Clyde settled in the seat behind me.

"They've things set up in Back Alley Business Park. If you head that way, you can't miss it," Sebastian replies, taking his seat next to me.

I bet he thinks that since he'll be out of town for the next couple of days, his shoes will be safe. I'm pretty sure Clyde's memory is better than an elephant's, so I figure a late night snack will be coming in the days ahead.

Back to the task at hand, I still can't believe everyone thought I wouldn't notice a bunch of extra humans milling around the town. My business has been doing pretty good, but not that good. I spend half of my time next to the local den of iniquity and I envision some of those humans are going to try to take a walk on the wild side, bringing them practically right to my door.

"Does anyone other than Jake know anything about these visitors?" I ask as I get our journey underway.

With my lack of time spent in front of the television or in the movie theater, I doubt I'll actually recognize any of the names they could give me. They may as well just list off a bunch of dead people, the names will mean that little to me.

"We've run scans on all of them. Supposedly, the director, the leading man and the people funding the project are big names. Jake's little girl toy is new to the scene and she's looking to make a name for herself. I expect she's going to have all sorts of stories for the tabloids about her doing it doggie style." Alex replies.

"Too much information," I say, trying to wipe dirty images from my mind. Thankfully, I haven't seen the girl yet, so the images are mostly generic.

"I think the majority of the crew is hoping to engage in as many fantasies as possible while they're in town. I've already been approached about hosting a party at Sins once they wrap up filming," Sebastian supplies.

"And your answer to the request was?" Please prove to me I don't have a dummy for a mate, I think quickly to myself before he gives his answer.

"I don't want to be responsible for a bunch of humans, who are most likely going to get themselves killed because they don't know their limits. I told them it was best if they keep their party amongst their own species," he replies, clearly agitated even by the thought of having hordes of humans in his place of business.

Good. Taking in a show is one thing, but them actually trying to be a part of it would be crazy. It's doubtful the vamps in town would turn any of them down if they wanted to be dinner, but unless you're Jake, who really only has one teeny brain, no paranorm is going to get intimate with a human. We tend to have just a little too much energy for them, and the bruises just won't heal fast enough. That's what I hear anyway.

"Any ideas on why the Collective let them in?" It still doesn't make much sense to me. The human world may know about us freaks, but we still have many secrets we don't want getting out. Bringing in a crew with cameras doesn't seem like a very smart idea to me.

"I figure they've finally lost all touch with reality. It's the only explanation that makes a bit of sense," Jonas offers from the backseat. As far as he's concerned, their grasp on reality has been nonexistent for a long time.

"It's a very odd move on their part. They don't do anything without a reason, though. I expect we'll be enlightened soon enough. I don't think whatever it is will hurt us, so for now we just need to keep our eyes open," Alex says.

I hope the visitors take one look at me and decide to give me a wide berth. I don't think I look frightening enough to pull that off, but I can still dream. Too much exposure to humans gives me a rash. It's a rash only I can see and feel, but it's there and I like to try to avoid it.

"When exactly are you leaving, Sebby?" I've avoided asking the specific question as part of my tantrum. I've been trying my hardest to pretend there wasn't going to be a separation, but the weekend is fast approaching, so I have to prepare.

"It will most likely have to be right after this little errand. I need to get there early to make sure everything is set up properly and there are no issues with the lodging arrangements. A lot of these vampires who are coming in don't get along too well with each other, so there's a lot of shuffling that needs to be done."

"I still don't see why you're making me stay behind. I'm a vampire, too. I should get to come to your little party." I know his reasons, since I've heard them fifty times over the last week or so, but I refuse to acknowledge them.

Sebastian sighs, probably wishing he would've recorded himself giving me his arguments the first time so he wouldn't have to repeat himself. "First, it's not a party. It's a meeting of all the vampires not choosing to be governed by the Collective. We make decisions on where our species is heading in the following year and appoint heads of the different regions. Vampires from all over the world will be flying in for this summit.

"It wouldn't be an atmosphere I want you caught up in. There will be no doubt to these people that you aren't just a vampire, and making all of them believe what you really are would be impossible when we don't even know your third nature. Next year, you'll be able to join me. By then, your father will have told you what you are and we can build a stronger case for you being included in the craziness of the weekend."

"I could have Ben just make me up some of that vampire boost potion, so the other vampires wouldn't sense anything else on me," I provide. I haven't heard from Ben for a while, but he told me all I have to do is say his name and he'll come running.

"Come on, Nyx," Alex says from somewhere behind me. "We're going to have a great weekend alone without Sebastian. We can find some woods outside of town and go for a midnight stroll, just the two of us. Maybe I can show you what it's really like to do it doggie style."

He must have that phrase on his mind. Maybe a couple of smacks to his head will remove it, because that is so not happening. Well, the midnight stroll perhaps, but getting it on as wolves isn't something I see transpiring anytime in the near future, or probably ever. Since he can read my mind, I don't even bother voicing my opinion aloud.

"Maybe one day," he says, not letting my thoughts drown all of his hopes. There tends to be a lot of wishful thinking done on his part.

"I can't believe you're leaving me alone with him," I tell Sebastian, trying to change my tactic.

"You have your uncle around now to protect you. I'm sure Walt won't let Alex do anything you don't want. Clyde will probably ensure that as well."

Damn it. I just don't feel good about his leaving. I don't know what it is, but there's something just off about it and I want to either make him stay or convince him he needs to take me along. Maybe I can just follow after him and play his shadow for once.

"You do remember that you can't do that anymore, right? I'll know your plans and just make Alex tie you up to a bed. You can just envision the fun he'd have with you in that position," Sebastian's voice says curling around my mind.

Stupid new bond. I now not only have Alex's dirty mind to contend with in my head, but Sebastian has also started to intrude.

Rumor is this is the way bonds are supposed to work, but who wants anyone else to have the ability to roam around in their mind. I, being the lucky person I am, get not only one person able to do it, but two. If I think about it, I wouldn't doubt if Ben was also able to read me like a book. He seems to always know what I'm thinking and can hear what the guys say when they communicate telepathically with me. It really is too much for one girl to take.

More and more each day, taking an ice pick to the noggin sounds like a good idea. Maybe after a lobotomy, they won't be able to get in. I've read in books that there should be a way for me to build walls to limit when they can sneak in and what information they're able to get out. I've been unsuccessful in actually making it work, though. I hope that with more practice it will eventually become a reality.

On the road ahead, I see a mess of trailers and people running around. I imagine I'm in the right place, so I pull over into a parking spot and prepare myself for the joyous task of conversing with humans. I don't see any ambulances, so I think I made it in time before someone was turned into Swiss cheese. I choose not to consider the fact that Night Owl City doesn't have any ambulances.

Chapter 3

Take that, you big buffoon

"Quiet on the set," a man with a booming voice yells as we make our way towards the set.

I see that he's yelling through a megaphone, so in reality he probably sounds like a troll. Trolls have really odd nasally voices. I've only met one of their species, so maybe I'm just making generalizations that aren't true.

We reach the crowd watching a scene play out. It looks like the leading man is chasing a bad guy around their cutaway house. I've chased enough bad guys that it doesn't really appeal to me, and it looks ridiculously fake in my opinion. All the darting around the furniture is a little much. Dude, just jump over it and tackle the man.

When the leading man takes out a gun and aims it at the bad guy, I jump into motion. If they have my bullets in that gun, I can't allow them to just kill each other. Sometimes I hate my annoying conscience.

With my speed, I'm on the gun wielder in seconds and tackle him to the ground. A loud whoosh of air escapes his lips and I'm pretty sure I've left a few bruises. Better discolored than dead, at least that's my way of thinking.

"What in the world is going on?" I hear someone shout as we make contact with the hard fake floor. Wow, the man really does sound like a troll. I was just joking when I originally thought that might be the case.

I wrestle the gun out of the guy's hand and quickly flip it open to find my rounds in the chamber. The fact that it's the gun I was expecting to be delivered today, made it pretty obvious what I was going to find. Seriously, they couldn't tell those weren't blanks? I close the chamber and stand up, keeping the gun in my possession.

"Just who do you think you are, barging into my scene like that?" a very irate looking man with salt and pepper hair says, towering over me. It's the troll and my guess is that he's the director.

As with most humans, I'm not impressed. Sure, he's taller than me, making him seem large, but a five-year-old can also loom over me. He's a bit on the portly side and has dark cocoa eyes to go with the graying hair.

"I'm retrieving my property before you idiots kill each other," I say, walking over to Jake who's holding the box we brought with us. I take it away from him and shove it into the yelling man's hands. "Here are your handcuffs and blank ammunition. You might want to get a better prop person if you thought my rounds were blanks."

For effect, I point my gun at an empty chair nearby that's free from bystanders and shoot at it. It basically disintegrates as my bullet and its pieces rip through it. Startled gasps are heard around the set. Just think of the noises they would've made if it hit a person. Larry from Tango Charlie would need to get a very good lawyer.

Having retrieved my goods, I'm ready to leave, so I begin to guide my group back to our vehicle. I see Jake wink at someone and can only assume it's his girlfriend. I smack his arm to get him into motion. He can flirt on someone else's time.

"Wait," a man's voice says, running to catch up with us. Clyde doesn't like his approach and turns to growl, causing the man to slow down.

I pause for a second, not even bothering to turn around. I know it's the man I tackled just from the scent that he's giving off. He doesn't immediately say anything else, so I'm forced to prompt him. "I don't have all day. Speak, or I'm out of here."

"I have two questions. What's your name and just what are you? For as little as you are, I know you can't be human when you tackled me with that much force."

"My name is Nyx, not that it's any of your concern. Just what species I am, you'll never find out, nor do you need to know. Just pray you don't have to see me after today," I tell him and continue with my walk.

I didn't get a good look at the guy, but I already have enough man problems. I don't really need to pique the interest of some human. I got my gun back and that's what I came here to do.

"Excuse me, miss, but I was wondering if you had any acting experience?" The director type person has caught up with us because of our delay. He seems to have forgiven me for ruining his scene. "I'm Gene Phillips, I'm sure you've heard the name before, and I'm looking for a female who could do some fighting sequences for us."

Damn it. I should've let Paul send his gofer to take care of the exchange. This is turning into a hassle.

I spin around, so I can make sure my point is heard loud and clear. My fuse is really short today to begin with and it just ran out.

"You're a human, so your name means nothing to me. I came here to get my new gun and I'm leaving now. I don't act and would probably kill anyone you tried to get to fight against me. I don't care how big and macho your leading man is. Five seconds in a fight with me and he'd probably never be able to have kids again."

I can see the leading man now, and he's well filled out, as far as humans go. He stands as tall as Sebastian, so I would say he's six-four. He has short, dark hair; the length makes it hard to tell if it's black or a dark brown. He has ice blue eyes that are probably contacts in place for the movie because they don't seem to match with his general complexion. There's a thin white scar that runs the length of his left cheek. Again, chances are that's just for his character.

"Are you sure? I think Will could handle it. We have a few women we're trying, but none of them have made the fight scenes realistic enough," the director says, trying to push his case.

Great. The humans don't seem to understand English. I just tackled the guy, what even makes them think I can fight? Just because I make a good bulldozer, doesn't automatically equate to great fighting acumen. Most people look at me and think I belong safe at home behind an apron, even with the guns usually strapped to my sides.

"We could at least try a scene together," the lead guy, who I'm taking is Will, says to try to help the director. "I promise I'd go easy on you."

I hear every one of my guys chuckle under their breath at the comment. The taunt, of course, makes me want to teach the guy a lesson. I don't think he realizes what he's done.

"Sure, we can give it a try. I should warn you that only one of the guys next to me can actually beat me in a fair fight." Let's see what he has to say about that. Sebastian is the only one who can kick the crap out of me. Alex and Walt are pretty much even with me in skills and Jonas is almost to their level. Jake is good, but I can for sure beat him.

Will looks over at the guys and just shakes his head like I'm making up a story. "Let's give it a try." I warned him, so whatever happens is his own fault.

"Out of curiosity, how much can you bench press?" I ask. The man has some muscles, but I doubt he can beat me in any of the different kinds of strength determinations.

"Three-ninety-five," he replies, with a wink that indicates he thinks it's impressive. "You?"

"I can lift a good six-fifty with about any muscle you ask me to," I inform him.

He looks me up and down and his smile spreads even wider across his face. "Can I get some private demonstrations on those different muscles in action?"

I forgot I was dealing with someone of the male persuasion. I should've been more careful with my wording.

"She's taken," Alex and Sebastian say simultaneously.

"By who?" Will asks, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

I think he's trying to judge whether he could take either of them in a fight. The answer would be not unless he wants to become a pancake.

"Both of us," Sebastian answers for the duo.

"Really? You too much for one man to handle?" he questions, turning his gaze back to me.

"It isn't by choice and I thought you wanted to try a test fight scene. Let's get on with that and you can find out for yourself how hard it would be for anyone to handle me."

"Right this way," Director Gene says, ushering us to an open space on the set. It appears he wants to move this along before it becomes an all-out fight.

I crack my neck a few times and do a couple of stretches. I really don't think this is going to tax my system all that much, so I don't waste too much time. Will starts hopping around from foot to foot and practices a little weaving. I can't decide if I want to take it easy on him in hopes of not totally embarrassing him, or just obliterate him with a few punches.

"Come on, Tinkerbell. Let's get this fight started," he taunts.

Obliterate it is.

For fun, I do two flips to land right in front of him. He sees me coming, so he goes to swing his right fist at me. I weave out of the way and do a quick leg sweep to knock him on the ground. He springs back up and tries to land a punch in my midsection on his way to his feet. He's borderline fast. Fast may not be the right word, but he does have some speed to him. Too bad for him, it won't be enough against the likes of me.

I block the shot and catch his fist in my hand. I squeeze tightly, using about half of my strength. I see him wince, but he doesn't cry out like I was hoping. I let go and land my own punch to his gut, which causes him to double over. While he's in that position, I place a good uppercut to his jaw before the fight is interrupted. Will is laid out on the ground, so I don't think there would've been much more action as far as he's concerned.

"This was a bad idea," Gene says, moving to stand between us. Hey, I tried to warn him it wasn't going to be a fair fight. "We can see you can fight, but in our scenes we don't connect the punches with that much force, if at all. We can't have our leading man all bruised up before we really get into filming."

"He asked for it," I remind the director.

Don't they have makeup artists to take care of any marks I leave behind? He got me all riled up and now I don't get to take my aggression out. I think there's a punching bag with my name on it back at the fort.

"You're right, we wanted to see what a fight scene would look like with you and I think we got the information we needed. If you don't want to actually do the fighting yourself, would you at least consider working as a fight coordinator for us?"

"No. We need to be going," I say, ready to leave these crazy humans in my dust. Sebastian is preparing to leave and I need to make sure to give him a proper, clothed, send off.

"At least take my card," he says, shoving a small rectangle of paper into my hand. "Maybe something will change your mind."

Doubtful, but I'm tired of arguing, so I put the card in my pocket. I turn my back and walk away vowing nothing is going to stop me this time. Miraculously, nothing does and we make it back to the Suburban without any further interruptions.

"You make friends everywhere you go, don't you?" Walt says with a laugh as we climb back in the Suburban.

He's been around long enough to know just how easily people attach themselves to me. People tend to either love me or hate me. I wish there were less people on the loving side of things. I deal with fighting better than hugging.

"I know. It's a curse," I say, taking the slow way back home to try to prolong my time with Sebastian. Even the slow route doesn't take that much time and we arrive back at the penthouse before I know it.

Chapter 4

Good-byes are never easy

"Why don't you send Marcus ahead to take care of the last minute details?" I ask Sebastian as I sit on my bed and watch him pack a few things from my room.

His bag is full of his stuff already, but he wants to take some things that have my scent. It's a little creepy, but I allow it as long as he steers clear of my underwear drawer. That would be crossing the line. Although, I don't doubt he's already pilfered from there for the nights he doesn't share my bed.

"Marcus is coming with me and will be dealing with a lot of those issues, but I still need to be there. Believe me, this separation isn't going to be any easier for me," he says, coming over to caress my face. Sadly, a little caress isn't going to make things any better.

"Something bad is going to happen," I say voicing, yet again, my dread.

"You'll be safe. Alex won't let anything happen to you and you know you can defend yourself against anyone. Stop worrying. People are going to forget what a bad ass you really are if you sit around and complain all day," he tells me as he leans down to kiss my forehead. When he's done, he lifts me up to my feet and walks me out of the room.

At the present moment, I don't care if everyone in the world thinks I'm a giant sap. I really don't want Sebastian to go on this trip. As far as I'm concerned, it isn't truly about our bond and the distance that will be separating us.

"It isn't me I'm worried about. Make sure you have at least Marcus with you at all times. I know Dante is going to be hanging close because of Alan being at the summit, but I don't trust him as much as Marcus and don't get me started on Smitty."

None of the vamps have returned from their dinner, so I feel free to voice my concerns. Well, at least some of my concerns. If I really got going, he'd be delayed at least a week.

"Nothing will happen and I'm always well-guarded at these things. Alan may try to call me out, but after about a hundred losses on his part, I doubt he'll want to go through the embarrassment again."

Nothing he can say will reassure me. If he put himself in a giant impenetrable bubble suit for the weekend, I'd still worry about something happening. Yes, it's that severe of a feeling. He's supposed to have some clairvoyance abilities. Why aren't they cluing him in on the problem? My stupid woman's intuition is shouting the issue from the rooftops.

"Fine. Have it your way, but if something happens to you I'm going to severely hurt you when you get back. Even if you come back as dust, I'll find a way to resurrect you, just so I can beat you down. In that case, I'll probably end up killing you again just for the Hell of it. Then I'll go about starting the process all over until I feel you've learned your lesson."

"Now that's something I'd love to see. I have to go, but we'll talk every day, either by phone or mind, so I'm sure you won't even notice I'm gone."

"With Ben's help, I'm sure I could accomplish the task of resurrection, so you better keep your eyes open," I say, trying to work myself out of my funk. I have plenty of stuff to fill my days while he's away and Alex and I have been getting along pretty well, so it isn't like I'll have time to mope or feel like I'm not getting enough attention.

"I love you, always," he says as we make our way to the elevator. I refuse to walk him down and watch him fly away. Our good-bye is being said here.

"And I you," I reply. He drops his bag and lifts me up into his arms to bring us face-to-face. He tilts his head to the right and I follow suit as our lips meet.

Kissing has never been an issue for us and this time is no different. I open my mouth immediately to allow him in for a quick war of tongues. Neither of us wants to give the other the satisfaction of leading the kiss and it turns into an all-out battle. It's a common occurrence between us and usually I'll let him win, but this time I'm determined to be the victor.

Way too soon, he pulls back and just hugs me close. He quickly lets go and hits the elevator button. "I'll call when I get there. Like I said, you won't even know I'm gone," he says, stepping into the elevator, still trying to convince me everything will be fine.

"Be safe," I reiterate and wave at him as the doors close.

"Finally. I thought he'd never leave," Jake says, breaking my moment. "Who's up for having a big party while the fuddy-duddy is away?"

"Do you ever know when to keep your mouth shut? It isn't the right time for comments like that," Jonas says, throwing one of Clyde's toys at the jerk.

I haven't spun around to face them, yet, but I hear the telltale squeak of one of the few toys Clyde hasn't gutted. We had to stop buying anything with stuffing from the beginning. He moved on to pillows when we took the toys away, but I think he's finally grown out of that stage.

"What? You know everyone here was thinking it," Jake says, defending himself. Most days it's hard to remember he's actually older than me.

"Last I checked this was my place of residence, not Sebastian's. He may own the building, but the apartment is mine, so I believe I would be Ms. Fuddy-Duddy to you," I say, walking over to the couch he's lying on and I swat his legs off to make room for me.

"We could invite all of your new friends from the movie set," Jake suggests, not giving up on his party idea.

"Alex, do you actually do mental capacity testing on your guards? I'm pretty sure Jake fell through the cracks." He undoubtedly hit his head a few times on the way through those cracks.

"Jake has always been a little, how should I say it, on the special side of things," Alex replies jokingly.

"It's probably because his little brain does all his thinking," Jonas supplies, stating a well-known fact. One that Jake is often teased about, as it's brought up at least thirty times a day. You'd think we'd get tired of talking about it, but, so far, it hasn't happened.

"I think I've had enough of this conversation. Don't we need to get you down to your office or something?" Jake asks, already growing tired of being made fun of. He's usually good for at least a few comebacks.

"Not really. I finished all my paperwork on the Miller case yesterday and my phone hasn't rung all day," I inform him.

"So what, are we just going to sit around here and stare at each other all night?" he replies and stands to start pacing around the room.

Obviously, sitting around for a quiet evening at home is going to be out of the question. I've been working non-stop lately. My cases haven't been extremely exciting. In three weeks' time, I've only been able to kill two people, both members of a crazy werewolf cult that has decided turning wolf and tearing humans to shreds is a good pastime. I've been hired to kill others, but the cases behind the contracts were too weak for me to see them through.

Most of my time has been used to build support groups within our community for victims of crimes. It makes no sense to me that I'm the one driving these efforts, but I have to see Phee most days and I don't like to think of anyone else ending up like she was after her assault. If her mom hadn't thought to call me, my little minion might not have been around to drive me batty.

Part of the new program is me training more students on how to defend themselves. So far, my little group has expanded to ten, including Sam and Phee. The guards assist a lot to try to help keep my sanity intact.

My oldest recruit is my age and started with no experience. It's only been a week since we really got things going, but there has been noticeable improvement from all of the pupils. Phee has even been allowed to start wearing her knife sheaths. We're progressing towards firepower, but I'm still hesitant.

"The kids probably wouldn't mind an extra night of training. I'd given them the weekend off, but it's most likely the only action you'd get tonight, otherwise."

"Have I mentioned how proud your father is that you're getting into this mentoring gig?" Walt asks. Yes, he's mentioned it and my dad has told me it himself on the one occasion we actually talked on the phone.

"I'm well aware that once everyone picked their jaws up from off the ground, they're very proud of me being a grown-up and taking responsibility for other people. I couldn't very well let Jonas be the only adult in our group."

I'm a little tired of being praised for just being a decent person. You figure a person who has two mates eventually has to grow a heart. It's taken a couple of months, but most days, I do believe, I actually feel one beating in my previously empty chest.

"So, seriously, our only option for entertainment tonight is playing with a bunch of kids," Jake complains. "This is so unfair."

I don't know what's wrong with him tonight, but I don't want him hanging around here with that kind of attitude. "Alex, you better let him run off to play with his girlfriend. I'm not going to be able to handle him right now. I'll make sure to schedule some arts and crafts, or something, tomorrow night to keep him busy.

"Fine. Jake, you have three hours to yourself. When you come back, you'll be expected to act like an adult or you'll be going one-on-one with me. Nyx deals with enough shit all day long. She doesn't need to have to find ways to amuse you, as well," Alex replies in a tone that I find very sexy. It might just be that he's sticking up for me, but I like it when he puts his authoritative hat on.

"Yes, Alex. Sorry, Princess, for being a pain. One of these times the doctors will get my medication right," Jake says as he runs towards the elevator.

If I believed doctors could actually fix his problem, I'd drive him to one myself. I doubt any of them would have something for a severe case of werewolf attention deficit disorder.

"Would you still like to bring the kids over? You've been wrapping up that jealous vampire case and you haven't seen them for a couple of days," Alex states.

He's right. The jealous vampire, or Miller case, really ticked me off. A female vampire got pissed that the guy she was mooning after had been sticking his beef whistle in someone else. She hired me to kill him and led me on a merry little chase, only to find out the truth behind it all.

In the end, she was lucky I have a strict policy against stabbing my own clients, even if they really deserve it. Taking out my frustrations on my recruits sounds like a novel idea, so I quickly get my phone out and start dialing.

Chapter 5

Like taking candy from a baby

Eight of my soldiers show up for the unscheduled training. The other two weren't answering their phones. If I were a mean person, I may be inclined to show the ones who did show up something extra special today. Of course, no one would ever confuse me with a mean person.

The class tonight includes, Sam, Phee, Mary, Hans, Kris, Marc, Luke and Annie. Remembering their names tends to overtax my brain, so I've just given them numbers. To ensure that I can focus on teaching and not figuring out who is who, they have tops with their number clearly printed on the front and back.

Yes, I'm lazy. Get over it.

"Number one, front and center," I say, commanding Phee to join me in the middle of a wrestling mat.

"Yes, Master," she shouts back and hustles to her spot. It's good to have minions.

"Since we didn't have anything previously scheduled for tonight, I decided we're going to have a little fun. You don't get to play with real ammo, yet, but I think a little game of catch the flag paintball style is something you all can handle." It would be better to play it outdoors, but we have enough rooms and general space in the building to make it enjoyable. Jake might actually be sad he missed this, once we tell him about it.

"Yes!"

"About time."

"This is going to be awesome."

Apparently, the recruits are excited as well. Now, if I can just keep them from shooting paint in each other's eyes, we may be making progress.

"Are you playing with us?" number four, Annie, asks.

"Alex, Walt, Jonas, you guys want to show the kids how it's done?" I ask the "adults" in the room. Even with Jake not amongst us, the word is used loosely.

"Sure. Us versus them," Alex replies for the rest of the guys.

"Isn't that a little unfair," Hans, number nine, questions. It seems odd to have a number nine with only eight of them here, but I'm not going to rename them now.

"For you guys, maybe," Jonas says with an evil laugh. The poor babies don't know what they're in for. They've been just learning the basics. Now, it's time to show them what Black Ops is really all about.

"You guys can be the red team and we'll be the blue team," I instruct and hurry over to my toy box. I'd been using the gym strictly for workouts and didn't even know this treasure existed until a week ago.

I grab the two flags and a dozen guns. We have different varieties of artillery, ranging from handgun to machine gun styles. I stick with handguns for everyone. I don't want to teach them how to use the bigger varieties and I don't want them calling foul if my team uses them. After pulling out a couple of cases of red and blue pellets, I'm ready to distribute my booty.

"Okay guys, no rocket scientist needed to use these. They don't have safeties on them, just point and shoot. If you get hit, you're out, so move out of the way or lie there and play dead."

That's all the instructions for gun usage they're getting out of me today. If they can't figure out how to shoot me, I see that as an advantage to my team.

"To make the exercise fairer we're requiring earplugs to be worn. With everyone's superb hearing it isn't as much fun to play this game when you can hear what the other team is doing," I say as Alex hands out the earplugs he retrieved while I was going over my minimal gun education. "We're taking the parking garage as our home base and you guys can have the entire gym."

I'm not sure who has the upper hand on the location choices. Both have a lot of good hiding places and multiple access points. The fact that I know a few secret passages in the building probably shifts the arrow in my direction.

"Don't you think that since you guys are all trained in this type of thing that we shouldn't have to wear the earplugs?" Phee asks, trying to shift the arrow back to her team.

I look at the guys to see what they want and I'm met with a bunch of shrugging shoulders. It doesn't really matter, I guess. I don't have to hear to smell someone coming up behind me. Since there are only werewolves in the class, I think I still have the advantage.

"Fine. No earplugs for you guys. Half of our team doesn't even need to speak out loud to communicate and I can move quieter than a mouse, so I see no issues."

My team puts our earplugs in and grabs our flag and weapons. I wave good-bye to the little kiddies and we're off to create the most impenetrable force we can with just us four people and a bunch of cars. This is going to be fun.

In the garage, we look around, trying to figure out the best place. I figure Jonas and Walt will be left guarding the flag while me and Alex go after the other team's. It will be easier for us to communicate without alerting anyone.

"Good idea," Alex says, using our secret weapon. "I'm thinking we set them up in one of the cars. There are less access points and they'll be able to see anyone coming."

"Yeah, but depending on the car, they'll also be easily seen," I reply, pretty sure where this is heading.

I walk over to the Suburban and open the doors for everyone. Clyde jumps in. I'd forgotten he was tagging behind us. I hope he doesn't mind sitting with Jonas and Walt for a while. There's no way I'm going to take the little bugger with me on this mission.

I point at Walt and Jonas and motion for them to climb in. They nod in understanding and bring their guns and the flag. They both climb in so I'm able to softly shut the door behind them and turn back to Alex.

"Do you have a certain way you want to do this?" I ask, knowing that if it were me, I'd find a way up into my apartment and then use the secret passage to get in a door that none of the recruits have ever used.

"I'm good with that. Let's show these young-uns how to play super spy," he replies, twirling his toy gun around.

"Just be careful where you shoot that thing and follow me as quietly as your Amazon stature allows," I say as I take off in a run. I'm not sure if Alex knows about the back stairway, but I sure do and you couldn't pay me to take the elevator right now.

The bad thing about the secret passage is that I can't reach the button that slides the wall away. Obviously, when Sebastian had it installed he didn't have a short mate in mind. I know Alex can see in my mind where I need him to press, but I point at the wall to reinforce what needs to happen within the next couple of seconds. Technically, I could 've levitated myself up there with my wings, but it seems like such a waste of wing time.

He makes a big display of stretching on tip-toe, even though it isn't necessary. He's lucky he's on my team. I think when this is over there's a paintball with his name on it.

"Jerk," I say, voicing my opinion on his act. I move into the passage and wait a second for my eyes to adjust. My night vision has finally come online. How I lived without it, I have no idea. Those night vision goggles you can buy have nothing on what I can see with my own two eyes now.

"I'm guessing you know where to go. Sebastian doesn't believe in making straight paths. It wouldn't take much to get lost in here."

"Sometimes the crazy paths come in handy. Yes, I've studied this building extensively since I moved in. I'm surprised you haven't been through it with a fine-tooth comb." I say as I take a right turn at a fork in the road.

I don't mind the sensory deprivation I get from having my ears closed because even when me and Alex aren't talking, Sebastian is hanging out in his little corner, so there's always some kind of noise to be heard. He isn't actively drawing my attention, but I can feel his life force, or something, as if I were actually touching him. I've come to except him there and I now understand how difficult it was for him when our original bond was deactivated.

"One of these days you'll have to make room for me to join him in there."

"My head is pretty full without Sebastian being there. I'll see if I can make some room for you in my medulla."

"I was thinking more of the hypothalamus. I know that's where I have a special place picked out for you." How much do you want to bet that part has something to do with sex?

I decide to bypass going all the way to the apartment. As I've thought about the tunnels more, there is a better route. The only thing I'm worried about is that the door will open into the pool area. I figure that's probably where the other team has hidden their flag. It's where I'd hide out and I'm hoping that at least Phee has the common sense to do the same.

"How many of them do you figure they left behind?" Alex asks.

Good question. Since there are eight of them, I wonder if they've even come to an agreement on anything. None of them have an alpha mentality, so I'm not sure if they'll have a defined leader to guide them.

"I bet we're going to run into the majority of them still there. You good for handling two or three of them without getting shot?"

"With my eyes closed," he replies.

We're finally to the door I want to use. My nose tells me seven of the eight members of the other team are within close range. The evil minion, Phee, is missing. I'm pretty sure she has something up her sleeve.

"These seven are meant to be a diversion. I'm surprised Sam is allowing her to be off on her own, but wherever she is, the flag will be."

"You don't think she went looking for our flag?" Alex asks.

If he knew Phee as well as I did, he wouldn't have to ask. She's been learning through osmosis and takes in everything I teach her. My teachings won't be helping her tonight because she still isn't prepared for the likes of us and she recognizes it.

"No. She knows she can't beat us, so she wants to have a little fun. We go in on three. I'll be taking to the air as soon as I get enough room. They won't know where to look. I'll somersault in and try to clear you some space."

"Got it."

"One. Two. Three," I say and spring into action.

I swing open the door and immediately complete the somersault I spoke of. While I'm in motion, I fire towards where I can smell the people in the room. I can't tell if anything hits while I'm moving, but I don't stop firing.

As I complete my turn and come to my feet, I spread my golden wings and launch into the air. From this vantage point, I can see I've hit two of the targets and Alex quickly finishes off three more when he enters the fray.

I shoot Kris and a blue paint smear from Alex's gun appears on Sam, bringing a quick end to the battle. Now, we just have to find Phee and the flag. I still don't smell the scamp, so that leaves only one place for her to be, if she's playing by the rules.

The only place in the gym that I wouldn't be able to smell her is the quiet room. After sparing for hours on end, we sometimes need a little time to ourselves to calm down before we're acceptable company. The quiet room allows us a place to do that without any external interruptions. It's soundproof, smellproof, and probably bombproof.

"Have Phee and Sam bonded on a telepathic level yet?" Alex asks a question I should've thought about already.

"She hasn't said for sure. Since neither of them is defective, I wouldn't doubt it. We can go charging in if you want. One of us might get hit, but I doubt she could get both of us."

"I was hoping to get through the exercise with no one killed from our team."

"Does that mean you've thought of another way into the room?"

I'm pretty sure the quiet room doesn't have any secret tunnels into it. It's a good choice to hide in, but I would've still gone with the pool because there's more room to move. I hate having to try to fight in tight spaces. Even with my small stature, they're too constricting.

"I distinctly remember you having a passion for air ducts. I know of an entrance that should take you right into the room. The way the air flows to the room should make it so she has no idea you're coming."

"Lead the way." Sam can tell her we're coming all he wants, but he's stuck playing dead by the pool and can't relay our insertion point.

Alex directs me to an air vent high up on the wall behind the track. I wonder if he brought a set of stilts. I tuck my gun into the front of my pants and give him a doubtful look.

"I'll boost you up there," he says, taking his place directly below the vent. "The cover just slides off, so there isn't a need for a screwdriver. The vent will lead you into the ceiling above the quiet room. It's just a drop ceiling. You should be able to slide one of the panels out of the way and drop down. You'll have to be careful on the beams supporting the tiles, though, because they aren't meant to hold a lot of weight," Alex instructs.

"Sounds good," I say, climbing up him and reaching to slip off the vent cover. It easily comes off and I hand it down to him.

After I pull myself up and in, I start crawling my way down any path I find that leads to the right. The quiet room isn't far from where I started and I quickly exit the vent to find the aforementioned weak beams. I may be able to lift over 600 pounds, but I weigh just over a hundred. I hope the ceiling will take it. When I get to the tile in the far corner of the room, I lift it up slightly so I can take stock of the situation.

Below, I can see Phee staring at the door with her gun ready to fire. Oh my little chickadee, you're in for a rude awakening. I move, ever so slightly, to retrieve my gun. Making no noise, I pull it out and take aim.

With just a slight pull on the trigger, my blue paintball is on its way. Just before it hits its target, Phee spins around to face me, but it's too late for her. I take my earplugs out now that I've fired. There's no need for them to remain in when the other team is all dead.

"We should've required you to wear bells on your shoes," she says in defeat. She doesn't seem overly depressed about the outcome.

Alex, knowing what's going on from my head, opens the door and grabs the flag from the floor next to her. "We win," he says only mildly gloating.

Chapter 6

Bath time fun, Hellhound style

I call down to let the guys in the garage know it's safe to come back. From the sound of Jonas' voice, it's not a moment too soon. Being cramped in a non-moving vehicle with Clyde probably isn't any more fun than being in a moving one with him.

"Did you guys have fun, even though we wasted you all in record time?" I ask as Alex, Phee and I meet up with the rest of the students in the main open area of the gym.

"It was an eye opening experience," Marc says.

Tonight the numbers just aren't working for me, since they aren't all here, so I've reverted to their names. Yes, I do actually know them. I just thought the number thing was cooler.

"I think we'd learn more if we watched you teachers play against each other. We were no match for you guys and we only got a maximum of five shots off before we were all toast," Annie adds.

I think a more neutral location would have made things a little more interesting. If we had to enter the room head on, they might have been able to hit one of us, emphasis on the might.

"Maybe another night. It's getting late and Jake should be getting back soon, so why don't we pack things in," Alex suggests. I'm liking that idea. The kids start wandering off and I go about making sure all the paintball paraphernalia is put back in the toy box.

"By the way, I'm now safely in Emerald Town and have seen nothing that indicated there was danger lurking," Sebastian says through our link. "I've been here for about thirty minutes, but I didn't want to interrupt your fun."

"Thanks for checking in. When you get back, expect a paintball war," I reply. Now that I've had a taste, I want to go against a more worthy opponent.

"I look forward to it. Get some sleep, it might help calm you."

I'm sure neither of us expect that's possibly true, but I'll let him have his little fantasy. "Good night. I love you, and I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Love you, too," he replies and I can feel him leave to go back to whatever he was doing before his little check-in.

Maybe I should ask Demon Boy if he has one of those handy impenetrable bubbles I was thinking about earlier. I bet out of everyone I know, he's the most likely to have one just laying around, and he's mentioned before how much he wants me and Sebastian to keep connected. I may just have to make a call tomorrow and find out.

"He's going to be fine," Alex says, taking me away from imagining Sebastian walking around in a giant bubble suit. The pictures my mind comes up with are really funny sometimes and it isn't the first time I've thought about at least one of the guys in a bubble.

"Perhaps if you guys say that enough times, it'll overpower whatever is causing me to think the opposite. So far, it isn't working. Are you sleeping with me tonight?" I ask as I close the lid on the paintball equipment and stand up, only to find myself wrapped up in Alex's arms.

"Promise not to cut anything off?" he queries as he squeezes me tightly to his chest.

"I don't believe you warranted that punishment today. In fact, you telling Jake off earlier kind of turned me on."

"Really? Enough to move around the bases a little?"

"Not tonight, but if you keep up the good work you might get to third soon."

I still can't say that I'm in love with Alex. We're getting along great and have both established ways to deal with each other's little ticks. I'm getting better at not wanting to kill him for every word that escapes his lips and he in turn has learned just the level he can take his obnoxiousness before I want to kill him.

This time without Sebastian physically here will most likely help us even more, as much as I hate to think about it. Sebby usually serves as a referee for us and is good at taking my mind away from the annoying things Alex is known to do. With him out of the picture, it will give us a nice chance to play house.

"I thought house, not doctor. In case you needed clarification on what that involves." I alert Alex so he doesn't get any ideas.

"You're so cute sometimes," he replies, pinching my left cheek softly. "Let's get upstairs and make sure Jake got home okay."

I follow him out to the elevator and it opens the second he pushes the button. "Do you ever get the feeling Jake is our kid?"

"More so now that we're together. When he was just my guard, his evening activities, I guess you could call them, weren't talked about as much. I heard reports of his teenager-like ways, but we never spoke about them. These days he seems a bit more proud of the fact that he sleeps with anything capable of moving. I'm sure it's just a phase that he'll eventually grow out of."

We really need to find a girl he can settle down with. I hope that when we find her, she has fur and can become a permanent fixture in his life.

The elevator opens to my foyer and I give my usual wave to Venus and David. I still kind of want to have their curses lifted, but in a way I feel that it might actually be mean if they haven't been aware all this time. Ben won't give me answers on whether or not they are and it's making my list of pros and cons a little hard to get written out. Awareness goes in big bold letters on the pro side of the column.

"Hey, guys, did you have fun with the kiddies?" Jake asks as he stuffs a last bite of steak into his mouth. He's sitting on his usual couch and looks to be enjoying himself.

"Sure did. We played capture the flag paintball style. If you'd have stuck around, we could've put you on their team and maybe had a little bit of a challenge," I reply on my way to the kitchen. A steak sounds delicious right about now.

"I wish I would've been around for that. You don't play around as much as you should and Stacy wasn't as much fun as I thought she'd be."

"Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?" I look into the fridge and find a nice Porterhouse with my name on it.

Feeling nice, I grab one for Alex as well and set about giving them a quick scorch in a pan. Walt and Jonas took Clyde on a walk after being stuck with him for so long. I don't know when they're planning to return, but I do know they don't like their steaks to just sit around after being cooked. They'll have to make their own if they come back and are hungry.

"As much as I like women," he starts and the words, way too much and a whole lot, come to mind, "the effort I have to put into being gentle with the human variety is a little taxing. I still have a good time, but I know I could have more fun elsewhere."

"Oh look, honey, our little Jakey is growing up," I quickly send to Alex, causing him to laugh.

I throw the steaks on plates and join them back in the living room. "So, the little actress is out of the picture?" I ask as I snuggle into the couch beside Alex to eat.

Jake sighs deeply, like the decision used up every one of his brain synapses. "I think so. I didn't officially tell her, but I think I'm going to lose her number. You don't think any of the girls in your class are looking to hook up, do you?"

If my eyes could shoot laser beams, I think they'd be doing so now. "You'll only hear this once from me, so listen up," I say, super pissed and hope my voice is projecting that emotion. "My girls are off limits. To make it into my group, they had to have some kind of trauma in their life. They don't need some Romeo who can't keep his dick in his pants chasing them around, making promises he has no intentions of keeping.

"If I so much as see you smile at them, I will personally kill you. This isn't even one of my usual threats to cut off your tallywag. This is you no longer breathing for just a smile. Do you understand?"

"Wow, Mama Bear is in the house. I'll avoid anything that will cause me certain death. Your girls are safe."

Good. He's taking me seriously, for once, must have been the laser beam eyes. "Oh, in the news I'm sure you'll love to hear column, I'm supposed to tell you 'hi' from Will. He tried to get me to talk about you, but I was smart enough to just brush him off."

Yuck. I must wear a secret perfume I'm not aware of that is called "I really liked to be fucked with". I'm going to have to work on figuring out how to get rid of that particular scent. At least Will was just asking around and not showing up on my doorstep with flowers. That would be lame and I might just let Alex handle him if it ever does occur, or Clyde. Clyde would be really fun to watch.

"Thanks for not divulging all of my secrets. You'd think after I kicked his ass the appeal would've evaporated."

Jake shrugs and says, "Some guys are into that kind of thing. They like their women to take charge of the situation. I kind of got that vibe off of him. I, on the other hand, like to be the one driving the action. That's why Alex originally put me on your detail. He knew I wouldn't let Hank get within a foot of you and a bed." Hank being what he's named his man parts. I'm still washing out my brain daily from learning that tidbit of information.

"Yes, Jake won't touch you that way and Jonas would assume it to be a betrayal to your father for even thinking about you in a sexual way. I can't trust any of the other guards that much with your care," Alex adds his logic. The fact that he could probably rip most of the guards to pieces would make me think he could keep any of them in line.

Walt has been added to the normal werewolf guard rotation and Dante to the vampire side of things. I'm up to six personal guards, so that's making things a little easier, and allows the guards more downtime without following me around. Jonas, Marcus and Walt tend to hang around close even when they're not on duty.

"Well, I, for one, am glad to hear I won't be needing to pick up any crying human girls as they throw themselves at your feet in the future," I say, bringing the conversation back to Jake's big revelation. If he sticks by it, it will be a miracle.

"No, we'll only have to deal with the overly hormonal paranorm variety. Which do you think is worse?" Alex asks as I finish my steak. He takes my plate and wanders into the kitchen to get rid of both of ours.

"We can't expect him to keep it in his pants, and humans make me itch, so I'm choosing the paranorm variety."

"I don't know. A scorned werewolf can cause a lot more damage," Alex suggests.

"You guys do know I'm still sitting here, right?" Duh. The conversation wouldn't be as much fun without him hearing it.

"Clyde is going to need a bath," Jonas says, dragging Demon Dog into the room.

Not what I wanted to hear. We've played bath time before and it wasn't something I put on my list of things I wanted to do again.

I look at my little guy and find him covered in mud. Rain was not in any forecast I heard about. "Care to explain?" I ask, imagining Clyde somehow finding the only mud hole in the entire city with his super sniffer.

"There's a water main break. It's causing all sorts of trouble over on Elm," Walt supplies.

"Why didn't you guys just hose him off downstairs? You had to have made a mess hauling him up here," Alex states. You'd better believe I'm not cleaning the floors. The dog is one thing, but this girl doesn't do linoleum.

"He wouldn't let us. He wanted his mommy," Jonas answers as he hands me the leash.

"Clyde this is so not cool," I say, standing up and heading towards the guest bath. There's no way he's getting in my tub. Plus, the other bath has a detachable showerhead that will make this easier. "What shampoo do you think we should use tonight?"

The dog can't respond to me, but I find myself asking him questions all the time. Rumor is that if he gets a hold of some of my blood, we'll be able to communicate. With all the other voices filling my head already, that isn't something I'm planning on doing any time in the near future.

"I don't think you've found one strong enough to cover up the sulfur yet," Jonas yells at my back as I make it to the washing station.

I place Clyde into the tub and grab the showerhead. Only Clyde's breath smells like sulfur to me, since he barks fire, I assume that's normal. The rest of Clyde just smells like wet dog, but the guys assure me it's like living with matches constantly being lit.

I make short work of rinsing out all the gunk from his fur and lather him up with my oatmeal doggie wash to give his coat a nice shine. He does a good job of standing still in the bath when the water is on, but once I turn it off and stand to put the sprayer away, he shakes sending a flood of water everywhere. It was cute when he was a little puppy. Now, not so much. Before I can tell him what a bad dog he is, he jumps out of the tub and streaks out of the room.

"Not cool, Clyde," I scream, running after him with a towel in my hand. At least the water will dry without extra cleanup, unlike the mud that Walt looks to be mopping up.

I find Clyde curled up in his bed, making sure to thoroughly saturate it with moisture. I can see his game plan now. He should know better than to try to pull this, but he's still young, no matter how large he grows.

"You'll be sleeping on the couch tonight, Mister. Alex has already called the big bed." That makes him narrow his eyes a bit, before he returns to his usual grin. I think Alex's shoes will be joining Sebastian's tonight for an evening snack. "Now, come here so we can dry you properly. I don't want you catching a doggie cold."

He waddles over, now that fun time is over. His short fur doesn't retain a lot of water and his bed has probably collected the majority of it, so it takes no time to get him dry.

"There we go. Let's go grab you some hamburger before we call it a night," I say, leading him towards the kitchen.

Alex, being the sweetheart he's turning into, has a plate prepared and he sets it on the floor for our little guy. "As annoying as he can be, I really like it when you refer to him as 'ours'."

"Yeah, well you have that weird paternal trait I find annoying in men."

"Come on. You know you love having a little baby in the house." That earns him a glare from me.

"As much as I love Clyde, he's a dog. Taking care of him is a little bit different than changing and feeding a crying screaming little you. Knowing my luck, I'd somehow end up having ten pups at a time. We don't have enough people here to take care of that many children."

"Okay. No fighting about it tonight. Let's just go to bed and you can think about it some more," Alex says, taking my hand and leading me into my room.

I change into my pajamas and forget about babies, my mentoring status and my missing in action mate. Curling up next to Alex is the only thing on my mind right now and that's just what I'm going to do.

Chapter 7

Sweet dreams are not made of these

I know I'm dreaming because of the fact that I'm seeing Sebastian, but I don't seem to be able to interact with him. Dreaming about Sebastian isn't unusual for me. In fact, it happens most nights.

I do tend to not be a spectator watching events take place, though, so this is a little different. He's tied to a bed and it looks like someone has taken a knife to him, judging by the blood stain and slash marks on his shirt. I get the feeling this isn't going to be my idea of a good dream.

I move closer to him and when I try to touch him, my hand goes right through his body, solidifying my not being able to interact theory. My earlier assumption was based on the fact that he doesn't seem to notice me standing in the room, and I feel no live connection with him. I'm going with me dreaming, rather than me being a ghost. I'd hope I remember someone finally toasting my ass.

"Come on, Sebastian. You could make this so much easier on yourself," a woman's voice says, drawing my attention to a tall, leggy, chesty blonde who I failed to notice in a dark corner of the room. I need to work on my observation skills, but with Sebastian in the shape he's in, you really can't blame me.

I instantly hate the woman. She's dressed in a red negligee that might as well not even be there. Her face is all done up with makeup and I think she has some kind of glitter lotion on her skin, because she's sparkling. I have so many not nice words going on in my mind about her that I can't bring myself to say any of them. It would just come out as a garbled curse.

"You should just let me go. I'm mated, so none of your usual tricks are going to work on me. I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I don't want any part of it," Sebastian seethes at the evil witch. You tell her, honey, I silently cheer him on.

"But we used to be so good together. Don't you remember those days?" she asks as she starts doing some weird striptease-like dance. Yuck. I think she should keep her day job.

Yet another reason for me to dislike the bitch, if her words are any indication, it sounds like she's had a taste of my Sebby. Being in dream world, I can't get a good sense of what she actually is. My default train of reasoning leans towards vampire, but I'm not seeing any of the usual signs. Her skin actually looks a little tanned, which isn't something you see in vampires. Even a freak of a vampire like me has pasty pale skin.

"'We' didn't used to be anything together. You got off while I slept and left me feeling weak in the morning. There was nothing consensual about our time together."

"You can't believe that. You gave me such a boost; I know there were some special feelings on your side of the equation."

"Bullshit. Why have you even kidnapped me? You have plenty of men out there in the world who wouldn't mind a little of your special attention, even if it does strip a few years off of their lives," Sebastian says with his eyes closed, not even bothering to look at the temptress. The temptress that I've figured out is a succubus. Ever since I met Ben, I've had a feeling Sebby had run afoul of one sometime in the last millennium.

"No one else has ever been able to escape my thrall. Somehow, you did. I want to prove to you that I can have you anytime I want you," the bitch replies to him.

I can't interact with Sebastian and I highly doubt if I can with her, but I walk over and swing back to punch her in the face anyway. Sadly, my hand goes right through her head. Damn dream world. When I wake up, I'm finding her and shooting her a few times for good measure. I feel slightly better from at least making the attempt.

"You expect this time will be any easier for you, now that I've actually mated and have a bond that can't be broken?"

"Bonds are just made to be broken. Didn't anyone ever tell you that? I've broken so many of these little 'bonds' over my time that they're a joke to me. There's only one out there that could possibly defeat me and I doubt your little vampire bond has even half the strength of it," she says with an evil laugh, as she sashays her tall, skinny butt towards the bed.

Once there, she climbs on top of it and straddles Sebastian. He still has his clothes on, but I'm, of course, pissed by the action. She moves around a little, probably trying to stimulate something down below on his part. If he can keep "Happy" down with a woman who looks like a goddess on top of him, I will love him forever. I doubt it's possible, though. He is a man.

"Really? Does grueker-tilnay mean to you what it does to me?" Sebastian asks with his eyes still firmly closed.

"You've got to be shitting me. Who would tell you about that?" she screams, climbing off of him.

I'm able to get a visual on my property and somehow "Happy" doesn't look very happy. If that's the case, I love our new bond.

"Me and my girl know how to do things right," Sebastian replies to the pissed off succubus. I wonder if he's purposely not using my name.

"Like I said, these things are created to be broken. I'll destroy whatever bond the bitch holds on you, and then you'll become my sex slave, to do with as I see fit."

Good luck with that, darling. I think it's called unbreakable for a reason. Even if that word doesn't make sense in your diluted, messed up mind.

"Do you really think my girl is just going to let you do that? I didn't exactly mate with a marshmallow. She's going to find you and kick your ass from here back down to Hell where you belong."

There's so much fire and passion in Sebastian's statement that I find it really sensual. I always love it when the guys stick up for me, especially in cases like this, where I don't get to voice my own opinion.

"You really think some little girlie vampire is going to stop me? I will tear her to shreds," she says, walking out of the room.

She's probably on her way to kick a baby. She just has that kind of look in her eyes.

"In your dreams, Candace," Sebastian replies, finally opening his eyes. Eerily, he focuses in right where I'm standing.

That's creepy. I know he had his eyes closed when she first started talking, but before that they were open and he didn't appear to know I was here.

I jerk awake in my bedroom with Alex still curled up beside me. I have no idea of the time, but I need to talk to Sebby. The events of the dream are either happening right now or in the future, since I'm not aware of him being kidnapped by a succubus in the last three weeks.

Alex seems to still be asleep, so I wiggle slightly to grab my phone from the nightstand I recently had added on my side of the bed. I was tired of having to get up if the phone woke me in the middle of the night.

I press Sebastian's preset number and hold the phone up to my ear. After three rings, a sleepy Sebby answers.

"Love, did you have a bad dream?" he asks. I think he's saying it as a joke. Little does he know.

"Who's Candace?" I reply, thankful that at least the events of my dream haven't happened yet.

"I can only think of one person with that name and I hope like Hell you haven't had the unfortunate luck of having to meet her," he replies, sounding a lot more awake.

I feel him actively poking around in my mind to find the information I know on the subject. Lucky him doesn't have to wait for me to think things. He can now pull my memories.

"Oh, you'll love what you find," I say, actively thinking over the dream so he doesn't have to really dig.

"Fuck," he yells loud enough I think everyone in Night Owl City might have heard him, even with him being a few hours away. "I hate that bitch."

"I gathered as much. I wasn't aware of her before tonight, so do you figure this is something in your future?"

"Not if I can help it. The thing needs to be killed, but even after years of searching, I haven't found a sure-fire succubus killer. I've found a spell that will banish her for a while, but she's a persistent little gnat. I should've known when I thwarted her plans for me, she'd eventually come back to bite me in the ass."

"Now will you believe me when I say something bad is going to happen?" Maybe I finally have a strong enough case. There's no way I could've just dreamed up a girl I've never met.

"Yes. With a specific threat pointed out, I'll be able to plan a better defensive front. Your dream won't become a reality, love. You can go back to sleep with that assurance," he says, trying to calm me down.

I don't know how possible sleep is, but I want to give him a chance to work on his plan. "Fine. Are you sure I can't come meet you now? You might need me."

"I think you being around may just add oil to the fire. Some of the other vampires started arriving tonight and they had a lot of questions about you. I tried to just be vague, but you're already a topic of contention around here."

"When am I not?" I ask with a sigh. "Call me when you get up in the morning so I know everything is still okay."

"I will. Now, go to sleep and no dreams of evil demon bitches."

"Bye," I reply and hang the phone up. I let it drop on my belly while my mind starts going over things.

"I still say he's going to be just fine," Alex says. Sebastian's yelling must have woken him.

"I'll believe it when he's back in my arms. You didn't see the slut of a succubus. I seriously hope she never gets Jake in a room. He'd be in Hell and not even know it."

Alex picks up my phone and reaches over me to put it in its spot. On his way back down, his hand strokes my face and he leans down to put an innocent kiss on my lips. "No one will ever take either of us away from you. You're stuck with us for the rest of your unnaturally long life."

I curl into his side and wrap my arm around his waist. "To think, there was a time I dreaded that statement coming true."

"I'm glad we could change your mind. Now, close your eyes and get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day and I'm sure it will bring other headaches."

"You know, some days I think I might actually love you, Alexander Monroe." If things keep going like they are, I feel the days of my uncertainty on the matter are numbered.

"When you know for certain, make sure I'm the first person you tell," he says and softly sings me a lullaby that does its job of lulling me to sleep. I didn't even know he could sing. I'm still learning new things every day.

Chapter 8

Losing my mind a little in the morning light

The next day dawns for me with a face full of slobber. "I thought we talked about this, Clyde. Mommy does not like being awoken to dog breath," I say, pushing him off the bed.

"He was just trying to wake you up," Alex says, laughing beside me.

"I don't see him using that method on anyone else. I think I'd prefer him to just gnaw on my ankle. Those doggie breath mints don't do a thing for his chronic case of halitosis. Do you think there's a product out there that would help?"

I crawl out from under my covers so I can use the little girls' room. I need to wash my face. The sulfur breath is lingering this morning.

"You could stuff little hunks of sulfur up your nose. Then you won't even notice that he stinks," he suggests.

"I'll get right on that," I say as I flush the toilet and grab the soap. The soap isn't scented, but I'm hoping it rinses off the residue. A good amount of hot water and half the bar of soap later, I feel much better.

I walk back to the bed where Alex is still lying on his stomach and climb on his back straddling him. Feeling nice, I start massaging his shoulders, digging in deep to work out the knots. For as calm as he appears on the surface, he has a good amount of tension built up.

"Now, I'm sure I love you," Alex says muffled by his pillow.

"Yeah, that's what all the boys tell me when I rub them like this," I reply as I start chopping down his spine with the side of my hand.

"You should probably tell me who these other boys are, so I can make sure you won't be touching them again. You do recall we have a no touching policy in place for about every man alive."

"But Sven makes the cutest noises when I massage his pecs," I say and I'm instantly shifted around so he's on top of me and we're facing each other. How he managed it, I have no clue.

"I bet I can make you forget all about Sven," he promises as he grinds himself into me. He doesn't push hard; it's just a gentle nudge to let me know he's happy to see me.

"Mmm. I'm sure you could, but I promised myself the next time I got off that I wouldn't be dry humping your leg." I shift underneath him to rub his bulging boxers just slightly with my leg.

His wolf comes to the surface briefly enough for him to growl his approval. "Our clothing can be lost in mere seconds," he adds to the growl, and he bends down to bite my neck softly where Sebastian has already left his mark. After the nightmare I had last night and my depression from being away from Sebby, I'm not really in the mood.

"Very tempting, I'm afraid Clyde won't wait for his breakfast and morning walk, though."

"Walt can take care of him. I've been such a good boy lately, don't you think I deserve a little reward?" he asks, working very hard to keep himself from moving anymore.

I don't think it would take much contact for him to explode. Some days I'm happy to have this kind of effect on him, but other days I don't want the responsibility.

Being in a generous mood this evening, but not wanting to play slip and slide, I get brave and move my hand to the elastic band holding his boxers up. He did relieve some pressure for me not that long ago, the least I can do is return the favor. Slowly and carefully, I wiggle my fingers beneath the band and I'm met immediately with the soft, velvety skin of his joystick. His hard enough to drill nails into a wall, joystick.

"Oh God," he moans, visibly shaking now. After getting a feel for what I'm working with, I wrap my fingers around him and grip tightly. Unable to stop himself, he starts rocking back and forth, causing my hand to stroke him. "You weren't far off when you thought it won't take me long to go over the edge. It's cliché, but I've dreamed so many times of you touching me like this," he gets out before his pace picks up and grunting ensues.

While he goes about his business, I do a little comparison. He and Sebastian are about even in the size department, as far as I can feel. I haven't officially got a look at the beast in my hand, but I've seen them both erect in boxers, so I think that gives me a good reference point. Judging from that, Alex probably has an inch or two in length. The big difference between the two is Sebastian is uncut. When he was a wee lad, they didn't perform circumcisions where he grew up. I like the fact that they're different in that way as well as almost everything else.

"Squeeze just a little tighter, please," Alex whispers and I follow his direction, making a tighter fist. I guess it isn't very nice to be sitting here working to pleasure him and thinking about Sebastian, but he should know it really isn't doing anything for me. He starts taking in deep, ragged breaths. "Oh God. Oh God. Oh God." Before he can say it another time, his body tenses up. It sounds like he's having a religious experience. I'm a little afraid to hear who he starts praying to when we actually do the full deed.

"Anyone and everyone I can think of, if it feels that good. You should probably remove your hand because I have a feeling I could keep you here all day. Even with that bit of relief, I'm good to go again," he says as he helps me remove my hand without getting any man goo on it.

I've already used my allotted amount of soap for the week, so I appreciate his assistance. He, on the other hand, might need to spend a little time in the shower to get himself cleaned up.

"You want to make sure I get cleaned up properly?"

"Sorry, you know that I can't partake in a joint shower with you until me and Sebastian share one. He's been requesting one longer."

"One of these days I'll beat him to getting to experience something first," he says, giving me a quick kiss on the nose and then rolling off the bed.

"I haven't given Sebby a hand job before, so you got him there," I let him know.

He grins and shakes his head while making his way to the bathroom. "Well, it's a start. Is the third point to our triangle okay this evening?" he asks as I hear the shower turn on.

"Feels fine to me. He's supposed to call when he's up and about, which he is. I imagine he was giving us a little time to make sure you didn't end up with blue balls. Speak of the devil," I say as my phone starts buzzing on the table.

"Just where have your hands been this fine night, my love?" Sebastian asks the second I connect the call. I reach out to his mind to see what exactly he's seen. What I find takes our relationship to an even weirder level.

"I'm sure you don't need to know. Should I ask what your right hand was doing while you were tuning in? I do believe you have a touch of voyeur in you."

"You're the only one that didn't get off from the experience. Maybe you should have Alex take care of that little problem for you."

I roll out of the bed wanting to find some bacon. It currently has more appeal than Alex playing with my lady bits. "I think I've exceeded my limit for skin-on-skin contact for one day."

In the kitchen, Clyde is sitting in front of the fridge staring at it. No one was in the living area when I walked through, which is a bit odd.

"What do you want, Clyde? Didn't Uncle Walt come out to feed you while Mommy was distracted?" I grab a ham steak for him, put it on a plate that I take from the cupboard, and then set it on the ground. First task complete, I get to work on my bacon.

"Technically, he wouldn't have to touch you with skin," Sebastian says bringing me back to our bizarre conversation about Sebastian trying to talk me into letting Alex presumably explore my southern hemisphere with his tongue.

"I'm good, really. I touched him intimately and that's about all you can expect out of me today." I flip my pieces of bacon and wish that I could find a way to cook them quicker. I love me some bacon, but it takes the longest time to cook to the perfect crispness.

"Sorry, Sebastian," Alex says joining us. He's thrown on a pair of jeans and has a towel draped around his shoulders. "I knew better than to push her for anything else. Her mind had a giant red stop sign flashing."

"You've trained him so well," Sebastian tells me in response. "I'll let you get on with your morning, but wanted you to know security is in place and every spell I can come up with to keep demented succubi away has been cast. She won't be getting me anytime soon."

"I'm glad to hear that. I patiently await your return," I tell him as I place my bacon on a paper towel to absorb some of the grease. My mind is moving on from the conversation with the mounds of bacon in front of me.

"You've been reading the antonym part of the definition of words again. There's not a patient bone in your body."

"Very true. I'm fighting hard not to eat while I continue this conversation. Do you think we can say we love each other and talk in a couple of hours?" I ask.

"I love you, too. Enjoy," he says and cuts the call. Smart man, realizing more words would tax my system at this moment.

I grab my plate and head towards the living room to get comfortable on a couch. I left enough bacon for Alex to grab his own and if he doesn't want it, the fridge is full of other food he can make for himself.

"Nice of you to emerge from your bedroom," Jake says from the couch I choose not to sit on. Walt is sitting with him.

"We weren't in there that long. I'm surprised you made yourself scarce," I get out before my first slice of bacon meets my mouth. Nothing is said while I enjoy my treat.

"Now that Walt's here, I don't have much choice in the matter. Your uncle doesn't think I should hear you having intimate relations with your mates."

I think I'll have to buy Walt a new gun for his insistence. "Have I told you that you're my favorite uncle?"

"From what I gather from your father, I'm your only uncle, so I don't know how great a compliment that is."

"If Nyx says your name and favorite in the same sentence, you better believe that's a high compliment," Alex says, finally joining us with his plate of bacon. "So, are you heading to the office today?"

"I was thinking I'd go in and do some research on more varieties of demons. This is the second one we've run into in a relatively short amount of time and I want more information."

"Who's the second one?" Jake asks. lost in the conversation.

"Sebby has a succubus stalking him. Do either of you have any experience with one?"

"No, thank God. At least not that I'm aware of," Walt answers.

"I haven't either, but I hear it can be a very interesting experience," Jake adds his two cents.

"The controlled eagerness in your statement makes me want to immediately find a charm to keep you out from under one of their thralls. I think we're going to have to make a pit stop at SpellBinders. If a succubus were to get a hold of you, I have a feeling decades would be taken away from your life, and you'd never get the opportunity to grow up," I say as I grab Alex's plate and return them to the kitchen.

"Have you thought about asking his evilness for help in this matter?" Alex asks.

I should have, but I try not to turn to Ben for everything. "Ben, can you hear me?" I say aloud. I haven't really summoned him before, so I'm not sure what I have to do.

"You've reached Benjalarico's voicemail. He's not available at this moment in time. If you want to leave a message, tough titties. If this is my pretty little baby maker and you're ready to share a night with me, tickle your palm and I'll be right there," a computerized woman's voice echoes through the apartment.

"I guess you'll have to try him later. I don't think we're desperate enough for you to 'tickle your palm'." Alex would be right.

"I concur. Is everyone coming with me? I take it it's Jonas' turn in the sleeping cycle." I start wandering towards my bedroom to get dressed. Without a lot of choices in my wardrobe, I quickly put my knives, guns and clothing on.

"Yes, Jonas will be up in a couple of hours to keep an eye on you. I'm going to go hit up my contacts for some anti-succubus spray. If she isn't able to get to Sebastian, she may try other methods to get to him."

Like coming after me. If I knew how to eradicate the bitch, I'd welcome the confrontation. Sadly, I don't currently even know how to banish her ass. It's the first item on my list of things to do at the office today.

"Sounds like a plan. If you get bored, come keep me company," I say, giving him a quick kiss on my way to get Clyde's leash.

"Thanks for my wake up gift. I'll return the favor in the near future."

"And just maybe I'll let you," I reply. Jake and Walt join me and Demon Dog in the elevator and we're off for a little walk to ParaNorm Inc.

Chapter 9

No visitors allowed

After letting Clyde water three nearby buildings, we arrive at our destination. There's a bouquet of flowers sitting outside of my door and I'm not amused. If they were from Sebastian or Alex, they'd be inside the building. I'm not sure how they work that out, but each time they've sent flowers they were sitting on my desk waiting for me.

"Jake, do you mind grabbing those?" I ask while I fish my keys out of my pocket. I don't even want to touch the flowers. They're dark purple roses that would greatly appeal to me if they were from the proper individual.

"Two guesses who they're from," he replies after getting a good look at them.

"No one important," I say, making my way into my office. I'm here to do research, not worry about flowers.

I sit down and start my computer. I want to get a look at what the Collective has on Candace. I hope there's more information on her than there was Ben. After I hack into the system, I'm rewarded with a more thorough biography.

Name: Candace

Race: Demon

Subspecies: Succubus

Summoning name: Krindlecane

Background: Candace is a mid-level succubus that is well known for keeping her victims in her web until they are dead. She prefers male targets, but has been known to go after exceptionally strong female prey. She can be protected against with a simple charm that any low level witch can cast.

Current location: Emerald Town

Aliases: Candy and CeCe

Associates: Unknown

Distinguishing features: She is able to change her appearance, but tends to take the guise of a tall blonde. She has the mark of a raven just above her belly button.

I don't really like the raven being involved. That's Ben's symbol and if she's one of his minions, I'm going to be extremely pissed at him.

"You have a visitor approaching at a fast clip," Jake announces to snap me out of my rapidly approaching fit.

I look up and can see Will walking in the door. I don't want to know how he found me.

"I think you made a wrong turn somewhere, mortal." I glance down to see if Clyde is going to sic the human for me, but he's fast asleep. He can be a lazy little jerk some days.

"I asked around for you and was told you'd be here. Did you get my flowers?" he asks, walking straight into my office. He looks around and, like most people, his eyes keep trained on my weapons wall.

"If they were purple roses, yes, they were waiting for me when I got here. I'm sure they're very nice. Now that you've assured yourself a hoodlum didn't come by and steal them, you can go about your business elsewhere."

"I'm guessing the news hasn't reached you, but our leading lady was found dead this morning in her trailer. I was hoping I could convince you to reconsider being in the movie. We don't really have time to find someone else without getting way behind in shooting," he says, settling in one of the chairs I reserve for customers.

"Jake?" I ask, wondering if he's heard anything since he saw her just last night.

"News to me. She was definitely breathing the last time I saw her."

"I'm sorry for your loss, but I don't act," I inform Will. He doesn't seem broken up at all by his costar's death.

"What can I do to convince you otherwise? I think it's a role you'd be perfect for. There's a little bit of fighting you can do when you get kidnapped and you look the epitome of a damsel in distress." I know we haven't spent very much time together, but does he seriously think that statement is going to make me change my mind?

"Look, Will, you seem like a nice guy, but I can tell you right now that you probably shouldn't be sitting where you are at this moment if you want to keep your dick," Jake says from the other room.

"He's referring to the fact that I have a crossbow trained on your privates as we speak," I say, cluing the guy in. "I think I proved to you yesterday that I'm anything other than a damsel in distress. I believe my demonstration should've also made the point that I don't play well with others."

"I did get that vibe from you, but we're in a bind. I think having a non-human in the movie will also earn some publicity that we're in need of for this movie. The series is starting to get a little played out, but if we can advertise that our leading lady is a paranorm, we might be able to give it a boost," he says, trying to plead his case.

I should've hit him harder in his head yesterday. It might have knocked some sense into him. "Still not happening. Now, if you don't mind, I do actually have a lot of work to get done today. I have my own problems and to me they're more important than you needing to find a replacement girl."

"Arm up, Sweetie. We have one of those bigger problems getting ready to enter the building," Walt says, and I leap over my desk and Will to get to the waiting room immediately.

"Holy shit," I hear Will mumble.

I look out the window to take inventory of our trouble and see Frank and a group of other Collective agents heading towards my door.

"Fuck." There really isn't anything else to say. I pull out my Beretta and wait for them to enter. I don't think taking this meeting out to the street is a wise move on my part.

Frank enters and signals for the rest of his crew to wait outside. "Hello, Nyx. You haven't stopped by for our weekly dinners for a while now," he says as he stares down my barrel.

He looks no different than he did when I last saw him a couple of months ago. He's in his seventies, but doesn't look any older than Will, who I'm guessing is in his late twenties. Frank is six-two with a fair complexion, not as light as mine, but pretty close. He has short blond hair and moss green eyes. His nose is bent slightly out of shape from not being properly set after a mark hit him with a brick.

"When I found out you'd been lying to me my entire life, I decided to take them off my calendar. What are you doing here?"

"There seems to have been an incident with one of the human females in town. One of your flunkies has been seen spending a lot of time with her and we're here to bring him in for questioning. You're welcome to come along. You've been greatly missed at the Collective."

I glance over to Jake to see how he takes Frank's statement. I know he didn't have anything to do with the girl's death, so as far as I'm concerned, he isn't going anywhere. Jake rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"What evidence do you have that indicates Jake was involved?" I ask, turning back to Frank. My gun has remained trained on his chest. "All I've heard you claim is based on hearsay, probably from humans, so it doesn't prove anything."

"She was attacked by a wolf. There's no questioning that fact. The witnesses aren't only humans. We've had Collective people watching the humans closely to try to make sure the filming goes smoothly. Jake's been seen frequenting the trailer the woman's body was found in. Someone even stated he was there just last night. I think those facts indicate he needs to have a little sit down with us, if nothing else to prove his innocence."

"And I say your witnesses are full of it. When was she killed? Jake was home by midnight. He was not freshly showered and wasn't covered in blood, nor did he carry the smell of death."

For me, I've found the recently departed smell of fish guts. In my line of work, it can be hard to avoid the smell and I'm happy that it hasn't always been there for me.

"The signs indicate that she was killed just after dawn, but I still would like to have a chat with him. He might have seen something that will help us with our investigation."

"You can ask him your questions here. You don't have to take him back to your dungeon. I've seen how you've worked over suspects before and I'm not allowing that to happen to one of my people," I assert.

"I prefer not to, but for now you can have it your way. If I decide later that I have more questions, I'll bring him in." Over my dead body, I think to myself.

"Will, you should probably be on your way. Things might get a little uncivil, and I'd hate for you to get a bad impression of paranorms," I say, wanting him out of here as soon as possible. There are no assurances guns won't eventually be fired.

"Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing. You know where to find me if you change your mind about what we discussed," he replies, scurrying to get around Frank and out the door. It seems he isn't totally stupid.

"You can have a seat if you'd like," I tell Frank, still refusing to lower my gun.

"I'm guessing you aren't going to join me, so I'll stand. Jake, can you tell us about your evening last night?"

"Sure. I'll go over all of my movements from yesterday, just to prove I'm cooperating. I woke up around six at night. Jonas and Walt were already awake, so we had a quick meal together. Nyx, Sebastian, and Alex woke up not much later and joined us.

"Around eight or so, Nyx got a delivery from Tango Charlie. The order was messed up and she threw one of her usual fits. We went down to the movie set in time for her to exchange orders with them before anyone got hurt. We went back to her place and wished Sebastian farewell as he set off for a business trip.

"After he left, I got bored and ticked everyone off enough that they gave me a few hours of free time. I headed over to Stacy's and engaged in some mildly boring coitus. When I was spent, I didn't hang around any longer than needed and went back to Nyx's, where I remained the rest of the night. I believe Nyx was correct in saying that I arrived before midnight. I'm sure the security tapes will show me entering around eleven forty-five," Jake says, finishing off his long ramble.

"And you noticed nothing suspicious when you left Ms. Lehman's?"

"No. Everything was pretty quiet. The humans seem to keep daytime hours for their shooting schedule, so I think most of them were already asleep."

"Can I get you to come in so we can take some DNA samples and bite imprints?" Frank asks, still trying to get Jake on Collective property.

"Screw you, Frank," I say, answering for Jake. "You know damn well that you already have his DNA on file. With that, you don't need to do any teeth measurements."

"He's still our number one suspect. He could've left your place any time before dawn and you may not have noticed it."

"If you aren't going to do the job you're pretending to do, then I'll get you a better suspect. I'll hand the real killer over to you within two days," I say ready to just shoot him for being a dick. He knows Jake isn't involved, but is messing with us anyway.

"Really? You think you can solve this case before I can?"

"Sure. I figured out where Nathaniel Rogers was within a month of being outside the Collective. I bet you still haven't found him." It's a low blow, but he deserves it.

He gives me his badass stare. It doesn't impress me and I let that show on my face. "I wasn't aware you knew of that name."

"I didn't know it. It just goes to prove what a charmed life I live."

"You wouldn't happen to want to tell me where I can find Mr. Rogers?"

""No, I think I'll keep that information to myself. I do hear it tends to be a beautiful day in his neighborhood, though." I don't watch TV now, but as a kid, it was force fed to me at times when they couldn't find anyone to babysit me. That might be part of the reasoning behind my disdain.

Frank chuckles softly. "Cute. I'll give you your two days to try to uncover a better suspect. If you can't do it within that time, I'm coming back for Jake. If that happens, my friends won't wait outside," he says and then turns to leave. "Oh, if you still have Tommy lying around somewhere, I wouldn't mind getting him back. He showed a lot of potential."

Potential of being a psychopath. Sadly, I do still have Tommy sitting down in my dungeon. Alex and Sebastian aren't satisfied with the information he's provided, so far, and they're keeping him from me. I think if they'd just let me do half of the things I have planned for him, he would be singing like a canary.

"I think you better bring more people if you want to get out of here alive," I inform him, but he doesn't take the bait and comment back. He leaves the building and his minions follow in his wake. I guess he figured out my thoughts on handing Tommy over.

"That was a little too much fun," Jake says sarcastically. I don't think any of us are worried about me not meeting the deadline. They've both seen me in action and know I'm quick to get to the bottom of things.

"Not as much fun as we're going to have. I think I'm going to have to take Will up on his offer and you can just imagine the kind of mood that's going to put me in," I reply, and finally put my gun back in my holster. "Let's head to the set. Maybe by the time I get there I'll be ready for my close-up."

Chapter 10

Making a deal with human devils

We had to run home to pick up the Suburban before we could complete our odyssey. There was no way I was walking clear to the south side of town. I could have flown, but Clyde isn't comfortable in the air.

I park in the same spot I did yesterday when we reach the gates of Hell. I have a feeling that Hell is what this place is going to feel like after only spending a few minutes here. I can't believe I'm actually considering going through with this.

If I didn't think I'd be able to get my best intel by being a part of the action, this wouldn't be happening. I thought about just doing the fight coordinating deal, but I figured I'd probably kill or severely injure too many of them to find out any useful information.

"Nyx, you've changed your mind already?" Will says, immediately seeing me as I walk towards the group of people. I still don't see a single one of them mourning over the loss of their female star. Hollywood must really be heartless.

"Can I speak to you and your director alone somewhere for a couple of minutes?" I ask. I know that a wolf is supposedly who attacked the woman, but that doesn't mean someone of the human variety didn't set it up to happen.

"Sure. Gene, we need to have a conference in my trailer real quick," he shouts and leads me away from the crowd.

"I take it everything went okay with the scary man who showed up at your place," he says, opening a door on a high-end looking trailer.

When we enter, I find myself looking at a compact mansion. Mansion is the wrong word, but this is not what I imagined. There's a top of the line mini kitchen to our right, complete with stainless steel appliances and a wine bar. There's a nice size entertaining area that includes a fireplace of some sort and a black leather sectional. I doubt the fireplace is a wood burner, but it's probably gas and not just a digital image. I can see a divider that's currently closed, which I'm guessing leads to his sleeping quarters.

"Wow," Jake says as he makes his way in behind me. "This is way nicer than Stacy's. Her place was lucky to have a beat up old couch.

"She was new to the showbiz world. With about ten more movies, she could've expected something like this," Will replies as he enters and indicates we should have a seat.

We do as instructed, but I sit on the edge of the sectional in between Jake and Walt, so I'm ready to jump up and get out of here as soon as possible. We don't have a long wait before Gene makes his way into the trailer.

"Ah, Nyx. I'm happy to see you," he says with a huge grin. "I can only hope Will's charms have paid off and you're willing to work with us."

Eww. The way he says it makes it sound like Will got lucky. I vomit a little in my mouth thinking about that.

"Will has nothing to do with this decision," I reply. "He told me you need a leading lady and since my guard is being blamed for your last one's demise, I'm willing to work with you for the next couple of days. I need to find out who killed her, or this town is going to look like World War III hit with a vengeance."

"Hmm," he mumbles, thinking to himself for a second. "Only two days. I think we can probably shoot all your scenes with that amount of time. It will be difficult, but even as the leading lady, there aren't a ton of them to shoot."

"I'll need time to investigate as well. I'd say you could have me for about four hours a day. As far as I'm concerned, you can just pretend to be shooting the scenes with me and then in a few days bring in a new girl. That would actually be my preferred method."

"No, no, I think this will work. Why don't you come out and we can do some screen testing. We can see how you look with the lights on you and figure out how much work makeup is going to have to do," he says, already opening the door to hurry me along.

"There will be no makeup," I say, leaping up to follow. "I'll read your little lines and move around as the script indicates, but what you're looking at is what you get."

"You're a little pale and might wash out, but we'll make do," he says, not allowing my mood to deter his.

Jake is going to owe me big time for this mess. Personal slave for a month has a nice ring to it.

"I think you're really going to enjoy this. Maybe you'll decide a change in professions is in order," Will says as he catches up with me.

Why he thinks he knows me so well is beyond me. I just keep walking and try to pretend he isn't practically breathing down my neck.

"Okay, like I said, there won't be a ton of scenes that we need you for. Here's the script that Stacy was using. All of your parts should be marked with the pink sticky notes," Gene says, shoving a stack of papers into my hands. I'm happy to see only about a dozen sticky notes. "Today we'll just do a couple of walkthroughs so we can figure out your strengths and weaknesses. Then you can take the script home and study overnight. I hope you have a decent memory. The previous girl's wasn't that great and we were already running into problems with her."

Memory won't be an issue. I imagine the actual content of the script might be. "Where do you want me?" I ask, ready to get this over with.

"You and Will need to move over to the couch on set. We'll quickly go over the first scene you guys have together."

Will grabs my hand and takes me over to said couch. At least it isn't a rock, I think to myself as I take a seat. I flip open my script to the first sticky note. There are all sorts of little markings in the margins of the pages. They're in pink pen and by their stupidity, I assume they're Stacy's doing.

They say things like "do a little lip pucker here," "put left hand to heart and look dreamily into his eyes," and "do NOT forget to enunciate this phrase like was practiced." I'm surprised there's actually room for a script in this mess.

I choose to ignore her helpful hints and read over the lines real quick. The writing is downright horrible, if you ask me. Maybe it had to be for the level of brainpower the person reading the lines had.

"Okay, I'm ready," I say, putting the script aside.

I've figured out the general idea and can fake my way through it. If they really want me to say some of those things, they're in for a rude awakening.

Will smiles and eagerly starts us off. "Okay Kim, why don't you tell me what seems to be your problem?" he asks, staring intently into my eyes. The intent I'm seeing had better be a part of his acting.

"Detective Hursh, I'm just not sure where to turn. I've seen this man stalking around the outside of my home three times now. I think he's been following when I leave as well. I keep seeing this blue car and I swear it's the same one every time," I say, keeping to exactly what the script had said.

"That does sound rather suspicious. Can you describe the man to me?"

"Of course, I got a really good look at him. He's just a little bit shorter than you. He has short dark hair, probably black, and these cold, black eyes. I swear he could kill people with just one look. He's always wearing a long coat and I'm afraid of what he's hiding underneath it. One time, when he turned his face, I saw a strange star shaped tattoo on the left side of his neck," I reply, adlibbing as I see fit.

The original line was short and only included a vague description of him having dark hair and eyes. If a witness has really seen a person at least three times, they had better have archived a few more features than that.

"Wait a second," Gene says, interrupting the reading. "Those weren't the lines, and how did you know what the stalker looked like? You described him to a T."

"Duh. Your lines sucked. Reading what was on that page is excessively out of character for me. If you want me here, you're going to have to live with my improvements. As far as knowing what he looks like, the creepy guy standing over there in a trench coat is a dead giveaway," I say, pointing to the guy giving me the willies. The makeup and wardrobe teams hit the mark on that one.

"I'll say that the new lines made you feel a bit more rounded than what was there. If your 'improvements' don't wreck the character development, I can allow them. I do want assurances that you won't read all your lines with a look in your eye like you're going to kill your costar. I didn't ask for anything more than you to read right now, but eventually I'll need you in character and to move around and change your expression. Very seldom will that expression need to indicate someone is near death," Gene instructs.

I think that's going to take some work, but I don't voice that opinion. "As you said, I'm just reading some lines right now. I'll get in character later. Should we continue?"

"No, I think I have what I need. Your paleness isn't as bad as I thought it would be with the lights. They cast kind of an odd glow around you, but I think we can work with it."

"Great. I'll get home to study up. What time do you need me back here tomorrow?" I ask, knowing he's going to state an ungodly hour that will just piss me off.

"I suspect you'll be up for a while learning the script, so why don't we say three. We can get other bits shot until you arrive." Three? Wow. That isn't that bad.

"We haven't talked about wardrobe. I'm going on record as saying I'll kill anyone who tries to put me in a dress or skirt. If you envisioned that for your 'Kim' character, you better adjust your thinking fast."

"Nothing that horrible. Our vision for Kim starts out in jeans and t-shirt and evolves slightly, but not towards the frilly."

I'm not sure if that's supposed to be reassuring. It leaves out a lot of other styles I refuse to wear, but if they appear, I'll just veto them later.

"Good. I have some reading to get done, so I'll see you tomorrow," I say, getting up from the couch and hurrying over to Jake, Walt and Clyde. "Let's get out of here. It looks like most of the people have broken up for the night, so I'll get the investigation officially underway tomorrow," I tell them under my breath.

"You sure you don't want to hang around for a little while and maybe read some lines together?" Will asks, joining us.

"Yes, I'm sure. Is there a second copy of the script laying around somewhere that I can have one of my guys use to help me practice?"

"Great idea," Gene says, providing me with another copy. I didn't even realize he was standing that close to us. "You have my card already, so if you have any questions give me a call."

I doubt I'll have any, which is good because Clyde may have decided to eat the card. I choose not to bring up that point and direct my team back to the Suburban. We have a quick stop to make before we head home and it isn't one I'm looking forward to.

Chapter 11

Wicked witch of the east

I park a few blocks away from SpellBinders. If Hilda sees me coming, she's been known to make it difficult for me to get into the store. I'm not sure what it is about the witches I meet, but for some reason they tend to have stereotypically witchy names. You could probably stick a hundred of them in a room and say a name like Glenda or Hilda and at least twenty of them would look your way.

So far today, Clyde has sat up front with me. It seems to make him happy, and the guards have come to a mutual agreement that none of them want to sacrifice their shoes just to be able to control the radio. They're a bunch of wimps for letting the little puppy play them like that.

I attach the mutt's leash and maneuver him out my side of the truck. As he gets bigger, that feat is getting more difficult. I just hope he'll always be able to fit in the car. If not, I'm afraid I'll be getting a lot more exercise. I might need to get a pickup that I can just throw him in the back, although the possibility of him jumping out would probably be too great to make that move.

"We're going to need to hustle," I say as I take off in a fast clip.

If I can get to the door quick enough, she won't make the whole building invisible. Hilda has done that to me twice. I just sat out in front of where the store should be and waited for her to give in and bring the building back. Most days, witch isn't the word that comes to mind when I think of Hilda, but there is one that rhymes with it always on the tip of my tongue.

SpellBinders is the premiere place in Night Owl City for all things occult. There are a few other startups, but if you want high quality product, this is the place to be. Ive been attempting to do my business here for the last two years. Hilda, for some reason, doesn't like me much and tries to make the task difficult. I just can't seem to make friends anywhere.

Within seconds, I'm opening the door and I think I've beaten the witch at her games, however, when I enter, the usual landscape isn't what I find. She's transformed it into a baby store. There are bassinets and cribs everywhere. Shades of pastels are burning into my eyes and I kind of want to pluck them out to make it stop. This has to be the worse trick she's tried. I need to find out who told her about my aversion to all things baby.

"Not funny, Hilda. I'm asking for assistance on the guys' behalf this time. I know you have a thing for Marcus and unless you want him to be succubus bait, you better make this go away."

Just about any female I run into has a thing for at least one of my guards. There are some men that fall into that category, but I rarely use it against them like I do with the females.

"But Marcus isn't even in town," the evil witch says, popping up from behind a counter. It figures that she'd know exactly where Marcus was. I bet she could tell me what he was wearing. Creepy, stalker witch.

"No, but the information you give me will be passed on to him. Can you please get rid of the pastels?"

"I hear you've been discussing babies lately. I thought you might want to start picking out colors," she replies, waving her hand to take away the travesty.

I really need to find whoever is broadcasting personal details about my life and put a stop to it. I haven't personally been discussing babies, it's more the crazed men in my life who have been doing that. Finding out who has loose lips goes on one of my mental lists that are always running through my head.

"There are still no babies anywhere in my future," I assert. One of these times, someone will actually believe that.

The shop has transformed back into what I'm used to seeing. The walls are lined with shelves full of bottles advertising every miracle cure known to man. A few displays in the center of the room are filled with different rocks and crystals promising the same thing. To top everything off, she has a barrel of brooms and coat trees of pointy witches' hats. If I didn't know of her true power, I'd think this was a novelty store.

Unless you know what you're asking for, you shouldn't even attempt to enter this store. Hilda will take you for a ride like you'll never believe. I haven't learned that from personal experience, but I've seen the aftermath once or twice. Hilda has a tendency to "accidentally" add a little something extra to your shopping bag.

The proprietor of the shop is wearing a flowing black dress and one of the pointy hats. She's portraying herself today with a slight green tint to her skin that looks right at home on the frog of a woman. She stands just a little taller than me and has long black hair and pitch black eyes, showing no whites at all. How she thinks she'd attract Marcus looking like that makes me scratch my head. I'm sure he isn't into Martians.

"I've actually heard babies will be springing from your womb before you know it. The Great Spirit has foreseen it." Another thing about Hilda you have to get used to is her babbling. I doubt half the stuff she says is true, so I choose not to listen.

"Yeah, well, your 'Great Spirit' can kiss my ass. Can you give me some help with a succubus?" I ask.

It isn't really a wonder why she doesn't like me. I don't show enough respect to the voices in her head. For some reason that offends her. At least the voices I hear from time to time have physical manifestations that I can point out to people.

"For you, no, I can't help. You're a disrespectable, hodge podge of a creature and should be tarred and feathered for half the words that come out of your mouth," she says, projecting herself larger than she already is. The effect never does much for me. She isn't that much taller than me to begin with, a couple more inches still leaves her in the shrimp category compared to the people I live with. "If you're correct that Marcus is involved and may be in danger, we can talk."

"I'm pretty sure that's what I said. Sebastian has a succubus after him and you can imagine who will be standing by his side during any confrontation. Sebby claims he has things taken care of, but I want to ensure he's doing everything in his power to protect him and his guards." Technically, I'm sure he already is and I want the information for my wolves, but she doesn't need to know that.

"Succubi suck," she says, and walks around the counter to start gathering ingredients. We might actually agree on something. It's a miracle. "They're relatively easy to protect against, though. How many charms do you think you'll need?"

I really only want ones for Alex, Jake, Jonas and Walt, but asking for a measly four seems lame. "Can I get about two dozen? I want to make sure all the usual suspects are protected, but the guys manning the doors should probably be included."

"Good idea. It'll only take me a few minutes to prepare these. Why don't you guys look around and I'll be back soon," she replies, disappearing into thin air.

"I'm fine with you guys looking around, but don't touch anything. The stuff she has in these bottles will probably turn you into a duck," I say as I start leading Clyde around the room.

Looking at Hilda's potions always makes me laugh. She has an entire section dedicated to love potions. They come in about fifty different flavors, ranging from cherry to seaweed, and there are different strengths available. There's the schoolboy crush level up to the can't breathe without you level. I bet some people found out the hard way that one really means the person can't breathe unless you're in the room with them.

I can never figure out why witches don't advertise a fall out of love potion. That one, I'd buy in vats. You never know when you need to get rid of a nuisance. I've found many instances in the last couple of months where it would've come in handy. Examples include, but are not limited to, Tommy, Ryan and Ben. Will might be making his way onto that list.

"Do people really buy this junk?" Walt says, leaning close to a shelf, reaching his hand out.

I hurry over and smack it away. "I told you not to touch anything. Yes, people get desperate enough to come in here and deal with Crazy Witch. I'm sure everything does what it claims to do, but with Hilda's sense of humor, you probably get a little more than what you asked for. Sure, this will cure that acne, but it will also make your boobs swell kinds of things."

"And there's no way to know what those side effects would be prior to taking it?" he asks, still glancing at the rows of potions.

"It'd be illegal for her not to put a warning on the bottle. The law doesn't say the warning has to be in English or what font size it needs to be. If someone files a complaint, all she has to do is bring out her magnifying glass and a translator."

"That seems wrong," he says and walks away.

"Yeah, well, that's Hilda for you." I walk over to take a look at the crystals.

Some of them are really cool looking, but who knows what, if anything, they'll do. Unlike the potions, these are not required to have a warning label. Hilda gets around it by not guaranteeing they'll do what's claimed. They still will do what they say, and they'll have some nasty side effects, but no amount of searching them will tell you what those side effects are.

"I'm supposed to warn you that you're going to feel very betrayed in the near future," Hilda says, reappearing next to me. I'm used to her tactics, so I don't bother to act surprised.

"Any word on where this betrayal will come from?" I ask, spinning to glare at her.

I get hints and messages like this all the time from people close to me. Another secret betrayal is nothing new. I have a traitor living in one of the rooms in my apartment for God's sake.

"No. The Great Spirit just wants it to not come as a surprise. Maybe if you showed him more esteem, you'd get a more detailed message."

"I was born with a knife sticking out of my back, so any new ones I pick up along the way aren't a big surprise. Do you have my charms ready?"

"Of course. Free of charge," she says, handing them over. Hilda, me, and free don't belong in a sentence together, so I change my look to one questioning her motives. "I'll get my payment in the near future. Before the year is out anyway." Done with her part of the conversation, she transforms the room back into the pastel vomit I first saw.

With what I came for in hand, it wasn't really necessary. It isn't like I was going to hang around for a cup of tea. I drag Clyde out of the shop as fast as I can. I'm past ready to get home. Maybe reading lines with Alex will cheer me up. I know, doubtful, right?

Chapter 12

Learning my lines

The ride back to base is full of mindless chatter. I force both of the guys to wear the charm necklaces that Hilda provided. Jake was mildly hesitant, but I gave him a look that told him he better put it on or face my wrath. He got with the program after that. One of these days, he'll finally realize he should just do what I tell him.

"You don't think Clyde will need one, do you?" I ask, curious on whether or not succubi have any effect on Hellhounds. I still have about zero knowledge on what exactly a Hellhound can do or what I'm supposed to do with one following me around.

"I doubt it. Hellhounds are only loyal to their master, at least that's what I hear," Walt responds. "You might want to think about wearing one yourself, though."

I'd already thought of the idea and decided it wasn't necessary. "If our bond means she doesn't have an effect on Sebastian, I doubt she'll do anything for me."

"I don't see why you won't let me give her a try," Jake says, proving the speech I thought he made last night that sounded so grown-up was hogwash.

"Quit being an idiot. Read up on the thing before you make a comment like that. She kills her partners." It shouldn't take anything more than that knowledge for someone with half a brain to run the other way.

"But not until she gives them the best night of their lives. Some would say that it was a good way to go," he replies, and is lucky that I can tell he's joking.

"We really need to find you a shrink. You're going to be fine staying in tonight, right? I don't want a repeat of last night's little tantrum," I say, pulling into my spot. Jake running around alone with the Collective after him and a succubus looming in the shadows is not what I need tonight.

"Even I'm not that dumb. The Collective pretty much has a warrant out for me. For the next couple of days, I'm glued to your side. You're the only person, probably in the whole world, that scares them enough to back off like they did today," he says, climbing out of the car while it's still running. What a little eager beaver. I turn the key and open my door.

"It works out well for me that they want me alive," I reply, grabbing Clyde. "I'm sure one of these days I'll piss them off enough to change their minds." I'm just surprised that day hasn't already arrived.

"Let's not wish for that day too soon," Walt says. We get in the elevator and are quickly whisked up to the penthouse.

Alex is waiting for us in the foyer. "Hey beautiful, I hear you got something for me." Aww, he's in his dorky lovey dovey mood. As odd as it sounds, I prefer his jackass mood. Sebby has the market on the mushy side of my brain.

"I have a green one with your name on it," I say, digging the charm out of my package and handing it to him. "I really hope Hilda isn't playing a joke on me and that she did actually do something to these necklaces." She'd probably find it hilarious if a succubus ate all of my guards, well, all except Marcus.

"I'm hoping that even though we aren't fully mated, I'd have the same reaction Sebastian does when he's in her presence. Other females don't tend to cause a reaction, so this demon shouldn't be any different."

"I'm not taking any chances. You wear it or I cause you bodily harm." He puts on the necklace ending the dispute. Good boy, maybe later you can have a cookie, I think to myself.

"So, what's this movie about? If I'm going to be reading lines with you, I want to know my motivation," Alex says, and guides me into the living area. I take off Clyde's leash and settle in with my two copies of the script.

"How should I know? I've only read a few lines and I improvised half the words."

"From what Stacy told me, when her mouth wasn't otherwise occupied, the movie is about some chick that has a stalker and ends up getting kidnapped. The detective working the case gets personally involved and fighting ensues," Jake says as he grabs one of the scripts from me.

"Any idea on how personal the detective gets?" Alex asks, grabbing the stack of papers from Jake and then takes his seat next to me.

"I don't think it's wise for me to divulge the information. You'll find out as you read the script, which you should probably start doing. I have a feeling Nyx is going to have to do a lot of rewriting."

I start flipping through my copy and I have to agree. I don't know if they had to dumb things down for Beach Bimbo Betty or what, but this is bad. I'm basically playing an airhead and somehow this airhead is a marine biologist.

No wonder the movies in the series are doing badly, if they actually think people are going to buy that. Any logical person would be questioning how this woman made it through college. Judging by the lines I see, she was spending a lot of quality time with the professors after class. Too bad no books were actually opened during those meetings.

"You're really good at improvisation," Alex suggests as he skims his copy. "Let's start reading through it. We can all give you advice on what you should really say."

"We'll probably have to read it over a couple of times and I can't believe I'm going to say it, but we need to do more than just say the lines. We'll need to see if I can even act."

"This should be fun. Is Jonas awake yet? He won't want to miss this," Jake says a little too enthusiastically for my liking.

"With you making all of that noise, how could I not be?" Jonas asks, coming out of his room. His hair is wet, so I assume a shower was in his not so distant past.

"You need to grab one of the necklaces from the bag over there," I say, pointing as if he couldn't figure out which one I speak of.

"I'm not really in to jewelry."

"It's either the necklace or death," I say, fixing him with one of my death scowls. Jonas doesn't tend to be difficult, so it may be a first time for him to be on the receiving end of this particular look.

"How did they convince you to be in the movie? I'm pretty sure I would've heard if Hell froze over," he says, putting on his necklace and then heading to the kitchen.

"The Collective is after Jake because his girlfriend turned up looking like a chew toy, a very dead chew toy. At least that's the story. I haven't seen the body and I imagine Frank has it under lock and key, so I won't be seeing it anytime soon."

"She's been given two days to find the real killer or they're going to attempt to take Jake in," Walt adds.

"Fun," Jonas says, returning with his breakfast. "I imagine without a body you're a little behind the eight ball."

"A body would be helpful. Since I'm lacking one, I'm working undercover. Tomorrow I'll get a closer look at the girl's trailer and the scene of the crime. I didn't want to be seen snooping around on my first day as an actress on set. I don't want to tip anyone off."

"Don't take offense, Princess, but you undercover as an actress is something I have to see."

I'm just happy the other half of my guards are away at the moment. I'm sure they'll hear stories later, and judging by the gleam in Jonas' eyes, there will probably be a videotape surfacing at some point.

"You should hand over your phone now," I tell him.

"Not happening. I hear these days they're paying good money for dirt on you."

"You're lucky I like you, Jonas. I know you wouldn't sell me out."

"Of course not, but I may need to get something to keep as blackmail for later. If you ever start acting like you're going to do something stupid, I can just threaten to roll the videotape. It might keep you in line."

I doubt it and will have to commandeer his phone some time to see what other blackmail worthy things he has on it. "Can we get started on these lines? I'm expecting a call from Sebastian sometime soon and I need to get some sleep so I'm at my best tomorrow."

"Sure. Let's start at the first scene," Alex says, turning on the couch to face me.

I flip to the scene I started to read through with Will and we begin. I find that reading with Alex and acting things out isn't as horrible as I expected. Yes, I have to pretty much make everything up as I go, and even correct some erroneous statements, but it isn't that bad.

When we get to the final scene and I read the directions of what we're supposed to be doing, I stop. "Why are you taking my shirt off?" I ask, and start turning through the script.

"You had to see this coming," Alex replies. I look up at him and see him grinning from ear to ear.

"There's no way I'm doing a sex scene with Will," I say as I feel my whole body shiver. "Gross."

"You won't actually be naked or anything. It'll just be a few kisses and some noises."

"And you, the person who has a strict rule about who's allowed to even touch me, is okay with me kissing this other guy?" I ask, not believing it for a second.

"Hell no. I'm sure you'll find a way out of it. I'll be on the set for that scene and you better believe there isn't a chance in Hell that his pencil dick is touching any part of your body, even through a dozen layers of clothing."

That's more like it.

"I guess we're done then. They're going to have to figure out an alternative last scene or get a body double. I think the improvements we made on my parts will make the movie a blockbuster."

"You aren't too bad at this acting stuff," Jake says. During the reading, the guys sat back, barely breathing, so I guess we did okay. "They might want to talk to Alex about taking over for Will. The chemistry you two have is amazing."

"He's right. I know you guys are mates and all, but up until now, I hadn't seen the deep connection most mates have sparking between you two," Jonas adds.

I look over at Alex and ours eyes lock. I don't think I feel anything different, but I know that we've grown closer lately. Hell, I actually touched his penis earlier today, so that's a huge improvement from the path we'd been on.

"It's starting to feel more natural. We've both gotten over the shock of the situation and have slowly learned more about one another," Alex says, not looking away. His eyes look different to me for some reason. There's something in them that I'm afraid of. I'm worried that my eyes are reflecting back the same emotion and I don't know if I'm ready to admit it, yet. "Don't worry. We both know where we stand."

"Says you," I say and get up to go to my room. I think I need a little alone time. I don't understand how I can be in love with two men.

Chapter 13

Phone call home

I know that the guys can still hear everything I do, but the walls of my room offer me a little piece of mind. In situations like this, where I'm confused out of my mind, I have Sebastian walk me through things. I'm not sure he's the best person to contact right now because he is, in a way, part of the problem.

With him out of the picture for this case, I take out my phone and call the only person I can think of who might have some insight. I know this whole love business was supposed to eventually happen, but isn't it cheating on one of them to feel this way about the other?

I'm sure I wouldn't like it if I walked in on them kissing some other chick. I can't believe they feel any different about the situation. It's really creepy how well they get along and actually encourage each other to spend more time with me. That is wrong, right? I need something or someone to help straighten up all these thoughts.

"Hey, Sweetie," my father says, answering his phone. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Over the past few weeks, I've started to really get to know my father. Between Uncle Walt's tales and mostly email correspondence with the man himself, we've built a relationship that people might actually confuse as father and daughter. Ones who have actually known each other their whole lives and not less than a year, like we have.

I think we have the market on weirdest introduction. Most daddies meet their children just after the mom gives birth, but for us it happened when I was sent to kill him. As one can tell by him speaking to me now, I decided against carrying out the assignment.

"I'm confused, Aaron. I don't understand why I have to have two mates," I say as I collapse down on my bed.

He laughs. Not in a mean way, just a soft chuckle of a father dealing with a confused teenager, which is exactly how I feel. "I don't know that you were ever specifically meant to have two mates. I knew that once things got activated, the wolf part of you would probably want one, but I don't think anyone expected you to also get stuck with a vampire one."

His deep voice is having a calming effect on me. I can picture him reading me bedtime stories and feeling safe cocooned next to him. Something that never happened, but it's still causing that reaction.

"Is it wrong to have strong feelings for both of them? I know I used to want to kill Alex, but now I think I'd fight to the death to protect him from harm." There isn't really any thinking about it. If a succubus were stalking after Alex, I'd want to kill her just as much as I do the one after Sebastian.

"That's a normal mate reaction. It's good that you're feeling that way. It won't take away from what you already felt towards Sebastian. Your heart was made to love them both. Trust me; it's big enough for the job."

"How do you know for sure? Does it have something to do with the third part of my genetic makeup?" I ask and start to pet Clyde, who has wandered into my room to join me. He takes up more of the bed every day. I hope that since it's king size he'll never outgrow it like the Suburban.

"Your mother's species does have the capacity for a great amount of love, even if she doesn't. She's an exception to their normal way of life. For that reason, she's actually hunted by them."

Great. Mom is a rebel and everyone in the world hates her. No wonder I feel like an adolescent who can't make up her mind. Crazy is preprogrammed into my genes.

"What is she?" I ask, knowing it's still not time for me to know. With the hints I've been getting from him, I still have no clue about what she could be. I haven't found a paranorm species, yet, in my research that covers the clues. Maybe she's some weird hybrid herself.

"Soon. Just a little over a month now. You've been learning the other parts to you and this third part is going to be even harder for you to understand. It will require changes in your life and it's best you've totally come to terms with your other parts before you take the changes on. With your connection to Alex growing, I think you'll be ready in time," he replies.

I still hate the fact that the men in my life think it necessary to be mysterious when they talk to me. I'm rarely able to get a straight answer out of anyone. One of these days, I'm just going to stop talking and see how they like it. Remember, I'm in a moody teenager mood, so it makes sense to me.

"Enough talk about how messed up I am. How has your week been going?"

"Boring as usual. As you know, the place I'm hiding is outside the normal world and I don't exactly fit in here. I'm grateful they let me stay, but sometimes I wish they were a little more civil about it," he answers.

He won't tell me where this secret location is, even though Walt and Jonas know. I don't know what he expects me to do with the knowledge, but it kind of sucks being left out of the loop.

"Sometimes I wish my life could be just a little bit more boring. Jake's in trouble with the Collective because the human girl he'd been fornicating with turned up dead. I'm working undercover to try to find the real killer before they swoop in and try to take him."

It sounds much more exciting than it really is. Tracking people down is what I do and I don't imagine this case will be any different than the hundreds of others I've already done.

"That sounds like fun for you. I'm sure you'll get everything figured out and thwart the evil villains' attempt to take him," he says in a dramatic voice, reminding me of my earlier thoughts of him reading to me.

"Tell me a story, Daddy," I say, curling up with Clyde.

I never got the chance to act like a little girl and I always hear it's never too late. I wish I had some footed pajamas that I could slip into to complete the moment.

"I'm sure Walt has told you a lot of my best ones, but did he ever tell you about the time he dared me to steal the family crest from our father's office?" he asks. I've heard the story, but I want to hear his version. I'm thinking Walt only has part of the story and he tends to exaggerate just a little.

"No, why don't you tell me about it."

"Well, it happened many years ago, when I was twelve and Walt was only eight. We were always getting into trouble and trying to find something to dare the other one to do, in hopes they'd get caught. How little boys' minds work is beyond me these days.

"Anyway, in our father's office hung our family's crest. It was an original that had been around for centuries. Other than my mother, and maybe us kids, it was my father's most prized possession. This was back when we still ruled the wolves, so our family name meant everything.

"Being young and stupid, I accepted the bet and started to make plans for my great caper. My father spent most of his day in the office, so finding the perfect time was rather difficult. I finally got an opportunity late one night. I carefully snuck down the stairs making no noise. Well, I thought I was being quiet. It turned out I didn't need to worry about it. When I reached the office door, my father was sitting at his desk, in the dark, waiting for me.

"He said, 'You still have a lot to learn, my boy. I heard about your little dare within minutes of it being made. Every night for the last week, I've pretended to go to bed, and then made my way back here through a secret passage and waited for you. I'm guessing you at least planned a little since you didn't appear the first night.'

"I looked at him surprised that he didn't do something to just stop the dare in the first place. I even told him that I was happy that he didn't seem upset. He told me that he had to let me be a kid for as long as I could. Things were changing and the easy life we'd been living would come to an end soon. We sat and talked for a while and I learned some of the inner workings of the greatest man I ever knew that night.

"I'm sorry you'll never be able to meet him. When he was killed, a dark curtain fell over the paranorm world. Sorry about that, I'm getting away from what I was trying to say. I didn't mean for our story to turn glum. I'm sure you were really looking for a story about fairy princesses," he says and the emotion in his voice almost brings tears to my eyes.

"It was a perfect story, Dad. I want to hear all about Grandpa one of these days, even the parts that are sad."

Uncle Walt's version of the story was quite different. There was no sit down and long conversation. Dad ended up having to dust his father's office for a week because he accepted the foolish bet. As a young kid that wasn't something he relished. Walt told of him taunting Dad while he did his dusting and eventually Walt ended up getting his own punishment for harassing him.

"You don't know how happy I'll be when we can finally be together as a family."

"It's something I look forward to. Why can't you just come now?" I ask.

"There are a couple of reasons and they haven't changed since the last time I told you. One, I'm afraid your mother may be keeping tabs on me and I don't want to lead her right to you. I have a feeling she'll find you on your birthday anyway, but I want to keep her at arm's length until then.

"The second reason for me staying here is passage in and out of this world is tricky. There are many levels of red tape that I had to get through to be assured an entrance and exit passport. My passport has an exit date stamped into it of January nineteenth, so until then my hands are tied." Two days before my birthday and a week before the fabled Wolf Moon. It still feels like an eternity away.

"I hate red tape," I say, wishing I had a giant pair of scissors to cut through it.

"Me too, Sweetie. It sounds like you have a case to handle tomorrow for Jake, so you should probably get some sleep. I'll see you soon, love you."

"I love you, too, Daddy. Good night," I reply, hanging up the phone. I don't know how much he really helped me with my problem, but I like hearing his voice.

"Love, just wanted to say real quick that everything is still good here and I'm sorry I didn't call earlier. We've both been busy, but I did want to tell you to sleep tight. No nightmares are allowed," Sebastian whispers through my mind.

"I'll have Clyde chase them away. I'm really spent, so I'll call you in the morning," I reply and feel him disengage from the active conversation. There aren't a ton of hellos and good-byes in my world. We say what is needed and move on.

Chapter 14

A new lead in the case

Happily, I make it through the night without dreams of she demons. The alarm is going off, so I suspect it's noon. I'm supposed to be on the set at three, but there are a few things I wanted to look into before I get there. Delaying my appearance as long as possible is only a happy side effect.

Becoming more aware, I smack the alarm to shut it off. Clyde has been replaced in bed with a very warm Alex. There will be no repeats of yesterday's morning interlude, but it feels good to have someone holding me close right now. For a girl who hated being touched, and still does by most people, it's strange to welcome his embrace.

"What are the tasks you want to get done before your acting debut?" my overgrown puppy asks.

"I need to do some research on the girl, see if she had any enemies who could've hired this out. I want to get more information on the movie series itself, as well. It's been mentioned that it's struggling, so that might have had something to do with the death," I tell him as I shimmy out from under his arm and make my way to the bathroom to take a shower.

The hot water feels really good against my skin this morning. I choose a rather fragrant-less shampoo. I don't want my nose to be confused when I go around sniffing things later today. It's bad enough that, after only having the humans around for a short time, the air in Night Owl City is getting the decay smell I experienced in D.C. a month or so ago.

When I got out of my car yesterday near the set, it frightened me how quick it's happening. I hope that once they hit the road things will go back to normal.

"I think everyone should be with you today," Alex says, handing me my towel as I step out of the shower. I grab it from him and wrap it around me.

I don't rush through the process in shock that he'd dare sneak a peek of me without clothes. About a month ago, it would've been a different story. Maybe not the shock part, but I'd at least threaten him with some kind of bodily harm.

"That's a good idea. We need to make sure Jake is safe in case Frank and his goons show up again." I dry off and then use the towel to wrap my hair up.

I give Alex a quick kiss on the cheek as I move past him to get to my closet. I decide jeans are the way to go for the day. I want to try to blend in as much as possible. If I'm going to need to change for the movie at some point, I probably shouldn't carry all of my knives. Not knowing what they'll want me to wear, I stick with my thigh sheaths. They should be covered no matter what they stick me in.

To top things off, I grab one of my standard black tops and my boots. Feeling more ready for the day, I go back to the bathroom and take care of my hair, a simple ponytail will do. They'll probably want to do some real styling on the set. I'm told I have a natural beauty, supposedly from my mother, and I've never bothered with makeup for personal use. I do own some for when I'm undercover, but since I'm undercover as myself, I don't think it's needed.

When I go back out to my room, Alex is waiting fully dressed. He's wearing jeans that match the dark blue shade of mine and a tight black t-shirt. I'm pretty sure every one of his muscle ripples is visible. Sometimes when I look at my beaus, I think the third part of me is part cat because I always feel like purring.

"And I think I'm a gorilla when I see you, because I just want to bang on my chest. Then the caveman part kicks in and I can't wait to drag you back to my cave," Alex replies to my unspoken words.

"Yeah, you look kind of like a monkey. Let's go get me fed. I assume Clyde has already been taken care of since I didn't wake up to sulfur breath," I say, leading the way out of the bedroom.

"I know we didn't have Clyde long before we found Walt, but I'll be forever grateful that he followed you guys home. If you had to take care of all that dog's needs, we'd never get any alone time."

Now that's a true statement. Clyde likes a lot of attention and spoiling him rotten hasn't done me any favors. He's warming up to the guards a little bit these days, which gives me even more free time.

When we enter the kitchen, Clyde is sitting by the stove, doing his best good dog impression. As soon as I see him sitting like that, I want to scream it's an act and people shouldn't be fooled. Walt is scrambling up some eggs and frying bacon. I speculate how many pieces of bacon have "accidentally" fallen on the floor. Judging by Clyde's grin, it's been more than a couple.

"How is my baby this morning?" I ask, walking over to give Clyde a little kiss on the top of his head. He smiles at the gesture. It's sad that I barely have to bend down to complete the task.

"He's being very well-behaved, as usual," Walt replies.

I've come to believe that it isn't only mine and Walt's similar DNA that makes the Hellhound like him. I think Clyde sees him as a kindred spirit of sorts. I don't know enough about Walt to know why that is, but that's the vibe I pick up. It could also just be all the table scraps the man gives him. It's no wonder the Hellhound is getting huge.

"Jonas went downstairs to check out some disturbance and Jake is in the shower," Walt says, bringing us up to date on everyone's location.

I can hear Jake in the shower, so it isn't exactly a news flash. I hope that he's been in there for a while because the boy likes to play in the water. Two weeks ago, he took a shower that I swear lasted forty-five minutes. What was really going on in there, I don't want to know, but it was mind-numbing waiting around for him to finish.

"Any ideas on what the disturbance was?" I ask, stealing a slice of bacon real quick from the done pile. We get at least one Collective agent sneaking around once or twice a week, so I'm not too worried.

"The guard who called it in said it was of the human variety. We figured one of the movie people got curious about the high security around this place and tried to sneak a peek." I was hoping we were far enough away that we wouldn't get a lot of foot traffic from them.

"No such luck," Jonas says dragging a very annoyed looking Will in with him.

We don't allow many people in the penthouse, so I'm surprised he's allowing it. Phee had to be scanned in every system Alex had before she was allowed the pleasure of seeing where I slept. It was mentioned that they did background checks on all the crew, but I didn't think even that would get one of them through my door.

"You don't have to be so rough," Will says, extracting himself from the bigger man's grasp.

I won't point out to him that it looked like Jonas was being a kitten compared to his usual manhandling. I'm not seeing any dislocated shoulders, so he is lucky.

"I would've called, but I didn't have your number. There was another crew member killed last night and I thought you'd like to know about it before those other paranorms you were fighting with yesterday found out."

I guess he missed my number on my building when he visited yesterday. I'll have to look into making it bigger and maybe adding some flashing lights.

"Has the body been moved?" I ask, excited about this new development. Without Stacy's body, I was going to have problems tracking down the culprit, but now I should be able to pick up the trail. I can usually pick up something from the scene of a crime, it isn't a total guarantee, but I like my chances.

"No, we left it where it was and tried to keep people away. Only a few of us know about it, so far, and we were trying to keep it that way for you. The dead guy was one of the sound crew. Not many people knew him well, but we hung out a few times. He was liked a lot more than Stacy, so there may be more of a ruckus about this death."

"Do you know if the body looks the same as Stacy's?" I ask, grabbing a couple more slices of bacon. It doesn't look like I'll be hanging out at the apartment doing research after all.

"It looks like it was attacked by a wild animal, so I'd assume they're similar. Big claw marks are pretty apparent on it."

"Did the two deceased have any connection that you know of?"

"I doubt it. Justin was a bit below Stacy's radar. She's been sleeping with higher up people to get where she is, so I doubt she'd let Justin have a taste. I don't think they'd ever talked in any other capacity either."

"Great, let's go," I say, running to grab Clyde's leash. I do that a lot. "Mommy will give you three steaks later if you don't complain about not getting more breakfast."

I know he isn't going to be willing to just leave, so I'm forced to try bribery. At his size, it's hard for me to make him do anything. I thought he was supposed to obey his mistress, but that doesn't seem to be the case. If he didn't reply to many of my words with his actions, I'd think he only understood demonese.

"I'm bringing the bacon with us," Walt says, wrapping the paper towels up and chasing after us. "That should keep him happy."

Clyde gets a move on it when he hears that. "What's going on?" Jake asks, walking out of his room, thankfully already dressed.

"We got a corpse to examine. Move it or lose it," I tell him as I pass.

The whirlwind swirling around me seems to capture them all and they fall into line like good soldiers. When I get to the Suburban, I yell, "Lead the way," to Will. I doubt he walked all the way here, so he has to have a car somewhere.

I pull out of the garage and see a bright red sports car, of the Ferrari variety, waiting for us to join it. Boys and their toys. Maybe I should point out to him that it's a well-known fact that the more zeroes in the price of a car, the smaller the penis. I'm pretty sure there are studies on it.

For now that will wait. I have my first lead in getting Jake off the Collective's radar, so my mind needs to get in the game. With any luck, I might be able to solve this thing before I have to pretend to be an actress. I just make a mental note to find an article about one of those studies, so I can email it to Will later. I'm sure he'll find it a thrilling read.

Chapter 15

Standard issue werewolf attack

Will drives us past the main set area and to a trailer on the west edge of the human camp. I hadn't realized just how far they were spread out. They might as well annex this part of town and give it its own name.

I have quite a few ideas for names, but I don't think I'll share them at this moment. We park our cars and I get out. I wonder if the annex could get a dome put over it to keep all the stinky air to themselves. Why my mind thinks up these things, I'll never know.

"Walt, do you mind keeping Demon Dog?" I ask. "I'd prefer to keep him away from another dead body. The look of glee in his eyes when he sees them is really creepy." Earnestly, one of these days I'm not going to be able to stop him from jumping in and treating a body like a new chew toy.

"Sure, we're good back here for a little while. I still have some bacon left."

Maybe he should've also brought a cow with him. I'll try to make this quick because a few slices of bacon won't hold him for long.

Alex, Jonas and Jake join me following Will into the trailer.

"I'm glad you're here," Gene says in way of greeting. "When it was just Stacy, I wasn't really worried, but Justin will be missed. He was good people and was well liked on the set." Well liked, but not exactly well-known if Will's earlier comment is to be believed.

"There's also the issue of more of us potentially being killed," Will adds. "Did you round up any witnesses while I was gone?" The idea of a witness excites me.

"I'm pretty sure Millie saw something, but you know how she is. When I asked her, she got a weird look in her eyes before shaking her head no."

"Well, it's a start for Nyx. It probably won't help that much, though. The body is in the bedroom back here," Will says, moving us towards a curtain.

Behind the curtain, I find a body of a young man. His face is still in good shape and I'd put him around thirty. His neck is ripped open and he has claw marks along his torso. It isn't anywhere near the worse thing I have seen, in fact I'd call it mild.

"Since there aren't a lot of other kinds of animal shifters in this part of town, I believe you're looking at a werewolf attack." I say just for fun. It's obvious what happened here and I doubt the humans are even aware of the other kinds of shifters out there.

"And there's no chance he'll survive and just become a werewolf?" Gene asks.

Okay, so the humans don't know anything about shifters at all. Alex chuckles under his breath. I can't hold back a full laugh.

"Maybe someone should think about providing the humans with accurate information about the people living in the town next door. No, he won't turn into a werewolf. That isn't possible. Those with the gene are born with it."

"Would you happen to have that particular gene?" Will questions.

"That's still none of your business," I reply, getting closer to the body to see if I can find out anything more from it.

It looks like a pretty standard attack. No unique marks with the teeth or claws. The strong scent of cologne is overpowering most of the other smells in the room. I pick up lavender and vanilla, but I don't really have a way of knowing who they belong to.

I can see wolf hairs on the bed that would be useful if we had a database of werewolf DNA just sitting around waiting for us at home. Sadly, only the Collective has something like that, and I doubt they have every single werewolf in it. That isn't a database you want to be listed in.

"You picking up anything useful?" Alex asks, taking a closer look himself.

"Not really. I want to talk to the witness and see what she has to say. There are hairs around that the Collective might be able to get something on, but will be of no use to us."

"Jonas, will you go ahead and bag them anyway?" Alex asks, and Jonas quickly takes out a baggy and a set of tweezers from somewhere. I didn't see where they came from and I'm surprised that's something he just carries around with him.

"I've been to crime scenes before, Princess. Being around you has just increased the frequency of those delightful moments."

Evidently, enough for him to carry around evidence baggies in his pocket. I think something is wrong with this picture.

"So, this is something you guys do all of the time?"

Will was at my place of business just yesterday, so I don't know why he has to ask. Maybe he didn't believe there was really a crossbow aimed at his testicles. I'll have to remember to give him a demonstration later, I think, and hear myself laughing manically in my mind.

"I'm a private investigator, what do you think I do all day? I can assure you I don't go around taking pictures of cheating spouses or rescuing kittens from trees."

"Don't you have a police force or something that looks into crimes like this?"

"I sure as Hell wouldn't classify them as what you consider police, but the Grand Collective does look into this type of thing," I say, using the official title for the bastards that lied to me all my life and work hard to make others' lives miserable. You could say I'm still bitter over that, just a tad.

"The guys who were in your office yesterday? They didn't exactly seem to be that friendly with you. Did you kick their puppy or something?" he asks, continuing to be annoying.

I know it's just a saying, but it's a really stupid one to use in a town full of werewolves. Has he noticed I'm the only one in this entire town who has a pet? Even the witches, who people would think would have a familiar or some silly cats running around, don't keep pets in this town. They tend to be treated as appetizers.

"No, the man who came in to talk was my foster father growing up. You could say we have issues."

"Where's your other boyfriend at? You haven't brought him back here since that first day. Do you alternate weeks between the two of them or something?"

How is knowing where Sebastian is or how our love triangle works going to help this situation? It's not and I'd appreciate it if he didn't wander off topic.

"Calm down just a little. I really don't think you blowing holes in the humans is a good idea right now," Alex says, trying to keep me from bursting.

"Nice try, but this guy is too big of an ass to not put him in his place. You know, he kind of reminds me of you when we first met," I reply, and cut off mental communication to ignite the fireworks display.

"What's wrong with you humans? We're standing over a dead body of someone you said you didn't despise and you want to know more about my dating life. Where my other mate is, is none of your business. Now, take me to this witness, so I can hurry up and find the killer before he decides large, ignorant jerk is on the menu," I say, and start pushing my way out of the room. It's moments like this that I just don't understand people.

"Hold on a second," Will says, catching up. "I'm sorry about that, you're a really intriguing person and you'd said something about your father, so I thought maybe you were opening up on a personal level and it just seemed like a chance to ask some of the questions that have been bugging me." Great. Now he's rambling.

"Let me explain this to you, in smaller words since I don't think you got it the first time we met. I'm not human, you are. That means there's nothing about me that should interest you. We ain't ever going to happen, not even on the big screen, so you need to forget about it. My personal relationship with anyone is no one's business."

There. I know there might have been a couple of words he couldn't understand in there, but he should get the underlying meaning. If he doesn't, I'm sure Alex's fist will explain it even better.

"Hard to get. Got it. How about I walk you over to Millie's. Like I said earlier, I don't think you'll get much help from her," he says, and opens the trailer door to let me out.

If I wasn't in the middle of something, I'd be banging my head on the nearest wall for his comment about me playing hard to get. The far off planet without men is sounding better all the time.

I vacate the building, and then fall in step behind him as he leads me to the closest trailer. "Why do you think Millie isn't going to be very helpful? If she saw the guy, like Gene seemed to indicate, it could be a crucial break in the case."

"Millie may be the best makeup artist in the industry, but she's also deaf. She can't hear or speak at all, so your conversation is going to be full of a lot of hand gestures that not many people understand," he says as he knocks on the door.

"Doesn't she travel with an interpreter? I'd think if she's as big as you claim, then she'd have some assistance with her day-to-day tasks."

"Since another member of the crew knew sign language they didn't think it was necessary to bring someone else in," he says, knocking louder. If the woman inside can't hear, I wonder what he thinks he's going to accomplish.

"You said 'knew' in the past tense. I'm guessing the body I was just looking at was your interpreter." I highly doubt Stacy had the patience, or mental aptitude, to learn sign language. From what I've heard, she thought her hands were needed for more interesting purposes.

"That's right. The two of them were pretty close, since he was the only one she could successfully communicate with," he says, pounding harder on the door. "Come on."

"She can't hear, why do you think she'll answer the door?" I ask, tired of watching him look ridiculous.

"She can feel the vibration," he replies as a woman finally opens the door.

By now, everyone else in my posse has joined us and it looks like Gene is tagging along. I guess it's time to see if those mime school classes are finally going to pay off. It's a joke, in case the other people in my head didn't figure that one out. You won't find me stuck anytime soon in an invisible box.

Chapter 16

Gestures and me don't mix

We're allowed into a trailer that's similar to the one I just came from. Neither of them is very special. Standard kitchenette, comfortable looking couch facing a small television, and a curtain door leading off into a bedroom area.

It's nowhere near big enough for our large group, but we make do. It seems no one is willing to wait outside while I question the witness. I don't think I'm that interesting to watch, but I must have missed a memo saying otherwise.

I sit Millie down on the couch and place myself next to her, so we're facing each other. I'm not even sure where to start my questioning. I know what I'd ask her if it was a normal conversation, but how to ask her if she saw a werewolf attack her friend with hand gestures, might be a little beyond my repertoire.

I go with something basic and point to her, then my eyes and finish by making my scariest face. I get my fangs to drop just to add to the effect. Thankfully, everyone else in the room is behind me, making it so they can't see my antics. I don't think I even want to see the contortions going on in my face region.

She shakes her head adamantly and starts moving her hands frantically. I have no clue what she's saying. This is going to take all of my patience. Even if she were to slow down the movements, I'd still be lost.

"She says it wasn't a vampire," Walt says from the back of our group. I thought he was supposed to be in the car. "I heard you guys talking about not having someone who understood sign language and thought I'd come offer my services."

"I didn't know you knew sign language," I say as the guys let him move forward.

He's pulling Clyde along, who's having fun trying to smell every fiber of carpet on the floor. The things that amuse that dog still astonish me.

"You saw the town I was living in not that long ago. How do you think I kept myself from going crazy?"

He draws Millie's attention and starts signing to her. He's moving pretty fast, so I can tell this wasn't just a passing fad for him. The town he referenced, Ghost Town, only has about a hundred residents and even running the town saloon must have gotten pretty boring for him.

"She says she saw a young man, most likely not even twenty, shift into a big gray wolf and then start attacking Justin. She got scared and ran away. When he came out of the trailer as a humanoid, he was carrying a book of some sort. He did some weird ritual where he held the book up towards the sky and then kissed it after saying something. It was still dark out and she didn't get a look at his features," Jonas relays.

She's been more help than she knows just mentioning the book.

"Tell her thank you for her time. I have everything I need to know." I wait while he does a gesture with his hands. She quickly gestures something back to him.

"She wants to know how you can be out in the daylight. I take it you showed your fangs while you were doing your werewolf impression."

"You can either tell her I'm not a vampire or I'm a special variety. Both are somewhat true." I stand to leave, trying to decide how to go about finding the particular person behind this.

"It looks like you're planning to run off. Can I get you to run through your scenes real quick before you do?" Gene asks when he catches up with me outside. "There may be some other witnesses we can round up who could provide you with a better description."

I doubt it and it wouldn't really matter, because it's highly unlikely the same person killed both humans. The book ritual means the guy had just finished his initiation into a group that calls themselves The Enlightened.

It's a group of whacked out werewolves who believe we're on this earth to be true monsters. They target humans every chance they get and rarely leave their victims alive. I've had to execute many of their ranks and would love to find a way to eradicate them all.

Not that I'm particularly fond of humans. They annoy the crap out of me and give me rashes, but I'm not some all-knowing being who can pick who deserves to live and die. I leave that for the shit disturbers upstairs, and try to worry about making it through a day without pissing every single person I come in contact with off. I don't ever succeed, but it keeps me busy enough to not go around killing random people.

"I don't need any other witnesses. I already know who's behind this and I just need to come up with a plan to bring them to justice." Finding a giant sledgehammer able to crush their building comes to mind as a great plan.

"Does that mean you aren't going to work with us? I know you didn't sign anything, but you said I could have you for eight hours."

I doubt he has any actual legal standing and I really don't want to be any part of their movie, but I can't in good conscience let them move forward with the sappy script they have. The scenes I'm in are easy enough and shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. The wolves I need to talk to probably aren't up anyway.

"You can have me until dusk today. That should take care of any scenes I need to be in. We do need to have a little discussion about that last one, though. I don't think it's wise to have me in even a pretend sex scene."

"Why not? I was looking forward to showing you what I have to offer," Will claims. Now, I want a giant sledgehammer to hit him in the head with.

"Believe me, I have relationships with a werewolf and a vampire, anything you got is going to pale in comparison. Plus, I doubt even your best airbrush person would be able to fix this," I say and turn around to show them my back. There's no way they can argue with the proof before their eyes.

"Holy cow. What happened to you and is the person still breathing, because you don't figure they would be with your personality," Will says, and I can feel him getting closer to me.

I bet he wants to touch it and that ain't happening. I put my shirt back down and turn around. I end up nose to chest with the idiot, so I take a colossal step backwards.

"I wasn't always able to defend myself like I can today. If someone tried to do anything remotely similar now, I'd actually let my dog eat their carcass after I played with them first. As far as the person who did it, sadly, the asshole is still breathing, but it's a temporary state of being for him. I have more scars you should consider as far as the movie goes. Specifically, a nasty one running up my leg that might make wearing anything other than pants difficult."

"I'd say we could get you a body double, but I don't know how we're going to find one with so little time. We could try to have one of the makeup people cover it up, but that would take too long. We could write the scars into the script, but we would have to make them look a little newer."'

Gene keeps coming up with ideas and shooting them down himself. I hate being nice, but I think I'll let him off the hook. My idea will brighten someone else's day, so maybe it will be worth it.

"If I could get you a stand in, what exactly would she need to do? I have someone who could be confused with me from the back and she might be okay doing those shots." She might also kill us all with her enthusiasm, but I keep that bit to myself.

"Hmm," Gene hums, thinking about it. "If she could go through the scenes where you're standing up, then we could splice her into any of the scenes where your scars are visible. We'd want you to still act through them all and just use her for the two or so times your back is in the shot." I got the idea from his first sentence. It wasn't necessary for him to say more or less the same thing twice.

"Are you that important in the paranorm world that you have to have a body double available to you?" Will asks, again fishing for information.

"Of course. How else would I be allowed to have two mates?" I answer his asinine question with one of my own. "So, I'd still be the one hopping in bed, pretending to be enjoying Will having sex with me." Gene said it twice; I might as well say it too.

Will's face lights up at the idea. I guess he doesn't realize it wasn't a compliment.

"I'd prefer that it be you. Your face will be shown and the covers will cover anything that might be an issue," Gene supplies.

Fine. We can do the whole pretend sex thing, but you better believe I'm going to be thinking about Alex the entire time, seeing as he's my mate present.

"Don't worry; I'll talk you through it. I'm pretty sure we can make it enjoyable for you," Alex assures me. Having pseudo sex doesn't seem that bad when you have someone you wouldn't mind having wild, hot monkey sex with talking you through it.

"Okay, the scene can take place, but we have to have clothing in between us down below. I'm not that worried about my top half because as you can see there's nothing there, but I don't want his dick actually touching my nether regions."

"We don't tend to shoot people naked, unless they have to actually do the act to make them seem believable. I'm hoping you can come off as though you're really into the sex, because otherwise we would need the real thing." Seriously, if a girl can't fake it, they make them do it for real? That's just wrong.

"Believe me, no one is going to find my performance lacking in any way. Let me call my double and see if she's willing to help out. She may have a conflict of interest, or something."

I take out my phone and wonder if Sam will make an issue out of Phee taking her clothes off. He's a bit protective of the girl, but if she really wants to do it, I doubt he could tell her no. I've taught her so well.

Chapter 17

The things I do to make it through a day

"I can't believe I get to be in a movie," Phee squeals as she runs over to wrap me in a hug. Sam follows close behind to pry her arms off me. Since I allowed him out of his jail cell, and he and Phee have moved into an apartment at my place, he's tried to keep Phee reined in around me as much as possible.

"You did understand that they'll only be shooting your back and you won't actually be talking, right?" I ask as Sam finally gets ahold of her.

"I know, but my name will be in the credits, yes?" she queries still hopping around.

"I suppose. I think they're going to do my talking scenes first and then you'll come in for the last scene. You're all good with this, right, Sam?" It wouldn't serve us to have him rush into a scene trying to cover her up.

"Have you ever tried to tell her no?"

"Yes, and I tend to be successful when I do."

"Then you're the only person in the universe who she listens to. I tried to get her to discuss it with me and she couldn't move me out of the way to get down here fast enough." That sounds like my little Phee.

"So, she's your sister. No wonder you have a double running around," Will says, joining our group.

"I wish she was my sister," Phee says with a big smile on her face. "We've questioned the parental units, though, and no such luck. We're just stuck with the same general short stature and long black hair."

"You aren't related at all?" I'm getting really tired of him asking questions. Can't he just go sit in a corner somewhere and only speak when spoken to.

"I'm not a member of the royal family, unfortunately. That would be so cool to have all the other wolves look to you for leadership." Okay, two people I never want to be alone in a room together are getting a little too chatty.

"Phee, we don't talk about politics in front of other people," I say, gently reprimanding her for speaking out of turn.

"Oops. I forgot. People aren't supposed to know you're the princess." It just keeps getting worse. I should've seen this coming.

"Whoa, you're royalty? I can see I'm going to have to step up my game." Why does it seem to be impossible for men to think with the big brain?

"I'm not royalty. Werewolves follow the Collective. The monarchy has been missing for decades," I inform him, not that he really needs to know any of the details. "Phee, you say one more word and I'll be cutting out your tongue with a silver knife. If the silver doesn't get into your bloodstream and kill you, you'll be living the rest of your life without a tongue." She does a quick gesture to show she's locking her lips and for now that will have to be good enough. "See, Sam, that's all you need to do."

"But she knows I wouldn't be able to follow through. It's going to get to the point where I have to bring all my issues to you to threaten her with punishment."

Sometimes I feel sorry for the guy. Phee really could've used a mate who was a little firmer with her, but they make the cutest couple, if two people staring all googly eyed at each other doesn't make you vomit. It took a while, but I've stopped throwing up a little in my mouth every time I see them together.

"Why don't we get started on these scenes? I have an action packed night ahead of me and haven't had enough protein this afternoon."

My willingness to start gets everyone moving. I'm glad to see I can command complete strangers just as efficiently as I do my guards.

It takes two hours, but we make it through all the non-fake sex scenes. My script changes go over well and the most retakes we had for a given scene were five. None of which were my fault.

We're down to the last scene and I'm ready to be done with this. The fake sex part is probably going to be the easy part of this, because we're supposed to kiss and that's a bit hard to fake, at least for the shots they want to get.

"It will be easy. We'll just implant a picture of me in your head and act it out between the two of us," Alex says ready to help.

"Okay, we'll see how it goes. You better be on your A game, wolf boy."

"In the bedroom arena, I never bring less."

We haven't even done the full deed, yet, and I know that's true. He was gifted with a golden penis. That's what he claims anyway.

Ready to get it over with, I take my spot and dive right in.

"Detective Hursh, how can I ever thank you for rescuing me?" I say, stepping in close to Will, working hard to pretend he's Alex. Alex makes it easy on me and replaces Will with himself in my mind. This should make things straightforward.

"I can think of a few things I wouldn't mind receiving in payment," Will responds, running his hand up my arm. The voice is off, but I'm still seeing Alex, so I don't try to remove the hand from his body.

"I don't usually pay my debts in the bedroom." The line is definitely not in the original script. It just had the slutty woman jump on the detective, throwing clothes off as they went. Adding my two cents makes Will have to improvise.

"You have to feel the chemistry between us. Don't think of it as payment, just something that's meant to happen," he replies, leaning in for an exploratory kiss.

His tongue remains in his mouth, which saves it from meeting my teeth. His lips are the smoothest I've ever felt, not that I've felt many, but they make me think of him constantly putting on lip balm.

He leans back from the kiss and I make up my next line. "I've heard a lot about your philandering ways; maybe I don't want to be just another notch in your bed post."

"You say the word and the bed is yours," he says, wrapping his arms around me to bring me flush with his body. "I think I love you."

I've taken as long as he's going to allow, it seems, and he crushes a kiss to my mouth. I can hear Alex growl softly, but he continues to work to make me feel like it's him locked with me in the intimate embrace.

Will starts pushing me towards the bed in the room, refusing to release our mouths. I feel my thighs hit something solid and that's his cue to start removing clothing. My shirt is ripped from my body. I thought he was supposed to just lift it up and over my head, but he must have decided to try out his own improvisation.

I pretend to want his shirt off too and move my hands to the bottom to start the process. He stops me by slapping them away and his shirt quickly joins mine in tatters on the ground. Throughout the process, he hasn't removed his lips from my body. He's moved them to my neck where a makeup person spent a half an hour trying to cover up Sebastian's mark.

"Alex, a little more help. He's awfully handsy," I say when I feel hands trying to get a hold of my breasts. Good luck with that.

"I'm going to describe to you what our first time is going to be like as it coordinates with what numb nuts is doing to you. Now that you're shirtless, I can't wait to get my mouth around your nips. Your breasts are the perfect size to fit fully in my mouth, so I start by sucking the left one in whole."

I have closed my eyes, but he must still be watching, because that's exactly what I feel Will doing at this moment. "You taste so good, a little minty. I'm going to focus just on the nipple now and roll it around gently with my tongue and test its firmness with my teeth."

"Oh," I moan out, making the two-letter word into a five-syllable cry of happiness.

"That's it. You love how my tongue feels. Let's get you on your back and in the bed. I don't think I can spend much more time outside of you." I'm lowered to the bed and quick work is made out of removing my pants. I have skin colored leggings on underneath to keep my lady bits housed.

"I can never get over how beautiful you look, so I have to take a second to stop and gaze at your beauty. The second is over and my pants need off now. My penis is swelling and fluid is already trying to escape, but I won't allow it because it's all for you."

I'm starting to think I should get him set up as a phone sex operator. We could make millions off horny homemakers wanting to take a walk on the furry side.

"Sadly, this movie doesn't call for all the foreplay I'd want to bestow upon you if this was the real deal. I'll have to be happy with reaching down in between your legs to make sure you have enough honey flowing that taking in my girth won't be a discomfort for you. Having done my job properly, you're good to go, so I move to position myself above you and slowly start pushing myself inside of you."

I feel Will on top of me and he must not have gotten the memo about us doing this slowly because he is thrusting his very hard shaft into my clothed lower half at an almost frantic pace.

"The boy doesn't know how this should be done. I'm still working my way into you. Inch by inch I'm driving you mad with excitement. You can't wait to feel me fully wedged inside of you. Crap, it looks like Will is going to get off, literally, a lot quicker than I expected. He has no stamina, so we have to speed this up.

"I plunge in fully and give you a second, barely, to adjust before I start rocking our bodies to the motion in the ocean. Your walls are squeezing me tight and I can already feel them start to spasm." I concur, spasming is happening. I don't know what noises I've been making after that first moan, but I bet the sound crew is picking up some really great stuff.

"That's it, just like that. I pick up the pace even more and start drilling you into the headboard. I'm afraid you're going to have a couple of bruises in the morning. Not able to hold back any longer, I lean down and allow my wolf to the surface to give me the proper teeth needed for our mating.

"Once they're in position, I lick your neck, releasing a mild numbing agent and bite down swiftly. The power of our completed bond rips through us and we both feel the connection lock in place as our orgasms pulse through our bodies.

"And that folks, is where babies come from," he says, completing our scene and I focus back in on the here and now to hear clapping on the set.

"That was perfect!" Gene yells, walking into the cutaway bedroom to congratulate us. "If I didn't know better, I'd be sure you guys were actually partaking in the act. You, missy, missed your calling if you aren't doing this for a living.

"I think our Detective Hursh might have met his match. If this movie goes over as well as I think it will, you'll be hearing from us about the next installment. I can't believe we got all your scenes shot in just a few hours, with minimal takes. You're a natural, my dear."

Will hasn't moved off me and is still panting heavily. It's kind of gross to think he just got off while dry humping me, but it is what it is. I push him off and climb off the bed.

"This was a onetime deal, so please lose my number. I'm going to grab my clothes, and then I have places I need to be. You can work with Phee on the shots you need to make sure my scars don't show up."

I'm kind of hoping a tragic fire burns all evidence of me being in this movie. If I didn't need to stop The Enlightened idiots from killing another human, I'd get to work on that.

The sun is hurriedly making its way past the horizon, so I follow suit in getting dressed just as fast. Within a minute, I'm ready to go and we make our way back to the Suburban. When I get there, I open the back up and add a few more knives and a sawed off shotgun to my spine. It will be a little awkward driving with it, but we don't have that far to go.

Chapter 18

Mindless robot army included

The Enlightened have sectioned off an area on the north side of town for their idiotic meetings. They're believers that the werewolves should be the true leaders of this world and like to show their might by snacking on defenseless humans.

I've heard it a million times before and it still makes me shake my head. I'd love to see one of them take Sebastian on sometime. He could probably take a dozen of them out at once and not even break a sweat.

I pull up outside the building that's rumored to house their leader. By the number of people the Collective has sent to this address who never returned, I think the rumor is probably a fact. The leader is a dickhead named Sean Walker and I should've killed him years ago.

Sadly, his name never came up on my target list. Since the assassins sent in never returned from their assignments, I have to believe he either killed them or they were converted.

I hurry out of the vehicle and up to the front door with the guards right behind me. Alex has been voicing his opinion on us just showing up like this, and I've been tuning him out. This first meeting is just to have a little chat with the guy and see if he'd be willing to turn over the guilty wolves.

They're probably just some brainwashed kids, but I refuse to leave empty handed. He has the choice of them or him.

I pound on the door with all of my strength. The building gently shakes under my force. I'm still tickled that I can cause that kind of vibration with my size. The door swings open the second my fist is removed. If I didn't know better, I'd think we were expected.

"Slaughter, he has been waiting for you," a big burly guard-like man says, opening the door wide for us to enter.

It's nice they knew I was coming. The man isn't as big as Walt, but he's close. He's dressed in standard guard chic, a brilliant black on black ensemble.

We follow him down a hall filled with ornate vases and famous paintings. I wonder if Sebastian has seen this place, he's big on artsy stuff. We stop, allowing the guard to throw open some ornate double doors. He motions us to enter the room. Is he nuts?

Not knowing what's beyond the doors, I slip the shotgun around so it's pointing in front of me. You can never be too safe around these psychos.

"That won't be necessary, my princess," Sean Walker says from a throne perched on a bedazzled dais, and he calls me a princess.

The dude thinks he's a king. It looks like he had a little too much fun one weekend with his arts and crafts project. There are way too many sparkles going on in this room. I step in closer and fight the desire to shield my eyes. I think someone is out to blind me after Hilda's pastels and this. I may have to take to wearing sunglasses at all times.

"I think a gun is always necessary when one is dealing with you. Why have you set your recruits on the trail of the movie people?"

"Right down to business, I hear that's one of your best traits," he says, standing and making his way down to ground level to join us commoners.

He is, thankfully, just dressed in a black t-shirt and matching cargo pants. You'd almost expect him to have a crown and a robe. Maybe even a staff he could bang around on the ground while he orders his servants about.

"I hear people talk way too much about me. Are you going to hand the two over or are we going to have a fight about this?"

I still have my shotgun trained on him. It won't be leaving its target until we're safely back in the vehicle and down the road a ways. It may be hard to drive with it out, but I can't trust Sean to not do something stupid.

"What kind of leader would I be if I did something like that? I hear you get furry now, you should join us and take your rightful place as my queen." In a second, Alex is on him and Sean falls to the ground after taking a fist to the face. "Or maybe not. I heard you and Monroe were a couple, but I also have heard rumblings about you and deYork. Can't make up your mind?" he asks, lifting himself up from the ground. I give Alex a mental high five for the move as he retakes his place next to me.

I don't get why my relationships interest everybody so much. Yeah, it's a little odd that I have two men in my life, but I still think they should just mind their own business.

"I won't be joining you and that's all you need to worry about. If you won't hand over the kids, I'm going to need you to come with me." I'm sure it ain't happening, but I have to say it nevertheless.

He laughs at my words. Again, not something I don't get every day. "I don't think you brought enough people to take me out of here by force, and I won't come with you willingly."

"I've only seen you and your butler. Are you hiding a mouse in your pocket that should frighten me?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

"No mouse, but there's more than just me and a single guard here," he says, and walks over to hit a button on the wall by the throne. Curtains that were blending in to the background begin to rise and reveal and auditorium full of his little minions.

Looks like he's playing for a full court tonight. Against this many people, I'd prefer to be in a more open space. There are way too many places they could hide that I'm not aware of.

"You have twenty-four hours. Either turn them or yourself over by then or your little puppets aren't going to mean anything when I kill your ass," I say and start backing my guys out of the room.

Clyde is a little hesitant because he wants to play with all the other puppies, but I get him moving.

"I really think you should join us. With you on our side, overthrowing the Collective would be child's play," Sean says, advancing towards us slowly.

"I don't see how replacing one set of loonies with another will help paranorms, so I'll continue to decline your invitation. When the Collective is overthrown, we'll be looking for logical people to lead the different species. I don't think you'd qualify."

"Are you sure?" he asks, getting even closer.

What's wrong with him? I said we were leaving, why is he trying to get all close and personal?

"You need to step back," Alex says, trying to control his wolf.

He's getting really frustrated and it won't take much more for him to turn. I don't think punching Sean again will be as easily forgiven.

"You aren't feeling the desire to be one of us?" Sean asks, finally stopping his advance.

"No. I'm feeling the desire to leave this place before I see how good your minions are in a fight where they can't shift into wolves."

Clyde can keep them all human for me and he isn't exactly nice about his methods. Rumor is it really hurts to have him make you shift back.

"You're wearing protection amulets, I presume. Very smart of you to put them on before coming here," he replies, and the wind has eased out of his sails.

The jackass was trying to work some mojo on us. No wonder his ranks grow every day. I'm going to have to get my hands on whatever he's using and destroy it. It seems his followers don't all have a choice on whether they want to be members; something is going to have to be done about that.

I'll have to thank Hilda for making amulets that cover more than just succubi. I have to assume that's why whatever Sean has isn't working on the guys. Why it doesn't work on me is anybody's guess.

"I'm not wearing an amulet, so you must not be as bad ass as you thought you were. We 'e going to leave now and my twenty-four hour time frame still stands. You'll be seeing me soon."

Wanting to get out of here pronto, I push the guys from the room. I have to start making plans on how to lure the big bad wolf away from his robot army.

I don't want it to be taken as me running away from a fight, so my pace isn't a mad dash, but I'm booking it speedily away from the scene. Chances are about fifty-fifty that we could've taken the hundred or so of them, but I don't really want to cause damage to my guys if I don't need to.

"That didn't go as expected. Who would 've thought he used magic to recruit his members," Alex says, climbing into the Suburban next to me.

I wait until everyone else is in their seats and start the ol' girl up so we can get on the road.

When I put it in reverse, Sean's face appears in my door window. "I just wanted to reiterate my hope that you reconsider," he says as I shake the surprise from my head. "We'd make much better allies than enemies. My people would willingly follow you, even if we weren't mated together like usual rulers."

"Your followers will do whatever you want them to as long as you have them hypnotized. I bet most of them would be shocked at what they had to do to get in your little club."

With him out here alone, it's so tempting to just take out one of my knives and stab him a few times.

"I expect I'll see you tomorrow, until then, my sweet," he says and quickly runs away. He must have seen the gleam of his death in my eyes.

"So not what I was expecting," I say, backing up and continuing Alex's earlier train of thought.

"We have to kill him. There's no other way around this. If his groupies were doing it willingly, it would be one thing, but they aren't and the only way to separate them from his craziness is to cut off his head and take it bowling," Alex says, stating his opinion on the matter.

I have to say I like the idea of rolling Sean's head down the alley. Chances are it would be a gutter ball, but it would still be fun. I'm going to have to see where the closest bowling alley is and whether it's paranorm or human run. I doubt the humans would enjoy my take on fun.

Chapter 19

Time to bring back the weekend bonfire

When we get back, Phee and Sam look like they're just arriving. Good. They didn't keep her too long. I didn't think to put a more permanent lock on her lips when I left her alone with the humans. I'm afraid to find out what she let slip.

I would've liked to have a little time to calm down after the confrontation with Sean before I had to take in all that Phee is, but I never get what I want. Maybe if I just don't get out of the vehicle, she'll go away. A quick glance in her direction tells me I'm not going to get away with it.

"Can we just send Clyde out to greet her?" I ask, hoping I get answers in the affirmative.

"You know it won't do you any good. She looks like she's been saving something up." Alex says and opens his door.

"You're supposed to be on my side for everything, traitor."

"You keep telling yourself that, Babe," he replies, laughing and joining everyone else getting out of the Suburban. I guess I'm going to have to join them, even Clyde has jumped out.

"Oh. My. God," Phee exclaims as I get out of the vehicle. "Wasn't that just the coolest thing ever? My back is going to be in a movie. I still can't believe it. I have to call everyone. Aren't you super excited about being in the film? You actually got to speak during it and you were so good. Will couldn't stop talking about you after you left. I really think they're going to be calling you about the next one. Do you think maybe we could convince them that your character needs a sister? I would be perfect for the part."

I really hope she takes a breath soon.

"And oh my gosh, you won't believe it, but they invited me to this big cast party tonight. Everyone is going to be there and they said I could come too. Do you guys want to go? I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you tagged along. You're the big star of the day. They said it was supposed to be dressy, so I have to go figure out which of my dresses to wear. I want to make a really good impression on them."

I can't take it anymore. She has put her hands on each of my arms and is jumping up and down. "Phee, breathe." I switch who's holding who with our hands and get her to stop jumping. No sugar for a week for Phee. I'm thankful they didn't find a speaking part for her. "I'm glad you're happy with the part you played, but take it down just a notch or two. Is the entire crew going to be at this party?"

"It sounded like that was the case. They aren't done shooting or anything; they just thought the day went so well that they wanted to celebrate." They must not be used to their leading ladies being able to string words together to actually make sentences.

"Where's the party at?" I ask, thinking this will be the perfect set up.

"Not far from the set. It's at ... dang it I can't remember the name of the place."

"It's at Bandits," Sam supplies, helping his girlfriend out.

"That's it. It's a bar, so I've never been there before, but I'm going to make a special trip to hang out with the crew again. You should've seen it after you left. They treated me like a princess. I didn't have to do more than stand around with my top off for a few minutes and pretend to be kissing Will. He didn't even slip me his tongue at all. It was a little bit of a letdown after watching him practically maul you."

Great. Remind me never to watch the movie. I don't particularly want to see myself mauled by a human.

"How long before the party starts? I have some things I need to get together before then."

"I'm sure it's already started, but they said it would be going all night, so just stop by anytime," she says and finally detaches herself from me. "I'm going to go get ready. If you're going too, do you think we could all ride together?"

"It would be best if you and Sam take your own car. I also need you to come up and grab some amulets to wear before you go and make sure you're both armed. I'll probably be doing battle tonight, and I don't want you guys making your way into the melee without being prepared."

I grab Clyde away from Walt and head upstairs to get their charms ready and arm myself properly. I want my triple holster on for this. I love my sawed off and all, but it doesn't carry enough rounds for its bulk.

"You think they'll try to get to another one of the humans tonight?" Alex asks, joining me.

"I think Sean is going to want to try to flaunt his great power over us. I imagine at least one of his flunkies will be around causing problems. I want to make sure those humans make it through the night. The two deaths are already bad enough. We don't need the human government thinking they need to come in and police things for us. That'll cause all sorts of headaches that none of us really need."

"True, but I think that it would be a foolish move on his part if he went after someone so soon after meeting with us."

"No one ever claimed he was smart. In fact, I'd shout just the opposite from the rooftops. Humans outnumber paranorms about a bazillion to one. Pissing them off has no good outcome for us."

I have my holster in place and have switched out my knives to my favorites. I like to think of them as my lucky knives, and if there's going to be killing done tonight, I'm in need of a little luck.

"Fine. We'll do it your way, as always. Do you think your miniature is ready yet? I know it only takes you as long as it takes to arm yourself to be ready to go, but I have a feeling she's going to take a little bit longer."

I can just imagine the state of her room while she tries to pick out the perfect dress.

"I'll go hurry her along and take their amulets downstairs. I don't want to find her turned against me in battle. I could take her, but I don't like hurting the pipsqueak."

I hurry out of the room and to the elevator. Phee and Sam are two floors down. I have a secret passage that will lead me right to their apartment, but I tend not to use it.

I've shown up a few times unexpectedly to do some sneak attacks, just to see how they fight when they're caught by surprise. They still need a little more practice. The first time I tried, they both slept right through me climbing on their bed and hopping up and down.

I was embarrassed to admit they were my students. I went around collecting their weapons and then found some ice in the freezer. The cold got them moving real quick. Needless to say, they've learned to sleep just a little lighter.

I arrive at their door and before I have a chance to knock, Sam swings the door open. He doesn't have to speak; the look on his face says it all. If Phee wasn't his mate, he'd be strangling her. I feel so sorry for him. He's a nice kid and Phee is a nice girl, but she'd drive Millie nuts with all of her talking and that poor woman can't hear a thing.

"Give me five minutes," I say, and push past him, handing him a charm on the way to their bedroom.

The view before me is pretty much what I expected. Hurricane Phee has been on a rampage. Clothing is thrown everywhere and don't get me started on the number of shoes I see. This is bad.

"Sam, I think this dress makes me look fat. What do you think?" she asks, coming out of her closet.

"I think it's impossible for anything to make your skinny ass look fat. What in the world is all of this mess?"

"Oh, Nyx, good you're here. You can help me figure out what to wear tonight. It has to be perfect and none of those dresses work," she says, waving her hand in the general direction of Mount Dressia.

I knew I should've burned all her girlie things when I took her under my wing. We wouldn't be having this discussion if I was smart. There are a lot of stupid conversations I could avoid if I just went with my gut instincts.

"You're going to a party with a bunch of humans, why in the world do you care what they think about how you look?"

"Why wouldn't I? They're famous. I know you don't get into all the stars and glitter of Hollywood, but Will is really famous. If I didn't have Sam, I'd totally try to hit that." Oh Lord, help me.

"I heard that Phee. You know I don't like it when you talk about other guys like that," Sam yells from the other room.

"I was just joking. Lighten up," Phee shouts back.

Both me and Sam know she wasn't joking one bit. I sometimes wish werewolves shared the unable to lie to your mate trait that vampires have. I think Phee would be changing her tune with a quickness. I know Phee loves Sam like she loves her Prada shoes that just went flying across the room.

She's still young and just doesn't feel like she's ready to grow up. I haven't been a child since I was about five, so I don't really understand her thinking.

"Just wear what you have on. The purple looks great on you," I tell her, hoping to move her along.

"It's mauve," she says, enunciating it with emphasis on the O that isn't actually in the word. "It does look pretty good on me, doesn't it?" She moves back to her full length mirror and admires herself. Good. I have her on the right track. "Where did I put my Jimmy Choo wedges? They'll help with the height issue."

She goes back to frantically look through her piles of clothes. Why she cares if people think she's short is beyond me. I'm finding a lot of things are beyond me lately.

"Just grab a pair of shoes and let's go. Even though we're taking separate vehicles, I want us to arrive together."

"Here they are," she says, triumphantly rising out of her pile with some scary looking things that I assume she considers shoes. They don't look very practical to me. Any heel type shoes that I own double as a weapon. Whether they have actual blades hidden in them or are just nicely sharpened stilettos, I can use them to defend myself.

"Great. Here's your amulet. Put it on and let's get out of here."

Never again am I going any place with Phee if she's required to dress up. I wonder if I could convince Sam it was a good idea to "accidentally" start a fire in her closet. He's probably too whipped to go for it, but it's a thought.

Chapter 20

Lord, save us from humans on drugs

The ride to Bandits is a quick one. My foot is to the floor most of the way. If a human happened to get themselves killed while I was stuck waiting on Phee, she's going to be feeling my wrath. There are times I wish her and Jake were mates, so I could just lock them both in a room together and let them be two-year-olds. Most of the time, I realize what a nightmare the two of them banding together for anything would be, and make sure they never spend time alone.

It looks like the movie crew must have walked over, because there's a great spot with my name on it right in front of the building. There are humans spilling out into the street and they're in various states of undress, which has me a little worried. Alcohol doesn't have the same effect on paranorms that it does on humans, so ours tends to be a little bit stronger proof. I wonder if the bartender informed any of the crew about that fact. Judging by what I'm seeing, it hasn't been mentioned.

"This doesn't look like my idea of a good time," Jonas says from the back seat.

No one has made a move to get out, yet. I think we're hoping that if we wait long enough everyone will be sober. They didn't let me hide out from Phee, so there's no way they're getting out of going in that bar.

"We should probably make sure no one has wandered off alone," I say, and make my way out my door. "Come on, Clyde."

He jumps over the console and into my seat. I don't bother to put his leash on. If he can sober up some of these people by biting at their ankles, I'm all for it.

The guys reluctantly get out and meet me in front of the Suburban. I don't know any of the people standing outside the building, so I push my way inside. I haven't been to Bandits before, but the sight inside is probably a little out of the norm for them. It reminds me of what I usually see when I go to Sins. The humans are getting freaky on the tabletops. This is bad.

"Thank God you're here," a werewolf says, coming up beside me. "They've been doing this for the last thirty minutes. There are so many of them that I didn't want to just wolf out and scare them away. I heard about the attacks and didn't want them running to the Collective."

"I'll take care of this," I tell the man and make my way towards the bar. Will is the only person sitting there, and he seems to be watching the chaos take place around him. "You aren't joining in?"

"Nyx, glad to see you're here. Things are getting a little out of control. I don't think most of these people thought about protection," he stands up and goes to hug me, but quickly changes his mind. "I don't drink or do drugs, which is what's causing the scenes before you."

I'm a little surprised to hear he's a good boy on those accounts, but I need to focus on stopping this. I motion Alex over to me and he helps me climb up on the bar. I take my Colt out and fire it into a table next to where Gene is banging one woman while snacking on another. I'm glad I never got into the orgy scene.

The chaos pauses while everyone looks to see who's shooting at them.

"Howdy guys. I hate to break your giant lovefest up, but this isn't the kind of business where public exhibition is allowed. We paranorms can get freaky, but we do it in our own homes or places that promote that type of thing."

"But I'm so horny," someone whines from the back of the room. Gee buddy, I couldn't tell.

"Then take your little party back to your trailer. I want to hear zips moving to the up position and I want to hear them now. I have enough bullets in my guns to shoot at least a third of you, and then I have five knives that will go through your skin like butter, so make it quick."

Everyone starts disengaging from what they were doing and I see a lot of crotch rubbing as people start heading towards the door. I think there's a little something more going on here than just an orgy to celebrate a good day of filming.

"What are they taking?" I ask Will, since he's the only one who I think I can get an answer out of without being groped.

"Beats me. Like I said, I'm not into that sort of thing. Some guy was in here passing out these little orange pills and people started popping them like candy."

"Crap." This isn't good. "Everyone out of the building now," I yell, and start pushing our group towards the door.

Someone was here passing out werewolf aphrodisiacs. I'm pretty sure they haven't passed human clinical trials. Someone wanted everyone distracted and I can guess who that person is. You'd think the humans would've learned by now not to accept candy from strangers.

We get everyone out of the building. I grab the people actually trying to run the place in all of the commotion and push them outside with no explanation. How their night was going so far, it isn't needed. The buildings next to Bandits don't smell like they're occupied, so I don't worry about running in to save anyone else.

When everyone gets a block away, an explosion rocks the ground. Sean isn't playing around anymore. He wants to take the humans out in one fell swoop. Good thing I was around to rescue their stupid asses. Seriously, just taking something a stranger hands you at a party? What a bunch of morons.

"What was that?" I hear many people say as they start to pick themselves up off the ground.

"That was someone getting tired of taking you out one by one. Everyone needs to buddy up and get back to your trailers. Groups of five or six are preferred. That will even give you a chance to work the aphrodisiac out of your systems. Just try to use rubbers this time." We can't let them breed more little humans who may inherit their brains.

"What are we going to do about our building?" the man who first asked for my help questions.

"You're going to wait here and in about five minutes Collective agents are going to storm the streets. Tell them it was The Enlightened and I'm going to bring them back the leader's head on a pike."

"What about me? Is there anything I can do to help? I really don't want to head back with the others right now," Will says, and I can understand where he's coming from.

"Unless you want to be bait, there isn't a lot I can have you do," I say and contemplate how we're going to get across town.

I'm pretty sure my Suburban is now toasted. Judging by the interspersed popping I hear, I think the fire has reach my ammunition. I'll mourn my girl later. Right now, I really have to focus.

"I'm good at being bait. If it will help, take me with you." It's an interesting idea, one that will most likely get him killed, but it might be a good way to draw Sean out.

"We'll change to wolves and meet you there. You can fly him to the location. Clyde is fast enough to run with us, just meet us five blocks to the west of the mansion," Alex says. Apparently he doesn't mind using the human as temptation.

"Wait, fly me?" Will asks, and before he can even ponder anything more I unfurl my wings, wrap my arms around his midsection, and take to the sky. My wings are strong enough to carry both of us, but it takes just a second to get the weight situated.

"Surprise," I say, loving the feel of the wind in my face. With this mode of transportation it will only take me a couple of minutes to get to the rendezvous spot.

"What are you?" Will asks, clearly in awe.

"You still don't get to know. I have to tell you that this probably won't end well for you. Being in between me and a psychotic werewolf seldom ever does."

"Believe me after today, I would die a happy man. You know you really nailed your scenes earlier. I know you're taken and all, but I wish you weren't. There's something really special about you, Nyx Slaughter."

"That's what I keep hearing. Here, this is our landing spot. The guys should be here in another couple of minutes. They travel fast as wolves, but not as quickly as I do with wings."

"Your wings are so pretty. I know it's dark, but they shimmer. What color are they?"

"They're gold and I'm putting them away now," I say as I wrap them up.

"So, you're a princess to the werewolves and you have gold wings. Do you have a little bird in your blood somewhere?" he asks joking, probably trying to take some of the stress out of the situation.

"Not that I'm aware of. I'm a very special case." I hear the guys' paws getting closer and I turn to look at them. My pack of misfits is growing. It looks like Sam and Phee came along. I'd forgotten they were even around. A bunch of humans having sex all over the place has that effect on you. I won't even mention the giant explosion.

"I tried to stop them," Alex says, shifting. "You know how Phee is, though."

"I couldn't let my big sis face the evil werewolf alone," she says, coming closer in her humanoid form.

"Sean has an army of at least one hundred werewolves that will do anything he tells them to. This isn't exactly the situation I wanted you to cut your teeth on," I say, knowing it doesn't make a lick of difference to the irrational teen.

"We got this one, so what's the plan?"

"Will's going to be the bait. I don't think Sean will be able to resist coming out to take care of a human walking on his property personally. The key will be for him to not get taken inside. If that happens we're screwed."

I turn to Will to give him instructions. "I want you to stand in the street and yell about how you know he's the one who has been killing your friends and you're going to turn him in. Just silly nonsense like that. We need him outside."

"I can do that. You said his name was Sean, right?"

"Yes, but dickhead or asswipe will also do. The bad part is we'll have to be far enough away that he doesn't sense us at first. He's a werewolf, so I doubt his sense of smell is all that good, but he can hear. We have to be able to take him by surprise."

"Got it. Can I have something to try to protect myself? I know it won't do much good, but I'd like to have something."

"Here, take my Beretta. It has silver bullets and just one of them will kill him. He'll probably sense you have it, but you having silver shouldn't surprise him. We'll be about a block away and be able to hear your conversation. When I know it's him, I'll be by your side in a second."

"I trust you. Let's go get him," Will says, amping himself up for the mission. If I thought just me showing up would draw Sean out, I wouldn't risk Will like this. I give him directions on where to go and we move in.

Chapter 21

A space alien has taken over my body

"Don't worry. We'll all get through this just fine," Alex says from beside me.

"You know I can't help it. Not only do we have a human helping us out on this one, but little Phee is out there somewhere. If she keeps herself from gabbing while she's supposed to be listening, it will be a miracle."

"Luckily, she can talk to Sam like we are now and not give away her location."

I still haven't confirmed that fact, but I'm pretty sure it's true. They have a proper werewolf bond and if me and Alex can do it, those two should be able to.

"Hey asshole," I hear Will start yelling. The games are already beginning and I'm not sure I'm ready. Something has me on edge. "Sean, I hear you're the one out killing humans. Just thought I'd let you know I'm going to the Collective to turn you in. I saw one of your flunkies passing out pills tonight at Bandits."

Things remain silent for a second, so he starts back up. "Hey, can you hear me? I think it's only right to give you fair warning."

I hear a door softly open followed by someone running. "You know, little human, she thinks she's so smart, but yet she sends you who smell strongly of her weirdness. Her particular aroma is so unique I bet any paranorm can tell when she's been around. Even a lowly human like yourself could pick it up if you knew what to look for," Sean's voice echoes through the streets.

I immediately kick into motion with my gun drawn.

"I don't know who you're talking about. I heard rumors that you were the one gunning for us, so I came to verify them."

"Cute. You're the lead actor in the human's little movie aren't you. I've done my research and you would've probably been last on my list to die. I've seen the way you look at her. I've been watching her for a while and it's the look I see on every male face who comes in contact with her. She's really something amazing isn't she?"

"You keep using pronouns and I have no idea who you are talking about," Will says, still buying time. I'm about a hundred yards away when I see Sean grab him around the neck. Will has no chance of fighting back.

"Oh, I think you know exactly who I speak of. Nyx, it's nice to see you again so soon. I thought you gave me a full twenty-four hours," Sean says as he squeezes his forearm across Will's throat. "It's been maybe two. I hope this means you've changed your mind about signing up with my team."

"Let him go, Sean. This is between you and me."

"You and me and the six other werewolves and the Hellhound you brought with you. I don't think this is between just the two of us at all." He's right, but he needs to man up and lose the human.

"Let him go," I reassert. He's using Will as a shield and I can't get a good shot. I see Sam and Phee across the way and I shake my head no, so they don't take the shot either. There's too great of a chance it will go straight through him and hit Will.

"Why would I do that? I have everyone right where they should be. I just wish you hadn't given all of your wolves stinking protection against my crystal. It would've been so much more fun to turn you guys against each other."

"No matter what happens, you get that crystal away from him," I tell Alex as I start to weigh my options. This is why I hate bringing anyone in on my missions. When it's just me, I don't have to worry about casualties.

"You can count on it. What's our move?"

"Follow my lead, I guess," I say and prepare myself for the very likely fact that someone isn't going to make it out of this. "Would you be up for a prisoner exchange?"

"Really? You're going to give yourself up for a human? You hear that boy; you actually made an impression on the great Nyx Slaughter. She's willing to die for you. That's kind of cute."

"Enough talk, are you going to do it?" I don't need him making Will think he needs to protect me. I'm a Hell of a lot more durable than him and I hope he realizes that.

"Remove your weapons first and then, yes, we can make an exchange. In fact, I think a lot of weapons should meet the pavement. Alex is the only one of you who I don't believe is carrying."

I never have figured out why my wolf beau doesn't tend to carry any weapons. He's the only one of us who's for sure been on the Collective's hit list and it doesn't even faze him.

No one moves as I start taking my holster off. "Go ahead. He hasn't called out any of his goons, so we should keep him happy as long as possible." That gets everyone moving and I hear knives hit the ground. I remove my final thigh knife and call it good. "I'm clean, how do you want to do this?"

"Good question. How about everyone other than Nyx move over to my right, where you're a good distance away from your armory. I know none of you will be slow to pick something up the second the human isn't in immediate danger."

Everyone shuffles over to the indicated spot. "Okay, now let him go." Will has had most of his oxygen cut off for a while now. That can't be good for his brain.

"You come to me and once you're close enough, I'll let him go."

Things are moving way too slow for my liking. I do as he says and move closer. I'm standing in front of them and just before I'm within reach, Sean pushes Will into me and I hear a gun go off. I glance quickly to see Sean standing there with the gun I gave Will.

"No!" I scream and fall to the ground with Will on top of me. The bullet passed through him and is lodged in my chest. I don't think it will be serious for my health, but Will won't be that lucky. I hear wolves growling and fighting, so I figure Sean is being taken care of. I sense more wolves than there should be, but not enough that I'm immediately needed.

I roll Will off of me to try to get a look at the damage. "How bad is it?" Will whispers weakly.

He spits up a little blood and I tear his shirt off to get a better look. I don't like what I find.

"It's just your left lung; you have two of those, right?" I ask, trying to make light of the situation. I use his torn shirt to try to press hard on his wound, hoping to stop some of the bleeding. "The good news is that the bullet went right through you. It's tickling my rib cage as we speak." Maybe not exactly my rib cage, but I can feel it in there. The bullet passed through his lower lung and hit me pretty high in the chest.

"You guys have any good doctors around who can stitch me up?"

Therein lies the problem, Night Owl City doesn't really have a need for an actual doctor. There are a few people who can remove bullets and sew you up, but I don't know of anyone who can fix a lung that's hemorrhaging like Old Faithful. My hand brushes his as I shift slightly with my compress. His hand feels like ice and I think that means things are starting to shut down. Crap.

"I don't think I could get you to anyone in time, even if they were able to help. This isn't exactly an injury common in paranorms. For us, the bullet is either non-lethal and we just heal ourselves or whatever it's made of works its way through our system and kills us."

"Well, like I said earlier, I'm going to die a happy man. Our movie is going to make all sorts of money, since it stars a dead man. Not sure what they'll do with the scenes I hadn't had a chance to shoot yet." He starts a coughing fit and more blood is spit off to the side. "My mom should be left with enough money to make the rest of her life very easy."

"Do you have any other family?" I ask, trying to keep him talking. I don't know if it's all that good for him with having had a bullet recently pass through his lung, but silence wouldn't sit right with me.

"Nah. It's just me and her; it has been for a long time. She's why I do what I do. I want to be able to pay her back for all the sacrifices she made for me."

"Why do you have to say sweet stuff like that," I say, sighing and regretting my desire to keep him talking. If he's going to die, it's a lot easier for me to just hate the guy. I mean, up until this moment he's been an oversized jerk. "I can't believe I'm going to offer you this, but I can probably keep you alive. You won't be able to go back to your old life, though. A lot of things will change for you."

"I thought you said humans can't be turned into werewolves. If you're saying it's possible, I'm game. I don't think I'm quite ready to die, just yet. From what I've seen, the werewolves in this town get all the pretty girls."

His voice is getting even weaker. Before long, he won't be able to talk. I have to hurry before he passes out. I don't want to make this decision for him.

"You won't be a werewolf. Chances are good that you'd become a vampire. You won't be able to see the sun again for many years and your diet will greatly change."

I don't know if me being a hybrid will make it so I can change him or not, but it is worth a try. I can't be sure exactly what he'll become, either. Drinking my blood may change him into an elf.

"But I'll be alive. I can figure things out later."

Well, I guess that's all the permission I need. I don't know exactly how this works, but Sebastian told me once when I had his blood in my system not to get myself killed, so I think that's the key. Will is knocking on death's door; a little sip should be all he needs.

"Are you sure about this? I don't know what the ramifications will be. Shouldn't we talk to Sebastian first?" Alex says, coming to join me in his human form.

I give him a quick once over and he looks to be covered in blood, but not injured. I don't really want to take my eyes away from Will at the moment to check Alex out more thoroughly.

"Does it look like he has time for us to chat with Sebby?"

At this point, my own blood loss is making me a little weak and things are a touch fuzzy. I know the bullet won't kill me, but it does take me a little while to bounce back. I lengthen my vampire fangs and bite hard into my wrist. With the blood flowing, I move my wrist over Will's mouth and let the red liquid work into his throat. He's beyond weak now, but I feel his throat move enough to swallow.

I was afraid it might be too late for that. With the amount of blood that has poured out of him, it should've been too late. He seems to have a real fight to live in him and I hope that will be enough for whatever comes next.

I remove my wrist from his lips. What I've given him is the best I can do. My hazy mind is getting worse and a nap sounds good right about now.

"I'll get you both home. Go ahead and sleep," Alex whispers, and I follow instructions.

Chapter 22

Two like forces drawn together

Waking up in my own bed and not remembering how I got here is one of my big pet peeves. These days it happens way more than it used to. There's another body in bed with me and it isn't Alex. I'd find it more distressing if I didn't know that it was Will. His scent is different, so I'm guessing the change actually worked.

"Any side effects I should know about?" I ask Alex, who's sitting on the edge of the bed closest to me.

"His body has been having issues being too far away from you. I think it's just temporary because you don't have to be touching anymore. He hasn't woken up, but I hear that can take a couple of days."

"Yeah, Sebastian told me that once. I take it you took care of everything with The Enlightened."

"While you were busy saving a human life the only way you could, we were able to take care of Sean and about twenty of his wolves before we got the crystal away from him. Once he wasn't in control of it anymore the connection snapped and the rest of his followers stopped fighting."

"Were you able to get them help before the Collective came in to execute them all?"

"I told them the situation and some came back with us and are currently residing in our holding cells. The rest scattered, hoping to go back to their normal lives," he reaches over and wipes a strand of hair out of my eyes.

"Anything else I should know about? How about injuries on our side?"

It sounds like things are wrapped up nicely. Jake should be cleared and the humans don't have to worry about rogue werewolves killing them off.

"Sam hit the ground funny and dislocated his shoulder, but we snapped it back into place and he's as good as new and you already know that your Suburban didn't make it out of the explosion alive. There's a slight issue that I'm not sure how happy you'll be about when you hear it.

"After you'd started the transformation with Will, I left you to help direct people where to go. When I came back not two minutes later, Clyde had gotten to you and was licking your bullet wound."

"How do you like me now, you crazy bitch?" a strange voice says in my head. "I don't really mean it, Mommy. I've just been dying to say it."

"You've got to be joking. Clyde was able to connect his weird bond?"

"Why are you asking him? You can just talk directly to me now," Clyde replies, and he pops his head up becoming visible by the edge of the bed. "I can't believe how long it took me to get you alone and bleeding. You seem to find yourself injured so often that when I first came home with you, I thought it'd be a piece of cake."

"Oh, this just isn't right. You shouldn't be able to talk to me. Make him stop, Alex."

"Sorry, I think the only way that's happening is if you get him a new master, and you'd have to take a trip to Hell for that one. Just any old wolf or vampire wouldn't be able to control him."

"Mmm. Someone is cooking some cow. I have to go investigate. Talk at you later, Mommy," Clyde says and runs out of the room.

"You can hear what he says, right?" I ask, hoping I'm not losing my mind.

"Through you, yes. Maybe at least now he can tell us what he can do. He was pretty wicked in the fight tearing apart wolves and commanding even more into their biped forms. Do you know anything about siring a vampire?" he asks, changing the subject. He lies down next to me and draws me in close.

"It would've been a good idea for me to know that kind of information before I went through with this, but I know nothing. I have no clue what's going to happen. I didn't even know for sure if I was doing it right," I say as I wrap my arm around him.

"Why did you do it then?"

"I don't know. He didn't deserve to die, and I couldn't let him if there was a way I could prevent it. I have no problem killing bad guys, but he was an innocent. I knew going into the standoff he was going to be vulnerable, but I couldn't tell him not to help. If Sean wasn't stopped, more people would've died." I think in the not so distant past, I wouldn't have had an issue with an innocent dying, but my life has changed so much lately that it just didn't feel right.

"I'm sure he'll be grateful for what you did. He gave his consent. It was clear he wanted to live if it was possible. It'd be helpful if any of the vampires were around to answer our questions. We may work together for a common goal, but I'm still not aware of all the things that make vampires tick."

"Hey, I'm part vampire and I don't have even half of the answers as far as they're concerned. I don't know everything about wolves, either, but you and Walt fill in the blanks pretty quickly. You know there's something you haven't ever really gone into detail about. Why don't you ever talk about your family?"

I'm curious after hearing Will talk about his mother briefly.

"There isn't much to tell. I never knew them. Like you, I was raised as an orphan. I still haven't found out who my parents are or were. Your father arranged a home for me and I was trained since I was a child to fight, just like you."

"Why have I never heard that little detail?"

"We haven't ever talked much about me, other than our little twenty questions games. We spend most of our time in the present," he says, and leans down to kiss my head.

"I'd like to hear more. Do you talk to your foster parents? They have to be better than mine was. How about siblings, do you have anyone you grew up with?"

I move away from him slightly, so I can get a good look at his face while he talks. Will remains unmoving next to us and I put the vampire issues all on the back burner.

"They weren't really touchy-feely type parents. They were just there to make sure I was fed and got an education. They weren't mean or anything, but it never really felt like home to me. When I turned sixteen, I left and made a name for myself fighting against the Collective.

"Back then, I was happy just killing people I could confirm as one of the bad guys. I'd heard my foster parents say something about the Collective making me an orphan, so I took my confusion out on anyone I could find.

"Not everyone I killed in those days deserved it. When my teenage rebellion wore off, I realized I couldn't keep doing what I was doing. I eventually got more involved in your father's resistance. By that time, he'd joined forces with Sebastian. Sebastian took care of the vampire part of it and your father put me in charge of the wolf part.

"If I'd classify anyone as a sibling, it would be Jonas. He helped teach me when I was young. He trained me and never let me give him any lip. He's always been the first to defend me when I do something stupid and would give his life for mine, just like I would for him."

"I always knew there was something more between you guys than him just being your bodyguard. It sounds like our lives have been pretty similar. It's odd that we ended up together as mates."

"I think it makes perfect sense. No one would understand us as much as we can. I know you've found your father now, but the backbone of our upbringing was the same. Enough talk about the past, let's get some protein in you. You lost a lot of blood and Sebastian isn't handy to replenish you. You could try putting a straw in me, but that's something I think Sebastian would like to keep between you two."

"Good idea. Is it okay for me to leave the bed?" I ask, rolling over to get a look at Will.

He doesn't look any different. He didn't instantly get pale or somehow change his features like some vampire lore claims.

"We might as well give it a try. I don't want to think about him being glued to you for the rest of our lives," Alex responds and rolls out of bed.

I follow suit and find myself still in the clothes I was wearing earlier. That's a little surprising, but sure enough there's a small hole where the bullet burrowed through.

"Your body actually expelled the bullet this time, so we didn't have to dig around to remove it. It's what happens to a normal werewolf if the bullet isn't silver. Since the silver doesn't bother you, your body finally did what it should."

"Just how long have I been out?" I ask, happy to hear my body is finally doing something somewhat expected.

"Just forty-five minutes, nowhere near as long as the last time."

"Well, next time someone tries to shoot me I won't be so hesitant to just go after them if I can heal that quickly," I say, skipping ahead of him in search of food.

"Bite your tongue. I still prefer you not getting shot in the first place. One of these days, Sebastian or I will get injured and you'll know what it feels like for us."

It would take one bad motherfucker to severely injure one of them, so I'm not too worried about that ever happening.

"Nice to see you up and about, niece. You gave me a little scare, but the rest of the guys assured me this was a usual way for a case to end for you." Walt is sitting in the chair while Jake is on the couch. Jonas must be in the kitchen with Demon Dog.

"The rest of the guys don't know what they're talking about. The only other time I 've been shot was a weird fluke of a thing and as far as I know we never did figure out who fired the second gun." I glance around the room again and I'm shocked to find the mouthy one missing. "How did you get rid of her?"

Alex laughs. "Sam finally took control of the pants in their messed up family. He demanded that she leave to allow you some time to rest. He also convinced her that she didn't want to be around in case Will woke up and was hungry. The idea of a blood starved baby vampire really got her moving."

"About time the kid finally took over." I'll have to give him a big pat on the back the next time I see him.

"Go ahead and take a seat, Princess. I'll bring your steak out to you," Jonas calls out.

"You don't have to, I'm able to walk just fine," I holler back, but go ahead and sit down.

"If you need to run back in to comfort Shaky, it's probably good to not get too far away," Jonas replies, and hands me a plate.

Clyde waddles in and sits at my feet. I just glare at him, refusing to accept that he can now talk to me.

"I can read your thoughts, too," he says with a grin. Screw me ten ways to Sunday. That's just wrong.

"Ignore him and eat. You've had a busy day and even with your little nap, I think you'll be crashing before too long," Alex says as he sits and drapes his arm across the back of the couch.

Just him mentioning the day I've had makes me sleepy. I make short work of my food and lean into him after I put my plate on the coffee table. "Nyx says good night, guys." Alex puts one arm behind me and another under me and lifts me from the couch.

"Sleepy time," I mumble as he carries me off to bed.

"That's right, honey. We're going to get a nice night's sleep, so we can welcome Sebastian home tomorrow. I can't wait to see his reaction to you creating a new vampire."

Chapter 23

Dreams are starting to really piss me off

I'm dreaming again. Sebastian is sitting up in the bed and doesn't seem to be tied down anymore. Nothing else in the room seems to have changed. If he isn't bound, I wonder why he isn't walking out of here. It isn't like him to just sit around and wait for the cavalry. He seems to be mumbling to himself, a clear sign the bitch from Hell is driving him insane.

"Nyx, if you're here, I want you to know how sorry I am. I promised you this wouldn't happen and just look at the state we're in."

I feel his pain, not literally, but from a source right in the center of my chest. I move over to the bed to be closer to him. I try to sit down next to him and it doesn't work, so I remain standing, kind of hovering nearby.

"You mean the world to me, my love. I'm not giving up and I know you won't either. We'll be together again and I'll never leave your side." If this horrific event comes to pass, you can be assured I'm going to make sure he sticks by that statement.

The door opens as he finishes his speech and then slams shut. The she demon has arrived. What I wouldn't give to be able to claw her eyes out right now.

"I can't believe you mated with that thing," she screeches and walks over towards the bed.

She attempts to slap Sebastian, but he grabs her wrist and twists her arm. After a brief tussle, she breaks free and stalks to the other side of the room.

It would be handy if I could figure out exactly where we were. Since I'm having another one of these dreams, I have to assume she still somehow gets to Sebastian, even with his guards in place.

"I actually talked to her today. I wasn't going to, but when I found out what she was I couldn't believe it."

"I assume you mean you know what her third nature is. Would you care to enlighten everyone in the room?" Sebby asks her.

"You don't know? Why would you bond yourself to her if you didn't understand what you were getting yourself into? That's beyond stupid and I've never known you to be that. Do you know how messed up things would've gotten for you if I didn't get to you first? By the time this is over, you may just be thanking me."

"No matter what she is, you have to see now that you're not going to be able to break our bond. Let me go and I promise we won't hunt you down and kill you for the damage you've caused." Sebastian doesn't touch on the stupidity claim or what I sm. I really need to be allowed to speak at a time like this. I have all sorts of questions for the bitch.

"I originally planned to just kill her and hope that you'd remain alive when the bond shattered into a million pieces. She didn't know what she was either, so she can't be twenty-three, just yet. The power coming off of her indicated that birthday wasn't too far away, though. That doesn't give me a lot of time. If I allow it to pass, there will be nothing on this earth that can separate you two."

"That's great news. Does that mean you'll let me go now?" Sebastian asks with a lot of fake hope laced through his voice.

"Unless her birthday is tomorrow, I still have time. As her power ramps up, it will be more difficult than killing a regular vampire, but I have some tricks up my sleeves and I'm pretty sure I have an ace in the hole. Yeah, that's a better plan anyway.

"You're going to feel that bond of yours unravel. Then when you're free from the wretched thing, you're going to find yourself so in love with me that you'll live to service my every need. The things I'm going to make you do would humiliate you now, but by then you won't care."

"You're a heartless bitch and would be wise to give up this dumb vendetta of yours. So what if I was able to resist you? I doubt very highly that I'll be the last person to do so."

"It isn't even about that anymore. I want to destroy this great love you have. It's the only thing that will make me truly happy." God, this woman is a nut job.

"Well, I would say I wish you luck, but, of course, I don't. If you have nothing else of interest to say, I'll ask you to leave me alone."

"Why, so you can pine over your precious abomination? That's what she is, you know. Someone like her shouldn't exist. Me killing her would actually be a good thing for the world as a whole."

Sebastian just lays back and closes his eyes.

"Fine. I'll leave, for now, but when I come back I'll bring you a fun surprise." She gathers herself and rushes out the door slamming it again behind her.

"She really is a pain, love. I know you're here now. Knowing about the dreams you've had, allows me to know when you visit, or at least gives me general ideas. The dreams really are future events and I'm hoping you can get to me before you have too many more. Nothing she threatens to do is all that terrible, so don't worry about me. She can't kill me even if she tried. You'll probably feel a little pain from time to time, but we'll both live.

"So far, you haven't had a dream where you ride in to rescue me, but I don't think it will be too much longer. I've been a prisoner here for just a few days and I know how quick you are to pick up a trail. She has the door charmed, making it impossible for me to get near it. I know you've wondered why I don't try to escape. As you can see there isn't anything I can really tell you about where I'm other than the fact I do believe I'm still in Emerald or possibly back in Night Owl."

Good. I'll be able to focus my search if I can't prevent it all from happening in the first place.

"Since I have you here for at least a little while, let's discuss you siring a vampire without talking to me about it first. I understand you can't defend yourself if I yell at you, so I'll try to keep it to a minimum. Making the actor one of us is not something I would've recommended. When you become a sire that new vampire is going to be dependent on you for the rest of your life. It isn't something you can just walk away from.

"You didn't get the chance to experience what it's like to be a baby vampire, but it's going to take a lot of hand holding on your part. The change in lifestyle can be very unnerving and you'll have to remind him to not go out in the sun. When we first turn, the sun still calls to us and it can be difficult not to listen. In his case, he's safe in the penthouse, as the windows are all specially tinted. He should be able to get his glimpses of the sun and not walk out to become roast beef at high noon.

"Thankfully, he won't need to share your blood to survive. Okay, that's wishful thinking on my part. I can't really say for sure one way or the other. It rarely ever happens and I'm hoping your different natures will cause him to seek out his own nourishment. For all I really know, he'll become some weird new kind of vampire who likes steak as much as you and can maintain his tan from the get go. I don't recommend testing the sunshine part of that, but if he gets hungry, see if a steak doesn't appeal to him."

I really wish I could talk back to Sebastian. Being able to touch him would also be greatly appreciated. He said he wasn't able to leave the room, but I wonder if I'm able to wander about. Before I can test the theory, Candace returns and she is carrying a whip. This is going to hurt.

She walks in and cracks the whip on the floor. It's the kind that has multiple little tails coming off it. I'm pretty sure it's called a cat something or another. Her tails look to be lined with metal, silver if I had to guess.

"How do you like my new toy?" she asks Sebastian, who refuses to acknowledge her. With her having a punishment device, I'm not sure that's the best move on his part. "I said, how do you like it?" she asks again and sends the whip's tails crashing into Sebby's chest.

I don't feel any pain, but I imagine I might in a few days. Sebastian doesn't even wince at the sting of the metal against his shirt.

"It's the perfect toy for a sadistic lunatic like you. I fancy you don't get to use it often, since you're mostly trying to sweetly lure men to their deaths."

"You'd be amazed what the men this day in age are into. Over time, there's always been a freak here and there who enjoyed a whipping every now and then, but nowadays they have multiplied and they don't stay hidden in the dark corners of society." She lets the whip go again and this time I see just a slight wince.

"I'm sure it was your kind who helped with the great sexual revolutions that have happened over time. The more you get society as a whole interested in sex, the less strange it will be for them to find your victims left for dead in awkward sexual positions."

She hits him again and I'm starting to wonder how he can win this game. If he doesn't talk, she whips him. If he does talk, only smart comments come out of his mouth, causing her to yet again use the whip. It really is a no win situation for him.

"Do you know how much it excites me to cause pain? I need sex to live, but adding pain to the equation is what really gets me off. Humans can't take the punishment like us paranorms, so I tend to stay away from them. One time I cut a werewolf's penis off while he was giving me oral sex, just to see if it would grow back," she says and strikes again.

"It did, by the way. I probably ended up removing it three more times before I finally tired of him and finished the job. When I do things like that, I keep the guy in my thrall, but allow the pain to register in their head. They get the perfect mix of pain and pleasure and by the end of our time together they're begging for me to inflict my special tingles."

She seems done with her little speech and starts just wailing into Sebastian. He refuses to make a noise and takes the lashing like the brave man he is. It hurts me to watch, but I refuse to turn away. I may not feel the blows, but the ache in my chest continues to grow and it's getting unbearable.

Chapter 24

Vengeance will be mine...just maybe not today

"Wake up, Nyx," Alex says, shaking my body. I come awake instantly. Stupid dreams. If these are how Sebastian gets glimpses of the future, I don't want any part of them.

What I want to deal with is killing the whore trying to make Sebby's life miserable. I think I'll find that whip of hers and come up with some creative ways to turn the tables on her. The whip is probably too soft for my liking, though. I really need to get on that reading up on how to kill a demon. There's no way she's going to be living through this.

"I need to call him," I say, reaching for my phone. When I get through it just goes to voicemail. Double fuck. I try to reach for him and I'm met for the first time with walls.

"Maybe he's just in the middle of a big negotiation or that Alan guy has challenged him and they're fighting it out. A distraction at a key moment in battle would be dangerous for him," Alex suggests, being a good mate and trying to walk me back from the ledge.

Either of those suggestions could be true, but it's a lot more likely that a succubus got past all his defenses and is now kidnapping him. She may even already have him and he's trying to keep me from flying in to try to rescue him. As protective as he is where I'm concerned, I could see him sacrificing himself if we didn't have a solid way to handle her in place.

"I don't know. I had another one of those dreams. I don't think whatever protection he put in place is going to stop her. She still somehow gets a hold of him and hides him in a place that he can't tell me about. I don't think it's that far away, because she said she had paid me a visit, but she's a demon. She could very well be hiding him in Hell somewhere and I haven't had a chance to stock up on sunscreen. He didn't think that was the case, but I'm not prepared for it if it is."

Now the succubus is pushing me over the mentally stable cliff. She seems to have that effect on people.

"Calm down. You said when you first saw him he was injured. You haven't felt any pain, so she hasn't gotten to him. Let's fly over to Emerald Town now and check things out for ourselves. Then he can explain to you how you're just overreacting."

"I like that idea. I'm still dressed, so all I need to do is grab Clyde's leash and we can go. I don't even want to bother with packing clothes."

"Good. We have a plan," he says and helps me out of bed.

"Where's the fangy one?" Ben asks, popping in unannounced as usual. He's wearing a pinstriped suit. It's black with dark gray stripes and he's paired it with a royal purple neck tie. Very classy, but I don't have time to sit down and chat with him. Maybe he'll have some ideas for how I can kill Candace. Demons should come equipped with the knowledge of their own destruction, right?

"He's still over in Emerald Town for the big vampire conference. He's supposed to be back tomorrow, but we're actually heading there now to meet him," I reply.

I would've thought the demon was up-to-date on all paranorm news. He would be if he bothered answering when I called for him.

"Then we don't have much time. Grab your weapons and I'll flash you over there," he replies and I now notice just how agitated he is.

This can't be good. Sebby isn't answering his phone and Ben seems to be up in arms about something. I didn't think anything could cause the demon to worry.

I start putting my weapons on and by the time I get the holster thrown over my shoulders, I say, "Take me there now." I don't care what's alerted him to trouble. I knew something was going to happen and I'm afraid my worst fears are coming true. Sebastian promised he was protected, but that bitch must have gotten to him.

"Wait just a second," Alex says, speaking up. "You can't just go off with a demon like this. How will I know if you actually end up where he says he's taking you?" I halfway agree with him, but this is potentially all of our lives that are in danger here.

If Candace gets her way, I'll be killed and no matter what she thinks, the guys will most likely go with me. Ben has already hinted that our connection strings are too strong for there to be any other kind of ending.

"We better take wolfy too then. You might need him and we don't have time for all this chatter," Ben replies, quickly grabbing both of our shoulders.

I feel the air around us shimmer, followed closely by a horrible stabbing pain to my right side. If this transfer was going to hurt, he should've warned me. We seem to have shifted somewhere else, but my side is still hurting and I collapse to the ground. That mode of transportation is not for me.

"We're too late," I hear Ben say.

I fight through the pain enough to look up and take in our new location. We're in a banquet hall that looks like it has been ransacked by a giant, or possibly a tornado. Tables are thrown everywhere and I see at least three fires burning. If it had been clothing thrown around I would've been blaming Phee.

There are vampire bodies everywhere. Some look like they're trying to stand, but others look like they're in really rough shape. What could have taken on this many vampires and actually came out the victor. I don't see it being just one lowly succubus. I don't know what they have for offensive weapons, but I doubt it is this.

"Sebastian!" I yell, frantically looking for any sign of him. The pain is still constant and I have a feeling I know where it's coming from. In my first dream, there was a cut on Sebastian in the same location. Alex just reminded me about it and I'm sure the Hell feeling it now.

"My queen," I hear Marcus' voice say quietly from somewhere in the room.

I run towards the sound and it takes me a few seconds, to move a table out of the way, which reveals Marcus practically shredded. The other bodies I passed looked like they were just knocked out, but Marcus went hand-to-hand with something. I really hope the other guy looks just as bad.

Marcus looks like a person with knives for fingers had a grand time rearranging his skin. I don't think it will kill him, but he has to be weak from the fight. I wonder if Sebastian thought ahead to have food available in case something like this happened. He's usually good about planning for the worst-case scenario.

"Marcus, where is Sebastian?" I ask, wanting to comfort him, but afraid to touch anything.

"Gone," Marcus replies softly, not moving a muscle.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" I say, wanting to shake the information out of him.

I notice that my pain isn't as sharp anymore and it has dulled, but I don't have a clear connection with Sebastian to ask him any questions. His place in my mind is still walled up. Whether it's his doing or someone else's, I don't know. Our bond is supposed to be unbreakable and I doubt Candace has even learned that part yet.

"They took him," Marcus answers before his body relaxes into unconsciousness.

"Who did this?" I ask, standing and turning towards Ben. He seemed to know what was going on and I want answers now. I'm positive Candace couldn't have caused this destruction alone.

"I don't know. I overheard some demons talking about someone hiring disreputable beings for some big vampire hit. I figured if it was a vampire hit, your boy toy would be the most likely target. I guess I was right."

"It's your kind that did this, you better be prepared to fix it," I say, taking my anger out on him.

"I'm at your service. Let me go ask around and find out what's being said in the grapevine. I'm sure news of the strike has to be on everyone's mind."

"You go and bring me back answers fast. I'm going to have to try to make sense of what happened here and coordinate getting help for anyone injured," I say as I look around and try to figure out where to start.

"I'll be back before you know it," Ben answers and then disappears.

"Nyx." I hear Dante say as he stumbles to us. He doesn't look like he's in as bad of shape as Marcus, but he has been sliced and diced. "We tried to stop them, but they overpowered us and took off with Sebastian."

"Who?" I ask, wanting to put names to what I'm going to kill.

"The ones who we fought and took Bastian were Kurkua. I think there were also a few Shagles based on the condition of the room."

"Neither species is familiar to me. What exactly are they?" I'm going to need to consult with the books not only on how to kill Candace, but on methods that would work on those two things as well.

"They're both lower level demons. Kurkua can turn their fingers into blades, as you probably already guessed. The Shagles can control wind and used it to subdue the rest of the vampires," Dante informs me. Great. More demons. "I'm going to go get some help for Marcus. If we're going to go after Sebastian, we're going to need all the help we can get. I'll see if I can find Smitty, but he's been missing for a lot of this weekend."

"I want Marcus up and kicking as soon as possible, so please hurry," I say, and he's off before I even finish speaking.

"Don't worry. Sebastian is the toughest son of a bitch I know," Alex says, wrapping his arms around me. "We would know if he was dead and clearly he isn't. You have seen that much and you know we have time. She doesn't want to kill him before she causes trouble between the two of you. We'll find him and you'll be able to torture and kill whoever caused this and the bitch behind it all."

Oh, you had better believe someone is going to die over this, probably many someones. No one takes my Sebby and lives to tell the tale.

THE END

Night Lurks

By Amber Lynn

Another book is done and I'm so happy that it has come to this point in my Nyx series. I have decided for the current storyline there will be two more books after this one. I'm sure in the end that I will leave the door open for more adventures, but by the conclusion of the seventh I think I will be happy where things stand for at least a little while.

Since the last book, I have found a group of great gals that were willing to take a chance and read the first three, or four, books for me and let me know what they thought. I have to thank them for all of their feedback. It is really helping me figure out my strengths and weaknesses.

I'm still learning things every day as I venture into this great world of storytelling. As long as I continue to have fun writing stories, I'm going to keep at it. I don't think it will cause any damage to others and it greatly helps clean up space in my brain.

Okay, enough talk, on with the book.

Chapter 1

Cleanup in aisle six

Battle. It's what I live for. If you play around in the thesaurus, I think you can get to it by one or two degrees of separation from slaughter, so it's practically my last name. I actually spent most of my life not having a last name.

In the paranorm world, your last name represents the blood that flows through your veins. With no one knowing where my DNA came from, it was something that was just ignored. After enough fights, I was finally deemed worthy enough to be given my surname. Knowing what it is, you can imagine what I went through to get it.

I have a feeling that I'm going to need all of the skills I've cultivated over the years to win the fight that I currently face. Sebastian has been kidnapped by an evil succubus. I can't stand by and twiddle my thumbs. I have about three days to find him before the witch gets her whip out and takes her pound of flesh in the process.

Why someone thinks it's funny to play around with our relationship is really grating on me. We've already succeeded in establishing an unbreakable bond between us. Why would our connection need to go through more tests? It's pretty clear we're head over heels for each other. Nothing can come between us. I guess the wolf standing next to me is kind of in that position, but we're figuring out how to make that work.

My list of things I need to do to get Sebastian safely home is growing by the second. Finding a way to kill demons in general is really high on my list. I wish Ben would get back here with some useful information for me.

At the same time, I wonder just how long it takes Dante to procure a blood donor for Marcus. There are so many questions that I need answered that I know it won't be long before I just start screaming them out. Acting like a crazy woman wasn't exactly how I wanted to be introduced to the other vampires at this conference.

"Breathe," Alex suggests as he brushes a loose strand of hair away from my face. "It's only been five minutes since you dispatched them. We have time. When has it ever taken you longer than a couple of days to run one of your targets to ground?"

I take a deep breath and try to find some inner calm to help me get through the next few minutes. "Why does that never work for me?" I ask, curious as to whether the exercise works for anyone. Everyone always tells me to try to use that method and it just ends up irritating me because of its lack of helpfulness.

"I have my theories, but now is not the time to discuss them. For now, I'll just have to remember to never suggest it again. Thankfully, Dante is back and maybe he can better inform us on what we're up against. I have no experience with the creatures he named."

"Sorry it took so long. Everyone kept stopping me with questions. I told them we're working to set things right and I directed them to where they should go to find food for anyone injured. I have a feeling no one else took as much damage as us, but they like to be reassured," Dante says as he brings a girl over to Marcus and gets the feeding process started.

With so much on my mind, I don't take notice of the person, other than she's female, and I focus right in on Dante. I notice that he looks to be in better health than when he left, meaning he stopped for a quick sip himself. He needs to be in good form too, so I can't fault him for the meal.

"What can you tell me about the attack? Was Candace here?"

I'm sure Sebastian gave the guards a detailed description to know what to at least attempt to kill on sight. In the crowd I've seen thrown about the room, it wouldn't be hard to notice the blonde vixen. She probably has strobe lights installed to draw attention to herself. Evidently, there aren't enough mean things for my mind to think about the evil cow. It just keeps coming up with more.

"The Kurkua and Shagles are male species and I only saw guys. Once the Kurkua subdued me and Marcus enough, they grabbed Bastian and ran. Their finger blades are dipped with poison and usually it doesn't have the knock down effect you witnessed, but we both probably took twenty or more injections of the crap. Marcus took even more than me, as you saw."

"Don't you think he's had enough?" Alex asks, gesturing towards Marcus still slurping on his dinner.

I need Marcus up and kicking as soon as possible, and the girl isn't showing any signs of needing a break. I don't want him to drink her until she lacks a heartbeat, but just short of that, I'm okay.

"He knows his limit," I reply. "Back to the demon discussion, how do you know so much about these things?"

"When you're stuck living with a hated vampire, like I was for way too many years, you get used to having mercenary demons show up at your door. Alan took care of most of the uglies, but I did witness a couple of the fights. He always defeated them, but usually there were only one or two. Nowhere near the number we saw today."

"I need you to do a favor for me then. I need you to go find Alan and bring him to me. If you happen to wander across Smitty on your journey, you can tell him he has two hours to make himself known to me before I shoot on sight the next time I see him."

Smitty was already on my bad list. The fact that he may not have been around to help when Sebby needed him really pisses me off. What good is a guard if they don't stay at their post?

Dante gives me a brief look of nervousness before he darts off in a hurry to complete his task. I know it wasn't nice for me to send him after a man he tries to avoid like every plague known to man, but he's the only person I have handy who knows what Alan looks like, and if Alan has some insight on these demons, I need to have a little chat with him.

"What are we going to do with the rest of these vampires?" Alex asks, drawing my attention to the room full of vampires that look to be coming out of their stupors.

I'm seeing a lot of males and, so far, no females. The lack of women at the vampire summit irritates me a bit, but it pales in comparison to the other things on my mind currently. I'll just have to remember to bring it up to Sebastian the next time I see him.

"I guess I'll have to deal with it," I say, and walk over towards a raised platform. One may call it a stage, but it isn't high enough off the ground, in my mind. "Excuse me. All of you sleeping beauties listen up. Anyone have any information about what went on here today?"

I figure asking how everyone is feeling is too out of character for me. I might as well just get to the nitty gritty.

"Who are you to ask?" someone yells from the back of the crowd that has now gathered in the center of the room.

They're speedy little things banding together so quickly. Judging from the tone of the one, they aren't happy to see me. They can just take a number and get in line behind all of the other people who are annoyed by me. I hear it wraps around a couple of blocks, so they have some waiting to do.

"I'm the one who's trying to get her mate back as quickly as possible. I've heard about the crazy wind and blade demons that made a mess of this nice establishment, but I was hoping someone might have more information."

I don't trust the look in most of their eyes, so I draw my Beretta. When in doubt, get armed. I won't kill them with its ammunition, but it may detract them from jumping on me. I don't know how old they are and it's only me and Alex against a ton of them. Even I don't like those odds.

"I don't think you sufficiently answered the question. You aren't exactly one of us and I don't think we need to cooperate with an outsider to solve the problem of what happened here," another man says as he separates himself from the pack and makes his way a little closer to me.

This man looks the part of the vampire as imagined by the likes of Bram Stoker. The black hair, black cape and painted on red lips are a bit much for me personally, but if that's what floats his boat, I'm not going to mention how ridiculous he looks. His fangs are showing, and they aren't the little baby variety. I believe he has a few centuries on me in the age department.

"The short and dirty version is that I'm Nyx Slaughter and Sebastian is my mate. I'd like to retrieve him from the succubus who had him snatched. Do you have any information that would be useful?" I ask the man, and I'm happy to see that he stopped his path a good eight feet away.

I hope everyone understands that I'm not afraid to use the gun. With this crowd, I kind of want to pull out my Colt. I'm afraid the bullets would do too much damage to the vampires, though. If they get really out of hand, I'll draw it, but I'm going to try to reason with them first.

"Ah. The Collective's retired little assassin. I've been hearing grand tales about you in the circles I travel. Sebastian must be getting really desperate to bond with the likes of you," tall, dark and creepy replies.

I already really dislike this guy. It's a feeling I get with just about everyone I meet. This guy's general demeanor is making it worse than usual.

"Do you know anything about the attack or not?" I say, making sure my gun is squarely centered on his forehead. A shot there should at least stun his brain functioning for a few minutes, just enough time for me to subdue him and save a spot on my dance card to thump him a little later.

"Um, Nyx," Dante says, returning to my side.

I can't glance over at the moment, but his voice indicates he wasn't successful with his mission. The jerkwad Alan probably ran at the first sign of danger. I bet he's on his way to Australia by now.

"Yes, Dante."

"You found who you're looking for without my help," he replies, and I notice that he's actually standing just a little bit behind me.

My guards tend to like to be in front of me in case I need protection. I don't think I've seen one hoping to use me as a shield.

My full attention goes back to the vampire in front of me. This is the wonderful Alan who I've heard so much about? Obviously, Sebastian hasn't beaten him down enough. Maybe I can rectify that for Sebastian while he's away.

"You must really be scary if you convinced Dante to go looking for me. The coward has been running from me for years."

"Well, I try. You wouldn't happen to be willing to accompany us so I can pick your brain?" I'm sure the answer will be no, but I have to ask.

"Ha. Ha. Ha," he replies, spacing the sounds out while pretending to laugh. "I don't think so. Sebastian finding himself dead helps my cause immensely. At his death, the leadership of our kind reverts to you, but I don't think I'll have an issue defeating you in a fight for the throne."

He should've done some reading up on the subject before making claims like that. I'm sure he'll learn in the days to come what a silly thing that was to say. I fire my gun without a warning and it has the desired effect. He doesn't have time to react and the bullet hits his skull just as I planned. Down to the ground he goes.

"Dante, you're a guard so I'm hoping you have some kind of restraint for him. Can you see to that?" I ask, and he hurries to complete his assignment with only a second of hesitation.

I like that he's more afraid of me than Alan. It's probably more Sebastian that scares him, but I don't mind a little ego boost.

"I still think you shoot a little too quickly," Alex says as I make my way over to Marcus.

The girl is gone and he's propped himself up. The blood soaked clothing prevents me from seeing what kind of shape he's in.

"I'm in a hurry right now," I say, waving my hand in Alex's direction. "Marcus, do you think you're in good enough shape to travel?"

"Of course," he replies simply.

"Alex, can you confirm we have a jet ready for transport? I want to get back home where I have more resources. I don't think anyone else will be much help around here." Even if they could help, the display of my shooting skills will probably tie up a few tongues.

"Will do. There's at least one fueled and ready to go at all times." He walks a little ways away to make the call.

"I'm sorry I failed, my queen," Marcus says as I attempt to make him vertical. It isn't an easy task with our height difference.

"Have you seen the condition you're in? I don't think there's much more you could've done. I imagine you need to take it easy for at least a few more minutes. I'll leave my grilling until we get to the plane."

"Sebastian would have loved the way you handled Alan. He's been dying to shoot the bastard for years, but it's against the rules," he says and successfully draws himself up to his full height.

"I thought Sebastian made all the rules. Can't he just adjust them a little to better suit his needs?"

"He's too honorable for that. I do hope someone was taping the confrontation for him, though."

It was something Sebby should've been here to witness for himself. We could've both had a great laugh over it, but instead I need to kick into full on search and rescue mode. I really hope someday soon we find a way to eliminate all of the threats hanging over our heads, so we can find a way to just settle down as one big happy family.

Chapter 2

News flash: Rhymes and riddles annoy me

When we get to the plane, I'm happy to find there's a nice little holding cell to store Alan. Leave it to Alex to have a jet equipped with one. Alan's brain is back to functioning at full capacity and he isn't too happy about being trussed up, if his struggles are any indication.

Dante added a couple layers of duct tape to his mouth and that seems to be pissing Alan off more than anything else. Until we get him back to the dungeon, I prefer the silence, or at least the muffled grunts.

With him secure, I settle into my seat next to Alex. He immediately takes my hand and starts rubbing his thumb across my skin. At the moment, it's a welcome gesture. His touch grounds me and keeps my head from telling the rest of my body to just start killing things.

I don't like feeling frustrated, and not having a clear plan of extraction in place for retrieving Sebastian upsets me. I know he's only been gone about an hour, if that, but I want him now. I'm not stomping my feet on the ground in a tantrum, but it's getting close to that point.

"Okay, I think you've had enough time to get yourself back together, Marcus. What can you tell me?"

Marcus is sitting across the way from me, so I turn a little to face him. I wonder if the plane has a shower, because with all the blood on him he could really use one.

"I'm sure Dante has given you the information on what did the attacking, so I won't waste your time repeating things. I didn't get a good look at any of their markings, which means I don't know who they report back to in the demon world.

"Candace had to offer them quite a big reward for there to be that many in on the attack, though. To not be working directly for their legion master, that many Kurkua in one place, fighting for a common goal, is amazing."

"What do you mean about not seeing their markings clearly?" I ask.

"Kurkua and Shagles are minion type demons. They make up the bottom tier of a demon legion. If I could've seen whose mark they wear, then we could have gone to their leader and tried to find out more information on the ones who did the attacking," he explains. "Their leader might not have been able to give us much, but it'd be a place to start."

"Dante, did you see any marks?" I ask, knowing he would've already told me if he had. I hope that if he was aware of their significance, it would've been the first thing out of his mouth.

"Everything happened so quickly that I didn't notice."

"Do all demons in a legion have the mark of their leader, or is it just the minions?"

"Everyone. They think of it as some sort of honor," Marcus answers. "It really just marks them as slaves."

If that's the case, then I have a demon to be really pissed off at right now. "Ben!" I yell at the top of my lungs.

If I get a voicemail this time, I'm so doing the palm tickling thing. I know a succubus who bears his mark and it leads me to believe that these minion demons are from his stables.

"You rang?" Ben says, appearing and looking just a tad pissed at being summoned. For now, he can just join the club.

"She's yours," I say, not bothering to go into more detail.

"You're going to have to be a little more informative if you expect a decent reply from me."

"Don't give me that shit. Candace is your succubus."

"Yes, well, that's a true statement. I was just questioning someone who brought her name up. If you wouldn't have called me to join you, I might have gotten more information," he says with a huff, and takes the seat open closest to me.

It's directly in front of me, and thankfully, it swivels so he spins it around. I want to be able to look at his eyes while we're talking. I don't believe for a second me summoning him really took him away. If he was truly busy, he could've turned on the stupid voicemail.

"Can't you just call out to her and tell her to report in for questioning?" I ask.

If he's in charge of the legion she belongs to, it seems like a perfectly good question.

"Most of the time that would work, but Candy Cane and I have a very unique relationship. She isn't required to report when called like all my other work monkeys."

Great. I imagine their special relationship involves a lot of special tickles. It was bad enough having to think of her molesting Sebastian, but I doubt Ben was unconscious for their intimate relations and the things that demons consider a good time are probably not pretty.

It's yet another reason why his requests to impregnate me are being turned down. Don't get me wrong; even if he promised to keep things "normal", it wouldn't be happening.

"Do you at least know where she hangs out?" I ask. "Maybe I can find someone who knows where she'd hide a centuries old vampire."

I wouldn't mind finding her at the location as well. With her target caught, I don't believe she'll want to be away from him for too long. She should know Sebastian well enough to figure out he's sneaky and no room will hold him forever.

"I know she sticks to the paranorm communities. She gave up feeding on humans ages ago because she claimed they gave her indigestion. It's more likely that they didn't give her enough energy. Aside from that, I don't know what else I can tell you. We haven't seen each other since I started my quest to become a daddy. Candy didn't understand my reasoning and we had a bit of an argument about the logistics."

"What? She didn't want you sleeping around on her?" I ask, laughing at the idea of a succubus wanting fidelity from anyone.

"That would be her way of thinking. She likes to be dominating in her other relationships, but that doesn't work for me. I was the only person she allowed to top her and she was afraid of losing that relationship if my mission was successful," he explains. "She lost it anyway because she wouldn't back down when I told her I was still going through with it."

A little more information than I wanted to know, but okay. As long as he doesn't let their relationship get in the way of me killing her, I'm just fine. Them having a falling out may eventually work in my favor.

"Does she have any acquaintances we can squeeze for information?" Alex asks, getting back to the questioning.

"Sure, but it's best if I handle that part. I don't think anyone in that crowd will open up to you. Plus, we don't need them figuring out what Nyx is," Ben replies, directing the comments towards Alex.

"Can just any demon come in contact with Nyx and instantly know what she is?" Alex questions, continuing their conversation about me like I'm not in the room.

Sure, it's only been a couple of sentences, that doesn't make it any less irksome.

"No. You have to be a certain level of demon to be able to detect that sort of thing. The kind of people Candy hangs out with meet that requirement. They'd know the second Nyx walked into a room just what she is. Reactions would probably vary, but most wouldn't be happy to see her."

"We know Candace is past the level already. She's going to find out just what she's up against in a couple of days," I say, rejoining the talk.

"How do you know that?" Ben asks, zeroing in on me.

"I just do," I reply, not wanting him to know about my dreams.

I try my hardest to put some kind of wall around my brain just in case he's able to take a peek. I know how to build walls to keep regular vampires that have the ability to read minds out, but I know the same method doesn't work on Alex and Sebastian. I hope it's enough for demons.

"You know, this information thing is a two-way street. If you want something from me, I expect to be kept apprised of any learned information. You knowing something that's going to happen in the future would be covered under that umbrella." His eyes have narrowed into slits of red that look really wrong on his face.

"Are you going to tell me how to kill Candace?" I ask, wanting to make the point that I doubt he'll just hand over all of his information.

There have already been times in the conversation where I've felt he was sidestepping. I couldn't pinpoint them if you asked me, but his eyes seem a little shifty.

"Why kill her? You can just banish her and she'll be out of your hair." What a useful answer to my question. Not.

"If you need to ask that, you don't know me at all. Rest assured, when I catch up with her, we'll be having succubus fricassee. Her end goal in this kidnapping is going to be to kill me. You've mentioned that for procreation purposes you don't want that to happen, so you better get on the same page," I tell him, wishing my eyes could change colors as well.

It would be an easy way for my different moods to be portrayed. For now, I just settle for my glares. They tend to get the point across.

"I'll assist in helping to find her, but giving you the knowledge of how to kill a demon is something I'll be keeping to myself, if only for self-preservation reasons. Why don't I go use my contacts to try to find you a location? When I know more, we can reconvene," he suggests, and I understand that it's probably best he does this part of the investigation on his own.

Being around even more demons doesn't give me warm and fuzzy feelings.

"Fine. Try not to take all day. Time is wasting, and the more time that does, the more chances Candace has to try to torture Sebastian. Anyone who's met the two of us knows that isn't something I'm going to allow to happen."

"I'll be back with a progress update in an hour or so. Try not to go on a killing spree before I get back," Ben says and then bleeps out.

He doesn't bother with the smoke effect he's been using lately.

"I don't trust that he's on our side for this," Alex says, leaning closer to rest his head on mine. "I don't like that he has a history with our target."

"He isn't on our side, on this or anything we're involved in. He's a demon and can only think about himself. I'll use him if he can help find her. How to handle her once we meet face-to-face is something we're going to have to investigate on our own. Does anyone have any ideas on how to kill them?" I ask, not really believing I'll get a good answer.

"The only thing I've ever heard of, which might do the job, is the Panoptic knife. Rumor is it will kill anything you want dead. Whether demons are covered under that umbrella has never been proven as far as I know," Marcus supplies. "Sebastian has looked for it for years, but he knows based on the lore he won't be able to find it."

"Why not?"

"It's only available to those pure of heart, or so the story goes. The texts we've found it mentioned in have a little rhyme that goes with it. Only those pure of heart, will know the exact location to start; If your need is that great; leave it all up to Fate; She will guide the way; just in time for you to save the day. I've always thought it was some big joke," he explains.

It sounds that way to me. I've found anything that has a silly rhyme is probably too much trouble for what it's worth. The fact that it probably started out in another language and someone translated it to English in rhyme form only makes it worse.

"The whole pure of heart deal puts us all out of the running. It's too bad, because a knife capable of killing anything would come in handy," I muse as I try to break into Sebastian's head again.

I'd really like to know what's going on over there and the fact that I'm not able to find out is getting me riled up again.

"I think when we return home I'm going to have to give you a little present before you're allowed to question Alan," Alex says. "You're too irritated and you won't be able to keep yourself calm enough to do a proper job."

"I don't think anything you can give me will help. Even a giant anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, anti-anger pill won't do the job right now."

"I know that. What I have in mind will. It's past time for it to happen anyway," he replies.

He's piqued my interest and I'm excited that we're now starting to descend. Alex knows me well enough to know I don't like jewelry or chocolates as presents. Maybe it's a cannon or something. If I can't kill the succubus, perhaps I can blow a giant hole in her chest. It has possibilities.

Chapter 3

An end to an era

After a quick ride home from the airport, I watch as Dante and Marcus escort our visitor down into the dungeon while I wait with Alex for my surprise. I've managed to amp myself up even more in the last twenty minutes. There are so many big artillery weapons that may be offered to me that I'm giddy.

"So where is it?" I ask, ready to test it out.

"First, I want you to remove your current weapons. I think you'll get more out of the situation if you're unarmed. Like I said earlier, you tend to shoot too quickly."

I do as he says and hand over my holster and knife sheaths. I don't understand his reasoning, but if he has a heat-seeking missile somewhere waiting for me, I won't complain.

"Great. Follow me," he says, and leads me down into the dungeon.

I haven't searched every nook and cranny down here, yet, but I don't doubt they're hiding some fun toys in the catacombs somewhere. The rest of the building was easy to map out, but on two occasions, I ended up lost down here.

"Do I get any hints? Is it larger than a stick of butter?" I ask, hoping for some kind of clue.

"Yes, it's larger than a stick of butter, and your mind is way off on what the present is. Sebastian wanted to be around for this, but he'll understand my reasoning," he replies, showing no signs of stopping as we continue our journey.

We're in a part that I haven't been to and I'm a little turned around. There's just gray brick wall everywhere I look. He should've run ahead and added some colorful banners that said "Nyx's big surprise this way."

"You know your mind is really amusing. I'm glad we're mates because just listening in from time-to-time keeps me from being bored," Alex says and slows down in front of a wall. He stops and reaches up for a hidden button. "We couldn't have you finding this too early. I'm still surprised you haven't gone looking."

The wall slides away to reveal a dungeon cage with thick silver bars. Inside the cage is Tommy laid out on the cement floor. When he hears us, he sits up and smiles his evil grin that makes me sick. The room is completely empty except for him.

"I thought they wouldn't let me see you again. This is a very unexpected surprise," Tommy says, and quickly leaps up to his feet. Once standing, he walks closer to the bars to get a better look. "Beautiful as always. To what do I owe this honor?"

"Does this mean what it better mean?" I ask Alex, getting even more excited about my present. A cannon would still be awesome, but this will do.

"Yes. It's time for you to get your revenge for what was done to you and Phee. Here's the key," he says, handing me a long skeleton key. An actual key, really? Most things are digitized around here. "I prefer not to watch. It will be hard enough for me not to try to jump in just feeling and hearing what's happening, and I know this is something you need to do alone."

"You're the best mate ever," I say, and hop up on my toes to give him a quick smack on the lips.

We both know that me calling him that isn't necessarily true, but it felt like the right thing to say. I really need to beat someone up right now and there's no one better than Tommy. If he ends up dead from my thumping, that will be even better.

"I'll remember not to mention that to Sebastian. Have fun and call out when you're done." He hurries away, knowing that I'm going to take only half a second before stepping into the cage.

"So, the great battle between us is finally here. Do you think you have what it takes to square off against me?" Tommy asks.

Other than being a bit disheveled and covered in blood, he doesn't look like his time here has hurt him too badly. He might be a little bit skinnier from not getting his usual T-bones, but that's all I notice.

"Oh, Tommy. I'm a little sad that Alex took away my weapons. I would've loved to try out my knife skills on you for once," I reply and unlock the door to enter. Once inside, I quickly secure the door and drop the key into my pocket.

He rushes over to me immediately and tries to lift my arms above my head to secure them in place. I don't allow the move to be completed and I duck out of his way. I end up behind him and he quickly turns to face me before I can get a punch in.

"You're quicker than the last time we met. This might be more fun than I thought."

I assume he's meaning the time we met inside the Collective while I was breaking a prisoner out, and not the time he drugged me, leaving me helpless to fight back.

"You'll find I'm a much different person now. I would've never made it this far without breaking free from the Collective."

I move in closer and fake to punch him in the face, but attempt a leg sweep instead. He's quick and sees the move coming, so he jumps up and out of the way. He lands and throws a right jab right into my face. I don't move out of the way because it gives me a chance to land a solid punch to his gut.

With punches exchanged, the fight starts to pick up. Fighting someone who's pretty equal to your skill level gets a bit tedious, as I've experienced when sparring with Alex. I wish me and Tommy had this out before he started taking whatever drug the Collective came up with to increase his abilities.

"You know it doesn't have to be like this between us," Tommy suggests as I land another fist to his face. I've always said the boy was delusional and prone to spout clichés at the drop of a hat.

He morphs his hands into claws and takes a couple of swipes at me as he redecorates my shirt. The claws don't go very deep into my flesh, but it does smart a little. I haven't seen a wolf change like that before and I think I'm going to have to ask Alex how to do it.

"There was a time when it might not have come to this. I could live with you carving me up as a kid. I would've liked to at least fight you for that offense, but I wouldn't have felt the need to kill you.

"When you assaulted a little girl because of me, that's what drew your death warrant. I promised her you wouldn't be able to do it again and if you're allowed to go free, I can't guarantee that she won't have to live in fear of you showing up for seconds."

"Really? You want to kill me over some little piece of meat? She can't mean anything to you. You're so much more than just a regular werewolf. You have to be meant to rule all paranorms with the blood you have mixing around in your veins. Why would you let something that happened to one of your future servants bother you?" he asks as he tries to deliver a kick to my knee.

It doesn't work, and I spin around behind him to attempt to get his arms locked in place. Our size difference makes that impossible and I settle for kicking him to the ground. He rolls over as soon as he makes contact, but I pounce on top of him. Not liking the change in scenery, he morphs into his gigantic, charcoal colored wolf. My little gold one is about half of his size, but I change as fast as I can.

"Are you sure we really have to do this?" Tommy asks, even as he snarls and takes a little lunge towards me.

I don't know if he's worried about really killing me or if he finally realizes that I'm not going to let him out of this cage alive. "It's a done deal."

"If I'm going to meet my maker, I might as well try for one last hurrah."

He launches me off him and I fly to meet the closest wall. That's going to leave a mark in the morning. I unscramble my brains and stand to face him again.

I know I don't have the strength that he does in this form, but it does give me sharp teeth and claws. I charge him with my teeth bared. He likes the idea and hurries to take the five steps it takes to meet me and we clash teeth against fur.

He gets a good bite on my right front leg, what would be my right arm in human form. I clamp on to his left ear and twist my head. I end up pulling it off. Yuck.

I spit it out quickly, not expecting it to detach that easily. Tommy doesn't let it faze him and continues his assault on my leg. I sure hope it heals quickly once this is said and done.

With him distracted elsewhere, I move in for his throat. It takes him a second to see the move and that's all I need. I sink my teeth in deep and rip my head back quickly to do the most damage I can. If I thought the ear was gross, this is even worse. A tangled mess of ick is spit out as fast as possible.

Tommy falls to the floor and I know he isn't dead, just severely wounded. If left alone he'd be able to recover within a few weeks, maybe a little more, that was an awful lot of gunk I spit out.

"That will put a stop to his talking," Alex says, stepping into the room with one of my knives extended towards me. "I knew it was close and you'd prefer to finish the job with this."

I switch back into human form and take the knife with my left hand. My right arm is hanging limp close to my side and hurts like someone filled it with lava and then froze it.

"Thanks. I'm really tired of tasting his blood and I don't know that I'm able to just rip his head clean off."

I work my way over to Tommy's body. He doesn't seem to be conscious, which I'm actually leaning towards being a good thing. I've killed a lot of people in my lifetime, but I never really knew my targets that well. I have nothing but hatred in my heart for Tommy; however, knowing who my victim is makes this a little bit strange.

"Thomas James Vack, the world is going to be a much better place without you in it. It saddens me to see a wolf who may have, at one time, had a lot of promise be soured by your crazy obsession with me. I hope you find comfort in whatever realm of Hell you're assigned. This is for my pipsqueak," I say and bring the knife down across to his neck, successfully finishing my head severing.

His head rolls off to the side and I continue with my task. I take the knife and embed it in his heart. After already receiving a ton of damage, it doesn't take but a second for the silver knife to do its job. His body is jellified into a mass of sludge.

The task of taking care of Tommy has the effect Alex was looking for. I'm a little worn out from it, and I think I'll be better able to focus on finding Sebastian without killing everyone in my way.

"It was harder than you thought it'd be," Alex says coming closer, but still keeping his distance. I'm covered in all sorts of stuff I wouldn't want to touch either. "Mentally, I mean, not physically."

"Yeah. For some reason when it came down to it, I realized taking a life isn't always all it's cracked up to be. He needed killing and I knew I had to do it, but death is so final."

"It shouldn't be easy. Over the years, I've learned that myself. Sometimes we just have to do what needs doing. Let's get you in a shower before we meet up with the others. As scary as you look covered in blood, I don't think that's the right message we need to send to Alan right now."

"You're right. My arm could probably use a sling for a couple of minutes while it heals," I reply and try to lift it up. It doesn't move like I want and just hangs there. "Yup, definitely need a little something for it."

"Come on, my big, bad fighter. We'll get you straightened out," he says, and takes my good arm to lead me out of the dungeon.

I'd say I hope to not be down here again anytime soon, but I know we have Alan hanging out somewhere down here, so I expect to be visiting within the hour.

Chapter 4

A reaping I will go

"We may need to bypass Sebastian getting to take a shower with you before me. I don't know that you'll be able to wash all of the blood off with one hand," Alex says as he helps me out of my shirt. He does it gently and I'm grateful for the thought.

"It will have to be his punishment for being kidnapped, because I agree with your assessment," I reply and shimmy out of my pants one handed.

We've made it to my bedroom and I refused to answer any questions as we passed Jake, Jonas, Walt and Clyde sitting in the living area. Alex may have mumbled something about talking later, but I wasn't really paying attention.

Will is still resting peacefully in bed. I'm glad to see my little trip didn't cause him any further problems. He's already stuck with me as his sire; I don't think his life can get any more screwed up.

"It only took your body forty-five minutes to push out the bullet the last time you were shot, so the arm should heal quickly. I don't think there's anything seriously severed in there. We just have to wait for the tendons to finish their knitting party."

He starts removing his own garments and within seconds, he's naked before me. If he could put clothes back on just as quickly, he'd make a great quick-change artist.

My eyes are instantly drawn to the part of him that is saluting me. Wow. Oddly enough, for being a wolf, Alex doesn't have a lick of hair on him. I've seen him shirtless before and I guess I was stuck staring at his abs. I didn't notice his lack of chest hair.

His bare nether region makes me aware of the rest of it. It also makes my mind drift into my dirty corridor. I hope that there's enough soap left after we get the blood washed off to take care of my brain as well.

"This is about getting you cleaned up. I've mentioned before that I can't help being stiff around you, but I know we aren't going to do anything about that issue right now. Even if you wanted to, we have to worry about getting Sebastian back," he says, and quickly lifts me up to carry me into the bathroom.

I've always thought he was joking about the whole being erect whenever he's around me line, but that wood don't lie. I really hope at some point it manages to relax. Otherwise, that has to be really painful.

"I can still admire the artwork while we're coming up with a game plan. Do you shave everything yourself?" I ask, really enjoying the feel of skin on skin, even through the muck coating my body.

"No. Hair just doesn't grow anywhere other than my head. I don't know why and I know it isn't a common wolf trait." He sets me down under the showerhead and turns the knob to get the water flowing.

"Cold," I screech as it starts hitting my back.

It quickly warms up to a nice soothing heat. I divert my eyes from the hunk of man flesh before me and watch pink liquid swirl at my feet. The water doesn't seem to be clearing up.

"Lean your head back just a little and we'll get your hair started," Alex suggests as he grabs a bottle of shampoo.

I follow orders and use my left hand to rake my fingers through my tresses. He walks over with his hands soaped up and starts working my hair into a lather. Standing as close as he is, his baby maker brushes up against my stomach and I remember a time where I would 've jumped back at the simplest touch.

Now, I'm actually holding my hands, or hand since one is currently decommissioned, securely at my side to keep from reaching out and starting something we won't be able to finish. I know it wouldn't take long to get him off, but we really should do it properly. A quick hand job for him and enhanced phone sex for me won't cut it anymore.

"I love you, Killer, and if you weren't covered in blood and we weren't in the middle of a crisis we'd be doing it up against the shower wall as we speak. I figure it's an after battle high or your hormones gearing up for our mating that's making you think with your little brain for once," Alex says as he tilts my head back to rinse the shampoo out.

He makes quick work of it while I close my eyes and enjoy. Once that's done, he grabs a washcloth and the soap and starts scrubbing the rest of my body. He takes the clinical approach and doesn't linger or caress anywhere too much.

"If I'm already this horny, I'm afraid to see what I'm going to be like as the time gets even closer. You guys are going to have to lock me in the closet. Ever since Sebastian and I started down this new adventure in the bedroom, I've been antsy. It isn't right."

"I'm sure we'll find a way to take your itch away later. For now, turn around so I can soap your back," he replies, spinning me slowly. "So, no comment on me saying the three hated words vocally and with meaning?"

"They aren't hated. We just haven't exchanged them. I've kind of thought them, but I want them to come from my lips naturally, not prompted. Give it a couple of days and you might get lucky."

"That's good news. I'm afraid I might have found some bad news, though." He rings out the washcloth, and then starts tracing his fingers on my back.

"Did Tommy leave some messed up scars back there?" I ask, trying to move my head around to get a look. It's already carved up. I don't think a few more marks will really matter.

"Not exactly. I've seen you naked a few times and I'm pretty sure this is new." He reaches around to turn off the water and quickly finds a towel for me.

I do a quick dry job with my one hand and his help. Wanting to see my back, I jump out of the shower and hurry to the mirror. With my back facing it, I take in the craziest tattoo I've ever seen.

"What is that?" I ask, and I'm pretty sure my eyes are about to jump out of their sockets.

Crisscrossing the span of my entire back are two giant scythes. They have gnarly wooden shafts and wicked looking blades with a skull on the back of each of them. If it didn't just magically appear on my back, I'd consider it cool.

"I don't believe reaper scythes are something I've seen materialize on a body before. This would be a moment I'd turn to Sebastian for an explanation, but I don't think we're going to get one from that quarter," Alex says as he meets my eyes in the mirror.

"Actually, that's kind of funny," Ben says, emerging from the doorway. He looks at my back in the mirror and then takes a second to take in Alex's still completely naked body.

"Jealous?" I ask when he's had his fill.

"You're a lucky girl. You have two masterpieces for your taking. If you ever get bored with them, let me know," Ben says with a little wink. "As far as the new markings, you must have been a busy girl after I left. I'm pretty sure that I specifically requested that you not go on a killing spree.

"The scythes mark you as a reaper, like me. You have to kill at least one hundred and twenty-three people to get the distinction. Not that it will actually mean anything for you. Your path doesn't lead you towards the Underworld, even with the mark."

"First, keep your eyes on your own property. Alex is mine. Second, you've said that I wasn't a demon. Why would I get a demon marking?" His number of kills quote seems a little low to me, but it might be accurate. I thought I was closer to two hundred.

"You aren't, and no other female has ever received the mark. You probably pinged on Lucifer's radar though, so expect a visit. It will probably end up being a long recruitment speech, but nothing will really come from it. The Great Ruler of Hell should figure out what's up with you and decide to not waste any breath, but you never know."

"I really don't need a visit from the King of Hell. Anyway I can bypass the niceties?" I still don't understand what's really going on. It seems like my life is growing in complexity, yet again.

"Now that's a funny joke," Ben says, laughing at whatever I said that amuses him. "The visit will happen. How long ago did the mark appear?"

"I don't know. It wasn't there before my shower, right, Alex?"

"Not that I've seen," he replies. He's added a towel around his waist while I was focused on Ben. I guess he didn't like the eyes the demon was giving him. I can't say I blame him. "You killed Tommy about thirty minutes ago. I'm guessing that's the death that threw you over the limit. Unless stepping on spiders counts. She might have done that on the way up."

"Nah. Bugs don't. Animals do, but they're on a different pay grade. I figure you have less than twenty-four hours. The Great Ruler loves giving the recruitment speech."

"Whatever. I'll just have to deal with it when it happens. I need to get dressed, so we can get on with our Sebastian hunt."

I push Ben out of the way and head to my closet. Alex joins me a few seconds later, after grabbing some clothes out of his drawer. Poor Ben doesn't get another free show.

"Hey, why do you have a baby vampire sleeping in your bed?" Ben says, keeping a conversation going while I maneuver into some pants.

My right arm does seem to be capable of moving now, but it isn't back to one hundred percent. Ben must have missed Will when he came to find us however many hours ago he last popped into my bedroom.

"Because it's Sunday and I was bored."

"Bored in the sense that you banged him into dream world, or you made him?"

"I haven't called you yet for a romp in the sack, so what do you think?" Alex is assisting me with my shirt, making my voice just a bit muffled.

"I don't know. You said Sebastian was away for the weekend and fresh meat here isn't too hard on the eyes. Maybe you and wolfy were getting freaky."

"Seriously? Ben you're weird." I walk out of the closet with Alex on my heels. "Will is the newest addition to my family. I happen to be his sire."

"So Clyde has a little brother. I'm sure he loves that," Ben says, still staring at the bed.

What's up with him tonight? I think he's trying to steal my man candy. Not that Will would actually be considered that, but still, I'm his sire.

"Why are you so interested in my menfolk?" I ask, putting words to my aggravation.

"I've watched from afar for the past few weeks as you've gotten closer to your two mates, but you've yet to take a liking to me. I figure it's because they're committed to just you and I wasn't tied down in that fashion.

"In order to get on your good side, I've given up all other women. I'm not sure how you feel about male partners, so I'm gauging your reaction to me checking out men. So far, I'm guessing you aren't going to go for it."

I really want to pretend those words did not leave his lips. "You can sleep with anyone you want. You being monogamous with me isn't going to change the fact that I don't want kids. If I remember correctly, that's the only reason you want to sleep with me in the first place.

"If you want to have a giant orgy with females, males and penguins, you aren't going to get any complaints from me. There might be some calls from animal rights activists, though. I'd prefer to not hear any of the details, but how you live your life is your own business."

"Dang it. Still didn't make you jealous. I'll just have to keep working at it. For right now though, I have a little bit of news on your succubus hunt and your newest son is waking up."

Sure enough, Will's eyes pop open and immediately focus in on me. It's times like these that I wish I had the ability to make myself invisible. From the look in Will's eyes, I'd say he has a lot of questions, none of which I'll be able to help him with.

It really is sad that all the helpful vampires are downstairs at the moment. They'd be very useful in this situation. For now, I'm stuck trying to make do. Wish me luck, because I'm going to need it.

Chapter 5

Welcome to your new life

"How long have I been out?" Will asks as I make my way over to the bed. "I thought you said I was going to die. I don't feel dead."

Crap. It doesn't sound like he remembers everything that happened. This might turn out to be a big shock to his system. He didn't seem wary of paranorms before, so maybe it won't be too bad. I'm glad to see his eyes look normal and not like a vampire starving for some blood. Him being hungry for blood would only add to the confusion.

"He does know you turned him into a vampire, doesn't he?" Ben asks, taking all my good thoughts of giving the news to Will slowly and flushing them right down the drain.

"Of course I know that. I'm not a total idiot. Who's the crazy guy, Nyx? I haven't seen him with your entourage before," Will says, sitting up and leaning back against the headboard. "I don't think I like him as well as the others."

I wasn't aware he really knew the others well enough to make that decision. He's spent only a few hours with them while he was conscious, and for the most part my guys weren't allowed to talk because we were shooting scenes in a movie.

"You do know you're a vampire?" I ask, just wanting to make sure. He nods his head and gives me his megawatt actor's smile. The change hasn't affected his pearly whites one bit. "Thank God." I let out a large exhale of air.

"Whoa. We're able to actually say 'God'? I thought that was a big vampire no-no. If we can say His name, does that mean crosses don't ward us off?"

"This is one of the hazards of turning a human into a paranorm, Buttercup. They don't have a lick of sense when it comes to these things. I can even say God's name and I'm a demon. Aren't you hungry, new blood?" Ben asks, moving closer to the bed to smack Will's foot.

"Am I supposed to be?" he questions, keeping his gaze stuck on me.

I hate when people stare. That's going to have to be one of his first lessons. Closely followed by what little Being a Vampire 101 I've been able to pick up. At this point, I've learned quite a bit about vampires, but none of it has really applied to me, so I've chosen to ignore it and use the brain space it was taking up for other purposes.

"How would I know?"

"Well, the guy over there said he was a demon, and I know your boyfriend there is a wolf, that leaves you as being the vampire in the room with all the knowledge," Will responds.

"Then we're screwed because I have no idea. I wasn't a turned vampire and vampire creation is on the week five lesson plan. I'm only on week one." I still don't feel sorry about turning the guy, but he's going to be in for a rude awakening if he wants answers from me.

"Okay, I can say for sure that I don't feel hungry. I don't think. That's why I originally said something about not feeling dead. I feel more alive than I've ever felt. There's this mad energy coursing through my body. It makes me want to jump and skip and leap and climb tall mountains. And look, I don't even have a hole in my chest anymore," he exclaims as he lifts his shirt to reveal unblemished skin.

"Someone put a little too much whiskey in his cocktail," Ben says, with a sideways glance and a tilt of his head. "If he isn't hungry, your blood has something to do with it, because baby vamps always wake up wanting a nice succulent human neck."

"Sebastian is semi-worried that he might only be able to feed from me."

"You've discussed your child with him already? Fresh meat can't be that old, and fangy mate was taken probably pretty close to the time of conception. If you have a direct connection with him, why don't you just ask him where he's at?" Ben's eyes have gone to the red slits that indicate he's angry or contemplating something.

"He's walled me off," I reply through gritted teeth. "Now that we've discovered that Will isn't going to go on a killing spree, why don't you tell us what news you had on the succubus? I'd like to get Sebastian back as quickly as possible."

"You sure? You seem to be easily distracted," Ben says, and is met with my "you're really ticking me off" face. I've been getting off track, but my thoughts are focused now. "Fine. I heard Candy has been hanging out at a demon club accessible from here in the city. I thought we might go over and check it out."

"Can't you just tell me the name of the club and let us go take a look?" I ask, not really wanting to spend more time with Ben. I can sometimes deal with him in small doses, but right now doesn't seem to be one of those times.

"Best if I accompany you on this one, Buttercup. I may be able to throw your scent off enough that the others won't figure out what you are."

I forgot about that little detail, followed closely by another detail I've been overlooking.

"Hey, the Collective's database contained a summoning name for Candace. Can't I just summon her to us and beat the location out of her?"

"First, if it said Krindlecane, I wouldn't be calling that name out. Candy thought it would be funny to use that as her name, when in fact, it's the summoning name of a really gross slime demon. Believe me; you don't want Bert showing up.

"Not only that, but I don't think you'll know what to do with Candy when you two finally meet in the flesh. If I'm there as an intermediary, I'm hoping to be able to talk her out of causing you any great harm. She's supposed to serve me after all."

I don't like that he doesn't believe I can hold my own against the succubus. I'd really like to get my hands on the knife Marcus claims may do her in. With Ben not giving over the secrets to demon killing, it's my best hope.

Not having Sebastian around to hit the books and tell me some elusive demon-killing spell is a little painful. I know he isn't aware of one existing, but him finding those types of things happens more often than not.

"Fine. You can lead the way, but I'm making a quick pit stop down to our dungeon and you're not invited. You can either hang out with Clyde for a little while or come back in about an hour."

I motion for Alex to follow me out of the room. If Will is smart, he'll tag along. He's shown flashes of brilliance, so I have high hopes for him.

"Good luck questioning your prisoner. I think you're going to need it," Ben says before following us.

"Who needs luck when you have medieval torture devices at your disposal?"

"Princess, everything okay with you?" Jonas asks when we exit my room.

"Peachy, as usual, Jonas. Sebastian has been kidnapped, I have a vampire baby, and I've killed enough people to let Lucifer be able to key in on my existence. It's just another day.

"We're going to be leaving within the hour and I want you guys fully loaded. Do what you can to make it happen," I order as I continue my path to the door. "Clyde, stay and play with Ben. I need to get some information before we leave."

"Yes, Mommy. Do I get to play with my new brother?" Demon Dog asks.

I look over my shoulder and see Will following behind Alex. It's really bizarre to hear both Ben and Clyde call Will his brother. I'm not sure how happy Will will be about that thought.

"Not right now. I think we're going to let him warm up to that idea."

The fact that Clyde is so eager to make a new friend has me worried. That scenario screams of ulterior motive and I'm afraid to find out what it is.

"Who's she talking to?" I hear Will ask confused.

"The dog. He wanted you to stay and play with him. Nyx told him she'd introduce you later," Alex replies as he's the only one who knows what was said.

"She can talk to a dog? That's just weird. Can anyone else talk to him?"

"I can hear him through Nyx's mind. Her other mate can too, but only she has the ability to directly communicate. He isn't just a dog, if you hadn't guessed. He's a Hellhound, and you'll learn he's a little peculiar."

"Am not. Tell him to quit talking smack. I'll graduate from chewing on his shoes to peeing on his porn collection if he isn't nice," Clyde relays.

"Children, I don't want to hear you fighting right now. I'm trying to stay focused on the task at hand, and I don't want to have to interrogate Alex about this porn collection. How Clyde knows it even exists would need to be answered and I'm sure that will just lead to a whole bunch of more questions that I don't want to know the answers to," I sigh and hit the elevator button.

"I don't have a porn collection, Clyde, at least not anymore. You need to stay out of my room."

"Alex, do you need a timeout?" I ask, stepping in the elevator.

Once I get Sebastian back and securely tied to my bed, I think I'll give myself a little timeout. Peace and quiet sounds really good right about now.

We make our way back down to the dungeon. Will seems to like to stop to ooh and aah at stupid things and I don't think it will be long before I'm seeking out a roll of duct tape for his mouth. If I had a penny for every time I thought of using that product, I'd be a very rich woman.

I already have plenty of stacks of money, so I think the pennies would have to be melted down to make bullets. I don't know that I'd have any other use for them.

"When we get in here you aren't allowed to open your mouth, Will. I'm going to be talking to a very old vampire who already hates us. A baby with a smart mouth won't likely be tolerated," I explain.

"So just what am I supposed to call you? Master? Sire? Mom?"

"Nyx still works. I'm not big on silly titles and I couldn't begin to tell you the proper protocol." I thought we already went over the fact that this wasn't a normal situation as far as turning someone into a vampire goes.

"Have you figured out why you did it? I know you didn't have any crazy feelings for me like that Sean guy tried to convince me. In fact, I'm pretty sure I did my best to annoy the snot out of you," he claims, and he'd be correct with his assumption.

"No idea. You were giving your life up willingly to help save others from a mad man. I guess I just thought the world would be a better place with someone not afraid to take a stand like that," I tell him.

"And my outlook on life isn't going to change now that I've become a soulless bloodsucker?"

"Does it feel any different to you?" Alex asks. "I really hope Sebastian has some kind of book laying around for you to study, Junior. Becoming a vampire doesn't rip away your soul. It enhances your abilities and only strengthens characteristics you already have.

"You lose the ability to go out into the sun and have to survive on blood, but gain quite a bit in exchange. I imagine the vamps let humans believe the whole soul thing because they don't want them all lining up to be turned. They have to keep some food available and they don't like snacking on each other or things with fur."

"I get that," Will says, and I motion him to zip his lips.

I've stopped in front of the dungeon containing Dante, Marcus and Alan. There's no hidden wall blocking this one. Alan is tied up to a vertical board that gives him the ability to see me. The hostility looking back at me tells me this isn't going to be fun. Sebastian is going to owe me for this one.

Chapter 6

Will the real Smitty please stand up?

"Marcus, I need you to run an errand for me," I say as I pull him out of the cell. I'm trying to be quiet, but I know everyone can still hear me. "You're the only person who can get a positive outcome, so I have to send you."

"Let me guess, Spellbinders," he replies, knowing me all too well.

"You'll know what might be useful to us and you're the only one who can get in and out of there without a bunch of extra hassle. If you have to, barter with her and I'll owe you big time," I plead.

I really hate sending him to Hilda's lair, but it has to be done. One of these days I'm afraid I won't get him back. I can picture Hilda with a cage in the backroom just waiting to catch Marcus, so she can keep him as a pet.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out. "She's so creepy. If she's able to look like anything, I don't understand why she makes herself green. It isn't appetizing at all."

I don't disagree, but the way he puts it makes me wonder if she does it so he'll think of her as something other than food. A nice shade of purple would work better in my opinion. He still wouldn't want to snack on her, but at least it'd be a pretty color. The green she chooses is a really dark shade of moss that looks like it was barfed on.

"I'm not even going to pretend I know what's going on in that brain of hers. Just try to get her to give you something useful. We really need some help and there's no way she'll give us anything if I go in there myself. I can't even trick her and say you were kidnapped with Sebastian, since she has some kind of tracker on you."

"Fine. I see that grenade launcher I've been checking out in my near future, though."

He sprints away to get his task out of the way. Grenade launcher. Great choice of payment. I may need to get a matching one.

I have no time to daydream about it now. I move back to the cell to join Alex, Will, Dante and the captive. I really want to find out how Alan was able to drive the nasty demons away when they showed up on his doorstep. Keeping him tied up until Sebby gets back is just an added bonus.

"Go ahead and remove the tape, Dante."

"Are you sure? He's been much more pleasant to be around while he's silenced," Dante jokes, but takes the tape off like I requested.

"You're so dead, you little upstart. Do you think Sebastian is going to be able to protect you from me? I don't care what perfume you wear to try to convince people you're more than just a vampire, you're still just a child compared to me," Alan starts ranting, and I can see where Dante was correct in thinking the tape was a nice accessory.

"Please stop talking. You're giving me a headache already. I don't feel like turning into a wolf right now, but I assure you it's possible. I just have a couple of questions for you, and if you aren't a total dick about them, I'll upgrade your visiting quarters. I won't let you go until I have Sebastian back, but I can make your stay a little bit more enjoyable."

Not really, but he'd get a cot to lay on instead of being stuffed in an iron maiden.

"I don't believe for a second that you're dual or tri-natured, and I still don't think helping you retrieve Sebastian is in my best interest," he says and spits at my feet.

Really? This guy is an idiot of top order.

"I really don't care what you believe. I thought we'd been over that already. All I want is information on what you did when the Kurkua and Shagles showed up at your door. I wouldn't be surprised if I don't run into them on my quest, and I prefer to have a little preparation in place to fight them."

"He isn't going to give anything up with just your blabbing at him," Smitty says, joining our group.

I'm a bit amazed to hear his voice, so I spin around to get a good look at my rogue vampire guard. Surprisingly, he looks about like Marcus did in the shredded pork sense of things. His wounds are healed, but his shirt tells a tale of many blades.

"Found a band of Kurkua trying to make off with Bastian outside of the building, so I tried to help. I'm starting to think I was a little overconfident in the undertaking. Those things are really nasty pieces of work."

"You tried to help Sebastian?" I ask, not necessarily shocked, but pretty close.

"I know you've been told things about me, and I'm not proud of those things, but you can rest assured that I stand behind you one hundred percent now. Someone was kind enough to shed some light on the situation during the big conference. I know who will be the winner in the grand scheme of things." He whips out a knife and walks over to Alan.

"Now, with Alan here, you have to be a little bit persuasive if you want to get any information. Judging by your arm that looks to just be getting back to full strength, I'd say you've already had enough fun for today. Let me do the honors."

This is a different Smitty than I remember seeing before. I really want to know who he's been talking to and just what was said to change his mind. I still don't trust him with my life, or those who I care about, but it's an interesting little twist.

"You're more familiar with him, so please proceed."

"Good. Now, Alan, you know me well enough that I'm just going to bypass the tickle phase of this interrogation. Do you have anything you'd like to say before I start?" It's nice that he's giving him an out, but I did already try that route.

"Why do you even waste your time with them, Smitty? You're old enough to be out carving out your own place in the world."

"Wrong answer," Smitty says, and then draws his knife across Alan's throat. It doesn't go deep, but whatever the knife is made of makes the skin that touches it sizzle. How cool. I want one.

"You'll soon enough be groveling at her feet like the dog that you are. She's the future of all of us. She'll redeem those of us who have gotten a little off track, and condemn those who can't be saved. Which side are you going to fall on?"

Whoa. I think this has gone just a little off track. He's giving me a little more responsibility than I crave. Okay, it's a lot more responsibility and I kind of want him to take it all back.

"What are you talking about? Did they give you some kind of crazy Kool-Aid? I think you should consider joining a detox program to get it out of your system. She's a short nonentity who could actually be my way to bringing Sebastian down. I can see why he wouldn't want her to be at the conference because every Tom, Dick and Harry would see just how weak she is," Alan says.

I'd like to know how he's lived this long. If he talks this way about everyone, he should 'e been dealt with years ago.

Smitty laughs and then stabs his knife into Alan's stomach. "You really don't see it? I guess I didn't at first either. If you look at her very closely you can just see the slight glow surrounding her. It really is beautiful." He twists the knife and then pulls it out.

I make a mental note to keep him away from any beverages in the future. I should probably make sure he didn't get some magic mushrooms somewhere while I'm at it.

"What did you dip that knife in? Shit, it hurts," Alan moans as he leans back and closes his eyes.

If it did the little sizzle trick on the skin, I can just imagine what it did to his insides.

"Like that, don't you? It's a little something special I picked out. Liquid ultraviolet, very hard to come by. I have a bit of resistance from being able to get out in the sun in non-peak hours, but you haven't bothered to pick up the resilience in all of your years. You wanted to be the vampire from the legends, and have stuck to the shadows your whole life. I imagine sticking this knife into your heart will make you see the error in your ways."

I'm kind of digging this really sadistic Smitty. It's a part of him that I haven't seen before and it makes me glad that he's on my side.

"Please, enough with the knife. I'll tell you what I use to make the demons go away," Alan says, giving up. Good.

"You're smarter than you look, Alan. I'm sorry we won't be able to continue this fun," Smitty tells him. "Tell her what she needs to know."

"It's a mixture of slippery elm and gravel root. That's enough to banish any low level demon. Two tablespoons of the elm, one tablespoon of the gravel, and I add a sprig of spearmint for smell. I don't even have to fight them that way. I carry it on me at all times."

"I'll call Marcus," Alex says, and goes to complete the task outside of the cell.

"This doesn't change the fact that I'm still going to kill you when I get out of here," Alan claims.

"Believe me, it does," Smitty replies as he twirls his fancy knife around in his hand. He's careful not to let the blade touch his skin. "You don't have what it takes to beat her, so you should just get those crazy ideas out of your head now."

This is getting to be a little Twilight Zone for me, or maybe I slipped into some other dimension. Smitty has never been on my side like this, and it's starting to scare me. I know I just said I liked it a few minutes ago, but I've changed my mind.

"What do you want me to do with him to secure the creep until Sebastian gets back?" Dante asks, and I'm not sure how to reply.

Leaving him down here to rot does have its appeal, but other than being stubborn he hasn't really done anything to me personally. Since I carry the stubborn gene myself, I know how difficult it can be to work past it.

"Take him up to the jail. It should hold him and he won't catch a cold. It gets a bit drafty down here." Not that he could actually catch a cold, but you never know.

I join Alex outside the cell and am a little surprised to find Will waiting with him. He actually followed directions and was quiet, which has to be a first for any of my minions.

"That guard of yours is a little scary. He won't use that knife on me, will he?"

It's a slightly funny to see a vampire scared without any direct threat against him. I'm going to have to toughen him up.

"You're safe. Have you by any chance called Gene, or anyone else at the movie set, to tell them about your change in status?"

"I haven't had a chance. I was wondering about that. For at least this film, do you think I could still finish it if they only shot at night? It shouldn't take more than another week for the rest of my scenes." I can see the hope in his eyes and I don't feel the need to squash it.

"After we get Sebastian back, I think that would be okay. I won't have time to go with you until then, and it's probably a good idea to have some vampire backup, even if I don't know what I'm doing," I reply.

"Got it. I'll give him a call. I imagine half the crew woke up pregnant this morning and it will probably take them a little while to sort that out anyway."

True, but I doubt the crew will remember a ton from the night before, and they aren't going to realize there might be buns in the ovens until the vomiting begins. That's why I only have sex when I need to reconnect bonds. Any other time would be too great of a risk.

"I heard that. I'm pretty sure you weren't going to deny me in the shower earlier," Alex adds.

Alex is right, and what's even worse is that if he were game, I would grab him and take him in one of the nearby cells to have my way with him. There's something really messed up with my system and I'd like to see it fixed, pronto.

Chapter 7

My army is ready

Back up in my apartment, the wolf contingency looks ready for World War III. I guess when I tell them to gear up, they don't hold anything back. They're in full-on commando mode with their normal black outfits, but instead of concealing their guns and knives, as they usually do, they're out there for the whole world to see.

They're like my own little plastic Army men. Me likey.

"Ready for our orders, Princess," Jonas states and gives me a salute. It's too much and I start laughing.

"I want to have some weapons too," Will says, which makes the situation even better. Everyone starts laughing at that comment.

Jonas walks over and wraps his arm around Will. It's nice to see Jonas not shunning the new vampire on the block. "Do you think you can handle the kind of artillery we're packing?"

Will looks over the pieces he can see on Jonas and nods. "I've had fight training and know how to shoot a gun. I don't think I have all the vampire skills from the brochure, yet, but with a little firepower, I should be able to hold my own."

I'm really hoping I don't need an army just to go to a demon hang out. However, if a mini one is offered, I won't say no. I've never had a great desire to see how demons spend their recreation time, but I assume it's filled with copious amounts of depravity.

"Buttercup, I think the firepower is just a little excessive," Ben says, bringing Clyde over.

My little puppy has on his biggest spike collar and matching little ankle cuffs. I can only guess who dressed him. Really, it could be a number of people in the room, but my money is split between two of them.

"Jake put them on, but I brought them to him. Don't I look cool? Do you think one of the guys would be willing to strap a rocket launcher to my back?"

I don't bother responding to that idea and instead respond to Ben's thought. "We aren't exactly going out for a picnic in the park. You said this place was a demon club, and even if the weapons don't do us a whole lot of good against them, I like the show of force."

I think if we showed up not looking like we could hold our own, we'd be devoured by the beings stopping by for a quick drink.

"Is there any way just you and me can go in the club, wolfy is included in that since he's attached at your hip. Outsiders are usually frowned upon. I can probably make a good case for you, but the others might be an issue." He gets evil eyes all around. We can't make ours go red like his, but he gets the picture. "Fine. You're going to have to take this, though."

He hands me a small vial. I look down at it and then back up at him. "I want the disclaimer before I take something. Last time you didn't bother to tell me you were dosing me and I'm not going through that again."

"So untrusting," he says, shaking his head and sighing. "It's just going to make you not seem so unique. We agreed that was the plan."

I remember agreeing to that plan. That doesn't mean he didn't think of a way to make it work in his favor somehow.

"Just what will I appear to be, a baboon?"

"That hurts, Nyx. Really hurts. It will bring out the wolf in you. I thought it was best since he's your present mate."

"And just how long will it last this time?" I try to think of anything else that I should get clarification on before taking the potion. Nothing is coming to mind, which worries me.

"Tonight only. I didn't make it as strong as the other one."

"Just out of curiosity, now that I'm not human anymore, do I get to know just what you are?" Will asks, butting in the conversation.

I'm tired of just standing around, so I head to the kitchen to mix up a quick protein shake for the road. I'm starting to feel a little drained. It's been a really busy night and I still have at least a couple of hours before I can think about getting a small nap in. Yes, I did just leave in mid-conversation, and I doubt me walking away made sense to anyone.

"Few people know for sure," I say in answer to Will's question.

He's followed me, so I don't have to worry about checking out whether his improved hearing is online. I don't really like him following me and it goes on the list with staring.

I grab my shaker and the protein powder and start measuring it out. "Rumor is I'm a mix of three paranorms. I know the werewolf and vampire parts, but there's a third part that everyone wants to keep a secret from me. It gets on my nerves and I'd rather not talk about it."

"Are there others like you?" he asks, missing the part about not talking about it.

"No." I pour a bit of milk in my mix, the contents of the vial, and then start shaking.

My right arm is functioning enough that I can even use it to complete the task. I feel little twinges of pain as things are realigning themselves. I'm finding the healing part of injuries is just as annoying as the injury itself.

"Why don't you go ask Jonas to get you set up with some weapons? I'm going to want to leave in the next few minutes. It sounds like Marcus is back."

I hear the elevator doors open as I finish my sentence. "How did you do that?" Will asks as he moves out of the kitchen a little to get a peek at who's coming off the elevator.

"You'll be able to figure it out soon enough. I thought I told you to go get ready."

I push him aside and make my way to Marcus. Everyone else is just kind of milling about until I give them the green light to do something. I should've assigned someone to book duty to try to come up with some other solutions to our demon problems. Since that's usually Sebastian's job, it just didn't feel right to hand it over to someone else.

"I'm thinking a tank wouldn't be too far out of left field for me to ask for in exchange for what I just went through," Marcus says as he quickly shakes his head.

It looks like he's knocking some cobwebs loose. Knowing where he just came from, I wouldn't doubt it.

"How bad was it? She didn't try to slip you any love spells, right?" Hilda may sell a ton of those things, but I never took her for the kind to use them herself.

"God I hope not. I did have to agree to a date. Why in the world does she think it would ever work out between us? She's a witch, I'm a vampire. Those two things don't compute." He hands me a small sack and I glance in it while trying not to spill my drink.

"I can't ask specifics right now, but she was able to hook you up, yes?" I don't want Ben to know of the mission and how successful Marcus was.

"She was most helpful, oddly enough. She told me to tell you she'll be there in a month for the party."

"The voices in her head need to quit filling it with hogwash. I'm not having a party, nor have I ever had one. I'm guessing she didn't happen to mention what grand event she thinks we'll be celebrating."

I've wasted enough time avoiding my shake and take a big swig. It doesn't taste any different, but knowing there's a little bit of something added makes me scrape my tongue across my teeth to try to get rid of the additive.

"I was told you'll find out tomorrow. I communicated to her what I figured your reaction would be and let her know you were sorry the invite got lost in the mail," he gives me a quick smile and then rushes off to his room. "I didn't know we were going somewhere dressed as G.I. Joes. Give me just a second."

I can see why he wouldn't want to look out of place amongst the group. I need to spiff myself up for the occasion. I finish up the shake and run the cup to the kitchen. I don't feel any wolfier, but I didn't really feel any different the last time Ben decided to mess with my physiology.

"Alex, you want anything?" I ask as I head towards the bedroom. I stow the bag from Hilda in my closet. When I'm able to lose the demon for the day, or night, or just whenever he decides to take a hike, I'll ask Marcus about the goodies.

"Nah. It makes me feel important if everyone else around me is armed to protect me."

What a dork. Even Clyde is playing dress up for this one. I go ahead and strap on my external thigh sheaths. When they're in position I grab Helen and Clytemnestra and slide them into place. I shimmy into my holster and check to make sure all three guns are full of ammo. My Colt is missing a couple of rounds from target practice, so I have to reload. I'd hate to get into battle and start dry firing because I didn't count my bullets ahead of time.

To top off my gear, I add a katana to my back. I don't get to play with my swords enough and I bet it will see more action than my guns. Bullets don't have a great effect on demons, or so I'm told, but I might be able to stab one a couple of times.

I think that should do it. With the guards as armed as they are, I could probably follow Alex's train of thought and go in naked, but that's not my style. I need to have at least a knife handy in any stressful situation. Even if I don't pull it out to slice someone to little pieces, it gives me comfort knowing it's there by my side.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to take one of my blades? I don't usually let anyone carry one of my personal stock, but I'm willing to make an exception for you," I pull out one of my bowie knives. It has a sheath that would hang nicely from one of his belt loops.

"If I can't kill whatever attacks us with my bare hands, what kind of mate would I be for you?" he asks, and he's lucky I know he isn't being serious. "Believe me, I'll be just fine. I think this is going to be just an information gathering mission. I don't mind you guys playing dress up, but I doubt you'll even feel the need to pull a knife."

"When demons are involved, I'm going to play on the side of caution. I don't know enough about them to be lax when it comes to protecting us."

Just to be on the safe side, I decide I better grab one of my boot knives. I'm leaving the wrist sheaths off because I don't trust my right arm to be one hundred percent, and wearing a sheath may aggravate it. Wearing only the left one would drive me crazy.

"Crazier, Nyx. You're already way past the point of crazy," Alex says. I grab a pillow and throw it at him. He catches it and tosses it back.

"You're such a funny boy, Alex. Let's get the troops together and get this mission over with."

Chapter 8

Things you hear when you don't have earplugs

When we get down to the garage, I remember that my Suburban is no more. That throws a bit of a wrench in my plans for transportation. With as large as the group is now, the Suburban wouldn't have fit everyone anyway, but I still loved to drive it.

"Just how far are we going, Ben?" I ask as I look at the available vehicles. I'm going to let Alex figure out the logistics, but I do have my favorites.

"The demon section of Night Owl is on the very south edge of town. We're presently in what's considered the middle, so it would be quite a walk, and I don't feel like transporting this many people myself."

His transporting methods are definitely out. I know it only hurt because Sebastian was being stabbed at the time, but I don't want to relive the experience.

"Nyx, me, Ben and Will are going to be in my Camaro. Jonas, Walt, Clyde and Dante can take the Jeep. Jake, Smitty and Marcus you can have your pick, and please don't spend all of your time arguing about who gets to drive." Alex commands and drags me over to his Camaro.

It's pretty, but not exactly what I'd take into a battle. Not that we're heading in that direction, but I wouldn't want to see it get scratched. I let Will in behind me, and then take my place in the front passenger's seat.

"She isn't just for looks, sweetheart. You know how guys are with their toys. She has many enhancements that if you're a really good girl, I might just show you one day." He grabs my hand and gives it a quick kiss.

"I thought you were only this bad with the fangy one. What have they been putting in your water?" Ben asks as Alex starts up the car.

"I'm pretty sure you're the only one sneaking things into my drinks. Why don't you worry about giving directions and leave my love life out of the conversation."

"But your love life is always on my mind. Hey, that sounds like it would make a good country song. You run around town with all the different boys. Oh how I wish I could be one of your toys. But sadly you don't even look at me. It;s as if I were a tree. Like how I rhymed? From there it could go into a pathetic chorus about what a stalker this creep really is and if you just throw in a pickup truck, a dog and some beer, you have a hit."

Will starts laughing. I don't find the song that funny and Ben's singing voice leaves a lot to be desired. I glance over at Alex and he rolls his eyes when he sees me looking.

"I think we should leave the song writing to the professionals. How about those directions? We do have vampires amongst us and that sun is eventually going to rise," I tell him, ready to get a move on it.

"Just head towards the old human cemetery on Oak. The entrance to where we're going is in the cemetery."

Great. Cemeteries have never been my friends. The ghouls that hang out in them get along with me about as well as most of the witches I know. The only good thing about the ghouls is the fact that they can't speak. They do like to mess with people though, and it gets on my nerves.

"Why would a demon bar be in a cemetery?" Will asks.

"Because most people are smart enough to stay away," I reply. "The things crawling around in the cemetery probably don't bother with the demons, either. They're way past the point a demon could have fun with them. It must be a great place for demons to unwind."

"It's definitely a place where we can be ourselves. You'll all figure that out as soon as you walk through the doors. I'd like to hear more about curious Will. Just how did you guys meet up? I thought humans gave you a rash, Buttercup."

I don't remember actually giving him that information, but I let it pass. He could just be making guesses and I hate confirming or denying anything for him.

"We met on the set of my latest movie. I imagine you'll be first in line when it comes out. Will is the leading man and I got to play the damsel in distress," I inform him.

That starts a laughing fit from the demon. If it wasn't the truth, I might be joining him because of how absurd it sounds. "You know I'm not going to believe that for a second, right? I don't think there's a big enough bribe out there for you to be put in that position."

"When you want your copy of the DVD autographed, remember that thought. They only had me for a day and I rewrote most of the script to suit me. If we're going to discuss what we were doing since we last saw each other, why don't you tell us all the demon pastimes you were busy partaking in?"

"I spent a week going over my annual review with the Great One. To say it was interesting would be an understatement. I'm still loved and my fatherhood desires were acknowledged. There were a lot of questions on that front," he replies.

A job review with the Devil, I'm glad to say I've never experienced one of those, and there are no plans for one in the future. The fact that it took a week might be even worse. When I was with the Collective, I did get called in once a year to go over things with Frank. They only took about five minutes and tended to be just him telling me to keep up the good work.

"Why would it take you a whole week to go over things? Did you have to give descriptions of your bowel movements?" I could see that taking a whole week. It'd be about all I would have to discuss with the person doing that job review.

"Being the important person that I'm, in the scheme of things, gives us tons of stuff to talk about. My review didn't last all that long, but we did have to discuss all of my underlings. That's what took up the majority of the time. Figuring out who needs to spend a little extra time in the torture chambers is really time consuming."

I'm sure that does take a lot of consideration. As far as demons go, I'm trying to figure out if the torture chamber part is a reward or a punishment. From the little reading I''ve done of the matter, I'm actually leaning towards them enjoying it.

The conversation pauses for a second, somewhat of a miracle with the two talkers in the backseat, so I take a second to try to knock around on the wall Sebby has created. I really don't understand why he won't let me in.

It could only be helpful for us to be able to communicate. There has to be something interfering somehow. I know our bond is unbreakable, but I wonder if there's some kind of jammer being used.

"Ben, since you're the expert on this new bond me and Sebastian share, what could cause us not to be able to connect? I still feel him out there, but I can't get a direct line."

"I doubt there's anything that could accomplish that. Your boyfriend is most likely just playing it safe. Candy can pick up your private conversations just like me. If he allowed you to broadcast in, she may be able to make a beeline right for you. I've spent plenty of time with Candy. and her going to this extreme isn't exactly out of character, but to take the vampire leader isn't really bright. I don't imagine she was aware of you, or she wouldn't have wasted her time."

I highly doubt that. She didn't seem to care about anything other than trying to make a slave out of Sebastian. Thinking that Sebby would allow something like that is pretty moronic, but I guess she doesn't mind if that word is used to describe her.

"Me being in the equation makes no difference, other than to maybe aggravate her more. I have it on good authority that it will make her want to try some really sadistic techniques out on one half of my man bits."

I've decided that the guys' private regions belong to me, so speaking as if they were actually on my body isn't weird at all.

"I guess the fact that the dreams must already be starting is a good thing. If you can't speak directly to him, it's the only explanation for you knowing future events. When did they start? I've been doing a little more research on just what changes you can expect in the next few weeks," Ben answers, confusing me more than usual with his words.

Yes, I'm having dreams of the future, but what in the world does that have to do with anything else? I thought they were coming from Sebastian's side of things more than mine. He's the precog in our relationship.

"I don't want to confirm or deny anything, but I do want to hear more about this reading you've been doing. Just what other changes do I have to look forward to?"

I turn around to look at him while he responds. He's looking out the window, but turns to look at me. He gives me a wide grin that doesn't assure me one bit.

"We should probably pretend I didn't drive the conversation to this point. I can't tell you what I read without revealing what you are and no one wants that. I just wanted to see if there was anything really interesting that may be passed on to our child." I figured he wouldn't give me any information, so I turn back around and sulk a bit in my seat.

"Whoa. Wait just a second. You're pregnant? Weren't you worried about the baby when you were shot with me? Bullets can't be good for a baby's health. How close did the bullet come to it?" Will asks what would be a logical question, if I was actually in a motherly way.

"I'm not and I don't plan on becoming pregnant in the next millennium. You'll find, as you get to know our group of people better, that the men in my life, who are not guards, really want to have children. As far as Alex goes, he's stuck waiting for me to give in. Ben is just going to have to find another incubator."

"That makes more sense. You didn't just turn a stray human into a vampire. You did it because it was the only way you could think of saving his life. Not something you would've done just a couple of months ago, now is that?"

Have I mentioned how much I like to avoid hanging out with Demon Boy? He's way too smart for his own good. I could probably give him any three obscure clues about anything and he'd figure it out. Not only that, but he'd also be able to tell me the history of whatever object I was thinking about.

"We really need to make up a list of topics I'm willing to discuss with you. I think from the moment we met, none of the conversations we've had would make it on that list. Let's just stick to ways you can help me find my mate."

"You can stop here, wolfy. It isn't too much of a walk and I think Buttercup needs some air. It will help calm her before we go in. If the mess of demons who are usually present pick up on all the emotions she has swirling around, we may be in trouble."

"You're getting more tense than usual. Is everything okay?" Alex asks as he pulls over. "I know you're under a lot of stress to get Sebastian back, but I don't want you to burn yourself out. Once we get whatever information we can from this place, I want us to go home and get a little sleep."

We can try that out, but I don't know that sleep is in my future. I hop out of the car and let Will out. I've only met Ben officially as far as demons go, so I can imagine this experience is going to be eye opening.

"Lead the way," I command when our group is all back together.

Chapter 9

The ice cold hand of death

"Okay, as you follow, I'm going to go over a few ground rules. First, don't stare at anyone or anything for too long. Chances are not all of you will be able to tell if something is actually a someone in here and you really don't want to offend anyone. Things tend to get nasty if you do. Second, it's best if you all stay pretty close to me. Everyone in here will know who I am and just being with me will hopefully halt any of their questioning.

"Last, but not least, if you see anyone looking at Buttercup even just a tad bit funny, get her out of there immediately. She should be all wolfy, and is as far as I can tell, but someone may be able to delve deeper and figure out what we're hiding. If that happens she has to be protected," Ben instructs.

I sincerely hope he's going overboard with that last part. Even if someone is able to tell I'm a freak, I don't know why they'd all of a sudden attack me. I thought the generally agreed upon idea was that most people would want to figure out a way to control the uniqueness in me. I know that's why my dad claims to be making sure I keep hidden from my mom.

"Don't worry. No one is getting to Princess. We've been through the drills before," Jonas says, and I feel everyone close up rank around me.

Why do they have to take the demon seriously? Even Clyde moves up to brush my leg as he walks. I've found that it's easier to just ignore them than making a big fuss about their protectiveness. It's just a waste of breath on my part. I still hope they realize that all the extra protection is just silly. I took care of myself long before I met any of them.

Ben leads us into the cemetery and I instantly feel chills run through my body when we cross the threshold. Dang ghouls. I feel them come alive every time I enter. Stupid demons just have to have the entrance to their stupid bar in the middle of a stupid cemetery.

"Buttercup, were you expecting visitors? They usually don't come out for me."

"Lucky you. I stay out of cemeteries because of them." I try to keep my eyes focused forward. Maybe if I don't acknowledge them, they'll leave me alone.

"What's that thing?" Will asks, and I know better, but I still turn to look.

A female ghoul is standing just to the left of our group. Her eyeball lacking holes seem to be focused right in on me. It could just be that I'm paranoid. She might be seeing something totally different than the group of us walking through her graveyard. With my luck, I doubt it.

"I count ten," Marcus says, and I'm not happy to hear that high of a number.

I think I've run into two at the most in a single visit. It's been a while since my last visit, so maybe ganging up on visitors is their new thing. In the past, they've tried to get all touchy with me, and hate is too weak of a word for how it makes me feel.

"Does anyone in the group know what ghouls are?" Ben asks.

I'm sure he knows, so this is probably just a chance for him to impart his wisdom to the uneducated around us. Since I've had the displeasure of running into the weird beings, I've done research already and I do know what they are.

"They look kind of like what I envision a zombie to look like," Jake replies. "They don't eat brains or anything, do they?"

"No. They don't eat brains, Jake, and if they did, I don't think you'd have too much to worry about," I reply. "I've done a bit of reading on them and have found the books lie about some key parts. They're remnants of formerly living persons who had a problem with crossing over when they died. Not to be confused with ghosts, who do cross over, but come back with important missions."

Ben stops walking for a second and turns around. Dude, don't stop with this many ghouls around us. That's just asking for trouble. I'm forced to stop and my mood darkens as I glare at him.

"Just what have you found to be a lie in what you've read?"

My glare isn't affecting him and he's looking at me like he's trying to figure out what makes the world spin. I'm pretty sure those secrets can't be found on my face.

I glance around and see a male ghoul try to come closer. I get another chill just from the thought of his touch. It feels like a cold, wet dish towel up against my skin and I'd really like to avoid it. It takes days for me to usually get rid of the feeling. A cold hand print always seems to linger.

"The no touching part. Now, please get a move on it." I push past him, heading in the direction we were walking, but I'm met face-to-face with a ghoul. Shit.

I stand looking into the hollowed out holes that used to house perfectly good eyeballs. The rest of the body looks basically humanoid. It's glowing just a bit, which is a little odd. Before they've always been a nice shade of alabaster, but they never had the weird light around them.

The woman reaches out and touches my shoulder. At least it isn't skin-on-skin contact. I still feel the chill from the touch, but it isn't quite as bad as it's been before. I sense all of my guards tense at the contact, but no one makes a move to interfere. I don't blame them. The ghoul won't hurt me, I don't think, and it's really creepy looking.

I close my eyes, not wanting to continue staring into the sightless eyes. Once they're closed, I start seeing flashes of scenes that I haven't witnessed before. This is new and I don't think I like it.

I see a woman in what I can only describe as a Victorian looking dress. I don't know anything about olden day fashion, but Victorian is what I would classify it as. She's round with child and working to prepare a meal in the kitchen. For as fancy as she's dressed, I would've thought she had some servants to take care of that task. I think that's how things worked back then.

A man walks into the room and sneaks up behind her. She screams and giggles, turning around to face him. It looks like they have a conversation, but I can't hear that part of it. The scene quickly changes to one of a little girl running to catch up to the woman. The woman picks her up and twirls her around. They look so happy together.

Another sight appears and it's the three of them altogether playing in a snowstorm. The dad and girl are teaming up to throw snowballs at the mom. The joy of the situation is a little overwhelming. I seem to be picking up outside emotions that I hope the ghoul is giving off, because they're unnatural to me.

The next thing I see isn't happiness and my emotions do a flip flop into darkness. I see the man from the previous visions covered in blood. It looks like someone slit his throat. He's lying across a bed and another man is closing in on the woman who's hiding in a corner.

The little girl, now maybe in her mid-teens, walks in the room and appears to start screaming. The man looks at her, and a smile I never want to see appears on his face. The woman screams something that looks like run and the little girl takes off.

The man focuses back in on the woman. He gives her a long, forced kiss on the lips before he stabs her in the stomach. I see her try to fight even harder to get away from him, but he continues stabbing her in different locations. It doesn't take long for her to go limp and he tosses her to the ground.

He turns to the door, probably hopeful to find the girl back. She isn't there and I really hope she found a good hiding place or ran to get the cops. The man walks past my viewing position and I see that last hope may have been in vain. A nice shiny sheriff badge catches my eye.

"I've always hoped that he didn't find her. He was a very bad man," a voice says back in the present and I snap my eyes open. The ghoul who was touching me is no longer very ghouly. She's the woman from the vision and has her eyes and everything. "I was hoping I could stay behind and protect her, but something went wrong. I ended up here and I couldn't leave."

No one in my group is saying a word. I think I've swallowed my tongue because I too am speechless. The ghouls have touched me before, but I've never had an outcome like this one. I usually just get an overwhelming feeling of disappointment when my encounters are done.

"I'm able to see now that Katherine ended up getting away and lived a very long life with a man she loved. It's finally time that I join her and my husband. Thank you so much for sharing your gift with me and forgiving me for wanting to remain behind."

I have no idea what the woman is talking about and I don't think I'll get a chance to ask, because she's getting awfully transparent with a quickness. That seems about normal. I find I have questions and the person who's possibly capable of answering them just disappears.

"May your life be as full of love as mine was," she says and is gone.

"That was either the weirdest or coolest thing I have ever seen," Will says, interrupting the silence that the moment seemed to need. I'll have to ask later what they saw during the weird event.

"We better get a move on it. I really hope no one witnessed that little display. If someone did, we might be screwed," Ben says, and rushes to grab my arm and get everyone moving.

"Do you have any idea what just happened?" I ask, sure that he's the only one in the group who has a clue.

"Sure. You're growing up. Weird stuff like that is going to be a common occurrence in your life from now on. I'd just prefer it not happen on the sidewalk leading up to Firebreath's, at least not while we're hoping to get information from the people inside the building."

"I hate to break it to you, but I've been grown-up for a while now. I know when I activated my genes weird abilities started happening, but that experience can't be explained away by one of those abilities."

"We should probably discuss it later, Nyx," Alex says, hurrying to reach my side and extract me from the demon. "Too many ears could be listening in."

He's right, but I don't see how they can expect me to just let what happened slide.

It looked to me like I somehow helped a woman find some kind of peace to cross over to whatever was awaiting her in the afterlife. That isn't something that happens every day and I'm going to go out on a limb and claim that it doesn't happen to normal people ever.

There have been a few times over the past months that I wish I could go back to believing I was just a human. This one has jumped to the top of that list of times. Ben indicated more things like this might start happening and I'm not looking forward to any of them.

"You guys should probably brace yourself for what you're about to experience. Do what I do," Ben says, and then waves his hand so what looks to be a portal of some kind opens in the ground in front of a headstone. He quickly hops into it and we take a second to look around at each other prior to us doing the same.

Alex has a firm grip on my hand as we start falling into the hole that keeps getting hotter as we go. The temperature is a bit worrisome. The feeling of needing to upchuck isn't any better. Right before I hit the ground, I decide this was a really big mistake. When I shake my head free of the cobwebs and focus on my surroundings, I'm certain of that decision.

Chapter 10

Live nude girls

"Welcome to Hell, Buttercup," a voice that sure sounds like Ben says.

The problem with that thought is that the seven foot tall goat slash human slash hawk looking thing before me looks nothing like Ben. The goat parts seem to be limited to his legs, the torso and arms look humanoid, and he has the face of a hawk. So creepy. I call things creepy a lot, but this really does take the cake.

"First things first, you said Hell. Please tell me you're joking," I say as I continue to try to figure out what exactly the being in front of me is. Squinting and tilting my head a little doesn't help.

"Where do you expect a club for demons to hang out in to be located? We're lucky that there was a portal to it as close as the one we entered." Watching his beak move as he talks to top things off is really bizarre.

"Don't you think you should've mentioned that before?" Alex asks, and I can tell he's pissed. I'm not quite to that level of madness, but an excursion to Hell was not on my calendar. "I'm pretty sure a trip to Hell is a little bit hazardous to anyone's health."

"She'll be fine, wolfy. We already fixed her up, remember?" Ben says, and moves to take my hand. I move my hand back and stare at him.

"In a totally humanoid form you'd be still pushing it with that move. As you stand now, don't be getting too close." I grip Alex's hand tighter, since he's refused to let go and I'm thankful for that.

"Darn. Forgot about that little detail. Glamours aren't allowed in the bar. A lot of demons move through here and we like to know who we're talking to. If a glamour is good enough, some of the weaker demons can be confused. There have also been cases where demons have pretended to be other demons and the cleanup from those messes took at least a week."

"I vote for hurrying this thing along. It's unnaturally warm and I'd prefer to get back topside as soon as possible," Jonas offers and I concur.

I'd always hoped to pick up some SPF 1000 before taking a trip down under.

"We shouldn't be more than an hour. The heat won't kill any of you and if you ask me, they seem to have the air conditioning turned on. Oh, and I did try to talk Nyx into coming down with just wolfy, so you guys have her to blame for any discomfort."

Yeah, yeah, it's always my fault. Maybe if he mentioned where we were really going, we could've spared some of the guys the trip. Then again, bringing backup into Hell is probably a good idea.

"Can you please lead on? The scenery is a little boring at this point." Looking around we're in some kind of chamber that if I had to guess, looks like the inside of a volcano. That may just be the fact that it feels like we're inside of a volcano talking, but I don't think my assumption is that far off.

"We're already at our location. I put us in a little bubble when we arrived because I knew you'd probably have something to say and I didn't want any prying ears to listen in. Am I safe to assume there will be no talk revealing Buttercup's secrets from now on?"

"Let's get this over with," I say, and try to brace myself for the sights I'm about to see.

"I think it's nice down here, Mommy. Do you think we can come back after you find the stinky vampire?" Clyde asks, and I'm forced to roll my eyes.

I shake my head, not wanting to reply because I don't want to see Clyde pout. I know he can read my mind so he knows my answer, but if I don't actively respond, it makes it better somehow.

Ben pokes his finger at something I don't think the rest of us can see. The second he's done, the boring volcanic looking walls disappear and red lights are flashing in my face.

A giant sign that says Firebreath's is flashing above a wide and tall doorway. I'm guessing it has to be that large for some of the weird creatures who want a peek inside. Another sign flashes below the club's name that indicates live nude girls are working tonight and whippings happen every thirty minutes.

Oh joyous day. I'm surprised I've made it through my day so far without seeing live nude girls.

I look over at Alex, who's looking back at me with a smile on his face. The smile isn't because he's excited about seeing naked chicks. His smile is at witnessing whatever shock is about to come over my face when I see the naked chicks, and anything else we come across after we walk through the doors.

I don't imagine whatever is back there is any more shocking than the things I've witnessed at Sins. I've been there when it wasn't Beginner's Night and I've seen the whips and chains and icicle dildos.

I've seen a lot worse than those things, but those instances are the only ones I'll let my mind officially recall. The time I walked in on 'Who's Your Daddy' Night is still trying to be washed from my mind.

Crap. Just as Ben goes to open the door, I look over at Will and see that someone was smart enough to put one of the charms Hilda gave me to protect against succubi on him. Good.

He's going to learn the really dark parts of the paranorm world soon enough. I don't want him stuck in one of their thralls just yet, and since he seemed like a horny little human, I doubt his libido is going to cool down anytime soon now that he's a vampire.

Looking back through the open doors, the scene before me isn't all that shocking. The bar has a couple of humanoid looking girls dancing on it without clothes. The only reason I'm kind of certain they're female is because of their knockers, at least I'm guessing that's what those things are.

They aren't round like I'm used to seeing. They're kind of weird tube-like things that curve like bananas. I hope the theory of demon women not having offspring is true, because a baby would have a great deal of problems trying to suckle on those things.

Aside from the weird alien looking women, I see most of the eyes in the bar are focused in on us. Must be that we came in as such a large group. There are all sorts of odd looking creatures filling the booths and bar stools. None of them could be confused as humans, even if the person making the determination was plastered.

"Benny, what are you doing slumming with the humanoids? We not good enough for you anymore?" a short evil elf looking thing asks. I'm guessing it's a girl, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

"Hey, Sherry. This is my good friend and loyal servant, Nyx, and she tends to travel with an entourage. I wanted to give her a little glimpse of how we demons have a good time," Ben tells the thing.

Loyal servant. What a comedian.

She squints at me with red eyes and her little pointy ears change from a pinkish tint to a blue one. I'm not sure what it means, but I really don't want to find out.

"If you want any help breaking her in, let me know. I ordered a room already and I'd love to give you a hand."

A snake-like forked tongue slithers out and she licks her lips. As if I didn't have enough guys interested in me already, I wasn't looking to gain female admirers. No matter what she can do with that tongue of hers, my motor only gets turned on by the male anatomy.

"Maybe with one of the guys, but Nyx is all mine. For now, we're just going to look around and maybe talk to some people. You haven't seen Candy around by any chance. I was hoping to introduce the two of them."

I'm smart enough not to open my mouth. I may not be considered brilliant, but I'm clever enough not to object to anything Ben says, at the moment.

"She was in yesterday all excited about something. She wouldn't tell anyone what was going on, but she did talk to Gore for a little while. I don't think your little cupcake is ready for Candy's kind of fun. Her skin looks just a little too unblemished."

If she could see under my clothes, she wouldn't make that assumption. I take solace in the fact that she doesn't appear to have X-ray vision. Like everything else around here, she's odd enough as it is.

"Believe me; Buttercup likes things a bit rough. I've tried her out and she couldn't get enough of my gentle touches," Ben says and starts laughing. No part of that statement was amusing. We need to find a nice quiet corner where I can kick him in the boy parts for implying that we spend time in the bedroom together. "Does Gore happen to be in the house? I really would like to catch up to my rogue succubus."

Sherry is busy giving me a speculative eye. I see a bit of lust when she meets my gaze, but she looks to have a lot of questions piling up behind that lust. Ben coughs and diverts her attention.

"He's back in his usual room with Phreddie. He took her back about an hour ago, so you should be safe to go knock." She glances over at me again and I refuse to meet her eyes this time. "I wish I was able to overpower your mark, Ben. I really like this one. Call me if you ever change your mind about sharing. It would be enjoyable for all of us."

"Thanks, Sherry. I'll keep you in mind," Ben says, and then grabs my hand to drag me away.

I allow it this time and pull Alex along. The rest of the room still seems to be focused in on us. I hope Sebastian realizes just how much I love him.

We make our way into an empty hallway. I continue to feel like I'm being watched, but it isn't anywhere near as bad. I don't know if there are cameras on us right now or if it's just an invisible demon in the hall with us, but there's something keeping watch.

"What was she?" Jake asks. "I wouldn't mind getting to know her a little better. Is she really in to whips and such or can she be persuaded to do things a little bit more normal?"

"Normal is a very relative word. To answer your first question, she's an Underworld Nymph. They can be rather annoying, but are really great in the sack. Unless you have another female you're ready to play with, you're barking up the wrong tree.

"Sherry likes girls and very seldom does she play with just a boy. At this moment, unless you got Nyx involved, I think you'd be out of luck," Ben explains. "And she's into a whole lot more than just the whips, as are most demons, so you'd be safer keeping your love interests above ground."

"Do all of these Nymphs follow her gender leanings? She was cute, but I'm open to introducing myself to others of her species."

"He doesn't fully understand where we are yet, right? I thought I explained things to him," Ben says, and I hear everyone except for Jake sigh.

"It wouldn't matter. He likes girls a whole lot. There was a time I thought we were turning over a new leaf, but it didn't work out," I say and try to ignore Jake all together. "Do I want to know what's behind all of these doors?"

The hallway we're in seems to never end and every five, or so, feet there's a door on each side. We must have past at least fifty already.

"I doubt it. We're in Hell, if you need reminding as well. You're lucky they're soundproofed or you'd probably be hearing a lot of screaming. Think of Sins on steroids and you'll have a good idea. Make sure to keep horny wolf from getting too close to any of them. He'd be eagerly welcomed," Ben warns.

"Just how much farther is the door we're looking for?" Marcus asks from behind me somewhere.

"We're here," Ben announces, and turns towards a door on the left. I don't see anything special about the red door. It looks like every other one we have walked by. "I'll be polite and knock. I wouldn't want you innocents getting too corrupted." He laughs, and then proceeds to start knocking.

Chapter 11

Blueberries are now on my list of foods to avoid like the plague

"What do you want?" a voice booms from the room.

Shouldn't that be impossible if the room is soundproofed? The voice didn't sound too welcoming. If the person behind the door didn't have information I needed, I'd suggest we come back later.

"Hey, Gore, it's me. I'd like to have a quick chat. Is everyone decent?" Ben calls back.

"Sure. Come on in."

Ben opens the door and walks in. The rest of the group follows close behind. I hope someone has a hold of Jake and he doesn't run off to take a peek in another one of the rooms. I know it's a silly thought, but I bet most of the other people in our group thought it as well. When we're all safely in, Ben closes the door and I get a chance to look around.

I think Ben should've clarified just what we were expecting when he said decent. There's a male demon propped up in bed smoking from some sort of pipe. The air in the room is heavy with the smoke, and I can tell it isn't just some tobacco.

It's giving me a little fuzzy feeling and it's making my lady bits start to sweat just a tad. If this is the effect I get from just the smoke in the air, I'm going to need to get out of this room quick. Because the tad I just mentioned was putting it lightly. If I don't get out of here soon, I'm afraid the dam is going to burst down below.

Speaking of lady bits, the female lying next to the guy is passed out with hers open for all to see. There's some weird looking blue fluid covering that region of her body that has me cursing my inquisitive nature. I can guess what it is and the amount of it is really alarming. She looks to be one of the weird banana boobed women, judging from the general shape of hers.

I feel Alex move to stand behind me and considering the tool rubbing my back, either the fog in the room or the scene in front of us is giving him a similar experience to what I feel. It's good to know I'm not alone.

"It's the drug combined with your reaction to it," he informs me. "We should probably make Ben hurry this along."

I agree with that notion. Ben should be able to pick up on the communication and figure out that we want to get out of here as fast as possible. I look over at the man, who must be Gore, and realize he too is naked. The girl might be spent, but his serpent like appendage looks to be putting on a show. Literally.

There's a somewhat thin, foot long fleshy thing, swaying to a beat only it hears, coming up from in between his legs. All of a sudden it thickens to about the size of my fist in diameter. I have a small fist, but dang that's weird and big. I look up at his face and see him looking back.

"I still have plenty of loving to go around, cutie. Want to come over here and have a go? I hear it tastes like blueberries if you like that sort of thing. Otherwise, we can just fill you up like I did Phreddie."

With him I'm not really feeling a draw, but if he doesn't mind vacating the bed and taking banana boobs with him, I think me and Alex could put on a five-star show. My clothes are already itching to come off.

"Ben, would you care to move things along a little quicker. Nyx is out past her bedtime and should really be getting home," Alex says, and I'm good with letting him talk for the two of us right now.

Any words that are able to form from my lips would more than likely be way inappropriate for the situation. As it is, I've found a nice portion of the wall to fixate my eyes.

"Ten-four. Gore is an incubus in case any of you were wondering, so even though his usual tricks won't work on our girl, I think moving on quickly is the way to go," Ben says, repositioning himself to stand in front of me. Dang it. Now he's blocking my great view of the wall. "Gore, I heard you were talking to Candy recently. Would you mind sharing what your sister had to say?"

"Sure. If you let me spend a few minutes alone with the girl, I'll tell you anything you want to know. She looked intrigued by what I have to offer. I don't think she's been getting enough at home. Her need is very clear in her eyes."

That makes Alex growl. He didn't seem to mind Sherry hitting on me and the earlier offer from the incubus didn't really faze him, but I think there was a change in the dude's voice that hit his protect my mate bone. Okay, I know it was the implication that Alex wasn't satisfying me, but Ben doesn't seem to like it either and sprouts large bird wings from his back.

"Gore, this isn't a negotiation, maybe I forgot to mention that. Nyx is off limits to anyone in Hell other than me and she's not something that I'm going to share. Now, tell me where your sister is hiding or you'll be figuring out a new way to use the toilet, because I will shove a rusty, quarter inch nail up your pee hole."

Wow. I didn't know demons even used the facilities like normal people. Even if he doesn't, that sounds a tad bit painful. I don't expect Ben would be gentle about it either.

"Is that a command, my evil warlord?" Gore's tone has changed from flirtatious to annoyed. Ben does tend to have that effect on people.

"Yes, now where is she?" Ben's voice echoes through the small room. I think the walls even shake a little from the force.

"I hate when you do that. I wish you'd give me the same freedoms you give Candy. You recruited us at the same time; we should be given the same privileges. It isn't my fault she lets you dominate her in the bedroom and you enjoy it." I won't say Gore whines out these words, but it's pretty close. "Ow. Dang it, Ben. That was really uncalled for."

I can't see what happened because of my wall of Ben, but I hope someone gives me a full report later. I didn't even see or feel Ben move.

"Gore, I think you'll come to realize I have very little patience today. It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure that much out."

I'm glad to say that I haven't seen Ben in this mood before. I don't know what has changed to make him so mad, but I'm finding it all very interesting.

"She's in Night Owl; at least that's what she said. She had some score to settle and said if I needed her, to stake out a bar called Gulliver. She was planning to pick up her nightly meals from there. That's all I know, so please can you take the vice off my balls. That's so not cool."

I guess I don't have to ask what Ben ended up doing to make Gore scream like a girl. Ouch. As far as the information he's handed out goes, what's up with having to venture to bars all of the time? Can't a bad guy or informant hang out at the laundry mat or something?

"See, that was all you had to do. Nice doing business with you. If I find that you somehow warn Candy of our impending arrival, you won't like the outcome at all. We'll leave you to play with Winifred some more as she looks to be waking up. I'm sure she can help remove the vice. I didn't put any special locks on it or anything," Ben says, and then spins around to face me. "Buttercup, it's time to go. I think it's probably too late tonight to try to meet up with Candy, but we can meet at that bar first thing tomorrow."

It sounds like he wants to have us on our way, so he can see to something else. I'm all for that, but I think we need his help to get back up to our world. I go to open my mouth to articulate the situation, but he puts his finger up to my lips.

"Clyde can show you the way out. He knows what to do. I'll see you tomorrow." Me talking is evidently frowned upon, so I nod and turn around. "This is for your protection." I hear whispered very softly in my right ear. I have really good hearing and I barely hear it.

"Let's get the troops moving. I could really use a steak and one of the stuffed toys that I hid from you because I like to do the nasty with them, or maybe Alex's pillow. I can't remember if it's one of those super fluffy ones or if it has some firmness to it. Firmness would be good. The fluffy ones don't rub me the right way." There were reasons I never wanted to know the thoughts going through Clyde's mind and I think I just experienced the item at the top of the list.

I believe I'm going to need to pick up some new pillows on the way home. I'm afraid to sleep on mine now.

Alex turns me around and pulls me into his side as we shuffle out of the room. Ben firmly closes the door with him still in the room as soon as my feet are on the other side. Okay, I thought he had somewhere else to be, not that he was staying behind to play with the incubus and his friend.

Oh well, not my problem. The eyes in the empty hallway seem to be following us again. I hope I don't have to ever make a trip down here again. It's bad enough I have the new tattoo on my back, taunting me with the fact that I could very easily become one of the things that dwell down in this heat. To actually be here experiencing it, is another story.

"I'm just happy that Ben somehow blocked the smoke in the room from making your hormones do the happy dance. A minute of it was about as much as I could take," Alex says, dragging me along.

I didn't realize it, but he's right. After Ben stood in front of me, I don't remember the out of control need to rough Alex up. I'll have to remember to thank the demon for that. I already have something a little odd going on with my system. I don't need the extra help in that department.

Back in the main room of the bar, it looks like most of the inhabitants have cleared out. Less people makes me feel slightly better, but without Ben around to scare demons away, I don't want to be pulled into any conversations.

"Off so soon? What a shame. Do come back for a visit soon, cupcake," Sherry hollers from up on the bar, where she's taking her turn doing a strip tease. We have to start pushing Jake along when he notices. "Convince her to join, and you can have all of this you want."

I don't look over to see what she's offering, but Jake starts nodding his head.

"Big brain now, Jake. You're such a moron sometimes," I say and stomp down on his toes to get his attention. "Alex, I seriously don't know why you put up with him. We need to just castrate him and get it over with."

"Hey, that's just wrong. I'm going. I can't believe none of the other guys want to stop to check out the merchandise." He starts moving, but offers a quick air kiss to Sherry before we reach the doors.

"The other guys know they're on duty. You can play Romeo on your own time and Clyde will be grounded if he ever helps you get back down here."

"No worries there. I know you kind of like the idiot and they'd eat him alive down here. He'd come back as a hundred-year-old man on life support," Clyde reports. "Okay, now I don't do the whole arm waving thing like Ben, so you guys might want to step back."

Alex and I take a step back immediately and I motion for everyone else to follow. Clyde takes in a deep breath and then lets out a loud, echoing bark. The walls and ground shake and I grab onto Alex to keep from falling.

"You could have warned us to cover our ears," I say, and shake my head a little to try to stop the ringing.

"Just get in the hole. I don't know how long it stays open." Clyde says and then jumps in.

To jump or not to jump? It's a very important question. Sadly, it only has one answer. The portal looks about the same as the one Ben made, so I go ahead and follow. I really hope that this will be the last portal I have to jump in for a while. I'm just not meant for traveling between worlds.

Chapter 12

The angel made me do it

When I come out of the portal on the other end, many things alert me to something being wrong. The first being that I'm in some kind of meadow, followed closely by the fact that the guys aren't with me.

This is just great. I have no idea where a meadow is within about a five state radius from Night Owl City. I've never seen as many flowers as are currently blooming around me.

Not being one to sit around and allow things to fix themselves, I stand up from where I was deposited on the ground and start looking around. I still basically only seeing flowers. There might be a tree off in the distance, so I guess I'm heading that way. If I can climb up it, maybe I can get a better look at my predicament.

Clyde and I are going to have to have a talk about sending Mommy off to strange places. He could've at least let one of the guys come with me. Even if it was Jake, I wouldn't be stuck counting the tulips as I pass them to try to occupy my mind. My brain needs a lot of stimulus or I start pondering things like the changes that are going on in my life.

Like the whole graveyard thing with that ghoul, that was just weird. Add to that my compassion levels rising, my increased want to play hanky panky and a sudden lack of interest in killing people, and I think something is wrong with me.

I can kind of understand wanting to play with my mates more, but I never had a compassionate bone in my body before and I really did enjoy being an assassin. I can't say I totally hate how things are turning out; it's just a little strange.

"You'll get used to it, sister. Your change is a little bit harder than the rest of ours," a male says, and something appears walking next to me.

I stop and go to grab a knife. I may not enjoy killing as much as I used to, but I'm not going to just let someone sneak up on me.

"Just who are you?" I ask, taking in the semi-glowing man.

He has big golden wings that look quite a bit similar to mine. As far as clothing goes, he's wearing a standard pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. He has blonde hair, which may actually be white. It's hard to tell with the glow effect he's giving off. He definitely has the brightest blue eyes I've ever witnessed.

"You can call me Gabe. I've been sent to enlighten you. It's just about time for your true path to be laid out and we wanted to make sure you were ready."

I give the guy my standard "I'm talking to a crazy person" glare. The only thing keeping me from trying to do him harm is the fact that his wings match mine. I don't know why, but that means something to me.

"Of course it does. What I am is the missing piece that you've been searching for. Your mother at one time was one of us, but she chose a different path. We hope that you won't follow in her footsteps." Gabe waves his hands and a picnic table appears next to us. "Why don't we sit down? Things might be easier for you to understand in a seated position."

Right this second that sounds like a swell idea. I take a seat and he settles in across from me. "Okay, you have my interest. Just what are you? No one seems to want to tell me that missing piece of me."

"Try not to be too hard on the people who have figured it out. They wouldn't have been able to articulate it to you, even if they wanted to."

Now that we're seated, he tucks his wings in so they're no longer visible. He's still glowing, but I'll let that pass for the moment. The fact that he's been able to read my mind, so far, is the part of the situation disturbing me the most. I have enough people able to do that already.

"Yes, you do. Usually our kind doesn't surround ourselves with such an eclectic group of people, especially not the demon and Hellhound. You turned a few heads when you accepted the puppy, but we're a very forgiving race."

"You still haven't mentioned just what that race is," I say, trying to move the conversation along.

"We're angels, of course. Technically, you're only part angel, thanks to your mother, but the calling is still in your blood."

Angels. I'm sort of friends with a demon, and well aware of the fact that they have counterparts up in the sky, but I never thought that I could be part angel. Seriously? Maybe this guy was smoking off of Gore's pipe.

"Since you can read my mind, I'm sure you realize I'm having just a little bit of an issue believing what you say." Little may be an understatement.

"I know and now is not the time for me to prove everything that I'm about to tell you, but that time is coming soon. When a partial angel, like you, turns twenty-three they can ascend into their full powers. It can be a very daunting task for someone who wasn't raised Upstairs, which doesn't happen very often. Most of the time when us full angels beget a child with a human, the child is taken away to be raised in our ways. Your case made that impossible, so you were allowed to mature in the regular world."

"So, my mother, the angel, came down from heaven and got my father to impregnate her. What about the situation is different from any of the other times you guys come down to find some action?"

"There are many differences. When you meet your mother, which I'm sure will happen sooner or later, you'll probably understand a bit more. Aside from her part of the equation, I mentioned that we other angels only bestow children on humans. We stay away from copulating with paranorms for a very good reason.

"The resulting child ends up being a tool of great power to anyone who can wield it. The list of those capable of controlling what you'll become is very small. It's our hope that you won't mind guiding your own destiny. We'll be there to assist, when possible, but we don't want to control your actions. There's that whole free-will mandate going on Upstairs."

"I'm all for people not controlling me. How can you be so certain this will actually all take place? I'm more than just an angel and a werewolf."

Gabe holds out his hand and an orb appears in his palm. It looks a bit like a giant pearl. There are different shades of white and cream swirling around in it. I want to reach out and grab it, but I hold my hands tightly together.

"You're right. You're many things, but you've already felt the changes, so I have no doubt that you will ascend like all the other angel hybrids."

He continues to look into his orb. I don't know if it's some kind of crystal ball or what, but I'm hoping he's actually seeing something and not just dazed by the swirls. "It's an orb of life, your life. You'd be surprised to know that it shows you have a pure heart. If there was anything that tarnished you, it wouldn't be this clear. It'd have tints of black or red swirling with the white."

"Now I know you have me confused with someone else. I've killed enough people to get what I'm told are reaper markings on my back, I think that means I'm just a little bit more than tarnished. Maybe you should take the story you're selling and try it on someone else." I'm ready to get back to my guys and if I knew a way out of here, I'd be scurrying over that direction.

"You've killed many. There's no denying that fact, but do you honestly believe angels never get their hands dirty. We have a class devoted to doing battle against the evils of the world. None of the people you killed made the world a better place. They were murderers and rapists, running around, turning the faithful into the faithless. Each one of them was marked by Lucifer. You've always served as one of our warriors, even if you didn't know it."

As he speaks, the glow around him starts pulsating and gets a little intense. I divert my eyes and just briefly, out of the corner of one of them, I see him sitting there with wings even larger than the ones he originally was wearing, and the little bit of pulsing he was giving off is nothing compared to the bright light that I see surrounding him.

"Don't look too closely," he warns. "You aren't ready to witness one of us in our true form. Your time is coming soon though."

"So, when I become this angel you claim, do I have to start hanging around Upstairs with the rest of you? I kind of have a life here and would prefer to stick around."

"We're well aware of your situation. Your life is here with Alex and Sebastian, and any other riffraff you happen to collect along the way. We're certain that you'll stay on the path of good and straighten out the paranorms who have become corrupt. Many things have been prophesied about you. I choose to only believe about half of them, even if they all will probably come true. Everything I've heard keeps you with your mates. So rest assured, you won't be leaving them anytime soon."

If he's been as stalkerish as he seems, he has to know I'm not going to like him knowing bits of how my future may turn out and him not sharing. Maybe they don't have kindergarten in angel school.

"Your sense of humor is great, and it will help you during the trials ahead of you. You're preparing to go up against a succubus to retrieve your mate, right?"

"Correct. An evil not nice word succubus has taken Sebastian." For some reason it seems wrong to call Candace what I really want to call her while sitting in front of an angel.

"Don't worry. They're just words. Your emotions are what give them meaning. It isn't like I haven't ever said a curse word. Angels aren't any more perfect than any other being. We just like to pretend the halos make us that way," he says with a little laugh. I guess that's a good thing to hear, because I'm far from perfect, and I have the scars to prove it. "As far as your succubus goes, you've been told of the Panoptic blade, or knife I think it was called during your conversation, and you feel it would help you accomplish your task."

"Well, yeah. If it can really kill a demon, I think it would be helpful. Candace has made it clear she'd love to see me dead. If it's a choice between me and her, I think I'll go with me living."

"I believe most people would make the same choice. We've already covered that, even if you don't believe it, you're still a pure heart, so I think you can take on the two trials that are required to obtain the knife. These trials aren't to be confused with the ones you go through during your ascension. Depending on their outcome, we may consider giving you a pass on one of the other trials, but that has never happened before."

This little side trip to la la land might not have been as bad as I thought it was going to be. First, I found out what my third part is, although the verdict on the answer is still out, and second, I have the opportunity to get my hands on a knife that can kill Candace. I'd say that things are looking up. I'm only slightly worried what these trials are going to have in store for me.

"So, for these trials to get the knife, what do I have to do?" I ask Gabe, ready to get down to business. I have no idea what's going on in the real world or where I actually am, but time is a wasting as far as Sebastian's quality time with the monster goes.

"Patience. It's one of the things you really need to work on. You can't rush Fate and she's the one administering your exam. I've just given the green light for it to be started. You'll get your beloved back and learn some valuable lessons along the way. For now, I'll get you back to Alex.

"I didn't stop time to pull you out of that portal. Time does pass differently here, but not that different. About ten minutes will have passed in your world. I imagine we're to the point where they're becoming frantic, so you need to be returning."

"That's it. You're an angel hybrid who will wield great power, you'll do some ascension thingy, and get ready for various trials if you really want to get your hands on that knife you're looking for. For some reason, I was hoping for something a little bit more when I finally found out what my third part was." I have no idea what being an angel even means. I didn't think it was possible to even be one.

"This is the first of many meetings we'll have leading up to your birthday. Your ascension trials will begin the week before. I'm sure you won't have any issues with them. Your whole life has been leading up to this moment."

Easy for him to say. I bet since he's a full angel, at least I think he is, that he didn't even have to go through any special trials. He was probably handed a halo the second he was born or created or however a full angel comes to be.

"Just go reassure your werewolf mate that one of the demons didn't grab you on your way out of Hell, would you?" Gabe says, and then waves his hand like Ben does when he wants something to appear. Sure enough, a nice little portal appears in the ground next to the picnic table. "They're waiting for you in the cemetery. I suggest waiting to tell them where you've been until you get home. There are too many prying ears around that place."

It's sound advice, so I'll probably take it. I stand up and make my way to the portal. I jump into the portal and hope yet again that it will be the last one I have to take. Let me get back to the world I was born in and just leave me there. All future conversations with persons from either Upstairs or Downstairs can just take place in my office.

Chapter 13

Just how long does it take to drive across town?

I land unceremoniously on the ground in the middle of the cemetery. Have I mentioned I hate portals? As I pick myself up off the ground and start brushing the dirt off of me, Clyde runs up to me, panting like a madman, or mad dog. At least he isn't foaming at the mouth.

"Can you yell, 'She's over here,' for me at the top of your lungs?" he asks. "Alex can probably pick you up again, but I want everyone to know it was I that found you. They thought I sent you to Antarctica somehow."

"No, I'm not yelling anything in the middle of a graveyard. I don't want to wake anything up."

I already had one creepy ghoul experience. Another, on top of the earth shattering news I just received, would push me over my limit. I look at the sky and notice the sun is starting to come up. If they have Will still out here helping with the search, we need to get him to shelter pretty quickly.

"Meet us at the cars, if you would. It's easier to rendezvous there since we're all spread out trying to find you." I hear Alex say. I take off in a quick jog to meet them.

"It wasn't my idea," I say when I'm out of the cemetery and have a visual on the guys.

"I didn't figure it was, but when you have a succubus out there who doesn't value your life as much as I do, I have to be a little concerned. Neither I nor Clyde could contact you, and that worried me more than anything else."

I can see how that would be an issue. I didn't even think to check the connection when I started wandering around aimlessly prior to my mystery guest showing up. When my mind suddenly becomes my own again, I don't even notice it anymore. That's a bit sad.

I might actually find comfort in the guys having a place in my brain. I think that means Hell just froze over. Too bad we just left before the event took place. It would've been something worth seeing.

"I can't say anything yet; at least I was told it wasn't a good idea. Let's get everyone back to the penthouse and we can have a nice chat on what our plan of attack will be to get Sebastian back."

"You're the boss. We're all taking the same vehicles, so let's move out," Alex commands and everyone hurries to do his bidding.

Walt walks over on his way to the Jeep and gives me a quick hug. "It isn't nice to scare an old man like that, niece." He releases me as fast as the hug started and is on his way.

"I'm sure no one was more surprised than me that I didn't travel on with the rest of you," I reply as I scramble into the car. Will is already in the backseat and he left the door open for me. "You holding up okay?" I ask, turning around to face him. I don't see any blisters starting or little sparks of flame just waiting to erupt.

"Far as I can tell, everything is just dandy. Alex assured me that if the search had to last past sunup, the windows in here would keep me safe, if I had to run for cover. I didn't feel anything out there as the sun was starting to make its move. I'm not willing to run out and test its effect, but I'm not really afraid of it."

"Good. Sebastian says that it's natural for you to want to go out into the sun, but you should probably refrain from standing out in the middle of the day. As far as anyone knows, you're a normal vampire, but you haven't even had to take a drink yet, so who knows." Alex waits for me to turn around and leans over to give me a quick kiss on the cheek before he starts the car and gets us heading in the right direction.

"About the whole drinking thing, I have to have fangs in order to accomplish that, right? So far, I haven't felt anything going on in the canine area. Should they have appeared by now?"

"I think at first they should come out with strong emotions. Hunger and anger would be the normal ones. They won't be very big, but you should feel some wrongness with your gums when they first erupt."

"Do you think we could try a feeding when we get back and you're done explaining where you've been? I think I'm starting to feel hungry and I don't want it to turn me into a crazed, blood starved lunatic."

"I'm glad to hear that. Since you're such a young vampire, I don't think the guards would have any problem restraining you if it came to that, but the fact that you don't want to get to that point gives me hope for you," Alex says and I concur.

A lot of recently turned humans would think an explainable bloodthirst is a good reason to lose control. I didn't spend a lot of time with Will pre-transformation, but from what I observed, he did seem to have a good head on his shoulders, for someone cursed with a Y chromosome.

"With all the vampire guards in the building, there are plenty of feeders available for you to choose from. Just let Marcus know your preference and he can find someone for you," I tell him.

"Do you know if it has to be right from a person? Can't I drink it from a glass or something? I don't know if my fangs will even come out, and it might be a little embarrassing if they don't," he replies.

I can understand where he's coming from with the embarrassment issue. It would probably be similar to having erectile dysfunction. Not being able to perform in any aspect has to be hard on a guy. It's too bad that I have no idea the answer to his question. I've always just fed from Sebastian and have never felt the need to ask. "We'll have to check with Marcus, because I don't have a good answer."

"It sounds like pretty much any questions I have about my new life should be directed to the guard. I can do that, but if you're at least part vampire, don't you think you should know the answers as well?"

"Maybe, but the vampire side of things is only a small part of what makes me tick. I can only feed off of Sebastian, so getting the specifics on how fresh my blood source has to be has never been an issue."

"What are you planning to do while he's out of the picture? You still have to eat, right? Does Alex serve as a stand-in?" We should have Sebastian back before it comes to that, but if it did, Alex would be the only other person I'd willingly drink from.

"If worse comes to worst, I have no problem opening up a vein, or two, for Nyx. We prefer to keep that between her and Sebastian, though. It's part of their relationship that I leave alone as much as I can. As you may have noticed, without even being around us that long, we're still working out all of the kinks in our relationships." Alex finally pulls into the parking garage on what had to have been the longest ride across town since the beginning of time.

It wasn't more than ten minutes, but when I have news I'm trying really hard not to think about, it makes the ride seem longer.

I hop out of the car and hold the seat up for Will. "I've been afraid to ask for more information on your guys' relationship. I know how much Nyx hated when I asked before, and now that she's my mommy, or whatever you want to call it, I'm worried she'll send me to bed without supper." He steps out of the car and I narrow my eyes just a little. "See, she's already planning punishments for me."

"What a wuss. If I believed for a second you'd actually dole out the punishments you thought up in your head, I might actually be a good dog. I bet it won't take bro long to figure that out," Clyde says, trotting over to join us.

"I'm just happy that you can't directly communicate with him, so you two won't be able to plan evil plots against me."

"Either I'm lost or you're talking to the dog again. I really hope it's the dog."

"You did tell him my name, didn't you? I don't like being called 'the dog'. Do I look like I'm just a dog? What 'dog' is able to bark and open up a portal? Not even Lassie can do that and as far as the human companion version of my family tree goes, that dog is a top dog."

"You should probably refer to him as Clyde. He gets a little pissed when you don't acknowledge him like you would another person," I explain, and hope Will picks up that little tidbit of advice quickly.

"I can do that. As far as what my day-to-day, or night-to-night, life goes, what am I supposed to do now? I want to finish off this movie, but after that, I plan to cut ties with the industry."

"If you're going to be hanging around with us, which you're kind of stuck doing, you'll start training pretty soon. We need to see what your skill level is and where you'll fit best in the scheme of things. For at least a while you'll be glued to my side, as much as I hate that idea, because we don't know what for sure is going on with you," I inform him.

"Do you spend all of your time fighting?"

"Only ninety percent of it. I'm sure you'll learn why we do the things we do in the days to come. For now, I think our question and answer time is over. We need to get upstairs, so I can fill everyone in on my little side trip."

Smitty walks by us whistling a familiar sounding tune. I can't put my finger on the lyrics or song title. That kind of thing drives me nuts, so I have to find out.

"What are you whistling, Smitty?" We all make it to the elevator and cram our group inside. It's a real tight fit, but we somehow make due.

"Oh just a little tune that I think will explain where you've been. Maybe you have heard of it, 'If an Angel Came to See You'."

I can't see his face with the current sardine configuration, but I can tell there's a pretty big smile spreading across it.

"You said while you were at the conference someone showed you the light. You weren't really meaning figuratively, were you?"

"I don't imagine we were shown the same thing, or even met the same person, but I have a pretty good idea what you're about to tell the rest of the group."

The elevator doors open and we all exhale as we get out. "Why would they come to you before telling me all of the important details?" I ask, spinning around to face him now that we have the room.

"I won't pretend to know what they're thinking, but I had my loyalties divided and they wanted to make sure you had all of the strong guards you could get for the trials in case anything went wrong. They made it very clear that I'd be needed and it was time for me to choose. After the things they showed me, I have no doubt where I belong."

"You keep saying they, did you meet more than one?" I ask, excited that I'm not the only one to experience at least one of them.

"It was just one guy, but he said 'we' a lot instead of 'I' when he talked. It kind of made them seem like a group more than just individuals."

"What did he say to you? It has to be a big deal for one of them to take time out of their schedule to come down and meet with you."

"What was said is personal. Even if it does involve you, it isn't something I'm willing to share. I'll say that I finally feel like I'm on the right path in life. Since the meeting, I've felt a calm that was never available for me."

"Okay, I'm going to have to break in here," Alex says, and he swoops me up bridal style to carry me out of the foyer and into the living area. He settles down on a couch with me in his lap. The rest of the group files in and takes their spots around us. "Now that you guys have stopped talking for a second, why doesn't one of you clue the rest of us in on what this discussion is about."

"I thought Smitty's song title explained it all. An angel is what snatched me out of Clyde's portal." I'm immediately met with some really blank stares. I guess this one is going to take some explaining.

Chapter 14

No matter what makes me tick, I'm still just me

"An angel just came and snatched you up?" Alex asks, adjusting me so he can get a good look at my face. If I wasn't the size of a doll, he wouldn't find the task so easy.

"He had gold wings like me, glowed and called himself an angel. All things required on my list for a person to be one. He didn't come right out and say it, but I'm pretty sure he's sorry for making you guys worry. He just said it was time for things to be explained." Personally, I would've liked to hear those things a good twenty years ago.

"And he explained what exactly?" Walt asks, moving to the edge of his couch cushion across from me.

I think about the question for a second and realize that Gabe didn't explain a whole heck of a lot, as far as I'm concerned. He was successful in making me come up with even more questions though.

"He didn't really explain a whole lot. He did tell me my missing part was an angel. I guess that was the most important part of the conversation. He said angels breeding with paranorms was frowned upon because it creates some kind of super baby. I have to go through some crazy trials the week before my birthday and I'll do some weird ascension thing, but I don't really know what that means." I take a deep breath after rattling it all off.

"What exactly does you being an angel and ascending mean for us?" Alex asks, and his grip tightens around my torso.

"I made sure to clarify some points as far as that goes. Well, at least the fact that I'm not going to be moving Upstairs. Gabe said that my place is here with you and Sebastian. I don't really know what's going on with the whole angel deal. He says that's already shaping my decisions and altering who I am. I didn't have a lot of time with him and he did most of the talking while I sat there not really believing what was coming out of his mouth."

"So your mother was an angel? That just seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Aaron could've easily been deceived by one of them since they have powers similar to demons. I thought you said Ben claimed your third part wasn't able to have children," Jonas says, speaking up while everyone else is still thinking things over, me included.

"You're right, but I don't imagine angels are fertile for demons. There would be something wrong in the world if those two beings could mate together. Gabe indicated that the angels could, and sometimes do, have babies with humans. It didn't sound like something they went around doing often."

"Did this ever so helpful angel give you any other useful information? He didn't announce you were destined mates and had to start creating your own little babies, did he?" I can see introducing Gabe and Alex is going to be something I don't want to be in the middle of.

"I already told you he said I belong here with you. There was no talk of him and I running off together to start an island of cute angel babies. He did tell me that I get to go on a little quest for that stab anything and kill them knife. I don't know exactly how that's going to work, but I have two trials to get the bugger and if it will help get Sebastian back, I'm ready to get things started."

"Wait a second. I wasn't there when this knife was discussed, but Marcus did mention it to us wolves after the fact. He said you had to have a pure heart to get the dang thing, if it actually exists. Was your new angel friend really confused?" Jake asks.

I questioned it myself, so I can't take offense at his words. "I think that part of it was even more surprising to me than finding out I was part angel. I tripled checked with Gabe, and he had this pearl thing he claimed was my orb of life, or some silly thing. It was surprisingly lily white and beautiful. He said if I was really a bad girl, it would have dark colors running through it. I thought he must have mixed mine up with a toddler's, but he was pretty sure it was mine."

"You're really an angel?" Alex questions aloud, but it seems to be more of an internal problem he's trying to solve. "Out of all the beings in the world, that wasn't even near to being on the list of plausible possibilities. My mate is an angel, literally and figuratively. How many people can say that?"

"Hey, even if the literal part is now true, I'm not so sure about the figurative. Hearing her name still makes my testicles run for cover," Jake provides.

"Well, she's my angel and I'm happy you don't feel the same," Alex tells him. "It's getting to be time for bed, should we try to feed the baby and then call it a night?"

"Did someone bring home an unexpected guest?" Dante asks, looking around for the baby Alex mentioned.

"He's talking about Will, you dope. He claims to not really be hungry, but wants to give blood a try. Marcus, or any of you vampires who are real vampires, does he have to drink right from the source to be properly nourished? I know you can purchase bottles of blood at the store, but I don't know if that's just a recreational thing or if it does the same job as a vein."

"The blood in the bottles is preserved in a way that it doesn't lose any of the oomph that the original supply gives. I'm sure Sebastian has a couple of bottles here for emergencies. I'll run and get one," Marcus says, heading towards the kitchen.

"With you being his sire, we should also take into account that he may only be able to feed from you," Smitty adds. "Are you willing to let him try a sip if the bottled stuff doesn't work?"

"I turned him, so that's my responsibility. He doesn't seem comfortable drinking from the source and I know I wouldn't be exactly okay with that, so we should probably get an IV or something ready to draw it out."

"Technically, if it was you, I wouldn't mind the source that much. We had a fun make out session not that long ago, but I prefer not to get my balls smashed in for making the rude noises I can only imagine one makes when they're enjoying dinner," Will says.

Good. Another guy worried I might accidentally lose control of my foot or fist and end up landing a shot to their privates.

"Here you go. He had a couple of different bottles, so I chose the one I like most. Everyone's palate is different, but we should get a feel if blood is something you'll enjoy." Marcus hands him a nice champagne flute full of a dark red liquid.

"I'll go grab a donor bag and IV while you guys are doing the experiment. I have a feeling we may need it," Smitty says, hurrying off to his room.

Will takes the glass from Marcus and stares into it. I think trying to take it from the source might have been a better option. You don't have to think about it quite so much. Instinct takes over a bit more, and if you're lucky you might get a little action in your southern hemisphere at the same time.

For me and Sebby, sexual satisfaction has always been included. I know that's because of our bond, but the act of sharing blood with another is such a sexual act by itself, that taking it the step further isn't a far stretch at all.

"It doesn't really smell appealing. Should it?"

"Most babies would have slurped that glass down already and started looking for seconds. Take a little sip just to check, but I don't think it's going to do anything for you," Marcus directs.

Smitty returns with his medical equipment and takes a seat by me and Alex. "We better get you hooked up for this experiment. We won't siphon a lot out, just enough for him to do the test."

I give up my right arm to his doctoring. I don't feel like watching him stab a needle in me, so I keep focused on Will. He's raised the glass up to his lips and is in the process of slowly tilting his head back to have a drink. It only stays in that position for a second and then the glass is moved away and the funniest look I've ever seen appears on his face. It's akin to the one that Sebastian wore when he tried a cheeseburger for the first time.

"That's awful. You guys actually drink that stuff?" He looks around for a place to get rid of the glass and Marcus takes it from him and tips it back himself.

After a quick lick of the lips, he says, "I don't taste anything wrong with it. It has a nice cherry aftertaste."

"It tasted like mud. If I'm stuck having to live off of that, I'm screwed."

"Eat a lot of mud in your days to make that comparison?" Dante asks, chuckling at the situation.

"Sure. As a little boy, I made mud pies all the time to give to the girls. I always sampled my baked goods to make sure they were getting top quality," Will responds, and I'm not sure he's joking. If he isn't, maybe him and Clyde will get along even better than I thought, because Clyde does have a fascination with mud.

"Hand me the glass," Smitty says, and takes it when Marcus offers it to him. I realize that he's released my arm, so I bring it back up to my body. "Holy crap. This stuff smells really potent." He deposits the contents of his blood pouch into the glass and takes a big whiff.

"I can smell that over here," Dante says from across the way.

With a vampire nose on him, I imagine he could pick up the smell of blood from around the block, so it doesn't really impress me.

"Just give him the glass and let's get this over with. My bed is calling," I say, working to move things along. Hearing them talk about my blood is creepy.

Will walks over and takes the glass. He treats it like the previous offering and gives it a smell test. "It smells better. Kind of sweet instead of improperly aged cheese."

He tilts the glass back and takes an introductory sample taste. He looks to be letting the flavors have a chance to meld. He isn't spitting it out or vocalizing how much it sucks, so I'm starting to get a little worried. I'll feed the guy if I have to, but I'll hate having to do it.

Me and Sebby sharing is one thing. We need each other to live and we get a little something extra out of it. Will and I wouldn't be partaking in extracurricular activities and the feeding would be only one directional, making things just a bit awkward.

Will finishes his sample and then tips back the rest of the glass. I glance around at the other vampires in the room and their eyes are all glued to the glass.

"Darn. I was really hoping he didn't like that one. Sebastian would understand us not letting it go to waste," Marcus says, looking over to me.

"I thought vampires preferred to not feed from other vampires," I reply.

"It isn't something we do unless mates are involved or food is scarce. You aren't just a vampire, though, and that blood was giving off what I'm guessing is your new angel mojo in pretty strong quantities."

"I don't know of a vampire who has ever fed off of an angel. I bet there's a little power kick that goes along with it," Smitty adds.

"That stuff tastes good and if I didn't see you take it from the source, I'd swear it was some really good wine. The only problem is that it seems good for quenching a thirst, but it didn't do anything for the hunger that still seems to be building itself up. Any more suggestions?"

Maybe things aren't that bad. If the blood didn't fill him up, that should mean we don't have to worry about feedings. A happy dance is in full swing in my brain now. After a couple of turns on the dance floor, I move back to the question just asked. "Sure, I have a suggestion. Get in the kitchen and fix yourself a steak."

He doesn't like blood, so I'm going to assume he's going to be able to keep his old diet. The happy dance starts again and this time I found a pair of tap shoes.

Chapter 15

Another rare beef convert

Jake takes Will off into the kitchen so they can try the real food experiment. The rest of us remain in our seats, and I'm ready to ask Marcus more about his visit with Hilda and what goodies she sent home with him.

"If I'm successful with these trials, we should have a way to take care of Candace, but I'm interested to learn what the wicked witch gave you to help our cause. We can't rely on me actually being able to obtain the knife. I'll do my best, but if I'm required to kiss a bunch of babies, we're screwed."

Marcus rolls his eyes at having to talk about his visit with Hilda. "I forgot to mention earlier, that the betrayal she told you about previously is only going to sting a little. Nothing at all like the Great Spirit originally thought. She said you find out about it a different way than what was formerly planned and that you'll probably be able to just brush it off."

"Great. I'm sure everyone knew just how worried I was about her big warning."

"She puts a lot of faith in whoever she talks to, so to her it's always a big deal. My feelings on the matter lean towards she's nuts, especially if that other voice is telling her she has a chance with me. As far as the help for the current situation, she made up some of the banishing bombs that Alan told you about.

"She was familiar with the recipe and didn't trust you to get it right." That sounds about right. She wouldn't trust me to brush my own hair. "She said we could use those against the succubus too, but also sent along a little something that will freeze her in place. I don't know how much that will help, but she said it lasts about thirty minutes."

I wonder how much Candace would like to be stuck in place while I use one of her whips on her. Maybe I'll let Sebastian do the actual whipping. He's stronger after all and it should hurt more coming from him. I need to come up with something better than just whipping. I need to know what a demon's pain tolerance is before I make any final decisions on that matter. It has to be pretty high, so the torture will have to be comparative. Bamboo shoots under the fingernails are most likely too mild.

"I like it," I say, focusing back in on the conversation before my mind gets carried away. "You say they're bombs? We just throw them and they have the desired effect."

Marcus hops up and runs towards my bedroom. Guards don't tend to cross the threshold, so I find it a little odd. He returns with the sack that I stored in my closet. Not only did he cross the bedroom barrier, but he made it through to the closet. I think I would've preferred if he just asked me to go get the bag.

"I want to double check the fine print. I did look at it with her before I left, but I don't trust that she didn't somehow alter it when I left the shop." He dumps the contents out onto the coffee table. Will and Jake return and they're both carrying plates.

"You didn't think to offer to make something for anyone else?" I ask. Jake deposits his plate in front of Clyde and takes his seat. Will follows the seat taking part of the action.

"It's for Clyde, silly. He's always hungry and you said you were going to be heading to bed soon. I know you don't like to sleep on a full stomach. Everyone else is capable of getting their own food if they're hungry. Clyde would be able to feed himself with just a few modifications to the fridge. You should think about looking into that."

He has a point about me not liking to sleep with a ton of meat in my belly. I'm not too sure about allowing Clyde access to the fridge. I see a lot of problems arising from that move, namely us being eaten out of house and home. I focus over on Will who's taking the time to cut his steak into small pieces. He catches me looking and smiles.

"I'm not used to having my meat still mooing, but Jake assured me that would be how I enjoy it now," he says as he lifts a bite up to his mouth. He quickly licks his lips and then inserts the piece of cow."

By now, everyone is tuned in on the action. I hope that someone in the group knows the Heimlich in case Will ends up not being able to swallow the food down. My height makes it hard for me to perform the maneuver on anyone over the age of ten.

"Holy cow, literally. That's a really good piece of meat. Do you guys only buy Kobe beef or something?"

He begins to annihilate the rest of the steak like I'm used to seeing the men around me do. Darn, I thought there'd be at least one guy I could take out in public. Sebastian is usually elegant, but the other men have started to wear off on him and it isn't always pretty.

"Nah. You're just one of us now and can really appreciate the delicious hunks of protein the world has to offer," Jake says, clapping him on his back.

"Any other points of interest from the witch front?" Alex asks Marcus, directing the conversation away from the male bonding taking place between Jake and Will.

Marcus turns his attention back to the paintball looking objects in his hands. One is red and the other is green. They don't look like something capable of banishing or freezing a person, but I'll take Hilda's word for it. I'm pretty sure she could make a flick of dust level an entire state if she really wanted to. You'd think knowing that, I'd try to work out my differences with her, but I just can't find the motivation to put forth that kind of effort.

"I think they're clean. I don't see anything that says I'll magically fall in love with her once they're activated. We just toss them at our targets and they do the hard work," he says, putting them back into the bag.

I see he's handling them like they're priceless pieces of glass and I'm a little concerned on just how big of a wallop they really pack.

"How many did she send you home with and do we know if they have any effect on beings that aren't demons? What if a demon is able to move out of the way and one of them lands on one of us?"

"You'd think by now I would've remembered to ask more questions. None of us should be banishable, so I don't think that would be an issue. We'll probably be frozen in place though if the other ones hit us. If you want further clarification and assurances, you're going to have to call her yourself.

"As far as quantity, she sent thirty-five of the banishers and five of the freezers. She claimed that we wouldn't need more than a couple of the freezers and the others were going to be put in storage for a rainy day. I took that to mean we wouldn't meet up with any Shagles and Kurkua on the mission."

"But I want justice done for what they did to all of you guys. I can't just sit around and let all that slicing go unpunished." Whether or not I'm really turning over a new leaf because of all this angel business, I totally believe in an eye for an eye, and they at least need to get carved as nicely as Marcus was.

"The witch said not to worry and she would take care of everything on that front. She wanted you to hurry up and get Sebastian back so you could hear the big news. Don't ask for me to explain her comment."

It's probably just the big news about me being an angel. I think that's just about as big of news flash as one can get in their life.

"Well that steak really hit the spot," Will says, standing and then grabbing Clyde's empty plate and heads for the kitchen. It's good to see he cleans up after himself. "I'm feeling a little jet lagged now. Am I sleeping with you again tonight?"

"As far as I'm concerned, we didn't sleep together last night. They only put you with me because it helped with whatever process you were going through. I don't think we'll have the same problem tonight, so you'll be set up with your own room." When he woke up I wasn't in the bed, so I could've denied sharing a bed, but I'm sure one of the other guys would've filled him in.

"Princess, the guard quarters are a little full. I'm up on day watch, so he can use my bed for now, but we might want to start thinking about expanding. You have your mates keeping separate apartments that they rarely use and your little minion and her boyfriend are here more than their own place on most days," Jonas says.

"Just what are you implying? You think we should do a full-scale remodel to get everyone closer together? I don't know about you, but I like being able to send people out of my apartment and to their own place when they piss me off."

"You know we're just going to keep growing. The building is now full of guards and there aren't a lot of apartments vacant. We could even try to find a place that's closer to some woods, so Clyde can enjoy some greenery."

"I'm liking this idea, Mommy. Uncle Jonas is a smart cookie," Clyde adds his own two cents.

"You do know the only place around here that has the amenities you're listing is the Collective, right? Are you suggesting I walk up to their door and ask if they're looking to sell?"

"That's a great idea. Are we doing this now? I need to run and grab the camcorder," Jake says, moving to stand.

"Sit down, idiot. We aren't moving into the Collective's home. Even if they vacated it, I don't think I'd want to live there." Why we're even discussing a move, I still haven't figured out. I haven't been living in the apartment that long and I still love it here. Plus, the lack of space means they can't add any more personal guards for me. I think that's a big mark in the we're staying put column.

"Any way you look at it, Sebastian needs to be involved in that kind of decision. He and I both own quite a bit of real estate in many different paranorm towns, so we might have other options available to us. I do agree with Nyx on not moving into the Collective's home base. If nothing else, it isn't a place to raise a family, and I know she's going to deny it until she is blue in the face, but even without an actual live baby, we're raising a family."

Okay, he has a point, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it. We've all come together as a really weird family. There's no denying I have my two "husbands" and literally a crazy uncle in Walt. The guards are all kind of like brothers, there's Clyde and Will as my kind of children, and I can't forget my little sister, Phee. They've all banded around me and for some reason I find comfort in that.

I still don't want to move, so they might have a fight on their hands as far as that goes. If anyone feels they're getting too crowded, they can just start looking for alternative housing.

"I better get her to bed, guys. You know it isn't best to bring up life changing things when she's sleepy. She's entering the grumpy stage and will be getting hostile any minute now," Alex says as he stands, lifting me up as he goes.

"Love you, my wolfman," I whisper as he carries me off to bed.

"I know. I love you, too." He places me down on the mattress and works to start the process of undressing me. I didn't realize just how tired I was, but the night's events have exhausted my strength. "Everything will be back to normal tomorrow. I have a good feeling about that."

"Do angels need to sleep?" I ask as I start drifting off.

"Next time you find one to talk to, you can ask them. For some reason, it isn't something I've ever thought about before," Alex says, and he slips into the bed next to me. The last thing I feel before totally nodding off is him cocooning himself around me. I have to say, it's a really nice feeling.

Chapter 16

Kids are scary

I really need to let it be known that I greatly dislike having my dreams messed with. Is there some kind of bulletin board out there that I can post the message on? Alternatively, maybe I need to make a Social Friend page for that purpose. Since everyone checks things on Social Friend, that should get the message to the masses.

Back to the reason I think my dream is not one of my own, I'm back in the meadow from earlier today and it seems just a little bit too real for me. When I'm in my own dreams, I have this fuzzy haze that validates that things happening in dream world aren't real life. This is handy, because back in the early days of our relationship, I often maimed or killed Alex in my dreams. I'd never want to do something like that in real life, at least not now.

I look around and appear to be alone, which bites. If someone has something they'd like to tell me, I'd appreciate it if they hurry things along. I try to reach out to Alex, Sebastian and Clyde to see if anyone is tuning in and get nothing but static in return. How boring.

I don't feel like wandering around the flower fields, so I just take a seat and decide to wait whoever brought me here out. I grab a couple of the violets that are closest to me and start braiding them together. I'm not extremely good at the task, but I make due and I'm able to fashion a workable crown.

"Hello," a small voice says right next to me.

I wish people would wear little bells on their shoes if they're just going to show up like that. It gets to be rather annoying.

I look over and find a little boy sitting next to me. I don't have a lot of experience with children; this may end up being a bit interesting. I really hope my comment about kissing babies doesn't come back to bite me.

"Can I help you?" I ask. I have tons of questions I wouldn't mind asking, but that one seems like the most reasonable one.

"I don't know. I was trying to find my mom, but I lost her, and then I just showed up here with you and all these flowers. I don't like flowers. They're for girls."

That's nice, we already have something in common. I don't really like flowers either, but when you're surrounded by them, you make do.

I notice as he speaks he's missing a couple of his front teeth. I figure he's about six, maybe seven. I'm not basing my estimation on the missing teeth. For all I know, kids start losing teeth at two. I don't exactly remember when I started misplacing mine.

Looking at the boy, he has a curly mop of red hair atop his small face. He's in a normal pair of blue jeans and has a shirt with a blue dinosaur on it. Maybe it's a character from a television show. I couldn't really say.

"Where are you from? Maybe I can help you find your mom."

"I'm from New Jersey," he says proudly. I haven't really made a stop in the state, but I know there are many cities within it that would be more helpful destinations.

"You don't happen to know any more information about where you live, do you, kid?"

He looks at me like I've lost my mind. "Of course I do. I live in a yellow house on the corner. My friend Jimmy lives next door and we play soccer in my backyard. We live three houses away from my school."

Great. I'm teamed up with a fountain of information. Where's Gabe? I bet he can just zap the kid home.

"I don't know how long we'll be stuck here. What do you like to do for fun, kid?" I have no clue what topics to discuss, so I'm going to try to keep it on the safe side. I doubt he'll know much about my favorite topics, like which is the best gun to use in different situations.

"Why do you want to know? Maybe I shouldn't be talking to you. My mom told me about stranger danger and I don't think I could find someone stranger than you. You probably kidnapped me and made me forget." He starts narrowing his eyes at me like he's trying to figure me out.

"Maybe it's better if we don't talk," I turn away from him. Don't want him to think I'm making a move to molest him or something.

"You know what else?" he asks, tugging on my pajama top.

I kind of remember Alex taking clothes off, but I don't remember him dressing me. Oh well, I guess clothing is a good thing at the moment. If the kid is worried about me being a creeper, he should probably keep his hands to himself.

"No, I don't know what, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me."

"I'm not supposed to know, but my mommy and Jimmy's mommy can turn into really big lizards. I seen them do it once when I looked out my window. I have a pet iguana and they kind of looked like him, but they were pretty girlie colors and had wings."

"Just how old are you, kid?" Things are getting a bit more interesting here in dream world. Confusing might be a better word for it.

"My name is Scott, by the way, and I'm seven today. My mom was taking me to some special place to celebrate. She said there was going to be some really cool fire show and I'd get to have fun. Now, I'm stuck in a field of stupid flowers with you."

The kid is breaking my heart. Not really. It's probably best if I get as far away from him as possible. If Mommy was taking him to his fire ceremony, that means she was expecting him to go through his first transformation into a dragon.

My life sucks. Without the mommy dragon here to help him, and me without marshmallows, things are going to get really entertaining. I wonder if my just coming online angel powers can protect me from becoming barbecue.

Dragons aren't an abundant species. This is the first time I've come across one. They must all be hanging out in Jersey. They aren't any more dangerous than other paranorms, but a baby one getting ready to make their first change may be a handful. Without his mom around, I'm not sure how well he'll handle turning into a giant lizard.

"Okay, Scott. Let's try to talk this thing out. Have you ever heard the word paranorm before?" Maybe if I can keep him talking, he won't change into a fire-breathing dragon on me. The talking method has never worked for me before when I have employed it, but I keep trying.

"Duh. Just about everyone I know is a paranorm. Didn't you hear me say my mom changes into a giant lizard? I don't think that's a trait a whole lot of humans have."

"Hey, there's no need to get grumpy with me. How was I supposed to know your parents don't keep you under a rock?"

"It's just me and my mom. My dad is some important person and Mom says he's off trying to make the world a nicer place for us."

"Fine. Any way you look at it, you're a dragon. I bet your mom didn't tell you that." Ha. Top that, kid.

"Really? That's so cool. Mom doesn't look anything like the ones I've seen in movies. She was way smaller and her neck wasn't right. I don't think her wings were big enough either."

"And of course you believe everything you see in the movies or on television. I can tell you now that things aren't always what they seem, kid."

He stands up and stuffs his little hands in his pockets. The look on his face is one that graces mine all the time. The kid is pissed. If he was a girl, I'd swear it was his time of the month. The conversation so far has just proven to me that I'm not meant to spend any amount of time with children.

"I told you my name was Scott. Quit calling me kid. I don't know your name, but you don't hear me ending every sentence with old lady, now do you?"

The kid stomps off to whatever direction is left of us. It's probably a good idea. I'm not even twenty-three and I already have someone calling me an old lady. With the kid gone, I take my little violet crown and put it on my head. See, I'm not an old lady. I'm a princess.

I look over to where the kid was walking and don't see him anywhere. Maybe Gabe, or whoever brought him here, sent him back home to his mom. I bet she's older than I'm, and I doubt he'd call her an old lady. I don't know why the comment bothered me so much. I have two mates who love me just the way I'm, and their opinions are the only ones that really matter.

I decide I should probably wander after the kid to make sure he keeps out of trouble. I don't know if other beings are going to magically appear in dream world, and I don't think the kid knows how to protect himself. Even if he is a little punk, I'd feel bad if something happened to him.

I hop up and brush off my legs. I haven't seen any bugs crawling around, but for some reason it feels like they're swarming on my bare legs now. I make a mental note to tell Alex to make sure he dresses me in pants from now on.

I follow the broken path of flowers to try to find Scott. He wasn't gentle in his hurry to get away from me. I didn't think calling him kid was that big of an offense, so hopefully there's some kind of backstory. It could just be that he's moody because he's fixing to turn into a dragon sometime soon.

I wish Clyde was here with me. As one fire breather to another, maybe he could shed some light on the situation. If nothing else, the kid would've probably loved seeing a dog. It would've kept him busy while I tried to find a way out of our predicament.

I've been walking about as long as the kid was gone, but the path he traveled is still tramped down in front of me for as far as I can see. Did he take off running or something when I wasn't looking? He's a fast little bugger if he did. At this point, I'm a little upset that I didn't get to bring any of my weapons into this dream.

When Ben has shared dreams with me before, all I had to do was think of something and it would show up. I think of my flamethrower, because I can't conceive of anything that would comfort me more. Too bad it doesn't magically appear like I'd hoped.

Out of the blue, a scream echoes through the air, and I take off in a run towards it. Whatever is happening, I'm going to have to take it on hand-to-hand. The only tree I remember seeing before is gone, so I can't run over and try to get a branch to use as a club.

I don't understand why I can't see what's going on. There's just the meadow everywhere I look and it isn't like the flowers are tall enough to cover Scott. If he was hurt and lying down somewhere, I should be able to see that too.

"Scott, where are you?" I yell, remembering I do have vocal chords that are in working order.

I hear no reply, so I carry on and I finally see that the flowers are starting to look less disturbed. That should mean that he isn't that far away. I crank up my afterburners and continue to scan the scenery for any signs of him. As I glance to my right, trying to see any disturbances in the flowers I run square into something that feels like a giant tub of petroleum jelly. My momentum carries me through the squishy veil. If Scott hit this, I can understand why he'd be screaming.

I want to scream too, but I'm afraid to open my mouth. I'm only in the yucky stuff for a couple of seconds, but I really want a bath now.

On the other side, the pretty meadow is no more. Dream world has morphed into a very rocky place. I appear to be on a mountain range. Why couldn't I just wake up in bed when I found the edge of flower land, and why do the people running this place have to be so illogical?

Chapter 17

Dragons are scarier

When I'm left to my own thoughts, I come up with way too many questions that I ask myself and I'm unable to answer any of them. It does keep my mind occupied.

The question in my head now is why in the world did the kid have to take off? Staying put was a much better idea. He said his mom told him about staying away from strangers; didn't she mention when you're lost, you should stay in one place?

I don't see a clear path to lead me to where Scott got to, assuming he made it over here. Might as well try the yelling again, I don't think it will hurt anything.

"Scott, if you can hear me, you need to come out here this instant. I can tell you right now that I'm no good at hide and seek, so you'll be in your hiding place for a very long time if that's your game."

Other than the echo of my voice, I hear nothing. I'm glad that the entrance to this world didn't come out about five feet to my right, because the rock that I'm standing on looks to end over there. The only option I have in movement is vertical. Up or down, if I had a coin I'd flip it to help me decide where to go.

For some reason, I don't see the little seven-year-old I met moving in either of those directions. His thin arms looked to lack the strength needed to mountain climb. I walk back towards the place I think I entered this place, hoping that I can go back to the flowers.

Over there, life at least seemed to exist. Here things are dead and the air carries a heavy feeling of bleakness. In other words, it's depressing.

I guess I'll just sit here a while. It didn't work out for me last time, but maybe this time whoever is ruining a good day sleep for me will tire of this and send me back. My plan works for the amount of time it takes me to sit down. Another scream is let rip.

Damn. I guess I need to get moving. I think it came from above me and it wasn't that far away. The way this place echoes it could've come from miles away though. I walk over to the closest cliff wall and try to find some hand holds that I can use to climb up.

Okay, it doesn't happen often, but this is apparently one of the times my brain has decided to take a vacation. Why do I need to find a place to climb? I have wings.

I unfurl my golden beauties and leap into the air. There was half a second I was afraid they wouldn't be there, but taking away part of me that's part of two of the species swirling around in my blood would be wrong.

I don't really know what I'm looking for, but I start scanning everywhere I can see. "Hey kid, I'm getting really tired of this. If you're in this God forsaken place, please let it be known now."

A responding roar echoes around me and a gust of air makes me have to fight to stay in place. I hope whatever is sounding cranky didn't get a hold of the kid. I felt the air change from just above me, so I fly up a little, but before I get too far, something comes flying off a ledge at me. \

I quickly roll out of the way. I'm not alone anymore; however, I don't think I've found a friend. I spin around and an angry looking dragon is flapping its wings about twenty feet away.

I guess Scotty's temper tantrum went nuclear. I should've seen it coming. Just my earlier thought about it being his time of the month was enough of a hint. His dragon was coming to the surface and I don't think either one of us knows what to do with it.

I don't think dragons can communicate with anything other than dragons when they're in one of their rages, so trying to get him to calm down is going to be a little bit difficult. Impossible is probably a more accurate definition.

"Hey, Scott, remember me? I'm the really nice lady you were talking with over in the place with all the flowers. Why don't we try to find our way back there so we can find your mom?"

He lets out another roar and this time he's found his igniter. Flames that'd make Clyde jealous spark across the sky towards me. Crap. I roll out of the way and end up on a ledge. My landing leaves a little something to be desired. I take to the air again, so I have more area to move around.

"That isn't very nice, Scott. I'm trying to be nice, but you aren't leaving me a bunch of options." I don't have any weapons, so there isn't a whole lot I can do anyway.

"I have a knife you could use to help you slay the beast," a woman says, appearing next to me in the air.

I glance over and don't see any wings. She's just hovering in the air next to me. Great.

I feel something appear in my right hand and I close my fist around a knife handle.

"Shit. This is your stupid test, isn't it? If it is, this must be the knife that can kill anything. Just what do you expect me to do with it? At most I'd just try to subdue the kid, but I can't go stabbing him with this knife."

As I finish speaking, I feel the heat of what can only be another bonfire coming closer. I dive down a couple of dozen feet to get clear of it.

"I don't think the dragon cares very much whether you want to cause permanent damage or not. He sees you as a threat and wants to kill you," the woman says, moving along with me.

"Look lady, I don't know who you are, nor do I really care. This little test thing you got going on is really lame and it's ticking me off. I may not be the most compassionate person in the world, but I don't go around killing people just because they've hit puberty for their species. That's just stupid."

"But he's going to kill you. I don't think he was exactly kind to you when he was in human form either."

"No, he isn't going to kill me. Are you on some kind of drug or something? I have wings too and I can just fly away if he gets out of hand." I'd really like to fly away from him and her.

"He's bigger than you and can catch you," she says.

I wish I wasn't keen on keeping an eye on the dragon, because I'd really like to get a look at the crazy lady. I only caught the missing wings when I originally looked over. I think I should've studied her a little closer. It would've given me a chance to see the picture next to lunatic in the dictionary.

"Are you trying to convince me killing him is the only option out of this? I ain't buying it, so you can save your breath."

I take off in a mad dash, flying close to the mountain face. I still have the knife, and even though I'm not going to use it, it feels good in my hand. I hear strong wing flaps not far from me, letting me know that Scott has given chase.

My goal for being close to the mountain is trying to find a little cave or crevice to hide in that won't permit the dragon to follow, and offers me a bit of cover from the fire. Speaking of fire, I feel another wave coming close. I swing to the left to avoid it again.

I don't understand this trial thing at all. I've already refused to kill the kid. Isn't that what they wanted me to prove? They could've just given me a multiple-choice test to answer that question. Meeting the kid and being chased around by him doesn't make the answer any different.

"What if the dragon wasn't a child?" the annoying woman asks.

"Irrelevant. I've met him and know that he's a child," I reply.

"Look," she says, pointing up to what looks like a giant nest. Sitting in the middle of it, surrounded by a couple of eggs, is Scott. What in the world is he doing up there while he's chasing me around?

Obviously, I know the answer to that. The thing behind me trying to cook me to a crisp is not Scott. I just assumed it was him since I'd already met him and I didn't envision other dragons hanging around.

I fly up to where the kid is trembling in fear. "You want to get out of here?"

He nods his head swiftly and stands up to move closer to where I'm hovering. "I want my mommy," he whispers as I grab a hold of him.

"At this point, kid, I want your mommy too."

The dragon lets out another huge roar. Have I mentioned how tiring this game is getting?

"Why aren't you killing the monster now?" Pesky asks, joining me and Scott.

"Who's that?" Scott asks as he lifts his head to look around. I push it back down, because for now it's best for him to just tuck in and hold on tight.

"Just because it isn't the kid in my arms, doesn't mean it isn't his friend Timmy, or Jimmy, or whatever he said his name was. Not only that, but that nest had some eggs up in it and I imagine if that's mommy dragon, killing her is going to create some orphans."

"What if I told you that it isn't the mother? It's actually a male dragon that killed the mother and was fixing on eating the eggs before you and Scott interrupted him?"

"You're full of a lot of ifs and not a lot of proof. I'd need that information verified before I drew a weapon on the dragon."

"Good. That's the correct answer. We can end the simulation," she announces, and instantly the rocks go away and I'm back in the meadow.

It's just the two of us and I finally have an opportunity to get a good look at her. She stands a few inches taller than me and has no distinguishing looks. Her hair and eyes are both brown and she's wearing a white dress that has its own air current moving it around.

"I have to tell you, lady, if that was some kind of trial for the knife, it was really dumb. Did you at least make sure the kid got back to his mom okay?"

"The trial is what it is. Being the bearer of that knife is a great responsibility. I can't just give it away lightly," she replies, and starts walking away. I have a feeling our conversation isn't over, so I follow.

"Seriously, who wouldn't pass that test? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out you shouldn't kill just because you don't understand something."

"You'd be surprised how many people decide to kill the dragon, the boy or me when I show up. I've even had people destroy the eggs. You have to be pure of heart to even attempt the test, but many of those people haven't been challenged in life or death situations. When the brain is put under that kind of pressure, it doesn't always process things clearly."

Okay, she has a point there, but I still think it was a stupid test. "So, Gabe said there were two trials. Do I have another fun night of sleep to look forward to in the future? I'm running out of time before I really may need to use the knife." The knife is still in my hand, but I doubt I could just make a run for it.

"No, the knife is yours to protect and use for now. You've completed your challenges."

"Really? I only remember doing the whole not killing the dragon one. Did I miss something?"

"The initial trial was to even go after the boy in the first place. Over half of the participants in the trials fail that simple task. The hearts of the people aren't as caring as they once were. The world has begun to darken and there are times I'm afraid there's no good left.

"Thank you for giving me something to believe in again. Oh, and you should probably adjust your thinking just a little bit on the aspect of motherhood. You're going to have children, and you and your children are going to do great things. I look forward to seeing the outcome."

The second she dots the period of that sentence, she disappears. I hate when people do that. If the crazy lady was Fate, maybe she'll be happy enough with my performance that she'll quit screwing with me and Sebby. I'm really tired of things trying to come between us.

The baby prediction I've heard before. Everyone seems to want me to get pregnant. There's a point when the pressure is going to become too much and I'll surgically remove my womb one day. For now, I look around trying to figure out what to do and I feel the world start to shake. Great. What now?

Chapter 18

Family breakfast dysfunctional style

"Wake up, sweetheart." I hear Alex say as my world continues to shake.

Of course, it isn't the meadow shaking anymore, just my body on my bed. The bed is a much preferred destination. Anyone who has things to discuss with me should just hold the meeting here.

"Is it night time already?" I ask and roll over to face him.

"It is. You weren't reachable again and you had a knife appear in your hand, so I was just a tad bit worried about what was going on." He leans down to give me a nice morning kiss on the lips.

"Morning," I say stretching. "It's the dang kill anything that moves knife. I had my trials while I slept. I don't recommend going through them. They were rather dorky."

I reach over and deposit the knife on the night stand. It's a good thing Alex woke me. I would've hated to rollover and stab him with it while I slept.

"Really?" he asks, sitting up and moving the blanket out of the way to get a look at my body. His hands start wandering all over. "I'm not seeing cuts or bruises."

"You'd be more likely to find burn marks. I got to play keep away with a dragon and the object I was trying to keep away was me."

I have to use the bathroom, so I roll out of bed. I'm almost surprised that I didn't find another person in bed with us. I thought Will would find some reason to sneak in and cuddle during the day.

"I take it somewhere someone is eating dragon soup for breakfast," Alex says from the bed.

"No," I reply, flushing the toilet and giving my hands a quick wash. "Why would you assume I killed the dragon?"

"Because you're you and it's what you do." He leaps out of bed and heads to the bathroom.

"I was led to believe that it was a seven-year-old. You should know I have a no kid killing policy."

I walk into my closet to find a spare knife sheath for the new dagger. Being as special as it is, I think it needs a special home. I find an old, black leather sheath that was the first one I bought for myself after I became an assassin. It has a lot of sentimental value and it's the perfect home for my newest addition.

"Sometimes I wonder if it really is a strict policy. I'm glad to see you passed and are home in one piece. We should probably grab some breakfast and head out to meet up with the demon. He was acting strange last night and that has me a little worried."

Ben is always strange, so this is not a new development. I grab a black top and some matching pants, and take them and the sheath out to the bed, so I can get dressed. I take off my pajamas and start attaching my knives. The Panoptic knife takes center stage on my right thigh.

"You know, I have a good feeling about today. I don't get those very often, so I think we're going to find Sebby and bring him home," I say as I pull my shirt down and into place.

"That would be nice. We've past the twenty-four hour mark and we don't know how keyed in Candace is on our movements. If she somehow figures out we're on to her, she may move up her timetable as far as the punishment goes." Alex walks out of the closet fully dressed. That's no fair. I wanted to watch him.

I hurry into my pants and then slip into my holster. The magic gifts from Hilda are still out in the living area, but I need a place to store them, so I remove my Colt and put it under my pillow. It isn't the ideal magic paintball storage place, but it will work on short notice.

"Will you two hurry up? I'm hungry and Walt won't let us eat until you join us," Clyde calls.

That isn't like Walt. He lets Demon Dog eat anytime he wants. I grab Alex's hand and steer us out to join the others. I stop in my tracks as soon as I clear the door. Great oogly moogly.

Someone must have found the hidden button that reveals the formal dining room. The whole gang is sitting around a table with mounds of meat running down the middle. I'm surprised they were able to keep Clyde from jumping up and devouring the entire feast.

"Did I miss something?" I ask, and Alex directs me to the head of the table and takes a seat to the left of me. There's a seat left open on the right where Sebby would sit if he were able.

"With all of the talk about us being a family this morning, I wanted to share a meal together. I know we're in a hurry, so we don't have to say grace or use proper table manners, but I thought we could sit here instead of on the couches," Walt explains.

It's a nice gesture and it'd be better if all the seats were filled, but we'll make do. The vampires have even joined us and the three who don't eat solid food have coffee mugs that I doubt contain coffee sitting in front of them.

"This is nice, Walt. I'm glad you thought of it," Alex says, and grabs a steak from the plate in front of him.

That triggers a chain reaction and everyone starts digging in. I'd really hate to see what our grocery bill looks like every month. I hope Sebby has a farm somewhere where he's raising all of this beef.

"Oh, Princess, I know we're short on time, but Papa Gentry would like a word with you. He said it wouldn't take long, but you should probably give him a call," Jonas says in between bites.

Great idea. Maybe this time he won't tell me I have to wait to find out more information. "It's a few minutes ride over to whatever bar we're visiting. I can call him on the way. Walt, you do know that we don't have time to do all of these dishes, right? Demon Boy didn't tell us what time to be there, but I'd like to be there as close to sundown as possible."

"I bet we'll have a lot of sitting around time twiddling our thumbs. Do you have any plans on how to make us look like we aren't just waiting to attack someone?" Jake asks.

"I doubt there'll be a single person in the bar who doesn't know who we are. Nyx can't leave the house without drawing attention," Marcus states. "If people aren't afraid of her, they're enamored. I'd suggest she wear a disguise, but since we've been seen daily wandering around with her, it's just as bad for all of us."

"We could always use Jake as bait. We went that route using Will on our last rodeo, and Jake has been salivating ever since he heard me mention we had a succubus issue," I say, watching everyone else eat. I'm too excited to find Sebastian and I don't think I'd be able to keep my food down.

"Really? You mean it? You're actually going to let me converse with a succubus. Are you insane?" Jake asks, surprising me.

Up until this point, he'd been begging me to let him go play with her.

"I thought you said you wanted to meet her and it'd be a great way to die if she killed you," I tell him, wishing I could quote his exact words back to him.

"It would be a really fun way to go," he says, with a bit of a glazed look that I can only assume means he's visualizing the event in his head. Jonas smacks him to get his thoughts refocused.

"Yeah, well, anyway, you're going to have to give me the night off after you come in and do your killing, because I did some reading up, and them succubi give off some crazy hormones. I know the necklace I have on will block that kind of thing, but I have to pretend to be getting into it if we want her to believe she's walking away with an easy meal. Hank is going to get involved and he doesn't like to be rushed back to sleep."

Now, I'm really glad that I didn't have anything to eat. The table might be covered with vomit if I had. I guess I can understand his reasoning and I have no problem giving him the night off. If I have Sebby back, I may just be otherwise occupied myself.

Alex coughs a little bit. Hmm. Not sure if it was my thought that caused it or if he's having a little problem chewing. I'll have to remind him he should take little bites.

"If needing the night off is your only issue with fulfilling the task, then you have it. I'd ask that you stop referring to Hank in my mate's presence. It makes her a bit uncomfortable," Alex replies after taking a quick sip of water.

"No problem. I won't be able to go in all commando like last night. A few knives are about all I'll hazard, so you guys better have my back. I'd ask for some of those little magic pellet thingys, but I'm too afraid they'd burst in my pocket and turn me into a frog."

That's a very legitimate fear. Even with all the jokes about his little brain, Jake is smart and I don't worry that just the knives alone will be enough to keep Candace busy until we can swoop in with assistance.

"I don't think I need to give you much of a description of the shrew. When every guy's eyes start to follow a tall blonde, you'll know she's there. I don't know if she'll even bother putting on clothes for the occasion," I supply, trying to think of any advice that might be useful.

"I'm not sure if she'd respond better to you playing hard to get, or if falling at her feet is your best bet. I don't know if I mentioned that she's really into giving her food punishments and has taken it as far as castration. I joke about doing that type of thing, but I don't doubt for a second that she has, many times, to the same person."

Every guy at the table cringes and decides they've had enough to eat. "I'll keep that in mind. How exactly do we want this to work? I don't doubt my charms will get her to pick me, so I can get her out of the bar and from there you need to tell me what you want."

"I think it would be preferable that she actually takes you home with her, right?" Alex asks, looking to me for further ideas.

"We need her to lead us to Sebby. If Demon Boy shows up like he says he will, he might be able to make her see sense, but I don't trust that he'll be there when we need him. Part of me would prefer him not making an appearance.

"Like you mentioned, there was something a little off about him when we parted ways last night and I worry about that. It's obvious that Candace is someone he knows intimately, and I don't know where his mind will be if I go to kill her."

"I'm all for doing this on our own, but I doubt the demon would get in your way if she was going in for the kill. He wants you bad, Nyx. You got the way Alex and Sebastian pine after you, which is totally normal given that they're your mates. Then you got him, who wants to impregnate you anyway possible. The dude knew you were an angel and he still wanted to get busy with you. There's something wrong with that picture," Walt suggests.

"I say we deal with him if he makes an appearance. I'm sure I've said it a hundred times in the last day, but I want my Sebby back now. Are you guys ready to roll?"

I push my chair back and stand up. I haven't loaded up with the freeze balls, yet, so I make my way to the coffee table where they were left last night. I put two in my holster, and then force Will to take the rest. I haven't seen him in action and I want to give him a little extra protection.

I think that's it. Now, it's time to find me a succubus to slay, since my dragon slaying days look to be over before they began.

Chapter 19

A plan in motion stays in motion

"When this is over, I'm getting a new Suburban," I say as I climb into Alex's Camaro. We have Will and Smitty riding in the backseat. "We don't travel as a whole group often, but this three car thing is a little bit silly. We look like a funeral procession."

The fact that all of the vehicles are black doesn't help matters, and the only other vehicle that Clyde fits nicely into is the Jeep. It's one of those Wrangler models, so with him only three other people fit and it's a tight fit with his big butt.

"At least I have a butt. You got nothing back there but a pancake to sit on." Clyde says, letting me know that he's listening, like usual.

I ignore him and take out my phone. I'm really looking forward to this conversation. I punch in my dad's number and wait for him to answer.

"There's my little angel," he says in way of greeting when he picks up. "I'm happy to find out I can finally call you that and mean it."

"Gabe mentioned you wouldn't have been able to tell me no matter how much you wanted to. I guess I can forgive you for stringing me along these last few months." Alex has started the car and is pulling out to get us moving.

"After I found out about you, I started looking into what your mother could've been that would have actually allowed us to create you. It wasn't easy to figure out, because angel wasn't even in the same stratosphere as my brain. One of them was kind enough to visit me one night and fill me in on most of the details. Without him, I'd still be in the dark."

"It sounds like a lot of people have been getting visits from the golden winged guys. Do you know anything more about my mother? The guy I talked to didn't seem to like her very much and I didn't have enough time to do a proper interrogation."

"She said her name was Lucy, but that's all I really know. I haven't been able to find her, but since I assume she knew what she was doing when she seduced me, I've been trying to keep you away from her. I don't know why she didn't raise you. That's been confusing me to no end."

"It doesn't really matter. I'm supposed to go through some strange process of trials and I guess at the end of them I get my halo or something. You didn't happen to hear anything about what I have to do, did you?" I ask.

We're already almost to the bar, so this is really going to have to be a short talk. I'm sure there are all sorts of questions that I should be asking, but it isn't the best time for me to get into a long conversation.

"So far, no. Now that you've mentioned them, I can try to look into what exactly will happen on your birthday. I've found out enough information that I know your life will be changing. Thankfully, we still have some time to fully get you adjusted. I'm thinking if we just align your lumbar region a little to the left, things will be good to go."

"And Alex wonders where I get my sense of humor. I'm sorry this is going to have to be a short call, but duty calls."

I really do wish I could spend some more time talking things out. I think I may have had that same thought about two minutes ago, but it just goes to prove my mind is too focused on my task.

We're still a few blocks away from Gulliver, which I really wish had an apostrophe and a S on the end. It just seems odd without it there. Alex has pulled the car over so it's time for action.

"You take care of your business, and we'll talk when you get back home. I don't think we'll have any secrets between us after this."

"Only the secret location of where you're hiding out," I say, and smile knowing there will always be something between us. It's kind of like a game for us. Daddy has something I want to know, and he spends as much time during our conversations avoiding any and all questions I try to ask about the subject. "Love ya, Daddy."

"Love you, too."

I hang up and put my phone in my pocket. "We need to let Jake have one of the vehicles to himself. It can't be the Jeep since they have Clyde, so someone is going to have to either cram in the backseat with Will and Smitty or tie themselves to the bumper of the Jeep."

With us all parked along the side of the street in a nice row, everyone is able to hear what I'm saying. It reminds me that I'm going to have to start testing Will to see if his senses are improving yet. It hasn't been that long, and he's said the fangs haven't even appeared, so I'm not hopeful that he'd be able to hear me a block away like everyone else.

"I'm the smallest. It only makes sense that I try to squeeze in the car with you guys. There's no way I'm letting Clyde sit on my lap," Dante says, and I hear doors opening and closing. The slams are followed by a knock on my window.

I open the door and step out letting him in. At least it isn't Walt or Jonas trying to fit back there with two other people. It may be uncomfortable with the three that are cramming in, but it won't be painful.

"Okay, Jake, go pick yourself up a she demon. We'll move into places we can observe from after you've established yourself as a loner. I figure fifteen minutes should be long enough for the girls to be all over you," I tell him.

"Funny. I was thinking maybe two minutes. I'll try to prolong her desires so you don't miss anything fun," Jake responds, and then drives off.

The car stays quiet exactly three seconds before Will opens his mouth. "While we're waiting to get in position, I have to ask, how often do you have to do things like this? I know that you're a P.I., but since I've known you, you seem to be moving from one crisis to another. How do you even get a chance to sleep at night?"

I don't feel like mentioning that I've spent way too much time unconscious lately, for reasons not of my own doing. I hope to be able to ease him into that part of my life. I'm not even going to pretend that I won't find myself laid out from blood loss again in, most likely, the near future.

"I work hard all night and by morning I have no problem getting my head to meet a pillow. I don't let what I do for a living dictate my sleeping habits. Well, at least most of the time I don't. You've lived a sheltered life as a human, but I've seen all the things wrong in this world and I don't have a problem taking them on as I can."

"And now you've found out you're going to be an angel. Are angels really like what I've read about in the Bible? I haven't been a firm believer in the greater power out there, but it was mostly just from lack of proof." Will has a lot to learn as far as going out on missions with me goes. I'm going to have to sign him and Phee up for classes on when words should be avoided.

"On that subject, I know as much as you do. Angels exist. That's always been a given for me because demons are out there. You can't have the good without the bad. The world would be utter chaos if either of the forces were totally in control. Who exactly the angels answer to, I can't say. I haven't met the person, but they sure must have a lot of power to be in control," I reply. "Maybe after I'm done with this ascension thing, I'll be able to fill you in on all the good stuff."

"Can we save the theology talk for later? It isn't a subject I'm comfortable with," Dante says.

"We need to get moving anyway. Leaving Jake alone for too long is probably not a good idea. Plus, if Ben shows up, he may screw up our plan," Alex says, starting the car and leaving before anyone has a chance to agree.

I didn't really think about what would happen if Ben, or anyone who knows Jake, decided to stop and have a long conversation while Jake was waiting for Candace. That could really be a mess.

Alex picks a spot in the Gulliver parking lot that's about as far away from Jake's Caddy as possible. Jonas follows suit with the Jeep.

When the engine turns off, I start to focus my hearing towards the bar to see if I can hear anything. We were far enough away before that trying to tune in would've been a headache of way too many conversations at once.

I can pick up a lot of conversations, but so far nothing from Jake. The Caddy is still here, so he should still be inside. We're parked in a position where I can see the front door. If Candace hasn't showed up already, I'll be able to watch her enter. It would be nice if it were me sitting in the bar waiting for her right now. My hand has been itching to slap her for a couple of days now.

I know she isn't going to be as strong of a demon as Ben; I do worry about little tricks she may have and just how well the charms the guys are wearing will work against them. Her thrall should be neutralized, but Ben can do things like freeze people and who knows what else. He can make things just show up and I doubt a little necklace could stop that from happening.

Everything I've read indicates the she demon should just have extra abilities to draw sexual partners in and I hope the person who wrote The Big Book of Succubi wasn't a succubus trying to deceive the rest of the world. The book doesn't really exist; I was making it up in case anyone was curious.

"That her?" Alex asks, bringing me out of my jumbled thoughts.

I'd just been thinking about how great it was to be able to see the door and I'm not even paying attention. Bad Nyx. Alex has seen Candace in my mind, so he shouldn't have to ask. I think he was only doing it because of my lack of focus.

The woman he points out is the one I remember. Today she's wearing skintight red leather from head to toe. I'm guessing demons don't have to breathe, because it would be an impossible task in something like that.

"Affirmative. It's a little strange that I haven't heard lover boy at all. I would've thought he'd be establishing himself as a customer and ordering drinks at least."

I pick up Jonas laughing from the other vehicle. "Oh Princess. You're lucky you didn't figure out what noises coming from the bar were being made by him. I'd say he didn't have any issues establishing himself. I've heard the sounds enough to know when he picked out a girl and met her in the bathroom for a quickie. Smelling of sex might be a good idea. It will let her know he's virile. That should be something she looks for in a guy."

That news isn't surprising at all and I concur that it's a great thing I can't pick out the sounds of Jake having monkey sex in the bathroom amid all of the other noises. If I ever am able to pick out his grunts and other weird noises that happen during the act, I think I might have to kill myself.

We sit quietly waiting for anything to happen. I'm not great at this part, but I trust Jake won't keep us waiting long.

"Don't even bother," I hear the female voice I'm waiting to hear say. That doesn't sound good. "I'm too much of a woman for you?"

"Doubtful, but I'm sure you're more of a bitch than what I was hoping to find tonight," an unknown male voice replies. I'm pretty sure he's replying to her. The voice is from the same general distance, but there might be fifty guys gathered around her by now.

"You're lucky you're such a weak paranorm or you'd be finding out how big of a bitch I really am."

"Is there are problem here?" I hear Jake ask.

"Hmm. I think things are looking better. Why don't you have a seat?" Candace says.

Jake didn't seem to have a problem picking her out. Maybe taking care of business in the bathroom cleaned the cobwebs out of his brain.

"I haven't seen you in here before, are you new to town?" Small talk. Blagh.

"You could say that. Are you offering to show me around?"

"I have a place I'd love to show you, but I have a friend visiting and I don't think he'd like to listen to me making you scream."

I guess the small talk is over. Sadly, the sex talk is starting. I don't think I win listening to either.

"Are you sure you can live up to that promise? I can be difficult to please." I highly doubt that. She just has to get a guy in her thrall and she's ensured a good time.

"I come with a money back guarantee. No one has ever left my bed dissatisfied."

"Very bold words. I know you've already given some girl in here a tumble. It's making you smell delicious. You think you'd be able to go again so soon?"

"My stamina is legendary. You got a place close by we can experiment with it?"

"You don't think the bathroom will work, isn't that where you took your appetizer?"

"Sure. I just thought you might be a little bit classier than that. If you're game, I have a stall already picked out."

"You're so cute. Let's just go back to my place. You promised to make me scream and I'm a bit of a screecher to begin with, so privacy would work better."

The conversation comes to an end. It only lasted about five minutes. I've never tried to pick someone up at a bar, but I'd think there would be a little bit more to it. Don't you want to do a little more research on a potential sex partner?

I see Jake and Candace walk out of the bar with her draped around him and she's nibbling at his neck. I almost thought that a visual would've made the sitting around waiting for action less boring, but I don't think I would've been happy seeing just how well their conversation was playing out.

They walk over to a small black convertible that Candace hops in. Jake follows suit and she quickly starts the engine and peels out of the parking lot. She must be a little hungry to be in such a hurry. Alex waits a couple of seconds, and then he sets off after her. The chase is on.

Chapter 20

It isn't a fight unless the clones show up

The chase only ends up lasting a few blocks. Candace doesn't like to go far for her food. We slow down a little to watch them get out and go into a two-story home. Alex circles the block and parks in front of a house a few lots down.

I can't tell if Sebastian is close, but he mentioned there was some kind of spell or magic trick that kept him in the room he was stuck in, and that could also keep me from using all of my senses. If he'd just drop his wall, this search and rescue business would be a lot easier.

"I haven't caught your name, my little wolf. It'd be nice to know what to yell when things start feeling good." There's no slowing down the hungry succubus.

"I'll be sure to tell you it once you tell me why you just grabbed that knife. I can tell you right now, pain isn't going to be involved in this little romp," Jake replies.

Not good. It's time to move in. I open my door and draw my gun. If I need to break doors down, it's more likely to assist than a knife. I have enough huge guys around that they can probably complete the task for me, but they're running a little slow.

"I don't think you have a choice." I hear Jake scream and pick up my pace. Okay, maybe he didn't scream, and it was more of a quiet groan, but it did indicate he was in pain. "Who's about to come in here after you? I know they followed us from the bar."

"Eat shit, you freaking psycho. Stabbing me is just going to bring yourself more pain."

Great. We have a guy wounded. I don't bother with the gun or getting someone bigger to take care of the door. I just bulldoze right through it. Without knowing what kind of knife was used, I'm worried about Jake's welfare.

"Oh don't be so dramatic," Candace says as I halt my progress and find her and Jake in the living room of the house.

A quick visual check on Jake shows him bleeding from his forearm and no knife sticking out of him. He shouldn't have a problem recovering from that. He's sitting on a couch and she's in a chair next to it.

"As you have ascertained, he'll be fine. You, however, probably won't be. If I were placing bets, I would guess you're Nyx. I found out your name today and I was going to swing by your place to check you out. You're so thoughtful for saving me the trip. Now, I can just kill you in front of Sebastian and watch the pain in his eyes as you die."

"Keep dreaming, Candace. The only person dying here today will be you," I tell her, and feel the air change as the rest of my crew gathers behind me.

This many people rushing in at once causes a nice gust. I grab my new knife and put my gun away. As I'm doing that, I sneak a "Candace no move" ball out of the holster. I don't want to totally show my cards just yet. Not that she'd particularly know what was in the small packet, but I really want it to be a surprise.

"And just what are you going to do? You're a very sick angel with all of that dog and vampire running through you, and you aren't even of age yet. Your powers are strong, but they aren't enough for a full strength demon." She stands up from her chair and starts walking closer to me. "You know my name, so I can only assume you know what I am.

"Showing up with this many guys must mean you're all protected against my charms. Too bad. There are a couple of your friends that I wouldn't mind testing out. The wolf hovering at your back would be my first choice."

"You already had the fun of sampling one of my mates. Even if it was years ago, you aren't getting another opportunity," I tell her, knowing that it's Alex she is talking about.

"I think you're confused. I'm not aware of anything here that will stop me from just killing you, and then having a really fun party with the guys before I eventually take out the rest of the garbage."

I roll the ball in my left hand. I really want to throw it, but I'm afraid she'll move. I need to get close to her and either hit her with the freeze ball or just knife her. I kind of wish I would've been thinking ahead and brought a paintball gun. The ball looks like it would fit in one, and shooting it at her instead of throwing might work a little better.

"Just like when you underestimated the bond between me and Sebastian, you're wrong again." A quick look of surprise appears on her face. She changes to her nonchalant look, so fast I might have missed it.

"You guys have been playing in dream land. I should've thought of that, but I really didn't believe you were that connected, even if he claimed you share an unbreakable bond. No matter. Let's not stand around here all day. Odds are looking a little against me, so let's have some fun."

She waves her hand and Candace clones start appearing. A quick count reveals ten of them and the original.

"Alex, I hope you actually packed a weapon this time," I whisper, and try to focus on the real Candace.

She and the clones have started moving around. In this instance, having a large space to fight in is working against me. I tend to prefer big fighting spaces, but when it allows my opponent a chance to confuse me, I'm not happy.

"Don't worry. I think the clones are more for distraction than combat tools. We'll take care of them and you go after the real prize." I feel the air current around me charge, and then hear a loud growl. I guess his weapon of choice is wolf teeth.

Once his change is complete, the melee begins as he leaps on the nearest Candace. Jake being the closest, and only person behind the real she demon, tries to jump on her, but she throws him across the room instead. He hits the wall hard, but bounces back up. One of the clones sees a moment of weakness and starts attacking him.

I figure if I can take care of the real Candace, the clones will stop bothering us. She thinks with the clones causing havoc, which they are, it would be a good time for her to exit the room. At least that's my take on it as she starts inching closer to the door and takes off in a run when she hits the doorway. I look around to make sure the guys can handle the fake demons. Everyone looks to be doing okay.

"We got things here, go get her," Alex commands as he gets his clone pinned to the floor.

Well, if he says so. I take off in a run trying to follow the strongest smell of root beer. She's the second demon I've met and she still doesn't smell like sulfur. I don't think I like the fact that they're different for me.

I follow the smell up a set of stairs and to a closed door. "Candace, why don't you just give yourself up?" I hear many footsteps coming up the stairs and I'm a little surprised at the fact that the guys have finished off their fight, but it isn't like I hang around with second fiddles.

No sounds are coming from the room that I'm pretty sure Candace is hiding. I check the knob and I'm not zapped by anything. That's a good sign. I turn the handle and find it unlocked. I motion the guys with my free hand to stand back and fling the door open before moving to position myself to the side of the door jam.

Nothing comes flying towards me, so I peek around the corner. It looks to be the room I've seen Sebastian kept in on a couple of occasions now. Candace is up against a wall holding him with a knife to his throat. Yup, I would say it's the same room.

I start walking into the room and stop when I get within ten feet of the duo. It's a much larger room than my dreams led me to believe.

"I could've just zapped me and Sebastian out of here, but I think killing him in front of you is the better idea now. Then I can just vacate the building while you mourn over his body." Demented is too kind of a word for this chick.

I raise my knife up and take a good look at it. I haven't studied it yet and I originally thought it was just like any other blade, but words are swirling around on it. I think they're words, anyway. I don't understand them.

I continue to look at the blade and say, "I bet you'll be in for a real shock if you thought our bond was surprising. I happen to be in possession of a blade that I was told would kill anything."

"You are lying. No one gets access to the Panoptic knife. It's just a myth told to lure people to their death in order to find it." She may say that, but she does look a little worried. Her jitters are causing her to press a little too hard on Sebby's throat and I see a bead of blood make an appearance.

I just need to get him away long enough to throw the magic bag at her, and then this can all be over, as long as Hilda didn't add a little something extra to her batch. I can't actively tell Sebastian to duck because I think she can pick that up as a demon, but I can think about it.

If Sebastian is smart, he'll figure it out. The idea has been thought, but he isn't dropping. He'd better hope she just has an extra tight grip on him and he isn't ignoring my brilliant plan. Yes, him dropping to the floor would be brilliant.

Fine. We'll do it the hard way. I start taking steps closer to them. The ball is ready to be thrown, but I try to keep my focus on the knife. I want her to believe that it's the only thing she has to worry about. Alex and the guards stay back and let me do my own thing.

"I think you're close enough there. I'm glad you wanted to get an up close shot of your mate dying."

A second knife appears in her left hand. If she has the ability to conjure stuff up like that, I can think of a lot of places she could've used it to engage me in a real battle. So far, I'm finding this whole situation a little boring. Until of course she takes that knife and stabs it into Sebastian's side.

He makes no noise, but that's more than enough to piss me off. I take another quick step and throw my freeze ball at her feet. Sebastian makes a pretty good shield for her and her little toesies are the furthest thing away from his body.

Alex sees the action and hurries over to grab Sebastian out of the she demon's grasp while she's trying to figure out what's going on.

"I can't move my legs. What have you done?" She tries to lurch forward, but I watch as some pretty pink colors swirl up around her body and hold her in place. The colors stay there, showing me the spell is working. That's a nice little addition I'm sure Hilda added for effect.

"Sorry, I'm pretty sure I already mentioned that you were the only one who was going to be dying today. If I forgot to let you in on that little secret, I can't really say I feel bad about it. Is he okay?" I ask, turning to check on Sebastian.

Candace isn't going anywhere at the moment, so I can take a minute to make sure nothing permanent was done.

"Thankfully, she wasn't using the knife you claim to have. Just how in the world did you find it?" Sebastian says from the wall opposite of where Candace is frozen. Alex has him seated and is looking at his stomach.

"You've missed a lot, mate. If you didn't spend so much time blocking me out, you'd be all caught up," I say, leaning down and taking his face in my hands to give him a nice, thorough kiss. It hasn't been that long, but I did really miss it.

I pull back and rub my nose against his before standing back up. "I was only blocking to protect you. I didn't want her going out to find you and bringing back another prisoner."

"You should know I can handle myself. I'm a kick ass paranorm, after all. Finding out that I'm part angel only helps matters. I don't know what super powers I'll end up getting from that strand of DNA, but I'm sure they'll be epic."

"Angel? Really? Are you sure about that, because that wasn't on the list of possibilities?"

"I had a nice short chat with a guy claiming he was one and he had gold wings that matched mine. The annoying one over there also mentioned it when we were introduced," I say, nodding my head in her direction.

"I'll say you keep things interesting, love. Why don't we finish up here so we can get home and figure out exactly what that means?"

He pushes Alex away a bit and moves to stand up. The process doesn't get very far and he chooses to remain seated. Candace's knife may not have killed him, but he isn't healing instantly like he normally does. He's going to need some tender loving care and I know just the person to give it to him.

First things first, I turn around and walk over to Candace. The pink stuff never made it up and over her head, which is too bad. She can still talk if she wants. Right now, she looks to be busy trying to figure a way out of her predicament. I have a perfect solution for that and I roll the handle of my knife around in my hand ready to use it.

"Buttercup, I thought we agreed to meet at the bar. I showed up and you were nowhere to be seen," Ben says, appearing in his annoying way.

Doors people. They were invented for a reason. He takes a look around the room and his eyes focus in on the succubus. "It looks like I've really missed a lot. How in the world did you not only find Candy, but also manage to subdue her. I know quite a few people who have tried and no one has succeeded."

"Benny, you're here. Thank you, Lucifer. This stupid angel freak is trying to kill me. You're stronger than me, do something about her. Then if you'd be so kind as to release me, we can have a great time killing her and her stupid friends," Candace says, trying to wriggle out of her hold. It isn't working out too well for her and I'm overjoyed by that fact. I hope that Ben notices just how much she likes me.

"Ah. Candy, you aren't supposed to be able to tell her she's an angel. The only way that's even possible is if she received a visitor without telling me. Really, Buttercup? This is where our relationship has ended up. You don't call to tell me that you found out the biggest news of your life. I thought we were closer than that."

I'm pretty sure he's the one that just sent us off last night without an explanation on why he was staying behind. If he missed out on the big news, it's his own fault.

"What are you talking about Benjalarico? You can't honestly be on friendly terms with an angel. Are you serious? Are you making plans to bring her home and introduce her to the Great Ruler? I really want to be there to witness that one. She needs to be taken care of. Something like her shouldn't be allowed to fully mature. It can't be long until she comes into her full powers. If that happens, we won't be able to stop her."

It seems like these two are fine running their own conversation. I can't say I'm thrilled to hear Candace's side of it, but I'm a little bored from not even getting a good fight in and they're somewhat amusing. If I didn't need to stick around to make sure the succubus doesn't leave the room, I'd gather my gang and head out.

"Candy, I'd say we can discuss this further later, but sweetheart, you finally messed with the wrong girl's boyfriend. I don't know Nyx's plans for you, and I don't know that I'll be able to help you out of this," Ben says as he walks over and gives her a kiss on her forehead. The look in her eyes indicates Ben wouldn't be living if she could shoot fire from them.

"What the fuck is going on here? She has the Panoptic knife and is fixing on killing me dead with it. Dead, Benny. As in never being able to play naughty prisoner to your big, bad prison warden ever again. You aren't just going to stand by and let her get away with this. We have something special."

At least she believes me about the knife now. I didn't need to hear about their make-believe prison games.

"You're something very special and a real gem to our kind, but sadly I can't go against what Nyx wants. I need her to be kept happy. Buttercup, is there any way you'd be willing to let her go?" he asks.

I look over at him and I don't feel the need to even answer that question. I'm lucky that my people didn't take any more damage and he wants to know if I feel like sparing her life. She needs to pay for those stab wounds and for causing me a day of grief.

"Even if I attempted to call in my favor? I understand where you're coming from in this situation, but she's one of my underlings, so I have to at least make an attempt to save her. I wouldn't be a good leader otherwise."

"If you called in the favor, I would have to ask for the second alternative and I'd pick the alternative even if it was stripping down naked right here and letting you poke me with your love stick. I don't think I can let her walk out the door. She's a menace, and the fact that you think she's a gem has me thinking about taking you out at the same time."

"That's what I get for not thinking before I speak. I was trying to comfort her because I know how you are and I know how this is going to end for her. Demons aren't really familiar with death. We cause it, but we don't tend to experience it, so I can imagine the turmoil going on in her head right now," Ben answers and moves away from Candace. "I should probably leave the room for this. Even if you don't believe it, I do have a heart."

"We've known each other for a while now, and I can't believe you do the things she does. Before you go, I'd like to know if you do the same kinds of things. Is torturing and killing innocent people the way all demons get off?"

"Oh Buttercup, there are some questions that you really don't want to know the answers to. I'm a reaper demon and I work very hard to convince people that they should sell me their souls. Granted, I give them something in return for their troubles, but it's essentially my job to corrupt the innocent."

"Nowhere in that description did I hear you say you cut their body parts off to see if they'll regrow on a whim. You didn't say anything about using your powers to make them believe they're having a good time while you shoved your fist up their back holes."

I haven't had that last part confirmed as something Candace has done, but it actually sounds mild for her. A broken wine bottle would probably be more up her alley.

"You're right. When I engage in that type of fun, I restrict my partners to other demons. Demons are a different breed than the good guys you're used to hanging out with. I know you don't forgive easily when those around you are wronged, but I really wish you didn't feel the need to try a permanent solution to your aggravation."

My knife is weighing heavy in my hand. I really see no problem with killing Candace even if Ben has received an influx of estrogen. I look over to Sebastian, wanting to verify this is his desire. It's mostly the crimes against him that Candace is being tried for.

"I won't bother trying to keep the conversation just between us. We all know the demons would hear what we say. I'm tired of looking over my shoulder. It took her years to come up with this plan and I won't let her go off to make new plans that may affect you. I think me resisting her is going to pale in comparison to what you accomplished here today, love."

Good. We're in agreement. "You better step out, Ben. You know I have to protect Sebastian. I don't even have a choice in the matter."

"We had some great times, Candy. I'm really sorry things ended like this."

He blows her a kiss, and then starts walking as if he's leaving. Holy cow, it looks like he's actually going to attempt to use a door. The world must be coming to an end. I'll have to alert the media later though, because vengeance is knocking on the door and I'm here to welcome it with open arms.

Chapter 21

Surprises attack from every corner

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? My favorite reaper demon hanging out with my newest mark. I find that quite amusing. Ben, have you been keeping secrets from me?" a blonde woman says, appearing in the room in my general line of vision.

Just what I don't need, another blonde that I'm sure is going to start causing trouble. Not only that, but another person just popping in here doesn't make me happy.

"Of course not, your evilness. I mentioned Nyx to you before. Well, maybe I didn't say her name, but I did mention I thought I'd found someone special," Ben says, bowing his head to the waif of a woman.

His exit out of the room and my movements towards killing Candace are drawn to a halt by the arrival of the newcomer.

Aside from her blonde hair, she looks to be about my height and like she's spent her whole life in a shadow bubble. Her skin is so pale I can see bluish purple blood moving just below the surface. It's really nasty, in my opinion. I guess it lets her know she's alive, but I wouldn't want to have to stare at it all day.

"What do you mean you mentioned me? I thought you said you were keeping me a secret," I say, a little ticked off that Ben would rat me out to another demon.

I thought we had some kind of understanding. Even if he didn't mention my name, telling another demon about someone "special" is like waving a red flag in front of their face. This development isn't helping my already sour mood.

"I did keep you a secret. I didn't go into great detail, but when Lucy asks you a direct question, if you're a demon, you have to answer," he says, giving me a pleading look with his eyes. I think he knows that I feel a bit betrayed by him.

"I guess I should've made him be more specific. He mentioned finding a girl who was the answer to all of his problems. Knowing what his particular problems are, I should've figured it out. I would've found you weeks ago if I had. I've only spent the last twenty-three years searching for you. I didn't imagine you getting marked as a reaper would be what brought us together."

"Have you been smoking something, crazy lady? What the fuck are you talking about?"

I'm in the middle of trying to kill a succubus. I really don't have the time for this. I glance over to make sure said succubus is still pinned against the wall. Good. She is. Now I just have to figure out why all the women I've met lately appear to be on drugs.

"Nyx, that isn't exactly the best way to talk to the Great Ruler of Hell. She gets a little ticked off at that tone," Ben says quietly, trying to warn me.

"What do you mean 'Great Ruler of Hell'? She's a she."

"Yes, I am. That's why most people who know me go with Lucy instead of Lucifer. I got the short straw the day they picked out my name. I tend to blame that poor choice for my eventual downfall from Upstairs. I'm still trying to figure out how you've been kept hidden from me.

"I've had people out looking for you since you were stolen from me before your birth. I have to assume my former brethren had a hand in it. I don't believe your father could have figured things out, or had the power to do such a great job of cloaking."

She takes a good look at me and smiles as warmly as I assume the Mistress of Hell is able. She stops at my stomach and says, "You turned out well. Not quite twenty-three and you're already carrying the first of a new race. I bet those first month pregnancy hormones are really kicking in."

I look down at my stomach and then back up at her. I can connect the dots as well as anyone else and I don't like where they're leading me. "You've got to be kidding me. That's impossible, both the fact that you're my mother and that I'm carrying anything in my stomach."

I don't care if my dad said my mum's name was Lucy. This isn't computing.

"Really? You haven't slept with any of the gentlemen in this room. I'm guessing it's one of the vampires' spawn since no one else has picked up on it. They rarely procreate; I doubt they realize it when their seed has been implanted. Rest assured, you're a good month along and your little girl is very healthy."

I glance over at Sebastian and I can imagine my shocked expression matches his. His eyes are glued to my stomach as if he's trying to see the baby that is supposedly growing inside. He's the only one that I've done the full tango with, but Ben assured me that birth control was in place at the time. I look back over at the demon to start pointing fingers.

"I swear, Nyx, you should've been sterile. There was no trick on my part. Your people even confirmed that you were more vampy for that stretch of days," Ben says, pleading with me to believe him. He seems to be doing a lot of that.

"That's funny, Benjalarico. The demon who wants to have a baby more than anything, giving the only person on this planet able to give him that child a contraceptive. I'm guessing you weren't aware of her being my offspring at the time. You might have realized she isn't barren, even as a vampire," the psycho claiming to be my mother says.

"'At the time'?"

That sounds to me like he was aware of exactly who my "mother" was before this little meeting. I don't care if you want me to find out my heritage on my own, if you know my mother is the leader of Hell, that is something you need to share.

"I've only known for sure for two weeks. We haven't exactly been hanging out during that time frame and I was trying not to lead her right to you. I knew the information would upset you and I wanted to give it to you gradually," Ben says, again back peddling faster than a toddler on a tricycle that just past the street with the ice cream man.

"What a naughty demon. Not only were you keeping things from both of us, but you also were keeping a mother away from her long lost child. It's really a shame," Lucy says, shaking her head.

"Not really. I don't know anyone who would want to admit their mother was Lucifer. I can imagine all of the kids at school would've laughed at me when you came to pick me up."

"And just what school was that? Without all your good genes activated, you could've passed for a human. Is that how the angels hid you from me?" she asks, moving closer to me.

I take a step back, not wanting her to be within arm's reach. I wonder if my pretty new knife will work on her. The world would have to be a better place without Lucifer trying to corrupt everyone.

"No, I was raised in the Collective. Back to this whole you being the missing link to my genome, I appear to be part werewolf, which I get from my father, part vampire and part angel, if recent news is to be believed. Where exactly does the Great Ruler of Hell fit into that cocktail?" I ask, needing just a bit more clarification.

"I would be the angel part. I may be of the Fallen variety, but I still share their blood. The vampire I injected a little bit into your development. I carried you briefly inside of me, but then put your essence into an egg I could do a few experiments on without having to give myself any nasty shots. You being outside of me is how you were stolen. They wouldn't have been able to get a hold of you if I carried you to term."

The experiment part of her description has me more than worried. I think I'm already messed up enough.

"Jonas, I have to ask," I say, remembering he claimed to have seen her before. Sadly, his previous description sounds true.

"Princess, I really hate to confirm this for you, but yes," he says, nodding.

"Great. I'm the spawn of Satan. Why don't you guys just kill me now," I say, feeling a little melodramatic.

I'll blame it on the pretend pregnancy hormones, because I still don't believe that little fairy tale. I should know if I'm pregnant, shouldn't I? At least if I haven't picked up on it, one of the other paranorms around me should have picked up something.

"Still don't think there's a little one, do you?" my "mother" asks. "Let me show you."

Before I can step away, she grabs my arm. Dang it, she's fast. My vision changes as she places her hand over my stomach. I start to see a lot of red as if I'm traveling through a tunnel leading to the red light district. At the end of the journey, things start to clear up and I see a cocoon. It's transparent and within it lays the tiniest little baby.

It doesn't look real. It almost looks like something made out of clay. I look closer and I can count the little fingers and toes. She's facing towards me, without a lick of hair, but she's a little miniature me and Sebby. I don't think the world contains a more perfect little being.

Seeing her snaps something in place in my brain, I don't know what it is, but the world seems a little bit different. The sight could be just a trick. I instinctively believe it though. For some reason, I can now feel her in my belly. They always say seeing is believing, I guess it's true.

"I'm going to be a mommy," I say as Lucy releases me. "You're going to be a daddy."

I turn to look at Sebastian and see that he's crying, but he smiles when he sees me looking. He can be a tad bit too emotional at times. The fact that I was able to tell him he was going to be a daddy solidifies things even more in my mind. It has been a proven fact that I can't lie to him because of our bond. Reconnecting with the new bond didn't change that reality.

"I'm glad to hear awe and not horror in your voice, love. We have a lot of plans to make."

"Yes, she's only about a month old and she's already so big. Just how long do you think it will take her to develop to full term?" I ask, marveling at the idea.

I guess now that the baby actually exists for me, my prior denial of ever wanting one has disappeared. I don't even try to understand how my brain works sometimes.

"Vampires don't have children, so I have no idea," he replies.

He's probably already thinking of books he can go read to find more information about what we can expect with little Peanut. I doubt he'll find one that covers exactly what the tiny baby really is. I don't even know exactly what she is and the little bugger is growing inside of me.

"She's about half done cooking, I'd say," Lucy offers. "You guys would've figured it out within a couple of days. I think her heart should start beating by then. We could speed things along for you and have things done in a week if you want, but I think you should enjoy this first child.

"She'll be squawking and keeping you up at all hours soon enough. Well, I'm not great with all the love I feel floating around the room, so I'll bid everyone adieu. You can expect to see me soon, though, daughter." She blows me a kiss and then disappears.

"I guess I wasn't that far off about you being a unicorn," Jonas says before anyone else can speak. "Princess to Hell is pretty close."

"No, you weren't far off," Alex replies, coming to take my hand and makes me face him. "You okay? That was kind of a lot to take in."

My whole life has been a lot to take in recently. I'm an angel slash werewolf slash vampire carrying a vampire's child and who knows what species the baby will end up being.

"I should be asking you that. You just found out I was carrying Sebastian's baby, when you're the one who has wanted one from the day you first saw me. That has got to be a little weird for you."

"I'm hoping Sebastian doesn't mind us all raising the baby together. I was thinking her having two dads and tons of uncles wouldn't be too strange in this day and age. It should keep all the riffraff boys away, at least."

"I like that idea," Sebastian says, joining us and squishing us together for a group hug. Pain from a stomach wound is nothing compared to the feelings he must have at finding out he's going to be a father.

"I really do love you guys, but we do have a little unfinished business to take care of," I say, trying to break free, but they hold on for another second.

I lightly step on both of their toes and they finally let loose. Okay, maybe I stomped, but with the new delicate position I'm in, stomping is very unladylike.

"You're going to have to get used to our touches soon. I don't know how your belly isn't showing, but we're going to want to touch a whole bunch," Alex says as he steps away.

That's one of the many aspects of pregnancy that was in the negative column on my pro/con list. It will be something to bring up for discussion later.

"With the developments that happened in this room, I don't want to kill anyone in front of my child. I know I've technically already done it more than once, but I didn't know Peanut existed. That being said, I'm hesitant to just let you go, Candace." Hesitant isn't the right word. I'm pretty sure I've lost my mind. Why would I even think of letting her go?

"You're the fucking heir to the big golden throne in Hell. You think I can kill you now? Your mother would skewer me," she replies with a face full of hate.

I walk over to her and smack her across the face. "Watch your mouth. I don't know if Peanut can hear, but if she can, I don't want her hearing your filth. Ben, do you mind taking her away to some deep, dark corner so she can think about what she has done? If you can keep her there for a while, I'd appreciate it. I doubt I will be pregnant forever and I may want to continue this conversation just as soon as I deliver."

"Sure thing, Buttercup. I'll make sure she doesn't bother you again," he answers and moves to take her away.

"I'm still not happy with you. Telling Lucifer that I existed wasn't cool. Don't get me started on the fact that you knew my mother was your Great Ruler," I scold.

"I'm sorry. I didn't have a choice, but I promise I'll make it up to you. Just wait and see," he says, and zaps him and Candace out of the room.

Thankfully, his betrayal wasn't as bad as it could've been. I guess Hilda was right about something. If my mother had put two and two together on her own, we might have met under very different circumstances. I've been worried that if we ever met, she'd try to snatch me like everyone who I talk to assumes. I'm not sure why she didn't, but I'll have to have my guard up for her unexpected visits that I see in my future.

Right now, I just want to get home and start figuring out where we're going to put the nursery. I'm really going to be a mom. I still can't get over that fact, or the part about me being happy about it. It must be the pregnancy hormones. Yeah, that's my story.

THE END

Night Finds

By Amber Lynn

I want to start this book off by saying thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read one of my books, whether it was one in this series or my other series. I've been receiving notes from fans and each time I read one I can't believe that someone is actually saying these amazing words about something I wrote.

I also want to let everyone know that, yes, I'm only planning seven books in Nyx's crazy world, for now, but that doesn't mean I won't come back to visit her in the future. I have other ideas for plots not only for Nyx, but also for stories centered on some of the other characters. Who wouldn't want to read a book from Clyde's point of view?

For now, I'll just stick to getting Nyx through her rise to greatness. She's taken me on a wild journey and even though she's a fictional character, I have to thank her for making the trip so much fun.

Chapter 1

A giant pink elephant

"Jake, if I have to tell you again not to bring me more pink baby things, I'm going to take whatever item you're holding and stuff it in your mouth. Then, I'll make you walk around the store with it like that. Peanut is not going to be some little frilly girl."

It's bad enough that we're in the closest human city with a baby store; I don't need him flashing more pastels in front of my eyes. I'm hoping to provide my little girl with the best of everything, even if that means torturing myself by being in my current environment.

A lot has happened in the two weeks since my mother, otherwise known as the Devil, revealed that I was pregnant. Two days after the fact, we caught the first sounds of Peanut's little heart beating. Sebastian started crying again and Alex started making crazy baby sounds at my stomach. It's really sad when the woman in the relationship has all of the testosterone. I'd offer to share, but it's kind of funny to watch them sometimes.

So far, my pregnancy is nothing like any book describes. That makes it really difficult to make any plans. A week ago, I went to bed like any other night, and the next morning I woke up with a beer gut. I've been skinny all of my life and to suddenly have none of my clothes fit was a rude awakening. Not only that, but the very same day Peanut decided I'd make a nice punching bag, and has since kept me up most nights showing me her mad kickboxing skills.

I'm convinced for some reason she isn't happy with me being her mother. I don't know if she found out there was a time I swore that I'd never have children, or if it was the fact that I'm generally afraid of humanoids shorter than me, but she's started communicating with both Sebby and Alex, leaving me in the dark. Somehow she figured out how to block me from the communications. I'm going to go out on a limb and say she gets her deviousness from her maternal grandmother.

"What if she pops out of you and she wants to only be dressed in little pink lacy dresses?" Jake asks, taking a good look at the little pink elephant he's holding. "I think you should have some pink things to have on standby just in case."

"Sebby, has she ever indicated to you that she has mental issues?" I ask. He's the mate on baby patrol with me today. Alex is off rallying troops, or something.

"No, she has all of her marbles lined up in a nice, neat row. She even showed them to me once. I think you'll find that she'll be more like you than any of us are prepared for, so you don't have to worry about her taking a liking to pink or dresses."

Peanut likes hearing her daddy's voice and starts her own chorus line against my belly. I'd almost swear there's more than one of them in there, but I only hear one little heart beating. She must be getting her feet and hands in on the action this time.

"You know, she probably won't be in there for more than another week. She told me yesterday she was ready to come out and meet all of her uncles," Sebby adds as he puts his hand on my stomach to feel the movement.

"All the more reason for us to make a decision on which crib we're taking home with us. With all of those uncles, I doubt she'll ever see her own bed, but I'd really like her to have one," I reply, looking at a beautiful antique cherry crib. I've been looking at cribs for twenty minutes now and I keep coming back to this one.

It looks less institutional and more homey than the other ones I've been studying. I really think it's the one I want. I love the color of the wood and the lines of the bed in general are really working for me. I run my hand along the back curve of it and feel the movement in my stomach stop.

"What's wrong with her?" I ask Sebastian, worried something has gone awry.

She's been moving nonstop for so long that it feels weird not to feel her. The books may have not been too helpful on her development, but they did a great job of filling me in on all of the things that can go wrong. Talk about things keeping you up at night.

"She approves of your selection. To show her support she's decided to take a nap. The crib is nice, but where do you think it will fit in the penthouse? Our bedroom isn't big enough for something this size and all of the other furniture that you probably want."

It's still a weird arrangement for me, but the guys have both moved into my bedroom and somehow we're able to share the space without either of them freaking out about the other one being there. Like the beer gut, I awoke one morning to find both of them sleeping in the bed.

I don't know how they do it, but we have a huge bed and, so far, there haven't been any weird touches between them in the middle of the night. I should know, since Peanut likes to keep me up all night. This is probably the first time she's actually slept.

"Are you jumping on the "we should move into a bigger place" bandwagon, too?"

I thought the conversation wouldn't go past the Nyx doesn't like the idea stage, but the guys have started leaving hints around the house. Newspapers opened to the real estate section with homes circled, an influx of cardboard boxes appearing and Clyde actually packing all of his toys into one of those cardboard boxes have all occurred. I'm about ninety percent sure they've picked out a new place and are working out who gets the short straw and has to tell me about it.

Even if I don't want to move, picking out a place without my input on the matter isn't exactly a brilliant plan. I have some very specific needs when it comes to my personal space and I think staying in the apartment and kicking everyone else out sounds like a great idea. My stomach doesn't agree and starts thumping again. That nap didn't last long.

"She's as vocal about her opinions as her mother," Sebastian says, and guides me towards the bedding part of the store. "Now that the important decision is behind us, what color do you think we should have our little girl sleep on?"

"I thought we were discussing where we were going to put the crib. Is that not an important decision anymore?"

I avert my eyes from the traditional blue and pink blanket offerings and focus in on the yellow. I'd love to get something in black; however, I don't want to totally traumatize the kid. I can see it now; black everything and a mobile of knives twirling around above her head. Perfect for someone like me, but maybe a little much for a baby.

"I wasn't the one who drew the short straw, so I thought it was best to just kill the conversation. I really like the simplicity of that one," he says, pointing to a yellow bedding set that has a plain, rich yellow sheet matched to a quilt in the same color with little white polka dots.

"I could go for that," I reply and grab one of the packages. "Were only you and Alex in on the straw draw, or do I have to wait for one of the guards to grow a pair and tell me about the move?"

Crib and bedding are off of the list. We just have clothing, stroller, diapers, car seat, and the list goes on for about forever. I know it didn't take this much thought and preparation to get pregnant. As it is, I'm intent on getting everything we need in this one trip. I tried to do the shopping online, but I wanted to verify the quality of the products that would be cradling my little girl.

"Technically, there wasn't a draw. He volunteered to be the one to not only tell you about his plans, but also pick out the new living quarters."

"How upset am I going to be about the new location?" At this point, I know I really don't have much choice in the matter. I can pretend all I want, but as big as I thought the penthouse was when I first walked in, stuffing close to a dozen people in it just isn't going to work anymore.

"Thankfully, you're an expert at adaptability. It shouldn't be that traumatic, so you don't need to get all worked up over it. I've seen the place and you'll be happy with the improvements that Alex made for you. Our bedroom is a lot bigger, and the three of us will each get our own closet. Peanut has her own room directly off of ours and other than Clyde's room, which is close by, the rest of the family is off in another wing. The non-essential guard units have a bunkhouse on the premises and will stick to securing the perimeter. That should keep them out of your way."

It all sounds too good to be true, not that he's given me a ton to go by, and I could go with Alex and Sebastian finding their own rooms, but I know that my one moment of weakness, allowing them both in, opened the flood gates and I don't have the energy to close them. It helps that I wake up to one of them rubbing my feet most days.

"Just how far away is my commute into work going to be? I'm going to be hauling around Peanut soon and she's informed me that she doesn't like to ride in the car with her mother," I say while I try to figure out receiving blankets and burping clothes. I think I might be a lost cause. Peanut hasn't spoken a word to me, but from that fact alone I'm drawing my conclusion on us carpooling.

"I did mention that Alex was the one who was supposed to be telling you all of this, didn't I?" Sebastian asks as he grabs a few packages of yellow and white receiving blankets. They are followed closely by matching everything else in sight. "You're taking too long. Peanut will be born by the time you make any decisions. We have the money, just grab everything."

"Fine. Let's go get her some clothes, unless we plan for her to go around wearing little togas. Back to your question, Alex isn't here and you are, so get to talking."

As we near the racks of clothes, I become very afraid. An overload of pink is staring at me and there's lace too. Why doesn't Tango Charlie carry baby clothes? Believe me, I checked there first, and they had nothing smaller than what I wear.

"You won't have far to drive. I'm sure you've heard of Nantucket Manor. Alex has owned it for a while and he recently acquired all the land around it. Giving us about twenty acres. With it being on the edge of town, Clyde will even have some grass to himself."

He ventures beyond the wall of pink that's holding me in place. Jake wandered off again and I'm terrified to see what he brings back this time. A lot of things are frightening me at the moment.

"Of course I've heard of Nantucket Manor. Alex really owns that eyesore? I don't think it's had anyone banging around inside, except maybe a few ghosts, since before I was born. You guys really think I'm going to want to move into that place? I've heard tons of stories that would keep little Peanut up at night."

"Here, these clothes should be a good start," he says as he comes back with an armload, pink is nowhere in sight. "Alex has had workers going nonstop to get the place up to code. You won't even recognize it. Now, let's get the stroller and car seat and then get out of here."

I'm all for that idea, so I hurry to the next stop. As fast as Peanut is growing inside of me, I'm not sure how quickly she'll grow once she escapes. She might be a teenager a week after birth, and that has to be even scarier than anything else my mind has thought of in the last hour.

"Just when are you guys expecting this move to take place? You claim the baby is going to be born here soon, and I don't know how easy a big move will be with her in tow."

I think I'm hesitant to travel at all with Peanut. I'd have guards with me to try to help if she started wailing, but I wouldn't be comfortable driving while she was in distress. Me being chauffeured around is not even an option, so don't ask.

"I don't think you want to know the answer to that. The way it was supposed to work was we get done here and I drive you over to the new place. Everything should be moved in by then."

I stop in my tracks and my jaw is probably through the floor with how low it drops.

"Oh, words I don't want Peanut to hear. You've got to be kidding me. That's why only you and Jake came out shopping. I should've known something was up. Ever since you guys found out about the baby, the guards have been hovering even more than usual and all of a sudden today they all disappear."

"Remember your blood pressure affects Peanut, so try to keep it in check. Alex isn't going to be a biological father, yet, but he does want to do something special for you and the baby. Making you this new home is him trying to show you what a good father he'll be."

"He's aware I'm going to be mad at him about that, right?" I ask, and it's really a rhetorical question.

I start moving again. Arguing with Sebastian isn't going to get me very far. To tell Alex off like I truly want to will have to wait until Peanut is born and I can get him in a bubble somewhere that her ears won't fall off from all the bad words dripping out of my mouth.

"Once you see the place, you aren't going to have a second to be upset about it. I promise you'll feel like the kid in the candy store cliché. I think this is the car seat I read about on the Internet. It had the highest reviews and scored really well in the safety tests. I imagine with us as parents she'll be pretty durable, but I won't risk testing that theory."

He won't get any arguments from me about that last statement. "Grab the car seat. Do you have a stroller you like too?" I did a lot of online pre-shopping and I bet he saw all the same things that I did.

"I'll grab the one I want and meet you up front if you want to go try to track down your errant guard. I'm getting a little worried about him. I don't think there are a ton of eligible women just wandering around the store, so something shiny must have caught his eye."

Jake has been trying really hard to get his act together and, as far as I've seen, he's halted his annoying habit of chasing anything female with a pulse. Peanut is making all of us try to put our best face forward. Pushing my cart around, I don't see him in any of the aisles I pass.

"Jake, where are you?" I ask in my normal voice, which garners a strange look from a lady nearby. She's holding a breast pump up to her chest, trying to gauge its size and I'm the weird one. Go figure.

"Sorry, sweetheart, I'll be right there," Jake says in reply. I start heading towards the voice, wanting to see how hard he hit his head this time. "No, I wasn't talking to you. I heard my mistress calling and I have to go help her. It was really nice of you to help me find the perfect gift, but I have to go."

"But I thought you said the gift was for your sister, not your girlfriend," a whiny voice replies.

"Yeah that was before I figured out you were a psycho," Jake mumbles under his breath. In his regular voice he says, "Nope. She's definitely not my sister. Here she is now. You can see that we look nothing alike."

Unless his dad at one time mated with a gnome, he's right. I don't like to hear others call me a gnome, but I can joke that my mother was one now that I know she's Lucifer. I don't see any major defects with the woman in front of me, other than the fact she's trying to hang onto Jake.

She has dark hair, not quite the blackness of mine, but close. Everything else looks pretty average. Not too skinny or chubby, medium skin tone and muted green eyes. She looks like someone Jake wouldn't mind getting to know a little better. I did mention she was female.

"How's our little princess doing?" Jake asks, rushing over to me.

He has something in his hand he's trying to hide, while I'm trying my hardest not to break out laughing at the situation. Jake actually running away from a girl is a new one.

"Love, has he gone delusional again?" Sebastian questions, joining us with the stroller he found.

"No, now let's go," Jake says, grabbing the cart out of my hand as he hurries to the checkout.

I'm going to have to find out just what little miss helpful said to get him moving. It might be useful later. If nothing else, I can taunt him about it.

"I guess that's our cue to leave. He forgot his meds," I explain to the woman and follow after him.

I hope he doesn't damage Peanut's new things. As fast as he's moving, he's most likely going to run into something. When we get to the checkout, he's buying whatever he was hiding from me and a lady is ringing our cart up.

"This yours?" she asks, not halting her scanning.

"Looks like it," I reply and head to the keypad to scan my card. I'm a little afraid what the bottom line is going to be on this haul, but it's for Peanut, so no amount is too much. The lady gives me the total and I hit the necessary buttons to draw this excursion to a close.

I can't wait to get back home and start in on Alex. I don't know if the thirty-minute drive works in his favor because I'll have plenty of time to stew about being moved into a new home without being told.

Chapter 2

Ghosts of witches past

"You guys could've helped out a little more in there," Jake says as he settles into the backseat of my new Suburban.

It's a newer model than my last one, and I've found that it has way too many buttons. I don't know what half of them do and the guys installed more after we got her home. My only request was that they put in enough storage for all of my gear. My wish was granted, and most of the floor opens up to reveal little cubby holes for me to hide things in.

"What was up with that? Did she offer to comb out your fur?" I ask as I start the car and wait for Sebastian to return from taking the cart back.

With me being so delicate and all, they wouldn't let me help unload anything. I don't think lifting a couple of sacks is going to cause any permanent damage. Unbeknownst to them, Phee and I have been slipping in some sparring time when we can. Okay, Sebastian and Alex know, but they're keeping their mouths shut about it. Phee doesn't really follow through and I only fight at about a quarter of my standard levels.

I look back in the rearview mirror to see Jake shaking his head. "Thankfully, she didn't know I was a werewolf, at least I don't think she did. It would've made her requests even dirtier. I asked for some help picking something out and the second I found what I wanted and tried to go pay for it, she pounced on me. The things she said would've scarred Peanut for life. I can't bring someone like that home to meet the family."

"Who are you and what have you done with my Jake?"

I have to be dreaming or something. This isn't like him at all. I know he's been better, but he still tends to be the one we have to pry away from the girls. Shoot, when we made a little side trip to Hell not that long ago he was about ready to sign his life over to some little demon chick, and she was into girls.

Sebastian returns and I'm quick to leave the parking lot. Even if the woman believed Jake's line about us being involved, she still may be a bit stalkerish and try to trail us home. Jake is just the tip of my man candy entourage iceberg. She'd be in heaven once she was introduced to the rest of the gang. They may say that I draw all of the attention when we go out, but I know what the women are really looking at.

"Hey, I've been good. I'm going to be an uncle of sorts, so I need to learn how to be a good role model. It ain't easy, but I'm trying. The other guys are doing pretty good too. I don't think there's been a curse word uttered in the last three days. You have to admit that's on about the same level as Moses parting a sea."

I don't think I'd take it that far and I'm sure the heated glares and punches they endured from me have nothing to do with how good they've been doing on the swear word front. Even with all of my hard work, I know Peanut is going to have a mouth like a sailor. I should probably buy stock in bars of soap now to prepare.

"You've been doing great, Jake. I'm certain you'll be one of the first people we call when we need a babysitter. Love, do you think we should start talking about names other than Peanut? It's been cute for a while, but I think we should decide on something a little more normal," Sebastian says, and reaches over to put his hand on my stomach.

That's a topic I've been putting a lot of consideration into lately. I've tried unsuccessfully to come up with something that's fun, but at the same time classy enough to be the name given to Sebastian's daughter. If she was just my daughter, Mud would probably be a perfectly fine name, but Sebastian adds a lot of elegance to the situation. In my scanning of girl names, I've found that it's easier to turn names down than it is to find something that works.

"You could always name her after your mom. That would be hilarious," Jake suggests.

"If you aren't good, I'm taking you back to the store and leaving you there. My child is not going to be named Lucifer."

I can't even believe he'd suggest something like that. At least he didn't go all out and say her name. We haven't had to deal with her since we originally met, and I'm afraid talking about her will jinx that. Of course, I did just say it myself, didn't I? Well that was dumb.

"How about something that signifies her genetics a little differently, like Angelica, Evangeline, Lupe or Luna?" Sebastian proposes. The names roll off of his tongue, and I can tell he's been thinking about it as much as I have.

I don't know. They sound better than Jake's suggestion, of course anything would, but I don't really like them any better. We don't know for sure what she'll be. Evangeline isn't bad, but I can already tell she's going to be more devil than angel, figuratively speaking anyway, and the sweet sounding name will be lost on the hellion.

"I'm going to need some other ideas. Let's stay away from anything too stereotypical."

"Lily. Eleanor. Helga. Mary. Grace. Zoey. Virginia. Rachel," Jake rattles off.

"Annabelle. Cassandra. Victoria. Elizabeth. Alexandra. Guinevere. Francesca," Sebastian recites.

He seems to like the names with a lot of letters. Too bad none of them feel right. I do like his list better than Jake's. They're more like the kind of names I think about when I envision his daughter.

"Sebby, you had a mom at one time, right?"

"Everyone has a mother, love. In general, maybe not all angels and demons do, but everyone else does. Mine has been gone for a very long time now."

"I know. I was just wondering if she had a name I'd like for our baby. My mom's name is out, but maybe we can use a name from your side of the family." I'm just hoping it isn't something like Bertha or Fanny.

"It isn't that bad. Her name was Sophia Rose."

Not bad at all. I could do without a flower for a middle name, though. "I'm digging Sophia a lot. The middle name is going to have to marinate for a little while. Do you like the name Sophia, Peanut?"

The little nutter places a well-rounded kick right to where Sebastian's hand is resting. It might have been a hand because it seems like she's high-fiving her dad.

"She wants the middle name, too. She thinks the whole name sounds beautiful and since she's going to be the prettiest girl in the world, next to her mother, it's perfect for her," Sebby says.

"Those are big words from someone so small. Just why would she think her mother is pretty?"

I wouldn't exactly concur with that statement. Parts of my body look like I volunteered to test out the pointiness of freshly sharpened knives. The giant scythes on my back do a pretty good job of covering things up and diverting your eyes from the T across my shoulders and down my spine that was carved into me years ago, but it, along with some knife scars down my arms and legs, leave me looking less than perfect.

"She's been informed by at least two people, granted those people may be just a tad bit biased, that you are the most beautiful woman in the world."

I hear a little giggle in my mind. "Whoops," a really small female voice says inside of my head.

"Son of a pixie dust coated monkey. Was that her?" I ask, taking my mind off of the road to look down at my stomach. "Say something else." I feel a kick and no more voice. "I'll buy you a Lamborghini and a pony."

The little devil still doesn't reply. I focus back on the road and try to think of a way to make her talk.

"She wants to wait for you to be able to see her before she thinks her real first words to you. Alex and I have done a really good job of talking you up and she wants it to be special. As it is for us, you're her universe and she can't wait to meet you," Sebastian explains.

"She could've fooled me on that one. You'd think if she likes me that much she wouldn't keep me up at all hours to practice the drums. I'm heading straight to the new place, right?"

We're getting close to the scary old manor, so I change lanes to make sure I don't miss the turn. As much as I dislike being uprooted, there's a part of me that's excited to see what Alex has done to the place.

I've seen the old-fashioned plantation style house a few times over the years. Each time I saw it, the place looked more rundown than the last. It was abandoned long before I was born. I don't know any of the history around it, but I've heard there were ghosts in residence.

"Might as well, that's where everyone else is and I think you're expected," Sebastian says. "Jake, since you did the research on the place for Alex, why don't you fill Nyx in. It shouldn't take too long."

"Got it. I'll go with the cliffnotes version, just in case. Nantucket Manor was built in 1867 by tobacco farmer George Williams. He lived there with his wife and ten children. As you can imagine by the size of the place, they had many servants. Of course, back then they weren't called servants, but I'm trying to keep it nice for Peanut.

"Anyway, Mr. Williams, like quite a few plantation owners back in the day, liked to dally with the girls and women servants who helped out around the house. He ended up with a lot more than the ten kiddies his wife provided him with. She caught wind of it and got a little angry, just a little.

"If she wasn't a witch, he might have made it out of things with only his jimmy missing, but since she was one of the baddest witches in town, he got royally messed up. She started by burning his fields, which pushed his financial standings into the ground. He tried to borrow his way out of the mess, but the missus took it upon herself to tempt the local bankers with her forbidden fruit and made them see things her way.

"All sorts of other things happened, but in the end he was left destitute and she took her kids and left. Shortly after her departure, an unexplained fire happened in their bedroom while he was sleeping. Only the bed burned and him with it. I spent some time talking with her about it and she isn't as bad as you say. She's had a lot of trouble in the men department over the years because she's tried to stick to humans, but she recently changed that cycle and things are working out a little better for her."

Jake hasn't left town recently, so I know the witch he speaks of is a local. I know a lot of the witches, but I only tend to bad mouth one of them and it's totally because she's a nut job.

"You're joking, right? Alex isn't moving me into a house that Hilda lived in with her cheating husband over a century ago. If Peanut wasn't with in ear range, I would so be cursing right now."

Witches can live for centuries, and if they're strong enough and have the right ingredients, they can probably make themselves immortal. I know Hilda is capable of accomplishing that task. I just don't want to believe she's resided in the place I'm moving into.

"You dislike most witches you come across, and you aren't afraid to vocalize it. Why do you think it's Hilda solely based on his description?" Sebastian asks.

"Because this is my life we're talking about and that woman likes to haunt me at every turn. If her dead husband isn't wandering the halls, I bet her memories will be. Witches can do that, you know. They leave behind psychic impressions to screw with the people who move in after them. I'm going to have to find someone I trust to come in and do a cleansing. Alex didn't happen to have one done already, did he?"

Finding a witch I trust is going to be a daunting task.

"I don't think he has," Jake says from the back. "Hilda has been helping him out, though. Trying to make sure all of the refurnishing is done correctly. She's out there most days and maybe she cleaned things up for us. Her boyfriend is going to be staying there, and I imagine she'll show up every once in a while to visit. She'll probably flush the memories all out free of charge, if she hasn't already."

I'm still convinced she dosed Marcus with something. I haven't seen them together, but rumor is they've been seeing each other regularly after he went on a date with her in payment for some magical help to retrieve Sebastian. I know he was just as turned off by her as I was, so what happened between then and now is a mystery to me.

"I'm still not sure this will work out. I was starting to accept the situation, but this has me wanting to run the other direction." As I'm saying this, I'm already pulling up into the long drive that leads back to the manor house.

It looks like the drive is freshly paved, which is nice, because I know it was gravel or dirt recently. When I get up to the house itself, I about crash the car before I'm able to get it into park. The place looks unbelievable.

The white pillars announcing its stately presence are freshly painted and have no vines blocking their prestige. Full disclosure, I might have checked the place out more than a couple of times. It always seemed so alone out here, and I've felt that way many times in my life. When the mood came on, I'd take a long walk out here and wander the grounds. Even though I think the house is really creepy, we did eventually come to an understanding.

"Welcome to your new home," Alex says, rushing down the front steps to greet us.

"Don't think a gardener and a few coats of paint are going to get you out of the trouble you're in, wolfman." I get out of the car to go meet him. Sebastian and Jake start to unload the cargo.

"It does help my case just a little, I'm sure," he responds as he wraps me up into a hug, being careful not to squish the baby. "How did Peanut enjoy her first shopping trip?"

"I hope she hated it. If not, you guys are going to have to take her once she's born. I've had my once a year expedition more than once already this year. By the way, Peanut is now known as Sophia Rose. We're naming her after Sebastian's mom."

I pull back from him and gaze up at the house a little more. The thing is really massive. That's at least something it has going for it. I should have plenty of room to hide from the guys when they start ticking me off.

"I heard what you two decided on and I like it. I agree with Sophia that Rose is a perfect middle name for her. Why don't I take my two girls on a tour of the estate while the rest of the crew gets the nursery setup? I need a chance to plead my case and a little alone time would be nice. We haven't had any for a while. With Peanut, I mean Sophia, in your tummy, we won't technically be getting any now, but we can make do."

Who better than the mad scientist who put this all together to lead me on our tour? "Lead on, Alex. I'm slightly interested in seeing what you've done to the place."

"We both know that's a fib. You can't wait to see what has changed since the last time you visited." He grabs my hand and leads me around to the side of the house.

It looks like the tour is starting outside. I just hope we aren't heading to a garden. Little Sophia may get her way on her middle name, but the real life version of roses make me itch in large quantities, much like most other things.

Chapter 3

Still waiting for my cannon

"The grounds host a very large greenhouse and garden, but that isn't where I'm taking you. You'll have to find them yourself if you want to visit them. Hilda insisted that they be brought back to their former glory because she spent a lot of time off in that area. When you hear the stories of what she's done to the people who have wronged her in the past, you try to stay on her good side."

The path we walk down looks to be crushed rocks of some sort. Knowing Alex, they're probably marble or granite. I don't know how expensive those materials would be, but he doesn't like to skimp. The large yard is professionally manicured and I'm sure Clyde is loving that detail.

I see some construction being done on what has to be the exterior guards' residence. It's a three story building that looks like an apartment complex. It doesn't seem like there's a lot of work left to be done on it.

"They'll be moving in within the week. Until then, we have a few staying in the manor, just to be safe. What I want to show you is around the corner here. I want you to remember that you're pregnant and getting excited may cause premature labor, so try to keep things under control."

It must finally be my cannon. I've been requesting one forever and no one believes I really need one.

"Before the big reveal, why don't you tell me how you came to own this place, and just how involved Hilda has been in everything. Did you sacrifice more dates with Marcus to get her on your side? That's about the only way I can see for her to be any assistance."

We pause in our steps so he can respond. "No, you haven't seen her for a few weeks and you'll be surprised when you do. Marcus has proven to be helpful when dealing with her, but I don't think she would've given me too much crap without him.

"I bought the house from her years ago. It was really weird at the time, because she found me and offered it to me for a hundred bucks. She didn't look the same back then, and I almost felt bad taking advantage of her. Even in the shape the place was in, it was worth well over a million dollars."

"Great. The voices in her head planned this all out. I don't think that's a selling point."

"Perhaps not, but this will be." He grabs my hand and drags me around the corner.

The first thing my eye sees is a giant obstacle course with monkey bars, belly crawl, wall climb, tire run and a few balance beams thrown in for good measure. Now that looks fun.

I look over to the left of the course and see a shooting range set up. There are some nice standard targets spread out on a field with a few extra fun ones around. The fun ones include spinners and targets with people I don't really like on them. They even included Ben on one of them.

"I'm not sure I want to shoot him," I say, nodding towards that particular target.

I'm still not talking to the demon. He's tried to pop in a couple of times to check in on my pregnancy. They were really short visits when he got the cold shoulder from me.

I know I'm being childish about him figuring out who my mother is and keeping it from me, but that doesn't mean I'll stop being upset. I figure another week or two and I may be over it enough to speak to him.

"That one is for me. After you've forgiven him, I'll still not like the jerk. He wants to put a baby in you, and only Sebastian and I get that honor. Come on, let's go see what we put together for Sophia and those future children," he claims, and takes a hold of my hand.

I don't see why the obstacle course isn't suitable for them. With parents like us, they're going to be learning to fight before they can even walk. I wonder if they make little pint size punching bags.

"Don't you think it's weird that you and Sebastian have both claimed my womb?"

I think it's really creepy. I love both of the guys, but I'll never understand how this is supposed to work. It's something I bring up and think about often. I still haven't received an answer that satisfies me.

"We all love each other. There isn't anything weird or creepy about it. I won't say I'm going to try to steal any alone time with Sebastian, but through you, we've formed a bond. Not long ago, I would've said that was impossible. As you know though, I don't have any problem with you guys doing the kinds of activities that created little Sophia. At this point, you're the only one who still gets spooked by the way things are going.

"We were scared about what your reaction would be when you woke up to find us both in your bed. He and I had been talking about it for a while and we finally just decided to try it out. You don't like being cuddled too much, which makes it easier on us. Tuesdays he gets to be close to you and I get Saturdays. The other nights we just each have our own space."

I do find it a little funny that they have cuddle time with Nyx penciled in on their schedules. Maybe after a century of us all being together I'll be as blasé about it as they are. Until then, we'll just make sure I don't sleep with sharp objects nearby.

Alex brings us to a halt and turns me so I can see what he's put together for the future hordes of children he's planning. By the look of things, my count isn't far off. He's brought me to an area on the west side of the house that almost looks like another dwelling.

It's a mini castle playground set that has swings and slides, like I assume any playground has, but this one comes equipped with a castle and a moat. I haven't seen any crocodiles roaming the streets of Night Owl City, which I hope continues, because I'm sure any future boys we might have would try to procure a few for their moat. I probably shouldn't put that past the devil kicking inside of me now. I can see her riding a crocodile down the driveway before showing it its new home.

"You're giving her ideas. She may block you from hearing her, but she's always listening in on what you're thinking," Alex says as he drags me over to the swings. "Sit. Let me push you for a few minutes."

I do as commanded a little reluctantly. "I thought I was supposed to be getting a tour of my new home. We haven't walked enough that I need a rest, and I really want to get a look inside."

"In a second. First, I've been thinking a lot about a particular human custom that I wanted to discuss with you."

I don't like that lead in at all. In fact, I think I should take off in a run as fast as the beer gut will let me. "Not a very interesting subject I assume." I stay where I am and kick my legs out, taking myself higher as he pushes me.

"In our world, mates are just mates. We don't really become husband and wife in any big ceremony. It's just understood that we're stuck together as long as we both live," he says.

"Okay, I acknowledge that to be a true statement, but I'd like to point out that most human marriages don't last like the paranorm ones do."

"I can't dispute that. I don't want us to get married, so you can stop worrying that I'm trying to ask you. What we have is perfect and I was just hoping I could get you to wear my ring. You spend some time in the human world, even if it disturbs you, and they're accustomed to seeing that symbol on women who are already claimed.

"I'll be marking you, probably soon, although who knows if when your angel stuff kicks in we'll feel the need that this month triggers for other wolf mates. Until then, and even after, I'd love for you to wear this ring," he says, and grabs me to stop my momentum. He wraps his arms around me and he holds out a small black box.

Shocked is a little bit mild for what I'm feeling. I didn't see this request coming ever. "I'm not exactly a jewelry type of girl. I thought that was well-known." I grab the box anyway, curious to see what he thought would win me over.

"I think you'll be surprised," is all he gives me.

I open the box and I have to agree with him. There's no super huge diamond residing within. Instead I'm greeted by the rim of a bullet attached to a silver looking band. The bullet is stamped with TC on the top and 9MM Luger around the bottom. It looks just like one of the bullets I buy. I take it out to get an even better look.

"It is one of your bullets. I had it saved after Jonas pulled it out of me the first night we met. I didn't expect to use it in this capacity, but when I got the idea to get you a ring, I couldn't think of anything more appropriate to symbolize our relationship."

I obviously didn't know what shock was when I thought I was experiencing it before. "You not only saved the bullet I shot you with, but had it made into a ring for me. I love it," I say, and slip the ring onto my ring finger on my left hand. It fits perfectly, which was expected, and I like that it's low profile so I don't have to worry about it catching on something. Huge and pointy might have been fun in a fight, but for every day wear, flat is good.

"The band is titanium, so it should last for about forever. If you look inside, I had it engraved."

I have it on my finger and he wants me to take it off, foolish boy. I do anyway because I'm curious. It takes me a second to figure out where to start, but when I do, I smile. Inside it says Two parts male, one part angel. It also includes a little trinity symbol.

I understand that it isn't referring to only me, because I think everyone involved has done a check and verified that there aren't boy parts hanging in between my legs. The ring is forever documenting the bond we share with Sebastian. I like that with something that Alex picked to symbolize that I'm taken, he included everyone in it.

"Brilliant," I say, sliding it back on and positioning my head to share a sweet kiss with him. Sophia starts moving around and that draws us apart. She'd been calm since we got here. I guess she doesn't like PDA.

"Let's take the soccer player in the house. I have quite a few rooms I want to show you. Our wing is through the doors right over here. I thought being close to the playground would be a good idea."

We walk over to the door. I should say that he walks and I kind of waddle along. Most days the extra belly doesn't really affect me, but others leave me feeling like a duck. I think all of the walking through the store today is starting to catch up.

"Hold on just a little bit longer before you run off for your nap. I don't want you getting lost in all of the extra space." He quickly picks me up and opens the door to carry me in. A totally unnecessary move, but it does save me a couple of steps.

We enter into a sitting room of sorts. It isn't large and has two red couches that face each other. Nothing else of great interest, other than a fireplace that I doubt will ever be used.

"The main living room is in the center of the house. This is just a place where we can talk if we want to be out of the bedroom. I think most of our time in this wing will be spent sleeping. The main kitchen and gym aren't located in this section. We do have a small kitchen for emergencies when you feel famished all of a sudden."

He sets me down and we walk through the sitting room and the space widens out to a large hallway filled with doors. Sebastian loves artwork and the Penthouse was filled with it. It's strange to see it missing from the walls.

"His main collection is through the rest of the house. He's having some pieces imported from his overseas homes to fill our space. Your friends David and Venus are already standing in the foyer of the main entrance," he says as he opens one of the doors to the left in the hallway.

"Just how many rooms does our little wing have?" I ask while I count another five doors in the hallway.

"Actual bedrooms, there are ten. About half of those have attached bathrooms and there are three separate baths. There is a large library, which we've used as office space for the three of us, in case the need to work from home ever arises. This is our bedroom."

He ushers me into a room that's about as big as the penthouse apartment, if you don't take into account all of the hidden doors the apartment has. Our bed is up against the wall with matching night stands on each side. The rest of the room is pretty barren, except for a large armoire.

There are five visible doors and with the house being as old as it is, I don't imagine it has a ton of hidden rooms. I don't think Sebby has had enough time to tinker with his secret passage obsession. I open the door closest to us and find a modern, luxurious bathroom. There's a large whirlpool tub that stands as a focal point in the center of the room. I walk over to it and check out its jets and a keypad full of buttons sitting next to it.

"Did you let the workers sleep at all? How long had you planned this move?" I know it was just brought up a couple of weeks ago, but I can't imagine this much work getting done in that time frame.

"Money talks, Babe. I didn't start until it had been mentioned to you, so I could gauge your reaction. Crews worked twenty-four-seven to get it ready in time. Thankfully, everything went as planned and we had no setbacks."

I stop reading all of the things my new tub can do for me and get up to investigate the other doors. The one closest to the bathroom opens up into an armory slash closet. The left side of the wall contains the majority of my weapons, neatly sorted with the guns separate from the knives and the novelty items in their own corner. The back wall hosts a beautiful cherry wood dresser that I imagine houses my undergarments. To the right, my clothes have already been moved in and are sorted the way I like them.

It's a really nice space and it's all mine. I wonder if the door has a lock on it in case I want to hide out. I push Alex back out the door and ponder the three other doors. I realize two of them are the guys' closets, but the third one is perplexing.

"Go take a look," Alex instructs, and I skip over in my hobbling way to see what's hiding behind curtain number five.

The second I turn the knob and get the door open just a fraction, "Surprise!" is yelled out by numerous voices. I throw the door all of the way open and find the guards, Sebby, Phee, Sam and some woman glued to Marcus' side. Crap. He's an idiot of epic proportions if he thinks keeping a girl on the side is going to go over well with Hilda.

Notice that I focus in on that fact and not the one that the group is standing in a finished nursery filled with black "It's a Girl" balloons. How they found them in black is a quandary. Pushing that and the Marcus issue aside, I smell steak and that makes me hungry.

We better get some food in me before I figure out what my reaction to what looks to be a surprise baby shower is. I push past the group, focusing right in on the buffet table. Food is probably the only good thing I'll find at this party. Maybe after a couple of steaks I'll change my mind. Only time will tell.

Chapter 4

Baby shower for the win

Sophia and I are calmed with meat in our belly. It took three steaks to get us to this point, but everyone will be thankful that they allowed us the time to find a little inner peace. I don't even feel like throwing a fit anymore. Okay, maybe I do, but it's less likely that I actually will.

"So, what brought you all here today?" I ask, dabbing my lips with a napkin. Finding napkins provided was almost as shocking as the party itself.

"You can be really dense sometimes, angel girl. I'm pretty sure we didn't come to get our nails done," the woman next to Marcus says.

The voice is familiar, but the appearance is anything but. From the height to the skin color, nothing looks normal on her; however, I don't doubt for one second it is her.

"Is that the mug you were born with, witch lady?" Even without the green skin, she's still going to get a hard time from me. The fact that she could've looked like the image before me all of this time is mind-boggling. Her new appearance is borderline beautiful, and I don't say that often about other women. She is tall, probably five nine or so; she has a short pixie haircut that really accentuates her elf or pixie like face. The hair is blonde and she has brilliant purple eyes. Demon Boy tries to pull off the purple eyes, and he does very well, but it's nothing compared to how amazing hers look.

"I don't know why Gabe thought it'd be easier to deal with you now that you know your true heritage. I told him you wouldn't change your ways just from being told you were an angel. I guess that new deluxe cauldron is all mine."

She gives her heartiest witch cackle that solidifies her identity in my mind. No one can cackle like Hilda does.

"Gabe? As in my angel Gabe? What's he doing talking to you?" There's all sorts of wrongness going on in my mind at the thought of those two getting together. I wouldn't think the angels would take kindly to all of the pranks Hilda likes to play on her customers.

"You don't really think I had some crazy 'Great Spirit' rattling things off in my head, do you? I couldn't very well tell you that I was recruited by the angels to keep an eye on you and received daily updates from their lead messenger on things that were going to happen in your life."

Jaw, meet ground. I've had a lot of jaw dropping news lately, but I think that tidbit takes the cake. Okay, maybe the two mates deal and being an angel top it, but still this is crazy. The angels sent Hilda to keep an eye on me. Who on earth thought that was a good idea? I guess I should rephrase that to exclude earth and make it Upstairs. I think I've found another species that needs to work on getting their heads examined.

"Gabe recruited you to keep me out of trouble. How's that been working out for you?" I ask, and am forced to smile when Sebastian walks behind me and wraps his arms around me. For some reason his touch makes me happy. I think Sophia digs it too.

"It had been an easy task for years. After I got you away from your mom and over to the Collective things were pretty smooth for me. The heist to grab you while you were still in your little egg took a month of planning, but I got it done.

"Then I just had to wait a couple of days for you to hatch, and add in a few days grace time to make sure everything was okay, before I dropped you off in the safest hands available at the time. Keeping you with me would've been dangerous for us both. Me suddenly towing around a kid when I hadn't been male friendly in decades would have looked suspicious.

"You just had to become one of their assassins, though. Talk about keeping me up late at night," she shakes her head slowly, most likely remembering one of those wonderful nights. Her description jumps around a little, but I follow well enough to get the big details.

"Is this bombshell day or something?" Hilda being my surrogate mother in a sense is pretty much insane. I can understand why I'm so screwed up, though. A week in her care would do that to a person.

"While I'm at it, I should probably tell you the biggest news. Your dad doesn't know it and I'm sure he isn't going to be happy when he finds out. His plans are probably going to need to be adjusted a little. Your birthday isn't January 21st. It is actually on the fifteenth. I flubbed it up a little when I handed you over to the Collective. I didn't want the correct date to be known in case your mom knew the exact moment you were supposed to be born. A baby appearing out of the blue around the same time was already a red flag."

"Let me get this straight, you're saying that I'm going to turn twenty-three in a week instead of the two weeks I thought I had. What about the angel trials? I thought I had to get those all done before my birthday." Now I'm getting really confused.

"I can't in truth say what's going on with the trials for sure, but Gabe has always known the correct date. You would've begun them already if it weren't for the baby. Some of them may have a level of danger to the task and no one wants to endanger Sophia.

"Things are being reworked on the angel side of things to get everything ready for you. The fact that the little one will come out any day now works in your favor. You're still going to have to cram a lot into a few days, but Gabe has faith in you. Why don't we move on to the present part of your shower? I can't wait to see what everyone got you. I, of course, know, but I'll try to act surprised."

I don't really care for the quick subject change. I have a lot of questions that I'm sure are going to focus themselves in my mind and come pouring out any second. Yup, any second now. I'm still waiting.

"I think that's a good idea. Nyx is going to need a little time to digest everything you just unloaded on her. The mundane task of opening presents and pretending to be excited about them is just what she needs," Sebastian claims, leading me over to a rocking chair.

My brain seems to be unable to process things, so I take my seat and I'm handed a package.

"That one is from me," Walt says, with a big smile on his face. The package is wrapped in what looks like tin foil and is a decent size.

I start unwrapping it and a ton of pacifiers come falling out onto my lap. The main box inside is a pacifier sterilizing kit. I grab one of the fallen Binkies, as the package says, and find it to have a mustache attached to it. Oh no.

I start grabbing the other ones and find one with a mouth and teeth that includes a nice set of fangs, one with a little cutsie devil face, and a set with different sayings including: pull to sound alarm, volume control, and I enjoy bacon periodically – the bacon is written out in periodic elements.

"I figured Clyde would probably try to help out, and you'd need a mess of those things to deal with his slobber and sanitizing them never hurt anything," Walt explains.

"Yeah, I helped pick some of them out. When you get a chance to read them all, let me know which ones you think were my idea," Clyde says, coming to lie down in front of my feet. I bet those special ones are put in the back of the rotation.

"No explanation needed. It makes sense to have extras, although this quantity might be a little bit much. We'll have to find a special drawer to store them in. I'm kind of afraid to open the rest of the presents now."

I have a strong feeling these gifts are good for my sense of humor, but might not translate into Sophia's world. It's one thing when the baby doesn't know they have a silly saying on their pacifier, but I'm pretty sure Sophia will understand the message.

"Don't worry. They get better," Jake claims, and shoves a box at me. "Here, open mine next."

It is a six-inch by eight-inch box wrapped very similar to Walt's. I look around and notice that everyone except Phee and Marcus are holding tin foil packages. The females in the group must have decided to class their gifts up a little; I'm assuming Hilda helped with Marcus' gift.

I tear off the wrapping and open the lid of what I believe is a clothing box. Inside, I find piles of little onesies with sayings on them. The ones on top actually do make me laugh out loud. I'm cute, my mom's cute, my dads are lucky, reads one of them. That had to have been a special order one. I don't think you find many that mention a mom and multiple dads in regular stock.

Another claims that the wearer is never allowed to date. Ever. Alex and Sebastian have already made that statement perfectly clear. I guess letting the whole world know isn't that big of a deal. The guys will probably make sure she gets a version to wear as she grows.

The last one that really catches my eyes is one that says if you think I'm good lookin' you should see my uncle. Reading that, I didn't need Jake to hand me this present to know it was from him.

"Well, at least she'll have clothes to match the pacifiers. I think all of the other babies will laugh at her though."

"Good thing there aren't a lot of other babies around to have to worry about that," Sebastian says in commiseration.

Smitty's gift is similar to the onesies, but in bib format. Marcus and Hilda provide a gift that at first makes me wonder what the world is coming to, but I quickly figure out it is a gag gift. The box indicates that it contains a feeder type contraption, similar to what you find in a hamster cage for dispensing water, that I can attach to Sophia's crib to allow her to feed herself.

I open the box up and find it filled with baby bottles. Most of them are mildly inappropriate with their sayings or the fact that they look like liquor bottles. Poor Sophia is going to be a really confused child.

Will gives me baby knee pads and a couple of sleeper outfits that have tons of fringe so while Sophia is crawling around the floor she can be put to good use in cleaning it as she goes. Dante's gift is oddball teething rings and rattles. My favorites are the bacon flavored teething ring and the dumbbell shaped rattle.

Jonas, knowing just what I really need, presents me with books on parenting. "How Not to Kill Your Baby," "The Baby Owner's Manual," and "Sh*tty Mom" are the ones that stick out in my mind. I'm afraid to actually start reading any of them.

I thought Sophia would just come out and know how to take care of herself. She already can talk to some of us, so that should mean she doesn't sit around and cry for things she can just ask for. In my mind that's what it means, she may have different ideas.

I take Phee's gift last. The fact that it's wrapped in pink wrapping paper has me really afraid. Hilda wrapped her and Marcus' present, but she went with a dark yellow. Most likely the same exact color we picked sheets in an hour or so ago.

I'm careful while I unwrap this gift. I can just see Phee freaking out if I tear her hard work. Under the wrapping is a clothing box similar to Jake's. After seeing the pink and frills at the baby store today, I don't know if I can bring myself to open the lid. I just know it's going to be a little dress and I'm certain I will start screaming if I see it.

"Quit being a baby and open it, Nyx," Phee says, rolling her eyes.

I guess I can't delay any longer. I open the package to find pink tissue paper. It's going to be as bad as I thought. I peel away the paper and find black. There's no pink dress. It's little mini Nyx fatigues. There's even a little pair of black booties that match.

"Oh my God," I say, dragging out the pair of pants that match mine perfectly. Underneath, along with a top, is a set of little plastic bowie knives and a little sheath that wraps around a kid's waist. "Sophia, I think you need to come out so you can try on what your Aunt Phee bought you."

Phee squeals and runs over to give me a hug. "I knew you'd love it. I just did the wrapping to confuse you. I knew if I would've gotten the dresses I liked in the store they would've been burned, so I got these special ordered and they luckily do really quick work. It only took them a couple of days to get two outfits made for you."

She releases me and runs back over to her mate. "This is one time where I didn't have to talk sense into her," Sam says. "I'm glad you like it, but I knew you would. Phee told me so enough times that it'd be impossible not to believe her."

"Have you guys been moved in as well?" I know that was the original plan, but I don't know if it was going to happen immediately.

"You have to see our room. It is amazing. I love it here. I mean the old place was better than living with my mom, but this place is out of this world. You look tired or I'd already be trying to drag you around to show you all of my favorite spots."

I know I feel tired, but the fact that it's showing means my eyes are going to close any second. I hope that Sophia doesn't mind letting me get a few hours in. It's bad enough I'm not able to sleep on my stomach, which is my preferred position. I've never liked sleeping on my side, and that along with the kicks has made more than an hour of sleep a day impossible.

"Before you fall out, I was wondering if you've heard from your dad lately, Princess," Jonas says. Sebastian is already working to separate the presents from me and putting things away.

"No, but we only talk about once a week. Is there anything I should be worried about?"

"I haven't been able to reach him for three days. That hasn't happened before, and I don't want you to worry, but I'm starting to get concerned myself. With you being pregnant and the possibility of you popping at any second so great, it isn't like him," Jonas answers.

"Walt, I'm guessing since he's asking me, you haven't had any luck."

"No, and I agree with Jonas. You're the most important thing in your dad's world. Him not sitting around waiting for our daily updates is unusual."

I pull my phone out and punch in his number. It rings three times, and then goes to voicemail. I haven't had to listen to his message before. He's always picked right up.

"This is me. If you're hearing this, you know what to do," his voice says and is followed by a beep.

"Hey, Daddy, if you wouldn't mind please call me, Walt or Jonas back as soon as you can. I have baby news to share and you're worrying the guys." I hang up and I'm not really sure how to proceed. I still have no idea even where the man is hiding. I can't believe someone else found him.

"Your dad is a tough guy. I'm sure he'll call you back soon and everything will be okay," Alex says, lifting me out of the chair.

I think he's right. I can't really do anything about it this second. After a little nap, I'll regroup and figure out what needs to be done. Sleep first. Grill Walt and Jonas for Daddy's location later. It isn't much of a plan, but it will do for now.

Chapter 5

Big trouble in paradise

I think I fell asleep in Alex's arms as he carried me to bed. I don't remember being put down, but his warm body curled behind me makes me believe it happened, especially since I can feel Sebastian close by on the other side.

"Love, your phone is ringing. It's Aaron's ringtone, so I thought you might want to answer it," Sebastian says as he hands the phone over.

"You're right, but my eyes don't want to open yet." I tap the screen and hold it up to my ear. "Daddy, I'm still sleepy. Why did you have to call back now?"

"You never did go so far as to call me that. All those years that I raised you, and Daddy never passed your lips. Thinking about that saddens me just a tad," someone, obviously not my father, replies.

"Frank, what are you doing with my dad's phone?" I feel both guys on the bed stiffen at my words.

They should've been able to hear Frank's reply, and they may not have recognized the voice, but they can figure out the problem with Frank having Daddy's phone.

"It's really simple, my dear. We, and by we I mean the Collective, want you back, and since you're with child, we'll take her too."

Sebastian comes off the bed at that comment and walks over to punch the closest wall. Alex moves to comfort him, while I continue to talk to the lunatic.

"That will happen over my dead body. You aren't getting me or my baby."

"I expect there will be quite a few dead bodies when we meet up, but we both know none of them will be yours. Let's arrange a meeting for an exchange. How about in five hours at the house your dad has been hiding out in. That should give you enough time to prepare. And rest assured, I brought the army with me that you warned me I'd need. See you soon, daughter," he says, and then hangs up.

"Son of a monkey's uncle's brother. We'd better start gearing up. I don't know how far away Dad was hiding, but five hours doesn't seem like enough time to get everything together." I hop out of bed and hurry to my closet.

"Nyx, we can't go. We don't even know if your father is still alive. It's probably just a trap," Sebastian says, coming to join me.

I don't let his words halt my progress. My pants are already on and I'm strapping on the external thigh sheaths. I want everyone to know I mean business. I make sure to pack the Panoptic knife. I rarely leave home without it these days. Leaving it laying around for anyone to pick up would be a major no-no. I'm charged with keeping it safe, and I've been doing my best.

"I haven't even had a year with my dad. I don't care if it's a trap; I'm going in after him." He tries to stop me from my actions, but I bat his hands away. "You can either get ready and come with me, or you can stay behind and be stuck wondering what's happening."

"Babe, I have to agree with Sebastian on this one. Let us get a team together and go in to get Aaron. We don't want to put you or Sophia at risk. You don't have to be there for this," Alex says, trying to back Sebastian up.

"The Hell I don't. If you think you're going to leave me behind, you're both sadly mistaken. I'll fight you fang and claw over this. I don't know how they found him, but it's my fault that they did. If I was still with the Collective, they wouldn't be using him as leverage against me."

I pull on a shirt and stretch it down over my bulging belly. It grew over night. I just know it did. My shirt doesn't cover it very well, but I don't care. I grab my new holster that doesn't rub against it wrong and throw that on too.

"None of this is your fault. The Collective has wanted your dad dead for a long time. They thought you accomplished that for them, but since you didn't, they're using it against you. They're underhanded scum and we'll deal with them," Sebastian states. I pretty much registered, "blah, blah, blah."

"We better get dressed. I'm not going to tie her up in the condition she's in. It might distress Sophia and I don't want to cause any problems there," Alex says, and leaves the closet. About time, I grab my boots and a pair of socks and follow him out as I push past Sebastian.

"That's my child in there, Nyx. I won't have her put in harm's way."

"Then you better figure out a way to keep us safe and still allow me to come, because it's happening," I say, sitting down on the bed to try to put my socks and boots on.

Bigger belly is blocking my way, making things difficult. Now that I think about it, getting my pants on must have been done by remote control because that's a task I tend to need assistance with.

"Let me help," Alex says, coming out of his closet fully dressed. He bends down and puts my left sock on. "I love you more than life, Nyx, and to paraphrase one of your lines, if anything happens to you during this mission, I'm going to beat you down. If you end up dead, I will resurrect you just to give you the beating."

"We're going in, bringing Dad back and killing any Collective force that stands in our way. That's my current plan, and until you hear otherwise, that's what's going to happen. Are you guys ready to go wake up anyone who's still sleeping and get everyone geared up?"

I don't know my way around, so I'm depending on at least one of them being ready to move. Alex finishes tying my shoes and I jump up and head towards the door. I feel them both follow in behind me. Alex's mood is contemplative and Sebastian is apprehensive. He isn't happy at all about the current events. I'll have to find a way to make it up to him later.

"Let me get in front of you," Alex says, moving to take the lead. Sebastian comes next to me and puts his arm across my back.

We make our way down the halls and I pay no attention to the things we pass. Frank says he brought an army. I told him he'd need one when we met up not long ago and he had a good twenty people with him at that time. Just how many can we expect to run into? Double that? More?

Our core group is around a dozen. We have at least thirty or forty other guards who work under Alex and Sebastian on call at all times. I'd hope that's enough. I don't know how many of Frank's guys will be super wolves. If even half of them have been genetically altered with the Collective's special drug, we might be in trouble.

Alex has led us into a living room with the furniture I'm used to seeing spaced out around it with a couple of couches added. Jonas, Will and Sam are sitting there looking at us.

"Gear up. Dad's in trouble and we have to go in after him," I say with no preamble. Will and Sam scramble away and Jonas stands.

"How bad is it?" he asks as he presses a button on his phone. I'm pretty sure it sends up the red alert. It may also be ordering a pizza, but I doubt it.

"Frank has him and he wants to make an exchange for Nyx," Alex relays.

Jonas starts laughing. Okay, totally not appropriate in this situation. I hope the glare he's receiving conveys my dissatisfaction.

"Don't be getting your panties in a bunch. Frank doesn't know Aaron as well as he thinks he does if he believes Aaron will allow that to happen. Aaron would die before letting them take you back. It will be nice to finally put Frank in his place. He has a lot to answer for." Jonas' eyes change into those of his wolf for a split second.

I think he's ready for a fight. Good. That's just how I need the guards. "When it comes down to it, Frank is mine. I suggest no one stands in the way of what needs to be done."

That's a step beyond what I'm looking for. Jonas is a good guard and he doesn't let emotions rule him. His emotions are presently rolling off him in waves. That can only mean one thing.

"He's the one, isn't he?"

Jonas nods and walks away. "I need a couple of extra things for this trip."

That's all I need to hear to know it was Frank who killed Jonas' brother. If my dad ends up being dead, I might argue his claim; however, I know Jonas really wants the kill. We've talked about his brother before and what he was like when he was alive. I haven't pushed to find out who actually carried out the murder, but I guess I know now. I'm surprised no one told me.

"Stevie was no lightweight. He didn't go peacefully and Frank was kind enough to send back a few body parts to Jonas to prove that fact. I'm surprised it's taken him this long to get his payback. When I first sent Jonas to you, I was a little worried he'd try to take things out on you. Jonas is a better man than that, though. Thankfully, he's an honorable man," Alex says, and moves to sit me down on the couch. The guys flank me and we wait for the others to get ready.

"In your condition, I'd prefer if you let Jonas take the kill, even if we find out Aaron is dead," Sebastian states.

"You did not just try to use my pregnancy against me. You do understand what a dumb move that is, right? It's like waving a red flag in front of my face.

Before he can reply, we find that, surprisingly, Phee is the first person out, followed closely by Hilda. It appears the girls of the group are ready to roll. I don't imagine that happens too often.

"I hear we get to kill some people. That sounds like fun," Phee says, jumping over the back of one of the couches to land on a cushion. Hilda takes the normal route to find her seat.

My little pipsqueak is already strung tight. This early in our day that should be illegal.

"Gabe didn't warn me about this. What do you guys have in mind to keep Nyx here?" Hilda asks.

"Not you, too. I'm going and there's nothing any of you can do to stop that."

I cross my arms over my chest to prove my point. It's a bit uncomfortable because my boobs seem to have enlarged with the belly overnight and they're tender. Why can't I go back to being flat chested?

"She isn't going to stay behind. Even without her stubbornness, logistically it would be a mess. Sebastian would likely not want to leave her in the condition she's in and I'd have troubles going as well. The best we can do is try to find a way to ensure her safety," Alex explains.

"What's wrong with you guys? Yes, I'm pregnant, but that doesn't prevent me from going to help my dad. I have my weapons and my stomach isn't going to limit me using them."

They're acting like I'm going to go into labor at any second. I'm pretty sure I'll be the first to know when that event is going to take place. Other than a lack of kicking, Sophia seems to be hanging out just fine.

"I can see she's going to be a problem. Do you want me to whip something up that will knock her out and not cause the baby any difficulties?" Hilda asks.

Not if she knows what's good for her. I don't care how strong she is, that crap ain't going to fly.

"At this point, I don't think that'd be wise. I won't go into details, but it's better that Nyx stay conscious right now." I don't like Alex's tone one bit. Sebastian has started grinding his teeth and that's disturbing.

"Listen, as annoying as you've found Aaron to be these last few months, his daughter is going to be ten times worse for you if you don't give us entrance passes. I'm sure we'll find a way in no matter what, and we're working on a short time table, so we need to know whether we do it with your approval or not," Walt says talking into his phone.

I can barely hear the person on the other end, which is odd. I hear noises, but not actual words. "If it doesn't take longer than an hour we can work that in. She won't be happy about it, but I understand it's best we get your approval before we step foot in your world."

The voice makes some more squeaks and Walt hangs up.

"Do I even want to know?" I ask as he takes a seat. The rest of the crew wanders out of their rooms and stands ready for action. Clyde has managed to come from our wing as well.

"Nice of you guys to wake me," he says, sitting in a huff. "Tell Jake I need his help for a second."

"Jake, go help Demon Dog," I order as I await Walt's reply.

He waits for them to leave before starting. "Queen Adeline sends her regards and can't wait to meet you."

"It sounded like she's a very joyful woman. You ready to clue me in on what race she rules and just where we're heading out to?"

"Since Walt had to talk to her, I'll let him erase her voice from his head and give you the details," Jonas offers. "Queen Adeline is the ruler of Faerie. She rarely allows anyone entrance to her world. We were lucky that Aaron was able to get a pass when he did. The fact that Frank, and I assume a small army, were allowed entrance really stinks to me. I don't think that many people can just sneak in at once without her knowing."

Walt still isn't talking and he's started to shake his head from side-to-side. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine," Hilda responds. "The witch, that term is used in the worst way possible, since cursing isn't allowed, talks in such a high pitch that she causes issues with your guys' superb hearing. She does it on purpose when she knows it will create an issue. I've heard her talk normally before and it wouldn't hurt a fly. He's in the head shaking phase, so he should come out of it any second."

"Do you think she'll be an issue?" I ask anyone willing to answer.

"Who knows?" Hilda helpfully replies. "She wants something in return. I know that much already."

"Why do you think that?"

"Sorry about that. I think the ringing has cleared," Walt says, joining in. "She granted access, but as Hilda says, she does expect something in return."

"What does she want this time?" Alex asks, taking over the questioning.

"Dinner with Nyx. I didn't specifically inform her that she'd have to entertain the rest of us, but we can have that be our little surprise."

"Oh, not good," Hilda claims, causing everyone to glare at her. "If I'm reading things right, I don't think we want Nyx eating any Fae food."

"I agree. We can sit down for a meal, but no one should eat," Sebastian says, finally allowing his teeth a little relief. "If she only asked for Nyx, she'll be the only one expected to eat. We'll just have to convince the Queen that her pregnancy has put her on a very restrictive diet and she can only eat the steaks that we brought along. The cows are specially raised, after all. We could also try to convince her that Nyx only has a liquid diet. That might work better for us."

"That could work. Addie is a bit unbalanced, but I think we can sway her. If it comes down to it, I'll do something on my end. My magic should work through the veil."

If. If. If. There's a lot of that word being thrown around. My stomach is currently tied up in knots, so eating is the furthest thing from my mind.

"How long does it take to get there?" I'm ready to move.

I've heard of Faerie, but as someone mentioned, the world has been closed off from the rest of us, for probably centuries. The books say that the Fae species had trouble surviving in this world because their magic only exists in their land. After a queen, not sure if it's the same one, lost her favorite concubine, she forbade her kind from taking any more trips outside.

"There's an old Faerie mound we can use about an hour away. With the way you drive, we should make it in forty-five minutes," Jonas says.

"Since she's refusing to stay behind, I'm revoking her driving privileges. She's going to be chauffeured around today."

I reach down to grab a knife to let Alex know just what I think of his plan, but Sebastian grabs my hand.

"Please," is all he says.

I look over at him and see he isn't in great shape. Jeez Louise. He's really making this into a big deal.

"Fine. Alex can drive. I don't think you're in any condition to do it yourself," I say, turning the words that were uttered earlier against someone who doesn't have a beer gut. Ha. How do you like that?

"Good. Now if Clyde and Jake would just rejoin us, we can get going."

The second the words leave his lips, Clyde comes around the corner in his best outfit yet. I didn't buy that for him, so he either has a cohort amongst the guards, or he swiped my credit card.

"I plead the fifth."

That's what I figured. I should've never let him watch me buy things online. The outfit he's wearing is a green camo shirt with a matching bandana. He has little leather booties on and something strapped on his back that I'm choosing to ignore. My guess is a grenade launcher. Everything about the look is just wrong.

"I'm ready to leave," I say, and walk towards the opening in the room that no one has come from. I figure it has to be the way out.

Chapter 6

Ready for a cat fight

Outside the troops are in full force. I joked about us looking like a funeral procession when we've had to take three cars before, but we're up to a good ten of them now. When we get to my Suburban, Sebastian directs me to the middle row of seats. I don't seem to have any choice in the matter, so I take a seat.

"Why can't I sit up front?"

"Because I don't want you to."

"Why isn't Alex in the car yet?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?"

"Because I can." Poor Sophia is going to be stuck with some moody parents.

"Stop quarreling you two. I don't need that much preparation for more children in our family," Alex says as he tosses a duffle bag in the row Sebby and I are sitting.

"Did you actually bring weapons?" I don't believe it for a second; so I try to bend down to take a look. Beer gut stops me. "Dang it."

"If you were meant to look inside, your stomach wouldn't deter you. Try to keep that in mind," Alex says, and then runs to get behind the wheel. Walt jumps into the passenger's seat and Hilda and Marcus take up the rear. We could fit at least two more people, but it seems like everyone is being distributed how they want.

Sebastian kicks the duffle bag over a little more out of my reach. Like that will make me not want to open it. I may have to try rolling out of the seat, so I'm down on the ground next to it. That seems like too much work. I try to dive into Sebastian's head to see if he has any ideas on what Alex is hiding. Steel reinforced concrete walls greet me. Not cool. I give Alex a try and the same thing happens.

I feel every one of my hairs stick up on my neck. I'm like a porcupine ready to strike.

"You do know I'm not very happy about the walls, right? You both know me well enough to know that I'm going to need ten hours in the quiet room to calm down."

I don't know if the new place has one of those installed, but I can't imagine they'd forget a detail like that. They should just make my closet one.

"Why don't you try to talk to her," Sebastian suggests. To me the suggestion reads, "Why don't you talk because I can't lie to her and we really don't want her knowing what's going on."

"Babe, we just have some concerns about how this meeting will go. There's no lie in that. Our thoughts have turned a little dark and we don't want Sophia picking up on the things we may be planning. The duffle just has some things I thought we'd need. No scary secrets involved. What we need you to do is lower your blood pressure and keep focused on the tasks ahead."

I hate it when he sounds logical. I'm sure there was some fib in there, but when he says things that actually make sense it's hard to pick out where he wasn't totally truthful.

"Fine. For now, I'll focus on something else. Hilda, Walt, you guys seem to know the most about the Fae, or at least the Queen. Do you want to fill me in on the details of the species? The books don't say much since they locked themselves in their realm."

"No offense to Walt, but I do believe I'd be the expert here. I did spend a few years over there when the gates were still open," Hilda says, causing me to wonder just how old the witch is. She isn't a spring chicken that's for sure. Alex has got our procession moving and I still dislike having to sit back here.

"Go right ahead. I've only had a few long distance calls with the species," Walt says.

"Great. Books, the non-ancient text varieties, say all sorts of things about the Fae. Some claim there are different courts ranging from light to dark and things like one for each season. In reality, there's one court.

"Addie lets her younger sister play 'queen' to another court. From what I hear, Sylvia annoyed Adeline so much that one day she banished her from her lands. Sylvia couldn't very well head to our world, so Addie was forced to set up a pretend destination for Sylvia to go to. I think its name translates to Overtheresville.

"As far as Addie's court goes, at last count she keeps five concubines and a Fae she calls her king. He doesn't really have any authority and they aren't married, she just got a bee in her bonnet one day that a queen needs a king. She really is rather loopy sometimes. Don't get me wrong; over there, she has crazy power. I might be able to take her in a fight, but it wouldn't be without a bunch of ruffled feathers on my end.

"Moving on to the location, Faerie, in general, is a lot of green. It will probably frighten you at first, because there's a weird sense of wonder coating the place, but you'll quickly realize it's just a spell Addie has cast to make people want to stick around. I don't think it will bother you, and as long as your guards and such have those charms I made, everyone should make it out of there alive."

Okay then. "Can they be killed if they get in my way?"

I guess that's the most important question. I don't want to get stuck in a fight against a whole race and have no hope for victory. There hasn't been an accurate report on their numbers in a very long time, but I'd hope there were a few thousand, at least.

"That's a funny question coming from you," she replies, laughing. "You have a weapon that will kill anything without even getting your full angel powers. Fae happen to be in the anything category."

"Does iron have any effect on them? That's something I've read in a lot of books that aren't certified lore."

"It stings them. Enough of it would probably do some damage. In Faerie, though, it would be next to impossible to kill them without your knife getting in on the action. The magic there keeps them from dying."

"That means you probably won't want to piss everyone off the second we get there," Sebastian supplies.

"Is that even possible?" Marcus asks from behind me. I thought it was agreed upon that no one would pick on me while I'm as big as an inflated hot air balloon.

"Hey, your girlfriend has a big enough mouth for the two of you, so let's only let one of you be able to tease me. Walt, you and Jonas probably packed accordingly, but did you mention to the others where we were heading so they could also leave their less useful weapons at home?"

Sebastian reaches over and starts moving his hand around on my belly. Soph doesn't make any move to kick him. It's a little unlike her, but I think she's finally decided sleeping is a good thing. With everything going on out in the non-belly world, I hope she's happy just hanging out while mommy takes care of business.

"We named her a few hours ago and you've already cut off a syllable from her name. I thought it would at least take you a day," Sebastian says, continuing his belly rub.

"Butt out. You won't let me in your head, so the least you can do is keep out of mine. It's quite rude."

"To answer your question," Walt says, interrupting the beginning of a spat between Sebastian and me, "I made sure everyone was loaded up with iron, as well as anything we need to blow the Collective agents who have your father out of the water."

"We're going to try to only fight one battle at a time, though," Alex interjects. "Fighting the Collective and the Fae might be a little more than we can handle at the moment."

"Say that all you want, but the Fae let my brother be taken hostage. I'm at least going to have a few words with them about the definition of hospitality. Aaron was not happy with how he was treated to begin with. I don't think he'd mind if I throw a few punches on the way to rescue him."

"I concur. Walt, find me a couple of people who I can slap around too. I don't want Sophia to see a lot of bloodshed, but an active cat fight shouldn't traumatize her too much."

My little fights with Phee are fun, but I haven't been able to get a good workout in the gym since it was broadcast that Baby Sebby was growing inside of me. None of the guards wanted to deal with Alex and Sebastian's wrath for actually taking me on in full combat mode. Fighting with a person who's allowing you to win gets old quickly.

"I see that happening about never," Sebastian says. He must be satisfied with whatever he was feeling, because his hand leaves my stomach.

"Sophia says she doesn't mind. She wants to help," I insist.

"Sophia wouldn't talk to you after you promised her an expensive car and a pony. I doubt very highly she's become a chatterbox in the last hour," Sebastian replies.

"Plus, she's sleeping," Alex adds.

"She'll be talking to us all soon enough. Why don't we turn the discussion to how we're going to keep the mother and baby safe," Hilda suggests.

"I vote for strapping her to her seat when the rest of us travel through the mound," Alex advocates.

"I thought you said you didn't want to distress me. If that was your plan, my bed is much more comfortable, but sadly we're far enough down the road now that turning back would be foolish."

"The closer we get, the more I'm thinking you shouldn't go. There are a lot of things that can go wrong."

"Even Frank said that the chances of me getting killed are zero. I might get a couple of bruises, but nothing major, and I'm sure Peanut is in a bulletproof shell."

"Sorry, Nyx, but I wouldn't put that theory to the test. I'd hate for us to find out she was only candy coated," Hilda offers.

"So, how are you guys going to keep me safe? I'm not willing to wear a bubble suit."

"When it comes down to exchange time, I say I take your place," Hilda states, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't know if you've looked in a mirror lately, but we look nothing alike." I know it's actually a really stupid thing to say to her, but I can't help myself.

"I think she's hit her head just a few too many times in those sparring matches you guys have, or maybe during one of the times she's been shot she landed funny when she fell," she says, extending her hand to me over the back of my seat. "Nice to meet you, super powerful witch here, able to change forms at will. I could turn myself into Clyde if I felt like it, but I really don't want to have to mess with the fleas." She takes her hand back, I hadn't made a move to shake, and she sits back in her seat.

"What would I be doing? I want to be there during the meeting and I don't think they'd buy there being two of me."

"I'm guessing you guys won't let me alter her physical appearance. Maybe make her in to a gnome. I hear she likes their pointy hats."

"Now wouldn't be the best time for that," Sebastian says. "I don't know what it'd do to the baby, but as you can imagine I'm not willing to allow any physical alterations."

Yeah, because I have no say whatsoever in the matter.

"Because of her condition, I don't want to do a body swap. I usually only do that with guys anyway. I love to watch the shock on their face, and then I laugh hysterically when they start playing with their new milk jugs. It never fails that they become fascinated by them. Well, they would on any body other than Nyx's pre-pregnancy version. I could put them in a ten-year-old girl and they'd probably feel bigger lumps than what she had."

"Thanks, Hilda. Can you move on to whatever plan you are cooking up? It isn't like I wanted to switch bodies with you either."

"Fine. But you have to admit being a normal height would have been fun. Since we'll be in Faerie, it is probably best to do as they do and just use a glamour. There will be no actual changes to her. Others will just see a different appearance when they look. Glamours can be seen through, so I'd want to put some other levels of distraction in place."

I can tell by her voice she's getting excited about making me look like someone else. I swear if I end up green, I don't care how much Marcus thinks he's falling in love with her, I'm killing her.

"For this glamour, will I have to ingest anything? My stomach doesn't feel all that great right now and I don't want to upset it further."

"I'll go the spell route and leave the potion part to your other double," she replies, and is successful in losing me.

I wish I had a giant sign filled with question marks that I could just raise up for all to see at times like this.

"I'm pretty sure we only need one person who looks like me and I thought you volunteered."

"I did. How shocking is that? However, as I mentioned, the glamour isn't foolproof. There are crystals and other oddball objects that can allow a person to see through the disguise. To adjust for that, I vote we turn the female wolf along with us into another you, like I will be, and then put a glamour on in front of that. The spell on me and her wouldn't be crackable by anything they have, so if they're able to bypass your new exterior, they'll find them trying to figure out which of the three of us is the real thing," she explains.

Three of me running around is my idea of a nightmare. I bet most of the people who live with me would concur. It will offer a good amount of confusion though.

"Your next issue will be making it so neither Sebby nor Alex tries to stick by my side. Even if everything else works out, one of them rushing to my side could ruin everything," I point out.

"You're going to have to do some more of your transformation spells then, because I have to be glued to her," Sebastian claims.

It's like we've broken our bond all over again. He isn't as touchy this time, but he's just as annoying.

"We can work something out. First, we have to get past dinner with Addie. I think we should all be ourselves for that joyous event. As soon as we escape the castle, I'll put us all in order."

"Just how much longer do we have before we get to this mound?" I ask, ready to get this over with.

"I'm telling you, she has some kind of brain damage. Is Sophia cutting off her oxygen?" Hilda says, making me look up from the floor.

I've been staring down there because looking out the window was making me a little nauseous. It wasn't like there was a lot to see out the windows anyway.

We are, of course, parked in a wooded area and I wouldn't doubt for a second that we've been in this position for more than a couple of minutes. Great. We have what I'd guess is four hours left to meet up with Frank and the gang, and we've been sitting around with our thumbs up our noses.

"How exactly do we travel over to this other land?" I ask as we start climbing out.

"It's pretty easy," Walt says, walking over to a pile of dirt that's covered with flowers. I'm voting that they're daisies. "Queen Adeline gave me a passcode for us to use to get in."

He walks around the mound and then finally stops to pick something up. It's a rock. Okay. He flips it over and fiddles with it until he removes a piece. He punches his pointer finger inside of it and I'm beginning to believe that if I look at it I'll find a number pad.

He stops fingering it and twists the removed portion back in place. When he puts it back on the ground, the earth starts to shake. As it's moving I feel an odd movement in my stomach. I'm not sure what Sophia just did, but she's moved into a new position and it feels funny.

"No worries," Alex says from beside me. "She's just getting comfortable."

For some reason I don't believe him, but we can discuss that after Daddy is home with us. I finally get to visit him over the rainbow and you better believe that I'm taking him back with me.

Chapter 7

It isn't always brighter on the other side of the rainbow

The mound in front of us parts down the middle to reveal a set of stairs. That isn't at all strange. Hilda takes off, dragging Marcus straight into the pit. I'm sure she's done this before, but I'd still be taking a gander prior to just skipping down the steps. Using a stick to poke around a little would've been advisable in my book, too. There could've been snakes or something down there waiting for us.

"You ready?" Sebastian asks while at the same time moving me closer to the hole. I notice that Alex is on my other side, and he's carrying the duffle bag. Where's my X-ray vision when I need it? I could come up with a lot of helpful uses for a power like that.

"I think it's been determined that I was born ready. Have you ever been to Faerie? I'd think you were born before the lock down happened." The hole in the ground isn't as dark as I thought it would be. Having night vision may be part of the reason.

"It won't be my first trip, but I can hope it will be my last. I've never been extremely fond of the Fae. I think hanging out with your mom down in Hell would be more enjoyable than attending one of their parties."

"Any previous friends of the girl persuasion that I should be worrying about? You told me once that they were all ancient history, but Candace proved to be not quite dead yet."

I'm focusing on the back of Hilda's head as she leads us around some earthy smelling catacombs. I doubt anyone would admit to worms having a smell, but this is what I envision them smelling like.

"I know without a doubt there will be no old flames down here. Vampires are extremely incompatible with Fae. We find them to smell so atrocious that Clyde's breath would be akin to smelling the ocean air compared to what we get off of them. I'm guessing since you aren't a full vampire you won't have to deal with that."

Anything that smells bad compared to Clyde's breath has to be killer. I really hope that I get to bypass that pleasure. I'd also really like to be out of this passage. Don't we just walk through a wall or something and magically get transported to a land full of rainbows and sunshine?

"Let's just say not exactly. Where we come out may very well be nice and green like Hilda mentioned, but Faerie was slowly dying before the gates were closed. The air that caused them problems in our world was leaking in and causing pockets of magicless land that nothing would grow on. I don't know if closing things off brought back the magic to those areas, but I highly doubt it. The things I saw looked pretty permanent."

That makes me excited to see this wonderful, new land. Not. Ahead, I finally see a portal looking entrance like I was expecting. It's on the dirt wall and not in the ground, which scores points for me. I hate jumping into something when I can't see the other side. Walking through it won't be too much fun, but I have to believe it's better than falling.

"When we walk through, I want you to keep in contact with me at all times," Sebastian says.

I won't fight him on that one. He wants to give a little support as we cross into the great unknown, I'm all for that.

"This doesn't look right," Hilda says in front of us. "I'm afraid Sebastian isn't too far off with his thinking of how the land is going to look when we crossover. The entrances into Faerie used to be giant looking glasses. They showed the life thriving on the other side. This is nothing but death. I'm surprised it will even work to let us pass through."

"And my dad has been hanging out here? Couldn't you have found him a roach motel somewhere with a decent view?" The Collective found him anyway, so I don't know what the difference is.

"Light is bright and moons are plenty. Passage desired and granted," Hilda says, holding her left arm out, palm facing the black circle.

The blackness clears and we can see the other side and it leaves a lot to be desired. It looks like the field before us has been caught on fire at one point and there's a lone charred tree amidst the landscape.

Looking at it brings an instant sadness over me. "It will be okay. We won't be in here more than a couple of hours, one for dinner and another to get your dad. Then we can get back home and wait for our daughter to be born," Sebastian tells me, trying to help settle the emotions swirling around me.

It doesn't really help, but we need to get this done. Hilda starts us off by walking through the veil. We can see her on the other side and she immediately puts her hands up. Great. I'm guessing there's a welcoming committee. Marcus hurries through after her and we create a funnel to follow.

I don't feel anything as I step through, at least not physically. The sadness is still there and it gets stronger as I reach the other side. The blackened earth is literally crying out to me. I fall to my knees to try to soothe it by touching what I can.

Sebastian kneels down beside me, and I forget all about the fact that there may be a hostile force greeting us. I close my eyes and listen to what the ground is saying. There's a plea for help that's coming in loud and clear, but I don't know what to do. I'm not aware of some special healing ability in my tool belt.

"Let us help," Sebastian says, laying his hand on top of mine. Alex presses one of his hands to my cheek and I feel a tingly sensation. "We haven't really investigated our ability to share power, even after we felt how strong it was in the early days. I think if we focus it into the ground, maybe it will jump start something."

It's worth a try. I'm not used to strong emotions, and I can see myself becoming crippled by the ones I'm picking up now. My eyes are still closed and I work to touch the place in my head that houses Sebastian. He can wall me off all he wants, but I'm able to access him. Alex is a little harder because we aren't fully mated.

He senses my dilemma and moves his hand to place it over my heart. When I feel its warmth a new section of my brain lights up and a burst of something springs from my hands. I hear a few gasps, but I keep focused on the call from the earth. It probably only takes a minute before the dark cloud over my head passes and peace washes over me.

I feel that my work is done, so I open my eyes to look at a vastly different landscape. Trees that were nowhere to be seen have erupted from the earth. The burnt ground is green again and the air just smells cleaner. I can still feel far off cries of help, but in my direct vicinity, things are looking brighter. I don't know what happened, what I did and why it magically happened now, but I'm pretty sure it was some kind of miracle.

"Not really. We all have the ability to bring forth life from the dead, when need be. The trick is knowing when to use it," Gabe announces close behind me. I spin around to face him.

"You," Alex and Sebastian say at the same time. No. That's all I can say or think right now. No.

"It's nice to see you both again. I'm also happy that you both helped trigger Nyx's trials. She could've breathed life back into the land without the assist, but the fact that she accepted your offer of help scores bonus points. Most people who earn their angel powers let the influence of the gifts go to their heads. Being able to ask for help tends to be low on their priority scale. Because of that, they have a tendency to burn out in the long run. Carrying the world on your shoulders has that effect."

"Got it. Step one has started and I'm doing great. Let's back up to the part where Sebastian and Alex both recognize you. When did you pay them visits, Gabe?"

"This is your angel?" Alex asks in disbelief. "I guess that makes a little sense. I didn't know his name was Gabe, though. During a dark period in my life, obviously a long time ago, he showed up and stopped me from firing into what I believed was a Collective house. It was a Collective house like my intel said, but the only people in residence at the time were a woman and her child. That was a wakeup call for me and led me to seek your father out. I realized it was time for me to grow up."

"And look how well things have turned out for you," Gabe says, smiling.

"For me, he showed up just when I was about to move back to Europe for a century or two. I'd been here in the States for a while and I was getting bored with the scenery. He introduced me to Night Owl City before it was even called that and told me that the city was going to be key in the future of all paranorms. For some reason I believed him and opened up Sins that year."

"You manipulated them into staying close to me."

"Not really. In both cases, you weren't even born. I bet you were a twinkle in your mother's eyes, because she loved to plan ahead, but their paths weren't necessarily leading to you. It's just a happy coincidence that you all ended up finding each other."

"Back tracking just a little again, you mentioned her trials had officially started. The whole bringing the dead back to life seems to be the first step, but I'm curious about the others. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that she isn't ... um," Sebastian says, hesitating.

"He thinks I'm a whale and will have problems with any physical challenges you have in store for me," I finish, paraphrasing what I'm sure would've been a very eloquent speech about me being huge.

The remark causes Gabe to laugh. "Whale isn't at all what he was thinking, but the rest of your statement is on track. The issue is a very temporary one and I don't foresee any problems. Sophia will be kept safe."

Knowing Sophia, she introduced herself to Gabe the second he showed up. She won't talk to her mother, but crazy angel who just pops in is fine. I'm going to have to teach her early all about stranger danger.

"Well, you've appeared and told us I probably passed my first trial. How about you fly off, so we can get on with our mission," I recommend. Having the angel around makes me feel a little edgy.

"I think I should almost certainly stick around. An angel hasn't been allowed to set foot in Faerie before and we'd like to get the lay of the land," he replies.

"Just all of a sudden like you think the present is a good time for this visit?"

"As the saying goes, there's no time like the present. We've previously been banned from passing through the veil, so any visit for tea has been difficult. With you being allowed entrance, at least while you're here, we can come and go as we please. We angels have a buddy system of sorts that throws out all of the rules in case we need to sweep in to offer assistance. We might use it to our advantage every once in a while."

"Glad I can assist," I respond, thinking there are a lot of angel rules I'll need to learn.

Now that things are more or less in order, I turn to find out just what kind of welcome wagon we received. I hope they brought a band, maybe a few parade floats.

No band. In fact, there are no extra people at all. Weird. I see our full mini battalion all just waiting for word on what they should do next, but no threat. I look to Hilda for answers. Now that's a funny thought.

"Why would you raise your hands in surrender if there wasn't a person standing by you with a gun to your head?"

"What?" she responds, clearly confused. If she's going to pretend to be me, it's good that we're already experiencing the same general emotions.

"After you went through, we saw you raise your hands up in the air and it sure looked like someone didn't like you much on this side of the veil. Being the way you are, I thought for sure there was someone over here who didn't like one of the potions you sold them."

"Oh, that. I was just trying to reach out and find some help for the destruction. The inherent Fae magic is so weak now that I wasn't getting enough of a current to do anything. You, on the other hand, kicked butt. The remodel job you pulled off is amazing. You might need to stick around for a week or so to get everything back in order here."

I see that happening never. This is going to be a hit it and get it mission. As we navigate towards our destination, I won't deny the land my energy, but I'm not going to go seeking out the dead spots. I'm pretty sure this world is comparable to at least the size of Asia. I don't have the kind of time right now to take care of an entire continent.

"Don't worry. I'm the only one meeting you, but we snuck a few more angels in the doorway and they'll take care of the destruction. Maybe the Fae will finally realize that keeping us out doesn't work in their favor," Gabe states.

"How exactly do they keep you out of here? I thought you guys could do anything you wanted," I say.

"In certain planes that's true. This isn't one of them."

"So, Angel Boy, you think you can just pop over and grab the pregnant one's dad real quick so we can get out of here?" Hilda asks. That's a brilliant idea. We could just turn right around and I wouldn't have to meet any of the crazy Fae.

"Hilda, I'm charmed as always," he says, bowing slightly to show respect. I'm hoping it's just something he does. "You know things don't work that way. We have to sit back and let things play out."

"I can always dream that one of these days you'll take the easy route. I guess her highness should be introduced to more of her loyal subjects. I still can't believe they let this place turn to crap. I may not get along with the majority of the natives here, but I did enjoy walking the land. Do you guys Upstairs get any kind of reports from here? It'd be nice to know what happened."

Gabe studies the land spreading out in front of us. I follow his gaze and see a large group of butterflies collecting and heading our way. They're just butterflies, so I don't worry too much about them drawing weapons on us.

"No, we don't have any open lines of communication with this world. I've heard stories from long ago, but nothing recent. To clarify your thought on the butterflies, Nyx, they aren't butterflies. They're pixies and I wouldn't be too sure about them not having weapons. They aren't known to be the friendliest of people."

From the looks of things, there are at least fifty of the little buggers making their way to us. No matter what Gabe says, I can't believe they're a threat. I bet Clyde would love to make chew toys out of a few of them. The pixies start making synchronized shapes, which are fairly amusing. It's like watching a marching band from the aerial blimp. I guess I kind of get the band I was requesting earlier. If I listen closely enough, their wings have a good beat.

One of the aerialists separates, flying closer and eventually landing on my shoulder. I don't like the idea of one being that close, but it'd probably be rude to just launch it across the field. Sebastian gets a bit tense, but keeps his cool.

"Are you the one who was sent to save us?" a small female sounding voice whispers into my ear. If I didn't have super eardrums, I doubt I would've been able to pick it up.

"I have no idea what you mean," I reply, and watch as the rest of her group hovers about three feet away from us. They seem to be waiting for something, but I have no idea what.

"But you made the world green again, yes?"

"Me and my friends did. I hope that isn't a problem for you. The land wanted to be healed," I explain.

"She's the savior," the pixie announces, and spirals off my shoulder into the air. The rest of her little friends start cheering.

"Okay, you guys seem happy and that's nice, but I'm not a savior, so you can wipe that idea right from your little melons."

"Let them have their moment. I don't think things have been happy for them in a long time. You'll find when you go around performing miracles, people often think of you as a savior of sorts. Every once in a while it's actually true. It's all about perception and right this second, you're their knight in shining armor," Gabe says.

"I thought you said they weren't friendly. They don't seem all that malicious to me."

"Oh, he's right on that front," Hilda responds. "I've run afoul of pixies in my day. It's just the green grass making them high. Come back in a week and they'll be back to their normal gruff selves."

I'll just skip that last idea, thank you very much. Now that a welcoming party of sorts has finally showed up, I hope we can get a move on it and meet up with this queen lady. Time is ticking.

Chapter 8

Mmm...nectar

The little winged ones have a different idea of how we're going to be spending the foreseeable future. "Come with us," one squeaks. "You really should see all of the changes you've caused. We're alive again and the world is beautiful."

Let's just take a look at my calendar here. Whoops. Don't think I have any time for a leisurely walk through nature. How sad.

"Your request is nice, but we do have a strict time table for our visit," Sebastian says, keeping me from being snarky.

"Who said it was a request?" I believe it's the one who landed on my shoulder asking the question.

I can't really tell. Their wings all look about the same. They're iridescent blue and they move rapidly as they keep the pixies in the air. I haven't seen the people themselves. The wings account for over half of their height so they block everything.

From the sounds of things, I don't think I'll have to wait a week to get a taste of their real personalities.

"We're on our way to meet up with Queen Adeline before getting on to what we really came here to do. That includes me kicking butt and getting my dad back from the jerks who are holding him hostage. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm extremely pregnant here and tend to get moody just for the Hell of it, so I suggest not standing in my way."

If I really wanted to get into it, I'd drop fangs and growl, but it's too much work.

"Oh, the savior is feisty. Can we keep her?" another miniature winged person says, flying in close.

They didn't bring enough backup to try to keep me around. With their petite size, I don't think a thousand of them would do much good.

"A baby," the original speaker, and apparent leader of this group, says as she flies in for a closer look at my stomach. "We haven't seen new life born in a very long time. Just how long will it be before you give birth?"

"I don't see it happening today, so I think you're out of luck. Does anyone know the way to this castle we're supposed to be going to?"

"Just a second, one of you short people said something about being alive again. I'm curious what you mean by that remark," Gabe asks, stalling my plans to get on with things.

I should've remembered he likes to talk. Maybe I should make the suggestion that it's time for him to head back Upstairs again.

"I don't think Isabelle stuttered. When the land was dead, so were we," the ringleader explains. "You don't expect us to survive when there's no nectar to eat. Savior, do you like nectar? It seems we have plenty to offer you now. We can have a nice meal together. You can tell us more about yourself."

Now they want me to come over for a meal. Nice. I look around and notice that there are a ton of flowers popping out of the ground. Things were green before, but the flowers weren't there.

They aren't like anything I've seen in our world. The meadow Gabe has shown me is similar, but nowhere near as vibrant. It's an oil painting come to life. If I was into that kind of thing, I'd take a closer look.

"Sorry, I'm strictly a carnivore, so I don't think nectar will agree with me."

"Interesting," Gabe says. What's interesting, I have no idea.

"If memory serves me, we are on the south end of Faerie. The castle should be to the west of here. I really wish they got with the times and drove cars. I bet with the dead earth we were greeted with, they haven't had any technological advances," Hilda says. At least she seems to be with the program.

"Any idea how long you were 'dead'?" Gabe asks the pixies.

"What part of dead don't you understand? We had no consciousness, so therefore we have no idea."

I love the fact that they don't like Gabe. I don't know why, but watching them get hostile with him makes me laugh. Hilda said we need to go west and for some reason my compass is broken.

"Which way is west?" I ask. "You guys can continue your thrilling conversation if you want, but we need to get a move on it. We've wasted another half an hour."

I really hope the castle isn't a long walk away. Sophia's new positioning is making me feel bigger and more awkward. I know in my mind I've been acting like a giant whale, but in reality I'm not that huge. At least that's what everyone around me guarantees.

"Right this way, madam," Hilda says, taking the lead. "Things are different, so I can't be one hundred percent for sure the distance. It used to be about a mile if memory serves me. I'm guessing you won't be willing or able to run it, which means we have about another fifteen minutes before we get there."

The group finally starts moving and I'm overjoyed. Alex and Sebastian keep glued to my side. I'm surprised neither of them is offering to carry me. I might actually take them up on that offer if they did. They're on high alert, though, so I don't see it in my future.

"Do you know if the other races here in Faerie were affected by the deadness?" Gabe asks. He's just going to keep trying to make friends.

"If they came alive after we played power pinball and showed up to see us two minutes later, I'm guessing they didn't have time to make any phone calls to their friends. I'm starting to think you're trying to irritate them, Gabe."

"Sorry, when my mind starts thinking of questions, I can't help but ask them aloud. Since I havn't been to this land before, I'm not certain there really are other species residing here," Gabe replies.

I never expected to make this trip, so it isn't a subject I've read up on either. Keeping up on the weirdos in my own world is enough of a challenge. Lately, I've also had to start studying up on the various demons and angels out there as well. Neither race has been extremely fun to learn about. Because I'm supposedly an angel, I've been trying to study them more than anything else. It gets boring.

"So, pixies, what kind of information can you give us about the inhabitants of Faerie? I don't know where all I'm going to visit while I'm here and it may be useful to know more about the people I meet." I might as well keep my mind busy on this trek.

Clyde walks up next to me, and I see that a handful of pixies have landed on his back. Too bad he hasn't grown into his full size. I could ride him around too.

"Not going to happen. Even when I tower over you, I'm not letting you up on my back. I'm trying to take a page from your book and not throw these hitchhikers off. They're like giant fleas and they itch," Clyde relays. He's no fun.

I get my own set of hitchhikers on each shoulder. "Most escaped before the doors where closed," a pixie I haven't heard before says.

"They had the right idea," another agrees.

"The trolls and gnomes I know left. Before the death came, I think there were some hobgoblins and brownies left. Mostly it's just the Queen's people. Is the baby coming yet?"

Okay, where in the world did that question come from? We already went over the fact that Sophia wasn't making an appearance while we were here. Their hibernation must have knocked a few brain cells loose.

"No, the baby is going to be a little while yet," Sebastian replies. "You're still feeling okay, right?" He grabs my hand to let me know he's talking to me.

"I guess. Something feels a little funny, but it will be fine until we get back to the manor and you can give me a back rub. Pixies, do you guys have names? I don't need to know everyone's, but it would be easier to indicate who I'm speaking to if I had some names."

"You really want to know? You're only going to be in their company for an hour max," Jonas says.

I look over and he doesn't seem to mind being rude because he's working to swat pixies away from him. Everyone in our group appears to be serving as a cab for the winged ones.

"I think you're opening yourself up for a headache," Smitty claims.

"Yeah well you're just lucky that whatever lights this world doesn't contain UV, so zip it," I reply.

It wasn't really a worry when this world was all dark and dead, but now things are getting brighter. Smitty and Marcus would probably be okay if the issue came up, but Dante, Will and the vampires in the standard guard would have problems.

"I'm the leader of our little band and my name is Daffy. It's short for Daffodil, in case you were wondering," the pixie on my right shoulder says. "My husband Traves is on your other shoulder. The rest of our group is made up of our children."

Holy cow. That's a mess of kids. I still sometimes have issues imagining having just one.

"I don't want to be technical here, but me and Will are considered your children by most people," Clyde reminds me.

The statement may be factual, but they didn't keep me up all night with their kicking. I also didn't have to use that time not sleeping to think about what fun it's going to be to try to push their big heads out of a hole the size of a nickel in comparison.

"I'm guessing you started having children early in life," I say, not really knowing how to respond.

"Well, pixies do like to procreate. It's one of our driving forces. On another note, I do have a request for you while we're taking this journey together. We'd like to leave Faerie, and following you out may be our only hope. I'm afraid that when you leave, things will go back to the way they were. I don't know how many years we've already lost, but I really want to give our children a better life," Daffy says.

For once a mother's plea actually makes sense to me. I already know I'd do anything to improve Sophia's way of life, so I can understand Daffy's desire.

"I don't know the way this land works. We had to get approval to come in. Won't you need it to leave? Besides, aren't you worried about the fact that Fae have problems living outside of Faerie?"

"If the door is open, I don't think permission really matters, especially if we're hitching rides on you guys. As far as certain death waiting for us, that's only an issue for the Fae who harness the land's magic. That would be the Queen's people. We're just overgrown dragonflies who like to have children."

"What's your world like?" Traves asks from the other shoulder. "Even when the doors were open, we didn't travel outside. We were told it would be dangerous for us because of our size."

I could see where that would be an issue. Before towns like Night Owl City were in place, there would've been a high probability of them being mistaken for bugs. Granted most people don't go around killing butterflies, but they do capture and mount them.

"From what I've seen of your world, ours is a lot different. It's been developed to the point where you won't find a ton of open fields like this one. Almost everywhere you look there's infrastructure and what we'd consider progress taking place. We don't have to do a ton of walking to get from place to place because we have automobiles and airplanes to assist in transportation," I say. "What about the iron in our world. Do you think that will cause problems for you? I think a lot of the infrastructure that I mentioned is probably built with it."

"I could assist if that does turn out to be an issue," Hilda suggests. "I should be able to provide them with some resistance or even a special habitation dome to protect them from the outside evils in our world."

"Alex, do you think the gardens at the manor would be big enough for them?" I can't imagine they'd be small with Hilda having a hand in them.

"It'd be a nice fit and we don't get much snow, so there would be year-round blooms for them. Do you guys do your own weeding? We won't have to keep a gardener on staff if you can keep things in shape."

"You honestly think my gardens would get weeds? That dirt wouldn't dare allow even a dandelion to sprout," Hilda insists.

"But dandelions are so much fun, especially when they're in their seed form. When the wind blows them we chase them around for hours," Daffy claims.

I can think of activities that are a lot more fun than chasing around dandelions, but if that's what floats their boats, I'll have to look into planting a patch just for them.

"Sounds like we have a plan then. You'll all be going home with us to hang out in the garden." I can't help being glad to finally bring home a large group who are all shorter than me to add to my misfits.

Phee has grown a quarter of an inch or so and I'm afraid she's going to somehow pass me in height. Any amount of heel she decides to wear already accomplishes the task.

"Are we getting any closer?"

The scenery on our walk has been somewhat interesting. Watching as flowers just grow out of nowhere is something I haven't experienced before. I don't think time lapse videos are this fun to watch, and yet the outcome seems about the same.

The terrain itself has been rather hilly, which is about as fun for me at the moment as taking Phee to a mall. The mall might actually be more enjoyable. Not really, but I find the notion amusing for some reason.

"We should be able to see it once we finally make it over this hill. Just be happy we aren't in the northern region. It's made up of mountains that are great if you're planning on a skiing vacation, but would be Hell to actually cross." With her new appearance, I could see Hilda being a ski bunny.

I push myself the last zillion yards, obviously that's an exaggeration. At the summit, we look down and find a castle sitting in the valley below. It isn't at all the bright and shiny place I was expecting to belong to the Queen of Faerie.

The area around it is nice and colorful, but I have a feeling that's just because the mates and I jump started it. If the building itself is any indication, it was just as burnt looking as the rest of this world was when we arrived. The castle is as large as I thought it would be. It isn't as big as Nantucket Manor, but it looks like it would serve a queen nicely.

The hill doesn't look too bad to climb down and it shouldn't take long, but I'm still contemplating just lying down on my side and rolling the rest of the way. I don't think Sophia would appreciate it much, so the thought is short lived.

Hilda leads us down a path she carves out as we go. I'm down to only having three hours left and I still have a potential hour of sitting down to a dinner I don't want to eat. Hopefully, the Queen isn't too big of a talker.

We reach the bottom of the hill and a group of regular size people appear out of nowhere. They look mostly normal, but they have good sized wings and single streaks of a reddish-magenta-like color in their hair. It isn't a fashion statement I can get behind.

"It's about time you showed up. I've been waiting and that isn't something I do well," the lone woman in the group says, stepping forward.

She's in a sleeveless, turquoise looking gown that has an orange belt thing around it. Add to the dress some green boots with heels and you have something I wouldn't be caught dead wearing.

I can see me and the Faerie Queen are going to have little common. Oh well, I just hope she eats fast, because I have more important things to tend to.

Chapter 9

Oh goodie, more surprises

"Sh... I mean Great Scott!" Hilda says, covering her eyes with her left hand. "Sylvia, why are you greeting us like you're the queen around these parts?"

"I wasn't expecting you to be in the party, Hilda," the queenly looking woman says. I take it they've met, and like most people Hilda runs into they aren't bosom buddies.

"I can see where that would cause a little dent in your game of charades. Where's your sister?"

"I'm sorry, but we don't talk about her anymore. She's been tied up for years now and that's where she'll remain." For once the friction may not be Hilda's fault.

I take a gander at the guys standing behind Sylvia and I see a lot of sad and reluctant faces. They're fueling the something isn't right here vibe tickling my spine. That paired with Sophia hanging out in her downward dog, or whatever she's doing, position leaves me really uneasy.

"How in the ... Dang it Nyx, pork that baby out so I can get my vocabulary back," Hilda beseeches me. "I have a plethora of things I'd like to say right now and over half of them are four-letter words."

"Join the club. If I can't cuss, I sure as heck don't want to hear others having all the fun."

"The big difference there, Sweet Pea, is that you could if you really wanted to. You weren't dumb enough to cast a spell on yourself that made it impossible until after the baby was born. Brilliant me even put in loopholes, because I knew days like today would happen and I'd be tempted to lift the spell."

That's both clever and horrible at the same time.

"You're pregnant?" Sylvia asks, studying my stomach.

Why it wasn't the first thing she noticed baffles me. Of course, since I can't really see my toes around it, I tend to see a whole lot of it.

"What this?" I ask, putting my hands on each side of the butterball. "The doctors say it's a tumor that is expected to disappear in the next few days."

She eyes me, and if even for a second she believes me, I may just decide to kill her right now for her stupidity. "Which one of the men is the father?"

"I don't think that really matters. I'd like to get on with whatever hoops I need to jump through to show our appreciation for being let into your world. My father is running out of minutes and I have no doubt his captors will start removing body parts if I'm late."

"Just how were those captors able to get here?" Walt asks, stepping forward. "I heard your sister ran a tight ship, does the flunky sibling not keep track of things like that?"

I see Sylvia draw back from the venom in his voice. You go, Uncle Walt.

"That's a matter you needn't concern yourself with. As far as my payment for letting you enter Faerie, why don't we go into the castle, so we can have a nice sit down chat. A meal is available to anyone who's hungry, but I didn't expect scores of visitors. I may need to have my cook prepare a little more to accommodate everyone." Done speaking, she turns and walks towards the castle. The guys with her move to let her through, and then follow in her wake.

"What's the verdict?" I ask, not wanting to move from my spot.

"You guys distract the men and I'll pluck her eyeballs out," Hilda suggests. "Me and Addie had our moments, but Sylvia is a royal female dog. I don't like this development one bit."

"Do we have any choices? Walt or Jonas, do either of you know where my dad is?"

I find both of them shaking their heads when I look their way. "Even if I had an address, how would we know where to begin the search?" Jonas logically replies.

Hilda does seem pretty knowledgeable about this world, but she also admits that things may be different now.

"Hilda, any chance you can conjure up a locator spell?" Sebastian suggests, and I like that idea.

"I'd love to, but this plane is still a little low on magic. Nyx's boost is helping, just not fast enough. If I'm going to do all the cloaking spells we have planned, I don't want to use up the little juice available. I'd ask Gabe what he thought, but he's too busy following the Pied Piper." She tilts her head in the direction the Fae took off and sure enough he's not far behind. So much for him being on our side. "He can't help it that he's drawn to things he hasn't seen before. It will wear off quickly; at least it has in the past."

"If nothing else, we'll have to save him from himself," Alex says. "Let's just get this over with."

As a group, we move to where the Fae and Gabe have stopped and are waiting for us. "Just how long will this take?"

I mentioned being in a hurry, but I'd really like a clear timetable on when we can get out of here. Hilda's switcharoos will probably take some time and who knows how far we'll have to walk.

"Just get inside, will you? The fresh air is disturbing me."

I need to have a camera crew start following me around. There are so many times I want something filmed so I can reference it at a later date. Sylvia's personality would be perfect to bring up when someone claims I'm being difficult.

I don't even bother to talk to the lady anymore, and just wave my hands forward to indicate we should proceed. She does and the doors to the castle open up for us. If she expects us to be impressed, she's in for disappointment. My new Suburban has a little button on its remote that will do the same thing for pretty much any of the doors. Alex thought it'd be a nice feature if I have my hands full carrying Sophia.

The inside of the castle isn't any better than the outside. I thought these Fae people were supposed to be happy, colorful people. The walls in the foyer space are sooty looking like a fire long ago kissed them. It's a large empty space and as we walk through it I start to feel a chill.

"I can't say I like what you've done to this place," Hilda states. "Did you have a Fire Elemental come in for decorating advice?"

"Don't think I won't silence you, Hilda. If I didn't like the improvements, I'd do something about them."

"I doubt you have enough magic to tie your shoes. Just where are the other Fae who used to hang out here? I used to have to beat them out of the way to get anywhere. My guess is you somehow subdued your sister and realized, after the fact, that the magic in this world lives through her. I would've loved to see your face when everything started dying around you."

Hilda isn't giving the Queen a lick of slack. I can't say this is going to make me and the witch best friends, but it's refreshing to see her focus her attitude on someone else.

"You don't know when to shut up, you little pest. Not all magic comes from the land around us. I don't need green grass to wield my magic. Now, sit," she says, bringing us to a long table.

Hilda holds her arm up to keep us from following directions. "You've gone Sluagh. It all makes sense. I can't advise Nyx to make a deal with you. You killed all of your people to use their souls as a battery. What kind of idiot are you?"

"What?" I really hope my ears didn't hear that part correctly.

"You're so dramatic. They willingly gave up their lives to put me in power. Does she speak for you?" Sylvia asks, turning to me.

"If what she says is even partially true, we do have issues. It's well documented that I kill people, but all of my kills have had a purpose, like bettering the world. Is your payment for the location of my father some of my people's lives? I can tell you right now that isn't going to happen." I'm starting to get frustrated with current events and it's making me feel mighty stabby.

Sylvia gets tired of us not sitting and takes a seat herself at the head of the table. Most of the men with her follow suit, but one stays standing off to the side.

"I didn't know you were bringing this many; however, it wouldn't have mattered. I'm in desperate need of something and when I heard a female would be in your group, I couldn't resist allowing you to come.

"As Hilda so kindly pointed out in her own way, what you see before you is the remaining living Fae. I shouldn't say that, there's probably a handful or two hiding somewhere. Nevertheless, I kept the men around here in hopes of regrowing the population, but for some reason it doesn't seem to be working. My offer to help is contingent on you procreating with my King."

Something has obviously rotted away this lady's brain. Pregnant lady ain't going to be doing any baby making.

"Ha," Hilda says, laughing. "You didn't read the fine print when you went Sluagh. Instant sterilization is the number one bullet point. Along with a straight trip to Hell if any one manages to kill you. Have you got your cell already picked out down there? I can't see you living forever."

I still don't know exactly what the term Sluagh means. I get that it's bad and the details on how one becomes one have been touched upon, but I don't know what kind of power it entails or how killable they are. My knife should make that detail irrelevant; it's nice to know if others can carry out the task, though.

"I've noticed that witch. One of the guys would be with child by now if that fact wasn't brutally apparent. I've kept them very busy trying over the years. I really wanted to impregnate Killian. He served as King under the previous ruler and having a child with him should've been the final nail in her coffin. Since I can't do it, I'm recruiting you. The quicker you finish the task the sooner you can go find your daddy."

I've figured out the reason she seems to have a screw loose. An alien mother ship somehow made it into Faerie and beamed her up for a little while. Why they chose her is anyone's guess. Maybe they thought removing half of a brain from someone who's already partially brain dead would be unnoticeable. It makes perfect sense to me.

Once the looney steps out of my brain, I realize that she said something about the guy getting impregnated. Just how exactly does that one work out? A vision of Sebastian pregnant instead of me enters my head and makes me laugh out loud.

"Did I hear you right?" I ask, wanting to make sure the crazy in the air isn't affecting me as well. "You expect me to get one of your guys pregnant."

I hear a couple of my guys chuckle at the thought. I haven't had any problems with the pregnancy, other than feeling like a penguin from time-to-time, but I know about the vomiting, frequent urges to pee and all over soreness that is common in pregnancy. Women complain about that kind of stuff enough, thinking about a guy going through it is hilarious.

"Yes, you can't expect a queen to carry her own child. I have much more important duties to see to than worrying about whether I can see my toes anymore," she answers in a pompous air that makes me want to smack her.

I think Marcus is actually holding Hilda back from partaking in that task. "More important duties? You stupid, screw loose, goat kissing idiot. You killed off all of your people. What do you have to do all day, other than sit around and polish your shoes?"

Hilda not being able to say curse words is really funny. She hasn't revealed the mouth she claims to have in my presence before, but I can see her cursing up a storm.

"I do have a lot of shoes, but no, that isn't what I spend my time doing. I have to expend a lot of energy to keep my little world the way it is. As it is, you arriving seems to have an adverse effect on my scenery. It's going to take me months to fix all that green you brought back to life."

"Whatever. Getting back to your original request. You've noticed that I'm exceedingly pregnant and am libel to pop at any second, right?" No matter what, I wouldn't engage in baby making activities at the moment. I don't want Sophia getting poked in the eye.

"Killian will be very gentle. You don't have to worry about any harm befalling your baby."

I look around at the guys sitting at the table, and not a one of them will meet my gaze. They don't appear to be very happy about things, but they aren't going to try to fight against their evil leader. I glance at the last guy, the one who refused to take a seat at the table, and he's staring right at me.

His eyes are pleading with me to do something, but I'm not exactly sure what he wants. He tilts his head about a half of a degree to the side. I take it he has something he wants to say, but wants a little privacy for the conversation.

"Just which one of your followers here is Killian?" I ask to everyone on my side's shock.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Sebastian asks with his usual hint of worry. He can send me messages, but won't let me into his thoughts. How rude.

I have no clue, but something needs to be done about this situation. I hate to see this world become the charred wasteland it was when we arrived.

"Killian is the man standing. He still has trouble following orders sometimes. I've tried to beat his willfulness out of him, but he's taking longer than the others."

"If I decide to partake in this little request, we're going to have a private room to carry out the deed, yes?"

"That can be allowed. I've had him many times, so I don't have any desires to share the experience with you. He can take you to his quarters and you can work things out from there," she explains.

"My mates would need to be present as well. They're very concerned about our child and they won't sit around watching you torch the grass in this land one blade at a time while I'm playing with another man."

I don't want to tell her that the chances of me and Killian actually having sex are below zero. I'm sure he's a nice enough guy. He doesn't look bad or anything. He's around six foot, with hair as long as mine. His is light brown, except for that swatch of magenta.

"How you do things after you get in the bedroom is up to you. All I care about is the outcome. He must have a child and it needs to be soon."

The wording makes things sound interesting to me. I hope that Killian will fill me in once we get alone.

"Let's do this," I say, ready to find a way out of this joint and on to the meet with Frank.

"You've got to be kidding me," Hilda says at the same time Gabe speaks up.

"Would it be okay if I watched the show as well? I may be able to help keep Sophia safe even if things turn a little rough."

If this was the real deal, having an angel present would be on the top of the long list of people not allowed in the room. Because I think there's a chance that he could be useful, I guess I'll permit it.

"Let's get going. I hope you don't mind this will have to be an in and out kind of deal. My dad is being held hostage and I need to get to him."

"I can't let you do this," Hilda says, moving to stand in front of me with her front to mine. "I'll do it in your place. I didn't risk my life years ago to get you away from your mother to allow you to chance causing Sophia harm. It'd devastate you if anything happened to her."

Wow. That was unexpected. She must be having issues reading between the lines. I can be excused for taking multiple people along with me. I don't think she'd get that luxury, even if Sylvia pretended to allow it. If Killian has some kind of plan for getting us out of this situation altogether, then I want at least a few people going off with him.

"Hilda, I love you for all you've done for me in the past, but don't worry. I'll be back in thirty minutes and we can get out of here." I try to convey with my eyes that everything is really, really going to be okay. I think she finally gets it and stands down. "Lead the way, Killian."

Chapter 10

I'm always game for starting a revolt

Killian follows orders and leads us from the room. I forgot to leave instructions to make sure everyone sticks together and to kill every Fae in sight if anyone makes a move. I'm hoping that it was an unnecessary message.

The rest of the castle is as gloomy as the parts I've already witnessed. There are no frills anywhere, just long hallways with darkened doors interspersed.

"How long has it been like this?" I ask our guide.

"I'm not safe to voice my opinions on the matter, yet. I couldn't tell you the years, or decades, for sure even if I wanted to. Faerie used to be a much different place; it used to be a place full of people."

"He's right," Daffy says from my shoulder. I forgot she was even there. Pixies don't weigh a thing. "We haven't ventured very far after waking up, but there used to be people everywhere this close to the castle. Queen Adeline would be devastated to see her world turned to darkness."

"I'm glad to see some of you pixies made it. I thought you were all destroyed in Sylvia's early days of being ruler." Killian turns to a door, opens it and waves us inside.

Rather than the bedroom I was expecting, it looks like we step into a broom closet, brooms included. I know I mentioned this having to be quick, but I would've at least hoped for a bed.

"Obviously, we aren't sleeping together. I have no choice when it comes to Sylvia, but my heart belongs to another, even if that person is comatose." This must be a safe room. I don't envision Sylvia checking it out very often.

"I take it the love you have for Adeline is why you remain in Sylvia's clutches," I say, figuring she's the comatose one.

"Partly. Sylvia sullied Fae magic so no one could harness any resistance to what she wanted done. Me and the others are too weak to do anything against her. Believe me; we tried in the beginning. At one time, she kept more of us guys around, but the more we acted out, the more she decided we weren't all really necessary. I was the main force fighting against her, but she couldn't kill me."

"Because of her revenge plot against her sister?" Alex asks.

"I don't think my death would matter a whole lot as far as that's concerned. It would still hurt Addie whether I was forced into slavery or dead. The spell that keeps the true queen in slumber requires me to have a child with another. Don't ask why it's set up that way. It has never made sense to me, but that's what Sylvia claims."

"My bet would be it's a transferring of love spell. Your love and devotion is keeping your Queen alive. Sylvia is betting that if you have a child, even one that you created against your will, that your love will then be divided between Adeline and the child. She must be banking on that little weakness being enough to finally do her sister in," Gabe explains his theories.

They might sound logical to someone who hasn't been in love before, but to me it is a bunch of hogwash.

"I'm in love with two men and the love for one doesn't diminish what I feel for the other at all," I point out.

"Correct. The heart may only be a definable size, but it has the ability to hold great amounts of any emotion. Sylvia's is full of hate, whereas Killian's here is not. She doesn't understand that and probably never will." I guess Gabe is some kind of emotions expert.

"Why doesn't Sylvia just kill you? That should sever the tie."

"I've asked myself that question many times, but Sylvia insists I stay alive and father this child. The magic used for the spell isn't something I'm familiar with. I think there's more to it than just the love aspect of things."

"Do you think your love would truly just disappear if you were dead?" Gabe argues.

"How did Adeline get in the state she is now?" I ask, curious. I've pieced together she was powerful before her deep sleep.

"Sylvia had an accomplice in the kitchen. They poisoned Addie slowly over a week. She kept getting sick, but we couldn't figure out what was wrong."

I'm glad I don't have a staff that cooks for me. I barely trust the guards not to slip me something.

"What about the accomplice, is he or she still around? Maybe they can give us a hint on what we can do to counter its reaction," I suggest.

I'm sure it's something he's thought about over the years already, but I have to ask.

"When I'm allowed to carry my blade, it's very swift in doling out justice. I can't kill Sylvia because of her wacked out Sluagh power, but the cook is long gone. She didn't have any useful information. She would've told me if that were the case."

"What's the plan then?" If he needs me to kill Sylvia, I have a few guards I may be willing to turn over my knife to, but she does have information I need. "Do you know where my dad has been staying?"

"Yes, she fixed him a place in the Dark Forest because she thought he'd like the woods, being a wolf and all," he answers.

I wonder what gives this forest the special designation of being called dark when the rest of the world wasn't exactly sunshine and tulips.

"Not good," Traves says in my ear. "No one comes out of the Dark Forest the same. It's in the Forbidden Zone."

"Sylvia ate most of the things that inhabit the forest in her quest for more power. I think there are a couple left that could be considered dangerous. I wouldn't worry about them though. With a group as large as yours, they'd be wise to stay away."

"There's supposed to be a large group keeping my dad hostage. Do you think they could've teamed up with any of the beings you speak of?"

"Couldn't say. I don't really know what's in there. As far as my plan goes, do you think you can lift the curse or spell that's keeping Addie asleep?" Killian questions.

"We left the witch with the power in the other room. I don't know what she'd be able to do. She's already indicated that the magic is really week around these parts and she's saving hers up for our battle."

"But you're the one who called out to the earth and brought her back from the death. I don't see how that would be any different with Adeline. I can already feel the earthly magic starting to recharge. If Addie was awake, she could harness it and make it grow. I don't think it'd take her long to be back to full strength, at least I hope not. I really want her to have a chance to avenge herself."

Why do people have to keep requesting things from me that I don't think are possible? It didn't used to make a difference, but now I kind of regret having to tell them no.

"We can try. I'm just learning about these angel powers. Maybe Gabe is a better person to assist. He's a card carrying member of the angel society."

"I'd assist only if necessary. Our powers come from within us and you need to learn how to use them. At the same time, you're learning just what you can do; you have to learn when it's right to use them. Do you think this is a time where an angel should step in?"

He's already mentioned that a lot of people not born with the power end up abusing it or just burning themselves out. I can do a lot of things without an extra wave of my hand, and I have people like Hilda around when I need a little extra magic boost, so I don't think I'll fall into that category.

"I believe Sylvia needs to be stopped. She murdered her own people to advance her position," I state the biggest point in the pro column for helping.

"Using their souls as fuel may not be considered murder by everyone," Gabe points out, causing me to give him a questioning look. If you steal someone's soul and leave just a husk behind, I'm pretty sure that equates to murder. It does in my book anyway.

"Even with your illogical point in consideration, you can't condone any of the actions we've heard Sylvia taking. You're an angel, for God's sake. Death and destruction shouldn't be in your DNA."

"The destruction maybe not, although that can be debated, but death is a part of life. It has to happen or the world wouldn't be able to sustain itself."

"I don't think death is helping this world sustain itself at all if it put a bunch of its inhabitants to sleep like it did the pixies because of lack of food. I want to try. You can't talk me out of this one with your weird logic." I'm ready to get this done. I hear the Dark Forest calling me.

"I wasn't trying to talk you out of it. I actually think it's a wise move, but I do have to make sure you understand the ways of the universe," Gabe says, smiling.

I feel like he wants to pat me on the head. If he makes any kind of move in that direction, he's getting a boot to the knee, allowing that I can lift my leg that high.

"Great. Where's your sleeping queen? We can find out if my mojo is up to snuff."

"She's down the hall. I'm the only one who still visits her, so we shouldn't run into any trouble. Sylvia is so hopped up on me having a baby that she probably took one of her other slaves to play in her quarters. I think that even though she keeps us alive, somehow sleeping with us gives her some extra strength," Killian says, and opens the door.

"Like a succubus," I say, and let out a deep breath.

I hate succubi. Maybe I can figure out a way with these new angel powers to eradicate them all. Talk about burnout.

"I haven't ever met one personally, but from what I've heard, it would be similar."

"I wish I hadn't been introduced to one as well, but thankfully mine is back down in Hell and I hope she's being roasted on a daily basis."

"I think the dwellers from down under were barred from visiting here, but you never know. If someone calls out to them, they're much more likely to answer than someone from Upstairs. We get calls all the time, but only a third of them are really life or death situations, and I've already voiced my opinion on death being a natural part of life. Most of the time, people are just going through a little bump in the road and need to learn that life isn't always easy, but in the end, all the battles you fight turn out to make up a life worth living."

Gabe is getting deep, and I can think of better times to get into the meaning of life. Killian is leading us farther away from the dining hall where we left everyone. Since we aren't in the presumably safe closet, I don't want to start up on a Sylvia is an evil octopus chant.

I have the same problem Hilda does with having to come up with inventive ways to say bad words without really saying them. If one were to replace octopus in my thought with the dirtiest, most horrific word they can think of, they might be close to the word I was really thinking.

"Here we go," Killian says while he opens a door.

Inside we find a woman lying on top of a large platform in the middle of the room. It looks like the classic fairy tale sleeping princess setup. I take it Killian has put himself in charge of looking after Adeline, because I highly doubt Sylvia would do something like this.

Killian walks over to the woman and brushes his hand through her hair. "We should probably hurry. Sylvia will know we're in here and start heading this way soon."

"That's great. If that's true we probably only have a matter of minutes to try this," Sebastian says.

"So what do I do? Do the three of us need to be touching like we were for the grass reawakening?" I ask, ready to move this along.

"You can do this yourself. It's really no different than what you did before. You'll probably prefer to be touching her since you're still in training. All you really need to do is find the angel place inside of you and bring forth its healing powers," Gabe instructs.

Oh yeah, that doesn't sound lame at all. Fine. Maybe this will count towards me getting my halo. I make my way over to the body and get a good look at Queen Adeline.

I can tell that she and Sylvia are sisters from the slope of her nose and the rest of her facial features. Poor lady, no one deserves to be put in this state, except maybe her sister, and half of the Collective, and a succubus who will remain nameless. Okay, so maybe there are some people, but I highly doubt she was one of them. Not if she has a decent guy like Killian still pining for her.

I lay my hand down on Adeline's chest. I don't sense a heart beating under my hand. "You sure she's actually alive?"

"Yes, your friend wasn't wrong about us sharing a connection. While she's in this state, my heart is beating for her."

I think he has Gabe beat on the award for the lamest line. I have the touching part down, now I just need to find that special place inside of me. Just how am I supposed to find that when I'm on a deadline? I start concentrating as hard as I can, searching for my elusive angel mojo.

"Feel," Gabe says, trying to be helpful.

One of these days I'm going to write a book on how to actually accomplish the task of being helpful, and I'll make sure everyone I come in contact with gets a copy.

All I'm really feeling is a clammy lady with no heartbeat. I think the lack of one is messing with me. "Come here, Killian. You said your heart beats for her, prove it."

He moves closer, so I can put my other hand on his chest. Sure enough, I feel the tempo I was missing. Not only that, but there's a second, softer beat that accompanies it as they tap out their tale of love. It's about time I got in on the lame line action.

The puzzle before me starts unraveling and I can see this doesn't have to be any more complicated than me transferring energy from one to the other. I find it very similar to a mad scientist bringing a monster to life. I don't want to fry her brain or anything, so I take things as slow as I can with the threat of an evil Fae barging in at any second.

It only takes about thirty seconds for me to start feeling a beating under my right hand. I take that as a good sign and give one last little boost to hopefully propel the sleeping queen into consciousness.

"Killian," I hear very faintly.

"I'm here, my love. As always," he replies, and practically pushes me out of the way to get to her. I take it this angel business doesn't see a lot of gratitude.

"What has happened?" Queen Adeline says, coming even more alert. I think the caffeine is starting to kick in. "Why are we in the guest's apartments?"

"I'll explain everything fully later. First, you need to harness your power. Your sister will be here any second and her dark power may injure you. I don't think she'll be able to put you back to sleep, but she's able to do other horrors," Killian replies.

"My world. What has happened to it?" The queen isn't going to take things lying around anymore. She bolts up and closes her eyes.

"Killian, you were supposed to be working to kill her for good, but instead I find you waking her up. I should've known better than to let you walk around on your own. I believe that's going to need to be punished," Sylvia's voice says, and I turn to see her standing in the doorway.

Time to see if Adeline can draw enough power to face off against her sister. After witnessing her looking dead just a couple minutes ago, I'm not looking forward to the outcome. Just to be on the safe side, I sidle over to Sebastian and slip the Panoptic knife into his hand.

"Use it if you need to," I instruct, and prepare for the fireworks.

Chapter 11

Someone has a lot of explaining to do

"Sylvia, what are you doing here? Will someone please explain just what's going on? And who are all these other people?"

I can't blame the woman for having a lot of questions, but now really isn't the time.

"Questions later, Queenie, your sister needs dealing with."

It's situations like this one where not being pregnant would be really handy. I don't think it's going to come to much of a fight because it's all of my people versus one person, but you never know how demented that one person is, and whether or not they have any tricks up their sleeves. Sylvia seems like the kind of girl that's loaded down with tricks.

"I can tell you right now, little girl, that I won't be doing anything until I get some answers. What's wrong with my followers? I can't feel them anymore. I must go to them."

She makes a move to leave, but Killian holds on tight. I think she's experiencing one of those moments where your brain is trying extremely hard to process a million things at once and it's only getting mush back in response.

"Addie calm down," Hilda calls from the hall.

My army is in place, but the pretend queen blocking the doorway is holding it outside of the room. I don't know where the male Fae Sylvia was with earlier are currently stationed, and I don't really know on what side of things they'll land.

"Hilda, you're here too? This makes no sense."

Killian leans down and kisses her forehead. I don't think that will help clear up the confusion.

"Sylvia gave Nan a potion that ended up poisoning you eons ago. Shortly after that, she went Sluagh. She destroyed everything you love." Killian gives the cliffnotes version of events, short and to the point, my kind of summation.

"But not you. You're still alive and well. Sylvia said something about you trying to kill me for good. What did that mean?"

More questions, little action. I'm surprised Sylvia hasn't tried to make a move yet.

"You can discuss all the details later. Are you going to take care of your sister, or do you want us to?"

Adeline looks towards her sister. "What have you done?" she asks quietly.

There's not enough anger in her voice. Sylvia tried to kill her, destroyed her land and fed off the souls of her people. I want to hear some yelling going on.

"Did you really think I'd just sit around in my land of banishment forever? You took everything from me, even Killian. You only picked him for your king because I liked him. You could've had anyone," Sylvia says, letting her anger be known.

It sounds to me that Faerie has just changed its name to Cliché City. I hate the "I saw him first" and "he's the only man I've ever loved" sob stories. The way I see it, she either didn't make her move or she wasn't woman enough to keep him. Whichever it is, I wish she'd moved on. There are tons of other fish in the sea, at least there were before she killed them all.

"That's why you did what they claim? You turned Sluagh because you had a crush on Killian? I can't believe we're even related. How long have I been asleep?" Adeline asks anyone who will answer.

"With the darkened world, days weren't passing like normal. It feels like a really long time though," Killian responds.

Sylvia makes no move to indicate whether she's been counting the days. "It's two thousand thirteen, if that makes the math easier," I say, filling the pause that has entered the conversation.

"You're joking. There's no way that's possible. I still don't see how you could have done this to me."

"With magic getting stronger the angrier you get, I wouldn't mind zapping her a few times," Hilda offers.

It makes me shiver just a bit because I know the kinds of things Hilda can do. Sylvia is in for trouble if the request is granted.

"That's a very kind offer, but I have to restore a few things first, then I may let you toy with her a little."

Queen Adeline holds out her right hand and closes her eyes. Dude, your opponent is standing right across from you and I doubt she's just going to stand still while you're preparing for battle.

The move makes me itchy and I pull out one of my knives for comfort. Good old Clytemnestra knows how to calm me down.

"I'm sure she knows what she's doing," Sebastian says, trying to soothe me.

"Says the vampire who hates Fae to begin with. I want you to know that after we get Dad and high tail it out of here; you're to make sure I never go off into a different world again. I don't care if the angels claim I need to go Upstairs for a halo fitting. I'm staying put and so is Sophia."

"Oh good," Alex says, piping in. "That means you aren't going to be working as a private investigator anymore. That will let us guys rest easier."

"Bite your tongue. I just won't take cases that go off planet. Less talking, more preparing to fight if need be."

Both of them laugh maniacally in my head. Stupid mates. The scene before us didn't change at all during the conversation. I really don't understand what's going on. I feel a buzz of energy through the room, but that's about it.

"She's calling her people back to her," Gabe whispers. "If she's strong enough to do that, we should have no worries about how things will turn out here."

"The dead people? Just how in the world does she think she'll accomplish that?" I ask confused.

"I would accomplish it a lot easier if you'd quit yapping," the queen snaps back.

Whatever. I look over at Sylvia, wondering why she hasn't made a move while her sister is occupied. I still can't believe she hasn't attacked. Seeing the look on Sylvia's face leads me to believe she couldn't move even if she wanted to. I don't see any pink bindings, like Hilda's freeze bombs have, but I can tell when someone is being held against their will.

"There. I've brought back the ones that I could. It appears the majority of them are alive and well. Some of the souls must have gotten lost over the years. Now that they're back, they can serve as your jury. We'll let the people decide what is to become of you," Adeline announces.

"Can we return to my question from a second ago? Are you saying you brought back the Fae who had their souls snacked on? Just how many is that?" It's one of those times where questions just keep forming in my mind.

"I mentioned earlier that being separated from your soul doesn't always mean you are dead," Gabe points out.

"You did, but I can't imagine there were bodies just lying around waiting to be put back together like a puzzle. I haven't heard anything that indicates Sylvia killed everyone yesterday," I counter.

"No, some of my people had been gone for a very long time. I take it you're an angel with training wings. I may not allow your kind here, but I don't keep our knowledge from you."

"My halo is in the mail. What key information am I missing?" The correct queen seems to have things in order here, so I really should be on my way, but I'm curious about the zombie Fae I may be running into.

I see Hilda push her way past everyone and into the room. "My niece still doing good? I was a little worried about her."

I'm a little worried about Hilda calling Sophia her niece. I may have told her I loved her earlier, but that was just a show for the crazy queen. We aren't quite to the level where our offspring are considered nieces and nephews.

"Sophia is still holding strong, but we do really need to move things along," Sebastian says as he tries to start dragging me out of the room.

"Sebastian deYork in Faerie. If I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it," Adeline says, focusing in on us. "To answer the woman you're trying to drag away from me, my people are made up of a different kind of energy than most beings. Our bodies are vessels we choose to make it easier for others. All I had to do was call back their souls and they were able to reform. I'm sure once you get the package in the mail that you mentioned earlier, you'll learn these kinds of things."

I guess that answers my question. "Great. I think it's time for us to go now. I need to find your Dark Forest and retrieve my father."

"Even with my energy fixing things, the Dark Forest isn't a place for someone in your condition. Why don't I send some of my people to get him for you?" Queen Adeline asks.

It'd be a swell idea if I thought for a second that Frank would go for it. I believe if anyone were to show up without me, Aaron would be a goner right quick.

"It's something I have to do no matter how big my belly is. I may be pregnant, but that doesn't impede me from walking a little ways."

Adeline tilts her head a little as if listening to something. Maybe she has a telepathic connection to her people. I wouldn't doubt it since she can bring them back from the dead. No matter what her explanation, I'm still looking at it that way.

"Who's keeping it from her? Don't you think she has a right to know?" I don't like the sound of either of those questions.

"She has other priorities right now. We saw no reason to worry her until we got back to our home," Alex replies.

It sounds like someone is going to need a spanking. I just wonder how far this secret spreads and if I have enough paddles.

"I almost understand that reasoning from someone with a penis, but, Hilda, you had to have picked up on it too. I'm pretty sure that breaks the girl code."

Adeline must have been let in on the secret that I just love to listen to people talk about me like I'm not in the room. This is getting ridiculous.

"I agree with the guys that they're handling it the right way, for now. It could be a while before anything happens anyway," Hilda says.

Just before I announce I've had enough, Addie yells, "She's in labor. I don't care if it saves a pod of bottlenose dolphins, you don't keep that from a woman."

"Um. What? That doesn't make any sense."

That's one thing I'm certain I'd know was happening. Sophia hasn't been kicking too much and should just be taking a nap. I've always heard there is a first time for everything. This would be the first time she napped for more than an hour at a time.

"Which of you guys is taking away the pain? I know it is one of you," Adeline says, squinting her eyes first at Alex and then at Sebastian. "It's you. I'm guessing it's her first child and you thought you could get away with hiding it for a while."

Sebby is holding my hand, and I look up to meet his eyes. The thought of him experiencing labor for me is pretty funny, but the mushroom feeling isn't.

"How long?" I really haven't felt anything other than maybe a couple of funny movements from the peanut gallery.

He smiles not letting my tone faze him. Stupid mate. I really need a button I can push that says that out loud for me.

"First, just to clarify it's our child and I will do what I think is best for my mate and the baby. Your contractions started while you were sleeping. I thought you could use the rest if today was going to be the day. When we found out about your dad, it was best that you not be troubled by anything else. Really, with you refusing to stay behind there was no choice."

"Sophia isn't done cooking. There's no way she has had enough time to develop. A month and a half does not make a well-rounded baby. I know she has her fingers and toes, but what about her little lungs? Will she even be able to breathe on her own?"

Now I'm feeling paranoid. No matter how large I get, she can't be more than a handful. Well, not one of my small, little girly hands, but for sure someone like Walt's.

Alex moves his right hand to my stomach. He crouches down and puts his ear to my stomach while rubbing with the one hand.

"She's going to be perfect. Your mom suggested she may take two months, but no one tells little Sophia when she should make her debut. Everything will be perfect," he reiterates. "Let's go get your dad and get you back home so we can welcome her into the world."

"You act like taking a couple of hours to go find Aaron won't matter to the baby people are claiming is trying to escape from my womb."

"Your contractions are still pretty far apart. I think we'll be safe," Sebastian supplies.

I'm sure he's an expert on what's going on with a woman's body while she's in labor. I look up to the ceiling asking an unseen force for a little guidance. When we walked into this room, it was as dreary as the rest of the place, but the walls seem to have changed.

They're light green now and vines seem to be painting themselves up to the ceiling. Colorful flowers litter the vines. It's closer to what I was expecting this place to look like. We're going to have to talk about the situation later. Other than halting everything and demanding to have the baby now, there isn't anything I can really do.

"The Dark Forest is still not a place I'd recommend visiting for someone even just pregnant. The creatures that dwell within were also brought back to life. If they're aware of what happened to them, they won't be too happy to come across outsiders," Queen Adeline warns.

I glance over and notice that Killian is glued to her side. I hope she's a touchy person because I don't think that's going to end anytime soon. I actually understand how strong the desire to be near her, while she's up and moving around, would be for him, given that it sounds like it's been a few years since the last time he saw her mobile.

"I think we have enough force to make it through unscathed," Alex points out. "We have vampires, werewolves, a witch and an angel rolling with us. Oh, I almost forgot the Hellhound; we have one of those too. I don't see how a few ogres or trolls would stand in our way."

"I'll send a few of my people as well. With magic flowing again, they should be able to assist if need be," Adeline offers. "I would, however, like to know the woman's name. I think we'll end up being great allies in the days to come. You have a regal air around you."

I like her better than her sister, so the allies thing might not be too terrible. "I'm Nyx Slaughter slash Gentry slash deYork slash Monroe, I guess. Maybe I should throw my mom in there as well, but I don't think the Queen of the Underworld has a last name."

"You could add Lucifer in for a middle name," Jake suggests from the hallway. Such a helpful boy that one is.

"Are the order of the names negotiable?" Sebastian asks. "I didn't even know we were adding on to Slaughter already. I think you should alphabetize them. DeYork hyphen Gentry hyphen Monroe hyphen Slaughter, last names don't have slashes." He takes a second to slide my knife back into its sheath.

Evidently, I opened up a can of worms just trying to voice all of my connections. "I don't think any names are going to be changed right this second. Let's just go get the Gentry part of my lineage back and get home."

"Connections Upstairs, Downstairs, and everywhere in between. Yes, I think we'll make really good friends. Killian, arrange for ten guards to escort their party. Keeping my fellow queen safe is our top priority."

"Right away," Killian says, and then rushes off to do her bidding. I really thought there'd be some hesitation, but there was none at all. Why don't my guys respond like that?

"I didn't say anything about being a queen," I point out.

"No, but you included deYork in your name. I'm well aware of who Sebastian is. I'm surprised he's chosen a mate, but I can see he has good taste, as always. Let's walk, shall we?" She slides her hand to move Sylvia out of the way and deposits her on the platform the queen recently rested on. Without another word, she exits the room.

"How long do you think she'll take?" I ask, not wanting to be stuck wandering the castle the rest of the day.

"Addie will make sure we get there in time. Come on, I want to see how many improvements she's been able to make already," Hilda says, and rushes off to join the queen.

I guess we don't have a choice if we're going to use Hilda's magic to play dress up later. Outside of the room, the hallway is full of light and my guards. This is going to be a scary tour.

Chapter 12

Questions about leadership

"I think we should discuss the issue of me being in labor. Do we have a backup plan in case Sophia decides to rush out?" I ask. I want to put my hands on my belly and feel Sophia in there, but I'm afraid I'll add too much pressure and she'll just shoot out onto the floor.

"You can't believe I was actually carrying around weapons this whole time," Alex says, waving his duffle bag in front of him. "I got towels, diapers, clothes for you and baby, baby wipes and everything else I could grab in thirty seconds."

"Did you bring scissors to cut the cord or were you expecting to do that with your teeth?"

"Technically, that's father's choice, but I did grab the garden sheers in case we need them."

"As appealing as doing the task myself sounds, I think it will be best to use the more traditional scissor route. He's joking about the sheers, and I have it on good authority we'll make it home before anything comes screaming out of you," Sebastian says, trying to erase the image of him chomping into the cord with his fangs.

Bad. Bad. Bad. I need to clean the image out immediately. It's my own fault for asking the question sarcastically. I should know by now the guys turn everything around and make me visualize things no one should ever imagine.

"Nyx, come up here with us girls," Queen Adeline calls. "Those guys can live without you for a few minutes."

Ha. She doesn't know the guys very well, but I waddle up to join her and Hilda. "What interesting topics are you talking about?" I ask when I join them.

"You, of course. Hilda was filling me in on what a special person you really are. Do you have any idea where the baby will end up in the spectrum of beings?"

"I'm fairly certain she won't be Fae, but that's about all I'm certain of. Since her daddy is a vampire, I'd think her leanings are closer to that species. Like most parents, I really don't care as long as she's healthy." I've pondered many late nights what Peanut would end up being. My mom said I was carrying a new species, but I don't know if she considers me part of that species or not.

"I wouldn't put the idea of her being a little bit Fae out of the picture. Hilda mentioned you had vampire added to your makeup after you were already in the cell multiplying phase. Do you think maybe there were other goodies added?"

"I think the term used was experiments. Is this walk and talk really necessary? We really do need to get moving." I've said the same thing just about every way possible by this time. I'm starting to worry that we won't find our way out of this crazy world.

"I'm leading you out. Killian should have my men gathered and waiting by the entrance to my home. I was hoping you'd like the updated furnishings, but you haven't been noticing them," Addie says.

"Nyx isn't one to pay attention to flowers and fresh paint. If the walls suddenly became lined with swords and axes, you might catch her eye. From personal experience, I've found pastels also do the trick," Hilda teases.

"You're an evil woman. I think we'll leave you behind when we leave, or maybe I'll convince Gabe to take you home with him."

"You wouldn't make Marcus choose between the two of us and I doubt you could enforce either of those options. Plus, Gabe has told me all sorts of things about your future and I know you'd love to hear about them."

I feel an arm wrap around my shoulder that tells me the other female annoyance in my life has joined us for this girl time. I'm surprised it took her so long.

"I really love the changes you're making to the place, Queen A. I like to think I have a little bit of interior designer in me, so if you need any tips, let me know. With this much space, I could be dangerous."

She could be dangerous with a cupboard at her disposal. She has a Bedazzler and I've seen her using it. The sparkles caused nightmares for two nights straight.

"I'll keep that in mind, but I'm restoring things to what they were before. I don't want my people to be disoriented when they start returning to their home." Adeline pauses our progress by suddenly coming to a halt. "What kind of leader do you consider yourself, Nyx?"

"I'm good about bossing my guards around, but I don't really lead anyone. The guards fall under Alex's and Sebastian's commands."

She starts walking again and stays silent for about a minute. No one else decides to talk, so there's only a bunch of footsteps to be heard. They're a steady beating and I find myself setting my breathing to the balanced steps.

"They march to the beat of your heart. I think that indicates you lead them more than you claim. Even the dog, sorry Hellhound, follows. My question is whether they do it out of fear or devotion. A good ruler is able to find a happy medium between those two extremes. My sister would never be able to pull something like that off. She believes you can be feared or loved, but not both."

"I haven't led a life where people smile and jump for joy when they see me walking down the street. It was my job to deal with the scum of the earth when others wouldn't, and I was good at that job. I feel that I've grown a little since my days as an assassin. I didn't have a family back then and now look at what I have," I say, pointing my thumb towards the people behind us. "Most of these people would give their life to protect me and they know, no matter how many times I threaten it, I wouldn't ever kill any of them."

"You've even made friends with the pixies. Sebastian is in love with you and I could have sworn his heart was deadened years ago. You have to understand that I don't offer what I'm about to ever. Not that I've had a lot of chances to before, but this is a special case. You're going to be a leader in your world very soon. I can sense it, even though I claim no precognition ability.

"Before my little catnap, I governed this entire land and had very little difficulties. I'd like to offer you a mentorship of sorts. I'm willing to make myself available for advice and answers to questions whenever you need them. There aren't a lot of other women out there in our positions, except maybe your mother. We need to stick together," she explains.

"Just what do you want in return?" Sebastian asks rudely, so I don't have to.

I'm a little suspicious myself. It feels like she's been leading us around in circles on our way out of here, which makes me a little distrustful. It did take Killian a while to lead us back to the room the queen recently slept, but the glumness of the place made it seem faster.

"Why can't I just be offering out of the goodness of my heart?" Adeline's voice holds about as much sincerity as a toddler covered in chocolate denying they were the one who ate all the candy.

"You really need to work on your lying skills, Addie," Hilda tells her. "Your nose just kind of grew an extra inch."

"Sure it did, Hilda. I control my looks just as well as you. I didn't think for a second I'd be able to convince Sebastian that I didn't have an ulterior motive, so I wasn't trying. I do actually want to get to know Nyx better and I wouldn't mind imparting some of my wisdom to her, but I would like something in return."

I'm finally recognizing the halls we're passing and I know we should be to the room with the big table soon. The place is nothing like the catacombs we have down in our dungeon back home, but I bet the queen could let her guests get conveniently lost if they were annoying her.

"Were you planning on telling us your request before or after we left the castle?" I ask.

The flowers that are appearing around us are starting to alarm me a little. I know I was expecting them when I arrived, but I was enjoying the scentless air.

"It would be best if it was before, since it's next to impossible to fulfill my wants without you here. I would like you to let me have your blood analyzed. If you happen to have any Fae in your interesting blend of DNA, there may be something that will help us keep our forms for longer in your world. I really miss visiting my lochs. Are they still as beautiful as I remember?"

I don't know if America actually has any lochs, and any foreign trips I've taken were to kill someone, so sightseeing wasn't high on my priority list. Nowadays, I imagine there are still remote locations where you can see the land's original beauty, but they're getting harder to find.

"It's been a few years since I have been over to Alba," Sebastian states. "I hear your good friend Nessie is still causing havoc whenever she can."

"Better your world than mine," Queen Adeline says, laughing. "We had so much trouble keeping her under control. I hope she at least tries to keep it under wraps for the humans. She would cause a few questions about just how alone they were in the world."

"Oh, Addie. We've been out in the open for a while now. You'd have a blast in the new world. We could tear up the town."

Hilda has been taking some happy pills or something because I didn't think she was on terms quite that friendly with the Queen of Faerie.

"That would be so cool. You guys have to call me if this grand event ever comes to be," Phee says, rubbing her hands together like a villain mastermind.

This is why I hang out with the guys. Normal females' minds scare me.

The idea of the three of them burning up the town has zero appeal, especially since I see them trying to con me into going with them. I should be able to play the mom card soon, and that should get me out of future girls' nights.

"Menfolk who have a stake in my general well-being, do any of you see any issues with me granting the petition?"

They, specifically Sebby, are probably more prepared to make a pro/con list in this situation. For all I know, giving my blood away may lead to the creation of a super weapon. Hilarious thought, I know, but stranger things have happened.

"The Collective has had access to the stuff for years, so I don't think we'll see any explosions from giving up a vial of it," Alex reasons.

True, but my blood might have been different back then without my wolf, vampire and angel bits scratching in the foreground.

"I think it would be a nice gesture," Will adds.

"Yeah, you can always use brownie points with the leaders of other species," Jake agrees.

"I don't know," Walt says. "My brother is still out there in danger and she's just leading us around, taking her dear sweet time. We need to get out of here and take care of our own business."

Funny. I was only expecting to get responses from my mates. The guards do have the threat of death looming over them if anything happens to me, but I'd hope this situation doesn't count.

"Calm down, wolfy. The Faerie world outside of this castle is frozen until I decide to release it. When you leave, things will start up again. As far as what I assume is your worry about me using your blood for nefarious deeds, I don't need your plasma to create chaos. If you want, we can even make a truth pact to ensure my motives."

That's not happening. I have enough people in my head that only being able to tell the truth to yet another person is beyond my abilities. I do think the freezing things outside of your own little bubble must be a handy power to have. You'd never be late to a meeting.

The room with the big table opens before us and the itchy blooming things have taken over. The walls are pale purple. Lilac, lavender, or violet, you can take your pick of the exact shade, at least it isn't pink. The table has been filled with plates of food. Most of it looks carb heavy, so no funny pregnancy cravings kick in. I wonder if you can even get those when you're in the middle of labor.

"Do you normally make decisions by vote?" Gabe asks. We've stopped our progress and are just standing around.

"No, I just value others' opinions when I don't have all of the facts in place to make a logical decision."

"Most great leaders in history have a team of advisors. I'm sure as an angel you're well aware of that," Sebastian says. "Love, I don't think the world will come to an end if you give your assistance. She might be able to discover things that the scientists in our world don't even know."

"Do we really want to know those things? Personally, I think I'm scary enough as is."

"You know that's right," Jake provides a little unneeded commentary.

"I don't have to tell you anything I ascertain. I can just check to see if there's anything that can help my people and leave it at that," Adeline says, keeping her regal bearing, but she adds a touch of pleading to her voice.

"Fine. If you're holding up time outside, I guess you can bring out someone to stab me with a needle and get your liquid gold." I believe most people consider that to mean oil, but I'm starting to think I could give it a run for its money.

"How barbaric. It's already done," she says, waving her hand and about hitting me in the face. "I could've taken it at any time, but I knew you'd prefer to be asked. I can't analyze it just like that; however, so any findings will have to be reported if I come visit you."

I don't care what anyone says, this chick is scary. She and Hilda are like long lost sisters. Having them in the same realm, with Phee tagging along, is my worst nightmare come to life. Let's hope she finds my blood to be less helpful than she thought.

"Anything else we need to discuss before we're free to go?"

"I think we're good. Let me introduce you to the men who will accompany you on your quest."

Killian hurries to the queen's side, pushing Hilda out of the way. He could've taken my place and I wouldn't have argued.

I look towards where he entered the room and find ten men kneeling on the floor, bowing their heads. That's something I'd never get used to. I'm more of a slap a person on their back if you like them kind of girl.

"They honor you," Queen Adeline says.

"I'm pretty sure they're doing that for you. They don't even know me."

"But I do," Killian says, grinning from ear-to-ear. Even with a person in between us, I can tell he's still really happy about things being put right in his world.

"Tell them to stand up. They look silly." Mark kneeling subjects on the list of reasons not to become a ruler.

The men instantly jump up at my words. They're in shiny chainmail. The Knights of the Round Table are alive and well in Faerie. Because of their armor, I can't get a good look at any of them. It doesn't really matter that much, they're just guides.

"Ian here is the head of my guard. You can see that I like to have them play dress up for me. Their magic is their true weapon. I hope you get a chance to see them in action, it's truly marvelous."

"It's my pleasure to serve you, Mistress," The guy in front says, bowing his head.

"He's talking to you, right?" Mistress seems a little below Queen, but I'm not going to judge if she doesn't mind the moniker.

"Sebastian, you really need to teach her more about the ways of the nobility. He uses the term for you because he isn't certain of your true rank, other than the fact that it's above him. Ian, and the rest of you, her highest rank is Queen so you may address her as such," Adeline instructs.

"No, you can call me Nyx. No stupid titles. How many times do I have to tell people that?" I ask, throwing my hands up.

"Good luck convincing them of that," Adeline says. "The rest of the men are Aidan, Brendan, Kian, Cormac, Hugh, Paddy, Quinn, Ronan and Sean." Each man steps forward and nods to introduce himself when his name is called.

"Great. Thanks for the fun visit, let me know if you find anything interesting in the sample I gave you, and let's get the twiddly winks out of here." My wish is finally granted and Operation Kill Everyone and Retrieve Male Parental Unit is back on.

Chapter 13

Movie quotes are not the answer to everything

"How are those contractions coming along?" I ask Sebastian as our Fae guards show us the way to the Dark Forest.

So far, in our five minute trek, there's been nothing that would indicate a scary woodland is around the corner. The pixies are having a good old time flying from flower to flower, smelling and tasting each variety. They're getting just a bit tipsy in their flying, making it really funny to watch as they fly into each other and try crazy aerial stunts.

"They aren't that bad. I really don't know what all the fuss is about. If we let Alex take them from you, he might whine, but you'd probably only feel little tickles with your pain threshold."

"Watch it, vamp. I won't just sit around while you make me sound like a wuss," Alex says, reaching behind me to give Sebby's shoulder a punch. Next time I'm leaving them both at home.

"I understand you've taken away the pain itself, but what about the fact my stomach isn't feeling, I don't know, weird. There should be some kind of pressing or something, shouldn't there?"

The thought has tried to make itself known to me since the grand announcement that Sophia was on her way, but Fae business hampered it from making it to the good part of my brain.

"That has to be the doing of our daughter. I got the message she was coming out and haven't heard from her since, so I don't have a good answer. She might also be making the pain less. Do you want me to transfer it back to you now that you know? It shouldn't bother you."

I don't know about all that. Having a man experience the joys of birth hands on seems like a really good idea to me. "Let your wall down so I can see what it's like."

"When the cat was let out of the bag we both let you back in," Alex claims.

One of the bad things about having Hilda around on a daily basis is that she decided the guys needed a way to communicate between themselves in case they want to keep things from me. She must not believe in the girl code at all. I can't say I've had a lot of times where it was necessary to honor any kind of unspoken law that says how the women of the world should interact with one another, but adding more people with balloons on their chest to our group is going to require some kind of agreement.

The witch's ability to do anything she wants has me making plans to do all of my own cooking for the rest of my life. I can't trust anyone in the group to not try to slip me something "for my own good". The next thing you know, I'll be waking up after a century's nap all confused.

I dive into Sebby's head to get a feel for what I should be experiencing. He's laughing at me and my girl code ponderings. That just warms my heart endlessly. I don't feel any underlying pain. My joy at him suffering through birth is dimmed.

"I told you they're still spaced pretty far apart. I'll try to give you a warning the next time I feel one coming on. Why don't we talk about what our plans are for facing off against Frank? Do we have enough time to do that, Ian?"

"Yes, Sir. We're still fifteen minutes out from the edge of the Dark Forest. Those within won't be able to hear what's being said from the outside world."

"Do you know how long after we enter it will take to reach the cabin or shack that sea monkey kissing pig, Sylvia, stowed my dad?"

"Anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour on top of the fifteen. I guess it could be less, but the forest doesn't often make things easy for the people who dare enter it," Ian explains.

How in the world has Dad lived in there for months? Other than not liking the hospitality, which after meeting the pig woman I don't blame him one bit, he didn't voice any other complaints. I can't think it's as bad as everyone is claiming since he's remained there for months.

"How many men do you think Frank brought with him?" I ask, ready to discuss plans. We already have the general idea in place; we just need to finalize things.

"We should take care of our switcheroos before too long. As it is, they might have a lookout waiting," Hilda suggests. That brings our group to a halt. I really need to keep my mind focused on this mission and stop getting sidetracked thinking about Sophia. As much as I hate it, keeping the labor from me was probably smart.

Those would be words that will never reach an auditory cortex.

"What do we need to do? Phee, you better scoot your derrière up here because you're part of our master plan."

She's been walking back with Sam and her mouth hasn't been yapping constantly. She might be sick.

"You know I'm in no matter what you need, big sis. I've been hitting the guys constantly to prepare for moments like this." By hitting the guys, I know she means she's been sparring with them in the gym and hasn't developed psycho tendencies of just randomly punching the guys.

"I'm going to be glamoured into looking like you. I think you're going to get something that makes you look like me, and then a glamour on top that makes you look like someone else. Hilda is going to officially take my place and change some of the guys around while she's at it."

I think I got that all right. I'm sure things will work themselves out if I got confused. It isn't like we aren't putting layers of difficulty into the plan.

"Got it. So, who do I get to be? Can I pick? I mean it would be cool to be you, but Hilda is a bit smarter than me in the ol' noodle." I'm not sure I understand what she's trying to say, but I'm sure I concur.

"We should keep it simple. The Collective is probably aware of me and Marcus growing closer, so they'll expect me to be here. You're going to be switched into me and stick close to Marcus. Alex, are you okay being away from your princess or do you want to stay close?"

"I'll play myself. Sebastian has Nyx covered."

"Okay, the Vampire King will become Sam then to pair with the fake Phee. We need a Sebastian."

"Before we get to that point, can you verify that when I change appearances via your non-glamour method that I won't lose any of my abilities?" Sebastian asks.

"I can see where going from kick butt master vampire to slightly above average wolf would make you worry. The change will only be skin deep; you'll keep all of your mojo. Sam isn't as tall as you though, so you're going to have to compensate a little."

"I want to be the other person to meet the not polite word to say in front of a child idiots that dared to lay hands on my brother," Walt demands.

Yes, it's a demand. There's no asking coming from him on this front. "And niece, just squirt the baby out now so I don't have to double my words to say the F word."

"The process is already moving forward, Uncle Walt. By the end of the day she'll be out, but I'm not sure why everyone thinks that will allow everyone to just start cursing like sailors again. I'm positive she'll be able to hear just as well outside of my womb."

"True, but she'll take naps, right?" Jonas asks.

"God, I hope so," I say, and actually feel just a little, itty bitty, kick from inside. I know she isn't that far, but I picture her head outside of my lady opening and just a foot sticking inside doing the kicking.

It's a really good thing I wasn't aware of her being in there for a month. I would've come up with a lot more strange images, and eventually I think they'd have led me straight to the funny farm.

"I think that settles who's going to be who. Sam will need to switch into Walt. I hope it doesn't take you long to get used to all that extra muscle. Carrying around two cannons for arms can't be easy. While Hilda is working her magic, why don't we get back to my original question? How many do you think will meet us on the battle field today?"

"There's a little over a hundred people gathered in the woods," one of our escorts says. I know it's not Ian, but that's the extent of my knowledge.

"No way," Phee says and whistles. "We should have brought a bigger boat."

As far as I know, we didn't bring any boat and how one would help in this situation is a little beyond my grasp.

"It's a line from a movie, Nyx. Phee sometimes forgets you're not up-to-date on the current releases. Of course, that particular movie did come out before you were born, but they're all new to you," Sebastian informs me.

"Seriously? You guys are going to get your 'Mates of the Year' titles removed if you don't keep her more versed in pop culture than that. I mean, you haven't sat her down to make her watch Jaws? Nyx, you need to ask for a divorce or something. They''re mistreating you."

Blah, blah, blah. I tuned out after she said seriously. I heard everything she said, but put the words on the straight path from one ear right out the other.

"Back to the hundred people we have waiting for us." I swear they keep sidetracking me from the important stuff. "Anything less than two to one odds I think works out in our favor. I wouldn't have a problem branching that out to three to one if the Fae are any good with their magic wands." I've changed my opinion from the earlier one where I worried about the opposition being enhanced.

"I've seen Fae practice for battle on my previous trips here and, darling, are you in for a treat," Hilda says, and I glance over to watch her eyebrows have some kind of weird conniption fit. I think it means she gets hot and bothered watching Fae do magic. Too much information, and she didn't even say anything specifically.

"Okay. Walt, Alex and Hilda will have to lead us in, that's the only way they'll believe there isn't a set up. Hilda pointed out to some of us earlier that there's a chance they'll be able to see through the glamours. That's why we're doing so many crazy layers, in case anyone wondered."

"Hilda is taking care of looks, but what about the smells? We don't know for sure what we're going to face, but there's likely a few people who will be able to sniff you out. All the trickery will be for nothing if that's the case," Jonas points out.

"You did bring me for a reason," Hilda scoffs. "I was planning on making it so they wouldn't smell more than roses when we arrived. That should cause enough fits for us to get in and dissect the little lab frogs."

She's working out of a bag she produced out of nowhere. I bet Alex wishes he would've thought about asking her to carry his baby bag that way.

"Can you make mine taste like cherry?" Phee asks. "I love the smell and I haven't had the pleasure of tasting one before."

"Sure, I don't see why not." Hilda throws a little something extra in a vial and then puts her thumb over the top of it and starts shaking. "I usually go for a minty aftertaste, so if anyone else has a request they should get it in now."

"Mint will be fine, Hilda. Thank you," Sebastian says in a voice that says mint is what all you other guys are getting, so don't even think about requesting something different.

Phee grabs her vial and throws it back. I thought I'd taught her to ask questions before doing something foolish like that. At the moment Hilda may be on the side of good, but that doesn't mean she doesn't like to have a little fun. With the cherry wish, I foresee Phee having blue hair for a week. If Hilda hasn't made that happen, I think I'll ask for it when we get back.

A swirl of pink smoke surrounds Phee and I hear her start coughing. I take pleasure in that and chuckle to myself. When the smoke clears she looks exactly like me.

"Change her to something else," I practically shout, freaked out.

Her belly doesn't look like it's sticking out anywhere near enough. She's wearing my knives well. If I look that good all decked out, I'm surprised Alex and Sebastian are able to keep their hands to themselves.

"No way. Can I get some of this for later? Post baby would be preferred," Phee says. "Although, I think I can rock the baby bump. Sam, we should really start thinking about taking this step."

Not a good idea. Being an auntie is one thing, but she isn't ready for motherhood. Most days, I'm not ready for motherhood, but I'm about a million times more mature than Phee.

"Hilda, I'll warn you now, if you answer in the affirmative, I'm knifing you tomorrow." Sophia should be out by then and I can use the Panoptic knife on the troublesome witch. "Why isn't her Peanut bump as big as mine?"

"That's just the mirror effect. She looks exactly like you right this second. You're used to seeing your belly in the mirror and I swear those things add twenty pounds. In real life, you look amazing for someone currently in the process of giving birth," Hilda explains. She hands out the rest of her little vials and then places her hand on Phee's head. "Atharrach."

Phee turns into Hilda and having two of them together is worse than seeing another me. Magic has its purpose, but I still like to use it as little as possible. Hilda takes her drink and makes her way over to me as she morphs into Nyx 3.0.

"Atharrach dìdeann," she says, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Why was my spell different?" I look down and see my fingernails are painted a bright pink color. I wasn't sure what I'd see with the spells in place. The pinkies have black polka dots on them. Thank God she was preparing to go into battle and not a party. I wouldn't be happy in a pair of her high heels, even if it was just a mirage.

"Just a little extra protection for you. We should be all set. We know who's leading us in. I think for the most part everyone else will follow in behind us. The personal guards will want to stay close to us. I think we'd be sage allowing the Fae to hang close to our real package. That should give you enough protection. Any other suggestions or questions we should think about before we hit the land of no return?"

"As long as everyone remembers that Frank is mine, I think we're good. This is our first real battle against the force we've been fighting for most of our lives. I have no doubt we will come out victorious and bring our wolf leader home. Keep your senses opened and eyes peeled. We'll allow surrender from their forces. You'll disarm those wishing to turn against the Collective and join the winning cause.

"I trust everyone brought restraints with them, so please use them. No matter how believable they may seem, we'll be taking them back to our compound secured. It's my greatest wish that once their ringleader has been taken out, the rest will cease to fight against us. Oh, and above all, protect your princess or queen. It's your duty to ensure her safety."

Shouts of affirmatives echo through the crowd at the end of Jonas' pep talk. It was a nice little speech.

"Aren't you supposed to be the leader of this army?" I ask Alex. That's supposed to be his day job, so to speak.

"I am, but Jonas was rallying the troops long before I came along, and we decided to keep things the way they were. Plus, I think he really likes to hear himself talk. We shouldn't be far now. I'm going to have to leave you in Sebastian's capable hands. I love you, Nyx, and I can't wait to get you home, with your dad, and welcome Sophia into this world. I'm just a thought away if either of you need a thing." He leans down and places a lingering kiss on my forehead before reluctantly walking over to Hilda and Walt.

I wonder if the fact that I look like Phee now had anything to do with him not trying for the lips. I know I better not find him pretending to make out with Hilda. If Peanut wasn't connected, I wouldn't hesitate to send him a really nice image of what I'd do to him if I caught him in a compromising position. I'll just have to draw him a sketch of it later.

Chapter 14

There is only one correct answer

It doesn't take us more than another two minutes to find the Dark Forest. The Dark Forest isn't something you really find, though. It kind of finds you. There was no warning; one minute we were walking in a nice green oasis, and the next the blackened trees were surrounding us.

The change in scenery is definitely not for the faint of heart.

It isn't exactly like what this world looked like when we first stepped over. The basic color scheme is the same, but there isn't a cry for help to fix the dying earth and the amount and general shape of the trees makes them feel spooky.

"Well, at least I've found a place to send Clyde when he misbehaves," I say, looking up at the sky, which was blue just a second ago. Now, it's as black as midnight and flashes of lightening arc across it.

"Ha. Ha. You're just so hilarious. Why don't you leave the jokes to the professionals and keep to things you are good at. Like having babies," Clyde so kindly suggests.

I don't think he likes this place. For some odd reason that makes me like it just a little bit.

The thought that no one discussed what the angel among us will be doing during the battle jumps to the forefront of my mind. Now that we're into the forest, I don't think it's safe for me to voice my questions for all to hear.

"I'll just be an observer today. Unless my sister is in danger, then I'll assist in any way possible," he replies, without me needing to blow my cover. I have to remember to be careful. My words a second ago about Clyde might have appeared odd coming from Phee.

Sebastian grabs my hand and gives a nice, strong squeeze. As he does it, I feel a tremor ripple through my belly. There's a slight, almost miniscule, needle prick of pain that accompanies it.

"Was that what I think it was?" I ask, glancing down at my invisible tummy.

"It's our daughter wanting to break out of her cage. We're going to have a handful with that one. I'll go on record now as saying we shouldn't let her see the outside world until she's twenty."

"And how do you plan to accomplish that? She's going to have all of you guys wrapped around her little finger the second she comes out. You and Alex are already hopelessly whipped. I'm sure Walt already has a pony lined up for her and is planning to walk her around town on it as soon as she can hold her head up." I caught him looking up breeders the other day, so I think my claim is valid.

"Alex and I are waiting for our 'Congratulations, you were just born' present to be finished. A lifetime supply of chastity belts takes a little while to form and such. We guesstimated her to be about your size when she matures, so hopefully she doesn't inherit my stature. We may need to place a future order if that's the case."

I can't help laugh out loud at his ideas. Just the thought of a baby, not even born yet, having a chastity belt waiting for her is hilarious. Add the fact that I'm ninety-nine percent for sure he isn't joking, and you have the best joke punch line ever invented.

Alex doesn't see the humor, so he adds, "Laugh all you want. We thought about making you a matching set, but decided we didn't want the hassle of having to dig out the key every time we wanted to play with you."

Yup, that stops the laughing real quick, again because I know it's true. Now, Sophia needs to come out so we can punish her daddies together. It shouldn't take long for me to impart my devious ways onto the little peanut. Her being able to communicate from the get go will come in handy.

"Teaching our daughter how to threaten to cut off body parts and come across sounding sincere isn't going to win you Mother of the Year awards," Sebastian suggests.

It's a good thing I didn't think for a second that I'd make it past the preliminaries. Unless the panel consisted of axe murders and serial killers, I have absolutely zero chance of being nominated.

"There's trouble up ahead. I sense a Grim," Ian says, causing us all to halt. "And he's not alone. There is a Cailleach Bheur with him. Those two banding together can't bode well."

"Jolly good," Hilda says, mastering my voice, but the words aren't something I'd find myself saying. "Ian, would you be so kind to inform the rest of us what we're in for?"

"Yes, ma'am. I believe you'll find a Grim to be similar to Reaper Demons on your side of the veil. Our version doesn't make deals, though. They just like to kill everything in their path. The Cailleach Bheur, or Blue Hag, is just about as friendly. You'll want to watch out for her staff. One touch from it and you're turned to dust."

What a charming pair. I bet I could convince them to vote me in for Mom of the Year.

"Now, young Fae, why do you have to go about warning all the easy targets about stuff like that?" a scratchy, womanly voice echoes through the trees.

"Really, it would've been so much more fun to just toy with you one by one. Although after being less fleshy for so long a little bit of a fight might be in order," a deep man's voice booms from the other side of the forest.

"Any recommendations on getting us all out of this alive? You guys do have a magic solution for fighting them off, right?" I ask, drawing two knives. No time like the present to test out the fine print on the one that claims to kill anything.

"For the Hag, it's easy. Don't let her touch you and you're golden," Ian says as he and the other Fae fan out and get ready for action. "The Grim can shoot a blue flame of fire at you and if it hits you, you aren't going to like it. The bad part is once he targets you with the flame, it won't let up until it hits the target."

"I'm not hearing a way to defeat them in that explanation," I yell, getting highly agitated at the situation.

"That's because there isn't a way to kill them. If you have iron, and can actually use it on them, you might sting them a little, but it won't keep them from doing damage," one of the other Knights of the Round Table says.

My forces start forming a protective circle around me. I don't know if they're even cognizant of what they're doing. It looks like a well-choreographed dance routine. I end up with a two man deep ring about eight feet in front of me on all sides. Sebby and Gabe stand close to me, ready to attack.

"Nice dwellers of this forest, is there anything we can do to get our passage granted without a loss of life?" I ask, just throwing the thought out there.

"You brought brains with you today. That's a new one for you Fae," the woman says, and I'm betting shea' come out for everyone to see. Everyone except the one who still doesn't meet the height requirements at the amusement parks.

"Are we allowed to see the wise one?" the man asks. He too sounds closer.

"We'd prefer you didn't," Ian claims. "She does pose an interesting question."

"That she does," the man replies. "To answer it, yes you can be granted free passage to wherever you are heading in the woods, for a small price."

The woman laughs and I expect the price we're going to have to pay is going to be steep.

"Name it. I'll find a way to pay it," I vow. Yeah, it's probably a stupid move on my part, but in the heat of the moment it sounds good.

"Great. You really are the smart one in the group. The fee is simple. Give us one person to play with and the rest of you are free to go," the man answers.

I should've seen that one coming. It's an old familiar tune that has been played out so many times in history.

"Can we take a second to talk about this?" Sebastian asks.

"Of course, just keep in mind that whatever the wise one answers with can't be changed. I suggest you choose wisely. Ah, but since she's so wise to begin with, that shouldn't be difficult."

The main circle stays in place, but my personal guards do turn around to add their input.

"If you can promise me you'll take care of Frank, I'll stay behind," Jonas starts us off.

"No, you deserve to get that retribution yourself, I've lived longer than you, so I should stay," Walt says.

"No way, you're both better fighters than me, I nominate myself," Jake says.

"If that's the criteria we're basing things off of, I'm the least trained here," Will says. "I could actually be an issue in real battle. Maybe I should hang back."

Holy crap. I didn't see the talk going like this. I wasn't expecting a talk to begin with.

"If it were between me and Alex, I would say pick me to stay. My legacy is already in place and he has work left to do," Sebastian states.

"No, I'll give myself up before the King," Marcus says, and that's enough for him.

"It would be an appropriate punishment for my months of doubting you," Smitty adds.

"Just to comment on Sebastian's statement, it would need to be me you picked if you were choosing between us," Alex claims. "He has to be there for your child. I don't."

"You two are idiots. She can't choose either of you because at your demise she goes too. Go ahead and pick me," Dante says. "I'm kind of the new kid on the block and odd man out. You have stronger connections with the others."

I really wish they'd slow down. It's hard to take all of their requests for death in at once.

"I'll point out that they said play and not necessarily kill," Gabe says. "Either way, me or the Hellhound would be the best choices. We're sturdier than the rest of you. They might not even be able to kill us."

"I'm game if that means you get Grandpa back home safe and sound. I'll bark at them a couple of times and watch my breath eat away their skin."

I really hope they're done because I don't want to hear anymore. If I give the Fae an opportunity, I bet I'll hear more of the same and I already know that the standard guards would all offer. "I choose me," I say before anyone can stop me.

"No!" Is shouted by enough voices that I swear the trees start shaking.

What did they really expect me to say? I love everyone here in some fashion. I can't just hand one of them over to be the new play toy of Dr. Creepy and his wife, Mrs. Stabsalot.

"Are you sure about your answer?" the woman asks. She doesn't sound as upbeat.

"No, she wants to reconsider," Sebby says before I can open my mouth.

"I do not. You guys said my answer would be final, so your question is moot."

"I won't let you stay by yourself. I'm staying with you and Sophia," Sebastian states.

It would be really handy if Sophia would come out right now. I know I've said, or thought, that a few times, but I could hand her off to Sebby and let him go on his way. I was afraid he'd stay behind, but I wouldn't change my choice.

"I'll have to stay, too. I can't let you two die alone," Alex says and comes over to take my hand. "We're all in this together, to the very end."

They're making me a little emotional, but I'm going to be strong. I don't need other people deciding they should stay back as well.

"It won't be necessary," the Grim says. "She answered the riddle correctly. I can't say that has ever happened before. It really takes the fun out of things."

"Riddle?" I ask. What in the world is he talking about? If he thinks his little ultimatum was some kind of riddle, someone needs to get him a dictionary.

"This sucks. I was really looking forward to having some fun," the woman claims. "She even had people offering, and that doesn't tend to happen either. One claimed we probably wouldn't even be able to kill him. What kind of logic is that?"

"Wise logic. We have finally met our match, Helen."

"It just isn't fair, Alastair. They won't even let us see her. We should be allowed that much, right?"

At least I have names for the duo. I do like the woman's name since it happens to be the same as one of my favorite knives.

"I think it's safe to stand down. I gave myself up anyway," I point out. "I'm still looking for some clarification on what just happened."

No one makes a move to part, so I have to take matters into my own hands. Everyone is going to be in trouble later for make me waddle around. The closest exit point is straight ahead through Walt, which is about the equivalent of a beetle taking on Mount Everest. The fact that he looks like Sebastian at the present moment isn't abnormal at all.

"Walt, don't make me do something crazy."

"I think you already did, niece. You remind me more of your father every day. He's going to be so proud when he gets to see you again."

He moves out of my way and the guard in front of him does the same. Sebby and Alex are tight by my sides.

I'm able to see the two figures standing in the clearing in front of us now. The Blue Hag looks just like I'd imagine. She looks like an old crone with a huge misshapen nose and puffy, slightly distorted face. She's wrapped in blue rags, accounting for the blue in her species name. I see the staff Ian mentioned clasped tightly in her right hand. It looks like it's the only thing keeping her vertical.

The man is covered from head to toe in a black robe. With his hands crossed at his chest, I see no skin at all. He may as well be a green alien from outer space.

"This is her? She's so pretty, and young. Why do you glow?" Helen asks.

"My name is Nyx. I don't really know if you're seeing the true me or the one I'm pretending to be."

"The glamour doesn't work on us. Unless there's another spell in place, we're seeing you," the man replies. "What are you?"

"Are you going to answer my question about the riddle?" I think since they've been toying with us, it's only fair that I get my questions answered first.

"Grims like to pose riddles to their victims before killing them," Ian answers. "It didn't sound like much of a riddle to me." Me either.

"Doesn't really matter. I consider it a riddle and it's my favorite one to ask a group. No one can ever solve it. I was sure when everyone started offering themselves to you I was going to win again. It really is too bad. You have such a strong force gathered here. Any one of them would've given us hours of enjoyment."

I meet so many weird people. "There's three of her," Helen gasps. Hilda and Phee skip over to get a closer look at the pair.

"The world isn't ready for that," Alex says under his breath. I'm pretty sure I had earlier thoughts along the same line. If not, I should have.

"No, they're my decoys. Some idiots are holding my father hostage in your lovely woods and since I'm pregnant, we devised this plan to hopefully protect me. Why I'm telling you all of this I don't know. Is it okay if we're on our way? We're on a deadline here."

"The baby would account for some of the glowing, but not all of it. You are otherworldly, right? Angels haven't been allowed in this land ever. How did you get clearance?" The man is looking me over carefully.

"I don't think it was known when my entrance visa was granted. Once I got here, it was too late to send me back." They're showing no signs of being done with the conversation. I wonder what they'd do if I just walked away.

"Interesting. Well, Nyx, maybe we'll be lucky enough to meet you again. For now, you mentioned you were otherwise occupied, so my request that you come visit for some tea and crumpets will have to wait. A visitor is closing in fast and I'm not sure if he's friend or foe to you. We'll leave you to decide," Alastair says, and then he and Helen turn into smoke and float away on a breeze that came from out of nowhere.

"Nyxie, boy am I happy I found you first," a voice says before sweeping me up for a bear hug.

Only one person calls me that and I know his gesture isn't going to go over well with my mates. He's proven that he's still an idiot. I have my knives still in my hands and hugs are not wise with an armed girl. Add in that he's squeezing my belly and you have an armed, unhappy girl.

Chapter 15

A strange blast from the past

Alex starts growling to let Ryan know he's about to become reindeer chow. Ryan doesn't let that deter him and he gives an extra squeeze. Is he trying to push Sophia right out of me?

"I suggest you let go of her now or you're going to become a very dead wolf," Sebastian says slowly, with a dump truck full of menace.

"You guys have kept her away from me for months. Can't you let me just take in the new her? Congrats on the baby, by the way. The extra weight really suits you, especially in the chest. Holy cow." He releases me and I take a second to put the knives away. He spends the time memorizing my milk jugs.

"The last time I saw you, Ryan, you weren't exactly happy with me. What gives with the hugs?"

"And how did you pick out the right one? There are three of us," Hilda adds.

Good question, I'm supposed to be glamoured to look like Phee.

He makes an odd noise in his throat like he's trying to clear it or something. "The glamour isn't going to be an issue for any of the Collective agents here today. They're all on that stupid drug that made me nuts. It does have some really nice abilities loaded into it, but those side effects are killer."

Screw the side effects, seeing through the glamour is what produces three of us. His comment doesn't make sense.

"Like aggressive tendencies and an unnatural obsession with my baby momma," Sebastian says.

"Really? The baby's yours? I thought for sure Alex got those honors. You're deYork, right? The disguise is really good, but the look in your eyes is the one I remember from the day you took her out of my life. Anyway, yes those are the main side effects. How they target you specifically I don't know, but most people on the drug are triggered to want to be the one to put a bun in your oven. It's really the vampire's kid?" he asks again, looking down skeptically.

"Yes, there's no way it could be anyone else's," I assure him. "If you look really close, you'll see her little vampire fangs sticking out." I find people staring at my stomach and I always assume that's what they're expecting to see.

Getting a good look at Ryan, not one thing has changed since the last time we saw each other. I take that back. There's something different about his face. The hardness is gone. He looks more like the teenager I used to have fun with. It's nice to see the sparkle back in his eyes.

"But Alex is your mate, right?"

"They both are. Can we move on to how you were certain I was me and what's waiting for us, since you seem like a fountain of information."

I'm still really leery about his motives. You don't go from Hell bent on keeping me locked up, barefoot and pregnant with your child, to you look great wearing someone else's kid just like that. It's been months, but that last meeting made me think we were going to come to blows.

"You shouldn't have to ask how I could recognize you. Even without the drug's effect, I was half in love with you from the first day we met. I'd know it was you if you were physically altered to be a foot taller and a man. The other people at the meeting will just see three of you. Five of us were sent to scout for your group and report back how many you had and whether you brought any surprises."

"Is my dad okay?" Those should've been the first words out of my mouth, but the shock of the joy in Ryan's voice made my mind freeze.

"Aaron? Sure he's fine. Frank roughed him up a little and Aaron is really going to be pissed that you actually showed up, but there wasn't any permanent damage done the last time I saw him. Frank is only mostly brain dead. He knows you'd want to see your dad before you gave yourself over."

That's a huge relief. Frank can be pretty vicious with just his bare hands and I imagine there was sharp metal involved in the original hostage taking. Aaron Gentry is no person of little consequence when it comes to fighting. I haven't had the opportunity to witness him in action, but Jonas and Walt have tons of stories.

"Care to explain your meeting up with us and not trying to attack?" Alex asks.

Looking around, the guards are still on high alert and scanning the trees for any movement. Ryan did kind of sneak up on us.

"First, you can't expect me to go against Nyx. That's so against every cell in my body that under mind control it wouldn't happen. A month after you left, I met a scientist by the name of Carl Tragger. Aaron had heard what happened to me and wanted to try to fix it, because of me helping keep you safe all those years. Your dad is way cool, by the way.

"So, Carl took some of my blood and started doing all sorts of tests on it. That was after he spent a week convincing me it was a good idea. I was still pretty hung up on you and I was generally a dick to him. He persisted, though, and eventually he made an antidote for the side effects. I still have all the cool speed and sensory type add-ons, but I'm not a jerk and I can be happy that you found someone you love."

"She has more than just one person to love and don't forget it," Alex interjects. "You give a nice speech, but why should we believe you?"

"I'm here to tell you what the Collective's plan is and help fight them in whatever capacity you think best. I've only been staying close to Frank so I can report stuff back to Carl and he can pass it on to the resistance," Ryan explains.

"Have you heard of the scientist before?" Sebastian asks Alex.

I really want to believe Ryan has turned over a new leaf. For years before I met Sebastian, he was my only friend. I know we had our issues, I still don't know when he found out I wasn't human and how long he kept it from me, but he was really there for me.

"Yeah, he's really good at his thing. I've been thinking about sending him some of Nyx's blood to analyze, but I decided the fewer people who knew what she was the better. At least until her trials are over. I don't think anyone is going to miss her wearing a halo."

"You do know we don't actually wear halos, right?" Gabe asks. "That would be rather silly. If you believe that, you should be scratching your head trying to figure out why the vampires in the group didn't spontaneously combust when I showed up."

"The angel doesn't have a sense of humor. If he's going to be hanging around you, Nyx, you're going to have to get him to lighten up," Alex responds.

"What are you talking about? Angels? If you have one, that might be useful. Frank has a demon on his side and I was worried how we were going to get everyone out of this alive," Ryan claims.

"We have one and a half angels, which I hope will be enough. If you say the demon is a succubus, I'm going to start throwing things," I reply, and look around to find the biggest rock.

Crap. I can't bend over to pick it up. Maybe Alex will let me throw some diapers around. They're light enough that I shouldn't cause myself any damage.

"How did you know? Out of all the different kinds of demons out there, most of which I'm sure neither of us have heard of, you picked the one that has got Frank in a tizzy to capture you."

"Ben said he was going to keep her locked up," Sebastian says, and I can feel him tensing up thinking about Candace being on the loose. I have an overwhelming desire to start spewing every four-letter word my mind can come up with.

"I should've just let Peanut watch me kill her. It has to be her, right? You didn't turn down any more of them during your youthful foolishness stage did you?"

"No," he replies, and has now moved on to the pissed stage.

Hey, I was already there when the word demon was mentioned.

"You think you know her? Tall blonde who would make most guys swallow their tongues for a chance with her. I want to go on record and say I'm not one of those guys. She walks around like she owns the place and loves to wear tight leather."

"Succubi can change their appearances if they want, so looks technically don't help. So far, they're on target for my nemesis, though. I thought my mom scared her off. Why would she bother to make an attempt on me again? If I don't kill her, Mom is going to do things to her even Candace wouldn't enjoy."

"This one calls herself Candy; do you think they're the same person?" Ryan queries.

"I'm killing her this time," Sebastian says.

He's fighting the urge to grab my knife away from me and run for it. I'll give it to him when the time comes, because I'm not letting her get away this time.

"You have my blessing. Ben is going to be one dead demon when I find him. Why would he let her go? He knows she wants to kill me. You'd think Lucifer would step up and put a tracker bracelet on her."

"You know Lucifer? Just what have you done in our time apart?"

"Lucifer is my mother, so yes I'm unfortunate enough to know her. I've spent my time helping others, finding out where I came from and letting Sebastian poke his sausage in me enough times to create the wonderful child inside of me who's in the process of escaping." I'm getting tired of the conversation and I don't really have the time to stand here in play catch up.

"I see you're ready to get moving, but I'm going to bring up what you just said when we get back home and things have calmed down. With the demon on their side, your disguises aren't really necessary. She'll be able to tell them who's who," Ryan says. "I assume she has that ability anyway."

"Our plan didn't even consider they'd have that kind of extra help. Might as well make everyone themselves again," Hilda says. "Contrárthra."

I look down and verify my fingernails are back to their usual short, broken state. "Plan A is out, what do we have for plan B? How long has Candace been hanging around?"

"I don't know for sure. I saw her the first time two days ago, but I got the feeling she'd been around stirring up stuff before then. The camp is about two miles north of here. It won't take but a second to get there, but they have people everywhere around the cabin, waiting to send word back that you've arrived."

"Just how bad is everyone here itching for a fight?" Hilda asks.

"With the threat of Nyx and Sophia being injured, I'd like to see things go as smoothly as possible. Against one hundred people ready to fight, we don't have much choice," Alex answers.

Sebastian is too busy sticking a knife into Candace over and over in his mind.

"Mr. Angel could make things really simple for us, but I know Gabe likes to watch things play out. Let me look in my bag of tricks real quick. Fae Knights, why don't you guys join me? We still have thirty minutes if my internal clock hasn't been jerked around. I know I didn't bring anything demon specific. We're pretty much screwed on that front."

Hilda takes the Fae over to discuss what magic she can throw together on short notice. I thought she could just conjure stuff to her and whip up a five course meal. I wonder if us being in another world limits her power.

"Carl and I have been working to spread the antidote to the other altered wolves. We've had to do it in really small doses to not alert anyone. If everyone started being mellow, it would've been suspicious. I'm pretty sure the succubus only has her tentacles into Frank, but I've been gone for a couple of hours. She could've made her way through the rest of the troops by now."

"The wolves won't be an issue," Hilda says, already returning. "How are the contractions coming, Sebastian? Gabe said we need to get a move on it before he took off."

"What?" I look around and find we're down a man. "Where did he go? He said he was going to be my backup."

"Do I look like his, or anybody's, secretary? He probably forgot he left some turnovers in the oven and had to go check on them. Angels are flighty that way. Sebastian, contractions?"

"They're becoming more frequent, still not much pain," he replies. "I don't think it would be appropriate to check how far she is dilated, but the quicker we get home the better."

"Perfect. I don't care how good Sophia is being about making things not hurt; unless she comes equipped with a bucket of Novocain, when the time comes you're going to feel your body try to turn itself inside out. The Knights and I were able to whip up a sleepy time potion. The forest is severely lacking the herbs and botanicals I usually use, so we had to improvise. I just have to finish twisting the spell when we get there and those not under the influence of the arugula sniffing biscuit eater will take a nice little nap."

"Arugula sniffing biscuit eater, I like that one. I think I'll keep it in mind for later. Let's go. I'm ready to get this over with. If I have to say that one more time today, I promise someone is getting shot."

I'm having trouble believing how things have been dragging along today. I left the house hoping this would be an easy in and out deal. I'm well aware that's one of the most unrealistic thoughts that has ever swam around in my melon. I'm sure that I haven't had to repeat myself more times in my life as I have had to today. It has gotten so bad that my mind is doing one of its rambling things.

Ryan starts leading us in the direction of my father. I'm still on the edge of trusting him. His attitude has vastly improved and that scores big points. However, it could all be an act. Frank would know firsthand how close Ryan and I were in old days. They may be plotting together to get me back under their control.

"At the first sign of betrayal, I will glory in ripping his head from that body of his and if Sophia is a really good girl, I'll give it to her as a present," Alex says while he tries really hard not to envision the task, but fails miserably.

"Clyde would be a proper recipient for that gift, not our daughter. Jeez, how demented are you hoping she'll be?"

I'm afraid of his answer so I try to move the conversation elsewhere. "Ian, how does Faerie time work? Is it independent from outside elements or can it be controlled?"

"That's one of the reasons I hate visiting here, love," Sebastian replies before the Fae gets a chance. "It all comes down to the Queen's whims. It works out well for her, and her subjects don't seem to mind, but most visitors get a little discombobulated."

"It's nothing if you stay longer than a week, but I could see it taking some getting used to," Hilda adds.

I had a feeling that was the case. All the more reason to get out of here. The lifeless forest we're walking through is another great reason not to stick around.

We don't travel far before Ryan draws us to a stop. "It's just through those trees," he says, pointing just off to the right of dead ahead.

"Great," Hilda says. "Dul a chodladh."

Ryan immediately drops to the ground in front of me. "Was that necessary?" I ask, trying to see if he hit his head on anything sharp. Not being able to bend down makes the task pretty much impossible.

"I didn't trust the look in his eyes and he was agitating Alex. I had to say the spell now anyway. Adding one more wolf to the mix doesn't even cause me to break a sweat."

"Are we just leaving him here?"

Alex walks over and kicks his leg a little. "Sounds like a great idea to me. We can pick him up on our way out of town. Maybe the Grim will come along and play with him until we get back."

"We'll take him back with us, ruthless mate. Everyone here is protected from Candace, right?" I know my core group doesn't take their charms off even to shower, but the Fae and the regular guards may be a different story.

"Sadly, I don't think that will be an issue," Frank's voice calls. Duh. We're close enough that if we were smart we'd be listening in on what they have to say. "Why don't you guys just send Nyx on over. I'll release Aaron as soon as I have her in my arms."

I guess it's time for negotiations. My do what I want, when I want attitude makes me a horrible negotiator. Clyde would do a better job, and his technique would probably end up with him walking up to the other person and peeing on their leg.

Chapter 16

Something happened, I just don't know what

"Where did your little pet succubus go?" Hilda asks before anyone makes a move. "You should be taking a literal dirt nap if she isn't around."

"Sorry to disappoint, but Candy was able to give us some last minute protection before the dude with the gigantic sword showed up. I still have sixty able body men ready to bring our girl home. The Collective has some big plans for her and they aren't going to be denied. Make it easy on yourselves and just give up. You can go on pretending you'll eventually grow the balls to overthrow us."

"Daddy, are you okay?" I ask. We still don't have any kind of visual on what we're up against. I think we have the advantage here without Candace helping and controlling people.

"Mmm mmmm mmm," I hear a muffled voice say.

"Duct tape, honey. I believe you have a fondness for the stuff. I'm tired of hanging around here. Get your snarky self over here, and we can be done with this. I'll even let your biological father live."

"I like the idea of us just coming over there to retrieve Aaron and killing everyone who stands in our way," Alex says and it sounds like a great plan to me.

"If I so much as sense any of you getting ideas of coming closer, other than Nyx, I will kill Aaron," Frank replies. "And if I don't hear my adoptive daughter on her way over here within the next thirty seconds I'll start cutting off body parts."

"Mhmm hmm mmm," Dad mumbles.

I pretend he's commenting on the adoptive daughter part. I know he hates the fact that Frank raised me. In reality, he's probably telling me he was going to dismember me if I even think about making the deal. Unless Hilda or the Fae can think of something, I think I have to give myself over and wait to be rescued.

I don't like the idea of having to be rescued. I wish I knew how to use my angel powers. I don't know what kind of offensive weapons I have in that arsenal, but I bet there are some really wicked death rays available.

"Do we want to make bets on how fast you guys can find me?" I ask the guys, making sure they realize this is going to happen.

"Can one person accompany Nyx? Her present condition is even more delicate than you're aware of and I'd really like to be there for the birth of my child," Sebastian hollers to the trees.

"What? No, you're supposed to come to the rescue, not dig yourself in with me." Doesn't he know he's my knight in shining armor?

"I'd prefer we just run in and kill everyone, but Frank most likely has a knife or gun on your dad. No matter how fast I am, I don't think I could save him. Plus, your contractions are really getting strong. We don't have a lot of time," he explains.

Alex hands the baby bag over to Sebastian, who in turn puts it over his neck and slings it across his body. Having his hands free is a good move.

"You know my thirty seconds has already past. Are you looking for a finger or a toe?" Frank replies.

"You sadistic son of a donkey. I'm on my way, leave the appendages in place." I go ahead and start walking. He and Sebastian can continue their discussion on someone else's time.

"She's in labor, Frank. I'll carry her if you want my hands to keep busy, but I need to be there to help. We haven't checked down below, but the contractions are coming every couple of minutes now."

Nice of someone to tell me about that. How in the world is that even possible? Just a little bit ago he said they were spaced out quite a bit. Now, all of a sudden, they're ganging up on me. Not cool, Sophia. You were supposed to wait until we got home.

I hear Aaron pretending to talk again and I don't even try to make out what he's saying. I'm a good twenty yards away from everyone in my group now. I can vaguely see a cabin and some shadowy people standing around.

"Might as well come along, deYork, but you better watch yourself. My men wouldn't have the foggiest idea about what to do if the baby comes, so we'll leave that up to you. No one else though."

Sebastian is next to me in a second grabbing, on to my hand and lifting me up. Great. I'm a pregnant invalid. It takes all my dignity of being a martyr away.

Sebby speeds us over to where Frank is standing with a knife to Aaron's throat. Daddy has some dried blood caked to his head from what looks to be a bash to his left temple, but nothing else that's obvious. His eyes go from murderous upon seeing me, to caring when he sees my belly, and back to murderous when our eyes meet.

"Surprise," I say cheerfully, even though my face remains glum. "Let's go ahead and let him go meet with the others, so we can get on our way."

"Did you really think I'd just let the one person who could bring down the Collective go?" Frank asks, and I see his knife dig into Dad's throat. "What kind of idiot do you think I'm?"

It's probably best that I don't answer his question right now.

Sebastian tenses under me. I want to glance around to see where Frank's troops all are, but I can't make the effort.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm two shakes from becoming a full angel and these new powers have a way of manifesting themselves at the oddest times. You know, like when someone really pisses me off," I say, hoping to bluff us out of this.

I don't think it has the desired effect, because Frank starts laughing; at least he's the only one. If the whole group started up, I really would do my darndest to make my prophesying come true.

"Not only are you about to burst like a water balloon, but now you think you're an angel. I've seen your blood work and have known you since you were a baby. There's no way you're part angel. If you claimed to be part demon, I'd take a second to think it over, but an angel is next to impossible," Frank says in between his laughs.

He needs to watch how he's pushing on that knife. I can see Dad trying really hard not to wince, but the blade is making contact.

"If I can prove it to you, will you let Aaron go home with Alex?" I ask.

"Why would you believe me if I said yes? I told you I'd let him go before and I've already mentioned I find the notion too dangerous," he replies.

"Because of the man that showed up to scare Candace off. I'm pretty sure that was Gabe, my angel tutor. He was with us up until he heard there was a succubus in the woods and he took off. If he elicits that much fear in a demon, just imagine what I could do to the likes of you."

Yes, I'm still trying to act my way through this. I hope I'm not pushing things too far. They may see me as more than the pathetic pregnant woman being carried around by her mate. I'd love to be pictured as anything else at this moment, but being bound and gagged for fear of me hitting them with some whammies is not in my plan.

"How do you plan to prove yourself? I think it'd be stupid for me to allow you to attack us."

I don't think he's noticed that if I'm as powerful as I'm claiming to be, I could've just created a hole in the ground underneath him to swallow him up. I probably wouldn't really do that, because the forest is already pretty diseased and eating Frank would give it indigestion.

"Let me heal Aaron," I suggest. "My vampire and werewolf parts can't do something like that by just touching him."

"The witch is with you, I've already heard her loud mouth. She could've given you something to try to trick us."

"She doesn't have her full arsenal here, and we didn't have time to plan anything when you only gave me thirty seconds to hand myself over. Let me heal my dad and you'll see that it's all me."

"If he allows this, you guys will want to keep down," Alex advises. I meet Aaron's eyes and he's too busy plotting horrific punishments for me that he doesn't see my signal. That's fine. I'll make sure he keeps out of the way.

"Go ahead and heal him then. Wave your magic little angel wand," Frank taunts. What an idiot.

"First, I need to touch him for this one. It makes it easier for me to see what needs healed," Sure it does. Hopefully that sounds logical. "Second, with his head being the injured body part, he really needs to be lying down. I haven't magically grown since the last time you saw me."

"DeYork, why don't you put her down so I can get a good look at her? You make any move for your bag, and not only is Aaron dead, but the vampire standing behind you with a knife poised to chop your head off will also make his move," Frank instructs.

Why he's afraid of the big, scary baby diapers, I don't know. They aren't even used. Now if Sophia had done her little business in one of them, we very well might have a weapon of mass destruction.

"Careful," Sebastian whispers as he moves me.

When my feet touch the ground, a pain radiates out from my stomach and it clenches up. "Holy crap. They're definitely getting worse."

"Yeah. Sorry about that. They aren't really fun for me anymore."

"Do you think you'll be able to walk out of here before the baby comes?" Frank's voice holds a lot of doubt, and if that contraction was any indication, I highly doubt it myself.

"The sooner you let me heal Aaron and let him go, the sooner we'll find that out," I retort.

"I've changed my mind and I'm just going to kill him so we can move on," Frank moves his hand to drag the knife across Dad's throat.

"No!" I scream and focus all of my energy at them.

Well, at Aaron anyway. He's kind of a shield for Frank at the moment. Not satisfied that screaming at them will be enough, I raise my hands out towards them. My hands seem to be the key in this angel business. I can feel the energy jump from them.

Muted gasps and other sounds flow around me. My only concern is trying to do something for my dad. I have closed my eyes, to help focus, but it's hindering me from seeing if I'm actually doing any good.

My body is gently tossed down to the ground. I'm sure it's Sebastian's doing because no one else would have the tenderness I felt. He also situates me on my back so Peanut doesn't become a projectile firing out my vagina.

"I think we should keep you down here for just a second or two," he says quietly in my ear.

"But my dad, I have to get him out of here." I try to struggle against him a little. It does no good. He must have had an extra big breakfast while I wasn't looking.

"The reinforcements will take care of things. With your rules about Sophia not witnessing violence, I don't think you want to look. There's a lot of blood."

More deaths in this stupid war. The Collective needs to be stopped. Yes, I realized that months ago; however, we can't keep going on like this. We need to be able to live our lives without looking over our shoulders.

When we get home, assuming we all return, our next move is going to be a topic discussed immediately. I'm not waiting around for the next time they want to try to kidnap someone I love in the hopes of getting a hold of me. I'm really not that special, no matter what everyone says.

"It will be worse with the baby. They'll be after both of you." He leans down to kiss my cheek. "We'll figure out where to strike and do it quickly. Sophia isn't going to live in fear any longer than she has to."

"If you're done necking with my daughter, I'd like to have a word with her. I'm seriously deliberating on whether or not to put her over my knee and give her a few good swats." I see a pair of legs appear out of the corner of my eye.

"Do you think if I close my eyes he'll disappear?" I ask Sebastian.

"You already made him do that once. I don't think he'd like to go through it again so soon. Good to see you healthy, Aaron."

"It's good to be healthy. I was hoping you and Alex would have a little better handle on Nyx by now. Allowing her to even come to Faerie was beyond idiotic. I thought I instructed Walt to buy her some special handcuffs to keep her out of trouble," Aaron rants.

"With all due respect, you're kidding yourself if you think getting her to do anything other than what she sets her mind to do is even possible. I'll love her until the end of time, but she's the most cantankerous woman in the world. It would take most of us to strap her down to her bed and it'd have the effect of waving a red flag in front of a bull."

"It almost sounds like you've weighed the pros and cons of doing that and even figured in the manpower behind the hostile takeover. Bad mate. No kisses for you," I say, and pretend to pout.

Sebastian counteracts by letting me feel the full force of a contraction.

Oh sweet chicken teriyaki. He should really be cursing. I'd almost lift my no swear ban in a case like this.

"They're all yours from here on out. Jonas looks to be just about done hacking Frank into little bits, so we should be able to get out of here."

Words pretty much mean nothing to me. The contraction is still tying me up in knots and unless I just all of a sudden like became incontinent, something in my nether regions just broke, because my pants are feeling mighty moist. I'd really love to hear what happened in the outside world, but my priorities are elsewhere right this moment.

"Oh. Hmm. Yeah. That might be an issue," Sebastian says, and the contraction that will never end finally lessens. "Aaron, do you mind if we use the cabin for a few minutes?"

"Please tell me you guys aren't thinking about getting freaky." Not funny.

"If he has even an inkling about coming near me with his one eyed monster, I'd chop it off," I grit out as another wave of pains and twists starts up.

"Her water has broken and Sophia is coming now. I don't think the hanky panky would be enjoyable for either of us right this second," Sebastian replies, and quickly picks me up. He still has the duffle bag around him and it looks like I'm going to finally see what Alex thinks is necessary in this situation.

Chapter 17

Sophia Rose, meet your mother

Sebastian doesn't stand around waiting for any more replies and carries me into the little cabin that's onsite. In between trying to find a way to smite Sebastian for doing this to me and fighting the urge to push, I see Dad's digs are about as bad as the forest surrounding them. Just how long has he been living here?

I'm gently set down on a cot. Yes, it's a cot, not even a semi-comfy bed. If we weren't in the middle of a nasty forest, I'd request to have the baby outside.

"She was doing so good about waiting. We would've been able to make it home within an hour," Sebastian says, stepping away a little. I grab on to his hand to let him know that he got us into this mess and he's going to be staying for the show. "I was just going to grab the females amongst our group to give a little assistance. I don't think I want to have the full experience of watching Sophia being born."

I should make him do it anyway, just for fun. "I don't know if Phee should be allowed in here. There isn't a lot of room and she'd probably be scarred for life."

"Too bad, I'm here to party. Let's get that little nutter out of you, so her Auntie Phee can teach her to shop," Phee says, entering the room.

"Don't worry, Nyx. I've been a midwife for years. This will be a piece of cake," Hilda says, joining in.

Only one of the comments from the two was comforting. Can you guess which one?

"I don't like cake," I say, ready to be done with the pain. "If everyone was expecting that I might go into full on labor soon, did anyone bring a magic epidural?"

"Nah. You'll be fine. Sebastian, why don't you help remove her weapons and hand me the bag?" Hilda commands, taking full control over the situation. "Alex, get in here."

"The bag has everything I could think to grab. Does this place have fresh water, or at least water not swimming with bacteria?" Alex asks.

I don't bother to look around and see where everyone is and what they're doing. My eyes are glued shut. That might not be a great idea, because I envision giant forceps coming out of the bag to pluck Sophia out of me. Eek. Not happy thoughts at all.

"Let's keep all talking about the baby coming out to a minimum and work on keeping me distracted. What happened outside a few minutes ago?" Killing two birds with one stone sounds good to me right now.

"First, is there anything we can do for you?" Alex asks, joining Sebastian on the head side of the cot.

Chickens. The second Sebastian took my knives away; he was back at his post. Someone is playing strip Nyx out of her clothing, but I know it isn't either of the guys, and I pray to God another male hasn't made their way in and is helping out.

"You can invent a time machine that will take me back to a month and a half ago, so I can make sure Sebastian, at the very least, pulled out. We could've figured out another way to reconnect."

"Okay, moving on," Sebastian says, not liking my idea. "You started doing your weird angel thing, which we really need to discuss with Gabe. Your dad just disappeared. I had no idea where you sent him, but the next thing I knew a large knife was embedded into Frank's heart. That wasn't your doing. Jonas has evidently been practicing, and is really wicked at distance throwing."

"He's been waiting a while to avenge his brother and he didn't know which weapon would work best, and of course situations vary, so he practiced killing Frank just about every way imaginable," Alex adds. "He had the added bonus of throwing right as Aaron manifested beside of me. Thankfully, he'd already let go, so it didn't bother his aim.

"About a split second after the knife was in the air, Jonas took off Viking marauder style, pulling out knives as he went. I won't go into detail about what exactly happened after that, but rest assured Frank is no longer of this world.

Well, maybe he is. I think he was in enough pieces that the ground just sucked him up. It was something you would've enjoyed seeing. I think Jake tried to record it on his phone for posterity reasons. Not sure if his data plan reaches Faerie though."

I can't help but push when the next contraction hits. It's like my whole body is now being controlled via a third party. "That's fine. I think we're getting close to that point anyway," Hilda says, sticking her fingers where they shouldn't be. "Yup, she's moving down nicely."

"What about the rest of the Collective's people. Did you just massacre everyone?" I ask when I can breathe again.

"Would you believe they didn't put up a fight?" Alex replies. "Jake convinced Hilda to wake Ryan back up. I was dead set against the idea, but I figured it would be more fun to kill him when he was conscious, so I allowed it.

"He let us in on the fact that he had a mess of antidote grenades packed and ready to use to try to calm the troops down. After we discussed he wasn't allowed to look at you or share air with you, we sent our guys around to key points surrounding the place and launched them the second Frank was down."

It sounds way too clean cut for me. No mission goes that smoothly, even with me running it. I don't think I had Frank distracted enough that he wouldn't realize what was going on.

"Okay, so it was the Fae who did the bombing. The little sneaky bastards move like the wind. There may have been a couple of other things going on, but we're going for the short version here. You're in the middle of having a baby and don't need to hear everything," Alex says, sighing.

"For distraction purposes, long versions are the way to go," I yell back at him. Why am I yelling, do you ask? I'll give you one guess.

"We're really getting into it now," ever-helpful Hilda claims.

"Is it supposed to look like that? I don't think that's right. It's like something you watch in a sci-fi movie. Usually the aliens just rip right out of your belly. Why is this one taking a different path?" Phee queries.

What a great thing to hear in the delivery room. I've always wanted to give birth to an alien. Two weeks ago, I was Hell bent on not giving birth at all and look where that has gotten me. Fate and I are still not on speaking terms.

"Pipsqueak, unless you want me to slice you up after we're through here, I'd keep comments like that to yourself. I may also tell Sam about you checking out the Fae Knights' butts earlier. You know how cranky he gets about those things."

"Thanks to you, he isn't satisfied just commenting on them either. He spanked me for winking at a human at a mall last week. Can you believe that? What am I, five?" I'm glad she's easily sidetracked.

"You really only have one more push. This is going much faster than the births I have attended previously. Ten minutes of pain and you'll be all done. Alex, I think things may be looking up for you to get your offspring wish granted," Hilda declares.

"Over my dead body," I bellow out as that final push begins. If any of the soldiers who fell victim to Hilda's sleeping spell were still sleeping, they aren't now. Pain isn't that big of a deal for me usually, but this isn't pain. This is certain death. The remark earlier about my body feeling like it was turning inside out is spot on. I think even my organs are somehow reshaping themselves.

"Perfect. Her head is all of the way out and there, so are her shoulders. Just a little tug from me and that should do it." As Hilda works, I visualize a vacuum kind of suction in the void that previously housed my little devil. "Daddy, come over here and do the honors."

Sebastian leaves my side and I really just want to take a nap now. It may have only been ten minutes, if Hilda knows how to tell time, but it felt like at least fifteen.

"She's kind of red and mucky, but I think she has your nose," Alex says, wiping sweaty hair from my forehead. Hilda is still messing around my womanly area and with the pain now lessened, I really don't care.

I open my eyes and look over to where the small group is cooing over the baby. "Isn't she supposed to be crying or something? Did you do the thing where you smack her on the bottom? I think she should probably get used to that now. I foresee a lot of little swats in her future."

"Just wait until I build up some muscle, Mother. You won't be able to keep up with me in order to dish out your discipline," a tiny voice says to me. Great. Out of all the traits she could've picked up from me, why did it have to be sarcasm?

"Be nice, Sophia. Mommy doesn't have the energy right now to come up with a good comeback," Sebastian says. I can see he's using a moist towel to try to get her cleaned up. "Hand me that yellow blanket please. Any more cleaning will have to be done when we get home."

"She has a full head of hair. I was afraid she'd be one of those bald babies. She has two parents with great hair, so that would have been a big disappointment," Phee points out.

Okay, let's just get the little bugger over to me, like ten seconds ago. I want to see these things for myself and take in the baby who refused to speak to me.

"Little Sophia Rose, are you finally ready to meet your mother?" Sebastian asks as he brings the fluffy, yellow bundle over.

"Uh huh," she replies, being nice and civil to her father. If she thinks she can use her cheeky personality just on me, she has another thing coming.

I sit up a little and lean myself against the wall behind the cot. Alex sits down on the edge closest to me and Sebastian lowers our daughter down to me. I'm a little afraid of dropping her, so I really hope she bounces. I get her neck into the crook of my elbow, even though her little neck looks to be strong enough to support itself.

The blanket is obscuring her face a little. I move it out of the way and find two wide open, brown eyes staring back at me. She looks exactly like the picture I saw when my mother was trying to prove I was pregnant, just a little bigger. She's still really small, maybe five pounds soaking wet.

"Hello, Mommy. It's nice to finally meet you. Daddies were right about you being the prettiest person in the whole world. Do I look like you?"

I don't know why, but I start crying. She's just so perfect. I unwrap her a little to verify the fingers and toes are all in place.

"You're going to look just like your mom when you grow up, little one," Phee says, trying to get a closer look. Back off sister, you got to see her before me.

Sophia smiles at hearing we may be twins one day. Her mouth opens enough to show little fangs hanging down, but no other teeth. First, that just looks weird and is totally wrong. Second, those better be retractable, because there's no way she's getting near her breakfast dispensers with fangs.

"One of you guys better have a talk with your daughter. Those teeth aren't going to fly in Nyx's world of child rearing," I announce.

"I think they're kind of cute," Sebastian says, beeping Sophia's nose.

"If the looks weren't enough, the fangs give away which one of us is the father. Sophia, be nice and put them away. They're scaring your mother," Alex scolds.

"Yes, Wolf Daddy," she replies and opens her mouth again to show they're gone.

"Wolf Daddy, that's cute," Hilda says, and it appears she's decided I'm in good enough shape to have my pants put back on. I don't know what all she did down there, but I'm ready to be carried home. I think I'm too tired to walk by myself.

"You can hear when Sophia talks to us?" Sebastian asks. Good question. I was hoping to have a little time before everyone realized what a smart aleck my offspring is.

"Isn't she talking like everyone else does?" Phee asks. "I mean it's weird for a little baby to be able to do that, but at the same time really cool."

"Her vocal chords can't be strong enough for that. She's doing it all telepathically."

"Then she has a built-in megaphone because everyone can hear her," my dad calls from outside the door. "Is it safe to come in yet, or does it still look like a battlefield in there?"

"I don't know how we'd be able to fit another person in here, but I think things are safe. No potential sightings of your daughter's privates," I reply.

"I'll hop out and see what Sam is up to," Phee says, skipping from the room. "Congratulations to all of you, by the way."

"If you're coming to issue reprimands, you'll find I left my give a darn at home. However, if you're coming to carry me home, that would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure Sophia would much rather see her room. You haven't exactly been living as a king these days, Dad."

He makes his way into the one room, dilapidated hut. "Just remember, it was for both of our protection that I moved in here. The Fae outside are a little friendlier than the ones I met when I arrived. None of the guys would talk to me at all, and that 'Queen' of theirs is a whole other story.

"I'm guessing you had to meet with her to get this far. There's another thing to add to my list of reasons you shouldn't have come. Don't worry; I'm saving them all up for when you have your strength back. We'll have a good, long chat."

"Oddly enough, I'm looking forward to it. Now, come over here and say hello to your grandchild. Unless you have some other children I don't know about, she may just end up being your only one."

I'm sure I can't fool anyone with that line, but I'll be drawing the limit at five. If we're going to live very long lives, I think five is a nice number. Maybe one a century, or something like that. For now, we need to get home and come up with some kind of master plan to bury the Collective once and for all.

I know Frank wasn't joking about them going to make more attempts at retrieving me. They've always been power hungry ogres and if they find out just how powerful I'll become, they won't stop at killing everyone I know and love to control me.

Before we get into all of the nitty gritty details on how to accomplish our tasks, I want a day. Just one day to enjoy the life me and Sebastian created without the outside world butting in. I think I have enough friends and family to achieve that. Tomorrow, we can solve the problems of the world. Today, I'm just a mom.

THE END

Night Rises

By Amber Lynn

Life is a journey. There's no disputing that statement. When we're born that journey begins and it makes us who we are. I never dreamed my journey would lead me to writing books. I've had ideas in my head since as far back as I can remember, but completing my concepts never seemed possible.

This is the final book for this plotline and I'm really excited to have actually completed it. Sparks of ideas for other books have kept my mind divided and I was afraid that I'd put Nyx away and get caught up in something else. But as in my books, Nyx's character was strong enough to keep me going.

I have to thank everyone who has stuck this story line out. I know the early works may have been hard to get through. I hope that as time went on things started making more sense and it was less like me just rambling about anything that came to my mind.

I didn't know where things would end up when I started this plot. There were things along the way that weren't planned, but the story wouldn't have been right without them. I think the ending of this book is one of those instances. It has been a lot of fun watching Nyx grow and I can't wait to get back to her in the months to come to see where her journey in life has taken her.

Chapter 1

A watched pot never grows three feet overnight

"I'm positive it was just yesterday that you were complaining about Sophia keeping you up all day, and yet here you sit watching her sleep," Sebastian says as he joins me in the nursery.

I still haven't really looked around the room. My only focus in coming in here was to watch Sophia.

"Does she look like she's getting bigger?" I ask from the rocking chair I relocated next to Sophia's crib. It's been at least an hour since I started my watch and I've almost convinced myself that she's perfect. I'm just stuck on how fast she'll grow. "I'm afraid if I go to sleep, I'll wake up and she'll be taller than me."

Sebastian moves next to me and leans over to rub our child's head with tenderness only a father can show his daughter. He finishes by giving her a small kiss before focusing in on me. "In the hours since she was born, I haven't noticed any abnormal growth. I'm pretty sure you can get a couple of hours sleep without causing any worry wrinkles."

"It took me a day or two to figure out Clyde grew like a weed, and he isn't my flesh and blood. If I don't get ahead of this, I'll feel bad about missing a phase in her development later."

We've been home from Faerie for only five hours. In that time, I've successfully graduated to a full-on basket case. Anyone who thinks I've been at that level for a while now can just bite their tongue. Being a mom is a job that has so many responsibilities that I don't know if I'm cut out for it. I want to be, but it's a little overwhelming.

"You won't miss a thing. Why don't you come back to bed? Waking up with Alex trying to cuddle with me isn't my idea of a great way to start the morning. It felt like he was very eager to give Sophia a sibling and he was barking up the wrong tree letting me know it," Sebastian says as he tries to lift me out of my chair.

I'm a little sad that I missed witnessing their first cuddle. I knew it would happen sooner or later and I was hoping to have video proof of it in case one, or both, of them missed it.

"Do you think we should have Sophia sleep in our bed with us? I've read different views on the subject and I don't know which is best. They say it promotes breastfeeding because of the easy access, but there are so many things in the against column that I just don't know if there are any benefits."

"I think you'll have a tough sell trying to convince either of the men who share your bed that cosleeping is a good idea. I did mention you have a wolf waiting in bed for you with a redwood forest in his pants, didn't I?"

I'm still fighting to stay in my chair, but his brute strength is too much for me and he separates me from my post. No fair.

"A redwood forest, seriously? You do know I've stuck my hand down below to get a feel before. A single redwood I'd agree with, but there isn't any forest going on," I say, trying very hard not to envision what it would look like if there were multiple male appendages hanging in between Alex's legs.

I'm a little ashamed of the fact that I'm finding the notion appealing. Not because I want to actually experience the weirdness of what that would be like in bed, but because it would be like a train wreck or a sideshow act that you can't look away from.

"It's bad enough I crave you all day, every day," Alex says from the other room. "If you keep thinking dirty thoughts, I'll be forced to act on them."

It's their fault dirty thoughts even make their way to my mind. I think they should have to deal with whatever uneasiness they feel from them peeking in my brain.

"I think I'm going to have to invest in some blow up dolls for you guys, or maybe you missed it when I said I was only going to have one kid a century." Sebastian has me cradled in his arms and we're making our way towards our big bed.

Alex is propped on his side facing us with the blankets dipping just below his waist. He's wearing boxers, something I've insisted on with the baby in the next room, but his beautiful torso is exposed for the world to see.

Am I jealous of it? Yes. My dreams and hopes of my body instantly snapping back into shape after Sophia crawled her way out were dashed when I found a bit of a pouch hanging around.

So, not only do my regular clothes not fit, but neither does the maternity versions. Am I pissed off about this? Do you really have to ask?

I can understand the top part of my chest staying bigger than normal now that I've become a milking station. I also understand that it's probably unrealistic for me to expect five hours to make a big difference in how trim my belly is, but this is my crazy fast forward world we're talking about.

"Believe me; I don't have to get you pregnant to enjoy the things I'm thinking about. I'll wait a few months before pushing my case, though. I want to make sure everything has knitted itself back together and Sophia may be on a schedule by then, so I can slip in some one-on-one time while she plays with her other daddy," Alex says, and lifts the blanket up, allowing Sebastian to deposit me in the bed. Alex quickly moves us over to give Sebastian room.

He climbs in and rolls over so he's facing us. "I like the little bit of added weight and your pre-pregnancy clothes fit fine. You only gained about twenty pounds while you were pregnant and there's maybe five of those left. The 'pouch' you think you have is just your stomach no longer caving in. There's nothing wrong with you looking healthy. Maybe if you can keep it like that, the guards won't tease us about doing the tango with a skeleton."

I highly doubt any of the guards said something like that, even the ones lacking fully functional brains. They don't have that big of death wishes. I decide to let the comment slide and focus on more important things.

"We need to make plans for how we're going to get rid of the Collective once and for all. I'm hoping to have that taken care of by the end of the week."

Everything in my life these days happens quickly, so I see no reason why my request would be denied. We've already taken out one of their big lieutenants and captured a mess of their troops. I know they have thousands of others, but there has to be a way to beat them.

"We'll have to see how things go. I'm calling a meeting of the troops for tonight, after we all get a decent day's sleep. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration. I expect your angel will be popping in from time to time to make sure you're doing whatever needs to be done before your birthday. If we can hold out until then, I doubt the Collective will put up much of a fight. A full-blown angel would be hard to go up against," Sebastian says.

"I don't even want to think about the trials. As far as I'm concerned, I've gotten through life just fine without the extras I'll gain from whatever they want to put me through and there are things a lot higher up on my list of priorities."

Gabe can just forget he even found me. I don't need any special angel power to take out the head honcho over at the Collective. All I really need is for someone to tell me who my target is and I'll take care of the problem.

Even after working for the Collective most of my life, the secrets of how the place was run never crossed my desk. I knew some names of high level officials, but not the full hierarchy.

Sebastian takes his left hand and brushes the side of my face. "They keep the man behind the curtain a well-guarded secret. It will be one of the things we talk about in the meeting tomorrow."

I don't know why we can't just get up and talk about it now. I don't need any stinking sleep. I was able to get a quick hour in while we made the trip home. Once Sebastian carried me and Sophia out of Faerie, taking the quickest route out of the odd land, everything has been pretty calm and quiet.

We arrived home and got the pixies situated in their new home before even taking Sophia inside. They continue to only be civil towards me, which I continue to relish. The atmosphere seemed to be working out for them the last I saw. None of them were getting the shakes from being around iron.

Of course, we're a little off the beaten path with all of the land Alex purchased around us and the garden area is massive. I only lasted about a minute before I had to run out of there. Hopefully, the pixies aren't expecting a lot of visits.

"Who's going to be invited to this meeting?" I ask, relaxing into Alex. Surprisingly, those rock hard abs are kind of comfortable.

"As soon as we got back, Marcus and Smitty put out the calls for all the leaders in the non-Collective vampire world to report for duty. The little bit of time your dad hasn't spent staring at you or Sophia has been used to work on the wolves. Hilda has called in the witches and is working on the paranorms who don't fall into the three big categories," Sebastian explains. "They won't be in on the meetings, but they'll be kept apprised of the situation."

"I'm hoping we can leave the demons out of this fight. Chances are they'd all turn against us at some point anyway," Alex adds.

I know the next demon I see is getting stabbed first and questioned later. Hate is probably too mild of a word for what I truly feel about the species in general. The no cursing law is still in place so my true feelings won't be known for the next eighteen years, or however long it takes for Sophia to grow up.

"I still don't understand how Ben could've let the goat woman out of Hell. He always did such a good job of pretending to be Team Nyx."

All he really wants is to have a baby with me. Maybe he realized it wasn't going to happen and wanted to get back in Candace's good graces. He's an idiot that way.

"I've thought about that since we first heard the thing was let out. The conclusion I came to is there is no way Ben would've allowed her out. Even if he has finally come to terms with you not being his incubator, you're his ruler's offspring. A ruler, I might add, that he kept you a secret from. He wouldn't dare let you be threatened," Sebastian says.

I find it odd that it surely sounds like he's coming to Ben's defense. Out of my two mates, Sebby is the one who absolutely hates demons.

Nothing he says is putting Ben on my Christmas card list, so I think it's best if we just change the subject. It will only make me grumpy and if I'm in a sour mood that may make for some sour milk for Sophia. Yes, I know that makes absolutely no sense.

"Time for baby momma to go to bed. I promise no major decisions will be made while we sleep, and unless a natural disaster hits we won't leave the bed without you," Alex states.

"I'll go to sleep if you sing me a lullaby. You've done it before and I'd find it really comforting right about now," I tell him.

"Your wish is my command," he claims, and proceeds to start into a song about the moon.

I don't listen closely to the words because it sounds sad and my waterworks have been going off too much lately. I think I'm currently in a funk where I'd cry at commercials, as I've heard that's something people do. Good thing there are no televisions around.

Chapter 2

Is that sword regulation sized?

"I can't believe how long it takes you to fall asleep sometimes. You had to have been exhausted from all that child birthing," my jerk of an angel tutor says before I even realize I've fallen asleep.

I sometimes think he has a death wish. I doubt there's anything I could do about that.

I really need to get Sebastian or Hilda working on figuring out a way to ensure my dreams are my own. I know I'll wake up feeling refreshed, like I actually slept, but it's the principle of things that I'm taking into consideration.

"I hear you have a really big sword, can I see it?" I ask, not caring why he has brought me to my least favorite meadow in the world.

The ones in Faerie are close on the list, but this one has been giving me headaches longer. There aren't even any new features to divert my attention from being mad at him. A new tree or something would be nice to see.

"The words that leave your lips always surprise me. I've been doing this mentor gig for a while and I haven't had a pupil as entertaining as you before. There are many things that make you unique, Nyx. The Fae Queen was correct when she said you'd be leading the masses before long. Every seer has foretold of the event happening, which makes your trials even more important," he replies.

"Can I choose not to accept?" I have no desire to be a leader to the masses. I'm not even curious to find out the numbers and species included in the masses.

Gabe laughs and I have my answer. Does Fate have a cell phone? Because I'd really like to give her a call right about now. Maybe his group of seers consists of only two people and I can find one who thinks something completely different, like me defeating the Collective and then settling down for a quiet life.

"I'm sorry I had to leave before Sophia was born earlier," he says, changing the subject away from me trying to get out of whatever he has planned. "I wanted the succubus gone before you arrived. Sophia and your safety were more important than me being there to bless the event. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have been welcome by you anyway."

It sure would've been funny having the offspring of the offspring of Lucifer blessed by an angel. "I think we'll both live without it."

"Don't fool yourself. I said I couldn't be there, not that Sophia wasn't blessed. Upstairs we thought it was important to make sure to push her towards the side of good. The people you hang out with aren't all great influences." Before I can comment, because you know I have one for him making decisions for my daughter, he continues, "I've called in a friend to help with the trials. I didn't think I could complete this one subjectively, so Michael here is going to help us."

A large man, a very large man, appears out of nowhere next to Gabe. I didn't think someone could be bigger than Uncle Walt, but I was wrong. It looks like this guy's muscles have muscles overrunning them.

I'm going to bypass the fact that an angel named Michael appeared in front of me. He was mentioned quite a few times in the books I've been reading and I don't want to think about what this trial is going to be with a warrior like him being introduced.

"Has he been hanging around invisible this whole time, or did you call him?" I ask.

You'd think it impossible for someone that big to be capable of cloaking themselves, but if anyone could do it, I'm putting my money on him.

Michael flexes his jumbo size wings that go with the rest of his body and cracks his neck. Crap. That doesn't bode well for me.

"I wanted to get a feel for my opponent, so invisibility sounded like a good idea. If you were half the angel you're supposed to be, you would've been able to see me standing here."

His voice is deep, thankfully. If he had a high pitched, squeaky voice I would've laughed and I don't think that would've been good for my health. Nothing about this guy screams softness. He has a rectangular face with a strong chin. His eyes and hair are both as dark as midnight. He looks more devilish than angelic.

"I assume you're here to show me how easy it is for a full-blown angel to kick the crap out of someone with only a little angel blood."

Waking up refreshed doesn't sound like a very likely possibility anymore, but maybe the bruises I receive here won't make it to my normal world. I have to have something to dream about. This guy looks insane.

"No one is going to be kicking the crap out of anyone. He's going to help prepare you for the big trial that awaits you. Since we're out of time, we're condensing everything down to mostly one trial. We aren't one hundred percent for sure what you'll run into on your journey, so we have to teach you to fight like an angel," Gabe informs me.

Great. There better not be more dragons involved. What am I thinking? I don't want to do the trial at all, and what does he mean he doesn't know what awaits me. It always seems like he knows exactly what is going to happen.

"Why don't you guys just send me home now and save us all from what I'm sure would be tremendous headaches. I don't have time for a trial, whether it's one or many. You were practically there when I had Sophia today, Gabe."

Michael starts laughing like something in what I just said was funny. I don't think me and him are going to get along well. Since this should be our only meeting, I don't think that will be a problem.

"You've been treating her with little kiddie gloves, Gabe. Just because you had a thing for her mom and she looks kind of like her, shouldn't deter you from doing your job," Michael states. "You don't have any choice as far as your trials go, sweet cheeks. Get over it now and let me show you some moves."

"Everything you just said was some kind of joke, right? I 've met my mother and I look nothing like her." I'm still trying to process the tidbit about Gabe liking my mom. Actually, I think I'll stop trying to make sense of that now because it's just too wrong.

"The hair is the only thing really different. Angels have blonde hair; it's kind of a rule."

"I'm pretty sure there was more than the hair that was different between us, and if you haven't noticed you have black hair," I point out.

"It's dyed. I'm trying out a different general complexion for a while. After eons of being blonde like everyone else around you, you sometimes want to be a little different. Anyway, if seeing your mother wasn't like looking into a mirror, living in Hell for the last umpteen years must be taking its toll. Plus, Gabe didn't just like your mom, they were a couple right up until the day she split for darker pastures."

It's obvious he can read my mind, like just about every other person I come in contact with these days. He should know that's information I didn't need to know.

"Moving on. Why can't I go home?"

"Michael, when will you learn that not everyone wants to know everything you know? Nyx doesn't need to hear all of this now. We need to prepare her, and then she needs to get back to her destiny," Gabe says.

I don't think anyone is going to answer my question. The only good thing I currently see about becoming a full-blown angel is that I might be able to escape this inane conversation if I was able to zap my way out of here.

"She's getting restless, let's just get on with this," Michael says, and then whips out a sword that would put every old school knight to shame.

The thing is probably taller than I am. The base of the blade appears to be four or five inches and the freaking thing glows. If that's what Gabe showed up with to fight off Candace, it's no surprise that she ran away.

"Call your sword," Michael instructs.

I look back, wanting to get a look at Gabe's, but he's just staring at me. The look of anticipation on his face has me a little excited and a whole lot of worried.

"You think I can just call a sword twice the size of me to my hand and actually be able to wield it?" I ask.

I'd love for that to be a reality, but I won't even try to fool myself into thinking it's a possibility.

Michael starts laughing again. If he keeps this up I'm going to start thinking I should become a comedian instead of a private investigator. It isn't a career move I want to make, so he better knock it off.

"Each angel's sword is made for the person in charge of it. I highly doubt yours is going to be the same size as mine. Even Gabe's isn't that big."

People with dirty minds might come upon this conversation and think of sword as a euphemism for something else, but of course, my mind is squeaky clean, so there isn't a worry about what just appeared in my melon.

"That's large too, but I'll try to keep my pants up so you don't get scarred by its brilliance. We don't need you going home thinking your mates aren't enough anymore. Now, call your sword."

Yuck. Definitely no Christmas cards for Mike.

"I don't know if you realized, but I have no idea how to call my sword. How about you give some better instructions? So far, you suck as a teacher," I reply, but just as the last syllable escapes my lips, he takes a swipe at me with his sword.

Holy crap. Two weeks of not cussing still has me trained to hold my four-letter words. Right now, I could really use them. The fact that not a single one is coming to mind bothers me.

I dive out of the way as fast as I can. Mike isn't kidding around and he's looking for blood. I reach down where my knife sheaths should be and come back empty. I don't know if sleeping with them on would help in situations like this, but I think I should probably start.

Mike's blade comes at me again and I'm already tired of this craziness. I said I didn't want to do the trials and as cool as having a sword I can just call to me would be, I don't think I really want it, even in an instance like this.

Okay, maybe that's a lie, because any weapon right now would be really useful, but I'd end up having to name the thing and after taking forever to choose a baby name, I'm spent in that department.

"That's a good idea," Gabe yells. "Think of a name. Fast."

I can understand why he'd say fast because Michael isn't relenting. Thankfully, I'm quick and I'm pretty sure he's going easy on me. Either way, I don't see me being able to last five more minutes. By that time, I'll probably collapse to the ground, praying he just stabs me.

"Aphrodite," I say, not totally aware of what I'm saying. My other weapons tend to be named after people from Greek mythology, so why not add another.

Michael stops his assault and starts chuckling again. "Seriously? The Goddess of Love? You couldn't think of something better to name your sword?"

It's not like he gave me a ton of time to really think it over. I go ahead and collapse to the ground to catch my breath. He's too busy finding amusement in me to continue trying to kill me.

Before I can fall all the way down, I find there's something in my hand. I don't remember grabbing ahold of it, which I don't enjoy at all. I bring the sword out in front of me to get a good look at it.

It's more of a katana than a sword. I have a few in my collection already. None of them glow and have a look about them like they're still being forged. The metal continues to glow, but the flames that seem to be licking at it diminish and I'm left with a black handled, beauty of a weapon.

Now the only question is, if I don't go through the trial, do I have to give it back?

Chapter 3

Trials aren't what they used to be

"Boy am I glad that idea worked. You can't always be sure what it will take to get a sword assigned to you, but we've found it's easier for it to appear if you're under duress," Gabe says, coming closer to get a better look at my new weapon. "Michael, I think we're done with you, if you have places you'd rather be."

"I'm good. I want to be around when you tell her what she has to do. I figure smoke will start coming out of her ears by then."

"Go play in a busy street, Michael," I say, looking up from my toy. "I'm sure there are babies out there somewhere that need kicked. Is me claiming my sword all we needed to accomplish here?"

"We have to go over the rules and what you're going to be tasked with," Gabe instructs. Rules and I don't always compute, but I don't seem to have a choice in at least hearing him out.

"Seriously, Gabe? You haven't even gone over the rules yet? Dude, you need to get over Lucy. She made her choice and you being weird around her daughter isn't going to help," Michael says.

For the most part, Gabe has seemed pretty normal to me, so I have no clue what the evil angel is talking about. I would've never guessed he had some secret crush on my mom if humongous angel hadn't opened his big mouth.

"If you're going to stick around, shut your trap. Nyx, your angel sword is something you have to protect. It will remain hidden unless you call to it or are in need of it, so the majority of the time you shouldn't have any problems.

"When you're using it is where others have made mistakes. Many partial angels, like you, have lost their swords in battle and have had them used against them. A painful death is a kind way of saying what happens to an angel stabbed by their own sword."

"It's more like the most excruciating death imaginable," Michael adds. "We're talking being coated with sugar and stung by thousands of bees, then rolled through a bed of nails, followed by one of hot coals, and topped off with being run over by one of those steel drum machines they use to level a street."

That sounds like a great time. I'm all for signing up for two sessions of that bliss. Since they're bringing this up, it sounds like I get to keep the sword, so that's good news.

"We're going to do our best to make sure that doesn't happen to you, though. You've already been trained to fight and against most beings you're a step above the rest. Your problem is going to lie in demons and other angels. Your beau with fangs won't be much of a challenge for you when the process is complete," Gabe states.

There's some more good news. The small part of me that's old-fashioned thinks that the male in the relationship should be able to protect the female, but that part is probably under a percentage point. I think when Sebastian and I officially first got together and the guards started showing up, we had a little bet that if I could beat him in a fight, the guards would be no more. The guards are family now, but I wouldn't mind being allowed out every once in a while without someone following close behind.

"What does this process entail? I'm guessing the trial is a part of that." It's sad that the promise of being able to beat Sebastian in a sparring match has me considering jumping through their hoops.

"Correct. Usually the trials are a bunch of moral tests followed by some skill tests, but we're satisfied that you won't use your powers for evil and after a little more training, you should be good to go on the physical front. Your task should incorporate both of those things for good measure and at the end of it you may be able to keep your prize. That's still being discussed," Gabe informs me.

"And the task needs to be done within a week and I have to, at the same time, bond with my newborn baby and bring a war that has been brewing for decades to an end. That sounds about like a normal week for me," I muse. It's so sad that the statement is true.

"Just wait until he tells you what you have to do. You're going to be so excited. I hope you have a passport ready," Michael says.

"Let me finish with some guidelines. You can't kill anyone during this mission. You'll only be successful if you accomplish that and return with the item you're sent to find. I know that sounds simple, but you don't see any of the other angels rushing to sign up," Gabe explains.

So, I'm being sent on a task no one wants to do. What do I have to retrieve, a warm pile of elephant poop? He said something about being able to potentially keep the item, and I bet that's all they'd allow me to hold onto.

"If you'd let me finish before going on one of your mind ramblings, you'll see it isn't that bad of a treasure hunt. Your task, whether you choose to accept it or not, is to find the Seal of Solomon and return with it."

"I'm guessing it isn't something you have a nice, little GPS unit attached to. What's so special about it anyway? I figure it's a relic from the days of the king bearing the same name."

I don't know more than King Solomon supposedly existed. I keep Sebastian around to fill in those types of blanks. I'm sure he has encyclopedias full on this subject matter.

"Correct. The Seal is rumored to be a ring, but I don't know of anyone who's actually seen it," Gabe replies. "It's supposed to have a six-pointed star as its main feature and potentially be able to control demons."

"That has to be a toy any angel would love to find in their collection. Why hasn't anyone gone after it before now? You guys are pretty sturdy, and if you're sending me on the mission, I don't believe for a second one of you would die from trying the task."

The ideas floating through my mind of what I could do with a demon controlling item are endless. I wonder if it works on Hellhounds. Clyde might actually have to do what I tell him. That would make my life a lot easier.

"Its true powers are not known. Some say it can control any paranorm, others think it contains the true name of God, and, of course, it could just be some gaudy trinket Solomon picked up in a poker game," Michael offers.

"Part of the lore surrounding the talisman is that a true angel can't find nor take possession of it, unless it's given to them by another. That's the only thing we've confirmed from the stories based on the fact that we haven't found it, yet," Gabe asserts.

"I'm sure that I'm not the first partial angel to come along since King Solomon ruled. Why haven't you just sent one of your other students after the ring?"

"One of these days you'll need to come Upstairs for a visit. You can see what the others are like. I'm sure it wouldn't take long for you to understand," Michael says, shaking his head. I take it he isn't a big fan of the mixed DNA. "It helps that you've been seen wearing the ring by the Oracle herself. Most of the time we don't go all of the way to the top to find the future. Every angel has a little bit of precognition in them, but if you want to know for certain, you ask her."

Interesting. I must be a jewelry magnet these days, or maybe I have an unconscious obsession with rings.

"Well, that's nice. Did she happen to say on what continent I could find the blasted thing?"

I know I won't have time to find it if I'm starting from scratch.

"That's what makes this all perfect. While you're fighting your war, you'll come across the keeper of the ring. You just have to convince him to give it up."

Michael sighs dramatically. "You aren't going to tell her the fun parts, are you? I can't watch her ears start smoking unless you do."

I tend to think the fun parts should be given right up front, but I know Gabe well enough to know it isn't going to happen. You'd think Mike would be privy to the same knowledge. I think he's exaggerating a little. They don't seem to know anything about the ring itself, so he probably doesn't really know what's in store for me.

"You know as well as I do that the challenge needs to be met with an open mind. She can't be aware of any dilemmas before they're posed to her."

Really, Mikey. It's Send Nyx into a Battle Blindfolded 101. He's known me ten minutes; he should know that fact as well.

"I thought you guys didn't know anything for sure about the ring. It sounds like you're a little more in the loop than you indicated."

"Hearsay and conjecture mainly. Nothing to worry your pretty little head over," Gabe responds. "Do what the man you meet says and you'll be one step closer to getting your parking validated. You have your angel sword now. Handle it with care and use it only if necessary. It isn't a weapon to take lightly."

"Just what can it do?" We better cover that before I use it in a sparring match and accidentally nick my opponent, causing them to die or transform into a newt.

"It isn't as powerful as your Panoptic knife, but against a weak opponent it would be lethal. Most of the people you hang around would need to be stabbed a few times before you had to go into panic mode."

"What kind of effect would it have on a demon? I don't want to think I'm going to do a bunch of damage and then only inflict paper cuts."

"An angel blade will cause permanent harm to anyone who originates from Hell. That includes your Hellhound, just so you know," Michael says.

"Does permanent harm mean a gnarly scar or those cute little X eyes I've seen in comic books?"

"What comics were you reading?" Gabe asks. The look on his face says he's starting to doubt my ability to even breathe air. "Looney Tunes? Hello Kitty? The analogy will work well enough. I doubt you will see your little X eyes, but, yes, if a demon is stabbed with your new blade they'll be dead."

"And yet you think some of the guys I hang around with will live through it? I got the Panoptic knife specifically to kill a demon. Why didn't you just scare my angel sword thingy out of me back then?"

"You weren't ready for it. You'd just found out about being part angel. Giving you access to it back then would've been like arming a baby with a flamethrower. I bet even you'd agree that's a little overkill," Gabe says.

I don't know. If the baby can lift it and is able to do more than goo and gaa, I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to use it if they're trained. I should check to see if they have a mini version. It might make a good first birthday present for Sophia.

"You are a trip, Nyx. It was a pleasure meeting you, but I think we better get you home. I sense a little trouble brewing, and you aren't going to want to be away much longer," Michael says, and bows his head slightly before disappearing in front of my eyes.

I don't know Michael well enough to know what he considers trouble, but it's probably just time for a diaper change. Sebastian can take care of that without me.

"It's a bit more than a diaper issue. Try to keep your head and remember Sophia is in the room, so try not to make too big of a mess. A little blood won't scare her too much. Take your time finding the Seal. You have a few days and using them to plan your actions against the Collective is a good decision on your part. I'll see you before the week is out. Be safe." Gabe smiles and then fades away.

I've decided I want my angel powers for that ability alone. I can run fast enough it almost seems like I disappear, but it isn't as cool as the real thing. I concentrate real quick on putting Aphrodite in her own little closet. Appearing in bed with her might be a little awkward. She vanishes from my hand and I'm ready to get back home. Now, if I can just find someone nice enough to send me.

Chapter 4

Mommy instincts activated

Strawberries. The smell hits me instantly. It's strong, annoying and needs to be dealt with immediately. Son of a donkey's uncle. I feel Sebastian and Alex both in the bed next to me and I waste no time springing over Sebastian to jump out of bed.

I don't bother grabbing a weapon because of my new secret one. That will be really handy to make people think I'm defenseless.

Sophia's door is open and I can hear Ben speaking. "Don't tell your mother, but I think you might grow to be even prettier than she is, and we both know she's something to look at. She'll try to convince you otherwise with all of her scars, but your mother has the biggest heart in the world and wouldn't think of stabbing a guy in his back.

"Good morning, Nyx. The grapevine is a flutter with news of Sophia's birth and I couldn't help stopping by to get a look for myself, even if that meant leaving your mother in a rather irate mood."

"You need to step as far away from my daughter as possible. If you value your life, I'd schedule a nice trip to Antarctica about now. Alex or Sebastian, one of you get off your lazy butts and take our daughter for a little walk. I have a demon to deal with."

Both guys move into action, but Sebastian is first in the room. With the look he's sporting, I'm surprised he didn't snatch up the Panoptic knife on his way to the room. He may have tried to convince me that Ben didn't let Candace out, but he isn't happy about being awaken. Ben backs away from the crib to let Sebby through. I think he's realized he isn't going to be greeted with opened arms.

"Just what is this all about? I know you're pissed about me keeping secrets from before, but I didn't think you'd go from giving me the silent treatment to talking about murder," Ben says, clearly confused.

"Where's Candace?" I don't feel the need to explain any more than that.

"Candace?" he asks, like I said something odd. "I left her about a week ago locked up tight. I put her in a replica of my special room. You've seen it. It should have no problem holding her until you're ready to dole out your justice."

"You left a key somewhere," Sebastian hisses, and picks up Sophia.

He cradles her into him and turns around to leave the room, keeping her hidden from Ben. Okay. Maybe sleeping on it changed his mind a little about Ben's guilt.

"No way. It's lined with my best stuff. Your mom is already pissed at me for hiding you and taking off on her. She's going to be livid about this development. I take it by the amount of aggression in the room that Candy has made an appearance."

Lucifer isn't the only one. "Could anyone have helped her out? As wretched as she was, I imagine she has a load of friends in the demon world."

"It'd have to be someone really strong who also had a death wish. Word of your heritage spread like a wildfire. Lucy called me to her to help sort through all the belated baby shower gifts she started receiving. Demons tend to be big ass kissers, and celebrating your birth about twenty-three years late sounded like a good idea to way too many of them. Maybe someone summoned her," he says, and then pauses to think. "I put up protection to keep any other demons from calling her out, but I guess a stupid person from another species might have tried it."

"I don't know the specifics, but she isn't roasting on a pit like I was hoping she'd be. She showed up in Faerie and convinced a Collective contingency to kidnap my father. By the time we moved in, she'd been chased off, but I know she's just regrouping. My question to you is what are you going to do about it?" I'm itching to call Aphrodite back to my hand and I think testing her out on Ben is a great idea.

"Obviously, I'll do whatever you need me to do. We already know that I can't locate her any easier than you can, but I can ask Lucy for help. You have to give me a lot of credit for immediately being willing to go to her.

"She may take away one of my legions for losing Candy. I know you won't believe it, but she's probably the only person in the world to take bad news worse than you do. It has to be something in your DNA. I bet the baby in the other room won't be any different."

"I'd prefer to leave my mother out of things. Dad is here with me now and I don't want to witness a reunion between the two of them. His life was bad enough over in Faerie. He deserves to not have to deal with her for a while," I say.

The desire to skewer is fading. Aphrodite will have to wait to get a test run in.

"Faerie. You mentioned it before. I haven't heard of a demon ever visiting it previously. The green and happiness of the place isn't usually our idea of a good time."

"Green and happy wasn't a way to describe the place when we arrived. I'd prefer we exit Sophia's room and talk about this somewhere else."

I've seen him giving the crib looks of longing, and since I refuse to give in and provide him with his own child, it's a little mean to make him stand in here.

"Lead the way," he says, sweeping his hand out. "I'm still working to make things right between us, so that pretty much means when you tell me to jump, I'll always respond with how high."

I highly doubt that, but I'm sure I could find a bridge for him if he's being even a little bit serious. The fall wouldn't do any lasting damage, which is too bad.

I take him to the sitting area in our wing of the house. I don't feel like walking out to the main living room and I'm pretty sure at least two of my guards would try to inflict some damage on him. Since I'm reserving that task all for myself, they'll just have to wait.

Sebby is holding Sophia while Alex holds up different outfits for her to see. A one-day-old is picking out what she's going to wear for the day. Welcome to my life.

"Mommy, why are you so mad at Uncle Ben? Uncle Gabe told me while I was still cooking that as much as he hates it U.B. is going to be really important to your big fight. I think you should kiss and make up now," Sophia states as she lifts her right hand to point at a cute onesie that Alex is showing her.

It's one from Jake's set of bad toddler chic. I don't bother to read what it says, and I'm pretty sure Soph knows exactly its meaning.

"Don't call him Uncle Ben, or U.B. He's lost any privileges he might have had to be called that. I think you're collecting way too many uncles and 'Uncle Gabe' is a liar."

I hurry over to the couch and snatch her and her onesie up so I can dress her. I'm hoping it will keep my hands busy. They're still itching to call my stab demons gladly sword, even though I've calmed down.

I sit down next to Sebastian and lay Sophia between us. In doing so, I also lay down the onesie she picked out. The Devil made me do it is printed for the world to see in red letters on the black fabric.

"You know what this says don't you?" I ask the mini devil.

She grins up at me with her little fangs sticking out. She better grow the rest of her teeth soon, because I'll never get used to that look. I proceed to take off her sleeping clothing and find her sans diaper. She has little bitty underwear on.

"Explain?" I'm pretty sure I added a question mark to the statement. I didn't know we even had baby underwear in with all of the other stuff we bought.

"While you napped on the way out of Faerie, Sophia told us she didn't like how the diaper she was wearing felt. She's decided it is time for her to start potty training," Sebastian explains.

Her little grin gets wider right before my eyes. "You're joking, right? Are you going to start eating solid food as well? How about walking?"

"Don't be silly, Mom. My muscles aren't quite strong enough for the walking and you know I don't have enough teeth yet. Sheesh. What do you think I am, a whiz kid?"

"She really is an apple right off the ol' tree. I forgot to say congrats earlier as you carted her out of the room as fast as you could, Sebastian. You and Nyx sure do make pretty little babies. I want to go on record as saying I asked her not to call me Uncle Ben."

Ben has taken a seat on the arm of the couch we're sitting on and Alex is next to Sebastian now. I quickly figure out how to snap Sophia into her onesie and call her dressed.

"Are you hungry?" I ask, willing to feed her even with the visitor in the room. He hasn't seen the new and approved versions of the milk jugs, but I'm sure it won't scandalize him any.

Sophia moves her head in as much of the affirmative as her still solidifying neck muscles will allow. It's kind of strange just what she has control over already.

I move my shirt up and out of the way. Even though the girls are bigger, they're still nice and firm, so a bra is still optional in my case. I pick up the little one and line her up. This will be her second feeding, so we're old pros. It still feels a little weird to me, but there isn't much I can do about that.

I hear Ben start humming and I look over at him with a scowl on my face. "Do you have something you'd like to say?"

"I don't think either of your husbands would like to hear what I'm thinking. Okay, you twisted my arm. I was going to ask if the other one was open for others," he says, and then darts as far out of arm's reach as he can get.

I think about my sword to call her to my hand. I don't want her name getting out just yet. I know Alex and Sebastian probably both heard it, but Demon Boy doesn't need to know.

"You should've gone with your first instinct, demon. You never know what weapons a person may have in their arsenal."

"I can't believe they actually let you have one of those. Did they give all the fine print on what you can do with that?" Ben asks. He sits back down on the couch.

Why he thinks he's safe when I'm ticked, I don't know. I'm really losing my edge. Not that long ago people would've run as fast as they could out of the room if they found me to be armed with even a bit of menace in my eyes.

Just because there's a baby suckling on me doesn't mean I won't stab someone. Speaking of that baby, it's time to switch boobs, judging by her lack of action. I put the sword back away. It's already losing its cool factor.

"I'm full, but we could try a burping, if you want. The books you read said that's the thing to do now." It's good one of us knows what to do.

"Here, you might want this," Alex says, handing me over one of the burping cloths that I stood in the store staring at for a full minute.

I put it on my shoulder and bring Sophia up to start patting her back. "Let me know if I hit to hard. I have a feeling your ex is hanging out with my current opponent and is going to do her best to see me turned into a pile of goo, Ben." Sophia lets out a little ladylike burp. I thought it'd be a little more substantial.

"Well, she has to be different from her mom in some way. Why don't you let Alex hold her for a little while," Sebastian suggests. "We haven't let him had any time with her yet."

I don't think anyone has had a ton of time with her, but I'll allow it. I pass her over and Alex takes her and gives her nose kisses. She's going to make pansies out of all of us yet.

"Back to the conversation about how you want my help killing Candy. Just let me know what I can do to assist and I'm there. If I hadn't taken time out to make silly attempts to keep her alive, you might have gotten the job done before Lucy showed up to deter you."

"Did you guys have another lovers' spat when you were locking her away? We haven't really discussed what happened after you left," I reply.

Ben leans back and gets good and comfortable. "You do realize it's hard to have that conversation when you aren't talking to me."

"And the only reason I'm now is because you may be useful to me. Don't think for a second all is forgiven. Once the threats against my family are gone, you're right back in the dog house across town."

Speaking of dog, Clyde strolls into the room and walks towards the kitchen area.

"Don't mind me. I'm just grabbing a bite to eat before the big meeting. There are too many people milling around the main kitchen and I have my own stash back here."

I really hope they didn't install a fridge Clyde can access. Maybe he has some jerky or something back there.

"Yeah. Since we called the meeting, we should probably get out there. You two can finish your argument later. Demon, you might as well come along. Sophia's Uncle Gabe thinks you might be useful," Sebastian says, grabbing my hand and lifting us both off the couch.

"We're going to have to make some time to discuss what Gabe has in store for me. I don't think it's something we want to bring up in front of a large group."

"The less people who know about that the better," Sebastian says. Even mentioning it in front of Demon Boy wasn't the smartest move, but you never know when he might prove to be beneficial.

I'm still in the clothes I slept in and it doesn't look like I have an option to fix that. It's a good thing they can pass as normal clothes. I'm curious to see who my beaus have called in as backup. I think we're going to need the majority of the resistance forces to prepare for this upcoming fight. Hopefully the number of people in the resistance is as high as I think it is.

Chapter 5

Sardines do not belong in my living room

Alex continues to carry Sophia as we head out to the main area. As we get closer, the noise level increases exponentially. Our rooms must have a few dampeners in place to keep the majority of the sound out. I imagine it works both ways.

"Most of the people here will know who you are, love. They'll be curious about you, so you're forewarned about the stares you'll be receiving."

"Do you think I should go down to Hell and bring back some of my legion to help?" Ben asks, and the noise I noticed just a second ago drops. Ben's question hangs, lingering on the air.

He might as well have asked who wanted to line up first for a cannibal buffet. I don't think demon assistance is going to be welcome here, which makes me happy.

"You and Clyde will be the only ones associated with Hell in on any of these discussions, as well as the fighting," I announce, trying to get the crowd to ease up a little.

A crowd isn't exactly what greets me in the living area. A wall-to-wall sea of sardines is more like it. There are way too many people in here to talk strategy. I thought the department heads were the only ones actually in on the conversation.

"They are," Sebastian says quietly. He isn't trying to hide his words; he just doesn't need to speak very loudly because of the sound void. "Ben here serves my beautiful mate, Nyx, so you don't have to worry about his involvement. The Collective more than likely has a succubus on their side, so a little demonic help won't hurt."

A united sigh is heard from the gathered mass. What drama queens. "Moving on. We need to do a little house keeping in here. Do we even have a war room somewhere in this place?" I ask.

"Yes," Alex replies. "If the escorts don't mind finding something to do while the rest of us talk, we have some things to discuss."

The sea parts and I can finally see familiar faces standing in the back of the room. I would've liked it better if my people were up front when I walked in.

Alex and our daughter lead our small group to meet the others. As we walk, a few people separate from the crowd and follow in behind us. Glancing back, about fifteen turn into our shadows.

"Hey wannabe angel," Hilda says, working her way closer to me. "Is everything reknitting itself down below? Your healing abilities should've taken care of any issues, but I thought we better check."

I don't think there are any issues, but it's rather hard for me to take a little peek for myself to check. I'm sure I could get one of the guys to hold up a mirror for me; however, I don't think that's really something I want to see.

"Nothing feels out of place and thankfully Sophia's head isn't as big as Clyde's. If that were the case, I don't think any amount of self-knitting would get me up and walking within a week."

Sophia laughs in her little girl way. "Ha ha, Clyde. Mom thinks you have a big head."

"So. She thinks you have a head the size of a pin. I guess your new nickname is going to have to be Pin Head," Clyde replies.

Charming. Just think if it wasn't for me, I don't think Sophia would've been able to hear his reply. Being a conduit for the loud mouth dog can be a little annoying, much like the Hellhound himself.

"Watch the 'dog' comments, biped. We're just having a little fun. No need to get all huffy about things."

I don't have the energy to try to play referee between them anyway. Alex has taken us well past the part of the house I'm familiar with. I still haven't gotten past the quick tour of our wing and the main living area. A full tour is on the list of things to do right after my family is safe.

Alex stops, juggles Sophia, and opens a set of double doors, before stepping back and ushering people in. "Take a seat anywhere, but please try not to sit by those you don't get along with. There are bound to be some heated conversations about to happen within these walls, and it's better if you don't already want to smack the person you're sitting next to."

Darn. I guess Ben is going to have to stand because I'm pretty sure everyone in the room wants to hit him. Clyde and Sophia may be the lone holdouts. I'll have to work on them.

Sebastian leads us to the head of the table, where my father is already seated. My guards are all standing against the wall behind him, waiting to pounce if anyone gets out of hand. The only usual faces missing are Sam's and Phee's. They aren't exactly strategic planners, so I'm not surprised to find them occupied elsewhere. There are also zero of the captured Collective agents we brought home with us. After talking to them a little, I think a couple of them might be useful.

Alex sits down next to Aaron, I sit next to him, and Sebastian sits to my right. Ben joins the guards behind us. I'd assume he wants to keep his eye on everyone as well.

Hilda is sitting next to Sebastian and she and I are the only females in the group. If I ever do become this great leader everyone keeps talking about, I'm so promoting a few other women.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Dad says. He doesn't have to worry about getting their attention because everyone is staring at us.

"Our time has finally come, which I'm sure you'll all be overjoyed to hear," Sebastian adds, getting right down to business. "You all know of Aaron and Alex here, but not everyone has had the privilege of meeting the woman that binds us altogether. Let me introduce you to Nyx. We're currently negotiating what her last name should be."

Not that again. I should have never tried to add everyone's name to mine. They're going to push me into keeping it permanently.

"We also have the pleasure of introducing the newest member of our family, although I think it will be a few years before she's able to join us in battle," Alex says, holding Sophia in his arms for all to see. "This is our daughter, Sophia Rose."

"When you say 'our daughter', can you clarify that?" a brave voice asks among the group of men.

I glance over at the little girl in question. Even so young, I can already see one of my glares making itself known on her face. Boys are going to be in so much trouble around this one.

"If you believe the rumors, you know I'm both Sebastian's and Alex's mate. I don't think it's hard to figure out whose daughter she is. We aren't here to discuss stupid stuff like that. Let's start with someone telling me who I have to kill to live a life of peace," I say, tired of introductions. I don't even care who's who in the room.

"I will remind everyone that Nyx is my daughter and strangling her would be frowned upon," Dad feels the need to add.

"Don't forget that the guards standing in the room are actually for her, so if you want to start something, you're fixing to become minced dog food," Hilda says, pointing at one man in particular.

I've been studying the others a little and I didn't notice anything that would indicate a troublemaker, but I guess she did.

"A witch isn't going to tell me what to do," the man says. "Your little friend swept in and kidnapped my leader not that long ago. No one has seen him since."

At least Alan's flunky doesn't dress in a cape with a healthy dose of red lipstick. I haven't checked in on the elder vampire in a while. Last I knew, Sebastian was dealing with him, so I wouldn't get blood on my hands while I was pregnant. I don't know if we have holding cells in our new home, or if Alan is still sitting cozy back in the old digs.

"If I felt I could trust Alan, he'd be sitting in your chair right now, Santino. Let me know if you think his cell would be better suited to hold both of you and I can make that happen," Sebastian growls.

The upstart settles back into his chair and quiets. "The question we need answered to begin our quest is where is he currently hiding out? Last I heard he was sitting pretty in Rome." Alex is gritting his teeth as he speaks. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know he's talking about the top guy in the Collective.

"I heard he's taking a week to sightsee in the Scottish Highlands. There's some kind of Highland event going on where they're allowing paranorms to compete with the humans. I'd love to be a fly in that field if he gets beat in his events. Aside from that foolishness, he's been living large lately doing his European adventure. I think it's a great time to knock his dick in the dirt," someone answers.

"Thanks, Cliff. Anyone else heard anything different?" I see a lot of heads start shaking in response to Alex's question. "Great. Any intel you can gather following this meeting on the exact location would be appreciated. I knew we'd have to venture overseas as Stevens hasn't dared enter this country in the last decade."

"I heard he had a cow when he found out Slaughter didn't actually kill Aaron. Your line was supposed to be wiped out long ago and it just keeps growing. Pretty soon he's going to think you are a cat instead of a wolf."

I wonder if the people around the table would volunteer to wear numbered name tags, so I don't have to worry about figuring out what to call people. One of them already seems to hate me though, making me think the request will only make them more hostile.

"Is the plan to just go after Stevens? What about all of his flunkies here in the states?"

I know this questioner is from the vampire contingent. He has a nice middle aged feel to him. Maybe in the three to four hundred span of ages.

The fact that I don't know squat about the behind the scenes movements of the Collective irritates me, but that's why you keep the guys surrounding us around. You can be busy doing something else and they can be your eyes and ears a thousand miles away.

"It's going to be complicated. Stevens is the main target, but there are others," Sebastian says. "There's always the hope that they'll meet the missus here and she's angelic enough to stop any more bloodshed than necessary. I know this will get cold reviews from this room, but Nyx's mother is actually the Devil herself.

"While that might make it sound like she has strong ties to Hell, she's working to make it big Upstairs instead, and we all know how strong angels can be. Within the week she should be coming into her full powers, so the Collective will probably try to make a move to obtain her before that."

"Just what can she do now?" Alan's flunky asks.

I'd love to answer that question, but I have no idea. I've done a healing trick and I supposedly made my dad teleport, and as of about five minutes ago I can call a sword to my hand. Not great skills to have in a battle, if you don't know how to use them, so it's a good thing I can kick butt without them.

"With her abilities changing every day, the list isn't important," Alex says. "She doesn't need her angel powers to be useful in a fight. Anyone who's ever sparred with her before can tell you that. We don't need to go into the details of the over one hundred people she's killed either."

"Can we get a demonstration? I'm still having trouble believing she could be part angel." I figured that would happen. It's going to be a while before anyone believes I'm an angel on words alone. None of them appear to be dying, so I guess magic sword appearance is going to have to do.

Aphrodite appears in my hand the second I think of her, but this time it's a little bit different. She's glowing bright pure white and there's a humming sound echoing through the room. I think my sword is mad about something. She didn't do anything like this earlier, and if she's mad at anyone, it should be Ben.

"Buttercup, I'd put her away. This phenomenon should probably be talked about behind closed doors."

Good enough for me. I lock Aphrodite back up and make a note to scold Gabe for not including an owner's manual. I wouldn't have had a chance to read it yet, but it would be handy.

"Sophia, just so you know, the best presents in the world don't need owner's manuals."

I might as well start teaching that to her now. No matter what her dads think, I know she's one day going to be hounded on by the boys, and they'll buy her lavish gifts, but the best gifts come from the heart, not the credit card.

What a sap I'm turning into.

"Is that enough proof for you?" I ask. "Now, what can anyone tell me about this Stevens guy? I don't think I have ever heard of him."

I was under the impression we didn't know exactly who we were going after, but everyone seems pretty sure Stevens is the right guy.

My father is the first to speak. "If you look up scum of the earth in the dictionary, you'll find a very unflattering picture of Graham Stevens. There was a time he was known to me as Uncle Graham, but he turned his back on my father, his best friend. He killed both of my parents and established the Collective to protect him from my wrath, since he wasn't able to also take me out. Thankfully, my dad had people he could really trust with my life."

He glances back and nods towards Jonas. I believe he's tipping his hat to Jonas' father, and not Jonas himself. I don't think Jonas would've been old enough to protect Dad back when this was all going down. At least I've always thought Dad was older than Jonas, but with paranorms it's hard to tell.

My only question is why this Stevens guy is still breathing. In all of that time, not one of the people in this room, or the ones milling around in my living room, got close enough to take the sleazebag out? I've never heard of the guy, but if I knew he was responsible for trying to wipe out my family line, I'd pick my sharpest axe and go lumberjill on his limbs.

"He moves around every week and travels in an entourage of no less than fifty very well-trained guards, probably almost as good as your own," Alex explains. "He's also employed body doubles in the past. Not many apply for that position these days. I think it's been a good two or three years since I've heard of him having one. We're really good at killing them."

"First, we're going to need confirmation on location. I don't want to go continent hopping with a baby in tow. Once we know more about that, we can start planning the logistics of who's going where and fighting who," I say, realizing this meeting isn't going to get me to my goal as quickly as I want to get there.

I'd hoped the big cheese would be here in town and I could just run over to his house and be done with this. I realized it was a false hope, but that just made me wish for it even harder.

Chapter 6

I still think demons are just weird

The meeting breaks up and the little ants scatter to find more information. By the end of the day we should have a more concrete idea of where we need to be. Gabe might have mentioned something about taking my time for this mission, and as hard as that is for me, I'll try to heed his advice.

"Why don't we take our group back to our quarters and have a little bit of a debrief on that subject," Sebby suggests. "Jake, run and bring Ryan back with you. If Phee and Sam aren't too busy entertaining, you can grab them as well."

"Will do," Jake says, and runs off.

"You do intend to include me in on this meeting, right, Buttercup?" Ben asks as we start vacating the room.

I grab Sophia from Alex so I can make faces at her as we walk. I don't know why it sounds like a good idea to me, but it does and it makes her laugh.

"You have to at least explain what happened back in that room. A humming sword isn't the stealthiest of weapons, so knowing what triggers the sound effect would be good."

"Easy question, which I'll answer for you gladly. I think I liked your old digs better. Why do you need this many hallways?"

"Don't be knocking on my new house. Hilda has probably cursed it to shock anyone who speaks ill of it. I don't really know how many hallways make up the place. I'm pretty sure there are stairs somewhere, but I haven't ever used them before."

"There are a few spells in place, but they're mainly for protection. There's one to keep people's language clean around Sophia and one to keep wandering eyes away from Marcus, but other than that they're all for protection. If you want any added, like sending a shock to any guy that doesn't put the toilet seat down, let me know," Hilda says.

That would be pretty funny. I'd want to put a video camera in the bathroom to watch, but I'm afraid I'd see a little more of the guys than I want to. "Good suggestion, but for now, let's just keep things the way they are."

"Would this be on all toilets, or just the ones a female may use in the house?" Will asks, sounding a little concerned.

I'd be too if I had large amounts of testosterone and a habit for leaving the seat up. I have a feeling that when Hilda gets an idea, it doesn't just go away when someone says no.

"Nyx said no, so you don't have to worry, baby vampire." We've twisted and turned our way back to our more intimate location. There's a definite cutoff point when you can no longer hear all the chaos going on back in the main part of the house.

Part of me likes that added privacy, but at the same time I like to hear when someone is sneaking up on me.

"I'll explain how that all works later. Sophia, do you need to go to the bathroom before we start?" Alex asks. He's working on his good daddy points.

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Who wants to take me?"

"Me, me, me," Phee says joining us. "I so want to see how she does this."

It's really bad when a baby about a day old acts more mature than a mostly grown-up. I hand Sophia over with a hesitant look. I don't know if Phee is old enough to potty train another person.

"There's a potty chair set up in our room's bathroom. It shouldn't be that difficult to figure out. You just have to hold her up and rinse her off when she's done," Sebastian explains. "Don't expect any crazy trick shots. We leave those to Clyde."

"Cool. I can handle that. Talk amongst yourselves while we take care of business." I can tell she's had her hostess hat on. The large gathering of people has to be a natural high for her.

"Before I get into my angel story, Ben, start spilling," I say, and settle on the couch. Most of the group is stuck standing with our lack of seating areas. That should deter anyone from staying too long.

"Your pretty little angel sword has many bells and whistles for just being a piece of steel. Gabe or one of his golden winged friends will have to fill you in on the full options list, but I know that she'll sing like a canary any time someone in the room wishes you harm. The good news, I've heard anyway, is that the person that wants to inflict the damage isn't able to hear that frequency. If you study the faces of those around you, you should be able to tell who's hearing it and who the enemy is."

"That sounds pretty cool. What sword are we talking about?" Sam asks.

"Nyx was paid a visit from Gabe in her dreams and he gave her a new toy," Sebby says.

"Don't forget about Michael. He was there too. Not a very cool dude at all, but if you get in a fight, the guy is probably a machine."

"You're joking. You were introduced to Michael? I didn't think anyone lower than Warrior Angel First Class got to see him. I knew you were da bomb, but it still surprises me."

Ben is getting really worked up. Over an angel. That's funny.

"Gabe called Michael in because he couldn't objectively scare my sword out of me. Michael shows up, whips out a blade bigger than me, even during pregnancy, and then proceeds to attack me. It wasn't exactly a happy get to know you type meeting."

"What was Gabe's problem with doing it himself? The dude didn't seem like he'd mind taking part in a good fight. Were the boobs an issue?" Walt asks.

"I have no doubt that he likes a good fight like any of us, but he did have a conflict of interest. Other than the hair color, I'm told me and Lucy looked like twins at one time, and before she swan dived to Hell, her and Gabe were an item."

Ben starts laughing. If it wasn't my mom we were talking about, I could see myself joining in. It's bad enough having to think about her and my dad, but imagining her with Gabe is worse. Dad I can see having a healthy appetite in the bedroom. Yes, I did just think that about my father. I still have problems thinking of angels as more than celibate Goodie Two-Shoes.

"I'm going to have to tease Lucy about that one. Did he seem like he was still pining after her? She'd love to hear all about it. If you wouldn't kill me for the suggestion, I'd ask if she could come over so you could tell her the story yourself." Ben stops giggling long enough to get that all out.

Inviting the Devil into my house is happening just as soon as I enjoy going on a shopping spree, for clothes.

"Moving on," I say, ready to do just that. "The group of people we just met with, how many do we actually trust?"

I didn't get great vibes off of any of them. The iciness and glares in the room made it feel more like I was on my way to the guillotine instead of sitting with people who will be fighting beside me very soon. I don't think any of them are really a threat, but I still want to know where I stand.

"Why on earth would you have to ask? I thought you and Santino hit things off," Dante claims, and it takes me a second to even remember who Santino is. I only learned two names, I think, during the meeting and since it is Dante doing the talking, I have to believe Santino was Alan's flunky.

"I was just on my way to bake him a big batch of cookies. I think someone told me ultraviolet flavored was his favorite." That gets a couple snorts from the group.

"Here's your daughter back," Phee says with a big grin on her face. "She's amazing. Do you think all babies are like her?"

"They're not, so get the idea out of your head." I check Sophia to make sure Phee didn't sneak any make-up on her. She looks clean, thankfully.

"As far as trusting those at the table, we're all working towards the same goal, but they'd prefer we take your approach to it and just hit the Collective with an atomic bomb," Aaron says. "They've been bottling up their need to fight for years now. I was hoping that giving them the green light to go to war would keep them from paying attention to the elephant in the room that seems to follow you around, Nyx. It only worked for a few of them, though. Your reputation needs a little work."

I don't care what people think of me. I'm anti-social enough that seeing people turn the other direction when they see me walking down the street makes me happy.

"Is it odd that Stevens is hanging out in Scotland when just yesterday we were talking to a Fae who was reminiscing about hanging out around lochs? I've learned coincidences don't really exist." The second someone mentioned Scotland, my senses stood at attention.

"I agree that it's the last place I expected this journey to take us, but I doubt we'll run into any Fae on the trip. I think Queen Adeline is going to need more than one day to come up with a magic potion to make our world a safe place for her people," Sebby says.

"I wouldn't put it past the old bird. She can do some amazing things with the right motivation. She'd been in a coma for decades, if not centuries. I think that's some strong motivation to flick the dust off of her wings," Hilda supplies.

"The Knights looked like they'd be helpful in a fight and I wouldn't mind fighting beside them again," Ryan adds, reminding me that he'd been folded in with the guards. "Aaron, have you called the doc in? He'd be a big help dealing with the genetic issues we'll be going up against."

"He's on his way and he hinted that he has had a major revelation to share with everyone."

"What are the plans for Sophia?" Smitty asks. "I don't see her aging enough to be able to help during the fight. Someone is going to have to stay behind with her. I'd actually suggest quite a few for her protection."

I don't want to leave her behind in the States while we're gone. The fact that she's nursing plays big into that, but I'd prefer her being within a few minutes jog.

"The decision on her guards is still being discussed. Nyx doesn't need all of you anymore. We still want some backup for her, but Sophia is going to switch to being your main focus," Alex says. "I know everyone is going to want to be in the battle, but Smitty's right. I'd like at least ten people to stay behind and keep our daughter safe."

The room is absolutely silent. Protecting the little girl in my arms is a great honor, but the warrior in them all is fighting back. I'd be comfortable having just three of the guards in the room stay behind and let them work with a couple of handfuls of the standard guards. I just don't want to be the one who tells those three they're going to miss the fight.

Being the queen of subject changes, I go ahead and change this one. "Seal of Solomon. Anybody in the room know anything about it?"

"No. Please tell me they didn't tell you to find it," Ben says. The rigid stance he's taken makes me believe he's heard the rumor about it being able to control demons.

"They don't mess around with these trials," Sebby says with a slow whistle. "The Seal is a thing of legends. I was under the assumption it wasn't real, but they'd know better than anyone. The books say it is a signet ring with a six-pointed star encompassing the surface. Did either angel give you a place to start the search?"

"I asked for GPS coordinates and they weren't sharing them. Gabe, or Michael, I guess I don't remember which one it was, said that someone with their genetic make-up can't locate the ring. They said I'd find it on our trip. How they know that and not where the dang thing is makes no sense to me."

"Is there anything else we need to know for this trial?" Alex asks.

"I can't kill anyone to get the ring. I guess we better have some money ready to buy it off whoever claims to be its keeper." I still don't know how I'm going to locate the thing. Sebby doesn't even think it's real.

"They said no killing? Were they specific about the ring being in your possession? What if the person wearing it doesn't want to take it off, but is willing to come back with you?" Ben asks.

He's started pacing. I think the demon knows a lot more about the ring than maybe even the angels.

I try to remember what exactly was said, but I only remember one thing for certain. "I've been seen wearing the ring in the future, so I'm guessing I get it off the person."

If people didn't take me away from my sleeping time to have these important conversations, I'd probably remember them clearer.

"That's impossible. I have to go check on some things. I'll be there when you need me," Ben replies, and quickly gives us a smoke show as he leaves.

"I don't think I've seen a demon move that fast before," Hilda says. Ben was spooked. There's no other word for it. "No one knows for sure what the ring can do. I do know it exists and I could probably round up a picture, so you have something to reference as you walk around Scotland looking at everyone's hand."

That makes the task sound like a breeze. Maybe Stevens is hanging out in a tiny Scottish village hosting ten inhabitants. That would make things easy. The whole Highland festival thing that was mentioned causes that dream to shatter before it can even bring me hope. Oh well, I'm hungry, time for some dinner.

Chapter 7

A real family dinner

Back in the main house, the crowd has slimmed down. I recognize a couple of the guys from the meeting earlier, but the other ten people don't look familiar. I nod in their direction as I follow my nose to the kitchen.

Clyde did a good job of raiding the mini kitchen earlier today and I was afraid he got slobber on everything, so I'm forced out into the jungle. I still have to find out who I need to talk to about giving him access to a fridge. I was pretty adamant about that not happening in my lifetime, and yet somehow it has.

Alex has taken over carrying duties. I don't think Sophia is going to last much longer, her eyelids are starting to droop. I'm not sure when she woke up this morning, but she's lasted longer than I was expecting her to. A schedule is going to be something I have to get used to.

With the flow of everything else I've seen in the house, the location of the kitchen in the back of the house makes sense. I'm still surprised when I find rooms that outdo even the awesome rooms I'm used to from the penthouse. This kitchen is no different.

The appliances don't look that distinct, there are more of them, though. Two large, stainless steel refrigerators line the wall facing the entrance. To the left, my left, there's a door to the outside and to the right is a six-foot long granite countertop. There's a large sink in the middle of the counter.

The cupboards above and below the counter are a rich mahogany wood that goes well with the dark reddish granite. There's a six burner stove that serves as an island in the center of the room. An oven is nowhere to be seen, but we don't have to worry about baking for the PTA around here.

I make my way over to the fridges and open the one on the left. Many packages of butcher paper greet my gaze. I hope they haven't showed this to Clyde. I don't think his missing opposable thumbs would do a lot of good in stopping his desire to get into this mother lode.

"Anyone else need nutrients?" I grab a package labeled steak. Looking through the assortment real quick, it seems this fridge is the beef section of the supermarket. The other fridge must be the pork. I know they wouldn't forget to stock some bacon for me. Tomorrow night I'll have to verify that when I wake up.

"I think it's dinner time for all of us, love, but go ahead and get yourself some food cooked up. You haven't had enough to eat, and even though our princess is out now, you're still eating for two."

Permission to have at it sounds good to me. I make quick work of finding a pan, searing my steak and finding a plate. I ponder for a split second skipping a fork and knife, in favor of my hands, but the thought is short lived.

Plate in hands, I head back to the dining room I think I remember witnessing in my hurry to get to food. Table and chairs equals dining room in my mind. I could've passed the war room we were in earlier and I'd say it's a dining room too.

Alex follows behind me and Jake drags in a baby swing, which gets set in one of the corners. Very useful invention that swing. I'm sure someone wouldn't mind holding Sophia while everyone else ate, most of the vampires aren't even going to be eating solid food, but I still like the option of everyone having their hands free.

The furniture in here is the same that was used only once in the apartment. It isn't hidden behind a wall here, so it will probably get more use.

"Do you need anything else?" Alex asks as he starts to head back to the kitchen for his own dinner.

"I'm good and if I wasn't, I don't waddle anymore, so I can get up to retrieve things on my own again."

He and Jake don't need to hear anymore and take off. "I guess that just leaves us girls, Sophia."

"I'm worried about Uncle Ben, Mommy. There wasn't something right when he took off earlier."

"First, please don't get used to calling him 'Uncle Ben'. The guards are one thing, but a demon is a completely different story. Second, there are so many things not right with Ben I'm surprised you even noticed."

She shouldn't notice that kind of stuff after only knowing him for a few hours. Maybe not really knowing him is what made his behavior seem odd to her.

"The ring spooked him," Dad says joining us with a plate. He sits down in front of me and I realize I haven't dug in. It's past time to change that. I cut off a big bite and put it in my mouth to savor it. "The question in my mind is whether he's scared about what the ring can do, or if he is worried about your safety in retrieving it."

"He freaked at me just mentioning it. I don't think there was any concern there for me," The first bite is chewed and the second, third and last follows in rapid succession. I didn't bother with a lot of cuts. Cutting it in half both ways was plenty. The red meat really hits the spot in my empty stomach. I think I should've made more than one.

"I think it was something more than that. I saw worry in his eyes, but it wasn't for himself or anyone in the room. It would've been nice if he'd open up more about his feelings."

Ben's weirdness doesn't faze me anymore. What's fazing me at the moment is my daughter talking in full sentences. I know I've witnessed her doing it for a day now, but it's just really hitting me that it isn't a dream.

There won't be any competing for whether she says mommy or daddy first, which is good because the number of her dads outweighs the number of moms. Hearing her talk opens up a few questions in my mind.

"Hilda, can you hear me?"

"I'm a room away and not deaf, so yes."

"Could I communicate when I was born?" I don't think I could've had the level of mental capacity that Sophia has. I would've remembered hatching and spending the first days with the witch. Sophia was able to communicate before she was out of the womb. Was I able to talk to my mom while I was in the egg?

"To a certain degree, yes. I had to block that ability before I handed you over to the Collective. There would've been a lot of questions asked if I brought in a baby that special. Before you ask, yes I altered your memory to make sure you didn't remember specific events."

No wonder I hold a grudge against the woman. She's been messing with my mind since birth and my subconscious is well aware of the fact. I wonder how long it took the Collective to figure out how special I was, even without the talking. It's something I'm sure I'll never figure out.

"Plans for the rest of the night?" I ask, knowing perfectly well what I'd like to be doing.

Fighting. Lots and lots of fighting.

"Let's get some food down and we'll show you to the gym. Sophia will get a kick out of watching you take someone on," Alex says, taking a seat next to me. He has two steaks on his plate and as soon as he sits down, he cuts one in half and plops a chunk on my plate.

He's such a sweet talker. He could've just said "I love you" and my brain would've had the same reaction. It has started doing a spastic dance. It's really good that only I'm able to witness the feat.

Sebby walks in and clears his throat. Okay, so maybe a few other people got to see it, but they're family. I don't have to worry about them making fun of me.

"Oh man, I wish others could hear me. I would so be doing a play-by-play of that thing you called a dance," Clyde says.

Him not communicating with others is one of the many things I'm grateful for in this life. I hope Hilda doesn't ever decide hearing what Clyde says might be useful. I'd be screwed times infinity.

"A good fight should wear me out. I'm guessing we wouldn't be ready to move out until tomorrow, right?"

We have only a handful of hours before the sun comes up and immobilizing hundreds of people when half of them can't venture out into the sun isn't very likely. The logistics still need to be worked out, because I don't even know how many people are making the trip.

"Correct. I want to make sure we have a clear plan in place before we even get on a plane. Things will happen fast once we touch down. Stevens will have been made aware of our movements and he could very well just jump on his jet and run for it. He really needs to man up and face the fight head-on. Everyone knows that with even one of the members of the monarchy still around and kicking, the battle has to happen," Alex says, and then grabs my empty plate to take both of ours into the kitchen.

The rest of the group has filed in while we were talking and the table is overflowing. Walt tried to have a family dinner when we were still in the apartment, but this is more what I envision when I think of us sitting down as a family.

No buffet of food already on the table. We're more the kind of group where everyone grabs something for themselves and then takes a seat. Phee is talking nonstop, driving us all batty without even knowing it. Sam is sitting next to her with a look that clearly states "Sorry, but what can I do?"

Marcus and Jonas are in deep discussion about military tactics with Hilda adding her input here and there. Smitty, Dante and Will are talking women and Jake is laughing at something Walt said. Knowing Walt, it was a story that was only half true, but one hundred percent hilarious.

I look to my father and meet his eyes. His eyes, which have seen so much over the years, tell me he understands what I'm thinking. "I know the feeling and I'll always be sorry it isn't one you've known all your life."

The feeling is an overwhelming sense of belonging. In this moment, right here, I know I'd do anything in my power to protect every person sitting around the table, even Hilda. It's a great feeling, but at the same time, it's a heavy weight that has settled on my shoulders.

"You have others to help carry the weight, love. It's us versus the world. Always remember that."

Haven't we done enough mushy stuff with the pregnancy and lovey dovey feelings the birth unleashed? I'm tired of getting misty eyed. I want to punch something.

"Perfect," Alex says, coming back into the room. "While the others flip for who is stuck doing the dishes, I'll lead you to the arena. I have an idea of who your opponent is going to be, but we'll see if it comes true."

"I'm ready for anyone, so lead the way, Babe," I say, turning his usual term of endearment back on him. It just causes him to smile and walk out the doorway in the room that I haven't been through. Sebastian picks up Sophia and we're on our way.

Why does every room in this house have to have at least three entrances? That has to be impossible to guard against. I'm almost to the point where I agree with Ben about the house having too many hallways. Pigs just flew somewhere in the world, in case anyone was wondering.

Chapter 8

Getting beat down by the old man

The gym isn't far from the dining room, which would be a great thing if any of us had to worry about packing on extra calories. Seeing the different rooms makes me wonder just how big this place really is. It looks gigantic from the outside, but the inside is making it feel even bigger. The size of the gym alone looks like it could easily take up the entire first floor.

It appears like they took the area from the apartment and teleported it to the new location. The old adage if it ain't broke, don't fix it comes to mind. There might be a new machine here or there, but for the most part nothing has changed.

I crack my neck on both sides to make the environment truly feel like home. Yeah, that makes it perfect. "So, who gets to fight me today? After being out of things for a couple of weeks, I'm ready to put a hurt on someone."

"Don't sound so sure of yourself, Daughter. When you get all your pretty little angel powers, you may be able to kick all of our butts, but until then, a few of us still can enjoy making you work for your victories."

"Are you volunteering to try?" Fighting against Dad could be a little strange. The first time we met I was planning on killing him and we haven't had a lot of other face-to-face moments since then.

"It's been a while since I've had a workout and I promised you a butt spanking for showing up in Faerie to get me. I was going to take you over my knee, but this should be a little less embarrassing for you."

"You haven't been around our kind for months. You think you can shake off the rust quick enough to keep up, old man?"

I love trash talking. Not everyone can master the art, but I've been doing it long enough to have it down to perfection. Leaving the cursing out of it may be a challenge, but inventive cursing has proven to be just as fun.

Dad loosens his tie. He actually had a chance to dress for the big meeting, unlike some of us. My pajamas are comfortable and flexible enough to move around in. I don't know what he's going to do in his tight slacks.

His button down shirt follows the tie into Jonas' waiting arms. "We have spare shorts in the locker room if you'd like to change, Aaron," Alex suggests.

It's clear he isn't on my side in this battle. An opponent who doesn't have full range of motion would work out in my favor.

"The pants may look restrictive, but they're stretchy enough that I won't have any issues," He says as he bends down to take off his shoes and socks.

"Do you have any rules for this fight?" I ask, and start jumping around to loosen up.

"Let's stick with hand-to-hand. No calling in your sword to do your dirty work. Other than that, I think we can both handle what we can dish out." He flexes his muscles and I can see a few months in Faerie had no effect on the guns.

"Just a warning, Princess, your dad has taken down every wolf in this room, easily."

I was just starting to sense that on my own. He's the King of the werewolves; it makes sense that he can defend himself. There are a few wolves I have a good time fighting with and I think Dad is going to make it to that list.

"Let's see if the old man still has it in him," I say, and I'm immediately knocked on my butt.

"Did you forget to never lose focus on your opponent?" Aaron asks, standing over me.

I see how he wants to play things. I can play just as dirty as the rest of them. I spring up from the ground and say, "Game on. You know I find it funny that Gabe had issues fighting me, or at least appearing menacing, but my own father has no problem trying to kick the crap out of me."

I have to dodge a body shot while trying to land a punch of my own.

We're just starting and I don't have a great feel for his technique yet. Fighting someone for the first time is always the most exciting part of a match. After you've fought two or three times, it's hard to find any big surprises in your opponent's methods. It becomes a game of blocking hits and that gets tedious. I'm sure I haven't thought that a million times prior to just now.

"I reckon your little angel friend has had the opportunity to watch you fight before." I land a quick half-hearted kick to his shin. His shins are apparently made of iron and I can feel a vibration echo up my leg. He doesn't seem fazed at all and he lands a jab to my chin while I'm imagining him as a robot. "We're going into a war and I have to verify that my little girl isn't going in halfcocked."

Sound reasoning, I think and flip over the top of him to try things from a different vantage point. I'm able to get in a nice hit to the back of his head, but he quickly spins and sweeps my legs out from under me. Someone must have put a little extra fiber or something in his steak.

The man is a speed demon.

"I didn't mention anything about shifting, but I'd prefer no wolves or wings. I don't have wings to match yours and I know my wolf would eat yours for lunch."

"You wish. I may be tiny in that form, but I pack an elephant size bite." An elephant is the largest thing that popped into my mind, but it sounds a little funny saying it aloud in that sentence. Oh well.

The fight continues, much like every other fight I've been in with a worthy opponent. Even if they all ended up the same, I'd never get tired of these sessions. You can always learn new techniques while you're combating with another person. I prefer being in on the action rather than watching it from the sideline, because it's easier for me to mimic the moves immediately after I see them done.

Dad has quite a few that are twists on old favorites. The man has at least half a century on me, he's refused to let me know just how old he really is, and he moves like someone who has spent those years absorbing everything he's seen.

The fluidity of his motion is something that belongs in an art study. For once, I almost hope someone is recording this so I can watch him as a spectator later. It will take me years to move with the same grace, so I better start studying now. Sebastian moves in a similar way, but he's even faster and it's sometimes hard to see what's actually happening.

Neither of us fighters is willing to give an inch. Time has really stopped existing outside of our bubble. It feels like we've been at it for a while, but I'm not willing to chance a glance around the room for a clock to see if that's true.

"When the time comes, are you willing to put it all on the line for the betterment of our species?" Dad asks, and the question throws me off guard a little. It isn't something that belongs in the middle of a sparring session.

"Of course, what kind of question is that?"

It's a testament of our excellent conditioning that we're even able to speak at this point in the battle. Because that's what this is turning into, we've crossed the line between sparring and truly fighting. Neither one of us is holding back, and we both want to win.

"No one knew you were my daughter, but when I went into hiding, I requested reports on your movements. What I heard back is that you were a great fighter, but you acted like a loner who cared for nothing except the bottom line.

"Unlike you, I won't live forever. Don't worry. I still have a lot of years left in me, nevertheless, I need to make sure that when we defeat the Collective and take our place back atop the wolf hierarchy that you'll be ready to take over in the future."

"And in order to do that, you think trying to beat the snot out of me will prove something?"

"Nah. This is just for fun. I've already determined you'll be a fine leader. I wanted to see if you'd realized it yet. You ready to call this a draw?"

It wouldn't be the first time one of my matches has ended with that conclusion. I'd really like to see a winner between us. Everyone seems to expect me to become undefeatable within the week, and that's going to make it hard to find opponents.

"Are you tired of having your own moves used against you?"

"No, but your daughter looks like she's getting hungry," he says, making me turn to look real quick. I realize immediately it's just a diversion on his side. Getting pinned to the ground right away reiterates my findings.

I can't help but laugh at the situation. "Using my daughter against me, you're bad. We'll have to make sure she stays away from any battlefields until she's thirty."

"I saw you weren't going to just let it come to the draw, so I found a creative solution out of the circumstances. I could've said Clyde is peeing on something or catching something on fire, but Sophia is a cuter excuse. Aren't you, baby princess?" Dad asks, standing up and winking at his grandchild.

Feeling frisky, I grab at his ankle and pull hard enough to bring him crashing down next to me.

The room erupts in merriment. It's the atmosphere we need tonight. They've said things are going to start getting scary real fast, and a last night of fun will prepare us all for the day ahead.

"Good one, Nyx," Dad whispers next to me. "You really are everything I hoped my daughter would grow into. I have a feeling your two mates have a lot to do with that. You three complement each other well."

I flip over to get a look at the men being discussed. "We're so different that I didn't know how things could possibly work out in the beginning. Sebby can be the calm diplomat, when his love ones aren't threatened, and he's so smart it makes my brain hurt. Alex is the warrior who commands an army during the day, and then comes home and wants to just enjoy life. I don't know where I fit into the mix, because more often than not they're stuck trying to police my actions and tongue."

"It wouldn't work with any other girl between them. You're the glue that holds it together. They need someone strong who doesn't need a lot of defending, even if they act like they want to do all of the protecting. They need someone who's willing to let their own agenda get altered, or thrown out the window, when it isn't the best for everyone involved. They need you."

It's the second time in probably an hour or so he's turned the emotional switch on full power. "I'm starting to think I liked it better when I could hang up the phone if you started getting out of control with the mushy stuff."

"The statement is something that needs to be said in person, plus I hadn't seen the dynamic until now. Most daughters are thrilled when their fathers approve of their choice for mates."

"Do I need to remind you that in the paranorm world, the daughter doesn't tend to have a choice in the matter?" I stand up and make my way over to my guys.

"It's still a nice thing for us to hear, Aaron," Alex says, wrapping me in his arms. Sebby's are still full, so he can't do the same unless we want a pancake baby.

"As any normal father would say, I'll hunt either of you down if you hurt my little girl." He tries to pull off a serious tone, but it doesn't work and I start smiling like a fool.

The dinner table earlier and this moment here is what I go into battle to protect. Everyone should be able to live their lives surrounded by their family, and some of those in the room haven't had that for decades.

The thinking heavy seems to be catching tonight. It's a sure sign that it's time for bed. After a quick shower, that's just what I have planned.

Chapter 9

A visitor from Hell

A dream all my own is almost too good to wake up from. I fight it for as long as I can, but the noises and feelings around me prove overpowering and I open my eyes.

What I thought I felt turns out to be true. Alex is holding Sophia up to my chest while she eats breakfast. How in the world did I sleep through that? I wasn't aware it was possible to sleep through someone doing that to your breast.

"You're still catching up from all those nights devil baby kept you up. At least she picked an angel outfit today. I'm starting to think it's false advertising, though," Sebastian says, leaning down to lay a tongue included kiss on my lips.

The child in question better keep her eyes closed unless she wants to see the prequel of how she was made. Sebastian picks up on the thought and backs away.

"Not everyone likes to say good morning with words," he says, trying to justify his assault.

"Hey, no one said I was complaining. Have there been any new reports?" There's no grogginess going on in my head today. I'm awake and ready to get moving.

"There's a meeting planned in an hour. Since you had a shower last night, do you need time to jump in now?" Alex asks, and detaches my humanoid leech, so she can be burped.

He looks like a natural daddy. I think having an extra set of hands will prove useful in the years to come with this child.

"If I have the chance to actually dress today, I'll call that a victory."

Sebastian gets distracted by his phone and I sit up in bed, ready to hit the closet. I didn't hear the phone ring, but he's talking to someone. I don't worry about listening in, because I have every confidence that he'll share what's being said.

"We will be right there, and tell Hilda I owe her," he says, putting the phone back in his pocket. "I have it flash and vibrate instead of ringing to make sure it doesn't wake Sophia. You better hurry and get dressed. You have a visitor and she isn't happy about not being allowed in the house."

That narrows the list down to about a hundred people. If he would've said he instead of she, we would've been looking at about a thousand possibilities, if not more. I hurry over to my closet to throw on some suitable clothes for company, not that it matters that much.

I go for standard Nyx chic. As Sebastian told me yesterday, my pre-maternity pants fit just fine. They may be a little snug, but I'm sure it's my imagination. I make a quick side trip into the bathroom to brush out my hair, just until it doesn't stick out at every odd angle possible.

"Ready?" Sebastian asks in the doorway. "I think we'll have you carry Sophia. Keeping your hands occupied is probably our best move."

That doesn't make me leery at all. I go ahead and accept the baby. I trust his judgment in things like this.

"Sophia, did Daddy tell you who we're going to see?"

I get the feeling Sebastian wants to keep it a secret from me, but that doesn't mean he didn't tell others in the room. We're heading towards the front door; at least I assume that's our general direction.

"He did and I'm nervous." Doesn't she know she's supposed to reveal the secret when her mom asks?

"Quit pestering the poor girl. You heard her, she's busy being nervous," Alex says before I can start putting the screws to her.

"See, Sophia, you're supposed to be on my side since there are already two of them working against me." We run into Aaron, waiting for us by the door. He doesn't look exactly pleased. "You're going to tell me who the visitor is, aren't you, Daddy?"

"Only if you agree to let me hide under a rock during the visit. You're looking well rested. It's a good look for you."

I'm adding things up in my head and the summation isn't making me happy. I take a peek out the front window to verify and there she stands in all of her fiery glory.

Lucifer.

She's started making house calls. Here I thought I forgot to send her my forwarding address. I don't know if she knew the previous one, but I'm sure I didn't pass along this one.

"Oh no, I'm going to need you for back up on this one, Daddy-o."

"If I thought she'd go away without seeing you, I'd find a bigger rock that we could both hide under," he offers, and we both know it wouldn't work.

She looks like she has something she needs to say and I don't get the feeling that she's the most patient woman in the world.

Might as well face the music. I don't have much choice, since Sebastian is already opening the door. I'm hoping he's just planning to get her off the property as fast as possible, and not actually happy to see her.

"You don't need to overtax your brain thinking on that subject," he says, and pushes me out the door.

Literally. He does notice I'm holding our daughter, doesn't he? One out of place rock and we would've taken a tumble. I don't go too far outside, just enough to allow everyone behind me out as well.

"There you are. Just what kind of spells do you have on this place? I was lucky to even be able to land in the driveway," my mother squawks at us, and it appears she's in a great mood.

Now, I have to find something nice to buy for Hilda. I wouldn't have thought it was possible to keep the Devil herself out of anywhere she felt like visiting.

"We enjoy our privacy and don't like people just popping in without calling first," I say, and wonder how Ben was able to sneak in earlier. You'd think if there was a spell against the Devil, there'd be one in place for her minions.

"We'll have to work on that. I heard the little one came even earlier than I expected. I'm sure she's adorable, but the part of the brain that recognizes cuteness was removed from my head long ago. What's she called?"

I bite my tongue from saying I wish all of her brain was removed. If that were the case, I may not have ever been born, so I guess I have to be thankful she has at least some brain cells firing.

"Her name is Sophia. Can we get down to your reason for this visit? I have a few things going on right now."

"I'm looking for a lost demon. We were in the middle of a planning session and he took off. With his odd, but at the same time reasonable, obsession with you, I thought he might be here."

"You missed him by a day. He stopped by real quick yesterday and then took off. Don't you have a microchip embedded in all of your little minions so you can just look up where they're hiding?"

"I didn't think sense of humors were genetic, but you obviously inherited your father's. Good to see you again, Aaron. It's nice to see you spending some time with our daughter. Not all fathers would be willing to bond with their over twenty-year-old child."

"Most werewolf fathers are aware when they conceive a child, so they have an extra-long time to start bonding. My daughter's mother took that chance away from me, and if I didn't already hate her for being the Queen of the Underworld, I'd despise her even more." For wanting to hide under a rock, Dad sure isn't afraid to say what's on his mind.

"There was a reason I picked you, Aaron, aside from your poor attitude. You have balls and I knew our daughter was going to need them. I was aware that your line was full of males, so inserting a little estrogen to the field was an added bonus."

"We've established that Ben isn't on the premises. Is there anything else we can do for you?" Sebastian asks.

I can feel him and Alex both standing close behind me. The conversation hasn't been too hostile, by my estimation, but they're ready to reel me in if need be.

"No ideas at all where he ran off to? The only times he's ever disobeyed me is when you were involved. I don't understand his quest for offspring. I went through the ordeal once, and I don't have much to show for it. It isn't like my daughter is going to follow in my footsteps like I'd hoped. You're a little too old for me to retrain your moral compass."

I have faith that even if she did raise me, I would've somehow been able to rise above the evilness running through her veins. There's the whole debate out there about nature versus nurture, and at this moment in time, I'm leaning towards the nature side of the battle. Just because it suits my needs.

"No idea. He wasn't exactly welcome when he showed up, so I didn't do more than celebrate when he announced he was leaving. Now, if you don't mind showing yourself back to wherever you came from, I think we're done." I'll never win an award for world's best hostess. I didn't even offer her a drink.

"Did you know you have a gaggle of pixies in your yard? They caught me by surprise when I was giving myself a tour of the grounds. I haven't ever seen a pixie in the flesh before and I about swatted one of them thinking it was a wretched butterfly."

I take it she isn't quite ready to leave just yet. Going through my checklist of ways to get rid of people I don't want around, I've already tried being an unwelcome host, which usually is enough. I think it's about time to move on to the one about assigning the unwanted guest some chores. Is cleaning the toilets a dirty enough job to get rid of the Devil?

"Excuse me, Grandmother," Sophia decides to speak up. "I'm sure you'd appreciate that we have a very important meeting that we're running behind for. Maybe if you could come back next Tuesday we could sit down for a nice lunch and get to know each other."

Not the route I would've taken. It's way too much like something one of her fathers would say, but even in this circumstance, I don't think they'd go that direction.

"A peace maker. You guys really need to let the little one spend her weekends with me. I can work that right out of her."

"I think we'll keep her the way she is, thanks." Sebby's tone clearly states that if Lucy makes a move to try to spend quality time with Sophia, she'll be met with a bazooka. I'm not sure what he could load into the bazooka to worry Lucifer, but I imagine he'd come up with something.

"Fine. I'll be back next week to try to get to know my daughter's family. Until then, just holler if you need anything. Word will get back to me and I'll see if I can make room in my schedule for a visit," Lucy says. As the Devil, she should be used to people not wanting her around.

Before I can reply, a hole opens up in the ground and she disappears through it. The earth remains open when she leaves. I stare at it for a couple of seconds, expecting it to close, but nothing happens.

"Clyde," I yell, hoping he can hear me. A giant void in the yard is a hazard, and short of having one of the guards fill it, Clyde is my best bet.

"You rang? Holy crap, did a giant gopher come through here? You should've called me. I always miss all the fun."

"Try to stay out of the refrigerator for five seconds and you won't miss Lucifer showing up and leaving a divot when we tell her to get lost. Do you think you can fix it?"

"Do I look like a front-end loader? Is there a pile of dirt somewhere you think I can use to fill it up?"

I must have interrupted his snack. He's always moody when someone comes in between him and food. "I've seen you open portals before and I thought maybe you could take care of one that someone forgot to close. If that's above your skill level, we can get someone else to take care of it."

"You can be a real female dog sometimes, Mother. Go in and have your little meeting, and I'll take care of the pit. You may want me to wait until after the meeting is over, in case you have any bodies that need hiding."

"Work on the repair. Someone in the room will make sure I don't kill anyone," I say, and turn to leave him to his work. "Someone better have a plate of bacon ready for me."

Chapter 10

The new faces of the paranorm world

We make our way to the war room and find our people, including Ryan, Phee, Sam and a man I don't know, playing host to three of the people who were in the meeting yesterday. Good. We aren't late. I didn't think we'd taken an hour to get rid of Lucy, but she was doing a good job in the role of an annoying gnat.

My first guess on the mystery man who looks to be fitting right in with my group is that he's Ryan's doctor friend. I'm interested to hear more about his work and what he can do to assist in the fighting. I may also feel the need to thank him for bringing Ryan back online. I haven't had a chance to really talk to Ryan since we found him wandering in the woods, but he appears to be happy.

"We didn't get a chance for introductions yesterday," one of the men at the table says, standing. "I'm Anthony and I like to believe I'm one of your father's biggest supporters."

"All of us here are supporters, so don't let him sway you," another man says. "I heard someone whisper that you would've passed out numbered nametags if you'd known how many would have been in the room yesterday. I took the initiative and numbered myself as one."

He points to a bright red nametag on his chest. A butt kisser, every group has one. I tend to dislike them on principle. You can't trust the words coming from them as truth. So far, the two men both appear to fall into that category.

"Thank you guys for sticking around. Your loyalty has never been in question. There's no need for you to convince Nyx of that. We wanted to meet for a few minutes in a smaller group to talk werewolf affairs," Dad says, taking his seat at the table.

There were more werewolves around the table yesterday and that leaves me wondering why the others weren't invited to this meeting. I'm going to have to ask someone for a hierarchy, in hope that it will explain the situation.

"There are an awful lot of vampires in the room to talk about our affairs," the man who has yet to speak says. Not a butt kisser, I like this one.

"That's because when we take back control, things aren't going to go back to exactly what you remember, Joel. We have to consider the fact that humans are aware of us now and the news of the Collective's downfall won't inspire confidence in them. We have to come up with a solution that allows them to believe they're still safe from us going on a rampage and snacking on them," Dad explains.

Alex, Sebastian and I grab our seats. I'm still carrying Sophia. She's looking around, taking in everything. Maybe she'll notice someone flinching at the wrong moment and be able to tell us about it later.

"You aren't planning on replacing the Collective with the same thing by a different name?" the grumpy guy asks.

"I wouldn't say that. There isn't going to be an organization dictating what we all should do. We have a unique opportunity to give the humans comfort, and have great leadership for the rest of us in place. I'll continue to lead the wolves behind the scenes and Sebastian will lead the vampires. The only difference is to the outside world, my daughter and her mates will be the face of our leadership."

Crazy person say what? "Did someone forget to mention this idea to me?"

"There was no forgetting about it. You would've thrown a fit and tried to change things, but the decision has been made. I asked you three here to let you know before we made the big announcement. I know I'm going to have to reiterate until I'm blue in the face that we're taking things back to what they were and I wanted to practice on a smaller group first."

"Aaron, I've always been behind you, but I don't understand the need for the mask. Just tell the humans the truth. I'd think revealing the corruption that is the Collective and letting everyone know that the world is safer after they're dealt with is the way to go," the first guy, Anthony, suggests.

I actually remembered the name without any clues. It's practically a miracle.

"We talked about this for hours and decided that Nyx would make a better face in this case. She's a young mother, and if she learned to smile more, people might actually think she was approachable and likable."

"You don't think the humans will have trouble understanding her having two 'husbands', as they would call it? It isn't something that happens in the paranorm world naturally, and humans tend to be raised monogamous. This move may cause more trouble and confusion than it's worth. The wolves trust and follow you. The only time they've heard Nyx's name is if they were fretting over what assassin the Collective was sending after them. No offense," the really big butt kisser says.

"I have a question. Just who was involved in this behind closed doors decision? You've been on solid land for what is it, two or three days? How could this big of a decision have been decided in that amount of time, without even consulting me?"

"We can discuss it later. The others will be arriving any second and everyone in this room right now is going to be on a united front when I share the news. There won't be any more discussion. We have bigger fish to fry and until they're cooked to a crisp, who is called our leader is a moot point."

Aaron brings out the top dog tone and me hearing voices in the hall stops me from telling him what I think of that particular tone, and just what orifice it would fit in nicely.

The rest of the strategic leaders funnel in and take the seats they sat in the previous day. Part of me wants to call Aphrodite real quick and see if they all still hate me. I should've done that with the three who claim to be on Dad's side. I'll probably still prefer my smaller knives in battle, but if I find that she has more special abilities, she may become my go to weapon.

"Let's start by hearing about any locale changes. Is he still in Scotland?" Sebby asks, starting the real meeting. Those just joining us all look to be taking measure of those who were in the room before them.

"The games last two more days and all reports indicate he's staying for the end. We haven't gotten our hands on future travel itinerary, yet, but we're working hard to get it," the man who gave the location yesterday says.

"Great. For the vampire side of things, most will be staying behind to take care of the battle here. I only want those with UV resistance making the full trip. This kind of thing is hard to plan for and if an opportunity comes in early afternoon, most of the younger generations will be stuck in doors. I'd like to keep them here, where they can do the most good."

"It makes sense, but I know there are going to be grumblings about missing the battle," someone says.

"I know, but filling the planes full of people who will for sure be able to fight in that battle is more important. They'll be able to be part of what goes on here over at the Collective headquarters. There are plenty of generals there for them to fight with."

"On the wolf side of things we're planning to mobilize one hundred troops to a place we have in Scotland, where we can assess the situation and rehash any plans that need taken care of. I researched the site of the games last night and I don't really like the layout we're looking at," Alex says. "With the humans around, it will be hairy. I don't know if there will be a clear opportunity to call Stevens out with them around."

"He's going to know we're coming and I doubt he'll care about collateral damage. Do we know where he's staying? Is there any way to hit him there?" I'm starting to wish everyone heard the birdie who said I like nametags. Since they didn't, bushy eyebrow vampire asked the question.

"He does have a large estate that he rented out for the week. I'm sure it will be well guarded, but I see no reason for humans to be wandering around throwing giant tree trunks," location man says.

"Send me the address and I'll see what schematics we can pull from online. The more I can find out about it, the better. I'll be sending out a roster of the wolves I want to see in action with us in Scotland. Joel and Trevor are going to be staying behind to lead the rest in the attack on the Collective building here.

"I was hoping we'd be able to leave this meeting with a more clear cut plan of attack, but we have a location and the general idea is to kill Stevens and see if everyone else accepts the change in leadership. The people who don't are to be captured peacefully when possible and only slightly maimed if they put up a fight. I don't see any good in killing someone because they've been taught to follow a man blindly." We should've made sure water was available at the table, because I'm sure Alex could use a drink after all the talking he's doing.

"Who's leading the vampires forced to stay behind?" Alan's flunky asks. I'd hoped he was somehow given the wrong time to show up today.

"Because of Alan's ways, all of his followers are being forced to stay behind. I don't see putting anyone used to his rule in charge. Nothing against you personally, Santino, but I have to look out for the greater good here. Luke is going to be in charge.

"If he believes he needs assistance, he can pick a second. I want to emphasize that even those who aren't going with us after the man behind the curtain have an important job to do. Killing Stevens halfway across the world isn't going to have an instant impact everywhere. We need those staying behind to enforce the change in leadership," Sebastian explains.

It all sounds like a good enough plan for me. We won't know time of day or location until we can study Stevens more closely. It's a good start that will quickly evolve into a road map for winning. I wonder if the opposition can sense there's change on the wind.

Any paranorm from my generation is going to find a lot of confusion in store for them. I'll have to see if we can get educational materials prepared for those not used to the world outside of the Collective.

Dad starts in on his explanations for me getting a front office position in the human world. I don't want to argue in front of this group, but we're going to need to discuss this development. I just don't see how it's a good idea.

Won't people be afraid of the fact that I'm more than one variety of paranorm? Will it make the humans think that becoming a paranorm is even more of a contagious disease than they already do? I don't really want my life story out there for the masses to analyze.

I kind of know how I came into this world and why I turned out the way I did, but as a private person, I don't think everyone needs to know, and I think that's something that would have to be out there if people were to believe I really was a ruler.

My brain ramble has made me miss all of the objections, so that's a good thing. I don't need to hear people like Santino tell me what a horrible idea it is. The meeting breaks up and the grumpy faces leave the room.

"Okay Doc, let's hear what you have for us," Dad says, and I think the portion of the day I've been hoping for since I saw the man is about to arrive. My pom poms are waving in the air.

Chapter 11

Science just doesn't make sense

With everyone else leaving the room, my people take over the table for the discussion. Without the unknown people taking up my attention, I can actually get a look around the room.

The table we're sitting around is made of a dark wood. It looks solid enough that we could all jump on top of it and do a jig without worrying about landing on the floor with butts full of splinters. For some reason, I don't see us dancing anytime soon.

There's a floor to ceiling bookcase filled with older looking books, probably from Sebastian's personal library. I don't foresee me spending much time reading over them, and I think the digitization assignment is going smoothly, so I can just do a search and bring up the passages that are important for a given circumstance.

The walls in the room are white, not stark white, just enough to look clean without blinding you. I already noticed that the wall behind us has a giant dry erase board, and it looks like the ceiling has some kind of projection device built-in.

Knowing the guys, they probably have a projection screen that drops down. The house more than likely has a movie room somewhere, but Phee may get silly one day and repurpose this space for her own theater. If we can take care of business this week, she can have it.

Another observation on the space, there are no windows. To me that makes sense. You don't want to give your opponent a chance to grab some binoculars and climb up the tree in the backyard for a view of your super-secret battle plans.

For the time being, if we added a little playpen in one of the corners, it would be perfect.

"Thanks for flying in, Carl. I'm told you've been brought up to speed on how fast things are moving," Dad says, drawing me out of my brain vacation. "What do you have for us?"

"I'm glad you called. As you know, I've been analyzing the changes to the blood and body after a wolf has been injected with the Collective's serum, which is being called A5T1. Once in the bloodstream, it immediately targets bonds the person has at the blood level.

"In wolves, this would include their mating bond, obviously, but also regular bonds like those to your family. Once it has eradicated the connections the person has, or could've had in the future, it alters their DNA to add key warrior elements cultivated from other species. I've only been able to isolate vampire DNA in the mix, for sure. Vampire speed is the key side effect you'd notice, along with enhanced senses that wolves don't normally have.

"After several doses, the process is complete and you essentially no longer have the werewolf you started with. The new being is a hybrid of sorts, and the warring parts of him, we've only seen it used on males, make him highly aggressive and ready for a fight. I don't know who came up with the process, but it's amazing work. The outcome isn't great for our side, but the genetics behind it is something I could study for years."

Most of what he's said isn't a secret. I've witnessed round one of the injections on a first-hand basis and it sucks. He left out the bits about it feeling like an atomic bomb goes off in your body after the injection.

"I think we were wrong when we thought that the Collective hadn't used my blood for weapons of destruction. How much do you want to bet that the basis of their little serum is flowing through my veins?"

I don't think it's much of a stretch to get to that point. My hope is that they focused mainly on my vampire and werewolf genes, since they could see them blended and knew what they were.

If any one of them knew that angel blood was lurking just a little bit deeper, I hesitate to guess what might happen. I don't know that it would be something they could actually use, but having tons of soldiers able to call magic swords to them would be a very bad thing.

"They wouldn't have to do a lot of work to see how the different species worked together, if that's the case. I know from my time trying to keep undercover that they were doing a lot of tests on your blood. It's how I found out about you. I don't think they knew everything that we know now, though.

"I know Alex, and probably Sebastian, is hesitant to let anyone do more testing, but we should let Carl have a look," Dad says. "Not that the Collective is going to be around much longer, but we should at least try to have the same knowledge that they do, especially if they're using it as a weapon."

"If you can assure me that no one outside of this room will learn the results of said testing, we can talk about it," Alex says. He doesn't sound very happy about giving his permission.

"Whatever guidelines you want to put in place, I would follow," Carl says.

I don't know what I was expecting when I heard he was a doctor. Paranorms don't really have doctors, and I guess he's more of a geneticist than a doctor, but he looks like a normal guy to me. He doesn't even have a lab coat or anything like the people who took my blood in the past did.

"The Fae is currently doing an analysis and I'd be interested to see if the two methods find similar results," Sebastian states. His methodical brain could probably spend days combing over strange blood tests.

Boring. It's weird, messed up blood. I don't really need to hear any more than that.

"We know essentially what this drug does to a person. You seem to have been able to reverse its affects for Ryan and the other wolves who have received the antidote. How easy would it be to get the rest of the hybrids fixed? In Faerie, I heard grenades were used to administer your fix, is that something we can continue to do, and how long does it take to go into effect?"

I'm pretty sure I'm just rambling off stuff because I don't want to think about people analyzing my blood. I was out of it with labor pains when the grenades were used previously, so at least that part of my rant is legit.

"Don't freak out, but the antidote is a mixture of angel blood and peppermint. I know that sounds really weird, but I was introducing different types of blood to the samples Ryan provided to see if anything helped. The angel blood seemed to do the most good when it came to aligning everything. I'm sure I'm not explaining this in a very good way, but I know the scientific stuff will be met with vacant stares, so I'm doing my best.

"Anyway, my working environment often has bottles that I haven't gotten around to putting away littering the space. I accidentally spilt some peppermint in one of the samples one night and decided that I needed to stop for the day and worry about the mess the next day. Yes, I'm a slob. The next morning I put the mess under the microscope for fun and found married cells. The abilities that were scattered before combined."

He stops talking for us to let it settle in I guess, or maybe to catch his breath. He rambles as bad as I do. It all sounds just bizarre to me, and I really don't care what his explanation is as long as he has something that works.

"You have access to angel blood? Is that something they sell at the grocery store?" I know grocery store isn't the word I'm looking for, but I don't know where scientists get all their goodies.

"I carry it. It isn't something that's easy to come by, even when you have an in with the angels. For some reason they just don't want to part with it," Hilda says. "I don't store it out front, but the people who really need it tend to know to ask."

If angel blood is the majority of the cure for the snake venom the Collective is using, it solidifies in my mind that they're using my gogo juice for their experiments. I wonder if they found a way to make a synthetic version, because I know I didn't hand over buckets full during my years there.

"Let's get back to the dispersal of the minty blood. I don't see how just hitting the infected with water balloons of the stuff will do much good. Aren't icky shots a better method?"

"That's my good news. Like the witchy lady said, angel blood isn't easy to come by. I'm pretty sure I've used up the stock from her place, and a couple of others in my testing. I did find a way to concentrate it, though. I've worked it into an inhalant that can be let free in the air and still do the job we need it to by just being breathed in."

Again, why that would work is way over my pay grade, so I'll have to just take his word for it. I just don't understand how inhaling the stuff mixes in with the blood.

"We get to gas them?" Phee asks in her excited voice. She gets as happy about weapons as I do, but her enthusiasm carries over to way too many other avenues.

"Essentially, yes. I've made three devices that can be released into the atmosphere, and then activated so it spreads through the air."

"Coverage?" Sebby asks.

"Initial would be around a ten square mile radius, I think. It isn't something I was able to test and it depends a lot on the wind and other atmospheric conditions."

"How long before it shows any results? If we take one with us to Scotland, do we find Stevens' place and just launch it overhead and a day or two later everything is great for us when we go in to try to kill him?"

"I don't think you'd want to do it days, or even a single day, in advance. The change in attitude is apparent early on and it'd more than likely reveal you were in town," Carl says.

That makes sense. If we only have three chances, we have to make it count. Really, we'd only have two because it's only right to leave one behind for the others to use on the Collective proper. I assume that Stevens will have a mess of hybrids in his guard, but you never know. He may be using standard people, and we won't even need to use the doc's solution.

"I hate to interrupt because it sounds like you're making plans, but I could really use a potty break," Sophia alerts us.

"That was the baby, right?" Carl asks. He starts staring at Sophia, and any previous good will I felt towards him flies out the window. I'm well aware of what that look means and the words that are more than likely about to come out of his mouth. "If mommy is giving blood for me to study, can I expect to get baby's as well."

"Over my dead body," is all I'm going to say. I don't want to even start going down the road where Sophia spends the rest of her life being poked and prodded.

I stand up and head towards the door to help with Sophia's request. I don't know where a bathroom is, other than the one in my room, so that's the direction I take off in. I'm going to have to ask Alex to draw me a map with all the potty chair equipped bathrooms.

By the time we finish taking care of business, I'm expecting them to be done with their meeting so we can get to work packing. I glance at the clock in the bedroom real quick on my way by and see that we wasted more time in the meeting today than I would've liked. At this rate, we won't be on a plane until after the next full moon. I think there may be one in a couple of weeks.

Chapter 12

Let's move out

Sophia, in all of her days on this world, will never cease to amaze me. She seriously just went to the bathroom in her miniature toilet, even though her neck muscles are just starting to allow her to be able to control her head wobble. I feel like starting a blog or something just to brag about all the things my baby is capable of doing. I have a feeling later in life she'd grow to hate me for posting pictures of her going to the bathroom on the Internet.

I have her back in her onesie and we're trying to figure out how big of a suitcase to grab from my closet. Do I take one big bag for all of her things and mine or should she get a separate one? Just what all really needs to be packed for her? I don't think dismantling her crib is an option, but what more than clothing, and her potty chair, will she need? Who can I convince to carry a bag full of all her stuff?

"The perplexed look on your face screams you're having an issue involving clothes," Sebastian says from the doorway.

"I hadn't got that far yet, but if you give me a few minutes you may see that look. Packing for me is one thing. I just grab some clothes, making sure to remember underwear, and throw them in a bag. Now, I need to figure out what Sophia will need as well, and how many suitcases it's going to take to haul everything."

"Let me make it easy on you. I'll pack Soph's things and you can just focus on your weapons and whatever clothes you can grab. I'll even pack your underwear for you."

If I owned anything lacy, I'd be frightened by that statement, but other than making me go commando, I don't think he can do much harm.

"Fine. Sophia, do you trust Sebastian to pack for you? It's something each girl has to decide for herself."

I don't think he's started worrying about wrapping her from head-to-toe in burlap, so the guys can't sneak peeks at her girlie curves, but you never know. Some of the conversations I've overheard between him and Alex sound like they're almost to that point.

"I suppose. There are stores in Scotland, right? If he packs a bunch of silly things, we can just send him out to get normal stuff. In a fit of desperation, we could even send Phee. We probably won't see her again for a week, but it would save us a trip."

"It would have to be the world is coming to an end kind of desperation to send Phee out, but I guess that's an option. Do we have a time when the plane is taking off yet?"

I grab my medium black duffle and turn to the weapon wall. So many choices and there's no way they'll all fit in my bag.

"Would it be easier for you if I took Sophia?"

"She'll probably be able to use most of these within a week, so she needs to learn what works best for her little hands."

I doubt she actually needs to learn anything. Somehow, she came preloaded with the brain of an adult. Now that I think about it, her little skull has to be cramped. I don't know how a brain that little can be holding all that information. That must be why she doesn't have that soft spot I read about human babies having. If anything, she's soon going to have lumps all over her head as her skull adjusts to the massive amount of grey matter inside.

"I'm taking her anyway. When you're done, we need to talk." Sophia vanishes from my arms and starts making little noises as Sebastian tickles her.

"Not nice, Daddy. I can't fight back."

I tune them out and try to figure out what I need to take. I'll wear my gun holster and all my usual knife sheaths. Aphrodite can serve as my arm's length weapon. Do I need any axes or pyro? I'm expecting the fight to be nasty and any extra ammo will probably be used. I grab a foot long axe and its thigh holster. I have different sizes of flamethrowers and the smallest is the only one that will fit in the bag.

I load up on silver ammunition and set out the knives that I'll be wearing on my person. Sebby didn't say when we're leaving. I hate when people forget to answer my questions.

Half-heartedly I throw in some clothes. Five sets of everything should be enough. I don't expect to be gone longer than that. I should be good, so I zip the bag up and head out to the bedroom.

I add my bag to the pile already waiting by the door out of the room. "Things are looking promising for us to actually leave still tonight."

"We are. It will take almost a full day with a short layover in Seville to pick up some artillery from my home there. If I remember right, I also have a scroll somewhere in my collection there that has a wax seal from the ring you're looking for. I know Hilda said something about having a picture too, but I can still check my collection to see if the images match," Sebastian calls out from Sophia's room.

"The ring is at the bottom of our priorities, so if it takes longer than a minute to find your hard copy, I say we forget about it," I say, heading to the bathroom to grab some shampoo and my brush.

"We know you don't care about the angel side of things, but it will make all of our lives easier if you're able to pass the trials," Alex says, sneaking up behind me.

"My wolf and vampire parts aren't enough for you? I'm finding it a little offensive that you don't think I'm perfect the way I'm." Toiletries in hand, I muscle my way past him. He doesn't make a very good door.

"I would love you if you were a newt, you know that. Like your father tried to explain to you earlier, we're going to potentially face a lot of pushback from the paranorm community when it's announced we're now mysteriously leaders for any paranorm wandering the streets. If we're able to prove without a doubt that we're the toughest beings on the block, there won't be as much to worry about."

"You guys were in on the decision weren't you?" I ask, like it's a question, but we all recognize I already know it's a fact. I'm sure Dad wanted to make sure they were both prepared for our future titles. "I wasn't alive when paranorms kept to their own circles and had their own rulers, but you all seem to want to get back to that point and making it appear like we're controlling everyone is counter intuitive in my mind. I think those in on this decision are overlooking the species that don't turn in to large furry dogs or live off blood. What about the other paranorms out there that we wouldn't really be representing?"

My issue with their decision has developed into being more than just me not wanting the title of liaison with the human world, and anyone who thinks me in that position sounds logical really needs to be locked up. Me getting angelfied isn't going to change the fact that in this new system the other were species, witches, demons, Faerie species on this side of the veil and the handful of other paranorms don't have a say in their leadership.

"In our world, things will only change when you're ready for it. Eventually, Aaron wants to hand things over to us, but he knows he needs to stabilize the backfire from overthrowing the current governing body. The paranorm community will go back to the way it was before the Collective, nothing about that has changed. You're over-analyzing and making it much more complicated than it needs to be. A press release will go out to the human world to let them know of a change in management, and using our relationship dynamic to indicate paranorms are a united front is all we're doing."

No matter who explains it, Dad or Alex, I'm still not comfortable with the plan. I do understand it. The human world believes all paranorms magically get along because of the Collective. The fact that I'm a walking, talking blend of two of the paranorms they're most familiar with, and I'm dating a guy from each side, makes unreality a little more real.

One day the different species may just be as united as the outside world thinks, but I don't see that happening by the end of the week. There will always be resentment for past crimes between those two main groups.

Thinking over Alex's words, they're a bit contradictory. He says the paranorms will know what's going on, but I need to hurry up and become an angel so we don't have a revolt on our hands. I'm ready to chalk the whole conversation over to a mental list of items to think about next week. Getting to somewhere in Scotland needs to be my center of attention now.

"Focusing on now is a great idea. The plane is leaving in thirty minutes. We have a full-size plane waiting to transport everyone coming along," Sebastian says, bringing Sophia out of her room in a car seat. "We're taking sixty guards with us and have scores more flying in to meet us."

"I can't wait to grow my own wings and be able to fly all on my own. Do you think I could make it all the way to Scotland under my own power?"

Let's anticipate that wish not coming true until after she's able to walk. God help us if she sprouts wings tomorrow and is able to get around on her own. I'm curious to see what color her wings will be. With a daddy who's a full vampire and a mom who has a pinch of vampiness thrown in, I'm leaning towards her inheriting the black version of feathers. I really don't know how the genetics side of things work out, so she could just as likely get some purple wings.

"Wings are a foregone conclusion, but will she have enough wolf in her to also be able to get furry? We may need to get a leash for her to keep her out of trouble, if that's the case."

I've decided Alex is evil. Why would he make me think about things like that? No one is willing to answer her question about how far she'll be able to fly. I'm not one hundred percent for sure myself.

"If the leash can keep her from flying off, we may have a deal. I'm going to be getting payback for all the tricks I've pulled on the guards to lose them."

"Don't worry, I promise to be a good girl," Sophia says, and now I wish we had a bond like me and Sebby's and she couldn't lie to us. Her oh so innocent voice isn't going to fool anyone.

"We're going to have to have a cage built as soon as the chastity belts are completed. When she gets a certain look in her eye, we'll just stick her inside," Sebastian suggests.

In the human society, I believe that thought would land you in prison, but thankfully, we live outside of those rules, because I think the idea sounds brilliant. We'll just have to make sure Clyde isn't able to break her out. I can already tell they're going to be accomplices in making the humanoid grown-ups' lives Hell.

Chapter 13

A world of dreams

We may be flying on a commercial-type plane, but the first-class area is as nice as any of the private jets the guys have sitting around. Only the group that lives in the house is up in this section, but we're large enough that we fill most of the seats.

I'm told the plane windows have protection for any of the younger vampires with us, which means Dante. Will is technically the youngest, but he hasn't even gotten a sunburn from sun testing. Almost everyone back in the normal seating section is a werewolf. I think I only counted five vampires in that group, and they were all over the five hundred year mark.

Sophia has her car seat strapped in between Sebastian and I. Alex is sitting directly to the right of me, and he's currently drawing circles on my hand with his fingers. I can feel the calm before the storm humming in the atmosphere and it's energizing all of us.

"So, Nyx, when are you and Alex going to finally make your relationship official? Sam and I have been feeling the call all week and couldn't help but sink our teeth into each other a couple of nights ago," Phee says, opening a line of conversation not appropriate for children. I don't think it's appropriate to have it in front of my father either.

"Phee, I don't think Sophia needs to hear that kind of information." I could do without learning what goes on behind closed doors in the house, and I sure as heck don't feel the need to do any sharing about my bedroom habits.

"I waited until she went to sleep. We've been in the air for hours now and she fell out about thirty minutes ago," Phee says, sighing dramatically.

Obviously my mind has been preoccupied with other things.

"It seems like nature isn't going to force anything on Nyx, which is smart on its side of the equation. We haven't felt the drive at all and we should've started at least getting hot around each other by now," Alex says. "I don't know if the pregnancy changed things, but I'm guessing it wasn't a factor."

"No Wolf Moon?" I ask, keeping the surprise out of my voice.

When I first met Alex, I would've been elated to find out we weren't going to be forced into mating. I'm still happy there's no forcing going to happen, but I was looking forward to having an excuse to get more intimate with Alex.

"The Mile High Club is an option if you want to claim a sudden burning desire to hide my sausage in your gravy. I'm sure everyone will understand. I hear the bathrooms are really roomy."

"To answer your original question, Phee, I think we'll wait until Sophia is a little older. In fact, someone said just yesterday that they wanted to wait a month or two to make sure everything is really back to normal after having a baby."

I dig my elbow into Alex's side to help him remember. He doesn't need me to reply to his suggestion because the answer hasn't changed from the hundred other times he's tried to get freaky with me.

"You know, it's my first time travelling outside of the country. Can we make a few pit stops to take in some of the famous tourist attractions?" Phee asks.

My first thought is that I'm thankful it's taken her this many hours to become talkative. If she'd been full of questions the whole time, I would've seen how my wings handle jumping out of a plane and following behind it. That thought is followed closely by the desire to find some tape, preferably of the duct variety, and fix the problem before it gets out of hand. I still don't understand why Sam hasn't made some kind of muzzle for her.

"After the mission has been determined a success, you can do whatever you want. Sorry, Sam."

"It'd be my pleasure to escort my beautiful mate around cities unknown. I think we could have a lot of adventures as long as I can keep her out of too much trouble. She wouldn't know most of the languages, and I think that works in my favor." It may work in his favor, but it will frustrate the Hell out of Phee and that may make things interesting.

"Does anyone have any recommendations for places to visit? Paris, Rome, London, Athens, Berlin, Cairo, Tokyo, Dublin, Madrid, Sydney, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro and Stockholm are all of course on the list."

I don't think she just came up with this idea out of the blue. Personally, I couldn't handle all the people you have to be around playing tourist. For most people there'd more than likely be shopping involved, because you just have to get souvenir knick knacks.

I don't see how anyone thinks that's a good time. I can't think of a place that I'd enjoy visiting other than some remote location that other people haven't found yet. I'm guessing that limits it to places that are either really hot or cold.

"I'm hoping it will take you a few months to properly enjoy all of those cities," Sebastian says. "To fully take in everything and immerse yourself in the different cultures, I'd recommend a couple of months in each location. If you aren't ready to come home after that, give me a call, and I'll send you to some amazing places off the beaten path."

"I'll leave all the jet-setting to the younger generation. When this thing is finally over, I just want to finally make a permanent home for myself and hopefully find my mate," Jonas says.

"I'm with you," Jake says. "I've played around long enough and watching Nyx evolve into a family person makes one want that connection with another person."

At least I'm good for something. Who would've thought it was to promote starting a family? It's nice to hear the two guards looking forward to something other than fighting for the rest of their lives.

"I just want to start living again," Dad says. "I've been hiding out for so long; it'd be really nice not to have to look over my shoulder."

"And not have to worry about changing your appearance every month or so to confuse people," Walt adds. "Walking down the street by myself would also be nice. I could just keep listing freedoms that I've missed, but I'll stop at that."

"You guys have had things harder than the rest of us. Alex started to feel the sting towards the end of this battle, but from day one you both have been targeted," Sebastian says. "I say it will be a nice day when we're all able to wake up in the morning and are able to take full breaths for the first time in years."

I can't say I'm in the same boat as the others, at least the others who have been a part of the paranorm community for more than a year. A year ago, I was still human in my mind, and was probably researching the movements of one of the paranorms out there trying to give the rest of us a bad name. The only thing that kept me up at night was a fear of my knives going dull. A possibility that never happened.

"You aren't going to kick us all out when we get back, are you?" Will asks. "I've really enjoyed getting to know all of you and I'd hate for the fun to end. Plus, I'm still learning from all of you. I haven't made any friends outside of you guys, so I'd be on my own in this crazy world."

The actor in Will is coming out. We need to set up a paranorm movie industry to keep him busy. If he's alive next week, I'll suggest he start setting something up.

"Some days I'm so happy I'm the smart one amongst your children. Repeat this back to him," Clyde says. "I don't think Mom could kick you out if she wanted to, Will. She made you what you are, so she's stuck with you. She counts her lucky stars every night that you aren't as big of a douche as you first appeared to be."

True, but a little harsh. "Clyde wants me to remind you that I have a duty to you and as long as you feel a need to stay with us, the door is open."

"Chicken. Have you been without cussing for so long that you can't even bring yourself to say douche?"

"I'm not a chicken. I just don't feel like being rude. What about the rest of you, any big plans when you aren't required to hang out with us?"

"Other than the globe trotters, I'm pretty sure the rest of us aren't planning on going anywhere," Marcus says. "So, if you're hoping to get rid of us, you're in for a fight. As far as plans, Hilda and I are still trying to figure out how to make our strange relationship work. It's something that hasn't been done before, and even though the stick fits in the donut just fine, there are a lot of differences we need to overcome."

"A little too much information, Marcus. I figure we're going to be needed to help settle things down and keep you out of trouble," Smitty adds. "In a hundred years or so you'll possibly be able to get rid of us."

"I concur. I may want to start a family, but I think your nice big house is big enough for me and any mate and children that come along," Jonas says. "I was born to serve the Gentry family, and I'm planning on doing it until the day I die."

I have a child now, but the thought of a bunch of them running around gives me the willies. I can picture them all turning into wolves and gnawing on my ankles. I'm going to have to invest in silver ankle cuffs to save my skin.

"I'd like to get back to my writing. I'd started a few things while I was hiding out in Ghost Town, but I didn't have the right motivation to finish them. Like Will, I'm hoping you won't decide you don't need me around anymore," Dante quietly says. "The protection I feel in your home frees my mind from worrying about other things."

"That protection will always be open to you and any paranorm who feels they need it. Things are going to be a lot different when the rightful rulers are back in place. We don't stand for bullies, and we have the power to teach them lessons. Now, I recommend we all try to get some sleep. We shouldn't be long in Seville and after that stop we aren't going to be able to see the back of our eyelids for a while," Sebastian says.

As nice as it is to talk about what the future will hold for us, a nap sounds like a good idea right about now. Sophia should be good for most of the flight. I'm sure she'll wake me up if her plans change.

Chapter 14

Airports + Demons = Run the other way

My feeling about airports is if you've seen one, you've seen them all. That's how little I like the whole process of travelling by air. Flying on private, even if they're huge, planes does have some perks, and we're able to bypass a lot of the red tape. Having huge, scary looking guys around me makes all the lines move faster these days, and if they weren't, I can just ask Soph to start throwing a fit and that should get things moving right along.

"It took you guys long enough to get here. I really thought your plane would be in yesterday. How many more meetings did you have to sit through with those jerkwads?" Ben asks, walking over to try to help carry bags.

We were so close to making it outside without any incidents. A demon showing up out of the blue classifies as an incident in my book. If my mind wasn't so busy thinking about other things, it should've picked up the strawberry stench that's now obvious in the air. To anyone who has my nose anyway.

"Do I want to know what you're doing in Seville waiting for us?" I question back.

He took off like he remembered he forgot to feed his Hellhounds and was worried they were moments away from turning into cannibals. I know he can track my movements, but it looks to me like he's been here at least a day. The fact that he just got done saying he thought we'd arrive yesterday is a big clue.

"I had to prepare for your visit here," he replies, finally wrestling a bag away from Jake. He's working hard to be helpful and helpful demons should be banned.

"Would you care to explain that further?" I ask as we exit the airport.

Even with Ben showing up and pausing my progress, it was the least amount of time I've had to spend in an airport after landing. I'm planning a party to celebrate the feat at a later date.

Outside there are four vehicles waiting and they look to be for us. Those who didn't ride first class are hanging around the airport while we go grab whatever it is Sebastian can't live without. I'm voting it is some kind of special pair of underwear. I'm not sure how they'll help in a fight, but they somehow shoot bullets in my mind.

Sebastian leads us to the head vehicle and straps Sophia in the middle row of seats. I'm not familiar with the make and model, but it's some kind of SUV. As soon as Sophia is in place, Sebastian takes a seat on the other side of her and I fill in the row. Alex takes the wheel, with Dad sitting in front with him. Marcus, Hilda and Ben finish off the passengers in our vehicle.

"Where are we going? Depending on the direction you take, I may have a pit stop for you to make," Ben says, still not explaining things to me.

"I have a place in Triana that I need to pick up some things from." Sebastian could've said he has a place in Quiggly Momo and I would've believed it was a place around here.

"If you don't mind going the long way to get there, we have someone we need to pick up in Macarena."

"I don't consider picking up a passenger a pit stop. If you needed to stop for a steak, I'd consider that a pit stop," I say, not aware of where we're going and how far out of the way this Macarena is. I'm getting aggravated on merit alone.

"Believe me, it's better for all involved if you do what I ask," Ben replies. "I rarely ever steer you wrong."

That's only because I try to spend as little time as possible with him. I think he sometimes forgets he's a demon and leading people astray is in his blood.

"Will this person have an effect on our plans for the coming days?" Alex asks. He's driving, but the speed he's employing has to have the people behind us wondering where the parade is.

"That would be an affirmative. Depending on the timing of things, he could make all of our lives a lot easier."

I know he wants to have his big reveal when we get to the mystery person, so I don't even bother badgering for more information. I've wasted more breath trying to get things out of the men around me than I care to think about. Let's just say I could fill a couple hot air balloons if I'd have collected the wasted air.

"I should let you know that your Great Ruler dropped in looking for you. For some odd reason, she thought you'd be with me and she wasn't too happy about having to look for you. I'm choosing to believe that's why she left a giant portal in the middle of my front yard."

"You two are so much alike. I know you hate to hear it, but the temperament is definitely an inherited trait. She'll simmer for a while, but in the end she'll love me again. Did Clyde take care of the hole? He shouldn't have had a problem, but I can stop by and fill it in so it isn't hazardous to any crawling cuties. How are you doing today, Sophia?"

"Very well, thank you, Uncle Ben. Grandmother is coming over for a visit next week. I think Mom wouldn't be as prone to kill me for suggesting it if you were able to come and serve as a buffer. If you let me know what you like to eat, I can make sure someone has a plate waiting for you."

I don't know if she thinks talking in her adult sounding voice is going to smooth over her invite, but I do know bringing it up is a bad move on her part. I think I'm going to develop some horrible, incurable disease before this trip is over. Maybe Mommy Dearest won't want to visit if I'm on my death bed. She's already said she doesn't do well with emotions and I'm sure everyone around me would be in tears if I was really ill.

It isn't going to happen, but my mind is still trying to find some coping mechanism.

"Where am I going? If one more human zooms past us and flips me off, I'm not going to be responsible for what I do," Alex says, and I can feel his pain.

I spend most of my time on the road making humans eat my dust and no matter what the discussion is going on in the back seat, my foot is to the floor.

"Do you know the city? Just follow this until you see a way to get on Ronda Urbana Norte. I can give you further directions when we get closer. I should've brought my guest to the airport with me, but I was worried what mood you'd be in and I didn't want you to act rashly."

"If your guest is a succubus who I want to kill, I can assure you there will be nothing rash about what I do to her. I'd love for you to just deliver her to me, but there's no way she's leaving my sight without being in a million pieces," I explain my very level-headed thinking.

The view outside is more interesting than watching paint dry, so I'm working to enjoy it. There are times when I love viewing architecture and I've heard, through Sebastian, that this city has some beautiful sights.

"First, let me answer the little one. Sophia, I'd love to come over and have a tea party with you. Name a time and place and I'll wear my best suit. My favorite dishes aren't available around these parts, so don't worry about making anything special. Secondly, Candy is in Scotland waiting for you. She's trying to team up and control anyone who may face off against you. When her last attempt failed, she moved on to the bigger fish."

Of course he's already found out where she is, and he just decided to wait to tell me about it. I'm already planning on paying the Highlands a visit, so it's nice that she's playing into my hand. Between the Panoptic knife and Aphrodite, I think I might stand a fighting chance. I just have to make sure Gabe doesn't swoop in and scare her away again.

"Your disappearing act actually proved useful? That has to be a first."

"You can blame your angel friends for my quick exit. They're either really smart or they're going to get us all killed. I'm still leaning towards the former, but the latter is just as likely to happen. Turn left here, driver. Down the street a ways you'll see Calle Dr. Marañón. We're looking for the University in this neck of the woods. When you find it, park out front and we'll find my surprise guest."

"Demon, you know how to get on a person's bad side," Alex says, following directions.

"Guilty. Although most people find me quite charming. It's the people I try to impress who I always end up annoying the most. I've come to the conclusion that I'm greatly misunderstood. One of these days, I'm sure I'll have a child, and then maybe just one person will be able to make sense of all that I am."

"I have been meaning to ask you, since we now know what Nyx is, what evidence did you have to convince Nyx to have your child? When I ventured into that first dream you shared together, you were certain something would change her mind," Sebastian says.

I remember the conversation and how I laughed to myself at how foolish the demon was. I'll point out that having kids wasn't a choice I technically made.

"I can't believe that was only months ago, it might as well have been years. So much has happened since then. I guess I can tell you that I found some papers that either mapped out Nyx's full DNA or one of her offspring. I couldn't believe the traits I was seeing, but then she walked into that airport like my own personal angel. I just really hope one of these days you guys take pity on me and let me try for a kid of my own."

I still feel no inklings to grant his wish. I understand his desire more now, but he'd have a better chance of finding a way to become human, or any other fertile species, and settling down with a woman of his own.

"Are the papers from the Collective? Why would you think they were from an offspring? Sophia wasn't born and I verified when we made the little bugger that Nyx couldn't have had any other children."

Ben must either be a time traveler, or he knows one. Any other conclusion doesn't make sense, not that those make a lot of sense.

"Look, there isn't a date on the papers, but I wouldn't doubt someone like Witchy here could find a way to travel backwards or forward in time. The science exists for those who can figure out a way to use it."

"Can we get a copy of what you have? We have multiple people doing some research into what makes Nyx tick and it'd be nice to have something to compare it to," Sebastian says. The papers are exciting him about as much as the sight of me without clothes on does. If Sophia wasn't in between us, I'd consider checking the real effect of the thought of reading medical records has on him.

He's weird. That's all anyone can say on the subject.

"Is this our stop?" Alex asks, bringing the vehicle to a stop in front of a building that clearly states it's a university. The sign is all the proof I need. I don't know if we're all going in or if the guy is meeting us out here, so I sit and await instructions.

Chapter 15

Learning to like the taste of metal

"Are we just going to sit here and wait?" I ask, getting bored.

It's only been thirty seconds, but I'm tired of looking at the people in the crowd, trying to decide who looks important enough to be the one we're picking up. All I'm seeing are a bunch of humans, and if we're picking up one of them, I'll use Aphrodite to learn how to sword swallow.

"The demon flew the coop the second we parked," Hilda says from behind me. "I can chase him down if you want, but it might scare the humans."

I don't waste my time verifying her claim. The car still smells like strawberries to me, but a little of the arrogance has left the air.

"Who wants to just leave him here?"

"My guess is that he knew that would be your first idea, because he's jogging at a quick pace heading in this direction," Dad says, pointing out the window.

I bet this is the first time Ben has ever run. Really why would he even need to, other than the fact it looks like he has a human beside him, and for some reason he doesn't just zap them both into the SUV. They couldn't have started that far away, judging by their speed and the amount of time we've been sitting here.

The guy looks normal enough. He isn't a paranorm, but I can tell there's something different about him. He looks older than me, possibly in the lower thirties range. He's wearing a baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses so his features are hidden. I'd say he's trying to pull off a disguise. I hope Aphrodite isn't as sharp as she looks. It might tickle when I put her down my throat.

They reach the car and they both jump in. We don't really have the room for another person in the car last I checked.

"I guess I can sit on Marcus' lap. It's going to be a hardship on my part, but I'll try to endure." Hilda adds some sighing to her poor acting job. Everyone knows she's doing a jig in her mind.

"Thanks, Witchy. Why don't you start us back on the road, Alex? We can talk on the way to the next destination."

Sebastian gives Alex a set of instructions and our procession gets started again. I still don't pick up a specific vibe on the stranger. He smells like sawdust, but that doesn't give me a species.

"Are you ready to talk?" A block down the road is more than far enough to get things going.

"It's easier to explain now. You might not have believed me before. My friend here is Solly. I don't think he'll mind you using the nickname, as King Solomon tends to raise eyebrows. Let that sink in for a second and you'll see my concern with you running into him on your own," Ben states.

I think I saw a hospital back by the school we just left. It might take demon patients suffering mental problems. I have a nice candidate for whatever treatment they've come up with to cure that particular ailment.

"Are you trying to tell us there's a person sitting back there with you who's over two thousand years old?" I ask, trying to do some math with just general numbers and dates that I'm trying to remember concerning Solomon.

"That would be a true statement," the man answers for himself. "I'm actually around three thousand if that makes you feel better. I'm sure you have a ton of questions, but please let me explain things before you make a play for my ring. As Ben describes it to me, a snatch and grab won't work in this case."

"You can't be human," I say, stating what my mind finally comes up with after all of its calculations.

"But I am. It's the very thing you are tasked with taking from me that keeps me alive. If it were to be removed from my finger, all my years could catch up with me and turn me to dust."

I guess we can forget about the trials. It sounds impossible to achieve the goal following the rules.

"You don't sound certain that it will out right kill you," Hilda says. "Have you tried to remove it before?"

I like how we all just take this guy's word that he's an ancient king. I think it speaks to us all having been around the block a few too many times. No questions about how he faked aging and dying years before make-up artists were all the rage. I'm not sure how he could've faked wrinkles back in the day.

"When I was younger, I would occasionally take it off to age. I've had the ring since I was twenty and there were a few times I needed to look more mature," he explains. "I assume since I'd physically change, the years were catching up."

"Do you have anything up your sleeve that would help, Hilda?" Alex asks, jumping right in trying to solve the problem.

"Immortality is really tricky. It tends to need big mojo to pull it off and if you must know, I haven't perfected it yet. I've learned some tricks, but nothing that would help here."

Perfect. I wonder if there's some place Solly wants to be dropped off.

"Demon?" Sebastian queries in a voice that indicates his tongue is about to fall out from making the request.

"I've tried to come up with an acceptable solution for the problem longer than everyone in this vehicle has been alive. The only thing I have in my tool belt that we've come up with is to turn him into marble. He didn't like the idea of hanging out in your lobby though."

"Great. Where can we drop you two off?"

"Not so fast, Buttercup. If the angels say you're going to be wearing the ring, you find a solution to the problem. I've known Solly long enough that I had to let him know change was coming. I just don't know how you accomplish it."

The angels weren't specific on how far in the future I was sporting the new accessory. It could be centuries before I figure out how to obtain the ring without killing the man wearing it.

"A day or two isn't a lot of time to come up with a solution. She's supposed to have this done before her birthday. I'll use the rest of the flight time to see if I can find out more about the ring itself. If I can find out who made it, maybe I can find a way to transfer the immortality to another object and leave whatever powers it holds alone," Hilda says.

I don't really want to have the ring, but I'm curious just what it will do. Gabe and Michael listed so many theories that it'd be interesting to know if any of them are true.

"Everyone thinks I'll eventually wear the ring, have you found it to be an easy burden to bear?"

"As far as burdens go, the living forever portion is the only thing that gets me down. Don't get me wrong; even after this many years, I'm not ready to die. I haven't used the ring's power for years. The world has changed so much that I don't see the point."

"I'm going to be upset at myself for asking this, but have you thought about turning? Wouldn't you be able to live your life without the ring?" I didn't want to give my own solutions, but it seems like a plausible idea.

"I'm adverse to losing the sun and drinking blood. Before now, there wasn't enough of a reason for considering that possibility. I can deal with the change if that's my only option."

"That's good news. Would it for sure work?" Sebastian asks. "Theoretically it would be swapping one form of immortality for another, but do you think the ring somehow prohibits that from happening?"

"Not enough information to process at this time. After we touch down in Scotland, I should have a clearer picture. I'd ask for angel advice, but I don't think it'd be handed out this situation," Hilda replies. "If you fill me in on just what the ring is capable of, I may be able to cross-reference things quicker."

"I've heard the rumors of what people think it can do. They're about as true as the rumors of how many wives and mistresses I had back in the day. The ring doesn't allow me to control demons, or other species of paranorms that you've come across, and trust me, God didn't have a hand in making this ring.

"Years ago, obviously, I had a sister, who's hard to find out about in the history books because of the amount of brothers listed before her. She was brutally murdered and in my grief I requested help from a gypsy, as some would call them. She charmed the ring to give me the ability to communicate with the dead. I wasn't aware she also cursed it to make me live with my grief forever."

The first thought that comes to my mind is that I need to call Gabe and tell him to either forget about it or come up with a different trial. Even if we're able to keep Solomon alive, I don't want anything to do with a ring that allows the dead to talk to me. I've had brushes with ghouls, an experience I don't recommend, and the ghosts are only here in this plane because of some important task they feel they need to accomplish. Sitting around talking to them is wasting their time.

"That's really all it does?" Hilda asks, clearly disappointed. "People have been searching for that thing for years and you don't even get to make wishes with it or control another person's mind. Do you at least get to talk to some cool people?"

"You wouldn't believe the number of times I've wished I'd never laid eyes on the thing. It didn't even work how I thought it would. My sister stayed around for a couple of weeks, but once I tracked down her murderer, she left. After that, I continued to see dead people all the time and eventually found I could control them if I wanted. It isn't an ability worth the price of admission. I finally learned to control it enough that I just turn it off."

"I'm curious, what did the person who gave you the ring tell you it would do?" I ask.

If it made him so miserable, I'm surprised he didn't take it off once his sister moved on.

"Her words echo through my brain to this day. She said 'This ring will bring you greatness and help you find what you have lost. As long as you wear it, she will always be with you.'"

"Sounds about normal for something a witch type person would say. Maybe she was one of Hilda's ancestors."

"Speaking of ancestors, the last time I read a history book, your father looked an awful lot like the guy sitting next to you," Sebastian states, drawing my immediate attention. "How exactly does that all work out. Your father couldn't have gotten old and passed everything down to you if he's currently standing in our foyer."

"That would be rather difficult. I didn't know Ben had changed places with my father back then. I think that's part of the reason he's spent years trying to help me."

"I explained the situation to Solomon when I realized his dilemma. He didn't grow up missing a father figure because I filled in, but I felt I owed it to him anyway," Ben says.

"You could always release his dad and let them reunite," I suggest. Whether he wants to do it or not, I'm letting both of my statues get their lives back when we get home. I don't care that they're really Sebby's and that they'll be more confused than a dolphin that just grew legs and is walking on land. Let's just pretend I didn't come up with that thought. It was weird.

"It's a nice thought, but too much time has gone by for any kind of reunion. Me being the only person he recognizes wouldn't be fun."

I don't care. My mind is finally made up and the task will be dealt with. Now, it's time to grab Sebastian's secret weapon and move on. History was never my greatest subject and having had to talk about it so much in the last twenty minutes, or however long we've been driving along, has filled my boring talk for the rest of the year. It even put Sophia to sleep.

Chapter 16

A weapons room my weapons are envious of

The home we pull up in front of is just what I was expecting. Elegant, humungous and amazing are all words that come to mind. Not at all the type of place I'd pick for myself. Something about it makes it hard to focus in on any of its features. You just have to sit back and stare without really picking up any words to describe things.

"Hey, Sebastian, since you're practically my brother, do you think Sam and I could crash here when we decide to tour this city. Maybe we should change our itinerary to places you already have homes."

Phee is jumping up and down with excitement. I don't know who let her near the sugar, but they should be smacked. She's making way too many plans and I really want to give her a reality check about not all of us potentially surviving the battle, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

"I'll give you a list later. We don't have time for a full tour today, so stick close and don't wander off. I haven't been here for a while, and you never know who might have decided to use the place for themselves."

"You get a lot of unexpected visitors? I find that unlikely." With the amount of security that we have back home, and Sebastian's paranoia about it, I don't see him being lax on the matter even if we're in a different country.

"People sometimes need a place to hideout, not everyone can gain access to Faerie or Ghost Town. When they run out of options, they sometimes show up here, or one of my other places."

"Great. Let's get in and then back to the plane. Is whatever you're picking up going to need all of us to carry?"

Maybe he has a giant anvil or something he wants to drop on the Collective's troop's heads. I'm not sure what effect that would have on a paranorm, but I'm willing to find out.

"You have your special knives and swords, and I have mine." We've made it to the front door and he opens it up by just turning the knob. He probably has millions of dollars' worth of stuff inside the home and he doesn't even bother to lock it.

Men. I'll never understand how their brains work.

"Do you have Excalibur sitting inside waiting to be pulled out of a rock?"

"Don't be silly. I keep it locked in a case. I was thinking of using Attila's sword for this trip. Excalibur can be fun, but it's more of a party favor," Sebastian says, and starts down a hallway at a fast clip.

The rest of us hurry to keep up and quickly find ourselves being led up a set of stairs. I have a feeling the room he's leading us to is going to be hard for me to leave. He's mentioned two legendary swords that I never dreamed of seeing in real life.

I can't believe he's kept his best weapons a secret from me. Not only do I love to use them, but I think they make great wall accessories. It's probably good that I'm carrying Sophia now. My hands will hopefully keep from grabbing everything I see.

Sebastian turns to a door and enters a code into the keypad there. I guess he has his priorities straight. Everyone come on in and make yourselves at home, the art and such throughout the house is all yours, but the weapons are secure.

"Some of the things in this room are dangerous, so please don't touch before you ask," Sebastian says, and then opens the door wide. "And if you hear anything speaking to you, just ignore what it says."

What a fun introduction. "Before even walking in and having a look for myself, what's the newest weapon in your little collection?"

"I'd say it's a tie between the Thompson submachine gun and the BAR. Both are from Bonnie and Clyde's collection, which makes them almost eighty years old."

"And the oldest?" I can now see the walls of the room covered in swords, knives, guns, tridents, scythes, bows and axes in all different shapes and sizes. There are a couple of glass showcases with more weapons, but their shininess is nothing compared to everything else. This is what I call art.

"That's hard to answer. I have no way of knowing for sure when some of the owners really lived. That trident over there was supposed to belong to Poseidon. If that's true, it's a good example of the age range you're looking at."

I hear someone in the group whistle. It must have taken a while to get all of these weapons in one place, not to mention the price tag on some of this stuff.

"I guess I know where we're moving our bedroom to, little one," I say, glancing down at Sophia.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Can't you hear the weird voices? Daddy said not to listen, but they're loud." Her little face is scrunched up in what looks like pain.

I don't hear anything and it worries me that she does. "Does anyone else hear voices?"

"I do, but I'm used to toning voices out with all of my minions," Ben says. "They aren't saying anything important. I'm guessing you have more than weapons in here somewhere. Ancient relics can be a pain in the butt to deal with."

"I haven't heard them personally, but in research I've heard some of the items call out to certain people. Anyone else picking it up?" Sebastian asks.

A round of negatives makes me feel a little better about not hearing it myself. I don't like that Ben and Sophia both can though.

"Let me just grab that sword I wanted and my original Bowie knife. We can get out of here and worry about what artifacts I have hidden at a later time," Sebastian says, walking over to the wall and lifting a large sword down.

The metal sings as he whips it around a little to get a good feel. Sebastian with a sword deserves a lot of appreciation. Art in motion. That's all I have to say on that subject.

He grabs a knife that looks like it's seen better days. I don't get a great look at it before he sticks it in a sheath on his thigh. "Do those weapons have an advantage over the ones we have back home?"

Neither of them shot fireworks to prove they were special. All my special weapons had to be obtained by crazy methods, which in my mind makes them capable of doing whatever the angels claim.

"Yes, I won't bore you with the history, since we both know you'd fall asleep after a couple of sentences. They don't ensure kills, but they're the sharpest weapons I have and will do a lot of damage. Alex, can I interest you in anything? I have a wicked set of Colts that would be right up your alley."

"Do you have some good ammo to go along with them?" Alex even pondering carrying a weapon is a phenomenon worthy of media attention.

I've seen him target practice, so I know he's a great shot, but I haven't seen him with a weapon outside of the house.

"We've never gone against the kind of threat we're going to be facing. The fight that could have happened in Faerie is nothing compared to going up against Stevens. With Candace being there, things are even more dangerous. I won't fool myself into thinking I can kill everything they throw at us."

"I can hook you up with some pure silver. I don't think you'll need anything more than that and the guns were made to shoot anything," Sebastian says as he grabs the pair of guns off the wall and tosses them over to Alex. I'm sure they have some great history behind them, probably about the Wild West and a shootout at dawn.

"Are you handing out weapons for anyone in the room, or are only immediate family members included?" Ben asks while concentrating on the wall in front of us. Everyone, even Sophia, has their eye on something in the room.

"Why would you need a weapon?" I ask. I don't plan for him to be on the battlefield with us and I don't believe for a second he lost the ability to just call a weapon to his hand whenever he feels like it.

"I wasn't planning to let anyone just have their choice of my private stash," Sebastian adds.

"I want to be just as prepared as the rest of you for taking on our opponent. All I'm asking is to borrow one of your scythes. I have one of my own, but you can't just call another reaper's scythe and having two will look amazing while I'm in action."

Maybe for someone of his stature it would work, but if I tried to wield two of those five-foot-long monstrosities, it would only lead to me tripping myself.

"You're joining us in the actual fight? What about Solomon? It isn't a place for a human even if they have immortality," Alex states.

A human would have better luck standing between a starving tiger and their first glimpse of edible meat in days. I don't think either side is going to have any give when the time comes. We may be able to knock the aggressiveness out of some of the troops, but they'll still be paranorms who think they're on the side of right.

"Do you seriously think I could sit at home and worry whether or not Buttercup is holding her own? She bears my mark and that would give me some input, but not enough to keep the carpet from becoming just threads between my feet. I'm guessing someone is staying behind to babysit Sophia, they can look after Solly, too."

I don't know how much I trust Solly and the idea doesn't sound great to me. If I could believe Ben would remain on our side fighting with us, having a demon around wouldn't be horrible. "Do we have any guarantee that you won't use the weapon you're requesting against one of us?"

"Would you like me to pinkie swear?"

"Does that have some kind of binding that it doesn't have for other people when it's done with you?"

"It can," he says, coming closer to me and extending his right hand, pinkie out, towards me. I hesitate for a second, but I really don't believe locking pinkies will make a lick of difference. The first rule of dealing with demons is still never trust a demon. "I vow to always fight on your side and protect you with my life. May not even my Ruler break this pact."

My dang little finger heats up and I feel a tingle on the palm holding his mark. "What did you just do?"

"I wanted to make sure you knew I was serious. Your eyes said you didn't believe it was possible."

What I don't believe is that people in this room probably knew what would happen and they didn't make a move to stop it. They just let the demon make some crazy pact with me. Maybe since I didn't say anything or really do anything in response it won't be true. I know the world isn't going to come to an end with him offering even more protection than he has in the past, I just don't want it.

"Let's just leave that interesting event to talk about later and get out of here. The flight over to Scotland won't take that long and we have a lot of research to do on the way," Sebastian says, and works to get everyone out of the room.

No one wants to leave all the pretty weapons, but we find the will to depart.

Chapter 17

We be roughing it

The ride to the airport and the flight itself takes what feels like only minutes. Everyone seems busy either trying to figure out a way to remove the ring from Solomon's hand or calculating just how many Collective agents they're planning on maiming.

The plane touching down doesn't snap them to attention like I would've desired. "How close are we to the Highland game site?" I ask, hoping someone is paying attention.

"We have to stay far enough away not to cause a disturbance on their radar. I'm not one hundred percent for sure where their side is staying, so we found a place about twenty miles out. I don't think Stevens would drive more than a mile or two. I won't claim to be an expert on the method behind his madness, but that's the general feeling I have about him," Sebastian says. "Did you come up with anything good, Hilda?"

He finally puts down his tablet. I thought his digitizing of all his tomes would be a good thing, but when a question comes up it's impossible to get him away from the books sometimes.

"My network is coming up blank. Everyone has heard of the ring, but no one knows who it came from. I'm thinking we might need to bring in the big guns on this one. You'll all forget you heard this, but Addie is probably more knowledgeable about this type of thing. If she can't think of a solution, I say we just have Nyx turn him. Will doesn't have any of the normal vampire disadvantages, so Solly can't complain."

"I just thought of an issue with my original thought on making him a vampire. The rule is that we can't kill him. Do you think the angels would classify the change as killing him? Doesn't he have to 'die' for it to be successful?" Solomon is sitting in the cabin with us and I'm sure he enjoys us talking about him like he isn't in the room. I know I always get a kick out of it when people do that to me.

"Good point. I don't know how the angels would take that little twist. Let's get everyone situated and we can give Queen Adeline a call. I'm curious to hear what she's been up to," Alex says.

He's curious to see if she's analyzed my blood and discovered that I have giant squid DNA. All right, maybe not giant squid, but it's my blood he wants to know about.

"Do you actually have places for everyone with us to crash?" Phee asks as we depart the plane.

I don't know where exactly we are in Scotland, but I don't think it's a major city. The trees lining our landing strip, which appears to have been made ten minutes ago, is a big indicator for me that a five-star hotel isn't just around the corner. Good lighting is lacking because of the missing sun in the sky, but most of us can see there isn't a lot in the vicinity other than trees. Oh and grass. If we were cows we'd have it made.

"I think we packed a good seventy-five tents. That should be more than enough with people bunking together," Sebastian says and then grabs Sophia's car seat away from me. "Are you ready for an adventure, little princess?"

I wonder if anyone warned Smitty about the accommodations. I know he's not big on roughing it and tent living is about as back to nature as one can get. "Where are you expecting our daughter to sleep? I believe you promised we could stop by a grocery store if we needed to pick anything up." He couldn't have lied to me, so I'm sure he has a plan.

"Civilization isn't that far away, but we didn't want an influx of paranorms showing up all at once. I'm positive some of the locals will be heading up to the games and I don't think they'd have any problem spreading the word to the people we're trying to keep that a secret from."

"Just how far away is this civilization?" Phee asks. "What if just Sam and I go rent a room somewhere? I don't think I can live without hot running water."

"You need to stick around to plan with us. I'm thinking we need some folks to go do recon work and a lot of the key players will be out of that action, but a handful of us aren't as well-known," Hilda says.

"I hate to break this to you, but if we're really within twenty miles of the head honcho, and Candy Cane is with him, we just lit up like a nuclear bomb on her radar," Ben informs us. "There's no way this many paranorms doesn't show up for even a minor demon. I'm not sure how many you were expecting on their side of things, but there are a good three hundred paranorms in that twenty mile radius, not including the ones from the plane."

"So much for using surprise as a weapon," Dad says, looking out into the forest around us. "I like this spot, Sebastian. It's a good place for things to end. It reminds me of camping trips my dad would take us on whenever he got a few free moments. They didn't happen often, which made each of them special."

"I think the hope is to draw them to us. Stevens is too big of a coward to come alone, so we're banking on the succubus to drive him here," Alex says.

"We have the perfect bait, even if I hesitate to use her. Candace won't be able to resist going up against Nyx. Hilda is right about us sending people ahead to see what we're facing, but she's wrong in thinking Nyx won't be involved. Your daughter has to be seen, and it'd be better if none of us were with her at the time," Sebastian adds.

Whoa. I can't believe he really just said that. I get to actually put myself in danger? Somewhere in the world a cat just snuggled up to a dog. I know sometimes they do that on their own, but I'm thinking a wild tiger and a wolf. I doubt that's a common occurrence.

"Don't get too excited. I was referring to the menfolk staying behind. You have to take Hilda and Phee with you, and since there's likely to be shopping booths, I think you're going to get the short end of the stick," Sebastian says. Depending on the timing, the humans could be asleep and that shopping threat is nonexistent.

"Just when did you come up with this plan? It wasn't talked about at the round table. Just like that, I'm bait and we're fighting here in this clearing. Hilda, you need to remove their link. I'm tired of learning things after they've sat around talking without me being able to add input."

"It was a long plane ride, Babe. The weather conversation got boring quickly. Let's worry about setting up our tent. We brought a portable crib for Sophia and there's a stream not far away for washing."

I sure hope they had a long conversation on what they were going to do about bathrooms. We have a lot of people here and a baby who may or may not be potty trained. I guess the plane has facilities and they aren't bad up front. Did they consider food? We consist of mostly meat eaters and Clyde isn't able to go thirty minutes without grinding his teeth on something.

"Not a huge deal. I didn't bother packing weapons. I packed a six-foot-long cooler full of meats for me. As long as we don't take more than three days, I should be sitting pretty."

That's one worry off my mind. I think I've seen him hungry only once and he was willing to gnaw on any ankles that got close to him.

The troops are unloading massive amounts of cargo from the plane. I must have slept an extra day in order for them to load all this stuff. Either that or my ready for anything mates must have a plane loaded with tents and all the finest camping accessories at all times.

"Thanks, Callahan," Sebastian says, taking a large bag from a guard. He's lucky that I love the baby he's carrying or I'd take advantage of him having his hands full. "Do you have any preference on where in the clearing we sleep?"

"Do you think one little tent is going to be enough for the four of us? I know the grownups won't take up much room because I can use one of you guys as a mattress, but a portable crib is going to take up some space." I've slept under the stars before, but never inside of a tent.

"Most of the tents are nine-by-nine dome tents; however, ours is a four room cabin away from home. I think a spot over there by those trees will be good for our group. The guards can get a little loud during the day and with us going into battle soon, they need to work off their extra anxiety."

I guess my opinion doesn't really matter. It was nice of him to at least ask. I let him lead the way to his approved spot. Dad, Walt and Jonas follow close behind without tents in their hands. Ben and Solly aren't far behind, but Ben can probably make a tent appear out of nowhere, so I don't find that strange.

Dad catches me looking and smiles. "We're wolves. The canopy of trees overhead is the only thing we need. A chunk of grass to lie on is always nice, but we can deal with hard dirt."

He must not have heard Phee earlier trying to get a lift into town to find a hotel. I don't think all wolves are created equally, but I'm happy to hear my family has some sturdy stock in the roots.

"How long do you think it will take to get everything setup? We need to discuss how you guys see things playing out and how us girls are going to travel twenty miles away with only a jumbo jet as a mode of transportation."

"First things first. The tent is a quick set, so it will take about ten minutes. Before you make any plans to run off, you need to call Adeline and see if she has any suggestions for obtaining the ring. You can brush it off all you want, but I still think you need to complete the trial.

"If you don't, later in life you'll kick yourself for not finishing something that most people don't have a chance to even dream of trying," Sebastian says as he unloads the tent. Sophia is sitting nearby him watching everything.

"He's right, Princess. You don't back down from challenges. I know it isn't a fight like you probably hoped the angel trials would be, but it's a challenge and you love those." Jonas' words do hit that competitive part of my brain.

"Did the angels really think you'd run into physical problems trying to get the ring?" Ben asks. He has picked up some rocks and is juggling them to amuse Sophia. It's yet another wrong image that my mind has trouble accepting.

"They thought there was enough danger involved that I'd need special weapons to get a hold of it. Since you guys are so buddy-buddy, would you be the reason angels haven't been able to find the trinket? The way they talked, there had to have been some giant monster guarding it like gold."

And really, how silly were they to arm me with an angel sword and in the same breath tell me I couldn't kill anyone during my task. The ring doesn't even sound like it does anything all that special.

"You've seen my true form; would you call me a giant monster? Were the angels hoping to use the ring to imprison my kind? I'd love to see the looks on their faces when they realize it won't help them. They're just going to try to come up with another way to win people over to their side. I hear cookies are great motivators."

If, and that's a big if, I do become a member of the angel ranks, they better not think I'm going to be out on the street promoting goodness. I don't think people would take kindly to me showing up at their door with my Hellhound and asking if they've thought about being good today.

"Enough silly stuff for now," Alex says. "Make the call to Adeline, so we can get on with things."

Fine. I take out my phone and dial the number someone was kind enough to store for me. I still hope she won't be able to help. I seem to be hoping a lot of stuff lately. It must be my new favorite action word. Let's pretend it has nothing to do with having angel blood.

Chapter 18

A visit from the Queen

The phone rings five times and I'm about to hang up when a high pitched squeal echoes through my brain. I shake my head to clear it and pull the phone away from my ear. I haven't heard a dog whistle before, but I think one just went off in my brain.

"Adeline, if you speak to me in that tone of voice, I'm just going to hang up. I'm putting the phone back to my ear now and you have half a second to find a lower octave. I can't believe you answer the phone that way."

"Nyx, is that you? I didn't have your number programmed in. I wouldn't have used my special voice if I knew it was you. I'm glad you called. We have so much to discuss."

I haven't got the phone back to my ear yet, but I'm glad to hear the voice I heard when we met in person. She's talking as fast as Phee does when she's excited, which of course worries me.

"It hasn't been that long since we saw each other. You couldn't have gathered too much stuff to talk about. I'm told I need your advice on a matter, whether I really want it or not."

I don't know why someone else didn't make this call. She and Hilda seemed to rekindle some kind of weird girl romance thing. Do they have a word for that? I've heard of bromance, but is there a female equivalent? Gromance sounds weird. Hmm. I'm going to have to search the Internet for that answer later.

"Wow. None of the people around you could come up with a solution for something. Are you about to make me use all my mental capacities?" she queries.

I have only been successful in getting her more wound up.

"I don't know about mental, but magical ones might be taxed."

Sebastian has successfully pitched the tent, it's as large as he claimed, and he's moved on to putting together the crib someone brought him. Alex ran off, after making sure I dialed the phone, to gather firewood or something. Everyone else is either putting their tents up or entertaining Sophia. She has her own personal circus. I don't see any clowns around, which is good because I predict I'd become violent around one.

"I assure you my magical capabilities are all back online and ready to be used. What can I do for you?"

"We have an enchanted, cursed, charmed, whatever you want to call it, ring on a guy's finger that's giving him immortality and we want to remove it without killing the guy. Suggestions?"

I see no reason for going into the backstory that has gotten us to this point. I don't know how up-to-date she is on human history and stating names won't make a difference in this case.

"And Hilda has no easy fix for this? Hasn't she conquered that pesky little task of immortality? That's a rhetorical question, so don't bother answering. What else does the ring do? I'm guessing the wearer isn't the one who enchanted it, but I know immortality is rarely gifted to a person by itself."

I haven't known the lady long, but I can envision her looking through her knowledge base like she was flipping through a book. It's a really big book from what I've heard from others.

"It lets him play with ghosts. We're unclear if that's really all it does, but he's a few thousand years old and so far that's all he's done with it," I explain.

"That's pretty boring. Ghosts aren't usually a lively bunch. We don't deal with them much in Faerie, but I've heard of them. You're sure removing the ring will result in death?"

"He says he aged the times he removed the ring before. I don't think he's done it in a few years though. He doesn't look much older than me, so I'd say it has been well over a thousand years since the last time he tried it. He doesn't like the idea of trying to take it off to see what happens."

I hear her humming to herself and I'm not sure how to interpret it. Maybe she's moved on from being a book to turning into a computer.

"A couple of questions before we proceed. First, just to verify, he's human, right?"

"Correct. He was a king back in his day and supposedly well-known. I've heard of him, but I don't have a full biography to hand out."

"Great. What does he look like? Let's go on a scale from one to ten, ten being the highest."

I understand the species question because I'd think the amount of power she packed into a spell might be different on a human, but why in the world would how he looked matter?

I look over at the man in question. He's still wearing his hat, but the glasses are off so I can see his eyes. They're an eerie shade of gray that makes me think of a wolf for some reason. He has dark olive skin and very strong facial features. His cheekbones are pronounced, his nose is straight and he has a hint of stubble growing around his chin.

"I don't know. I guess a high seven or eight. I'm not really a good judge on that type of thing. I can ask someone with me who'd give you a better answer."

"Not necessary, can I talk to Hilda or Sebastian real quick?"

She's turning out to be my least favorite person to have a phone conversation with. Answering the phone in an annoying voice, asking weird questions and then wanting to talk to someone else equals three strikes against her. I think in baseball that means she'd be out.

"Sebby, are you at a place where you can talk to Her Royal Highness? I don't think I offer good enough conversation."

I walk over and shove the phone at him. I didn't get a sense of whether or not she thought she could help in the situation. I do have the feeling that if I said Solomon was a dog, as in ugly, she would've said killing him would be best.

I leave the phone with Sebastian and wander over to Sophia who's watching Clyde practice his fire breathing techniques on leaves Ben is throwing into the air. She seems to be enjoying it, so I take a seat on the ground next to her.

"Well, she says she's on her way," Sebastian says, handing my phone back to me.

That was quick. Wait a second, what did he just say? "Care to repeat that?"

"She needed to know our location and the guesstimation of how close the nearest Faerie mound is. I gave her my best guess and she said she'd be here in about ten minutes," he explains. "There are tons of mounds here in Scotland, so she should be able to find one that's close by."

She must have had a ton to talk about if she's now able to just come over for a visit. What in the world did she find in my blood that's lifting her self-imposed ban on venturing to our world?

"Did she say anything about being able to help with the situation?" Ben asks while he pauses his antics. "I can't say that I've met a Fae before. They're normal sized people, right?"

"I didn't really get a yes or no answer on that subject," Sebastian claims. "I'd be inclined to think that since she's coming here, she has an idea. Yes, the Fae are the same height as us. It's the other species of Faerie that don't tend to be as tall."

"We have a few species that could compete against the tallest person in your world, but they're hard to find. This forest is beautiful. All the shades of green are breathtaking. I was worried that your talk of progress had destroyed places like this."

I turn around to find the Queen and her entourage have already arrived. No way it's been a full ten minutes. She must have run.

She's decked out in a full-scale ball gown. The thing sticks out a good two feet around her ankles. She most certainly did not dress for roughing it. I see Killian standing close to her, and I believe the rest of the visitors are her Knights of the Round Table who helped guide us through Faerie. I couldn't tell you a single one of their names.

"Holy smokes," Hilda says, jumping out of her newly erected tent. "I'm going to have to make sure I give myself better hearing soon. I wasn't aware Addie was coming for a visit."

"Don't worry, Darling. It was all very last minute," Addie says, joking with the witch.

Maybe womance will work as a word to describe their relationship. I know BFFs is probably what Phee would use, but it's too juvenile for women of their age. Breast mates might work, because face it they both have them and it's kind of funny.

"So which piece of flesh am I here to inspect. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," Addie says, pointing her finger around and landing on Solomon. She starts stalking around him and I can only compare it to what I imagine people do when they're buying a horse.

"Does that help find a way to keep him alive sans ring?" I ask, getting creeped out by her perusal. If she starts running her hand up his thighs, I'm turning the other way.

"You'd be surprised how much it helps. Are you afraid to travel to a new place that can sometimes be home to strange and unusual creatures?" The question is directed to Solomon.

"Do I have to turn into one of those strange and unusual creatures?" he asks in return.

Addie has stopped circling and is standing in front of him. "No."

"Then, I see no problem with visiting a new place." Brave words from a human. I've run into some of those strange creatures and I like to think I'm lucky to still be alive.

"Do you have any aversions to intercourse?"

Is she planning on selling him off as a sex slave? I'm pretty sure I'll never understand this woman's line of questioning.

"If it's with strange and unusual creatures, possibly, and I prefer female bed partners."

"Perfect. I had to get rid of a few concubines who weren't working out anymore and I have an opening I think you'd fill nicely."

I look to see what Killian thinks about this development, but as usual, since his Queen woke from her coma, he's smiling like a fool. I can't really throw stones with two mates sharing my bed, but my brain still finds multiple bed partners odd.

Solomon looks Addie up and down to get a look at what he's signing up for. "I like what I see. There shouldn't be any problems on my end fulfilling your needs. Does that mean you have a way for me to go ringless?"

He's a guy and she has boobs, so I didn't think there'd be any issue on his end with getting down and dirty. Personally, I would've asked a few more questions about what my new home was like.

"You can take it off now if you want. As soon as you said you approved of my terms I put my plan in place. You see, I have the ability to control time, even outside of my little world.

"I have made it so the time right up next to your skin no longer advances. That should hold you until we get back to your new home where I can mix you up a potion that will make you a little more hardy and capable of rising to the occasion whenever I need you."

So, a little immortality mixed with make Willie happy pills. How that's not the weirdest combination of things I've heard of is shocking.

Solomon looks down at his ring with unsurety crinkling his face. He slowly takes his other hand and twists the ring off while closing his eyes tight. He doesn't vanish before our eyes. Crap. That means I have to take the ring.

"Does anyone have a chain I can wear that thing around? I don't want another accessory for my fingers at the moment." I don't think just putting it in my duffle to deal with later is a smart option.

Sebastian pulls a thin gold necklace out from under his collar. I haven't seen it on him before and it's odd that he'd wear it when we're planning on getting our hands messy.

"I wear it for luck. It was my mother's and I didn't think you'd be willing to wear it, so I'm wearing it for you. My mother was a very lucky woman." He hands the chain over and Solomon does the same with the ring.

"If you want, Hilda and I could look the ring over real quick and try to decipher what power it holds," Adeline suggests, and I think that sounds like a great idea.

The ring warms and glows in my hand briefly as I hand it over. It's never a good thing when stuff like that happens.

"I think it likes you," Adeline says while she looks it over. "It isn't a kind of magic that I'm familiar with."

"Let me see that thing," Hilda says, snatching it from her. "I'm taking it Ben hasn't ever got a good look at the inside of this thing. If the angels know the back story, I can understand why they've been looking for this."

Ben moves in closer, but doesn't make a move to possess the ring. "Oh. I'm glad I didn't go to her for help. I thought about it a number of times, but help from her always comes with a price."

Now, I want to grab the ring back and see what they're looking at. I still don't want to wear it though.

"The ring was very limited in its powers when a human wore it. If it were to be worn by someone who happened to have golden wings, you get a whole different story being told. I can't predict what power it holds, but your mother likes to do strange things to objects. As much as you'll hate to hear this, I'm guessing this ring was always destined to find you," Hilda says, handing it back to me.

I wonder how far away the stream is that Sebastian mentioned was around here somewhere. I have a burning desire to just throw the dang ring as far as I can down river. Instead, I do the responsible thing and put the ring on the chain and secure it around my neck, not bothering to see what was inside that proclaimed my mother had a hand in it. It wouldn't be good for an unsuspecting human to find it and end up ruining their life by putting it on.

Problem one solved, time to move on to the next one. One of these days, I hope the problems run out.

Chapter 19

Hook, line and sinker

"Do you want to explain to us why you and the gang rushed to meet us when we could've sent Solomon over to Faerie for you to do your thing with?" Alex asks.

"I'd love to, but I have to acknowledge the little one sitting in the weird chair over there. The last time I saw her she was hidden behind a bit of flesh. I believe you'd be Sophia, right?"

"That's right, Sophia Rose deYork-Monroe-Gentry-Slaughter. Thank you for your help in getting my grandfather back from those bad people."

It figures she's on board with the long hyphenated last name. I'll keep fighting it, but I'm guessing it's one of my many losing battles.

"I don't think I've seen a baby look that much like her mother that young. They also don't tend to be able to talk when they're that size either. You guys are both very special, which leads us to why we're here," Addie says before giving Sophia a quick wave and turning back to me.

"Your blood is a melting pot of at least seven different paranorm species. The angel, werewolf and vampire overpower the rest to the point where they aren't apparent on the surface, but I did find Fae and what I believe is dragon blood swirling around. I have no idea what the other two species could be."

"We're going to want to try to figure out the missing ingredients. We have someone from this world getting ready to do some testing too and maybe they'll have come in contact with the other species. Since she hasn't ever turned into a dragon, I'm going to assume the other types are just for variety," Sebastian says.

I'm glad he doesn't sound worried about the development.

"There isn't enough of the other stuff to even bother with. There was just enough Fae that I could use it to develop a serum to allow us to become solid over here. I have to say, if you guys feel this heavy all the time, I'm sorry to hear it."

I'll probably never understand how she can do what she does, so I don't bother even trying to.

"How long are you planning to stick around?" Sebastian asks. "If you don't mind, I'd feel more comfortable sending Nyx in on a chase the rabbit mission with extra backup."

She looks around and sees the tents all up and people sparring to get ready for battle. "We can stay to fight whatever threat you're facing. You helped save my people and if yours are being threatened I'll do what I can to assist."

I don't know if now is a good time to ask what happened with her sister, so I ask another question I just thought of.

"What's the plan for Sophia during the fight? I think we need to figure that out before we go any further."

Alex and Sebastian exchange a glance. Sebastian nods and Alex clears his throat.

"We don't expect the fight to happen until tomorrow, even with you going in and waving the red flag. We'll sleep here during the day tomorrow, and then we're sending Sophia, Solomon, Dante, Will, Hilda, Walt and twenty of the other forces into town to hide out."

Walt in the mix is a little surprising. The only person who would've beat him out for the shock factor would've been Dad. I know they both have a vendetta to see brought to an end.

I look over to Walt to see how he takes the news and he just smiles and nods at me. "You need the strongest, non-essential, person to make sure the heir to the throne is taken care of in case you all die tomorrow."

If looking at it that way makes him feel better, I'll let it go, but I'm not planning on dying anytime soon. I feel comfortable leaving her in that many capable hands. It's a little worrisome that we have to lose that many troops for babysitting duty. Don't get me wrong, Sophia is worth it, but that's a lot of people.

"It sounds like we're facing about two hundred and fifty troops or so. Fifty of the troops Ben mentioned when we touched down should be on our side. We'll be shorthanded, but that has never deterred us before. We have the weapons Carl created to defuse some of the problem, but it will still be a no-holds-barred grudge match, like we've all assumed. They'll have some things up their sleeves and I hope we have a few tricks of our own," Sebastian says.

They're going to outnumber us and they have a succubus on their side. We have me, who could end up being really dangerous because of the timing of everything. I don't know exactly when I was born, but we're going to be close to whatever magic will happen when I turn twenty-three.

We also have a reaper demon who claims he'll fight for us. I'm still surprised that he's stuck around this long. He tends to get bored quickly and takes off to parts unknown to find amusement.

"I can send a couple of the knights to protect the teeny one as well. A little magic may come in handy," Adeline suggests.

"Thank you. I didn't want to impose, but I'd like anyone who can be spared protecting my daughter." Sebastian speaks for me and Alex when he talks. If we could, we'd stay behind and make sure no one got to Sophia.

"Think nothing of it. Is it time to do this red flag waving? Between Hilda and myself, we should be able to pop anyone where we need to be."

Ben has that ability as well, and I don't enjoy the process. For quickness, the sun is going to be up within a few hours, I suppose I'm going to have to deal with the annoying sensations that it causes.

"Just the girls are being sent in for this mission. I don't know that the games are run at night, but the people who need to see you should be out and about. After Candace verifies that Nyx is here, we should be all set for step two. While you're gone, we'll get everything ready here," Alex says. "There's a worry that they'll take the bait too soon and that's why Hilda is going to be with Team Sophia. She can zap her out of here or anywhere they end up if danger comes calling."

"Great. Quinn and Ronan will also be able to perform that task if needed. Where are we headed and how close do you want us to get?"

"I can target you pretty near Candace if that's the goal," Ben offers.

"I'd shoot for a couple of blocks down the road. You don't want to scar Nyx by letting her drop in while Candace is in the middle of one of her bedtime snacks," Sebastian says.

Definitely not my idea of fun. The only one who would get any joy out of one of those snacks is the succubus herself. "Go ahead and zap away. I want to be back here in time to kiss Sophia good night. You aren't hungry or anything, right?"

She ate on the plane and so far hasn't seemed to need hourly nourishment. I'm not sure what we're going to do tomorrow when she could very well be away from me for most of the day.

"I'm good. I might take a little nap, but I'll try to wake up before you come home."

"If your tiny butt is tired, just go to sleep and don't worry about waking up for me. By the time I get back, I'll be ready for bed myself and you don't want to be wide awake all day while everyone else is sleeping."

"Are we ready to get this show on the road?" Phee asks, grabbing my arm. "I can't believe we're going to teleport. How freaking amazing is that?"

The girl likes to shop, so there's obviously something wrong with her brain. What she just said proves the point even more.

"Are you sure you can guide us in without coming along?" I ask Ben, wanting to make sure he didn't have plans to do something crazy.

"You guys just stand close together and I'll take care of the rest. You're on your own getting back. I figure you girls will know the way." We huddle in our small group and I feel a bit of energy surround us. "Buttercup, if she makes a move to end you, do you promise to take her out?"

"It aggravates me that you even have to ask," I reply, and I feel the world disappear before my eyes.

It quickly reappears in another clearing. This one has less trees standing and more giant logs laying on the ground.

"It looks like we're in the caber toss field," Hilda says. "Anyone sensing any evil presences?"

I don't see anyone, but I can feel and smell paranorms not far. They're off somewhere to the right of us. It'd be nice if we could just walk that way and find a hotel welcoming furry creatures.

"I say we go that direction," I say, pointing to where I want to go.

"What are we looking for? A description would be handy in case we split up," Addie says.

I start walking before answering. The quicker we get this done, the faster I can get some shut-eye. I think some jet lag is starting to finally kick in.

"I don't know what any of the Collective forces will for sure look like. The female we're looking for can change appearance, but she prefers to look like a temptress any guy would die to have and a giant road kill smear to any female."

Hilda hurries to run up in front of me. Phee skips along beside me and I suppose Addie has the back covered.

"This doesn't look like a group of girls out for an evening stroll. Can you act normal?" I don't think that's possible with the eclectic group we've put together, but it's worth a try.

"You wouldn't fool anyone doing that, river rat," a voice says, and I see Candace step out from behind a tree up ahead. What has it been, a whole ten steps? "Your arrival here set off all of my warning lights. I wish the guys would've come with you. It isn't as fun killing someone when their loved ones aren't around to watch."

She starts laughing and I grind my teeth. By now, I'm well aware of what makes her tick. If she wants to play, I'm game.

"Aphrodite," I whisper not caring if anyone hears. "Let's have a little fun."

"Sounds wonderful, but first," she says, sweeping her right arm to the side and sending everyone with me flying through the air. "Let's make this just between us. It appears that I don't have long before you come into your full powers. They even let you have one of their little toy swords. How cute. Maybe you can use it to whittle your coffin together."

"You'll see how cute it is when I drive it through your chest. I hear it stings a little for a demon."

I'm not sure she understands the meaning of the word whittle because I don't think it's something you do with a coffin.

"It's too bad that you're still just a baby. All the fun is going to be missing from the fight." She smiles and a sword that looks a lot like mine appears in her hand. "A little small for my liking, but we can try it out."

I don't feel like talking anymore, so I start charging at her. Sometimes it's the only approach my body will allow. I think some more calculated moves would work better here, but I'm tired of drawing out this fight that should've ended weeks ago.

"Malairt!" I hear someone shout and I feel the dang world melt away again.

"Why would you do that?" I ask, and turn to face the magical people in the group. We're back in tent city and I'm not happy.

"If you killed her now, I doubt Stevens would show up here. We were supposed to just be bait to get her excited. You did that and then some," Hilda explains. "Plus, Phee's noggin isn't healing as fast as it should. She was pushed full force into a tree and the tree won the battle."

I look over to where Sam is hovering over his lady love. Not good. I make my way over to have a look.

"What's the verdict Doctor Sam?" I ask, hoping to lighten the situation.

"She has a hard head, like we both know all too well. I can still talk to her and I think she's going to be just fine. A little rest and she'll be as good as new. The bad news on her part is that this is going to relegate her to babysitting duty. A concussion for a werewolf can be dangerous. We can sleep them off, but it takes a day or two for the brain to fix itself."

I like the idea of her staying away from the battle. I wouldn't have asked her before, because it'd make her think I didn't trust her abilities. I do know she can kick butt in any situation, but I want to make sure she's safe.

"First watch, you're on. Everyone else get some sleep. We're going to have the fight of a lifetime on our hands tomorrow and I want everyone to be ready," Sebastian calls out before turning to me. "That means you too, my little warrior. Alex has Sophia all ready for bed. She's just waiting for your kiss."

"I was so close to just running my sword through her. It isn't fair," I whine a little on the way to our tent.

"Tomorrow, you'll make things right then. Tonight, just look at your baby girl and know that what happens later is all for her. We've had opportunities to finish this silly war off over the years, but the thought of our child not being able to live her life free to do as she wishes is what makes now the perfect time for things to end."

I sigh, knowing he's right. He always is. All those years of living have made him into the most logical person in the world. It can get rather annoying. I get to the tent and kiss Sophia good night. I made it just before her eyes closed for the day.

I stand and look at her sleeping for a few minutes. I really do hope everything turns out okay tomorrow. I have a few people I need to talk to in the morning to ensure that no matter what happens she will be okay.

I don't think sleep will come easily tonight, but as I snuggle in next to my two mates, it takes only seconds for me to get pulled under. Definitely jet lag.

Chapter 20

Theoretical good-byes are always interesting

Dream meadow awaits me when my eyelids close. I was hoping to dream up some new moves for the fight tomorrow, but it's been a couple of days since Gabe annoyed me, so it's to be expected. I hope he doesn't have a friend waiting to try to attack me tonight. I don't feel like playing unless it's the real thing.

"I'm busy, if your all-knowing self wasn't aware of that." I don't see him yet, but I know he's there.

Hearing that the angels have invisibility up their sleeves makes me wonder how many times he's been around without me even knowing it.

"You know I don't know everything. I'm only clued in on key events when I need to be. I've heard there's going to be a big battle tomorrow, but your outcome in it all is still hazy," he says, appearing before me.

He always seems to wear the same thing. Maybe when Phee gets better I'll suggest she take him out shopping. That'll be a nice punishment for him making me come to this meadow so many times.

"It may be hazy for you, but rest assured that I'll be on the winning team." I sit down on the ground, surrounded by flowers.

"That never was to be questioned. The Collective will cease to exist after tomorrow. What hasn't for sure been written yet is whether or not you get your halo, as you put it. I'm sensing you've already found the ring. There's a lot of power coming from your chest and I don't think your mother's milk has that ability."

I don't know about that. Sophia seems to like it an awful lot. "I thought the ring was my only challenge. I have it and I didn't kill anyone to get it. Doesn't that mean I win? Oh, and in case you were wondering, the ring is staying with me."

"You don't have any extra glow around you, so I don't think you've completed one step in the process. I'd thought you may accomplish it by getting the Seal, but that doesn't appear to be the case," he explains.

It isn't much of an explanation. He doesn't seem to care that I'm not handing the ring over. That surprises me a little because it sounded like the angels wanted a closer look.

"You told me about finding the Seal, but you can't tell me the missing step? How do you expect anyone to pass your trials?"

"I hope you didn't go into this thinking it would be easy. You, of all people, should know that life is rarely ever that way." He shocks me by taking a seat next to me. "About me and your mom, it was a really long time ago and there are no leftover feelings in that department."

"Dude, I really don't want to be clued in on any of those details. If you happened to want to check her out, after all these years, Sophia invited her over for a tea party next week. When I know the details, I can pass them along," I say, feeling that he isn't quite as over her as he wants everyone to think.

"That might be fun, for old-time's sake. Are there any questions you have about things in general that you think I could answer for you?"

The open ended question surprises me. There are so many different things that I could ask, and he'd probably know the answers to at least ninety percent of them.

"Why was I made?" I was an experiment as far as I'm concerned, especially after hearing all the things that are hiding under the surface.

"I'm guessing you mean beside the fact that your mother is a lunatic who does weird things whenever she gets a bee in her bonnet," he starts off his reply. "I like to think a greater power was in control of this one. There's no denying how special you are. Even the children you end up creating won't have your uniqueness.

"The world of paranorms has been at odds amongst itself for generations now. Even before the Collective came around to muddy things in your world. Look at the demons and angels, we've never been able to get along and we were here before the rest of you. I don't think Lucy knew just what she was doing when she made you what you are. She'd never agree to having peace, but I like to think that's exactly why you're here. To bring us all peace."

That's a scary thought. I have trouble bringing peace into my household and I have the desire to kill at least a couple of demons daily. Ben won't probably ever meet my axe, but that doesn't mean I don't think about it often.

"The world is a messed up place." I can't think of anything else to say in response.

"Do you mind if I ask you something? You don't have to answer, but I'd really like to know."

"You might as well. You brought me here, so I can't leave until you think we're done."

"What's it like to have the love you feel for another person returned? I know how it feels to love. I've felt that emotion in the past, but I highly doubt I've ever really had it returned." His tone is sad and I know it's the Devil's fault for burning him.

"I imagine most people would tell you that it's a hard thing to explain. I don't think it's that difficult. The feeling of knowing another person, in my case persons, will always have my back is probably the first thing I noticed. Never having that before, it still astonishes me to know it's true.

"There's an overwhelming feeling of joy to know I'm going to wake up next to them for the rest of my life and that mostly comes from them feeling that way about me. As much as I hate it, being able to feel their emotions makes me realize how they really feel about me. I don't think the feelings are that different from what you feel when you love another."

I'm pretty sure that made sense to only me, but oh well. I didn't promise a response that was comprehendible.

"That's kind of what I thought. There are days I'm pretty sure succubi were made in your mother's mold. I never really felt anything you just described. I'm certain one of these days I'll find someone who doesn't think only of themselves. I still wouldn't mind stopping by to see what has become of her. From what I've heard, it isn't pretty."

He waves his hand over some flowers next to him and they begin to wilt. He quickly counters the motion and they're brought back to perfection and he picks one and hands it to me.

"I'm not a flower person," I say, taking it from him anyway. I hold it for a couple of seconds, looking at its purple hues. Flowers have no hope of holding my attention longer than that, so I place it on the ground next to me.

"I wish that would've been mentioned in your brochure. I would've held our meetings in a dungeon to make you more comfortable."

That makes me laugh. It's funny that true statements always seem to bring me humor.

"How often can I expect you to show up when this is all over?" I need to know if I should have a room prepared just in case he stops by for a surprise inspection.

"It depends on what tomorrow brings. No matter what, I'll probably stop in at least once a year, just to say hi. I'll have other charges to see after and they don't get the pleasure of living outside of Upstairs."

He told me before that I got to be special as far as my living arrangements are concerned. I wonder if that spreads to my offspring. I'm not going to be happy if they think Sophia needs a proper education in one of their angel schools. "Will you show up when Sophia comes of age?"

"It hasn't been determined if she'll have enough angel in her to make the conversion. We know there is some, but you're a direct descendant of one of us, where she's third generation. I hope she'll end up having her own trials, and if she does, I'll make sure my name is on the list to oversee them. Maybe she'll have more time and actually be able to do something cool for her trials."

"No one will ever be able to convince me that your trials don't suck, but it's been interesting getting to know you a little while I tried to figure things out," I say, feeling that my time in the meadow is coming to an end.

"We do like to make things strange. It quickly weeds out those not qualified for the job. Have you found out anything interesting about the ring?" It took him long enough to ask.

"Other than King Solomon himself was walking around still wearing it, not much. I don't know what it does, but a witch and a demon have both determined it's my mother's making. You didn't happen to know that going into this, did you?"

If he didn't, I'm sure someone, somewhere, knew what I was getting myself into. They always do.

"That makes sense. I didn't know that when I told you about it, but the trials do things like place artifacts with their rightful owners. I know I mentioned we might try to take it for safe keeping, but I think we can trust you with it. Did you come up with a reason why the angels couldn't find it?"

"Since a demon led me to it and was old chums with Solomon, I believe that explains things."

Gabe laughs. "That's a logical explanation. I better get you back. Good luck tomorrow. I truly do hope you pass that final task. You can do what I think you're meant to do without your full capabilities, but I believe they'd make you even stronger." He sounds a lot like Alex and Sebastian.

"Well, until you get bored and want to torture me with a field of flowers again, I guess this is good-bye." I still chuckle at the thought that a few months ago I would've stood and said good riddance instead of being cordial. Things can change real fast.

"I'll just say until we see each other again. I hope that will be soon, Nyx."

After he says my name, I find myself in a normal dream, much like the one I was hoping to have today. The battle is brewing all around me and I'm ready for action.

Chapter 21

Let the battle begin

I wake up to find everyone moving around me like ants stocking up their supplies. I swear I used to be a light sleeper. I hate it when they start doing something and forget to wake me. It's dark, which leads me to believe time is running short.

"Ben says they're on the move. The other leaders we were expecting from our table discussions have shown up with the rest of our troops. Sophia is about to be taken to safety, but she refuses to go without saying good-bye to you," Sebastian says as he kisses me quickly on the lips. "I have to go call home and tell them it's time. They should be just waiting for the word."

I'm not sure how Sophia can refuse anything, since she's carried around everywhere. However, I would've been really upset if I missed her. I spring up and hurry outside of the tent where Hilda is holding my little girl and her bag of supplies.

"Have you eaten this morning?" I ask, knowing that I've been known to be able to sleep through her breakfast in the last couple of days.

"I'm good. I haven't been very hungry. I'm worried about the fight today and I wouldn't be able to keep anything down. Be careful and listen to daddies. They know what's best."

Not the parting words I was hoping for, but it proves her fathers have rotted her brain. I'll have to work on desensitizing her tomorrow. "I love you, Peanut, and I'll be on my way to find you just as soon as I can."

"I love you too, Mommy. Everyone has told me you are invincible, so I know I'll see you again."

I smile at her and wave while Hilda grabs a hold of my hand. "If you need anything just call out and I'll send everything I can your way."

"There's something I had to tell you before you go. If anything happens to me and the guys, I want you and Marcus to raise her. My life started out with you and as much as I hate to admit it, I think I turned out okay."

She nods and then hurries away. I think I actually saw a tear in the corner of her eye. I wasn't trying to get emotional; I just wanted to have a plan in place in case things don't go as planned. Now that I've gotten that off of my chest, it's time to arm up.

I make my way back into the tent and change into my standard clothing. I arm myself to the usual level, plus my axe, and then twist my hair up and add a couple of thin knives to the hairdo. If I'm down to just them in the battle, it probably means trouble, but there's always Aphrodite to call.

"We just unleashed the peppermint angel blood bombs over the forest. They're pretty much right on top of us. I suspect they'll want to have a few words before things get under hand, but I need a kiss before I face them," Alex says, wrapping me up for a whole lot more than the quick peck Sebby administered.

By the time he's through, my breath takes a full ten seconds to catch back up. Talk about a wow kiss. My lips are left feeling bruised and I love it.

"I think I'm ready," I say. After that, I believe I can take on the world, no problem.

"Remember, if you need any extra power boosts during the fight, you can tap into either of us. I think we're both trained well enough to not have an issue with the loss."

I don't care how well they are trained, I'm not about to weaken them. I bet he wouldn't enjoy it if I told him the same thing. "Just keep the lines of communication open. If I get walled out, I'll be pissed and I'm libel to accidentally stab one of you for the offense."

He grabs my hand and drags me out of the tent. I see our side standing to face the trees in front of our fake cabin. We have a good number of troops, but I know they do as well. I'm aware that the Collective doesn't teach their guys to be pansies, so this is going to be a lot of fun.

Sebastian and Dad both come to stand beside us. "Let's get this party started," Dad says, and then leads the way. Sebastian and Alex both take one of my hands.

I've been excited to finally get this over with, but I've only been fighting for months, whereas most of these people have been at it for decades. I can only imagine the emotions running through them.

As we walk through our team of soldiers, they part to let us pass. Almost all of them are werewolves, but there are at least twenty vampires I can feel through the ranks. Ben is waiting in front of them all and Dad stops next to him. Sebastian brings us to a halt behind the two of them, and in a way blocks me from view.

I hate when they do stuff like that. I can make out Candace's blonde hair through Ben's left arm, but that's about all I can see. I want to see just what I'm up against.

"You've seen our forces; it's just like looking in a mirror. You'll see everything soon enough," Sebastian says, trying to calm me down.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Aaron? It'd be easier to just give up the girl and take your forces home," a man calls from the other side of the battlefield.

"When did this fight become about my daughter? I thought all these years it was me you were after," Dad answers. I guess he forgot it wasn't long ago they kidnapped him in order to try to get me.

"My friend here has pointed out to me that you aren't the threat you once were. The girl is the issue here and we'd like to have her back. We did technically have her first."

Okay, that's just stupid. I'm as big of an issue as any of the people standing around me. I blame She Demon for this state of events. I can't wait to finally kill her.

"You'll be dead in the ground long before I give my flesh and blood over to you, Stevens. If that's all you have to say, I think we should just get this thing started. My granddaughter will be ready for her supper before too long."

"Benny, are you sure you want to be standing on that side of things?" Candace hollers. "I'm still pissed that you chose her before, but I can think of ways you can make it up to me."

I see Ben's body shiver as he thinks about his options. I've never had any faith in him doing what he says he will, so I can see him answering either way.

"Like I've told you before, we had some good times, but I give my loyalty to a different woman now. You're stupid to risk this fight. I stand behind her and I'll protect her with my life." My dang hand with his mark burns again as he says those words.

He wasn't joking about that pinkie promise. A quiet descends upon the field. After a minute of allowing everyone a chance to think about why they're here, Dad turns to our troops.

"Stevens is mine, Nyx or Ben has to take on the succubus. Other than that, fight to win, but not to kill. I hope most of their side can be rehabilitated and I don't want to see our former brothers die because of their lack of judgment."

That was always in the plan, even if no one said it aloud. I hear a whistle coming towards us and before I can move, Ben pushes Dad out of the way and takes the bullet in his chest.

"I guess that means it's time to fight. Let's go," Ben says, not worrying about a silly bullet and pulls Dad back up off the ground, before taking off in the direction the shot was fired from.

I'm not sure he knows how to just maim and not kill, but I'm not running after him to give him a lesson.

Cowards. That's what the Collective has made them. I grab a couple of knives and start running off to the right. I keep the Panoptic one sheathed for the time being. There's only one person who it will be used on and I'm guessing it will take me a few seconds to get to her. I don't see her running directly towards someone who would actually give her a challenge.

I'm greeted by a large male werewolf and my blade meets his. There are no words exchanged and I have no idea who he is. I surmise quickly that it isn't going to be a very big hurdle for me to get past. I dodge his blade a few times, and a couple of bullets that are making their way through the crowd of people.

Wanting to move on, I jump over him and then attach myself to his back before snapping his neck. It's the easiest way to get him out of the fight without doing permanent damage. Another wolf takes his place and the dance begins again.

This one proves to be more of a challenge, but nowhere near an impossible task. I thought we were going up against the best of the best, but either I've gotten a lot stronger in the last hour, or these guys aren't as good as we thought they'd be.

I doubt I have changed, so it's good news that we're facing mostly normal forces. Maybe the gas bombs they let loose had more of an effect than what we thought. I'm going to keep trying to come up with a reason why I've met two opponents that aren't what I was hoping for.

"Behind you," someone shouts and I turn to see a sword coming a little close for comfort. I sprout wings and take to the air. This allows me to do a couple sweeping neck breaks before I land back on the ground.

While in the air I was able to see Dad chop someone's head off. It's a little strange seeing him with that much anger strumming through his body, but at the same time it makes me proud to call him my dad. I assume since the removal of one's head is a killing action, he has Stevens under control. That means it's time for me to do my part. I switch weapons and crack my neck. I'm ready to kill me a succubus.

Chapter 22

Beyond the bright light

The fight is swirling around me. I feel no pain so I know my mates are holding their own, which I foresee continuing. I need to get to the heart of the threat against us. Our group can easily defeat any of the vampires or werewolves the Collective has brought into the battle, even if they have a few more in their advantage. They all seem to just be cannon fodder. The only thing that serves as a real threat is Candace.

Stopping her from doing damage is my number one priority. Finding her proves to be easy as I pick up a swirl of her blonde hair out of the corner of my right eye and I make a beeline in that direction. She's fighting with one of our vampire guards and he's holding up well, but I have a feeling it's just a game for her. Any second she'll probably tear him to bits.

"Why don't you try to go against someone of your own gender? I think we have something to finish between the two of us, and now seems like a good time to have it out," I say, drawing her attention.

"Great idea," she replies and waves her hand to throw the guard a good fifty feet away. I'm sure he'll be fine, so I keep focused on the evil witch in front of me.

"Not worried that my mommy will kick your butt for trying to kill me?" I have the Panoptic knife firmly in my right hand and Helen in my left. I'm ready to slice and dice. I want to be able to use both hands effectively, so Aphrodite will just have to wait to get in on the action, if I even bother to call her.

"A few years of punishment will be nothing compared to the joy I get out of killing your ass. You may have the rest of the world wrapped around your little finger, but to me you're just an annoying little gnat that needs to be dealt with." Huh. That sounds just like something I'd say.

"I don't think you packed a big enough lunch to handle me, Candace. I may still have a few minutes, or hours, before I get my full powers, but I don't think defeating you will tax my system too much," I taunt.

"Bitch," she wails, and makes a move towards me while manifesting a pair of knives in her hands.

I'm excited to finally get this fight out of the way. I was disappointed she didn't try to go head-to-head against me when I was rescuing Sebby and getting zapped back to base last night was just wrong. I'm hoping this will make up for that.

We meet in the middle of the distance that was separating us and start our epic battle clashing our knives together, her right to my left. I make a move to drive the Panoptic knife into her side, but she skirts out of the way. At least it doesn't seem like this is going to be a one-sided fight. I would've been frustrated if it was.

"You know they only love you for your power. No man is actually capable of real love," she says as she tries to kick my legs out from under me. I jump up and land a kick to her gut instead. It knocks her back for a second, but doesn't really do much.

"You must not have met any real men before. I promise you, what they feel for me is real in every sense of the word. When you're as connected as we are, you kind of know these things," I reply and try to slash the killer knife into her shoulder.

I don't know if just a scratch will do her in or if she needs stabbed in a certain location, but I'm willing to try anything. I thought I wanted this drawn out and brutal between us, but I've changed my mind. I want to be able to go help the others, and I can't do that with her wandering around.

"That's just what they want you to think." She disappears from in front of me and reappears with a knife cutting into my back behind me. I should've expected that little trick. It smarts; I won't lie. I kick back with my right foot backed by a whole ton of power this time and send her flying away from me.

"I can tell your mother never loved you as a child, since I didn't grow up with mine, I do sympathize, but that doesn't mean you have to be a royal bitch about other people actually finding the person, or persons, who complete them."

It feels nice to actually be able to curse. I don't plan on making it a habit again, but it's liberating. She's still on the ground and I attempt to take advantage of it and run towards her with my knife out, ready to go in for the kill.

I guess she has a similar idea, because I see Candace sit up and conjure a ball of fire in her hand. I watch in slow-mo as she hurls it at me. At this distance, I don't think I'll be able to get out of the way in time. I just have to hope it isn't something that will do unrepairable damage.

"No!" I hear someone yell and witness a body fly in front of me. Okay, that wasn't expected at all. The fire is gone and Candace is looking on in shock while I continue my advance. The distraction works in my favor. I'm able to reach her and I quickly drive the knife into her chest as she looks to our side with her mouth hanging wide open.

"Why would he do that?" she whispers as the lights start dimming in her eyes. "He knew that was my Killing Blaze. It's meant to destroy anything in its path."

Her torso falls to the ground and her body looks to be dissolving around from where the knife is still embedded.

I pull it out and I can see the earth through the hole. As it continues to grow, I deem her defeated and turn to look at another body lying not far from us. Surprisingly enough, it's Ben with a large burn mark on his chest. He's a demon, so I doubt a little fire will keep him down for long, but I go check him out anyway.

"Well, Buttercup, I doubt either one of us saw this coming," he says when he sees me come close. He doesn't bother to try to move around.

"I'm sure it isn't the first time you've gotten a little scorched. Do you want some salve or something for that wound?" I ask.

"I don't think it'd help me much this time. I saw her conjure up the Killing Blaze and I couldn't let it hit you. I may be a demon, but there are people in this world who are meant to be protected. You're one of those people, Nyx, and I die willingly to keep you safe," he says, and grabs a hold of my hand. "I guess this means I won't get to be a daddy, but I hope this makes us even for me keeping that secret about your mom and mentioning to her that you exist. You wouldn't dare remain pissed at me after I die."

"What are you talking about? You aren't seriously thinking a little fire is going to do you in, are you?" I'm starting to get concerned that the fire went straight to his brain and caused a little damage.

"You do understand what a Killing Blaze is, don't you? It isn't something anyone recovers from. I'm surprised I'm still able to even talk. It doesn't really hurt, which is nice, but I can feel it working through my body. I don't have long. I want you to know that I do care deeply about you. Not in that lovey dovey way that wolfy and fangy do, but you're one of a kind, Buttercup, and you make people want to be the best they can be. Even a demon like me." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

I may not agree with him the majority of the time, but I don't really want him to die. Just thinking of a demon dying is really weird.

"Isn't there anything I can do to stop this?" I ask, hoping for some kind of reprieve.

"No, it's almost done. Tell Alex and Sebastian your care is totally in their hands now. I expect them to keep you safe because we all know you're going to go looking for some kind of new trouble tomorrow."

His voice is getting softer and I'm not liking this one bit. Especially, the fact that I feel a tear rolling down my cheek. That's really wrong.

"If this is it, I want to say I forgive you for the little betrayals you stated earlier. I like to hold grudges, but it's the least I can do for you taking a fireball meant for me. I don't know where anyone, let alone demons, go when they die, but I hope you find a lot of peace there."

"Thank you," he says, and his body relaxes. I look up to try to clear the tears from my eyes and I see the fighting has stopped. Everyone is looking at us with saucer eyes. I guess a demon dying is something that you don't see every day. I never expected to.

Alex and Sebastian separate themselves from the crowd and make their ways to me. The rest of my family follows closely behind. They move me a little away from Ben, which is for the best. Seeing him not moving makes things worse.

"So, is that it? The battle is just over?" I ask, wondering why things are so quiet. I could use some noise right now to keep me from thinking about my friend just dying. Yes, I said friend.

"I would have to say that you've turned twenty-three, love. We need to figure out a way for you to tone down the glowing. You can't really fight a battle with a white beacon blinding everyone."

"What?" I ask and look down, not seeing what they're talking about.

"The hair is what really has me concerned," Alex adds. "I don't think she's going to be happy about that at all."

"What?" I repeat and grab a strand of my long hair that has fallen down to see that it isn't black anymore. My previously inky hair is now white. Oh. My. God. Some would call it blonde, but I'm going with white.

"Why did you have to say that? It only aggravated her more and turned the high beams up from just blindness to bore your eyes out of your skull level," Sebastian says and takes my hand. "Grab her other one and try to calm her down."

I feel Alex do as instructed and a calmness immediately washes through my system. Their love does tend to ground me. I'm not sure I want that right now. I think being able to grieve over Ben would make me feel better.

"That's better," Smitty says. "I guess this means you passed all the tests."

The group isn't shielding their eyes anymore, so I assume I've stopped glowing. It'd be nice if I could see the glow as well, to know when I need to adjust myself.

"I really thought the blonde hair was a dream," an unknown voice says and I look over to find a man I've never seen standing next to Jake.

"Hey, who are you?" Jake asks, stepping back a little, looking surprised to find the man there. He'd know the regular guards more than me and if he doesn't know the guy that's a little strange. Maybe it's someone from the other team.

"What do you mean, who am I? This isn't the first time we've met Horny Wolf. Did the shiny white lights blind you that much?"

"I'm with Jake here, you aren't anyone we've ever met," Jonas supplies.

"So everyone has gone blind now. Great. I hope that you humanoids can hurry up and clear up your vision troubles. I guess since everyone is done fighting, that means Buttercup is named the new Queen of the World," the man says and my jaw just about drops to the ground.

"Ben?" I question. This is not Ben. The man in front of me doesn't have a hole in his chest, for one, and he has none of Ben's general looks. He's probably the same height, but he's skinnier and the green eyes and red hair aren't right.

"Duh. Why is everyone looking all shocked to see me here?"

"Here," Phee says, pulling a compact out of her belt. Seriously, Phee? A makeup mirror is not something you take into battle. What in the world is she even doing here? She was supposed to be off with Sophia's team. I bet Sam let her lead him around by the testicles again. He'd been doing so good.

She hands the mirror over to Ben and he opens it up. "Holy shit. Why am I in my human form? I haven't reverted back to this appearance in eons."

"The bigger question is why aren't you dead? You said that the Killing Blaze wasn't something you would survive," I say.

"Oh crap. I forgot all about that little detail. Everyone was so wrapped up in you being a light bulb that I didn't even realize I shouldn't have been able to stand up off the ground. What's going on here?" At least now, he's as confused as the rest of us. He starts waving his arms around like a mad man. "Where are my powers?"

"You're no longer a demon," Gabe says, appearing out of nowhere, just what we need, more confusion.

"Angel Boy, you better get to the explaining part of your visit," Ben tells the newcomer.

"You never were good with patience, Martin. Maybe if you would've learned that sooner, you wouldn't have ended up serving the Queen of Hell."

Martin?

"No one has called me that name for a very long time, and I still prefer Ben, even if my powers have gone a little wonky," Ben says, and I sense the two of them have met before and they aren't Christmas card pals.

"Your powers are gone for good. You no longer serve the Underworld. You're free to do your own bidding once again. This time I hope you choose a little more wisely," Gabe replies.

He lifts his hand to silence the words that are about to come out of Ben's lips. I'm just happy to sit back and watch this. I'm sure my questions will eventually be answered.

"Nyx forgave you and, without even knowing it, she offered you redemption for the things you've done wrong in your life. Giving redemption to the truly deserving was her final test and most angel hybrids going through the trials never accomplish it. I tend to leave that part out of my sales pitch. I didn't want you thinking the chances of her becoming a real angel, instead of the training model, were slim to none.

"Back to Martin, sorry Ben, you may have done things in your human life all those years ago that would be considered evil, but you giving your life for hers erased all the previous wrongs. A demon willing to save an angel has no place in Hell. Your soul is your own again to do what you will with your life, but we hope you eventually agree to our plans for you."

Just out of curiosity, I look down to see I no longer have a demon mark blemishing my hand. I never thought I'd live to see this day.

"And what, I'm just supposed to live my life out as a human? That doesn't seem all that appealing to me," Ben replies.

The guy was brought back from the dead and he's complaining? He can just go find a vampire to turn him if he wants to live forever. I don't think drinking blood would faze him.

"You aren't human. You don't have your demon powers, but we did make you an immortal. You've saved Nyx's life more than once now, if you count the time you rescued her from the deranged werewolf, and we're hoping you would like to continue down that path in life and be a permanent guard for her.

"We think you'll agree to our way of thinking, so we brought back a race that vanished from this plane years ago. They're the best fighters and could probably even give Sebastian a run for his money. I'll let you figure out just what you are, but please use your abilities wisely. I'm sure Nyx will need them in the years to come."

"I can't believe you won't give me any hints on what you've turned me into, but if you say I'm immortal, I can live with that. I'll have to make arrangements for the care of my Hellhounds, though. I don't think I can just bring them topside," Ben says, and his outlook on life seems to have greatly improved. "It will be nice working for Nyx. Sorry to say this, but your mom is a bit of a bitch."

"To quote you 'duh'." It's my turn to start asking questions. "So what now? I've past the trials and, if the hair is any indication, I have my angel blood kicked into high gear. What are you guys expecting from me?"

Gabe laughs. "Why would we expect anything? You're stronger than all of us now. I think it's us who should be asking what you expect from us. It will take you a while to realize what has really happened here today. I suggest you go home with your mates and the rest of your family and raise your child. There will be more of them to come and, at least for a while, I think you'll have the peace needed to just sit back and watch them grow.

"I'll add that the Collective is essentially no more, so you might want to consider taking some of the extra guards you'll find yourself with and putting together an institution that actually does work for the greater good. It will be a refreshing change."

"We already have plans in place for our people," Sebastian says, and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

Alex mimics the kissing and says, "I can't wait to finally be able to give you some loving in hopes of giving Sophia a little brother, or sister." His priorities will always be a little skewed.

Gabe may not have any future plans for me, but Alex sure does, and I may just be willing to help him out with his desires. The journey to this place in my life has been a long and winding road, but I'm ready for the next chapter to begin. If that chapter includes me raising a football team of kids in peace, for once in my life I can say I'm ready for that test.

Actually, with a family like mine, I'm ready to take on any of the challenges ahead. Like they say, you can't always pick your family, but I wouldn't trust anyone else to have my back.

THE END
About the Author

Amber has always had a passion for the written word. Along with that, she's always had ideas for stories swimming around in her head. It finally got to the point where she couldn't take it anymore and had to start getting her thoughts down on paper. There are still too many ideas, but she is working to get them out as fast as she can. Her hope is that one day her brain will be hers again.

Other hobbies of Amber's include: drawing, baking, arts and crafts, motorcycles, hockey and archery. She likes to think she has eclectic tastes where her hobbies are concerned. She loves to laugh and tries to make herself smile at least once a day. With the crazy thoughts going on in her head that usually isn't hard.

Other books by Amber Lynn:

Argonauts' Adventures

The Witch's Web

The Dragon's Fire

Daughter of Gaia Series

Daughter of Gaia

Queen of Aquima

Nightwalker Saga

The Nightwalker Knocks

The Nightwalker Teaches

Unlucky in Love series

Calypso in Love

Nani in Love

Rhea in Love

Hermia in Love

Desma in Love

Nyx Slaughter series

Night Calls

Night Marks

Night Bites

Night Howls

Night Lurks

Night Finds

Night Rises

Avery Clavens series

Not in My Job Description

Just Another Day at the Office

Working Through the Weekend

Another Day, Another Dollar

The Harder I Work, the Luckier I Get

All in a Day's Work

More Books

Searching for Home

Between Blood

