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Death comes for us all one day
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Caroline stuck to the shadows as she looked grimly at her scrying map. The red marker shone brighter the closer she got to her mark and for a moment she was tempted to send for the elder council. But the abundance of bad leads made the high priestess pause, and reconsider her position, loathing to rouse them from their beds on a chance that this time her locator had worked. Stepping nimbly through the brambles with a grace that belies her age, Caroline gave a sigh of relief as she exited the forest and gazed upon the violet field. The gates to the pack pyres were open on the far end and she squinted her eyes in confusion, "They should be shut," She murmured and muttered " El gatus closeth" a simple spell to close doors, but nothing happened. 'Well that's odd.' Caroline thought, moving closer to the pyre field. "I have had to visit this place far too often lately." She grumbled, as, once again the pain of Caroline's losses threatened to overcome her. She was almost at the entra
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Valenar woke with a start, still holding Raeann as she slept, with their newly formed union sapping her energy. There was a change in the air, and he knew that something major had happened. As he tried to wake his tired brain up, there was a shimmer disturbing the air, and Quinley appeared in their bedroom. Her hair was so white it glowed, and as she looked at him with those haunting purple eyes, Valenar knew what that meant."How long?" He whispered, being careful not to disturb Raeann, and Quinley's lip trembled as she replied, "About an hour ago." Nodding to indicate that he understood, Valenar motioned for Quinley to leave the room so he could get dressed. She did so gratefully and after hastily donning on shorts and a t-shirt, Valenar left his room and tiptoed down the stairs into the Academy's study hall.Luckily it was quiet at this time of night and the hall was empty, no one was up late studying, or cramming for an early test in the morning so they were able t
Chasing Bella's shadow The Rogue and the Vampyre Queen.
The barkeeper placed another shot of whisky down in front of the young man, as he considered asking the troubled fellow if he needed an ear to listen, but Burt eventually turned back around, as he'd done time and again this evening, walking away to tend to the other customers. If the guy wanted to talk, Burt figured he would just start talking, as they all did eventually at The Gas and Gobble. Until then he would continue to provide the whisky.Onyx stared grimly at his glass as the old man walked away. His beast was raging and hurling himself at his cage cursing Onyx and his decision to leave their mate, but Onyx, stayed firm in his resolve, knowing he was doing the right thing for everybody. Even if his beast couldn't see it.As he nursed his drink, the sound of a baby gurgling pulled him from his melancholy, and a disheveled young woman sat on the stool next to him, flagging down the barkeeper with one arm, while the baby giggled happily in her other.
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Jarvis walked into utter chaos. He was sure of it. There was no trace of the cool, calm, and collected pack that Lucien spoke so highly of. Instead, people were milling about, completely lost at 5 am in the morning. The Mafia Don had to resist his natural urge to take control of the situation. These people were not his people and their current crisis was none of his business.Then he felt it.A tidal wave of dominant power washed over the entire packhouse as the Alpha held up one hand. Shadow never raised his voice or held a weapon to keep his people in line, yet they all stopped, turned, and waited for their leader to speak. A washed-out looking blond with big breasts stood at his left, not his wife then, Jarvis surmised but holding some position of power within the upper ranks nonetheless.Very interesting. Then Shadow began to speak." Tonight our family at Ravenclaw, have lost a valuable member, but we must remain calm. I don't know who it is r
Chasing Bella's shadow Walking away
The beast wanted blood, and the lion prowling around him had plenty of that. It was just a matter of time before Jarvis slipped up, and then Lucifer would quench his thirst. Somewhere in the distance, a woman screamed his skin's name, but Onyx couldn't hear her, he was pushed far into the back of his own mind, where he retreated as a kid while Lucifer dealt with all the bad stuff. The beast knew no mercy and felt no pain, he could hear Aphrodites voice bleeding through her human skin, but his course was set and Lucifer wouldn't deviate from it until Jarvis was left in no doubt as to who his woman belonged with. Someone launched at Lucifer from his blindside, intending to restrain him, but the beast caught them in midair, tossing them away in annoyance."Stand down Onyx!" A new female voice demanded, but he wasn't bound to their pack, her authority would not work on him. And then another wolf leaped in between the beast and his prey. He was blacker than midnight, and twi
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Lenora was beyond livid, although the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms would never know it. And when Santos casually walked back into camp the next morning, her eyes flayed him wide open causing Santos to halt mid-step. Lenora spoke quietly but nobody missed the steel in her voice."In my officenow."They walked in utter silence, past the Dhampirs going through their morning defense session and around the blacked-out tent housing the vampires until they came to the entrance of a nondescript cave. Santos ducked his head as he trailed behind Lenora, entering her personal lair. He was surprised to realize that he hadn't been in her space since they came to camp and that somehow seemed significant. Lenora had made the cave her home. The floor was covered in animal pelts, and although he couldn't feel it given his state, Santos remembered that the walls would be warm with thermal rock, and with the way the cave snaked around before bellying out to the main
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In the smaller room next to the hall, Onyx, and Maeve waited to be called outside. In keeping with their base roots, Shadow and Isabella had made the decision to hold the induction outside, leaving the hall for the High Priestess's farewell. It was a shock to hear that Caroline was Isabella and Raeann's grandmother, and even worse to find out that their father was responsible for the horrific way she died. Any loyalty that they had grimly held onto for the man who gave them life, died a quick death after that."Why are you sweating so badly?" Maeve asked her brother, as he tugged his collar for the tenth time trying, and failing to loosen it. Onyx looked sideways at her, avoiding her knowing eyes as he muttered, "Just hot, that's all." And he wasn't surprised when she chuckled, "Yeah okay big brother, you keep telling yourself that.The atmosphere grew even tenser as a certain blonde poked her head through the doorway, choosing to ignore Onyx, Lucy directed her words t
Chasing Bella's shadow Just like your mother
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The howling outside let Valenar know that the wolves' ceremony was over, they were all getting ready to run. Inside students and members of the coven mingled and laughed, while Raeann looked unhappy, and Quinley oversaw the merging of Ravenclaw. Valenar knew there would never be a better time to have the conversation he needed to have with his mate than right now when everything was under control. So he started walking towards her as Raeann stared wistfully at the door. Her need to run with her family must be driving her insane, and Valenar felt sorry for the strain being placed on her from the witches and wizards council, she should be allowed to live as she wished, instead of existing to handle the problems of others. Truth be told, he was wary too."Your Highness, there's a messenger at the entryway for you, he said that it's urgent." A young Acolyte steered him away from his mate and towards the back of the hall, moving deftly around the other bodies so that Valenar could
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Shadow felt his breathing begin to slow as he looked up at his mate. He tried to manage a smile, but the pain was too real, and all he could do was grimace as it arced through his torn-up body. Bella was telling him to hold on, that Valenar was reasoning with the threat, but he knew that there wasn't enough time for him, so using the last of his strength, he lifted his hand and gently placed it against her lips. "I waited a lifetime for you, my Bella," he struggled to get out the words, knowing that this was the last time he would feel her touch, "I will search through a thousand lifetimes to find you mate. You have my heart, you have my soul and no matter where you go after I'm gone, know that in your heart I'll always be here." Bella's lips trembled, and her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head at him, "You promised me forever, Shadow, please don't leave me!" As Shadow closed his eyes against the pain, he was vaguely aware of Bella's screams,
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Down in the cellar, the children were quiet. Some trembled while others bristled, eager to get out amidst the fray and earn their place as pack warriors. When the ground above started trembling, and the hatch heaved as though the earth itself was trying to break in, that's when hysteria hit. Onyx struggled to hold back the retired warriors and mothers whose children were valiantly fighting to keep them safe. The tension grew higher as Onyx barked for them all to calm down. Reason was rapidly going out the window, and Lucifer awakened, shining wrathfully through Onyx's eyes as his leadership was challenged. Then, out of the darkness, a clear voice rose, weaving its way through the pack bunched up in close quarters, and Onyx looked gratefully over at his nephew.Tarakona sang of times gone by, the history of the Howling warriors, and his parents' courtship. He spread calm throughout the cellar as they were all transported back to the time of Shadow and Isabella, the magic of th
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Chasing Bella's shadow Wake up fool.
"I had to stay and run the pack!" Lucien barked defensively, crossing his arms and glaring at the pint-sized woman in front of him. Bella's eyes widened, and he swore he could see steam pouring from her ears. "I call bullshit!" She retorted, getting right in his face; her eyes crackled, and the fury held barely in check started to leak out, giving the Luna a frightening look."You haven't been running the pack," Bella brutally pointed out, "You've been curled up in your bed like a teenage girl listening to sad songs and eating ice cream. Why do you think I'm back so early?"Lucien couldn't find an answer for that. But it didn't matter because Bella wasn't finished, "You have thirty minutes to get dressed and pack a bag, I've already organized a replacement bike for you, and my strongest tracker picked up traces of her scent on the Eastern borders. Got and get your woman Lucien, before someone else claims her." She tossed him the keys to his bike and looked at her watch
Chasing Bella's shadow To thine eyes be true.
The ground felt strange beneath his feet. Grass tickled his toes as he wandered along, breathing deeply of the mountainous air. Beside him strode his friend; he was aware of the appreciative stares from females as they passed by and wondered if maybe it was unusual to see humans in Howling, but then again, they weren't really human-now were they?"Of all the places Hael? I'm allowed one free pass from Hell each millennium, and you bring me to Hicksville?" Pyro Diego glanced at his friend, who didn't bother to answer, and hoped for the sixth time that venturing into a wolf pack disguised as humans was a wise choice. Shaetan only knows what Marie will think when he returns home in a few weeks, and he rather liked his balls."She's here, man, I can sense her," Hael muttered as he began to look in the shop windows, and as the demi-gods came to the one on the corner, Hael stopped and took a deep breath, a guttural growl sounding deep in his chest."This is it."
Chasing Bella's shadow Tame the savage beast.
The vortex appeared directly in front of them, and Jarvis shoved Lucy behind him as he prepared to shift. The sound was deafening, and when the light pulsed, expelling a figure from the portal, Jarvis shielded his eyes from the glare."Well, damn, this is a sorry excuse for a welcome, but I'll take it."Bella stood there, cradling the pup gently in her arms. She knew that their luggage was already at home. Lucy and Jarvis looked at her with their eyes popping and jaws dropping as she smiled back at them. Lucy was the first to recover. "You weren't gone for that long, Luna? What is this? Immaculate conception or something?" She drawled, and Bella laughed. It was good to be home."It's a long story, my friend, and will need to wait until Caspian is settled in. Now, where is my foolish mate?" Bella easily took control, and as they continued walking down the street, it was a relief for Lucy to hand over the reins. As she revealed what had transpired in Bella's absen
Chasing Bella's shadow Jarvis arrives
Something was wrong in Howling. As Jarvis pulled up to the local herbal shop, it was obvious that something significant had happened here. Many stores were closed, and the usual hustle and bustle of a small town were missing. It made the lion shifter nervous. He was still in his car, wondering at the best course of action, when a familiar figure jogged straight past him."Lucy!"Lucy turned around, and a huge smile greeted him as she jogged back. Jarvis opened the door and stepped out in time for her to pull him in for a hug. "It's so good to see you," She gushed as they pulled away from each other, and Jarvis noticed her eyes sparkled and her mouth curved easily into a grin. If he were ten years younger, Onyx might have had a fight on his hands for Lucy's affections.As he looked at his friend Jarvis, saw the dark circles under her eyes and the weight she had lost, instinctively knowing that something was really, really wrong. When he quizzed her on it, L
Chasing Bella's shadow Let's take it slow
"I know it's late, but do you think you would like to take a stroll with me?"Thorn felt like he was drowning as he waited for Raeann's answer. He couldn't even turn around to see what her expression was like; he was that nervous. There were several seconds of silence where Thorn thought he might actually throw up. Then with the tiniest of voices, she replied, "I think I'd like that." Expelling a breath he didn't know he was holding, Thorn turned and let his eyes drink in her beauty. Raeann smiled softly, "April tells me that the thermal baths on the other side of the mountain are nice at this time of the morning?" And Thorn almost stumbled over his own tongue as he hastened to agree. Raeann held out her hand for him to grasp, and he did, almost shyly, shivering as the ever-present tingles made their way up his arms.For a time, they walked in silence, taking in the beautiful view of the sun coming up, as they slowly traversed fire mountain. Eventually, it flattened out near t
