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Alluring Red Heads
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Hunt for Knowledge Oh the Sensation!
Inside the house, the mood was festive and fun. Outside, the snow came down like an arctic blanket. Aquinas bread had been ruled magnificent, and they had used it as an excuse to polish off more than their fair share of adult beverages. They managed to put aside thoughts of weredragons and vampires for the night and just enjoyed each other's company. Beecher hadn’t mentioned what he’d witnessed, and no one else seemed to pick up on the weird vibe. When the storytelling finally got back to their trip to the mall, Beecher and Aquina begged Zinnia to tell the tale of how she had hog-tied a vampire.Zinnia’s whole face changed, her beautiful smile vanished and was replaced by a sadness they had not seen in her.“It hurts me to cause harm, even to one such as her,” she whispered. “It is likely she will die, if that is the correct term, at my hand tonight. And while I know this is a good thing, it still hurts me here,” she brought her hand to her chest, covering her heart. “If you
The Hunt for Knowledge Blond Braids
When the alarms simultaneously sounded hours before the sun would break the night, groggy curses could be heard throughout the house. It took less than ten minutes for them to dress and be at the door. When the taxi van showed up, it took less time than that to load. No one smiled, and no one spoke. “My life for some coffee man,” Luca grumbled at the driver. “If that translates to ‘you get a big tip for a coffee run’ then I’m your guy!” the driver called back, unnaturally happy for this godforsaken time of the day. “That translates to, ‘I’ll put your firstborn through college’ if you make that happen,” Luca responded and wondered if the man just hadn’t gone to bed for the night yet. No one should be that awake and chipper before the sun poked out its head. “But then, look at the little fairy, she’s bright-eyed and positively glowing,” he shook his head at this thought. She even made this cursed hour look good. Zinnia chose to sit up front and happily talked with the driver
The Hunt for Knowledge As Still As a Corpse
Zinnia woke with a delighted squeal. To Luca’s ears, there was no better sound. He saw stars in her eyes as she surveyed the winter wonderland outside their window. To his eyes, he saw bleak, dreary countryside. She marveled as the snow blanketed the countryside. She found romance in the soft velvety roll of the now-white hills. She nearly came out of her seat when she spotted a few deer amongst the trees down by a river that peeked in and out of their view. The big deer, with a massive rack of antlers, lowered its head to drink, and Zinnia sighed. He could feel the happiness radiate from her, and he was reminded of his own inner darkness. He decided to just enjoy her happiness while the time lasted. There would be plenty of time for heartbreak later. Something outside the window caught his attention. A blur of darkness that he wouldn’t have noticed if his eyes hadn’t been transfixed on a little maintenance building next to the track a little ways up. The train had round
The Hunt for Knowledge Invisible Werewolves
The mist crept in thicker now. Visibility had all but diminished and a hush settled over the area. The only sound was the faint whimpering of the taxi driver.Katalea knew someone was trying to control the weather, it was clear they were trying to block the sun. It was a revelation to know that some vampires possessed powers as well. Slowly, she began trying to control her breathing and clear her mind. She started working against whatever was trying to cause the mist to turn the already pitifully bleak day into complete darkness. In the haze two more dark figures zipped by, snarling in the tinted windows. Their eyes, feral red, shone into the van as they pressed their faces to the glass. As Katalea pushed out at the fog, she could hear the vampires begin to scatter in all directions, footsteps squishing on the damp lawn. A ray of light pulsed through the mist, then another. The sun was finally starting to peak through. Panic-stricken, the vampires began to flee. Genevieve,
The Hunt for Knowledge About That…
The blur aimed right at his face and Beecher tensed for the blow. He could feel the hot rancid breath on his skin and he prayed to any deity who would listen. Then he heard the familiar chuckle.He shifted, and his mouth dropped open, “Luca?” he asked incredulously. “That was you?”“Not just me,” he replied, gesturing over his shoulder. He looked past Luca and saw a black panther and a tiger standing side by side. Simultaneously, they lifted their heads and let loose with a howl that made the trees shake. Beecher couldn’t believe his eyes. As he watched, they both shifted and Katalea grinned up at him.“We even fooled you!” she pointed right at Beecher.“But, how?” Beecher couldn’t find the words to even ask the right questions.“Let’s talk it all out later, we’d better get to the van and get out of here before they realize we duped them again,” Luca said, moving quickly but gently carrying Beecher. “Can you guys get the door? I’m pretty sure his leg is still broken,” Luca sa
The Hunt for Knowledge The Vision in White
When Beecher came back out his grin was wide enough to fit a car through. And just as fake. “Well kids, Have I got a story for you,” he said with a wince, and his grin darkened. They climbed out of the van at the driver's insistence. He was obviously done with them and just wanted to be on his way. Looking lost and forlorn they began to climb out into the barren tundra. They turned to Beecher, confused. “Are we supposed to dig a den in the ground then my love?” Aquina cooed. ”Actually…” he replied. He began to walk briskly toward the lone igloo-looking building that he had just left. Looking over his shoulder, he winked. Without hesitation, they grabbed their bags and ran after him. They stood in a cavernous room, made of packed snow. Pillars of ice glistened and shone. The overhead lights refracted off the pillars casting sparks of rainbow prisms across the room. The effect was spectacular. All heads turned as Zinnia gasped in wonder and stretched out her arms in a
The Hunt for Knowledge They Found Us
Eyes widened and all thoughts of food were gone. Heads tilted, they used whatever powers they possessed trying to decipher the sound they had just heard. It did not come again. They waited, food growing cold. Nothing.“Let’s try this,” Dakari said. He put his hand in the center and motioned to the others to join. All hands immediately went to reunite.”Can anybody speak? Can you guys hear me?” Katalea spoke into her mind.Everyone nodded. “Wish we would have figured out this trick in Rio. We could have had a ball with those salespeople,” Aquina added, chuckling.The others laughed and smirked their agreement. They had all heard her as well. “Ok, my turn,” Beecher joined the fun. “It’s like having our own walkie-talkie’s, but in our minds,” his voice rose two octaves, making him sound like a young boy on Christmas morning.”Down boy,” Luca’s gruff voice could be heard. “How about you, Zinnia?”Her eyes widened and she smiled, but no words came. They waited, she could obviou
The Hunt for Knowledge Run!
Forgetting the frigid cold and the sky that danced above them, they jumped out of their beds. Clad in thermals, they raced for the edges of the room. The ceiling here was made of frosted ice and provided some cover. They spoke in their minds and watched as the dragon circled back. He flew lower, twisting and turning his great neck as if trying to find something. Or someone.Luca had assumed that the ceiling they were looking through was at ground level. When they had checked in they had walked into an igloo, and there had been no signs of any other structures. The whole ice hotel was built underground. From the sky, it might not be so easy for the dragon to realize what he was looking at. Maybe it looked like a small frozen pond. He decided to take his chances and pulled a chair over to get a better view.From his new vantage point, he could see the landscape outside. He saw snow piled up everywhere on the ground, with a few boulders miraculously clear underneath a large pi
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The Hunt for Knowledge Nothing But Dust
The cairn now glowed blue. It pulsed and throbbed as if it had a heartbeat. Kaya stood, just like Katalea’s premonition, pacing, but this time she was not intently focused on the stones, she was focused on Katalea. As if waiting for her. “Can you guys see her? Am I having another vision?” Katalea questioned.“Oh, we can see her, and frankly she is terrifying….” Aquina answered, awe in her voice. The big cat kept pacing, her soft pads making no noise in the silent chamber. Her eyes never left Katatea’s.“She means you no harm,” Katalea whispered, feeling the joy of her panther overtake her. “She is me…” Katalea continued, confidence radiating in her voice, understanding now. “She never left me.”Katalea felt the longing to be one with Kaya rise up. She hadn’t realized how abandoned she had felt by her own self.Kaya’s eyes filled with anguish now. Her proud head bowed, almost in shame. “It was not my wish either,” she said, obviously hearing the cries of Katalea's heart. “It w
The Hunt for Knowledge Outnumbered
As they made their way into the higher elevation, the mountain walls became craggier, and small cave formations began. The trees here weren’t as thick, this new harder soil obviously struggled to sustain life. Ahead, a rounded archway formed, looking more like an arbor than a cave. Katalea walked through expecting to come out on the other side of the hill but instead found herself in a large open space resembling the lobby of the ice hotel. Instead of beautiful ice sculptures though, it was just rough walls. A small stack of rocks to the left looked like a cairn left behind by someone else. There were the remnants of bones, small animal bones, she presumed, that had long since stopped having a body. Still, she felt no presence of evil or danger. They heard the deep dark laugh come from behind them. Katalea stepped forward as if to shield her friends against whatever was coming. ”So valiant, young Katalea.” They could hear Hassan, but there was no one there. He laughed aga
The Hunt for Knowledge Confused
“Ah Elskan,” he pulled back with such sorrow. “I want nothing more than the next millennium in your arms but I feel our friends call.” He pushed a stray lock of purple hair behind her ears, nibbled her neck, and inhaled deeply.“That word, Elskan, you have said it before. What does it mean?”“What?” He looked at her quizzically now. “I have said a word you don’t know?” Tilting his head in wonder, he added, “Out loud?”She smiled coyly now, “Yes, a few times. Elskan. Once when I was hurt, and I think another time when we learned of the sharks,”Visibly flustered, he put his hands at his sides. Tense now, he turned to go, but she grabbed his elbows, “Not so fast buster, you didn't answer.” The smile she gave him was playful, teasing, almost a challenge. He sighed and closed his eyes. Remembering. Oh, why couldn’t some things just stay buried? It had been so very long. Finally, he spoke, “It is the name a man calls a woman he loves. In your tongue, it would be equivalent to dar
The Hunt for Knowledge About That
“Go east she said,” Katalea whispered in her mind and chuckled, thinking of an American term she learned years ago in school in San Diego.”As I remember it, the phrase was, ‘Go West, young man, Go West.” Dakari countered.Katalea blushed, she forgot her mate could always hear her thoughts. “‘Ya, well, I was never very good in American history,” she giggled. It was an age-old joke between them. Dakari had excelled in school, but Katalea had been too busy dodging Dalya and doing gymnastics to pay much attention in high school.With the vampires gone for the moment, and the Hassan family of dragons keeping their distance there was nothing left to do but say goodbye. They thanked Freja for her help and Dakari made light of the situation by conjuring roses for her out of thin air. “We did not come away without losses,” Freja said heavily, “and they will not be forgotten for their bravery in battle.” All heads lowered. A few hands wiped eyes that found themselves moist. “We will ma
The Hunt for Knowledge Two?
To their amazement, they saw what looked like wolves wrestling people. These were not ordinary people, as Katalea watched one short dark man pick up a wolf and hurl it into a tree. They were close enough that Katalea could hear the curses from the man. They were not in any language Katalea had ever heard before. Two more wolves pounced on the man and made quick work of him. Another wolf came at a sprint, two pairs of feral red-eyed vampires at his heels. They recognized him at once. Beecher was in trouble.Dakari roared, and the scene stilled momentarily. All heads turned and in that instant Katalea called lightning to pummel the bloodsuckers. The wolves stood dumbfounded as all their foe just vanished into ash. As a pack, they turned to look at Beecher who was obviously sending them a message that these newcomers were allies. A few wolves shifted, while others remained on guard in wolf form.Never one to hide, Katalea shifted, while Dakari remained. “I have heard myths a
The Hunt for Knowledge Hassan is Coming
Perched high up in her tree, Katalea swayed, the fog swirling around her. Above her, the muted greens and pinks of the northern lights seemed to fight for control of the pre-morning sky. It wouldn’t be long before any vampire trapped outside would have to flee or risk being turned to dust without any help from their adversaries. The sun still had a few minutes to go before it began its assent into the sky but the sky had visibly lightened. It was coming. Katalea wondered if the sun was filtered through the fog if the vampires would be able to stay out longer. She imagined they could. It might be time to dial back on the mist.Light bursts could be seen from just past the crop of trees they were currently resting in. Katalea wasn’t sure if it was from lightning or a dragon blast, but they were drawing closer to their hideout. They would have to move soon.Dakari must have had the same thoughts, for as he touched her arm, she read the alarm in his eyes. It wouldn’t do to be so hig
The Hunt for Knowledge Predators or Prey
As he entered the clearing, the gray and black streaked wolf caught his attention first. He was the size of a Mac truck and looked as fierce with his teeth bared at the newcomer. He could see the moment his scent reached them. He had been upwind and had taken them by surprise. Muzzles dropped slightly as they afforded him the respect of a traveling alpha. Her scent permeated the area and had all heads turning. The beautiful lady in white from the ice hotel now stood before him in her true form. The vision of majesty as a pure white wolf and tawny eyes. He lowered his head in the traditional greeting to the alpha of the current territory. One that had already saved him twice.“Rise my cousin,” she chuckled. Beecher rose and went to her in the more familiar greeting of his kind. They nuzzled heads, his under hers. The subtle action was noticed by all in the clearing, and approved. They had accepted him. Without one word spoken, they all nodded in agreement, they would figh
The Hunt for Knowledge Hold Still
With Luca's enormous frame passed out across her, and snow almost covering the entire mouth of the cave Zinnia had no choice but to wait it out. She felt like a sitting duck knowing that Genevieve was out there. Worse yet, the bitch knew approximately where they were. “But what choice do I have?” she thought as she took in her situation. The cave was about the size of his body. Not much of a cave, more of a cavette. She giggled at her own lame joke.She watched with an increasing unease as the sky grew darker and the tiny cave was almost completely devoid of light. The eerie silence was almost worse than the deafening thunder from before. It seemed so finite. Would they ever be able to leave this place? and if they did, would it be to the waiting arms of a vengeful vampire? She curled up next to Luca for body heat. There was a little space just in front of him once he had stretched out and her tiny frame just fit. It might be better to sleep than to think.From this angle, s
The Hunt for Knowledge Avalanche!
She must have recognized the sound or felt the mountain shift for she was off him in an instant. She would not be more weight for him to have to climb with. In his mind he fought with her. He reasoned with her, he begged her, but she would not relent. She would not bring him down. She may be a third of his size, but she would climb as his equal. Again, she wished for her powers back, she could have just fluttered right up and found them a cave.Finally giving up on carrying her, he pointed the way and then hoisted her up., if she was going to climb she would damn sure go ahead of him. He prayed to whoever might be listening for a bit of luck.When she was no more than five feet up, he smashed his enormous body against the snowy mountain and started up the rockface, She moved slowly, cautiously. He fought the urge to rush her, trying not to think about their lack of equipment. He didn’t know if she realized they were fighting time as well.A sound like an explosion ripped thro
