Havermouth, Present Time“We can’t forget that somewhere the Van Helsings have a fucking army of zombies,” Aislen said as they walked through the pretty streets of Havermouth toward the Salem home.There were scars left behind on the street by previous battles, and every here and there was evidence of Sigrid’s efforts to predict the path of the Mer army – a barricade repurposed from the Van Helsing occupation, a car or truck parked at an angle, blocking off the road. The further from the center of the town, however, the less evidence remained before – until they neared the high school. The burnt-out and upturned ruins of cars remained, and there was a grubbiness to the rooves and houses that had been left by the ash of the explosion and would take several seasons of rain or a good scrub to wash away.They passed down her street, and although it took them a little off route, walked down to the house.As they drew near, Cameron clapped his hands together. “There it is!” He said trotting
Havermouth, Present Time“Well?” Phillip asked half an hour and three destroyed apples later as he showed them to the door again, leaving Toby with Lauren, Anne, and a delighted Jessica, picking mashed apple up from around the room. “He’s something supernatural. No human is that strong.”“No,” Talen agreed. “But there’s no blood lust, and so far, no shifting, correct?”“I guess we’ll have to wait for the full moon to see if he has to shift,” Phillip agreed.“There is another possibility,” Aislen said slowly. It was obvious that the blood given to Toby had done something, but she didn’t think that he was vampire, werewolf, or hybrid, which really only left one other option considering the blood that he’d been given. “I asked Samuel to give Toby his blood.”“There goes the décor if he shifts,” Rhett joked.“Where is Samuel?” Phillip wondered looking up automatically. “Perhaps he could tell?”“He’ll be somewhere up there,” Aislen stepped through the calf-length grass until she was in a c
Havermouth, Present Time“Sigrid, understandably perhaps considering everything that has been going on, appears to have forgotten her promise to supply me with Jules’ blood,” Leighton replied easily as he wrote on the label of a jar already filled with the red liquid. “And Jules was in Havermouth so fleetingly that I did not have a chance to get my equipment together for the collection before he’d vanished again. I drove out this morning in case I managed to track him down, and I did,” he smiled pleasantly at Jules.“I think that’s enough blood,” Harry said from the couch. “You will leave my beloved dehydrated and weak.”“I should have enough with this second jar,” Leighton assured them. “I have been greedy,” he admitted. “And taken more than I normally would, but in the circumstances, I’m sure you can understand why,” he said to Jules directly.“In case I get killed?” Jules arched an eyebrow. “I don’t intend on dying.”“Good,” Leighton eased the needle from Jules’ arm and pressed a s
Havermouth, Present Time“Why in all that’s hellish?” Rhett complained into his pillow when Cameron crawled over him, seeking freedom from the bed.“Shhh,” Cameron whispered. “I’m just going to get some work done.”“Just go,” Rhett’s mutters were slurred as he slipped back into slumber.Aislen was warmly tucked into Talen’s chest and felt as if she registered the exchange from a deep, soft cocoon of sleep that was not yet ready to release her. She drifted off into dream. In it she watched from one side of the river as a young woman began to undress. The dream was so vivid that she could feel the bark of the tree that she leaned against under her palm, she could smell the leaves crushed beneath her boots and feel the wet heat of the afternoon on her skin.The woman removed the cap that covered her hair, and then unwound the coronet of braids, weaving her fingers through the strands until she was cloaked in gold. As she waded into the water, her hair spreading over the surface and the
Havermouth, Present TimeThe door to Heath’s office was open and Aislen paused, leaning against the door frame and watching as Heath busied himself with paperwork. He wore a creamy white knit jumper and grey slacks, and his slightly overgrown hair had been styled back from his face. He looked up and smiled at her.“What?” He asked. “Did you need help with your shoes?”“Yes, but also, you’re very casually a lawyer today,” she observed. “I don’t think I’ve seen you pulling off this look recently. It’s been more rolled in a ditch while someone was shooting at me, than generational wealth.”“I’m not sure which description is more insulting,” he chuckled and pushed back his chair. “Come here then and I’ll help you with your shoes.”She rounded the desk and wriggled her bum up onto the polished surface before placing a foot on the chair seat between the spread of his thighs. His hands stroked down her calf to her ankle lifting her foot and placing it on his thigh, almost on his cock. She wr
Havermouth, Present TimeNiarthen’s meeting took place within the vehicle that they had travelled in. A portion of the dashboard functioned as a screen, and showed an ornate meeting room, the walls curved and smooth but layered like the inside of a shell, and softly iridescent. The seats were stepped into the floor, and male and female Mer in beautifully draped cloth and elaborate jewellery, sat solemnly as Niarthen began to speak.Although she did not understand much of the conversation between Niarthen and the panel of serious-looking Mer that he spoke to, she could pick out the names of Aislen, her mates, and Leighton when they were spoken. From the frequency of their names, she guessed that Niarthen was relaying the events of the previous day, and the story regarding the origin of the water pollution.As the meeting progressed and the Mer on the other side of the screen began to speak more and more, and mostly amongst themselves, with Niarthen occasionally interjecting, Lyric coul
Havermouth, Present TimeAislen dragged her feet through the morning. Waking up had seemed too hard as if she were dragging herself to the surface of a very deep, dark, warm pool of aether. The men had left her to sleep, and she hadn’t even noticed them leave, though now that she was awake, the house seemed quiet and empty of scent.The second, she attributed to Meguitte and Connery ending their two-day spell brewing spree. Heath had been pleased with how clean they’d left the kitchen. Talen had been less pleased that Meguitte insisted on being nearby during the battle. He had spoken with Sigrid, who had concerns that Meguitte would lose control and set the town on fire, and he had hoped to avoid that by encouraging Meguitte to help at the hospital, or somewhere away from the main streets of the town.As she made her way down the hallway to the bedroom that she was sharing with Talen, her body felt heavy, most particularly her stomach, and the baby seemed determine to press down on he
Havermouth, Present TimeSigrid heard from Talen that he and his mates were making their way from the house by the river and steeled herself for her next move. She left Abigail and her mates attempting to prepare for the Mer arrival and went to begin their betrayal.To her surprise, as she reached the hospital, Greg caught up with her. “You did not think we would leave this to you alone?” He asked mildly as he fell into step, and they walked together to the doors. “We all know that he is dangerous.”“I am not sure yet how to play this,” she admitted. “I am hoping that inspiration will strike in the moment.”“I am sure that you will handle it magnificently,” he put his hand on her waist, connecting them, and preventing them from becoming separated as the hallway was busy with people preparing for the casualties of battle.They were greeted as they passed through, and Sigrid was stopped several times to give direction and updates.“Soon,” she answered when asked when the Mer would arriv