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Embers and Ashes
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Pack's Emissary The Last Stretch to Havermouth
Outside of Trayrock, Present Time“What do you think about what my dad said last night?” Rhett asked Cameron as they hunched over the tap and did a hasty upper body wash, mostly, in Rhett’s case, to wake himself up. The night had not been the most comfortable one he’d spent. Although he hadn’t been cold – which Phillip had been from his restlessness and teeth chattering through the night which Rhett might have enjoyed more if it hadn’t kept him awake and if Phillip hadn’t been strangely reconciliatory in Trayrock – the ground had been unforgivingly hard, and although Rhett was comfortable sleeping with four other people, the lack of privacy had kept him on edge and unable to sleep.If they made it to Havermouth during the day, he hoped for a more comfortable and private sleep in the night coming.“About the Mer?” Cameron didn’t try to act coy. “And our chances?”“Yeah,” Rhett pulled his top back on although his skin was still wet, and the material stuck to him. “And bunkering down.”“
The Pack's Emissary Magic in the Water and Dragons in the Sky
Havermouth, Present TimeSigrid had debated whether to leave Mercy where she lay. If Leighton discovered her missing, there would be trouble. However, she also did not want to risk him moving Mercy to a new location and losing her. She couldn’t have her Triquetra monitor the mortuary constantly – it risked them being discovered, but it also prevented them from being useful elsewhere and there was a lot that needed doing.In the end, she selected a sleeper that had a similar build and coloring to Mercy and switched their clothing, placing the sleeper where Mercy had lain. She hoped that if Leighton came by to check, he would not look closely.She put Mercy in the backseat of a car and drove her to the tidy little house that Tabitha Marie called home. The reporter leaned against the doorframe as she watched Sigrid cross the pretty garden to her.“Doing house calls now?” She arched an eyebrow.Incense wafted out of the doorway along with the murmur of voices.“I need to hide something he
The Pack's Emissary Arrivals and Ambassadors
Havermouth, Present TimeAs Sigrid reached the street, she heard screaming. She broke into a run and arrived at the edge of the bridge, where the dragon had landed, at the same time as a half dozen werewolf soldiers. Civilians, caught by surprise and with the very natural reaction of panicked fear by a dragon landing in their midst, cowered back against the shopfronts.“Stand down!” Sigrid yelled as she came to a stop between the soldiers and the furred dragon. She held out her hands, palm forwards. “Stand down, soldiers. This an ally.”“It’s a fucking giant winged wolf,” one of them yelled back. “What the actual fuck?”“It’s Jules Edison,” she told them firmly. “A hybrid.”She felt the current of air moving and the familiar pull of her mates and was not surprised when they ran down the street, a blur too fast for the humans to see, coming to a standstill before her.“Please don’t point your guns at our pregnant mate,” Greg’s polite request was belied by the tightness in his tone and
The Pack's Emissary Back in Havermouth
Just Outside of Havermouth, Present TimeIn hindsight, it was a relief not to have to carry anyone Aislen thought as they took another break, and she braced her hand in the small of her back trying to counter-balance her stomach. Supernatural hybrid or not, running whilst pregnant was no joke and she was struggling to keep up with her mates.The reporters, despite not physically exerting themselves at all in the process, were exhausted from the way they collapsed onto the ground. “It’s like jetlag,” Aislen heard Addison say to Jacinta. “With a side of wind-burn.”“Great for volumizing the hair though,” Jacinta joked as she tried to tame hers back into place.Rhett lit a cigarette crumpling the packet in his hand. “Want to share?” He offered it to Cameron.“No, you have it,” Cameron declined, knowing that Rhett didn’t really want to share, but was still trying to get on Cameron’s good side. Cameron wasn’t in the mood for cigarette’s anyway, his eyes on the sky searching for his father.
The Pack's Emissary Meeting with Meguitte
Havermouth, Present TimeFor a moment, Aislen’s eyes missed the changes to the main street. She had become used to seeing the town in a state of damage and disrepair. With the Van Helsing invasion, buildings damaged by the storm had never completely been restored to their original states, and windows were still boarded up, and rooves roughly patched – practical rather than aesthetically pleasing repairs. The battle against the Van Helsings had added bullet holes to walls, scorch patches, burnt-out buildings, and stains on the tarmac that were most likely blood, but everyone pretended not to notice.Before they had left for Rideten, the town had been busy, with the civilians taking advantage of being freed to go out after being restricted to their houses for so long, and all pitching in to try to get the town back on its feet. In the aftermath of the disaster, there had been a community spirit which had lead to volunteerism, charity, and sharing of resources. It had felt hopeful, if al
The Pack's Emissary Going Home
Havermouth, Present TimeAislen was aware of the civilian speculation as her mates joined the huddle with Meguitte, Connery, Leighton, and Sigrid. The nine of them standing by the bridge, overlooking the river, stood out, especially after the dragons’ comings and goings, and she could feel the speculations of those working on emptying the buildings. Most viewed the arrival of Aislen and her mates and the gathering with Sigrid, Meguitte, Connery, and Leighton as ill-tidings. They weren’t wrong.“Meguitte, Connery, and Leighton - ” Talen started to explain the efforts to fix the river.“It’s a good idea,” Aislen said to Meguitte, preventing Talen from having to repeat what she already knew. “And you’re right. It’s better to be doing something, rather than nothing.”“It is,” Meguitte replied, blushing. (After the cuffs, I was being overly cautious. I had lost some confidence in my abilities. Indecision and fear of doing the wrong thing was paralytic. This may not work, but that’s okay. N
The Pack's Emissary Aislen and Niarthen Meet
Havermouth, Present TimeIt was decided that Aislen would fly to the river house on Samuel. Her mates would extend the invitations to their guests and then follow either on foot or in vehicles. She knew from Talen and Heath’s thoughts that this was partially planned in order to speak with Sigrid alone, sheltering Aislen from the information. She had her own plans, and so pretended not to have caught their subterfuge, and climbed on board Samuel without protest.As Samuel took off, Aislen caught a glimpse of Meguitte, Leighton, and Connery along the riverbank further down from the bridge. They had quickly made themselves scarce, but obviously continued the conversation away from the rest of the group, in the privacy of the riverbank’s undergrowth, as they were huddled together in an intense conversation from their body language. The trio looked up as the dragon’s shadow passed over them.What was she going to do about them? She asked herself in bitter despair. Stella was right in so
The Pack's Emissary The Cost of Negotiation
Havermouth, Present TimeNiarthen shifted on the mat, his eyes going out over the camp. He wanted the end of the war as much as Aislen did. He felt responsible for starting it. It had been his report of what he had seen and experienced in the river that had set the war into motion, and at the time he had believed it was the right thing to do, and entirely necessary. He had even been a little excited to be part of implementing the event that generations of Mer had carefully planned and that had been spoken of almost reverently his entire life.He had served his people over the years to the best of his ability, and at times that service had involved bloodshed. He was known and respected for taking violent action when it was needed, but always only when it was absolutely necessary, and with efficiency.It was why he was trusted with the coastal patrols. The hierarchy of the Mer trusted his judgment and that he would take the necessary action if there was a human encounter. He had taken t
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The Pack's Emissary If You Choose
Havermouth, Present TimeAislen was looking down at a chessboard. She was holding a little statuette of Verina in her hand. She shook as she set it down on her side of the board and looked up at the woman who sat across from her. This time, the handmaiden or goddess, whatever she was, wore gold. Not some cheap and tacky replica, or some misleading named yellow, but true gold.An elaborate metal headdress began on her forehead, framing her face and covering her hair, continuing from just below her chin to spread over her shoulders and down her chest. The dress was made of fine chain link that draped like material, clinging to her curvaceous body, before dripping away into the aether that crept around their feet. Her lips were painted gold, and so were her eyelids and eyebrows. Golden rings encircled her fingers, and her wrists and arms were heavy with bracelets and cuffs. The tips of her fingers were dipped in gold.She was magnificent and regal and there was a formality to the way tha
The Pack's Emissary Preparing for Leighton
Havermouth, Present TimeThe room stank. They could smell it the moment they started down the hallway. Old blood, rotten flesh, and rodents. Connery made a noise in the back of his throat and fished in his pockets producing a handkerchief and stuffing it full of herbs from a pouch. He held it out to Meguitte who smiled and shook her head ruefully. She had smelled this particular scent before, many times over the centuries, during plagues and in the dungeons where people were tortured and left to rot.“I guess it’s a good thing that no one has been here to clean up after Leighton, as the ward will be untouched,” Connery commented, his voice muffled by the handkerchief.Blow flies greeted them. The cages were empty, but no one had scrubbed the room, and there were buckets sticky with congealed blood, stains of it on the floors and walls, and other biological matter in the corners of the cages where the prisoners had relieved themselves. The room rustled with bugs as a result.“Hmm,” Meg
The Pack's Emissary Gera
Havermouth, Present Time“You’re doing great,” Heath was breathless. He and Rhett had run, dragging with them several screaming witches. They had been pursued, by Mer, by zombies, by the few Van Helsing soldiers who had survived, but they’d been able to put some distance between them with help from the dragons in the sky. It had been very weird to see the dragons sending bolts of lighting and fire to hold off pursuit. One of them had done something that had made the earth beneath Heath’s feet tremble with a clap of thunder that had his ears still ringing.The timing had been perfect. They’d headed towards Leighton’s warehouse, and just as he’d started to debate which warehouse was likely, the door of the Stock Feed and Animal Supplies warehouse had opened revealing Phillip Salem. When he’d entered and seen Aislen on her hands and knees in a clearing within the filthy warehouse, he had not known whether to be relieved or despairing. The warehouse was so precarious a place for his mate
The Pack's Emissary Birthing Suites
Havermouth, Present Time“Stella was anticipating that your mates would attack the ward,” Phillip commented mildly as he riffled through the cupboards. “I am curious to see what happened when she found Leighton instead of them. He did not seem happy.”“Leighton was there? Shit,” Aislen’s heart picked up pace. “We really don’t want him to find us, Phillip. We tried to turn him over to the Mer, but it failed. Verina died though, and Leighton’s pissed in a big way. He came to kill me.”“Possibly, or to steal the baby,” Phillip agreed indifferently inspecting a steak knife before returning it to the drawer. “I think you over value yourself, Aislen, and undervalue what you’re carrying.”“Gee, thanks. Hopefully, Stella took Leighton out,” Aislen added thoughtfully. “She was well set up there, with a massive coven behind her. However powerful Leighton is, I doubt he’s as powerful as them.”“That is true. But then, Stella will have discovered that you are not there, and will know that I betra
The Pack's Emissary The Spell Trap
Havermouth, Present Time“I’m fine, my darling, truly, cross my heart,” Connery pressed the heel of his hand to his chest earnestly. Meguitte narrowed her eyes at him with suspicion. He was still paler than normally, with shadows pressed deep into his under eyes.“Have a sandwich and a cup of tea,” the werewolf Diana insisted offering both from a tray. She was going around the lower floor exchanging food and drinks for blood, and Meguitte sent her a side-eye. “I won’t take his blood,” Diana added hastily. “I can see that he can’t spare it. Perhaps you could, though?”“Me?” Meguitte was astonished by the suggestion.“It won’t take more than ten minutes, and I’m very gentle, I promise.”“It’s not that,” Meguitte explained. “I’m just… not an ordinary vampire. I have none of their normal powers.”“All blood is good blood at the moment,” Diana had sensed surrender and was preparing the kit.Meguitte sat next to Connery and rolled up her sleeve.He smiled at her. “How generous you are my be
The Pack's Emissary The Fked Up, The Fkers, and the Fish
Havermouth, Present TimeRhett and Heath did not speak as they wound their way through the streets of Havermouth. There was little opportunity to talk, slinking through the shadows, down the little alleyways between houses, and cutting through back gardens, but there was also a heavy sense of silence between them so that Rhett knew that even if they had been able, they both would have been too lost in their thoughts. Or lost in their worries, would be more accurate.They had searched the area around the smoke thoroughly, even venturing into the still-burning buildings. There had been no sign of Aislen. And no response to their mental calls for their mate. An icy fist of dread had a tight grip on Rhett’s heart. Why was she not answering? She had to be unconscious or…They would know if she had died. He refused to believe otherwise.Had Leighton found her first? What would Leighton do if he had found Aislen? He still struggled to see Leighton as dangerous, whatever mental voodoo the man
The Pack's Emissary Sigrid and the Mer
Havermouth, Present TimeThere were some languages that were universal, Sigrid thought grimly as she examined the Mer weaponry and made sure that she was familiar with its function. She could tell from the way the Mer moved, from the set of their shoulders, that they were uneasy with the alliance between herself and Niarthen. Their tolerance was thin, and only their respect for Niarthen, and the other two Mer generals, Benethin and Aeylira, kept them obedient. The moment word was received from above that Havermouth was to be destroyed, her life was forfeit.“Do not fear,” Niarthen said quietly. “Aeylira, Benethin, Lyric, and I will ensure that you reach your mates. There is a building which has been declared sacred. Lyric thinks it’s the hospital. That is where your mates are, yes? You should be safe there.”“I am with child,” she told him. “Triplets. The life of four rests on your promise.”“I understand,” he was grim. “Lyric also carries our child.”“If the tide turns,” she regarded
The Pack's Emissary The Dragon’s Battle
Havermouth, Present TimeMagic was in its very nature an invisible thing. You did not see a spell cast, but rather the effects of the spell once it found its victim. Therefore, the warlock Leighton appeared to do very little other than stand with his hands pressed to the surface of the ward, the energy blowing back his hair and causing sweat to break out on his forehead, but Samuel could FEEL the power, and see the reaction of the ward, its opaque surface shifting like water, areas clearing so that the dragons caught brief glimpses of the witches below scurrying about like ants as they tried to reinforce their magic by scattering herbs and arcane objects, and drawing runes on the bitumen.Samuel’s memories of the gloves were still fragmented, but he could recall the power they had given him – not just increased speed, strength, and stamina, but also a magic that was unnatural to him. He could feel a similar magic burning through his veins towards his heart and brain, poisoning as it b
The Pack's Emissary Good Monsters
Havermouth, Present TimeIn the front yard of the witch’s house, Jules caught Harry’s hand, pulling them to a stop. “I should shift,” he explained as he released Harry’s hand and began to strip off his clothing. “We can fly over the trouble.”“Aren’t you the clever one, my beloved,” Harry reached out and began to collect Jules’s clothes as Jules undressed. Jules looked up from stripping off his jeans to find Harry’s eyes hot and his smirk smoldering, and laughed, pulled from the seriousness of the war around them into a moment of pure joy as they celebrated what existed between them.“Okay,” Jules blushed as he finished undressing. “A moment.”Harry stepped back onto the porch and Jules focused on his shift. It was still a foreign experience, one that his body and mind told him shouldn’t be possible despite his entire life as a werewolf. Becoming a werewolf was a redistribution of his body – what existed simply moved to a position more appropriate for the shape that he wished to posses
