Trayrock, Present Time“Sorry if I overstepped,” Cameron said to Aislen and Heath as the room emptied. He ran his hand through his hair. “It almost seemed like you guys wanted to start a fight, and with everyone well in their drinks, that didn’t seem like a good idea.”“It’s fine, you did great. It was really smart,” Aislen assured him, for although he had kept the query light, there was a wave of guilt and worry that accompanied it. “I wouldn’t have let it boil over,” she added though and tapped the side of her head. “I was ready to use my power to keep things calm. But I wanted the guy looking at us, and not at the reporters. I didn’t want him dragging them back to the Van Helsings for interrogation.”“We’re going to have to make sure they keep a lower profile,” Heath agreed.“Yeah, I’m not sure that’s in Rhonda or Patrick’s playlist, but we’ll try. Right,” Aislen turned to Lexie, picking up on the woman’s worry. “Go check on your friend. And ask her if she’s happy for us to send so
Havermouth, Present TimeThe refugees had been intercepted at the foot of the bridge into the town by some very suspicious locals, who had been reinforced by the werewolf army. Whilst things appeared calm and under control, there was an undercurrent in the expressions and body language of both sides that indicated that was fragile.The werewolves were on foot, and their possessions were carried. On the far side, various vehicles had been parked, but the newcomers had balked at crossing the train bridge with their cars and had instead walked across. There were animals amongst them – chickens, goats, sheep and cows.The chaos was impressive as none of the animals were enclosed, and whilst the Trayrock refugees had managed to drive them over the bridge successfully, they ranged wild on this side, grazing on the greenery along the riverbank.“Summarize,” Sigrid said to Rohan.“Lower-ranked wolves from Trayrock,” Rohan said. “Said they left soon after the Van Helsings moved in, and they sa
Trayrock, Present Time“Phew,” Aislen threw herself into the front seat of the car as the men piled in around her. “That got the adrenaline pumping. Now I’m starving.” On cue, her stomach growled loudly, and she grimaced, pressing her hand to it trying to still it’s churning.“Fucking hell,” Rhett laughed from the back seat. “Your stomach sounds like a horny alpha.”“Growing an entire person,” she reminded him.“At an accelerated rate,” Heath agreed. “We really need to keep on top of the food situation for Aislen. Our appetites are somewhat easier to manage - I’ve noticed that once a day is generally enough for me, and Talen needs even less, but Aislen is right – she’s pregnant. With human, and I am assuming werewolf pregnancies, it’s important that a pregnant woman get all the nutrients and vitamins that she needs, like folate, iron, and calcium…”“All of which can be found in blood,” Talen added soothingly. “So, we will ensure that Morgana feeds at least three times a day, and if an
Havermouth, Present TimeThey did not make it past the gate before Samuel landed on the footpath before them with an impressive thud. Ember’s wings lit the garden as she landed, more lightly, and Aislen blinked halos as the dragon folded them away again, dousing the garden back into shadow.“Ah, hi,” Cameron waved awkwardly over Aislen and Talen’s shoulders.“You should not head out on a mission without us, Emissary,” Samuel’s tone was respectful, but there was a scold not so hidden. “We are here to protect you, and to train you.”“I went out earlier without you,” Aislen pointed out practically. “I can’t take you with me everywhere.”“You aren’t obliged to take them anywhere,” Heath added.“But it is prudent,” Talen placed a big hand on Heath’s shoulder. “We apologize for not keeping you apprised of our activities, Samuel and Ember. We are not accustomed to doing so, and as such it did not occur to us to disturb you. As you have surmised, we are about to begin disrupting the local Van
Trayrock, Present TimeAs Talen eased open the sliding door onto the balcony, Rhett surreptitiously inspected the gunshot wound on his ribs. It was just a graze, but it had stung like a mother-fucker as he’d hauled the body up onto the balcony, and it had ruined his brand-new shirt, sticking it to his side with blood. He couldn’t tell if he was still bleeding, or whether the slick wetness under his fingers was just blood left on his skin from the initial wound. It smarted to touch the wound, so he imagined that it was still closing up.He poked his finger through the hole in his jacket. It might improve the look, he thought ruefully, if he got shot up a few more times. The store hadn’t exactly offered a wide range of clothing, and everything he’d chosen fit into the “basics” range. Basic dark or black jeans or slacks, basic dark or black tops and t-shirts, and the basic black denim jacket. None of it had any spice or attitude, and he didn’t have the accessories to add it.The bullet h
Trayrock, Present TimeTalen counted heads as they crossed to the next house, making sure all his mates were present, as well as Ember. The act amused him, despite the gravity of the night, as he felt like a mother duck keeping track of her ducklings. They were a somber group, and he ran an eye over Rhett and Cameron trying to determine what was bothering his mates. Aislen was distracted by Ember, who was trying to explain the powers that Morgana possessed as Emissary, and while that was of interest to Talen, the grim faces of his mates were more urgent, so he fell back in line with Heath.“Cameron seems…” He started.“He’s not comfortable killing while they’re in a magic sleep,” Heath knew the answer to the question without prompting.“Ah,” Talen nodded. “It is safer.”“Yes,” Heath adjusted the laptop bag that he held over his shoulder. “Definitely, and a handy trick that Aislen has in her arsenal, but…” He grimaced a little at Talen.“Understood,” he nodded and stretched his legs, c
Trayrock, Present TimeAislen realised that she’d fucked up when she heard the crash of the front door being kicked in. This wasn’t going to be a quiet attack, but one which all the neighbours would overhear. She could only hope that none of them were feeling friendly towards the Van Helsings enough to go banging on the third target house down the street.Heath pulled himself up onto the roof and grabbed her hand. “Shit Aislen,” he plucked glass out before bowing his head over her hand and licking the wounds closed. “Quick thinking,” he said as he released her hand and looked up with a grin. “And fucking hot. I had no idea you could move like that.”She had been expecting him to scold her, and her laughter caught her by surprise. “Me either,” she admitted.“Well, let’s get this done quickly. It’s the only way to keep the noise down,” he turned to the window and kicked in the last of the glass. “Careful as you get in.”“I could put them all to sleep…” She suggested.He shook his head.
Trayrock, Present Time“If clothing wasn’t such a precious commodity at the moment, we could shift,” Heath observed as they walked quickly along the pavement heading back to where Talen had parked. “It’s a beautiful night for it.”He was right, Aislen thought. The sky had that clarity that made the night bitterly cold but foretold a pretty morning and calm weather the next day. Which would make being out and about nicer than being in a thunderstorm but wouldn’t provide as much cover as one, Aislen thought.“There’s Ember,” Cameron pointed to a spark high above them. “Which means that Samuel’s probably up there somewhere. He disappears into the night sky.”“Do you think they’re right, and that they’re the last of their kind?” Aislen wondered.“They would know better than we would,” Heath answered. “But I hope not. I like the idea of a world with dragons in it,” he smiled as he watched the speck move in the sky. “I guess we grew up so isolated within the pack, that other supernaturals d
“Mine,” Rhett caught Aislen by the shoulders and turned her, pulling her body flush with his so that he could seal his mouth over hers and steal away Heath’s cum from her tongue. “Hmm,” he said as he eased back and used the tip of his little finger to wipe the corner of her mouth. “Delicious.”“This is going to take some finessing,” Talen said as Rhett stepped away so that Talen could take his place. The big, blonde man very gently stroked Aislen’s hair back out of her face before his hand strayed to the Concordian collar around her neck. He straightened it. “It has been a while since we have done this.”“Done what, Daddy?” She asked him and then gasped as Rhett picked her up and deposited her on the bed, straddling Heath’s hips and facing him. Suddenly the way that he was tied made a lot of sense, the space between his legs made room for someone to kneel between them, and the sex pillow beneath his hips would position Aislen at the right height for a man behind and one in front. “Oh
Aislen’s eyes adjusted to the darkness inside the Playroom with supernatural quickness and she smothered her laughter as she saw what Talen had been up to. The bed had been looped with Christmas fairy lights, tinsel, and red bows that held candy canes in place. As they neared, Talen activated the fairly lights so that the room, and its many sordid toys, flashed and flickered in shades of red and green - as did the two men already on the bed.Cameron wore a body harness similar to her own. It was on full display as he knelt on the end of the bed, his arms tied to the bedframe above his head, and a candy cane tied with ribbon as a gag. Talen, as a nod to the season, had used a red ribbon to tie a bow around Cameron’s cock. Tinsel had been draped around his neck like a feather boa.Heath was stretched out on the bed behind him, his arms spread and bound to the headboard, and his knees bent, heels to arse, and restrained there with ribbon that circled his ankles and looped around his wais
As Heath steered the car back out of Havermouth, Aislen watched the town pass by her window. It was both familiar and foreign, with the influence of the Mer seen in the repairs to the old buildings and the ever-increasing amount of greenery spilling over the walls from roof-top gardens.The way people dressed and interacted on the streets had changed too, with more and more people adopting the toga-like styles of the Mer clothing. Aislen caught a glimpse of Anne Mason talking with a group of tall intrigued looking Mers, and she wore multiple strings of the Mer’s bead and shell necklaces and bracelets as she smiled and gestured animatedly at the street around them.“I wonder what Anne is up to,” she remarked to Heath. “She looks like she’s leading a tour of the town. That’s probably what it is,” she answered herself. “She’d be good at that role.”“Do you miss it?” Heath asked her.“The telepathy?” She knew what he meant. “Yes and no. This is sort of cool,” she used her telekinesis to l
Cameron had baby-napped Gera for a day on the farm with her grandparents Harry and Jules, and so Heath and Aislen were travelling light to Havermouth.“Feels weird,” Heath said what Aislen was thinking. “Not hearing her in the back seat, and not having to lug around the baby bag in case she poops or pukes. I think we should have another.”“What?” Aislen’s jaw dropped. That last comment had come out of nowhere.“Another baby,” he smirked enjoying her reaction. “Gera’s six months old now, and I think we’re ready to add to our family.”“I’m not precisely preventing it,” she pointed out. “I’m not on any contraception, and I’m constantly leaking enough second-hand cum that I could probably repopulate the entire planet with a turkey baster.”“I know,” his smirk became a grin. “I’m just saying, if you were pregnant, it would be a good thing, wouldn’t it?”“Hang on now,” she narrowed her eyes at him. There was something to his teasing. “What are you getting at precisely?”“I’m just saying, yo
Aislen woke to Gera crying. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dark within Cameron’s room. It was night, but she couldn’t tell how far into it from the moonlight that drifted in through the part in Cameron’s curtains. Cameron was well out, snoring into the pillow, and she eased out from under his arm carefully so as not to wake him.Cameron had been working crazy hours, pretty much seven days a week, since the war trying to bring the two farms back to where they were before the storm, and to incorporate all the changes required for farming to be done by Mer environmental standards, which dictated everything from the way the sheep and cattle were treated for parasites through to run off from fields into the river.She stole the robe that hung of the back of his door as she tiptoed out of the room, easing the door closed behind her. Gera’s outrage had softened to gentle complaint which she traced to the kitchen. Heath, in a pair of striped PJ pants, was heating a bottle of blood, w
Rhett and Gera had attracted a horde of admirers in Rhett’s tattoo parlor and Aislen and Heath stood on the sidewalk watching him show off their daughter to his customers through the window, until someone pointed them out to them, and Rhett looked up, still grinning, his eyes bright with joy, and his cheeks heated as he realized he’d been busted.“Just look at him,” Heath scoffed his tone warm with amusement. “Bet he’s lying about doing the night duty all by himself again.”“He does get up a fair bit,” Aislen smiled up at him.“Yeah, but he complains about it like it’s the end of the world, and he doesn’t tell them that,” Heath nodded with his head towards the group saying goodbye to the baby. “I do most of the nights.”“And Cameron the early mornings,” Aislen reminded him.“He’s usually getting up then anyway,” Heath pointed out. “He’s half-rooster, up at dawn to wake us all up.”Aislen smothered her giggles.“What are you laughing at?” Rhett asked as he joined them. “Good timing, by
It was a very unusual Christmas Tree, but that was hardly surprising as it was a very different Havermouth. The new Havermouth Council was made up equally of all members of the community, and the tree represented the unification of these communities. Therefore, the tree had been carefully transplanted into the park, and was draped with bioluminescent strings of seaweed, crowned with a full moon, and hung with antique hand-carved toys and delicate ornaments made of gold and silver wire and what Aislen believed to be real gems, donated from the safes and other treasure vaults of the several hundred vampires that now called Havermouth home.In the old Havermouth, these gem-crusted ornaments would have disappeared within a day, however in the new Havermouth theft was not a problem. The police force included vampires and werewolves, and it had only taken a couple of demonstrations of their tracking abilities for thieves to learn to mend their ways.Aislen clapped along with the crowd as Ty
Havermouth, Present TimeThe journey to the river house was slow. Thanks to Sigrid’s roadblocks and the damage from the Mer. They also encountered many groups of people just standing on the road, talking in confusion. No one could quite understand what had happened, and no one was entirely confident that it was the end.Gera, true to form, had woken wanting to be fed, and so Aislen held the baby in her arms and watched out through the windows as they passed along the river road towards the bridge. “We’re a long way from done,” she said softly.“Yes,” Talen agreed. “But still, I feel as if we are far closer to peace, and I find myself optimistic and excited about the future before us.”“Me too,” Cameron agreed. “But that’s also how it feels when Aislen does her thing in your brain, so it could be that too.”“We haven’t really talked about that,” Heath added. “About what happened, Aislen?”“It’s hard to explain,” she said looking down at Gera and tracing the curve of the baby’s cheek wit
Havermouth, Present TimeDown the hallway enough for the stink of the torture room and the crunch and slurp of Mercy’s meal to be less nauseating, they formed a huddle, with Sigrid, Greg, Niarthen and Lyric in the centre, discussing what they had seen, and what the Mer would do next.Aislen leaned her cheek against Heath’s shoulder, exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to shower for a really long time, put on something that wasn’t coarse and itchy, and sleep. Heath put his arm around her absently, his attention on the discussion. She wanted to tell him that the world needed to take care of itself for a while, she had done her best for it, and it was time for her to sleep.“I can’t believe that she ate him,” Dan was seriously grossed out, Aislen could tell, although he kept his voice to a whisper.“I know,” Tom replied from the corner of his mouth, his eyes on Sigrid and Greg as they spoke with Niarthen. “Did you see the look on his face? He was just as surprised as we were.”“Will