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Losing Tiff
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Pack's Emissary Breaking Things
Trayrock, Present TimeThe vehicle slowed, the engine changing tune, and then stopped completely. The late afternoon had taken on the golden glow of just before sunset. Through the windows of the vehicle, the landscape was breathtaking, the elegant smooth-barked white trees with their heavy canopy of green leaves filtering gold sparkles and dappling the road they framed in patches of sunlight and shadow.If she had been home, Lyric would have brought a cup of tea out to Arthur’s bench and sat in the last of the day in peaceful contemplation, just being present in herself, watching the birds and insects, and perhaps a brave rabbit.But that was then, and this was now.“What is it?” She asked Niarthen as she lifted her head from his shoulder. The door slid open, and the driver leaned in and spoke, and Niarthen answered. The guards immediately began to rise from the seats, picking up the prisoner’s by their elbows and guiding them to the door.Isaiah protested the movement, casting a loo
The Pack's Emissary Mist and Poison
Downstream from Havermouth, Present TimeTheir little party set up camp just down the river from Havermouth, not far, in Lyric’s judgement, from the Edison’s farm. She stood just outside the little dome that she and Niarthen would sleep in that night and searched the trees for distant lights in the direction that she guessed the farm would be.“Mia Persuma Inillium?” Niarthen came up behind her and put his arms around her. She wondered if he’d been visiting Sapphire again. She had not seen him go, distracted by the business of setting up the camp for the night. It happened occasionally that they would be separated, and normally it did not bother her – she knew that he would find her, or she him. But now, his disappearance held more significance.She hated Sapphire with a passion that was entirely unfounded, based on nothing more than instinct and a sketch.“You look deep in thought. Are you troubled over earlier?” Niarthen asked, oblivious to her thoughts.The decimation of Trayrock,
The Pack's Emissary Cameron Forgives
Outside of Trayrock, Present Time“It’s old, but it’s holding in there,” Jules decided as he and Cameron inspected the shed. “If they’d kept up with the pointing, the roof, and maintained the south-west wall better against the wind, it would keep going indefinitely. It’s a shame really that they let it go.”Cameron raised his eyebrows at his father. “As if we Edisons haven’t done the same dozens of times.”Jules tsked with a wry smile. “Farming is a business, unfortunately. No room for sentimentality. If you don’t have a use for it, you have to put the money where it’s going to do the most work for you. Still,” he touched the weathered wooden support beam. “It’s always a shame to see an old girl like this on the way out for lack of care.”“We can stay here,” Cameron called out to the rest of the group. “We’ll get a fire going and see what we can use to make things a bit more comfortable.”“On it,” Jules began to search the shed.The rest of their party didn’t enter so Cameron went out
The Pack's Emissary Samuel and Jules Have THE Conversation
Trayrock, Present TimeThe sounds of war never changed Samuel thought as he took to the sky. There was always that break between the peaceful before and the roar of noise that announced the arrival of battle. Screams from below chased him as he sought that balance of height and vision. He kept one eye on Ember whose flaming wings and hair made her a target whereas, against the rising smoke that bit at the back of his throat and stung his eyes, he disappeared.Below, he watched as the Emissary and her mates divided between two vehicles, the drivers heading towards the bridge, the path slowed by the panicked flight onto the streets by the civilians of Trayrock.“We should have carried the Emissary,” Ember was unhappy with the situation. She had to yell over the screams below and the sounds of the battle. The approaching army’s heavy artillery had already struck several buildings – targeting points in order to drive the people of the town towards the approaching army, herding them like s
The Pack's Emissary Aislen and Cameron’s Moment
Outside of Trayrock, Present TimeAislen hadn’t realized just how mentally noisy Trayrock had been. Since the Mer had attacked, it had been like the volume had been turned down, again, and again, and again. Every time it got quieter, she would feel a shiver of cold cross over her skin because she knew what that meant. A large group of minds rendered silent. So large a group that even the incoming minds of the Mer did not fill the space left in their passing.She reached out over, and over, in the hope of finding Tiffany, but there were just too many heads still – the Mer thoughts were incomprehensible due to the language divide, and the people of Trayrock’s thoughts were scared, panicked, and mentally screaming. She couldn’t find anyone in the soup of thought… She knew, though. She had known straight away, perhaps even realized it at the very moment that Tiffany had died, feeling that severing of connection. Tiffany was dead.Talen held her as she recovered from the hysteria induced v
The Pack's Emissary Mud and Mistakes
Outside of Trayrock, Present TimeHunting rabbits was just plain fun, the way they scattered and bounced and changed direction in a flicker of an eye. Rhett had always enjoyed it as a wolf, the feeling of power seeing the whites of the rabbit’s eyes as they freaked out and fled, and the enjoyment of his own strength, speed, and skill as he chased them down and closed his jaws over them.Chasing down the rabbits in human form with his mates was a moment of much-needed levity. Even Aislen and Cameron were laughing as they made their kills, giddy with the endorphin release.It was a relief to see them both shrug off their moods for a brief respite. Cameron’s anger had burned brightly - but it had burned itself out, Rhett hoped. Aislen’s sadness over her mother was complicated and heavy, and Rhett knew that it wasn’t going to go away quickly. Aislen held onto her feelings far longer and far harder than Cameron did, but after his dad’s concerns over her pregnancy due to her hysteria, he wa
The Pack's Emissary Reality Hits Hard
Outside of Trayrock, Present Time“I’m not sure that I like rabbit,” Aislen admitted as she sucked down the second one that she’d caught. “The blood is watery. It’s like the dieter’s version of blood. And,” she paused to pick fur from between her teeth. “The fur gets stuck between your teeth.”“There are worse animals,” Talen said with the certainty of experience as he tidied their kill pile.“Like what?” Heath asked - as much to keep the conversation going as out of curiosity.“Bear,” Talen said without hesitation. “The taste is not so bad, but the smell…” He pulled a face. “If you catch them after hibernation, they’re slow, skinny, and rank, but even on a good day, there is something about the odor and getting your face right into it…”Aislen made a gagging noise.“Precisely,” Talen agreed. He too was trying to keep Aislen engaged, Heath thought as their eyes caught. Although she had pulled herself together admirably, she was far from her usual self. Hopefully though, even the diete
The Pack's Emissary A Utopia Built on Bones
Outside of Trayrock, Present TimeAislen knew it was a dream and not an ordinary one. This was one of THOSE dreams, which meant she needed to pay attention.She was not in the aether, and unlike many of the dreams before it, this dream wasn’t full of chaos, smoke, and bodies, that much was clear. She hoped it was another nice dream of the future, like the time she’d caught a glimpse of how the future might be with her mates. She needed another dream like that, she thought, and maybe that was why this one was so peaceful.She was lying in fragrant grass with the sun warm on her face, so bright against her eyelids that even with them closed she saw halos of light. She could hear people’s voices, the activities of every day, but there was a difference… A missing white noise. It wasn’t the only difference. There was also a difference in the air. It was more fragrant in the way of a garden in spring, with all the flowers in bloom and the earth rich and ripe.She opened her eyes and squinte
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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
