Havermouth, Three Weeks Before“Nice place,” the driver said with admiration as they approached the safe house. The setting sun caught in the windows in a spectacular display of pinks and oranges. “Beautiful view from here.”“It is,” Talen agreed.“Town’s on the creep-list though,” the driver added as he followed the curve of the driveway. “Story is that the family massacred the natives when they took over the land here, and were cursed as a result. Then, not ten years later, beau from Rideten hadn’t heard from his dearly beloved for over a month, and decided to ride over with the regular traders who made the journey, and found the place abandoned.“A lot of old dried blood and a big bonfire with charred human bone, all the farm-animals, horses, chickens, and wandering free, and not a living person to be seen. Some think there was a plague of some sort, but then, if everyone died, what happened to the bodies of the last ones to cark it?” The driver said with relish as he parked. “So,
Havermouth, Three Weeks BeforeTalen held her tightly to him, using his hold to lift her so that he could walk into the house and kick the door shut behind him. “I am happy to see you too, little demon,” he said as he did so. “When I came back on Friday, and you were gone…” He had despaired, panicked, and feared the worse, but he wouldn’t lay that on her. If his suspicions were correct, she was already carrying a heavy burden. “I flew to Kabramatta looking for you,” he confessed.“I know,” she was wrapped around him pressing her face into his chest. “My friend told me that she had seen you.”“Mhm,” he cupped her skull, lifting her face so that he could see her. “You decided to stay in Havermouth?” He needed to know her plans, to assure himself that she wouldn’t be taking off to Kabramatta without telling him.“I have stuff I need to do here before I leave.”“Hmm,” he used the pad of his thumb to wipe away her tears. “It just so happens that I’ve been asked to stay on for a while longe
Havermouth, Three Weeks BeforeTalen waited to see if Morgana would tell him what had occurred, however she simply clung to him and wept herself to exhaustion. Alright my mate, he thought. He had not won her trust yet, and that was fine. Like making a vampire, some things were simply better when time was taken in their creation.He sat against the bedhead and held her cradled on his lap whilst she wept, stroking his fingers through her hair. The new position revealed a tattoo that he had not realized existed. Unlike the ones on her stomach, this one was just the outline, the color not yet filled in with the shading and detail that would bring the griffin alive.“Hmm,” he wondered if it were a sign that the tattoo artist intended to return. Well, that would not do, he decided. He would have to do something about that. As beautiful as the griffin would be, if the other artwork on his mate was anything to go by, Talen did not relish the idea of a man who possibly had taken his mate by fo
Havermouth, Three Weeks BeforeRhett’s bedroom door was still shut Cameron saw as he got home. He paused in the hallway, wearing nothing but his underwear as he’d taken off his clothes on the balcony and carried them straight through to the washing machine, starting the cycle as his mother had taught him to do.With Rhett sulking in his room, and Heath at work, there was no one to frown disapprovingly at him when he changed into his running gear and tiptoed back out of the house.They had stayed away from Aislen on Sunday night, knowing that Abigail would be watching them to make sure they obeyed, with Rhett shutting himself off in his bedroom, Cameron had slept in Heath’s bed, clinging to his mate, but both of them rendered silent by their loss.On Monday, Havermouth had buzzed with news of the Secret Keeper, but Cameron had been distracted by the nagging question of whether or not the Carter house was empty… He had driven by during the day, doing laps until he saw her car return fro
Havermouth, Present Time Cameron exploded with excitement throwing his arms around Aislen and lifting her against him as he twirled. “Yes!” He exclaimed. “Yes! I knew it! I knew, the moment you said in the MegaStore. Yes. I am,” he set her to the ground but didn’t release her, cupping her face in his hands and pressing his forehead against hers. “So happy, Aislen. So happy.” “Heath,” Rhett murmured gripping the vanity, pulling away from Heath. Aislen hands shook as she lifted them to grip Cameron’s shoulders, and she had gone very pale and quiet. “Morgana,” Talen reached out to stroke his hand through her hair, sharing Rhett’s concern. “How do you feel?” “I think I need to…” She said and her knees buckled, so that all four men reacted at once, almost tangling ineffectually in their efforts to all catch her before she hit the floor. Talen swept her up into his arms and Heath caught Rhett under the elbow, seeing his dark-haired mate sway. “Easy, Rhett,” Heath said, easing Rhett’s ar
Havermouth, Present TimeAislen woke from a deep sleep between Rhett and Cameron. A hole in the wooden divider wall shed a fragile light into the room, just enough so that she could run her worried gaze over Rhett. He was looking better, she decided, his face less waxy pale, his eyes less shadowed. His cheekbones still stood out too prominently against his skin, emphasized by the dark shadow of a couple of day’s stubble, but he didn’t seem to be losing more weight.She hovered on the edge of sleep and awake, admiring the heavy fall of his hair, and the fullness of his lips, until her bladder demanded action. Rhett’s eyes opened as she eased out from Cameron’s arm. She touched his cheek. “Go back to sleep. I’m just going to the bathroom.”Cameron sat up, bleary eyed. “Are you hungry?”“Not really,” Aislen ruffled her fingers through his hair. “But I’ll go downstairs and empty cans into the saucepan if you two are?”“Not yet,” Rhett’s eyes were almost closed and his face was relaxing ba
Havermouth, Present TimeAs the witches began the chant to focus their energy and direct it to her, Aislen closed her eyes and wrapped her fingers into the hem of the t-shirt that she wore, trying to picture Jessica in her mind’s eye, remembering the cheerful little girl with Rhett’s eyes and a pretty sundress, who had been fascinated by Aislen’s dresses…She felt the energy strike through her, throwing her head back under the rush of it, feeling her hair lift and drop with the static. For a moment, she remained, surrounded by the hum of chanting witches, with the now familiar smells of Leighton’s arcane components, dust and old newspaper, her bond telling her that Rhett and Cameron’s presence was reassuringly to the left and then...Jessica…Her breath huffed from her as her head and elbows struck against something, the thud hollow. One foot braced against a wall and her knee rested against another. She drew her back foot slowly and cautiously towards her body as she fought a wave of
Havermouth, Present Time They drove as close to the bridge as they could get before hitting the first roadblock. Every alternative route they attempted from that point they found blocked either by cement barricades or vehicles parked across the street and left. The only way into the town by car was barricaded by soldiers and spike strips. “Let me out here,” Leighton said from the back seat. Talen’s eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror but he slowed to a stop and Leighton reached for the door handle. “I will make sure that all eyes are away from the bridge, and that the bridge guards are distracted by what is happening in town,” he told them as he stepped out, and paused with a small smile. “Just make sure not to get distracted yourself, and Talen…” He raised an eyebrow. “I remember. Don’t open the pouch until I need to return,” Talen replied with amusement, patting the chest of the many-pocketed military style vest that he wore over a black, long-sleeved top and cargo pants. Heath k
Havermouth, Present Time Aislen hit her head hard on the floorboards and lay for a moment with white noise ringing in her ears, staring sightlessly up at the beams of the roof. Her entire body ached. She could feel the sharp sting of the cuts across her torso and the wetness of her blood, and she knew that she was dying. She groaned and put her hand to her chest, surprised to encounter cloth and not skin, and lifted her hand, wondering at how it was not covered in blood and what the black chalkiness was that stained her skin. She slowly lowered her chin to her chest. There were no wounds. Oh, yeah, she wasn’t the one bleeding... The thoughts rolled through her mind in slow motion, as if she was thinking through treacle. “Shit,” she groaned. “Heath!” Where were her mates? “Cameron, and Talen,” she whispered, closing her eyes and then opening them again, her vision focusing, the beams coming into focus. She was on the floor of Leighton’s workspace, she realized, and recalled the salt
Havermouth, Present TimeCameron cried out and threw his arms around Rhett, gripping him tightly before catching his face between his hand and kissing him with a thoroughness that left Rhett breathless until the bathroom door suddenly opened, and he released him out of habit, both men breathing heavily as they stared at the startled intruder.“Ah, sorry,” Will Peters was wide eyed. “I can wait…” He backed out letting the door swing shut behind him.“Shit. Oh well, I’m not hiding anymore,” Cameron shrugged, turning back to Rhett, and pulling him back into his arms. “I’m so happy to see you. And you’re looking so much better. Skinny. But better.”“Wow, Cam,” Rhett laughed. “I should come to the rescue more often. Hey there’s power on here!” He added squinting up at the neon lights. “Who would have thought I’d be happy to see the flicker of neon again.”“Did Aislen send you?” Cameron asked, leaning back in order to look at him. “Did she do one of those portal thingies? Where’s Heath? And
Havermouth, Two Weeks BeforeHeath Gale and Rhett Salem, Talen turned the names over in his mind as he reviewed the details that Tony had sent through to him on his laptop. In one of those twists of little towns, Heath Gale owned the firm that handled some of Zeus’ legal work. A lawyer.Well, that explained the expensive suits and impeccable grooming.Young, he observed, lifting his eyebrows as he saw the date of birth. Young and rich. The rich wasn’t a surprise, most of the werewolf families did well by themselves, but this young man did better than most. Lived just outside of Havermouth, in a heritage home owned by another pack family, the Edison’s.Rhett Salem, the sexy tattoo artist, owned the tattoo parlor in town and made more than a decent living from the business, though the bulk of his wealth had been inherited.“Hmm,” Talen tilted his head and flicked back to Heath’s file.They lived at the same address. Interesting. But not necessarily remarkable, he decided. Young men ofte
Havermouth, Two Weeks Before “I already knew what you all were, and I didn’t tell anyone.” Aislen finished her glass and held it out for Heath to refill.“Yeah, Rhett said that.” Cameron looked at Rhett.“If the pack knew that, though,” Rhett explained. “They would decide that you were too great a risk and kill you anyway, so we couldn’t let them know about that…”“And we couldn’t talk about it with you without breaking werewolf law,” Heath told Aislen. “Until you were officially ours, officially recognized as part of the pack, we could not openly talk about ourselves to you, or show you…”“I’m not part of the pack, or yours now,” she pointed out.“No, but things have changed,” Rhett let his hair fall over his face, avoiding looking at Heath. “You are in danger.”“You were an idiot,” Heath sighed out his frustration. “Arrogant and prideful as always and decided to show off what you knew with that f-king Secret Keeper poem.”“When you came back to Havermouth, we had another chance, be
Havermouth, Two Weeks Before The necklace around her neck was held together by a padlock. Heath hadn’t noticed it at Rhett’s tattoo parlor – things had happened so quickly, and he had been so angry, it was no wonder that the details of her outfit had skipped his notice. But he had seen it the moment they’d entered the kitchen, noting the workmanship of it and the glitter of diamonds.A love token from the vampire, he had decided straight away. It wasn’t until they were sitting across the table from each other and the infinity knot had slipped to the side, that he’d seen the padlock holding it closed at the rear. A tiny padlock, but a significant one. The necklace wasn’t a lover’s token but rather a declaration of ownership.Considering how the vampire had defended her against Heath the evening before, he wasn’t surprised that he had made sure to mark Aislen as his. A warning to Heath to back off, and a notice that the vampire intended to continue his pursuit of Aislen.Heath wasn’t s
Havermouth, Two Weeks BeforeJules leaned against the fence and wiped his brow on the back of his sleeve. “That’s done then,” he decided his eyes on the indignant wet sheep in the holding pen. They’d spent the day putting this part of the herd through the dip – a process that Rhett always found comical when he was drafted in to help, enjoying the complaints of the sheep as they treaded dosed water before being drained and released into the pen.Cameron had left him in bed that morning, however, as Rhett wasn’t himself. The sex the night before had been… strange. It had held shadows of the early part of the last five years, when sex between the Triquetra had been about hurting each other as much as getting off. Rhett hadn’t hurt Cameron precisely, but Cameron had known that the sex hadn’t been about him, although he was the recipient, but about Aislen.“Yeah,” Cameron agreed. “I’ll grab a shower, change and head home.” He headed towards the house.Jules checked the gate before followin
Havermouth, Two Weeks BeforeRhett couldn’t concentrate, so it was lucky that he didn’t have any clients booked – he had cleared his schedule anticipating that they would still be at the river house with Aislen. He pottered aimlessly in his office as a result, shuffling paperwork that he didn’t have the focus to read, and collecting up the empty coffee cups that clustered on every surface, pulling his face at those which had a skin of green over them.Coffee was a good idea, he decided, and the walk to Boyston’s and back would clear his mind, even if the trip risked him bumping into Heath. His blond mate had returned from work the night before in a foul mood having broken his own rules and gone to see Aislen, only to find the vampire already there.Rhett was the only one who hadn’t broken the rules so far, as Cameron had come knocking on his door the previous afternoon, still sweating from his run and reeking of sex with Aislen. Rhett had been trying to do something constructive with
Concordia, Eleven Hundred Years Before Thorarin looked out from the top of the sand dune. “A kings worth is measured not by his success on the battlefield during times of war, but in his daily judgements. It is too easy, my son, for a man to overlook the day-to-day in seeking glory, but the true glory of a ruler lies not in the battles won, but in the actions that he takes during peace time.” “Father,” Thaelen’s voice caught in his throat as he watched the wind string out Thorarin’s hair, the colored beads arranged in a pattern that only Abara had ever mastered and had taken to the grave with her. “How did you die? I must… I need to know. Were you…” He closed his eyes on the tears that burnt there, but they escaped anyway, sliding down his cheeks and into his beard. “Was it peaceful?” “Is death ever peaceful, Thaelen?” Thorarin replied without looking at him. “Especially for immortals such as we are? But, yes, perhaps. I recall little of it. We drank… and slept, and there was no mor
Concordia, Eleven Hundred Years BeforeThaelen was pleased to see Gyrd and his son leave through the stronghold gate as Thaelen led his army within the range of the archers on the walls of Gyrd’s stronghold – a move that required confidence that Gyrd would not turn traitor and shoot them from behind. The Lord’s presence was reassurance that treachery was not planned although the archers remained at alert, the top of the wall bristling with their strung bows.“My king,” Gyrd bowed. “You are a welcome sight to behold in the Gulgane armor.”“Gyrd,” Thaelen reached out to clasp the Lord’s arm. “And Timal,” he greeted Gyrd’s son and heir. “I thank you for your loyalty to the Gulgane family, and for holding this stronghold against the invading humans.”They turned to regard the campsite. The distance made the details difficult to make out, however there was no gathering of men, no readying of the siege machines that they had been constructing, and minimal activity. Thaelen narrowed his eyes