Xeph swore that some days it was like herding cats. "Stand down, Brig," he said calmly to his bristling Commander.
Turning to Simon, who was smiling now, Xeph lowered his head, hiding his throat so there could be no mistaken idea of submission. "Huntington. I appreciate what you're doing for my Pack member. But you have no idea how glad I would be if you would do me the very great favor of not provoking my wolves while they're already in unfamiliar territory."
Simon might be a vampire. He might be a strong one. But there was very little that was tougher, meaner, and more savage than a hostile wolf who felt he had to leap to his own, or someone else's, defense.
It would be childish of the Tacharan leader to provoke a war over this small matter, and Xeph had no doubt that that was what such provocation could escalate into. Relations between Clan and Pack were not solid enough that Xeph trusted this bond to withstand a lot of pressure. Not now, and maybe not ever.
The Reveal part II
Continues from The Reveal
Simon watched as the eight of them, these Pipers, band together and make the decision to resurrect one of their own. What band of brothers wouldn't bring back one of their own if they had the power to do so? It humbled Simon, seeing the determination and love that went into the very simple act of defying God's will, such as it was.
Werewolves and Vampires were not abominations, not things that embraced the dark because the light had forsaken them. No, they were, at best, an evolved species of man that lived in the dark because no one else could comprehend their differences. Humanity was less than humane, Simon had discovered over his fifteen hundred years, but what he was watching today, right there in that cramped vehicle, was a compassion that he had never seen in a human and doubt he ever would.
Charlie's reaction to the Eternity being injected directly into his heart was not unexpected, at least not to him. Charlie's body tensed and his back bowed as he let out such an extreme and painful roar that scared the hell out of the rest of them. Simon merely reached out and held Charlie down as the others backed up against the walls of the SUV. He could smell the silver in him, most definitely in his blood stream by now and as they brought him back to life, albeit briefly, his regenerating heart managed to push the silver further into his veins, killing him slowly all over again.
"You might want to drive now, Lothias," Simon said over Charlie's screaming. The stunned young man quickly turned and fell over the seats to the driver's seat and put the vehicle in motion; his face ghost white and eyes bright and wide.
"You. Red, right?" Simon said looking at the equally stunned red head that appeared to be their medic, "help me hold him down."
Red held his hands out, paused, then shook off his fear and reached out to help Simon hold down Charlie until the screaming stopped.
"What is it doing?" Simon heard Hammer asked quietly.
"Right now it's starting to regenerate what it can. Regeneration on a werewolf is much slower than with a human, but it will try and fix the less damaged areas first." Simon pointed to Charlie's face as the burns on the side of his face began to clear slowly.
"But the silver will slow it down further?" Red asked, curious now.
"Considerably I would think." Simon looked out the front window as Lothias took a severe turn. They were close, inside of five minutes. "May I borrow someone's phone, please?"
The second largest man in the vehicle took out a phone and handed it to him. "Thank you...?"
"Marko," the man said with a nod. "Sure."
Simon let go of Charlie's legs, which were immediately replaced by another Pipers, and he dialed into Duibne to authorize Charlie's admittance.
"This is Simon Huntington, I'm authorizing the temporary entry of 8 Kadzait werewolves to the medical facility."
Hammer interrupted, "Someone needs to notify my Commander and our Alpha, Aiden Xephier."
Simon recalled the name and the one and only time he had met their Alpha. Swallowing, he asked, "Got a number?"
Hammer recited the number to Simon. DI was instructed to call the Kadzait command center immediately and to notify their Commander and Aiden Xephier. "Commander?"
"Brian Jameson," Vivienne replied, her face suddenly pale.
"Commander Brian Jameson and make that 10 individuals," Simon said into the phone and hung up. He handed the phone back to Marko. "Go around to the back of the north tower, please," he called out to Lothias who drove without replying.
Marthinus reached out for Marko's phone and made the call to prep the extraction machine. Simon looked over at Vivienne and gave her an encouraging smile.
/This extraction machine. What's it like?/
Simon looked away and back down at Charlie. /Viv, you really don't want to know./
Xeph
13 years ago
Simon Huntington
13 years ago
Simon's smug grin softened and he lowered his head respectfully. "My apologies then." 'Jameson just made it too easy sometimes', he thought to himself.
"I would limit outside exposure to your Sergeant for now," Dr. Mallari said quietly, "but of course one or two of your members should be fine. His wounds are not unlike a burn victims, but I would think his natural abilities will stave off any infections."
"Then I will take my leave," Simon said politely. "If any of you need anything else, just let my staff know."
"Why are you doing this for us?" Simon looked at Hammer who still had his suspicious glare in his foul one eye. The surly werewolf spoke with gritted teeth, "I don't see how this benefits you in anyway, except for maybe some sort of...favor."
"Why are you doing this, Simon?" Vivienne asked in a quiet voice.
Simon snorted and simply said, "I'm doing this for you, Viv." Jameson huffed angrily as he put his hand on Vivienne's shoulder. "But not for the reasons you might think.
"It's been a long time since I've done anything that hasn't benefited my clan in any way. A very long time. Humanity just isn't as humane as it used to be, but when I met Vivienne, she was searching for an answer, one that oddly enough would benefit all of you, but none of you wanted to know. She did it anyway, taking help from the unlikeliest sources. I know she suffered for it. It would help me in the end, but it's not often I see that kind of sacrifice, especially like the one I saw today. I have come to the conclusion that you are not dogs, despite the smell," Hammer rolled his eye at this comment, "so, Viv has won my respect and admiration, and if she needs my help or resources, she need only ask.
"I have very few friends, gentlemen, because my standards are quite high. You have yourself something special in her. She fights for you and she's not even part of your pack. I'd say that's worth helping."
Simon reached out to Xephier and the man reluctantly shook his hand. "Viv, gentlemen." And then Simon walked out of the room and left.
"I would limit outside exposure to your Sergeant for now," Dr. Mallari said quietly, "but of course one or two of your members should be fine. His wounds are not unlike a burn victims, but I would think his natural abilities will stave off any infections."
"Then I will take my leave," Simon said politely. "If any of you need anything else, just let my staff know."
"Why are you doing this for us?" Simon looked at Hammer who still had his suspicious glare in his foul one eye. The surly werewolf spoke with gritted teeth, "I don't see how this benefits you in anyway, except for maybe some sort of...favor."
"Why are you doing this, Simon?" Vivienne asked in a quiet voice.
Simon snorted and simply said, "I'm doing this for you, Viv." Jameson huffed angrily as he put his hand on Vivienne's shoulder. "But not for the reasons you might think.
"It's been a long time since I've done anything that hasn't benefited my clan in any way. A very long time. Humanity just isn't as humane as it used to be, but when I met Vivienne, she was searching for an answer, one that oddly enough would benefit all of you, but none of you wanted to know. She did it anyway, taking help from the unlikeliest sources. I know she suffered for it. It would help me in the end, but it's not often I see that kind of sacrifice, especially like the one I saw today. I have come to the conclusion that you are not dogs, despite the smell," Hammer rolled his eye at this comment, "so, Viv has won my respect and admiration, and if she needs my help or resources, she need only ask.
"I have very few friends, gentlemen, because my standards are quite high. You have yourself something special in her. She fights for you and she's not even part of your pack. I'd say that's worth helping."
Simon reached out to Xephier and the man reluctantly shook his hand. "Viv, gentlemen." And then Simon walked out of the room and left.
Brig Jameson
13 years ago
Brig waited a moment and then followed Huntington causing Viv to call after him.
"Brig...."
He smiled at his mate, "I'm not going to eat him, babe. I promise." Brig winked at her and left the room.
He found Simon at the end of hall already waiting for him. Brig walked slowly up to him and looked Simon in the eyes. "You love her, don't you."
Simon snorted, "Yes, but not the way you think. There would be no point."
"What does that mean?"
"She loves you, unequivocally. I'm not helping your kind in order to get Vivienne in my bed, Commander. There is nothing I could do to make her leave you. Believe me, I tried in Siberia, but she made it clear that...how did she put it, 'There is no other. Will never be another. Could never be another.' I simply cannot compete."
A flash of relief welled up in him, even though he knew Viv loved only him, having Huntington sniff around after her, trying to gain her favor still bothered him to the point of rage. "So that's it then? You want to be her friend?"
"I am her friend, as much as you don't like it. But I'm surprised you don't appreciate the help I'm giving your kind."
"I'd rather you stay away from her, far away."
"But even Vivienne sees the value of our friendship."
Brig bit back the angry words he wanted to spit at Huntington when he gave Brig what could only be understood as a clear warning.
"She loves you with everything in her, Jameson. Viv would never betray you. Ever. But if you hurt her, I won't lie to you, I'll be there waiting. And I can wait, a very long time. So please, love her the way she deserves to be loved."
Simon's jovial sarcasm and charismatic smile was gone. The warning was cold, exact, and Brig did not doubt him for one second. The vampire turned and left the hallway without another word.
Brig found himself staring after Huntington, feeling the weight of that promise as it hung in the air like icicles around him. Brig was one hundred and ten years old and he had maybe one hundred more with Vivienne. That would be a drop in the bucket to someone as old as Simon Huntington and the son of a bitch just made it clear that he could wait out Brig for as long as it takes.
"Great," Brig mumbled and returned to Charlie's room.
"Brig...."
He smiled at his mate, "I'm not going to eat him, babe. I promise." Brig winked at her and left the room.
He found Simon at the end of hall already waiting for him. Brig walked slowly up to him and looked Simon in the eyes. "You love her, don't you."
Simon snorted, "Yes, but not the way you think. There would be no point."
"What does that mean?"
"She loves you, unequivocally. I'm not helping your kind in order to get Vivienne in my bed, Commander. There is nothing I could do to make her leave you. Believe me, I tried in Siberia, but she made it clear that...how did she put it, 'There is no other. Will never be another. Could never be another.' I simply cannot compete."
A flash of relief welled up in him, even though he knew Viv loved only him, having Huntington sniff around after her, trying to gain her favor still bothered him to the point of rage. "So that's it then? You want to be her friend?"
"I am her friend, as much as you don't like it. But I'm surprised you don't appreciate the help I'm giving your kind."
"I'd rather you stay away from her, far away."
"But even Vivienne sees the value of our friendship."
Brig bit back the angry words he wanted to spit at Huntington when he gave Brig what could only be understood as a clear warning.
"She loves you with everything in her, Jameson. Viv would never betray you. Ever. But if you hurt her, I won't lie to you, I'll be there waiting. And I can wait, a very long time. So please, love her the way she deserves to be loved."
Simon's jovial sarcasm and charismatic smile was gone. The warning was cold, exact, and Brig did not doubt him for one second. The vampire turned and left the hallway without another word.
Brig found himself staring after Huntington, feeling the weight of that promise as it hung in the air like icicles around him. Brig was one hundred and ten years old and he had maybe one hundred more with Vivienne. That would be a drop in the bucket to someone as old as Simon Huntington and the son of a bitch just made it clear that he could wait out Brig for as long as it takes.
"Great," Brig mumbled and returned to Charlie's room.
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
Hammer turned and watched his cousin chase after Huntington. They needed to clear the air regarding Vivienne and he put his large hand on his father's adopted daughter's shoulder.
"Just let it go, it'll be fine."
Viv looked up at Hammer and then his hand. Even she questioned the gesture, especially after Siberia. Things had changed now or had spiraled out of control - however you wanted to view it. He needed to return to the Den with Lewis and check after the Piper systems and reestablish their communications so he could contact his father and Elder Jameson. Hammer let his hand drop slowly without another word to her.
Turning to his son, he sighed heavily. "The men need to clean up, but they can do that here. I'll have Red and Marko take first shift and the rest of us will return to the Den to check operations. I need to contact the Elders as soon as possible regarding the recent developments."
"Just let it go, it'll be fine."
Viv looked up at Hammer and then his hand. Even she questioned the gesture, especially after Siberia. Things had changed now or had spiraled out of control - however you wanted to view it. He needed to return to the Den with Lewis and check after the Piper systems and reestablish their communications so he could contact his father and Elder Jameson. Hammer let his hand drop slowly without another word to her.
Turning to his son, he sighed heavily. "The men need to clean up, but they can do that here. I'll have Red and Marko take first shift and the rest of us will return to the Den to check operations. I need to contact the Elders as soon as possible regarding the recent developments."
Xeph
13 years ago
Xeph watched Simon leave, followed by Brig. He turned to Hammer and lifted his shoulders helplessly. There was very little he could do now; if Brig chose to disobey him there would be consequences and he would deal with those. He didn't think it would happen though. Brig was generally a man of his word.
He nodded to Hammer as his father spoke. "Make sure you put me in the rotation, please," he said. He didn't want to be left out just because he was the Alpha. He could guard Charlie as well as any of the Pipers.
"In the meantime I'm going to see if there's any damage control needed as a result of that explosion. I'm sure it's all over the media by now."
That was definitely something Xeph could do; PR was right up his alley. Though, he wasn't sure any would be needed on his end. He hoped not at any rate. With one more glance at Charlie Xeph turned toward the door, waiting for Hammer.
((ooc: Xeph out pending reponses))
He nodded to Hammer as his father spoke. "Make sure you put me in the rotation, please," he said. He didn't want to be left out just because he was the Alpha. He could guard Charlie as well as any of the Pipers.
"In the meantime I'm going to see if there's any damage control needed as a result of that explosion. I'm sure it's all over the media by now."
That was definitely something Xeph could do; PR was right up his alley. Though, he wasn't sure any would be needed on his end. He hoped not at any rate. With one more glance at Charlie Xeph turned toward the door, waiting for Hammer.
((ooc: Xeph out pending reponses))
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
"I already penciled you in for night duty. I didn't train you for years for you to sit around and get your picture taken, you know. Speaking of which, there should be no way to tie this back to Stafford, so we should be fine." He smiled at his son and turned to leave with him when he looked back at Vivienne.
"You ok here, Vivienne?" he asked before exiting out the door.
"Yeah I'm fine, Brig will be with me."
Hammer paused a moment longer and then walked back to Viv, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Brig's my cousin and my best friend," he whispered quietly down to her, "and you make him happy. I can see that now. Congratulations, I'm sure our father will be happy to hear the news."
Viv looked up at him with shocked eyes and nodded with a curious yet suspicious expression. He couldn't blame her, not after her return from Siberia, but even Hammer could see the big picture, which was that he had another baby to welcome into the families. So many babies, he thought, and smiled as he left with Xeph.
((OOC - Hammer and everyone out))
"You ok here, Vivienne?" he asked before exiting out the door.
"Yeah I'm fine, Brig will be with me."
Hammer paused a moment longer and then walked back to Viv, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Brig's my cousin and my best friend," he whispered quietly down to her, "and you make him happy. I can see that now. Congratulations, I'm sure our father will be happy to hear the news."
Viv looked up at him with shocked eyes and nodded with a curious yet suspicious expression. He couldn't blame her, not after her return from Siberia, but even Hammer could see the big picture, which was that he had another baby to welcome into the families. So many babies, he thought, and smiled as he left with Xeph.
((OOC - Hammer and everyone out))
Carol
13 years ago
The news of the Downtown Strip going up in a ball of flames hit CNN quicker than a flashed nipple. Peering down at her own, she adjusted her bra and flipped through the channels in the control room located on the top floor of the Main DI tower. Marthinus' son, and the current CEO of Duibne Industries, entered the room and stood next to Carol.
"Interesting development unraveling at the moment."
Carol continued looking at her breasts, "Really? Can you see my nipples, Jacob?"
The CEO skin was darker than ebony, a trait he picked up from his South African mother, but still managed to blush. "Really, Carol," he murmured with a chuckle.
"Ok, so what's going on?"
"Simon is on his way to the medical facility and has authorized the use of the Extractor."
Carol still felt an awkward flush when Simon's name was mentioned. She pulled a face and asked, "That's still in testing. What does he need a molecular extractor for?"
"Not for its intended purposes, supposedly. He's wanting to use it on a werewolf."
Carol stopped fidgeting with her chest and looked directly at Jacob. "On who? One of the Iov Hammerthynn's werewolves?"
Jacob nodded and pointed up at the medical entrance camera. "They were apparently the cause of the downtown explosion. All have been authorized into the lower levels."
It took everything not to become frantic and as calmly as she could she asked, "How many were injured?"
"Just one. A Sergeant. He's authorizing ten werewolves into the facility, their Alpha included."
"Aiden Xephier?"
"Hands on sort of guy, I gather. Do you want to go down and handle the access?"
Carol licked her lips, her mouth very dry suddenly. "No, let's send Lisa. She's already down there."
"All right, I'm off."
Carol looked up at the screen and watched as the werewolves entered the Lobby to the experimental lower levels. Hammerthynn was huge even on the screen as he talked with Simon and Marthinus. Taking over the controls, she panned the room and focused onto the faces of the rest of them.
"Will you gentlemen excuse me please?" she asked the two techs in the room who immediately exited. Moving the camera to the group of men standing on the opposite side of the room, Carol focused in and immediately grabbed her mouth in a stifled scream.
Red, Lewis, gentle giant Marko, Domingo, all Lothias' men, stood around looking anxious and out of place. Carol settled onto the tech's chair and covered her mouth with both her hands, the tears in her eyes running down her cheeks when another moved closer to the group and turned back to look at Simon and Hammerthynn.
Carol's hysteria reached epic proportions as Lothias' face lit up the screen with his blue, blue eyes. She pushed back on the chair and was stunned into complete silence, even her tears had frozen in place. What she had been ignoring for the past almost year, was looking at her, plain on the face. The man she loved, the man she had been sharing a bed with and had let her fix her broken heart when Simon had torn it asunder, the man she had planned on marrying someday because she did not think it was possible to love anyone as much as she loved him...was a werewolf.
"Oh my god. Oh my...god," she cried, putting her hands over her face and sobbing.
But if Lothias was a werewolf, then that meant, Brian was and Vivienne as well. Brian was their Commander. And their Sergeant could only be....
"Oh Charlie, no." He had been mortally wounded at the explosion and they were using the extractor to pull the silver out of him. He would be down on the lower medical levels under DI's care.
Carol wiped the tears from her face and ran her fingers through her hair. She had known, always in the back of her mind at least suspected, but now there was incontrovertible truth of what Lothias and his friends were.
"Pop quiz, Carol," she said to herself, "the love of your life is a werewolf and one day you're going to have to choose. What do you do? What do you do?"
She sat there, staring blankly at the monitors, without a fucking clue what the answer would be.
((Occ Carol out))
Continues in Nachton Airport - The Elders
"Interesting development unraveling at the moment."
Carol continued looking at her breasts, "Really? Can you see my nipples, Jacob?"
The CEO skin was darker than ebony, a trait he picked up from his South African mother, but still managed to blush. "Really, Carol," he murmured with a chuckle.
"Ok, so what's going on?"
"Simon is on his way to the medical facility and has authorized the use of the Extractor."
Carol still felt an awkward flush when Simon's name was mentioned. She pulled a face and asked, "That's still in testing. What does he need a molecular extractor for?"
"Not for its intended purposes, supposedly. He's wanting to use it on a werewolf."
Carol stopped fidgeting with her chest and looked directly at Jacob. "On who? One of the Iov Hammerthynn's werewolves?"
Jacob nodded and pointed up at the medical entrance camera. "They were apparently the cause of the downtown explosion. All have been authorized into the lower levels."
It took everything not to become frantic and as calmly as she could she asked, "How many were injured?"
"Just one. A Sergeant. He's authorizing ten werewolves into the facility, their Alpha included."
"Aiden Xephier?"
"Hands on sort of guy, I gather. Do you want to go down and handle the access?"
Carol licked her lips, her mouth very dry suddenly. "No, let's send Lisa. She's already down there."
"All right, I'm off."
Carol looked up at the screen and watched as the werewolves entered the Lobby to the experimental lower levels. Hammerthynn was huge even on the screen as he talked with Simon and Marthinus. Taking over the controls, she panned the room and focused onto the faces of the rest of them.
"Will you gentlemen excuse me please?" she asked the two techs in the room who immediately exited. Moving the camera to the group of men standing on the opposite side of the room, Carol focused in and immediately grabbed her mouth in a stifled scream.
Red, Lewis, gentle giant Marko, Domingo, all Lothias' men, stood around looking anxious and out of place. Carol settled onto the tech's chair and covered her mouth with both her hands, the tears in her eyes running down her cheeks when another moved closer to the group and turned back to look at Simon and Hammerthynn.
Carol's hysteria reached epic proportions as Lothias' face lit up the screen with his blue, blue eyes. She pushed back on the chair and was stunned into complete silence, even her tears had frozen in place. What she had been ignoring for the past almost year, was looking at her, plain on the face. The man she loved, the man she had been sharing a bed with and had let her fix her broken heart when Simon had torn it asunder, the man she had planned on marrying someday because she did not think it was possible to love anyone as much as she loved him...was a werewolf.
"Oh my god. Oh my...god," she cried, putting her hands over her face and sobbing.
But if Lothias was a werewolf, then that meant, Brian was and Vivienne as well. Brian was their Commander. And their Sergeant could only be....
"Oh Charlie, no." He had been mortally wounded at the explosion and they were using the extractor to pull the silver out of him. He would be down on the lower medical levels under DI's care.
Carol wiped the tears from her face and ran her fingers through her hair. She had known, always in the back of her mind at least suspected, but now there was incontrovertible truth of what Lothias and his friends were.
"Pop quiz, Carol," she said to herself, "the love of your life is a werewolf and one day you're going to have to choose. What do you do? What do you do?"
She sat there, staring blankly at the monitors, without a fucking clue what the answer would be.
((Occ Carol out))
Continues in Nachton Airport - The Elders