[North Shore Nights] Chapter Three: Deepening Night.

To Valentine


The walk back to Selene's feels like it takes forever walking through Hell's half-acre. Every shadow seems somewhat suspicious. What else is lurking there? More of the creature's servants? Was it the demon from last time or did it's voice sound so...high? Loud, yes, but you can't recall if it was so high last time. No matter. The fucker will bleed and die like everything else does.


Selene's bruises are healing up right quick, dead skin going back to former perfection. "At least tonight wasn't a waste. You sure you're okay?" She asks, through a look over her shoulder, sliding the keycard to get into her penthouse.
 
Valentine


Valentine shrugs, easily keeping stride. "Good as new. Never better." He keeps stride beside her easily, but some of the fluidity, the idle human movements are gone. His movement is somehow more mechanical now.... too efficient for a normal human. The touches were always there, but they seem more pronounced. His skin, though unblemished, has a slight corpse-pallor that was not there before.
 
To Valentine


"Uh-huh. Kay." Selene mumbles to herself, collapsing on her couch in a mockery of exhaustion. "Wonder what they were looking for."
 
Valentine


Valentine sits like he was carved out of alabaster. His mouth moves up into a smile at the question.


"Trouble and death. That much is clear, I think. We should report this in. Musgrave will want to know."
 
To Valentine


Selene just stares at you with the oddest sadness in her eyes for a long time. "Yeah, he'll want to know. Give him a shout."
 
Valentine


The smile disappears as cleanly as it came. "Don't you look at me like something's WRONG!!"


As soon as the anger flares up, the face is smooth again. The phone comes up, the number is dialled.
 
To Valentine


The shock on her face couldn't be more plain with a healthy portion of hurt. But there's something very dangerous stirring under that look. The Beast's anger is rising and starting to growl, brushing up against yours with an implacable anger.


"Yeah, what you got, Defender?"
 
Annabelle


Annabelle's smile finally blossoms in full, and she kisses Adulio's cold cheek with equally icy lips. She shakes her head a little, saying "I never thought these diminished emotions would be a blessing. But if I were alive and feeling this now, I think I'd be paralysed by it." She rises to her feet, twirling idly away from him as she exhales, letting go of an amount of tension and visibly easing. "Shall we go out?"
 
To Blake


Your Master is in there, along with Yuri and a few other Dragons you don't know too well yet. Twilight Dragons, most of them.


"Ah, Blake!" Your Master calls, noticing you. He claps his hands lightly, "Come, come."
 
Garrison Blake


Blake enters and bows diffidently to his Master and Yuri. He gives shallower bows to the others gathered. "At your service, Master. What can I do?"
 
Annabelle


She pauses by a window, looking out for a moment. "The park," she nods. "Somewhere I can see the sky properly. And then maybe a drink after." For a moment, she considers going to Jack's tonight. She has been there regularly after her two week ban, as regularly as she had before; it would have been odd to just stop coming. She is staying close to Jack. "We could go to Jack's? If you don't want to go somewhere else."
 
To Blake


"Take a load off, as you Americans love to say." He pats a chair. The others regard you cooly, though that seems to be how all Dragons regard others. Even their own. Conversation has hushed. You've noticed that in all your years. Guardians are also the secret police of the Dragons, they listen for any...wrong doings or perceived ones within the Order.
 
Garrison Blake


A sense of unease passes through Blake. His Master wasn't usually so gregarious, and the scrutiny of the others had his Beast growling at the back of his mind. He schooled his features, bowed to the Castellan, and took the proffered seat. He felt more like he was on trial, but there was little to be done now but ride it out. As soon as he was seated, he looked up, waiting for his Master to speak...
 
To Anna


"The man bothers me, but we can go if you wish. I like his woman, Curly. She is a nice little thing." He'll grab his coat and shrug it on, holding the door for you as you close up. "Which park? We have several choices within walking distance. Roanton Park is behind the college and so forth."
 
To Blake


"Blake," Yuri speaks at last, his voice a hoarse whipser. He clears his throat, "Sorry, Blake, what do you recall about any of Lovecraft's writings? The madman of the '20s. Anything you may recall. We have...wondered something."
 
Garrison Blake


Blake's brow draws down. He wasn't expecting this question. "Lovecraft? We spoke briefly about him, Master Yuri. At Elysium. I've read a few of his stories. They ones I've read are about strange, alien outer gods. Bizarre New England settings are strewn throughout. Considering what's going on here, that's not so strange. He talks about the degeneration of men. The absolutely meaningless position of men in the universe. Ah yes. He was a racist." There is a pause, and silence reigns for several seconds. "Is...there a connection?"
 
To Blake


"Maybe," One of the Twilit Dragons says, his face shrouded by long black hair. "We've been looking into this demonology Yuri spoke of. Our libraries have several choice accounts of such things. Lovecraft's gods of choice, whatever they are, are mentioned in some of them. Some of their other names. 'Gods', I use the term loosely, for they cannot be God who gave us our curse."
 
Valentine


Valentine doesn't register the hurt on Selene's face, though a small part of him is looking at his actions in horror. He quickly and accurately relays the events of the night after giving Kenneth in for questioning as regards the attack and the voice, leaving nothing out.
 
Garrison Blake


Another short silence. "Forgive my ignorance, honored Masters. I am unsure how this relates to our current problem. Unless. Is the name of the beast I encountered in those books?"
 
To Valentine


"Shit." Musgrave spits out. He sounds almost weary. "Okay, I'll see what I can do about all that. You two lie low and we'll check out the Drears shortly. God knows what the fuck that thing wants from out there." He hangs up shortly after.
 
To Blake


They all look at one another with apprehension. "Perhaps it is." The Dragon who spoke before does again. "Rather...what may have spawned it, yes. If we're not wrong. Cross-referencing with a number of other texts from Constantinople and earlier, we may have a lead on what it is. Does the title 'Goat with a Thousand Young' mean anything to you?"
 
Garrison Blake


Blake nods, once. "I have. It was mentioned in a story I read. Nothing more than that. Are you saying this thing...spawned our demon?"
 
To Blake


"To put it lightly, Blake," Master Elderton says, putting a hand on your shoulder, "It would be grievously bad if that is the case. More than I can put into words."


The others simply nod.
 
Garrison Blake


"Forgive my bluntness, honored Masters. I mean no disrespect. What is it you wish to say to me? More to the point, why are all of you here during this briefing? Master Yuri or Master Elderton could have given me the same information without taking time out of your schedules. Is there something specific you wish to relate?"
 
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