Fandom Supernatural RP - Accepting Applications

[NanLia]

Mackenzie Cannonach​

Mackenzie rolled her eyes at the comment about 'not being about him'. She knew very well that was everyone’s excuse that kept their morals in shades of gray. The same claim to justify stealing, killing, raping, plundering in the name of someone else. If the price is someone else’s life, someone else’s pain, it wasn’t worth shit. “Selfish prick.” She hissed though remained focused on Benton and his position standing over the girl. She knew very well eventually he’d have to rest his hand - even Frankenstein Monster surgeons needed to rest. That’s when she’d make her move.

On a Hunt​

Or so she thought. She didn’t have time to respond to Bruce before he fired at her. She howled, possibly louder than Chase had not longer ago, a searing pain erupting in her calf. She dropped onto the floor into an awkward position to hold her calf. It was only a flesh wound, thankfully. “Shit shot.” She hissed between clenched teeth. “Just like New York.”

Crono Safton

 

[Safton]

Bruce's lip curled back in a sneer at Mackenzie's insult about his marksmanship. "You need to learn when to shut up," he growled, though he turned his attention to Chase soon after as the man spoke up. He hesitated as he realized the hunters had connected the dots regarding the patient... and the fact that she was no victim.

The ex-Vitae resident was about to reply when Benton interjected in a smooth drawl: "Just the one, strictly speakin'. Danielle here has all the parts I require for the procedure. It's unfortunate she won't survive, but that's the price of eternal life." He smiled slowly, his tone triumphant at those last words as he continued to cut off any confused questions from the hunters. "The others were for me. I needed a new heart after that Winchester boy plunged a knife into my last one, plus a stronger leg, and my eyes had long since lost their clarity. Those were my conditions for helping Bruce here."

Bruce stood there, jaw clenched, his gaze lowering slightly as if ashamed... though he didn't deny it. "Don't give me that shit, Mac," he hissed as the glaring redhead. "I heard all about what you did to Christopher on that bloodsucker's orders. I bet you'd do the same thing if it was your boyfriend on the chopping block. And you, Keaton," he turned toward Chase, a desperate gleam in his eye. "What you do to save your dad, if you'd had the chance?"

The man turned his glare toward the unconscious woman that Benton held hostage. "This bitch doesn't deserve your pity. She's the reason my sister's wasting away in a coma in the first place. DUI. Got a slap on the wrist for it, while her kids grow up without a mom. No." He shook his head, swallowing deeply -- as if talking to anyone -- an audience watching, or even himself, rather than the two hunters.

Benton, if he saw any issue with the conflict on Bruce's features, didn't show it. "And what a stroke of luck it was that she was a good match for your dear sister," he remarked, stroking the woman's hair idly with his free hand.

​

William had tried his cellphone countless times to no avail. He had tried shouting for Mac and Chase. He had tried scratching away at the painted sigil containing him, but some invisible force physically prevented him from making contact with the lines -- it caused him discomfort when he even neared them. His Grace and ability to zero in on Mac's emotions were still scrambled, even as he stood there, wound in his shoulder still stubbornly refusing to knit itself closed. He had heard one gunshot from what had to be a nearby warehouse shortly after Bruce left -- too soon for it to be from the man himself, he was sure of it -- redoubling his efforts to escape to no avail.

Then, minutes later, he heard another. This one was much fainter, at least to his human ears. However, this particular gunshot was accompanied by a spike on his Grace "radar" that managed to cut through the interference of the sigils. Mac was in pain. Distress. Danger. "Mac!" Again, William threw himself at the sigil, cursing and shouting the names of her and Bruce alike -- only to be forced back like a goldfish raging impotently against the glass of its aquarium.

Footsteps. Will almost missed them amidst his own yells, but the shuffling sound was approaching from the darkness of the warehouse's old entrance as a humanoid figure appeared in the darkness, making his way toward him...

NanLia
Crono

 

[Crono]

Chase Keaton

Tags: NanLia Safton

Despite the smell of chemicals Chase could still smell the blood from Mackenzie's wound. She was quick to quip back about the time Bruce had shot at Chase. There was mild misgivings about the woman telling the hunter he was a shit shot for not hitting Chase with a killing shot but honestly this wasn't the time or the place. Benton cut in explaining how things had gone, "You scratch his back he scratches yours." Chase scoffed. Then Bruce started bringing up Mackenzie's past trying to avert whatever feelings the man was having by casting them back at them, Chase's own followed and his jaw set at the mention of Joe as he held back the deep growl that threatened to erupt. Bruce was going down the right path of riling him up if nothing else.

Trading others lives for Joe was a thought process Chase couldn't let himself follow through on because Bruce might not might not be wrong on that front. "And what about the two guys who died so Benton could could do this? Did they not have any family worth a damn?" If Bruce wanted to play the fact that his sister had a family to go home to, two could play at that game. "And I guess Mac and I don't really have much of anyone either, for when you add us to that body count. Because let's face it, you aren't stupid enough to leave either of us alive after this. So that body count of five, you going to share that with your sister and explain they all had to die for her to live?" Chase was pushing, and he was pushing on purpose. If the man faltered on his conviction or even grew agitated and gave an opening, he'd take it. Especially given Mackenzie was also knelt down, in prime position to grab the blade she had hidden in her boot.

"And let's not even count the rest of the people Benton will kill to keep himself alive in the future right?" He chuckled, looking over at Benton as he spoke. "You planning to just let him keep adding to that count stacked against her? Or maybe you'll wait until he's done and toss him back in whatever hole you dragged him out of huh." It was difficult to say if the partnership was as strong as they made it out to be, or if either of them had enough doubt to form a crack.
​

coded by natasha.

 

[NanLia]

Mackenzie Cannonach​

Mackenzie hated moments like this one. Moments where she needed to make a decision, a choice between her or them. Bruce had made himself clear; he was a loss, there was no coming back. He’d decided that the life of his sister was worth the lives of those he’d allowed Benton to kill. She watched Bruce as Chase continued on with her berating, though far more milder in tone, it did what was needed so she could free the light flat blade from her boot.

She didn’t have line of sight on Benton but she didn’t doubt he still had the surgical blade held to Danielle’s throat. At this point she had to mitigate their losses. Chase was right: Benton did this then used her for parts and killed Chase. No one was going home.

On a Hunt​

Mac waited for Chase to make eye contact with her. She held it for a second before flitting her gaze to Bruce and back to Chase again. Whether or not he caught on she wouldn’t know but she could only hope.

As quickly as possible she flipped the blade between her fingers. Every muscle in her bore and upper body tensed as she drew back then let loose. The blade aimed for Bruce’s upper body - there wasn’t a chance she could get his hand or wrist from this distance but she hoped it would be enough of a distraction for Chase to close the distance.

Mac was up, despite the searing pain in her calf, skirting around the top of the hospital bed as quickly as possible, focused on Benton.

Safton
Crono

 

[Eliasdagood]

Ginny nods, smiling. “Yep! That way.” She agrees, turning to lead the way to the general store. Tara nods, continuing their conversation. “Yeah. The leaders are good though. Very few of us got hurt in the process. The leader of my nest is in charge of supplying Ginny with blood, so she helped too. Poor kid was scared shitless, confronting hunters like that. And then there was an Angel… that was spooky. That’s when Ginny got her role as Oracle.”
Skawly

 

[Safton]

Bruce gritted his teeth, jaw clenched as Chase continued to chide him. The ex-hunter's threats and mention of Joe had done nothing to silence the wolf, who prattled on incessantly. He felt pangs of guilt, rage, and regret shoot dig into him like daggers with every word -- mostly because everything Chase said were things he had considered himself, at least partially, at one time or another. Some part of him knew and accepted that he would come out of the other end of this process a different man... a man that had no place in the life of the sister he had sacrificed so much to save.

Of more immediate concern, however, was Chase bringing up Bruce's plans for Doc Benton once their arrangement was concluded -- whether he planned to get rid of him after the fact. Bruce saw the undead surgeon's gaze flick warily toward him at the remark -- clearly having similar concerns... and with good reason. The thought had crossed his mind more than once. That was too far -- the taunting was one thing, but now Chase was endangering their alliance, and by extension his sister's life. And Keaton was right -- neither of them could walk out of here alive. Bruce swung the gun from Mackenzie's prostrate, bleeding form toward the werewolf beside her, his finger tightening on the trigger--

His senses were sharp enough to see the slightest of movements from Mac, but he had nowhere near enough time to do anything about it before red-hot pain erupted in his forearm. Bruce looked down with wide eyes at the small blade that was now protruding from the meat of his forearm, the tip likely having scraped along the radius or ulna. He let out a howl of agony. Had he not been in the process of turning to fire at Chase, the knife likely would have embedded itself in his chest cavity. Bruce quickly turned his attention back toward the moving forms of the hunters, looking for a shot.

Benton bared blackened teeth at the scene as all hell broke loose in the makeshift operating room. His grip tightened on the scalpel, ready to cut Danielle's throat as the feisty redhead closed in on him... but he relented. If he killed her, his deal with Bruce was as good as done and the retribution from these hunters would be... unpleasant. Besides, while many considered his methods detestable, Benton was not some wanton monster. He only killed to sustain himself. He had standards. Luckily, those standards included defending his lab from upstart hunters.

He whirled around as Mackenzie rounded the foot of the bed, lifting the razor-sharp scalpel from Danielle's neck and lashing out at the petite woman with a slashing motion aimed at Mac's jugular -- a calm smile plastered on his face all the while as he lumbered forward on stolen legs.

​

William watched as the humanoid figure shuffled into view. It was an old man with -- probably in his mid-to-late 60s -- with dark, wrinkled skin. He was wearing a ragged old coat and leather boots with holes in them. A faded baseball cap was sat atop his head with the words "VIETNAM VETERAN" stitched into it. He carried what appeared to be a makeshift cane or walking stick in one hand made of a length of PVC piping. Even in the darkness Will could see that the man's eyes were blue-gray and milky -- but this was not the signifier of some supernatural creature. He was blind. "Hello?" The old man called out, his voice gruff. "I heard that shootin'. And your hollerin', too. If you're lookin' to pull one over on an old man, I ain't got nothin' for ya."

Will spoke quickly. "I'm not going to hurt you." The blind vagrant's eyes immediately locked on the source of Will's voice as he continued speaking. "I need your help. But it's going to sound weird."

The man limped forward a few paces, using the PVC to tap the ground in front of him. "Yeah?" he asked, suspicion already evident in his tone.

Will took a deep breath, doing his best to keep his tone even, but even still his words came out in a jumble. "On the ground in front of there's some paint. I need you to get rid of it. Wash it away, scrape at it, whatever."

The blind man balked. "I look like a fuckin' maid to you? You were screaming bloody murder in here."

Will cursed under his breath, fists clenched. "What's your name?" he demanded.

"Reginald." He paused. "Reggie."

"All right, Reggie. I know you have no reason to believe me, but this is literally life or death," Will said.

"Don't talk to me about life or death, boy. I've seen life and death up close more times than I care to," Reggie said, his tone heated.

Will nodded, a gesture that was lost on his current company. "Me too. That's why I'm asking you to trust me. My friend and the woman I love are in danger right now and I can't leave unless you help me out. I wish I could explain things to you, but I don't have that luxury. All I can do is hope that you're willing to trust a stranger."

Reggie shook his head, beginning to turn around. He threw his hands up before muttering a curse and approaching. Will felt a spike of relief, thanking the man profusely. He desperately guided him toward the edge of the Enochian sigil, helping him use a pocketknife he was thankfully carrying to scrape away at the painted lines. The effect was immediate as Will felt his Grace gradually returning to him -- like a man trapped at the bottom of a pool finally breaching the surface. The wound in his shoulder steadily began to knit itself, though at a slow pace once he stepped out of the circle entirely and put some distance between himself and the warehouse (with its dozens of other sigils painted on the walls and ceiling).

Reggie followed him outside and Will turned around to face him. "Thank you," he said, his tone genuine.

"You going to tell me what that was all about?" the man asked.

Will opened his mouth, but snapped it shut and instead smiled. "Stay still. I'm not going to hurt you." He reached out with one hand, gently laying it on Reggie's forehead and closing his eyes to summon forth his Grace. The latter let out a gasp before opening his eyes -- no longer cloudy. He scrambled, falling backwards against the wall of the warehouse to stare at Will in awe.

"How? I--" he murmured.

Will simply smiled at him. "Take care of yourself, Reggie." With the elimination of the interference from the sigils, he could now feel Mac's presence more clearly -- including the danger she was in. Focusing intently, he once again called upon his Grace in order to make his way to his charge's side.

NanLia
Crono

 

[Crono]

Chase Keaton

Tags: NanLia Safton

Chase watched as the man in front of him made a decision, and that left the Werewolf with little choice. He'd already started moving the moment Bruce's arm had, and he knew full well the man was going to shoot him, Chase's hope was that it wasn't going to be lethal and he could get his hands on the hunter before he could get a second shot off. The knife flying out of nowhere and imbedding in Bruce's arm brought a smile to Chase's face as he lurched forwards, Mackenzie did have good timing. The Werewolf stepped onto the gun he'd placed on the floor as he moved, so that he could kick it backwards across the floor in the direction of her last known position in his next step. Who knew if it'd prove useful but given she was unarmed as far as he knew, it might be of help.​

Chase's eyes never left Bruce as he lunged forwards, albeit a little slower and stiffer than normal. The hunter was recovering from the initial shock of the knife and preparing once again to shoot but Chase had pushed through the aches and pains to close the distance, adrenaline doing a decent job of helping with that. He'd arrived just in time to hit the mans arm just in time that the shot ricocheted off the nearby wall, then grabbing both of the mans forearms with his hands Chase kept the momentum going so that he was barreling into Bruce and forcing the man back, and for added effort he reared his head back slightly and headbutted the man to try and disorient him. If nothing else it would hurt Bruce more than him anyways. At some point the gun clattered to the ground in the scuffled movement.

However despite being shoved back against the hard wall Bruce was surprisingly nimble and was ready to fight like a cornered animal. Chase found his abdomen being met by a hard knee, even normally such a blow would cause a reaction but his insides were still healing from the damage done by hex bag. So the hit had extra oomph to it that took the air from Chase's lungs in a grunt. His grip slacking enough that Bruce was able to break free, pull the blade from his forearm with a cry, and slash at Chase to force him back. But the moment Bruce went for the gun on the floor the Werewolf was back on him, ignoring the flailed swipes from the knife to keep him at bay. The pair flailed momentarily before tripping into a heap when Bruce gathered the upper hand to get Chase off his balance, the two rolled around on the ground still tied together in tangled grasps, fighting for the gun. Despite his werewolf strength Bruce was using pressure points to his advantage.

Finally however he'd gained control of the firearm while lying on his back with Bruce on top of him, he pointed it at the mans chest given the awkward angle and gave him the warning glare to not move. "Bruce..." He warned with a growl between deep breaths. The hunter seemed defeated like he was about to give up, though he'd glanced towards the hospital beds then back at Chase. Chase noted the look in his eyes, the defeat had given way to determination just from looking to his sister for a moment. Bruce's arm swept around from the side armed with a knife he'd drawn from who knew where aiming for Chase's neck. And with little other choice Chase pulled the trigger, Bruce's body stiffening momentarily at the shock before collapsing down onto him.​

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coded by natasha.

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[NanLia]

Mackenzie Cannonach​

Mackenzie managed to get her feet underneath her, somewhat unsteadily, in time for Benton to press an attack. She watched, calculating, as he swung his lumbering stitched appendage first from right to left, across his body, then back again, repeating the motion as he moved towards her. She adeptly back pedalled, keeping out of his range but could clearly see he was far from a fighter.

Her left hand slipped behind her back, losing her iron knife from it’s hidden shealth on her belt whilst she allowed the blade she’d hidden in her sleeve to slip into her palm which she immediately reversed the grip. She raised her hands before her, gripping both knives as though they were part of her, shifting her stance to keep her left leg slightly ahead of her right.

Mac’s right calf burned in pain, she could feel the warm blood trickling down her leg, soaking into the jean material. It was the least of her worries for the moment. If she didn’t stop Benton, Chase would be left to handle him after already being poisoned by the hex bag and tangling with Bruce. She’d faced off with worse things than Benton and she didn’t doubt for a second she’d see worse yet to come.

As Benton stepped closer and swung to his right, Mac lashed out with her right hand, the tip of her blade slashing upwards along the back of his forearm and wrist. Blood and something else oozed from the wound, certainly not what she had expected - it was thick and slow moving and carried the scent of the same chemicals the rest of the makeshift lab had. Also unexpectedly the doctor didn’t react to being injured at all, as she stepped back out of the way of his swing back he seemed to notice he was bleeding and snarled a frown at her.

Clearly taking Benton on directly wasn’t going to be a viable option for her and her mind raced to try and find any kind of leverage or advantage she could take to gain over him. As if the Fates were working in her favour she heard the metallic ringing of a gun sliding over concrete headed in their direction. She quickly spotted the pistol as it bumped to a spot behind Benton against the first of the hospital beds where she’d been downed just minutes before.

On a Hunt​

She didn’t have a choice - backing further away from Benton would only put her further from Chase and Bruce, into territory she didn’t know and give the doctor a further advantage. On his next swing across his body Mac lunged forward, dipping down beneath his arm and darting past along his right side. As she moved beside him she heard his grunt of surprise, the doctor moving as fast as his stiff limbs could to compensate.

Mackenzie screamed gutterally as she felt the sharp pain of the surgical blade puncture through her thick leather coat into her lower back. Her forward momentum halted by the sudden static feeling in her back and hips, the nerve endings firing a temporary paralist. When Benton drew the blade out she was freed from the hold, gasping in pain as she fell forward, scrambling for the gun.
She felt Benton’s thick powerful hand wrap around her injured calf, eliciting a second scream from her throat as her fingers wrapped around the grip of the pistol. She rolled onto her side as the doctor dragged her along the floor towards him, aiming the pistol first for his chest and firing. He only paused for a second before reaching again to haul her closer still.

Mackenzie didn’t hesitate further, she tiled it and fired over and over again until she emptied the clip entirely in the doctors face. The first few bullets did nothing, his powerful grip still lifting her off the ground, his right hand still clutching the blade with the intent to cut her throat. Only after several shots fired, when parts of his skull and face started to break away and fall to the floor, did the doctor start to react..

His limbs still moved but uncoordinated. He released her and she dropped noisily to the floor as the near headless body continued to move around the room in what she could only assume was an attempt to flee from her.

Crono Safton

 

[Safton]

​

William focused intently on Mackenzie -- her pain, her anger, her adrenaline -- letting the Grace guide himself to it. Within the operating room, the already-dim lights flickered and the power cycling briefly before William appeared directly in front of the the lumbering form of Doc Benton. The Nephilim was veiled in a shining light. Unlike the angels who had fallen upon Vitae, this light was not pure white in color, but closer to a dull silver. Visible for the briefest of moments were two wings -- silhouetted in shadow against the far wall of the room. They disappeared as soon as they had appeared and once the light blinked Will opened his eyes, turning to take in his new surroundings -- most notably the not-quite-undead surgeon staring at him in in bewilderment through his one remaining wide eye, his head a ruin from what he could only guess were bullets. His fiancee's handiwork, if he had to guess.

Benton went to lurch past the Nephilim to the stairs, but Will was faster by far. Will grasped the doctor by either shoulder, pivoting to slam him against the wall. Benton struggled against the Nephilim's grasp, but futilely as he was pinned firmly in place against the cold concrete. One of Will's hands came up -- free of any weapon -- his grip coming to rest around Benton's throat and jaw. William's eyes closed and he focused intently, channeling his Grace into the patchwork man before him. The energy manifested as another flash of silver light that seemed to emanate from the space between Will's palm and the gray, dead skin of Doc's flesh -- soon after appearing inside what remained of his cranium and imploding outward from his eye socket, mouth, and the various bullet holes. There was the distant sound reminiscent of a man screaming hauntingly -- heard as if from far down a tunnel -- but like that the nigh-blinding light was gone and so was the sound.

William released his grip, stepping back and letting Benton's corpse slide down to cement floor, smoke rising from the orifices in its skull. He wasted no time turning away, first taking in the scene a few feet away to his side -- it took a moment for him to make sense of just what it was before hastily moving forward. He grabbed Bruce's body (already able to tell that the man's soul had left it) and rolled it off of Chase quickly, relieved to see that the wolf was in one piece, though a bit worse for wear... and grasping the hunter's gun. He reached down, offering Chase a hand up to his feet. "You good?" he asked breathlessly.

Once Chase was up, he immediately turned toward Mackenzie, crossing the room at a near-sprint. He could see her still grasping the empty gun -- no doubt the same one that had reduced Benton to a husk -- but more importantly he could also see her bleeding leg. "Hey," he murmured, reaching out to run a bloodstained hand along her cheek before glancing at the wound more closely with a critical frown. He turned toward Chase. "I don't have much juice left, thanks to Bruce. But... I think I should be able to patch you guys up. Come here, Chase," he said, beckoning the wolf over.

NanLia
Crono

 

[Safton]

​

Adelaide looked down at Morgan with a sympathetic glance, giving her a small smile and running her hand along the woman's cheek. "No, mon amie. I think we'll be taking you to the Clinic." She understood full well what her friend's true meaning was behind the question: Will I have to face Emile anytime soon? And while she did not envy Morgan's position and understood the reluctance to see her uncle so soon after the ordeal in Boston given the "discussion" the two of them were likely to have, she also knew that Emile needed to hear of their return. There would be no hiding it even if they wanted to.

But Addy didn't need to bring such things up to Morgan just now. Instead she turned toward Brody, giving him a nod -- he would almost certainly agree, having seen Morgan's injuries firsthand and sustained some of his own.

NanLia

 

[Crono]

Chase Keaton

Tags: Safton NanLia​

In the moments that Bruce's body was draped over his own, Chase felt the man was far heavier than he should be. The warm liquid seeping out of Bruce's chest wound was filling his nose as well as covering his own bare chest in blood. It was probably around thirty seconds or so before Chase decided he needed to get the body off of him. Trying not to give the fact that he just killed someone he knew, even if briefly, too much thought. Benton was still a threat and Mackenzie might need the backup. Just as he started to push Bruce off the body went surprisingly easy with a figure standing above him. "You good?" The question was asked with a hand reaching out, and Chase gave a relieved huff followed by a grunt in reply as he grabbed hold. Once upright the Werewolf watched the other man rush back to his fiancée and Chase took in the sight of the motionless Benton against the wall. "I hope you enjoyed whatever vacation hole you were in while Mac and I did the heavily lifting." He stated in a flat joking manner, stepping over towards them to check and see Mac's injuries for himself.

The strong scent of blood was becoming uncomfortable and one glance down at his chest showed that Bruce's had mingled in his own from earlier and run down and was dripping off of him. Stepping over he grabbed a cloth from the nearby table to wipe half successfully at it. He'd glanced at the nearby ladies on the tables when Will's question of healing their wounds came up. Despite his misgivings Chase gave it serious consideration because honestly he was hurting, but they still didn't know if it would even work. "Thanks but I'd rather not risk bursting into flames, so I'll manage." He said having made his decision to decline the offer. To be honest Will didn't look so hot anyhow.

Turning his attention back to the patients on the tables he put his hands on his hips. "So what exactly do we do about them? I dunno about you guys but I wouldn't know where to begin on if it's safe to unplug any of this to get them mobile." Calling the authorities to give them an anonymous tip on this location so they could handle it was an option as well. Though there was no way to know how many more traps were in the building and the hunters would have to dispose of Bruce and Benton's body's beforehand.​

coded by natasha.

 

[NanLia]

Mackenzie Cannonach​

Mackenzie's heart thundered in her ears and her lungs burned as she kept trying to catch her breath. Benton was moving away from her and she knew she needed to keep him from leaving. He would regenerate. He would kill again and she couldn’t hear Chase moving after the gunfire which meant he was dead or so injured he couldn’t help her. Lights flickered above her then bulb grew so bright they burst. She winced and closed her eyes, turning onto her side to protect her face - the fuck else could possibly happen? When she opened them again Will was standing in the room as the lights started to fix themselves and come back on. Did he have wings? Probably not great but at least I don’t have to get up now.

She wasn’t sure what happened next but she could smell the charred flesh and blood on Wills hands nearly making her gag. She pushed his hands away from her face, holding his wrist and giving it a squeeze. "I'm with him." She motioned to Chase as she pushed herself up to sit, dropping the empty pistol on to the floor beside her with a thud. "You might need whatever juice you've got left in case Bruce left us any more surprises."

On a Hunt​

With Will's help she was on her feet, her calf not nearly as painful as the scalpel stab wound to her lower back. They were far from done work here and she would have work through the pain. Chase was bringing up what to do with the girls. "We leave them." She raised a single finger at Chase's dirty look. "We call it in from a pay phone once we're out of here. Tell the police where to find them. I don't know about you but I'm a wanted felon and I'd rather not end up in prison today."

"First we need to deal with the bodies and the blood." She glanced around the room, almost thankful they were dealing with a medical professional. "Salt and burn both the bodies, it's an industrial area, so we could set them up to burn and not risk the women. Plenty of bleach here, we can dump it over wherever we left blood. And we need to make sure Bruce's set up didn't include any recordings."
Crono Safton

 

[NanLia]

Brody Cannonach​

Brody waited in silence, not wanting to be the one to tell Morgan the truth. As much as he was an asshole he always had a soft spot for the future Alpha. The gates were already open, a position they kept now that the pack lived within the walls. He put the car back in gear and headed for the clinic per Adelaide's direction, keeping silent. He was surprised that Morgan didn’t protest until they were pulling in the long curved driveway leaving up to the emergency doors.

Morgan Leroux​

Morgan frowned at the suggestion and desperately contemplated how she could avoid her fate: if they had driven the remainder of the way back to Vitae she would have been healed, or at least enough where Emile might consider not chaining her in a cellar to keep her from going on another hunt. As they arrived at the clinic she made her final attempt. “Fine, but let me call Emile. I want to wait a while, until the nurses have a chance to do their assessment before he storms the gates and starts harassing them. No one needs that, certainly not the nurses.”
Safton

 

[Safton]

​

William frowned as both Mackenzie and Chase turned down his offer of healing. It was frustrating, particularly in the case of the former. Part of him very briefly considered going through with it anyway, but he knew better than to push his luck (much less jeopardize his fiancee's trust in him). He sighed, "Fine, but I'm patching that leg up before we do anything else." While Chase and Mac debated the fate of the two captive patients and how to properly dispose of Benton and Bruce's bodies, William scoured the basement for supplies he could use to help Mackenzie. Given the nature of the lab -- unconventional thought it was, with an archaic surgeon for an inhabitant -- he found plenty to make use of.

Will returned moments later, having Mac sit down at the foot of one of the cots and prop up the injured leg as he rolled a stool over. "Who's the other woman, anyway?" he asked. "Did you find out?"

"It's Bruce's sister," Mac remarked quietly, through gritted teeth as Will applied antiseptic around the ragged bullet hole.

He nodded slowly. So that's why he threw in with Benton. Will pushed the thought away, continuing the process of packing up and suturing Mac's wound -- some semblance of normality for him after becoming a Nephilim and hunting demons and battling dragons. Finished, Will wrapped the wound in dressings, searching for crutches in the basement and failing to find any -- settling instead for telling his fiancee to keep off the limb as much as possible (knowing full well that she wouldn't). Leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead, he departed to make his way over toward Danielle Stoakes. His trained medical eye could tell she was anesthetized, but apparently healthy -- while his Grace could sense her soul present and intact.

Then, he moved to the side of the mystery woman... who was now no mystery at all. Bruce's sibling. Her skin was pale and gaunt, some muscles looking potentially atrophied. And her soul felt... damaged. Like part of it was slipping away. Will hesitated. He knew that their actions here had potentially doomed this woman. That made her fate their responsibility, at least in part... didn't it? He swung his hand toward her forehead, lowering it gently down, channeling his Grace as he would have for Mackenzie and Chase... but it was not to be. She was too far gone, even for whatever power Heaven had bestowed on him. His eyes opened moments later as he clenched his jaw, shaking his head with a muttered curse.

Will took a deep breath before turning his attention toward Chase on the opposite side of the basement. "Find anything?" he called out.

NanLia
Crono

 

[Safton]

​

Adelaide was relieved to see that Brody followed her suggestion without much hesitation, driving the lot of them to the clinic where Morgan could get the help she needed despite her protests to the contrary. Addy was wondering briefly if Morgan had accepted her fate as the the building rolled into the sight when the young wolf suddenly spoke up with a desperate proposition. Under any other circumstance, the psychic might have found her argument a bit amusing... even if it did have some logic to it. But it wasn't the logic that got to Addy -- it was Morgan's pleading hazel eyes, the desperation rolling off her in waves that the witch couldn't stand to feel coming from her friend of all people.

She sighed. "All right. Fine, so long as you promise to actually call him the moment the nurses finish their assessment," Addy said, squeezing Morgan's hand gently as the car rolled to a stop outside the clinic. She climbed out, heading around to the other side to help Morgan out alongside Brody.

NanLia

 

[Crono]

Chase Keaton

Tags: Safton NanLia

Chase let out a tired sigh after Mackenzie explained her reasoning. It was fair enough. "So in other words we have to look this whole place over to make sure the first responders don't end up getting themselves killed on any other traps." Sniffing those out and not getting themselves killed in the process was already going to be a chore in itself. The Werewolf wandered across the room to the other end which hadn't been touched by the trio, glancing around at the various objects that were busted and had been collecting dust for who knew how long. Clearly an untouched area he turned around, eyes wandering to hover on Bruce's body on the floor. The hunters blood was nearly all he could smell given the scent was filling the room, not only that but so much of it had leaked from the wound onto Chase's chest.

Mixed feelings swirled within him. Chase knew it was either him or Bruce, but if he hadn't been caught in that damned hex bag he might have had the strength to simply wound the man rather than kill him. He got lost in thought along those lines for who knew how long until he realized someone was trying to ask him something, drawing his attention away from Bruce. "Huh?" He asked before his brain caught up to the question, "No, nothing over here." Given where Will was he got the feeling he knew what Will had attempted. "Any luck?" Though his question was answered quickly with a simple look that Chase left it. Frustration welled up inside and the man stepped over to Bruce's body, with more effort than it usually would, he hefted the corpse up onto his shoulder and moved carefully to the stairwell, intent on taking it upstairs to get this body burning underway.

coded by natasha.

 

[NanLia]

Mackenzie briefly watched William as he went to attend to the two women in the hospital beds before she slipped off the edge of the counter where he'd seated her with a groan. Chase had gone one way so Mackenzie went the opposite, moving on to firstly look around for any more traps that might endanger first responders when they arrive to find the women or any video surveillance that might have been recording them for the duration of their time through the danger maze. She eventually found the security room only to find it entirely defunct and she was thankful for it - she wasn't much for technology and with Ash being back at the colony she would have to rely on Chase and/or Will to have the technical expertise to match.

On her way back to the main 'surgical' room she found a few medical supplies that would help with them cleaning up behind them. Finding a rolling cart she loaded it up with the bottles of bleach from a storage supply room and started on her way back to the main room but paused spying a bone saw. She narrowed her eyes at it before, considering it's use both immediate and the potential for the future before adding it to the cart.

In the main room she handed a bottle of bleach to each of them and directing them where to pour and how much - it was fairly evident they hadn't had much experience cleaning up extremely contaminated crime scenes but she certainly had. The last thing she wanted was for any of her DNA to be identified and another manhunt to hide from. Not to mention the implication that Vitae might come under fire because she'd been living there for months.

Taking a final look around the room it was still a mess but in the best way possible way for them. "Alright, lets get them on the cart and out of here so we can get a pyre set up."
Crono
Safton

 

[Safton]

​

William gave Chase a simple shake of the head as the man asked whether he had been successful in his own search of the basement before returning his attention to the task -- but only after it was clear that Chase didn't need any help hauling Bruce's body toward the stairwell. Benton's body, as it happened, as already not far away from the steps. It quickly became apparent that no more traps were in play, nor did there appear to be any recording devices. Eventually, his search paid off as well: in the far corner of the lab, he found a pile of storage trunks. One contained jerrycans full of gasoline for the generator, while another contained multiple jars of ether (likely what Benton was using as an anesthetic -- as old-fashioned as ever). Both substances were highly flammable and would make good accelerants for their soon-to-be funeral pyre.

Will hauled the items over toward the stairwell just as Mac arrived back the cart loaded with some choice items of her own. He narrowed his eyes at her, glaring down pointedly at her injured leg. He had hoped she would stay put while he and Chase handled things, but she predictably had other plans. Right now, those plans included shoving a large bottle of bleach into his hands along with those of Chase and directing them to destroy the evidence they had left behind. It made sense, of course -- and Will followed her instructions to the letter.

Once that was done, they unceremoniously stacked Bruce and the Doctor's body onto the cart with the supplies on the "shelf" below. Will paused when he saw the gleaming bonesaw: one of Mac's goodies. He turned on his heel, marching back toward Benton's lab to grab one of the heavy leather aprons and draping it over his clothing. There were no gloves in sight, unfortunately. With one final glance at the lab, Will nodded to the others before heading toward the stairs. It was a pain getting the cart up the stairs while keeping it level, but they managed with some liberal use of his and Chase's combined strength and coordination.

Then the work began.

***
​

With the bodies thoroughly dismembered, salted, and burned, what was left over was driven south to the nature preserve and dumped in the reservoir. William called 911 on the way using a burner phone to report the location of the warehouse and the two victims inside.

"Where are you now?" A pause. "Sir, please stay on the--" Will hung up the phone, passing it to Chase in the backseat with a gloved hand. "Destroy that and get rid of the pieces." It was probably overkill in all honesty, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"They're sending police and EMS to the warehouse. They'll be okay." He paused, gritting his teeth -- gripping the steering wheel of the truck more tightly as he drove down the road. "Well, one of them will be."

He was silent for a moment, pushing the thoughts away to glance under Mac's seat at the handle of the bonesaw poking out from underneath it. Against his recommendation, she had brought it with them. "I can't believe you kept that..." he muttered with a shake of his head.

NanLia
Crono

 

[Crono]

Chase Keaton

Tags: Safton NanLia

Chase took the phone that was handed to him and grabbed it with both hands to snap it in half, prying out the chip and board pieces to make sure they got destroyed. Rolling down his window the man tossed a few bits out, letting them fly and scatter as they hit the ground at speed. Noting Will's comment on at least one of the women being alright. At this point it was all they had as far as an upside. This was just another case of a family having more loss due to the fact of having a hunter among them, it was all too common. Not only had those kids lost their mother but now an uncle that likely would have helped support them somehow, but Bruce hadn't given him a choice. Not long after Chase threw out the rest of the phone bits, head falling back against the seat as he rolled the window back up.

Over the time of getting the pyre set up and dumping what was left he'd felt himself growing more fatigued. His body had put in work to keep him alive and heal the internal wounds and left him with little to nothing to work with energy wise, the warehouse basement and what followed was nothing but adrenaline and willpower. "The adrenalines wearing off so I'm about to pass out back here so don't go getting us killed before we get back to Vitae alright?" Honestly Chase couldn't be sure if he could fight it, but he wasn't interested in trying. The Werewolf knew all to well he needed to rest and let his body recover it's reserves, and the job was done. With that he got as comfortable as one could leaning into the corner of the seat and letting his forehead rest against the glass.

coded by natasha.

 

[NanLia]

Exhaustion. Mackenzie knew this old friend well but they'd parted ways for several months. She could clearly feel the edges of her vision darkening as sleep threatened to take over. Not more adrenaline or energy to expend she needed rest, fluid and foods, in that order, to recover. Even still she forced herself to stay awake; she refused to be the burden on this hunt - she'd desperately needed to get out of the colony, after weeks of recovering from the attack at Alliance and doing their best to maintain the colony with half it's population fleeing after the pack joined them she'd craved the open roads and excitement for a hunt. She was a create of habit, after all, and living in a house and warm bed safe and secured drove her anxiety to hell. How long before it came crumbling down around them?

She was only partly aware of the conversation Will was having beside her. She heard his voice, knew he was speaking but what he said to who was lost on her. It was his movement that piqued her interest, her gaze followed his hand and he gave the phone he was holding to Chase in the back seat with a request to destroy it. Made sense, he must have called the police. She frowned then, dark eyes turning up to him as he questioned, or rather, commented about the bone saw. "It's a good blade." She said simply, slightly muffled as she yawned. "I hate using my machete to do that, this works better and I think I can keep it sharp enough."

Mac paused, hearing Chase warn he was about to pass out and as much as she wanted to sleep as well, she knew better than to leave only one person awake. "Rest up," She yawned again. "Then you can carry me home when you get up."
Safton
Crono

 

[Safton]

​

William nodded in approval as he saw Chase make short work of the burner phone. He couldn't afford to leave any traces or to take any risks when it came to police involvement, especially with Mac's extensive criminal record that she had disclosed to him. Having local cops or the FBI after them would be troublesome enough, but he knew Mur or his agents would almost certainly use the confusion caused to his advantage. He pushed the thoughts away as Mac spoke up, apparently seeing fit to defend her decision to hold onto the bonesaw for future use. He arched an eyebrow, not sure to be more surprised by the fact that she had so much experience with dismemberment or that she was already planning for future repetitions.

Still, he didn't get a chance to comment on the tool as Chase announced his intentions to rest on the way back to Vitae. Will couldn't help but smile at the man's wording on the ensuing request that he not get them all killed. "You got it," he said with a small smile, glancing in the rearview mirror at the man. "I'll be sure to wake you if more monsters need killing or damsels saving between here and Vitae, though," he said, returning his attention fully to the road.

After a moment of silent driving, William turned to glance at Mac. "You should probably get some rest too, babe," he murmured. "I'll take another look at your leg when we get to Vitae, if not sooner. We'll need to change those dressings before long," Will remarked -- speaking as much to himself as his fiancee as he stared out the windshield. He had already examined the wound right after their pyre, but better safe than sorry. Snapping out of his trance and seeming to remember himself, he gave her a sideways smile, reaching out to gently pat her knee. "I'll wake you when we're close."

NanLia
Crono

 

[NanLia]

The colony was elated; for months they had been pushing hard not only to complete the prophetic Seals’ missions their prophet seemed to churn out endlessly, but had success after success in run-of-the-mill hunts. It seemed there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel for the colony, pack and nest working together to keep Adam sealed for another millenia.

The final prophecy came down to the last two Seals, both located together in the southern United states. After a small amount of research they found them: the ivory dominoes said to once have been used by Jesus Christ himself and a kerchief presumed to come from the grave of Mary Magdala. Both artifacts were up for sale in an auction in Las Vegas at the Bellagio Hotel.

Mackenzie spent days trying to convince the council to send her on this final mission - she'd been trapped inside the colony for the past six months. She was fully recovered and itching to hunt again - this would be an ideal time: public setting, little to no chance that their supernatural foes could do anything just because of the sheer security that would be available there. Children of Adam, a name they'd given themselves, had been a challenge but they had also been subtle, avoiding direct conflicts with them whenever possible.

Finally she managed to convince them, and her husband/Nephilim guardian, that they would need to send someone who could sense the Seals. They agreed; Adelaide would have been a better option but she, Chase, Brody and Morgan were out of state, on a mission to help a small convent of white witches rebuild their wards and protections after an onslaught from Hell's Army.

The colony had become adept at pre-prepared spells and incantations with the help of Adelaide's natural abilities. With her guidance, they were able to create instant spells, designed for anyone's use with the correct verbiage, they could be deployed in public without drawing attention. Thankfully they had two prepared in advance for the final two Seals. The plan was simple: William and Mackenzie would go to the auction, they would tour the objects that were due to be auctioned that evening and deploy the incantations without ever having to purchase - or steal - the Seals.

They left for Las Vegas by way of Angel taxi - they brought no vehicle with them since there wasn’t a need for one. Gaveel arrived to take them herself, departing from them with a foreboding message: Do not fail us, Prophet. For if you do, you will doom us all. Mackenzie wasn’t particularly thrilled with the commentary, but she pressed on; it wasn’t like they were here to dally about!

At the Bellagio William and Mackenzie wasted little time getting themselves to the hall where the auction was being held in order to view and search for the seals. They were admitted after a security screening and wandered through the crowds as they looked over the near 200 items up for auction later that day. It was quiet and peaceable, the pair enjoying their time together when she heard her name being called.

“Skye!”

She frowned and turned at the older man that called her by her birth name. She regarded the stranger with her typical scowl but said nothing. Will beside her standing taller, stiffer.

“Apologies. Mackenzie.” The older man corrected himself. “I forget you call yourself by your mother’s name. Dark, really.” He seemed vaguely amused, even chuckled before shrugging. “I was hoping you’d be here, both of you. I wasn’t sure if you’d come, but of course you hunters are all about good measures.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Mackenzie hissed, startling the man.

“Oh,” His smile faded and he nodded. “Yes, sorry. I’m Michael Hansen, Adam’s Prophet. I forget that he tells me far more than Heaven or God has ever really told you.” He flagged down a waiter, collected three glasses of champagne and handed one to each of the stunned hunters. “Adam has always been good at giving the whole picture, telling the whole story. All spoilers and no suspense.” He chuckled once more, to himself as the pair of hunters still stared at him.

“He’s here, you know.” Michael, nodded back over his shoulder. “Adam. Wait right here, he’ll be thrilled to meet you.”

Mackenzie watched as the man turned away and headed off into the crowd, she could feel Will’s hand, wrapped firmly around her wrist tighten; she wanted to run but she willed herself to stay - certainly this man was insane? One of Adam’s Children sent here to fuck with them!

Moments later Michael returned with a second man in tow. “Here, here. This is Mackenzie and this is William.” He waved at the pair of hunters like they were some kind of display.

The second man, Adam, smiled at the pair of hunters, clasping his hands before him. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet the both of you. You’ve long been a curiosity of mine and Michael’s. William in particular; is unlike the other hunters, possibly because you’re not just human but angel as well? The others I can hear their thoughts, read their hearts, their desires. All I’ve ever heard about you, is through the eyes and thoughts of others. You are a true enigma, Nephilim.”

William grimaced, Mackenie could feel his Grace straining beside her, like a flash of blinding light in the corner of her eye. She knew that no one else could see it - at least not the average human. Michael visibly winced and turned away … maybe he was a prophet after all.

Adam tisked and sighed, clasping his hands behind him. "There will be none of that today, thank you. I have no ill intentions for either of you, really. Mackenzie is well-suited to my new world and I am very aware that she will not exist in any world unless you're there too, which makes you suitable as well."

"What was the fucking point of all this?" Mac hissed, her hands shaking from equal parts rage and fear. "The Seals? Beating your followers to them and protecting them? If you could just get out on your own … why?"

Adam smiled sadly, looking truly upset by her question and tone of her voice. "It was me, my dear. Every vision. Every prophecy. From the start of time, all of them were from me. The moment the very first crack in the walls of my cage were unveiled I was able hear you, all of you. Your eternal suffering under a God that is not merciful, but cruel. I knew I was needed. My children and Eve's children were all suffering under His hand, as we did before you." He shook his head.

"They were tests, Mackenzie. Trials for my children. They allowed me to see into your soul, your very core and know if you would find peace in my new world or if you could never fit. The Seals were how I came to know all of you, about your little colony in Nebraska, hidden away by the dying gods that did not belong here. It's a shame I won't be able to see it intact myself. I wanted to see it in the flesh, so to speak, not just through you. Sadly Desmond isn't one for waiting things out; he's convinced his sword is hidden away there and insists on going there today to burn it out."

Mackenzie felt her blood run cold. For months now she'd been repeatedly having the same vision, one of Desmond burning the colony, killing its people and destroying their homes. As much as she wanted to stand tall and show no fear she could feel her hand start to shake inside of Will’s large palm. Despite not being able to take her eyes off of Adam she could see Will's face, straining to fight his Nephilim instinct. She’d seen him strain like this several times before, the colour draining from his face. When she’d been shot by Bruce, the day she found out she was pregnant, when she fell down the patio steps and twisted her ankle. Each time he’d been pulled to her side; conditions of their soul link.

“I suppose you two don’t want to miss it.” Adam sighed but smiled pleasantly. “Not a problem. It was a pleasure meeting you both.”

There is no way to describe being teleported. One moment the pair of hunters stood in the hall of the Vegas hotel, the next they stood next to the Council’s table in Vitae, the six or so Councilors staring at them in disbelief, those from the colony that chose to attend (or were there for breakfast) behind them.

“Is it done then?” Elijah asked pensively.

Mackenzie didn’t have an answer, she broke free of Will and dashed for the table. She snatched a pen and immediately scrawled the wards she had glimpsed from Hypnos up her forearm, freeing Will from his Grace’s desire to keep her protected. She threw the pen down and ran for the door.

William’s gaze snapped to Mackenzie as she dashed from the room. The runes she had drawn may have freed him from their soul link and thus his Grace’s “programming” when it came to keeping her safe, but they did nothing to dampen the very human sensation of a man fearing for his wife. As much as he dreaded the idea of letting her out of his sight knowing what was coming, he knew right now it was more important to spread the word while Mackenzie attended the homefront -- someone needed to get to Ashley-May and the kids after all.

Forcing his attention back toward Eli and the other Councillors who all watched him expectantly, Will spoke without hesitation. “We need to evacuate Vitae. Everyone, no exceptions -- and as soon as possible. Hypolyes is on his way to turn this place to ash as we speak.” He paused, letting his gaze move around the room across the Councillors as a shocked gasp and murmur seemed to flow through them. “...And I don’t think we can stop him.”

The conversations began to grow louder -- some dissent or disbelief apparent amidst those voices -- but Will simply spoke over it. “There’s more,” he announced, quieting them. “Adam… the ‘First Sin’. He’s out. Mackenzie and I, we saw him and his Prophet with our own eyes. The Seals, the prophecies… they were all a goddamn goose chase. He’s been here all along, toying with us. ‘Testing us’.” Will shrugged. “Now he’s making his play.”

There was a moment of stilled silence in the room. In his seat, Elijah sat with steepled fingers, seeming to digest that information with pursed lips… before speaking up. “It doesn’t matter.” Will turned toward him, arching a brow. Eli continued, “Adam’s plans can come later. Hypolyes is a reality right now. So let’s focus on getting our people out of here in one piece.” The Englishman turned to look outward at the other Councillors. “Order the evacuation. We’ll need a good rally point. Somewhere safe, with enough space for everyone.”

Emile stood, drawing attention from the others gathered at the table. “We can go to la meute .. la territoire. Tabernac. The camp place. Where the pack stay before. Manitou ward still protect der; it should hide us from dragon.”

William nodded to the Alpha. “Good. Let’s get to it.” With that, the men and women of the Council flitted from the Rec Center in a flurry of activity to give the people of Vitae the worst news imaginable.

*​

William and Elijah stuck around to help organize the evacuation, as much “organization” as could be inflicted on the process. They moved from house-to-house, checking to make sure the residents had left and assisting those they could along the way. It had not taken long for Vitae to descend into chaos at the proclamation. Will hadn’t seen this kind of panic within the colony since the “attack” by Emile’s Pack. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.

They’d had time to prepare for that, at least. This… this had been sudden. And it showed in the way hunters and their families filled the streets in a panicked mass, clogging the roads to the point of nigh-uselessness.

Despite strict orders from the Council to abandon all materiel possessions that weren’t necessary for survival, Elijah could see people trying to load up trunks and chests and safes. He shook his head before glancing down to try dialing Ash’s number. It went to voicemail. He clenched his jaw. “I hope the girls and the kids are all right,” he said, clutching his phone in a white-knuckled grip.

Will nodded over at his best friend. “Of course they are,” he said reassuringly, with more confidence than he felt. They have to be.

*​

Mackenzie ran through the colony, despite the stares and calls from others to stop and tell them what was wrong. She sprinted the few blocks from the Rec Center to their house. She burst through the front door, startling the two infants in the living room and setting them into a fit of screaming. She didn’t have time to regret it. “Desmond’s here. Now.” Her lungs burned as she tried to breath but thankfully she didn’t need to say anything else.

Ashley-May was already on her feet, snatching both kids in either arm and making for the doorway. Thankfully the car seats were both in her vehicle and set up - something Mac had insisted on for months now, along with all of their cars being ready to leave at a moment's notice. Naturally Ash had chalked it up to the fever dreams, stress and pent up desire to get out of the colony and hunt again after bedrest. Will had convinced her and Elijah that it would just be simpler to do what the angry tiny hunter wanted rather than try and make sense of it.

She dropped into the driver's seat as Mac was exiting the house again, the last-minute bags they kept stored in the front hall, the smaller hunter already signalling her to get going - she would follow. Ash backed out of the driveway and turned down the main road of the colony towards the front exit.

It was bedlam. Chaos. The streets filled with people and cars all doing the same: trying to get out. She gripped the steering wheel, trying desperately to think of a way out; she was a damned ER nurse, she could think this through but soon heard the horn of the Beast behind her, Mac waving at her to follow.

She did without hesitation, spinning the wheel and turning around to follow the old Ford back the way they came and then over the manicured lawns. Ash quickly knew where Mac was headed: to the walking paths that led to the woods and fields around the colony. They had small barricades, nothing more than the wooden ones, but she wasn’t certain the Beast could fit through them.

Much to her surprise she watched Mac barrel through the barricade, fitting the Ford through with a screech she didn’t doubt was heard clear across the colony. She knew Mac would cry about the damage later. Glancing in her rearview mirror she could see other’s had followed them, so she didn’t slow, keeping directly behind the heavy car ahead of her as it plowed through shrub and small flora, churning up anything in its path until finally they managed to get back up onto the main road that led to the colony.

Even here they didn’t slow, behind them she could already see smoke rising from behind the walls and she could only pray to God that everyone else made it out safely.

*​

“We know Council Row is clear. That should be the last of them,” Eli said, turning in a circle as if to survey their surroundings and confirm his assessment of their evacuation straggler-check. He glanced over Will’s shoulder. “Look.”

Wil turned, spotting the form of Emile and two Packmates in the distance as he rounded a street corner. He lifted his fingers to his mouth, letting out a loud whistle to attract the man’s attention. Immediately the Alpha’s attention snapped to him as he waved to him and the man nodded, jogging over with his Packmates in tow.

"This street and the one over is clear."

Elijah offered up to Emile as he approached and he nodded in response. "Bien, le motel et les routes menant ici sont vides aussi." He knew at least the Brit would understand him. "Tu devrais y aller. Nous ferons un autre cercle avant de nous rendre au camp."

Emile didn’t wait for the pair of hunters to decide whether they would stay or go, he was already stripping free of his clothing as his Shift started. His pack mates, long time members since his youth, Shifted alongside them. They were ready to devote themselves to this colony, much like their own up North.

Moments later they were running, between the buildings of the colony, noses to the ground looking for fresh scents. It was difficult, with the amount of fear that had exuded from the colonists as they panicked to leave, it was becoming easier to simply start building to building looking for anyone left behind.

They were nearing the edge and the last few houses of the colony with no evidence that anyone remained behind. Smoke and cinder start to burn his nose; making it impossible to smell anything despite his heightened scenes. He was about to turn and lead his packmates out of the colony when he spied a car still parked in the driveway, its hood up and all the doors open. He couldn’t leave someone behind so he dashed for the house, nudging the garage door up enough to reveal a family huddled within.

The husband, he presumed, held a shotgun between Emile and his wife and children, ready to stand his ground but visibly relaxed seeing the big black wolf that had become a common site in the colony. “The car died.” The hunter explained, “battery or something; everyone else on the street was already gone.”

Emile huffed, really the only way he could communicate and turned back towards the garage door. Thankfully the hunter was wise enough to follow without further prompting. His packmates parted from him, spreading out and moving stealthily to keep an eye out for potential hazards.

They managed to get out of the colony without being seen, if Desmond was there he hadn’t made it as far as they were and Emile led the family into surrounding woods. He started to feel some relief when he caught the scent of a kitsune. He momentarily thought that perhaps Inari had been skulking in the woods and was making himself known but instead he was confronted by a Kitsune he’d never seen before.

*​

Hypolyes -- in his human guise as “Desmond” -- strolled down the road towards Vitae. Trucks, cars, and even an RV rolled in the opposite direction past him. More than a few panicked eyes stared at him, first in confusion at the strange man wandering on foot towards the doomed colony… and then in fear. Clearly they had heard about his imminent arrival and at least a few of them put two and two together. He didn’t trouble himself with these fleeing vermin. There was a time, perhaps, when he would have laid waste to all of them. But he had his sights set on their former home.

Desmond could feel the magic radiating from the forest surrounding the colony -- it was old magic, divine magic… but it had faded. Like the faintest hues of color hinting at a once-glorious painting. The gods were gone and the same went for their powers -- the wards would be of no service to the wretches still inside those walls. Heaven’s Enochian sigils were still in place… but they could not keep him out, nor his Kitsune companion. Not anymore. It was their time.

Hypolyes glanced up at the gates, his keen reptilian eyes able to pick out the human forms manning them. He had little doubt that the sentries had been alerted to his presence by now. It was of little concern to him. He had stamped out countless Men of Letters bunkers and repositories since his reawakening. And in centuries prior, entire castles had felt his wrath -- their garrisons incinerated within them. This backwoods colony was nothing by comparison. The upstart Nephilim might seek to challenge him, true… and Desmond relished the idea of repaying him for slaying one of his kin.

Hypolyes lowered his stance, eyes closing. His muscles rippled, bones snapping, skin and scales shifting. Two, leathery bat-like wings shot outward from his back. His eyes opened, the scleras now yellow and the rounded human pupils replaced by reptilian black slits. He had lost the ability to take on his full draconic form since being reawakened by Adam, but there were many things that were still well within his power… including bringing terror to mankind from above.

Desmond pushed off from the ground in a massive leap no human could hope to match and allowed his wings to handle the rest, flapping once, twice, before soaring upward and toward the gates of Vitae with purpose. The Alpha Dragon landed atop the structure with a resounding thud to the sound of surprised shouts, eliciting a cacophony of shouts from the guards who scampered backwards away from him out of instinct.

The nearest of them raised his rifle out of instinct and Hypolyes reacted, flitting forward to bring his clawed hand down on the weapon. The stock and receiver was torn asunder and there was a spray of blood as his black claws sliced through clothing and flesh on the man’s arm as well. The hunter fell to the ground with a yowl of pain, scooting backwards. Another young man stepped forward, leaning down to help the first to safety -- perceived safety, at any rate -- behind the others.

Desmond grinned, eyeing the other hunters who nervously clutched their own weapons, watching him like a hawk. He could see the fear behind their eyes, smell it on their skin. It was intoxicating. “You needn’t die. Give me the sword and I’ll leave… after your colony is dealt with. But you’ll keep your lives.”

The young man who had finished tending to the injured hunter stood up. “We don’t have your sword. And even if we did…”

Hypolyes arched an eyebrow at the apparent leader of this lot, daring him to finish his statement of defiance. He didn’t. He looked at the pistol clutched in his hand. “That will be of little use.”

The captain glanced down at the handgun before looking back at Hypolyes, squaring his shoulders.

“You’re willing to die, likely thinking that perhaps your noble sacrifice will give the others more time to escape. To hide my sword--” Desmond began.

“I told you, we don’t have your goddamn sword--”

“Silence,” the dragon hissed, his chest brimming with blue heat that was visible below the skin. “Know that none of you will have been the first, little hunters. I’ve feasted on legionaries and knights and angels. All of them thought they were heroes for it. But… if you insist…” he spread his arms out to either side, clawed fingers flexing.

The man reached for his belt, unclipping a small, green orb with determination and holding it behind his back as his compatriots raised their firearms in shaky hands.

“Your weapons won’t harm me. You must know that by now,” Desmond said flatly.

The hunter smirked. “They say there’s a first time for everything”. And pulled the pin on the grenade.

Hypolyes breathed.

*​

The gates erupted in red-orange flame, billowing upward with pillars of black, acrid smoke. A massive blast followed, with a crack like thunder. William and Elijah stared, wide-eyed. “That’s our cue,” Eli muttered. “Let’s go, we might be able to get out through the walking paths.” Eli turned on his heel to walk as he spoke, but paused when he realized that Will remained still, staring at the gates. “Will. Come on,” he urged.

“You should go, Eli,” Will said.

Eli shook his head, taking two rapid steps toward his partner. “Oh, no. I know that look. You’re thinking about doing something very, very stupid.”

Will’s jaw tightened. “All those people. The guards, everyone who tried to make a break through the front…”

Eli rested a hand on the man’s shoulder, squeezing it lightly. “And you can’t do anything for them now.”

“What if I can? With Thor and the other gods gone I might be the only one. I was able to hurt that dragon in the cathedral with Hadrian’s sword, Eli. If I can get close enough to Hypo--”

Eli shook his head vehemently. “This isn’t the same and you know it. That was a run-of-the-mill dragon and it still took a lot out of you. This is the Alpha. He can’t be killed without the Sword of St. George. If you go out there and try to fight him, you will die.” Elijah sighed, composing himself before continuing. “Don’t walk away from this for me, don’t do it for yourself, don’t do it for Vitae. Do it for Mac and your daughter.”

Will scoffed. “Why do you think I want to fight in the first place? Someone has to slow Hypolyes down, keep him away from the campsite -- assuming Manitou’s magic is even intact.”

Elijah smiled. “Have some faith, Nephilim. If we get there and it turns out the dragon is able to follow us, then feel free to have your little cage match. I’ll referee.” He paused, his tone taking a cool, resolute tone. “But until then, make no mistake: if you get yourself killed playing hero, Skye will lose both of her parents. You know I’m right.”

Will recoiled as if Eli had physically struck him, but the Brit -- despite giving him a mournful look -- didn’t back down. Slowly, William turned away from the gates, swallowing deeply before nodding. Eli returned the gesture as they jogged off in search of their escape route.

*​

The kitsune smiled serenely. It quickly became clear that the well-dressed female wasn’t alone as several others joined her, seeming to emerge from nowhere. The scent of fear and smoke had filled Emile's nose, dampened his senses -- he should have known the dragon wouldn't be alone; he should have been prepared.

A squeal from behind him told him that there were plenty others along with the one that stood boldly before him. Kitsune were no match for a werewolf, certainly not an alpha. He felt his muscles twist and pull, his packmates following suit as they shifted forms. He grew in size, muzzle elongating, claws growing; this was the form the humans knew them to be. The beast of fairytales and horror films. When they thought werewolf it was as a human with heightened senses, or even a wolf as he had been. Soon enough he towered over the Kitsune and her followers, a cruel grin forming on his lips.

He lunged for the fox, maw wide but it snapped on air as she adeptly evaded him. Emile howled in pain as he felt her rake her claws along his side, searing hot through his muscles. The other kitsune were closing in, one dragging a screaming child from its mothers arms. He couldn't tell if the female was alive or not, for all the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Emile grabbed the kitsune child thief, his oversized paw easily wrapping around its upper body and neck. He squeezed, feeling his claws dig deep; satisfied in hearing and seeing the fox release the child with a scream of its own. A little more pressure and the fox fell silent, he tossed it aside, turning to refocus on the chaos around him.

In the nick of time he caught sight of the smirking kitsune moving at the edge of his peripheral vision. He waited, until she made her move and he twisted, snapping his jaws around her upper thigh and dragging her down into the grass from the air where she'd leapt at him. He had her pinned, his clawed hands wrapped around her throat and squeezing.

*​

Desmond fumed. It had become quickly apparent to him that the foolish young human atop the gates had been telling the truth: the Sword of St. George was not here. No matter where they had hidden the blade, he would be able to sense it were it inside the colony.

And yet…

Hypolyes moved between the buildings, smashing them apart like so many matchsticks… or setting them alight in the same fashion. He wasn't sure when he gave up the pretense of searching and instead settled for taking out his frustrations on the homes and property of those who had fled. Memories and livelihoods gone in a flash.

Once he was sated -- Vitae burning to its very foundations around him -- Hypolyes took to the skies once again, traveling back toward the forest. His keen nose picked up on the scent of blood, his ears pricking up at the sounds of a struggle. Not only that -- but he could smell the blood of kitsune -- including Akemi, his companion, intermingled with that of werewolves. Including one werewolf in particular, if he had to guess.

Hypolyes soared downward, homing in toward the fight, ignoring the branches of the canopy whipping at him. His eyes took in the scene: bloodied bodies of kitsune and werewolves littering the ground. The furry beast atop Akemi, throttling her. His lip curled and a low growl reverberated in his chest as he landed behind the pair with a deep thud.

Desmond reached out, snatching Emile by the neck with one clawed hand and using the other to forcefully pry his hands from around Akemi's neck. He was not gentle in the task, ripping the surprised albeit struggling wolf's hand away with such force that tendons audibly popped and bones snapped, eliciting a growled yelp of pain from the beast.

Hypolyes scoffed as the werewolf tried to snap at him with his jaws, holding it in place by the neck with a grunt as it futilely worked its jaws at air inches away from him. Releasing his hold on the wolf's ruined arm, Desmond curled his own hand into a fist, bringing it crashing down against Emile's skull, feeling the pop of a jaw the telltale glint of teeth sent flying.

Desmond tossed the wolf across the clearing sending him crashing into a nearby tree with tremendous force, shattering bark and bones alike no doubt. He moved to intercept the canine that was already climbing to its feet, snarling a challenge. Hypolyes grinned, baring his fangs and yellow eyes -- sidestepping the werewolf's paw swipe before returning with one of his own, this one cutting his flank to ribbons and eliciting a pained growl from his foe as a torrent of blood poured down his side, staining the already-dark fur. Still Emile tried to lash out at the Dragon, but Hypolyes batted away the clumsy attempt before driving his head into the creature's snout to stun him. Thoroughly stunned, he had no recourse as Desmond leaned in, tearing a chunk of flesh and fur from his shoulder with his own teeth.

Finally, beaten, bloodied, and battered, Emile sank down against the trunk of the tree behind him. Desmond looked down at him, savoring the taste of one of his distant cousins for the first time in centuries. He had half a mind to finish Emile, there and then -- especially after seeing him nearly kill Akemi. But Adam had other plans. And there were other ways of getting one's point across...

Hypolyes lifted one hand, allowing it to channel heat until it glowed red-orange like the sun itself. He was still smiling as he pressed his hand to Emile's chest, drawing out an anguished howl that filled the forest, echoing off the trees of Manitou's domain.

*​

Mackenzie could feel her adrenaline wearing thin and exhaustion taking over, she didn't doubt that Ash felt the same way but she was thankful she was nearly at their meeting place. They only needed to get a couple more miles, on the other side of the township. The Carhenge motel had been a humorous choice for them nearly a year ago when they'd picked the place, but today it felt like paradise.

Minutes later she led the two car caravan into the parking lot and to the office; she sighed, turning off the engine and stepping out. She glanced at Ash who was already on her phone trying to reach the men and decided not to intercede. She headed into the office to pick room keys; she rented one in the middle, between two rooms already leant out to civilians.

Mackenzie packed the kids and Ash into the motel room, only staying indoors long enough to settle down Liam and Skye (and Ash), seal the window and door with wards before stepping back outside to find her cell phone in the Beast.

*​

William and Elijah had managed to make a narrow escape from Vitae in the former’s truck. They found it waiting for them -- as expected -- at the house. One of the girls had left the keys in the ignition and the vehicle packed with their uttermost necessities that presumably couldn't fit in their own cars. Whispering a silent thanks, both men had climbed in and set off for the walking trails. They arrived, surprised to find that the entrance to them had been torn open by some desperate escapee.

Elijah had spent the entire ride out of Vitae trying to contact Mackenzie and Ashley-May, but as of yet no luck. Both men had grown increasingly stressed with each missed call -- with Will doing his best not to tear the steering wheel out of its column. However, they both agreed to at least check the campsite first before doing anything rash.

At long last the two of them arrived, weaving between static vehicles and trailers to make it up the dirt road. Will pulled off onto a patch of grass before putting the truck in park, throwing the door open. Elijah had already leapt out of the truck and was practically sprinting across the campground, turning in circles as his eyes scanned the vehicles in search of the familiar pink “Bubble” or Mackenzie’s old Ford.

*​

Brody stepped out from behind one of the colonists' vans; they'd been on the road to Vitae when they spotted the first of a line of vehicles fleeing the colony. He'd turned in, following them into the campsite. He'd been pacing the cars, searching for his pack mates, for Emile; much like Chase, Morgan and Adelaide did as well but he was finding no luck.

He spotted the big black truck arriving minutes later and the pair of hunters exiting - he was disappointed to see no one else exit with them. By the panic on their faces he knew who they were searching for. "They're not here." He called, Will's head snapping his way. "I've already looked around - Ash and Mac aren't here… Are they …?"

"No, they got out. We know where they are." Elijah shouted over his shoulder as he ran back for the truck, Will behind him.

*
​

It felt like hours had passed since the last of the colony survivors arrived at the campsite; Will and Elijah had left and Brody had paced the dirt road to the main road and back again until finally the survivors had gathered and decided to head back to the colony to see what had come of it.

Naturally he wouldn't be left behind but his anxiety had caught him out and his Wolf won out. He shifted, painfully, amidst the colonists and their stares; until he stretched and growled. Even as a wolf he could see the pity on Morgan and Adelaide's features. He left them, dashing into the woods and headed for the colony himself; his alpha was still out somewhere, and if something had happened, it was on his hands as a Guardian.

The forest blurred around him, wet soiled squished up between his toe pads as he pushed himself to move faster, to get closer to the colony. He burst out onto the road in time for Chase's jeep to pass him by, towards the gates of the colony.

He arrived seconds after them, panting heavily but his nose to the ground as he followed the scents within. The Dragon, Christopher, other guardsmen. He slipped between the burned out gates and immediately stopped, seeing the burned skeletal remains of someone. He padded forward slowly, cautiously, though he didn't know why but a gasp from behind him made him jump.

"It's Chris," Adelaide whispered.

*​

Emile frowned at the darkening sky above him. He wasn't sure if he'd been awake this whole time or if he'd just woken up, or even how long he'd been there, staring at the leaves moving in the wind. He wasn't even certain how he'd come to be there - the last thing he recalled was the kitsune …. dragon. Yes, that was it. The kitsune was nearly dead when the dragon had arrived.

He heard a whimper to his left and he attempted to turn his head but couldn't; it wasn't painful and he wondered if that was the last of Manitou's gift to him. "Quiet child." He whispered but he didn't even recognize his own voice. "They come soon."

Suddenly above him was Chase's face, the worried visage of his young love. He smiled, seeing his concern but he tisked. The younger wolf was kneeling now, taking a hold of his hand. "Quiet, mon loup perdu." He chuckled then coughed horrendously. "You scare the child you keep dis face."

"Shut up." Chase whispered, looking back the way he'd come - Adelaide had promised to bring medical supplies. "Stop talking, you need keep still-"

"Non," Emile managed to reach up to touch Chase's cheek. "You need to remember, you have family now. Wit us, wit la meute. You stay wit them, chasseur. Live wit them."

*​

"There it is," Elijah said tersely (and unnecessarily). Will didn't take it personally. He knew the man was vibrating with nervous energy, just like he was. He glanced back at the rear view to ensure Brody was still close behind them as they neared the motel.

Will felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest when he spotted the girls' vehicles parked out front (the establishment gave few options for concealment). He pulled into the lot, parking the truck and climbing out just in time to see the door of a motel room opening up, followed by Ashley-May and Mackenzie hurrying out -- each of them carrying their child.

William ran to Mac, embracing her as best her could with Skye in her arms before leaning in to press a kiss to his daughter's forehead. He glanced over to see Elijah having taken Liam onto his hip in order to sweep Ash into a kiss.

"We made it."

*** Six Months Later ***​

Ashley-May bounced from heel to toe as she stood behind the Do not cross line at the bus terminal, waiting for Chase’s bus to pull in. Already an hour late he’d been texting her his location and she knew it wouldn’t be long now. Naturally the wolf had tried to convince her to just go back home and he’d catch a cab but she swiftly dismissed the idea. She hadn’t seen him since he’d left for Borseti and at that time they were all distressed with the loss of their homes.

Sure, they’d chatted over Skype and text, keeping tabs on one another but it wasn’t the same. This was Chase in the pack all over again!

Finally she saw the headlights of the bus turning into the parking lot. She waited as patiently as she could and when she finally saw him step off the bus and grab his bags from beneath she raised her sign above her head that read Keaton. She’d seen it done in movies, when people were being picked up by chauffeurs at the airport. While she was quite aware the bus station and her pink bubble of a car were far from luxurious she knew he’d at least enjoy the gesture.

*​

Mackenzie lounged out front of her motel room, her chair tilted back to lean against the stone wall behind her, the door to the room open allowing what little breeze the arid desert air allowed. A cool damp cloth rest across her eyes; her weak attempt to combat the heat that even burned into the night. Will had said she’d get used to it, but it had been weeks now and she still wanted to die.

She sighed, dragging the cloth off of her face and dropping it onto her lap, briefly enjoying the coolness on her bare legs beneath the hem of her shorts until it faded away. She reached down beside her chair and found her beer bottle and brought it to her lips to take a deep drink. Mac lowered it in time to see Will’s black truck turn into the parking lot and roll its way down until he pulled into the spot next to her Beast.

Elijah and Will had been on a hunt, a nest of vampires two states over. They’d been gone for nearly a week but she was glad to have them back home again. She smiled and leaned forward, bringing the front legs of her chair back to the ground and she stood to greet Will as he dropped his bag beside her. She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

“Lee and Skye are sleeping,” She spoke softly, addressing the both of them and nodding back towards the open door of their motel room. “At least they don’t seem to care about the heat but if either of you wake them up I will kill you myself.”

Safton Crono Eliasdagood RikuXIII gh0stwriter

 

[RikuXIII]

Maggie Rothwell stifled a yawn as she drove down the Arizona highway. She had been trying to track down a Navajo Medicine Man to learn their magic and lore. But the one she found wouldn't talk to her. It was frustrating, but unfortunately understandable. She might try again later if she could take part in a couple of hunts, giving her some credibility here. This was the first time in her life that her family name hadn't garnered instant respect. Rather refreshing, honestly. As she mused on this, she saw a faded sign for a motel.
<Do it.>
The voice in Maggie's mind caused her to glance over at the ferret that was peaking out the window. Her familiar, Siegfried, glanced back at her with a firm expression in his little eyes.
<You've done the whole 'roughing it' thing for the past week. Nicely done. But you could use a proper bed, a soak, and food not from the 'protean bar' part of the pyramid.>
Maggie gave a quick glance around the car she was driving. The SUV had been bought and outfitted in California so that she could go anywhere with it. It was packed with all sorts of supplies, and the back seats could fold down so she could layout to sleep. But, despite the rugged appeal of the set up, she was already longing for an actual bed.
"We have places to go, and things to hunt." She replied, readjusting her seating. "I can remember doing more with less before."
Okay, Maggie hadn't directly done it herself, but that was the advantage of having the memories of your ancestors rattling around in your head. You could use them to prove your point. When Siegfried didn't reply, Maggie risked a glance down at the familiar. He was giving her a long steady glare.
"Fine." Maggie said with a sigh. "One night. The we get back on the road."
<Acceptable, but we leave after dawn and get a good breakfast before, deal?> Siegfried pushed.
"Deal." Maggie said through another yawn.
Well, for one night, the young witch hoped this Mountaineer Inn was amazing.

 

[Crono]

Chase Keaton

NanLia​

Traveling from Canada to Arizona via buses wasn't the most effective, Chase was very aware of that fact. He'd been coaxed to try and take a flight by both his fiancé Emile as well as his arguably best friend at this current date, Ashley. However he'd near none of it, didn't even consider any of the options along the lines of being drugged or literally knocked out and placed on board, not that security would likely have allowed him on in such states. Chase didn't enjoy heights, and planes were at the top of the height scale, so he told them both to go screw themselves. So, buses it was and Chase had ended up sleeping most of the trip anyhow, nearly missing a bus swap at one point because of it. The rest of the time he'd spent in thought while staring out the nearby bus window, he'd ended up being sat beside an elderly woman who was pretty mobile all things considered. She'd spent a few of the hours of that thirty hour trip talking Chase's ear off but considering the other options he wasn't too bothered. Maria was her name, and she shared nearly her life story as well as asking Chase hundreds of questions about his own. For his own sake he opted to share most of it, glossing over some of the obvious supernatural parts.

The ring on his finger had felt foreign, and Chase hadn't been able to stop from fidgeting with it. Of course Maria couldn't help herself but wanting to know all about it. And of course he'd indulged her. Not even ten hours from when she'd asked, he and Emile had gone out together since he'd be leaving for who knew how long. Even though Emile planned to visit on occasion their alone time was going to be limited, so they made the best of that last day. And much to his surprise Emile had plans to further it through the marriage proposal, of course he'd said yes, he loved the Alpha Werewolf more than the man knew. But still he had lingering hesitations, and he wasn't even sure what half of them even were. Chase had teasingly chastised Emile for waiting until he was leaving to do it, claiming the older man had wanted to avoid the awkward aftermath proposal's might create.

Stepping off the bus he moved off to the side and gave a good stretch before retrieving his bags. One glance around and he saw the bubbly blonde with the sign bouncing in anticipation. Chase audibly laughed, being surprised by Ash's going overboard shouldn't really be happening after knowing her this long but still she managed. It was mildly embarrassing but Chase decided to take it in stride and capitalize on it. Of course as he strolled over they were getting a few looks, most likely from the woman's exuberance, but he also knew they were curious. "Y'know some of these people are expecting a show because of this right?" He asked, still moving in from a distance. "Two stupidly attractive people meeting up like this?" He'd given her a wink before dropping the bags, feet moving into a momentary jog to close in on her. Once there he'd grabbed hold of Ash gently so she'd fall backwards off balance with him holding her up, that whole traditional romantic position for a kiss. Of course this had gotten a few cheers and claps from both those waiting for bus passengers as well as the passengers exiting themselves. But in the end Chase had leaned in and given Ashley a kiss on the cheek, then chuckled as he propped her back up on her own two feet again. This result got a mixed review from the crowd, a few playful boo's and some laughs mostly. Turning around to grab the bags he'd dropped, Chase gave a dramatic bow towards them before doing so.

Once turned back towards Ash he was grinning. Little doubt that anyone there including the woman in front of him didn't enjoy the little show. "No need to thank me."
​

coded by natasha.

 

[Safton]

​

William's fingers drummed a steady tune against the steering wheel as they neared the Inn. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Elijah smile, but not look up from his phone. Will glanced sideways as he noticed the man's expression, his fingers halting their motion. But when the Brit's smile didn't disappear, Will sighed. "What?" he finally asked, breaking the silence in the truck.

Eli's eyebrows shot up. "Hm?"

Will rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that. What's the smile about?"

Elijah shrugged. "Nothing, just... you seem excited to be getting back."

Will frowned. "Of course I am. My wife and daughter are here. It's home. You're excited too, aren't you?"

"Naturally. And you just said it: home," Elijah fondly. "After Vitae and spending so long on the road... there was a time where I wasn't sure we'd ever find another..." his voice trailed off as he cocked his head. "I don't know. It's just what the girls are always saying: about stability and all. with the year we've had, it doesn't seem real sometimes."

Will chuckled. "Well, I can always pinch you if you want. Or slap you. Whatever."

Eli shook his head, but grinned. "No, thank you. I don't think that'll be necessary."

Will nodded. "Just remember. Home is wherever we all are. I don't know whether the Mountaineer will last, but we'll damn well do what we can to make sure it does while we're here. But if it doesn't... we'll stick together and figure it out."

"All right, that's enough pep talks from you," Elijah said with a faux grimace, waving the older man off.

Will's smile grew, but he acquiesced, staying silent as he finally pulled the black truck into the Mountaineer Inn's parking lot, bringing it to a halt. He saw Mac lounging outside, clearly suffering at the mercy of the weather. Both men stepped out, Elijah slinging his bag over one shoulder and his katana in its scabbard resting on the other. Will dropped his bag onto the ground beside Mackenzie's seat, feeling warmth flood through him as she planted a kiss on his cheek. He smiled at her warning. "Duly noted," he murmured.

​

Elijah leaned down to plant a small kiss on Mackenzie's cheek in greeting. "Thanks for watching Liam while we were both gone, luv," he murmured. He was already well aware that Ash had gone to pick up Chase, his girlfriend having texted him when she left.

Will nodded. "The hunt went well," he remarked evenly.

Elijah scoffed. "Yeah, nest of vampires that big -- they didn't want to surrender. Figured they'd take their chances draining us." He shrugged one shoulder. "Turns out Nephilim beats vampire. Or a dozen vampires, as it happens."

Will smirked. "I had help."

"A bit. Oh, speaking of which. I got you a souvenir, Mac." He set his bag down briefly, reaching into the side pocket to remove a brown paper-wrapped orb that filled the palm of his hand. Unwrapping it revealed a snow globe depicting the Alamo. He handed the globe over to her. "The nest was in San Antonio already. You wouldn't believe how many corny gift shops they have all over the place down there. Will said it was a little... on the nose after what happened at Vitae..."

Will cleared his throat, but remained quiet.

"...but you said you wanted to start making this place a real home. I figure that includes cheesy decor," Eli remarked with a smile.


NanLia