Willa Thorn's Story

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"Ah can make you a promise. A Pledge. With all o' you. You have mah word Ah shall not harm any one o' you if you do th' same From sundown to sunset tomorrow, Ah will provide you with any help Ah can give that will not endanger mahself or mah people if you jus' take a moment t' hear what Ah have t' say. Accept an' you'll find yerself aided by... fate. But if any of us break th' agreement, they'll be struck by bad luck fer a month. This Ah' promise by the Wyrd. Do you accept?"

Ethan quickly thought it over. He knew something was off about the man. What was a Changling anyway? Her really needed to familiarize himself more with the other types of supernatural creatures. Could Ethan trust this man? He seemed trustworthy enough, but he could just be doing this out of fear since the girl who still hadn’t told Ethan her name was threatening to throw a freaking light grenade.

"Fine...I agree to your terms...."

Ethan’s head whipped back to look at the girl. He was surprised she agreed so quickly considering she wouldn’t even talk to Ethan earlier. He didn’t know what to do. It was then her condition smacked him in the face.

“I agree.” Ethan said bluntly, not taking his eyes off of the girl. He crouched down next to her and grabbed her bleeding arm, not allowing her to resist. “We need to hurry and find somewhere to… well… recover from this experience.” Ethan was rather shaken for some reason, but he knew it was nothing compared to how this girl must be feeling.

Ethan pulled his sweatshirt off then gripped the sleeve of his shirt in his teeth and tore the entire thing off in one swift motion. He then took the torn sleeve and the girl’s arm in his hand. Ethan gripped her arm, not letting her pull away. He had thought about the licking her wound, which would have been very weird, but tigers have antiseptics in their saliva. In the end, he decided not to, since that probably would have just freaked her out. So he just wrapped the severed sleeve around the girl’s bit wound as tightly as possible, hoping he wasn’t causing her too much pain.

“We can go to my place. It not the greatest, but it’s got a roof and a bed and a first aid kit.” Ethan told the group as he stood up. He looked towards the Changling. “If you carry Sam, I’ll carry her.” He pointed to the mystery girl as he said her.

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"That won't be necessary."

Ethan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "You sure?" He asked, still concerned.

"I can walk."

Ethan let an aggravated sigh escape his lips. "If you say so..."

He watched her intently as she picked up the vial and dragged herself to her feet. Ethan stood still, trying very hard to resist the urge to help her stand, but seemed very determined. She stood up and smiled slightly, happy with completing her task. That was before her eyes rolled back, her knees buckled, and she flopped onto the ground with a small thump.

Ethan's eyes had opened wide and stood, momentarily frozen. "Oh shit..." was all her could say. He then jolted out of his, what seemed like, his fiftieth daze of the day.

He sprang towards her, and quickly knelt down. He flipped her over, his arm resting under her head, not allowing it to roll sideways. He couldn't help but stop and just... look at her. I still don't know your name...

The tops of Ethan's cheeks turned a light pink as he realized he was staring. He blinked a few times and then stood up slowly, placing his other arm in the crooks of her knees. He picked her up gently, almost afraid he might break her. He turned to face the Changling. "So... what now? Where do we go?" He asked, needing guidance.

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Can you take his hand, Songgirl, this boy of beastly ken?

Dare you stop to lick your wounds within the Beastman's den?

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As soon as the Were-Boy and the Listener agreed to the Changeling's Pledge, they felt a strange sense of sureness fal over them, as if the three of them had been tied together by a delicate silken thread. The feeling soon faded into the dank apartment air, but an oaken smell of dead wood and mushroom lingered in its wake. The Changeling nodded as the Wyrd finalized the Pledge binding their fates together, if only from now till sunset tomorrow. "Done." The Were-boy would find that as he carried the Listener he would have a bounce of vigor in his step. At the Were's aiding touch, the Listener, though unconscious would hold more closely to life, as if struggling onto a shared spool of fate. Such was the Wyrd. Such was the whimsy of Fae.

He cleared his throat, his voice returning to a normal, human pitch. "Mah name's Nicholas. Ah'm known as White-Eyes 'round the Changelin' Freehold o' Boston. Let me make a call," Nick told the blue-haired boy. "Ah know a guy, a street doctor. He can get th' girl patched up." He dragged the address and directions from his memory. "He's a ways off but th' man's a good doc. One that don't ask many questions an' one who owes me a few favors." The Changeling slipped a hand to his poket, slowly, retrieving an ancient, scratched, quarter-charged grey flip phone. He punched in a number and held it up to his ears, listening in to the 'connecting...' tone.

Nicholas watched the Listener girl as she refused the Were's aid just in case she decided to be stupid and drew another weapon. He couldn't be sure she would take the threat of bad luck as seriously as his people did. Nicholas himself had been skeptical of being cursed with bad luck until he accidentally broke a carelessy sworn pledge. He had caught a serious case of pneumonia, lost his gun at a crime scene, gotten hit by a police cruiser, and nearly lost his position as the Spook Investigator in the Changeling Scarecrow Ministry. This series of unfortunate events had occurred in the space of a week. God save the bastard that was cursed for the space of a month or, Christ, a year and a day.

Pledges were harsh keepers, but how else could you keeep a panicky society of half-human-half-fae runaways, slaves, and escapees from killing each other, losing their minds, or even worse, drawing the attention of the True Fae? Nicholas could only hope that the Faebane would keep her end of the bargain. She knew of his people but Nick could only guess at how much. Too much, thought the Darkling.

A voice finally came over his phone's speaker. It was a familiar voice, with hints of a Texan accent carefully faded out in place of a clinical and professional dialect. "You have reached Dr. Thao Dinh Ngoc's private number. I am not available at the moment, but-" The phone snapped shut. "Damnit!" cursed Nicholas. He's not pickin' up. Hell he's th' only trustworthy doc I know. Shit." The Darkling turned back to the Were-boy and saw the Faebane attempt to stand and pass out. He moved closer to the Faebane. She was in shock. Listening to the Were, he turned and scooped up Ms. Larson in his arms, fireman style. They would need to go through the alleyways if they didn't want to get seen by normal folks. "Goddamnit. You got any bright ideas... The Changeling paused, He still didn't know the boy's name and he doubted that the kid wanted to be called "son" all the time. "What's yer name, son?"

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"Goddamnit. You got any bright ideas..."

Ethan pondered, then sighed. "What's yer name, son?"

Ethan looked up at the man, and blinked a few times. "Ethan. Ethan Orozco." He answered bluntly, not removing his gaze from the Changeling.

"Ok, since we can't get a hold of that doctor friend of yours, I volunteer my place. Its not too far from here, actually." He said, already calculating the route in his head. "It's about a ten minute walk from here. But how in the world are we supposed to discretely transport two unconscious girls from one place to another in Boston." Ethan told the Changeling doubtfully. He sighed again.

Ethan shifted the girl in his arms, holding her bridal style. His eyes were full of worry. For her, for Sam, for him and this man. His gaze shifted to stare at the girl again. "I don't think I ever caught your name, either." Ethan spoke, looking at the man again.

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(You hear a slight humming coming from a tiny hole. You approach and peer inside. A little mouse dressed in a tidy little suit and tie. It looks at you and waves amiably.

This would be quite adorable if not for the moist human eye which it has been shining with a little rag between its hands.)

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"Okay, Orozco. Ah got a plan." Nicholas glanced around, checking the exits of the lobby. Nearly deserted. Not a soul. "Iffen you could give me th' address, Ah can take this miss right here (he gestured to Ms. Larson) without bein' seen. It's round 'bout afternoon, so th' shadows're nice an' long. Just gimme th' address an' Ah'll be there'n ten'r fifteen minutes at th' most." He waited for Orozco to give him the address and tried to geographically fix the location in his head. "Look. Just...just drape her shoulder 'cross yers an' say some sorta shit like 'she's drunk' or 'she's narcoleptic. Happens all th' time. Take th' rail or a bus. Not many'll ask questions."

The Changeling took a deep breath and let loose a bit of magical Fae Glamour, reaching through the contracts that the powerful Fair Folk had forged with reality itself long, long ago, to which Changelings were unwilling beneficiaries. Nicholas concentrated on the deepest darkness and in his mind's eye he saw a thin, feminine face appear within the shadows. Greetings, Darkling! Most impatient you are to ask a boon of the shadows just before retires the light of day. spoke the shadows in tongues of billowing black. Mah apologies, ma'am. Ah humbly ask use of th' shadowpaths, as is mah right as a lurker o' shadows an' forgotten places.

The face collapsed and the shadows seemed to deliberate with one another. The face reformed. Of course, of course darkling. Take you shall we and the blood-bastard with us. They suddenly boiled over as if angered. But not the Song-girl.We abide not the Daughters and Sons pledged to the Silence. Nicholas tightened his jaw but nodded his assent. Done. Of course none of this was visible to the Were except for the undulations of black that the Changeling seemed to be staring at.

The Darkling walked to a nearby wall. A light overhead cast a long shadow behind the Changeling and darkness coalesced about his feet. He stepped into the comfort of true darkness, untouched by the mortal sun, little tendrils dragging both he and and Ms. Larson into the depths until both were fully subsumed. Blind and deaf, the Shadowlurker crept along the shadowpaths with the Dhamphire in tow. Here he was truly safe. He was...different here. Limbs bent at unnatural angles, crackling backwards in some sort of skittering-skulking insectile locomotion with the girl tucked under and arm. The scar from his nose down to his Adam's apple wrenched open, his true mouth revealing itself, a leech-like horror of half-forgotten dreams that leave children gasping and crying late at night at shadows creeping from under the beds. Black tongues tasted at the whirling, fluttering shadows on the long, narrow paths, branching off like the crooked limbs of a withered rowan in the grips of winter. Larger, unknowable vibrations crawled far off in the abyssal distance. The Shadowlurker hoped that they would not notice it. It crawled in darkness, seeking the shaft of light that marked the Were's home.

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"Look. Just...just drape her shoulder 'cross yers an' say some sorta shit like 'she's drunk' or 'she's narcoleptic. Happens all th' time. Take th' rail or a bus. Not many'll ask questions."

Ethan stared at him, feeling a lot of mixed emotions. The biggest one was debating whether or not this man- er, creature was fucking insane. He couldn’t just drag her along with him onto a subway. With a sigh, he wracked his brain for what might be a better idea.

Perhaps not some place that public… perhaps a cab? That seemed like a smarter thing to do. He turned, and was going to ask if the man if this was a good idea, maybe even better than his. But he was gone. It was almost like he melted into the shadows… which was probably what he did.

So, with a gruff huff of a breath, Ethan dragged the girl’s limp, unconscious body through the lobby and outside. He then, to the best of his ability, attempted to hail a cab. After a solid ten minutes of waving his arms and whistling, one finally took pity on this young man a screeched to a stop. Feeling like the weight of the entire world was off of his shoulders, Ethan picked the girl back up and opened the door, placing her inside then entered the cab himself, slamming the door shut behind him.

The first thing Ethan saw was the raised eyebrow of the driver of the cab. “She’s narcoleptic. This happens a lot actually…” He gave a huge, heavy sigh and that seemed to seal the deal. He went with the narcoleptic excuse instead of the drunk one, for she would’ve at least been partially red in the face. But since she had half of her blood sucked out of her, she looked pale as a ghost.

“Where ya off to, son?” He asked, giving into Ethan’s front.

Ethan proceeded to tell the man his address, and they were off.

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After only a few minutes of driving, the cab came to a stop. Ethan gave the man two-thirds of the money in his wallet and pulled the girl’s body out of the cab and into the lobby.

“Trying a new tactic, Ethan? Knocking them out before you get them into your apartment?” The man behind the desk, named Fredrick, said with a cackle.

“Shut! Up!” Ethan literally snarled, baring his teeth at Fredrick. Fredrick stopped and looked at Ethan with wide, rather frightened eyes and didn’t say anything after that.

After escaping from the lobby and the public eye, Ethan scooped the girl back into his arms bridal style and took bounding leaps up the stairs to get to his apartment. Once he entered his humble abode, Ethan lied the girl on his couch and plopped into a random chair, sitting rather awkwardly, waiting for the Changeling to arrive.

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"Afternoon, Orozco. Found th' place alright. Directions helped, but you were more th' help. Just couldn't forget yer shadow, son."

Ethan blinked a few times. Was that a compliment...?

“Umm… thanks..?” He said, rather cautiously. His gaze shifted from him, and then rested on the two unconscious girls. How did he get himself into this mess…

After staring for about thirty solid seconds, Ethan dragged himself to his feet and left to go search for his first aid kit. He might as well fix the girl up since they couldn’t get a hold of a proper doctor. Ethan rummaged through a few drawers and cabinets. Most of them were empty. He kept searching until he came across that white box with a red cross on the front. “Finally…” Ethan muttered. He opened it up and surveyed the contents. The kit was almost complete, for Ethan rarely ever used this thing. He usually just dealt with the pain and rinsed out any cuts or scratches with water.

But he knew that that wouldn’t be of much use now. The girl’s wound seemed so deep it would probably need stitches. And to think… Sam did that to her…

Sighing, Ethan walked back to the group. He made his way over to the couch where the girl lay, still unconscious. He hoped she would wake up soon. She’d been out for a while. Well, so had Sam, but he could understand why. He threw a mean punch.

So, Ethan went to work on the girl’s injury. He had to take the make-shift bandage off first, but it was stuck on, caked with dry blood. Ethan got back on his feet, grabbed a towel and wet it with warm water. He then sat back down and rubbed off as much blood off as he could, and hope the water would loosen up the dry sleeve. Then, gritting his teeth, Ethan peeled it off slowly. It was a good thing she was asleep, this probably would have hurt like hell. After getting the gross piece of cloth off, he tossed it in the trash and grabbed the first aid kit. Opening it up again, he grabbed some disinfectant and what looked like cotton balls. He dripped the alcohol smelling liquid onto the cotton and cleaned out the wound, once again gritting his teeth as he heard the sizzling of the liquid as it destroyed the germs. He thanked God that she was still asleep. As the disinfectant did its work, he grabbed the gauze and quickly began wrapping it around her arm, tightly, but not too tight that it was extremely uncomfortable.

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Willa could only remember darkness.

It was endless. And cold. And often filled with half-sounds that she didn't understand. Voices that she couldn't recognize.

There was sometimes a sensation of floating and warmth, brief and grey--cutting through the dark in odd intervals. Then stillness.

That was when the dreams came. She was standing in a green backyard with a laughing little boy, calling for her to play. Then watching a woman in a room of light playing a grand piano.

She was on a hunt. A wooded area. Below her, the Songs of the hungry pack throbbed, their animal voices reaching tendrils toward the skies. Rain came down in sheets. Then blood in sheets. Then Silence. Beautiful Silence.

Then Silence was broken, and the howling started. The woods became a hole in the wall that she was crammed into, knees bent backwards at uncomfortable angles, clutching the boy from before--who no longer laughed. He gasped in the dark. His labored breathing filled the space, her pounding heart, the Weres calling angrily from just ahead as they demanded her flesh in their animal voices. Surely, she would go deaf. Surely! Blood in Sheets. And then Silence. Terrible Silence. And no matter how hard she held on to him--

"ELI!" Willa cried, startling herself upright and nearly colliding with someone who was uncomfortably close. She managed to pull back just inches from their face. Her vision was blurry from unconsciousness, she blinked once, twice--and then the Were from before came into view. Very close. Nearly nose to nose with her. Willa wasn't sure how--but she somehow had enough blood in her body to feel her face burning with shame.

"W-w-were?! Where am--? What are--?" Confused, flustered and frightened didn't work very well for Willa's ability to speak coherently. Panicked, she attempted to back up, only to find herself floundering over the side of a couch. She landed on the floor with a solid-sounding thump. Not her most graceful moment. Mustering as much dignity as she could, she scrambled to one knee--still very flushed and now very much lightheaded to boot. She was about to demand what the Were thought he was doing so close to her--bringing her arm up to scold him--when she noticed that the sleeve of her blood-encrusted hoodie had been rolled up and her arm was sporting a clean (nicely-tied) bandage. Dazed, Willa stared at it, slowly putting the pieces together.
"Oh..." Willa said dumbly. "You did this." It was a statement, and some kind of an uncomfortable realization for Willa. A Were had saved her..and bandaged her arm. A Were. She frowned at it--wondering if dying might have been better. " Thank you..." she muttered feeling awkward. Slowly, Willa began to come to her full senses--and realized she and the Were were not alone.

The leave-scraping Song of the Changeling was also present--and to her surprise--it seemed the Dhampire was as well. Willa tipped her head--the Dhampire's Song was difficult for her to make out....why? And then the realization hit her--her blood. The Dhampire had drank her blood, and now her Song was nearly silent to Willa's ears. Willa cursed under her breath for being so foolish. With any luck--that would work its way out of her system soon. It wouldn't do if the girl managed to sneak up on her. Willa shakily rose to her feet, leaning on a small table for support before giving up and allowing herself to sit on the floor. Willa eyed the Were curiously. What was with this Were? Not only had he knocked out his blood-hungry girlfriend to save her, but he'd also dragged her to (what she could only assume) his apartment to patch her up. Nervously, she ran her fingers over the silver whistle around her neck.

"W-Why did you decide to help me?" She asked, her voice sounding dry. She was still very thirsty, and although the rest had eased some of the agony of blood-loss, she was starting to feel ravenous as well. She cleared her throat, straightening her posture. (Though, it was no use now pretending she was fit. The Changeling had already seen her at her weakest now. She would have to be especially careful of him...) "I know why he helped me." Willa explained, nodding her head toward the Changeling. "He is bound by his promise...and by fear of the light...but...I don't understand you.." Willa admitted, frowning.

The last thing Sam remembers is, her walking up the stairs to her apartment building, and her being stopped and talked to by the Listener, who she still didn't get the name of. She also remembers the Listener asking Sam to join her and stop the Bloodless Murders, then it goes blank, then she remembers getting grabbed by the arm, getting pushed into a wall and then KNOCKOUT! Everything went black and fell silent.

Everything was very quiet and still. Sam slowly raised her head, she blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. She looked around and saw no one, she was all alone.She sat up straight and saw that she was lying on the floor, the cold hard floor of a building, a building Sam remembered pretty well, it was her old house. Sam raised her hand and felt her head, it didn't hurt anymore, it's like that she was never knocked out. She shook her head and stood up, she looked around and went to take a look around. She walked out of the room she was in and walked into the hallway, as she walked into the hallway, she heard screaming and yelling coming from the down stairs. Sam was confused, and at the same time, scared, because she didn't know why she heard screaming, but the screaming sounded very, very familiar. Sam walked over to the stair case and quietly made her way down the stairs, she cautiously made her way towards the kitchen, where the screaming was coming from.

Sam took a deep breath and peered into the kitchen, she was horrified by what she saw. She saw a man, attacking a young girl with a knife, he had cut her and was trying to kill her. Sam had a weird sensation at first, but she then remembered that the same thing happened to her. Sam wasn't going to let this girl die, so she went to go and attack the man to save the girl's life, just as she almost made contact with the man, a boy around the girl's age jumped on the man's back and began to attack him. Sam took a step back and looked at the girl, Sam was even more scared when she realized that the girl was herself, but only younger, and the man was her 'father' and the boy that saved her, was her twin brother Logan.

This was her worst and most terrifing memory, the day that her father came home drunk and tried to kill her, and her brother saved her by killing their 'father'. Sam looked away from them and closed her eyes, she wanted this to go away, she wanted to forget about that day, she had nightmares of him coming after her and trying to kill her again, for weeks. She never wanted to relive this day ever again, and that's exactly what was happening. Right after she closed her eyes, everything went silent, Sam took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes again.

She looked around and saw that she was in her apartment building, she saw herself standing on the stairs and the Listener talking to her. Sam was confused, but then thought and remembered what this was, this was right before she was knocked out, so this must be a flash back. Sam waited to find out why and by who she was knocked out for. Sam heard the Listener say, '' Look--I know you're hungry right now, so it's not a good time...but...well...'' Sam noticed that the Listener looked a little different than before, she looked like a child asking her mother or father for something. Sam smiled and looked back at herself, she saw herself standing on the stair case, with her back towards the Listener. Sam took a deep breath and waited to see what she said in reply. Sam was shocked, for she couldn't remember this encounter at all. It's like it never happened to Sam. Sam stood quietly in the corner as this encounter unfolded, an encounter that Sam would later end up hating herself for, and wishing that she could stop this from happening.

''Listen, something bad is happening and...well, when you have a moment--i'd like to discuss a few things with you. I know you have no reason to agree--but I...would really appreciate it if you did..." Sam heard the woman say, Sam looked at the woman for a second and sighed, for Sam realized that she was getting nervous. Sam sighed and continued to watch, there was complete silence and no movement for either of the girls. Sam took a deep breath she suddenly caught the scent of blood, she then watched in horror as she saw herself leap from the stairs and jump on the Listener. Sam yelled and to no avail,her yell was on heard, Sam then ran up to herself and started yelling at herself to stop. But, it was like Sam wasn't there, like she could see them, but not be heard. She then saw her get kicked and kicked in the stomach multiple times as the Listener tried to get Sam off and stop sucking her blood.

Sam tried to do something, anything, anything at all to save the poor, Listener's life from being taken. Just when she was about to give up hope, Ethan barged in and ran up to them, Sam smiled as she saw Ethan. She saw Ethan grab her and smash her into the wall, she was then worried for she didn't know what he was going to do, she then saw him raise his hand and then, BLACKOUT!! Everything fell silent and everything went black. Sam then slowly opened her eyes again and blinked. She was stiff, her hearing returned to normal and so did her sight. All of a sudden an extreme pain struck her face, she moaned and held her jaw, Sam looked around and saw Ethan, the Changeling and the Listener all in the same room. Sam blinked a couple of times and looked at the woman, Sam took a deep breath and was about to say something, but she knew it would be better to just stay quiet for now. She sat up and looked around and at her surroundings. She was clearly in a place Sam had never seen before. It looked like some one's apartment. Sam just sat there in silence and didn't look or say anything to anyone. Now that she knew what she did, she couldn't forgive herself for that. Ever.

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Ethan was just sitting calmly, wrapping this girl’s arm in a nice, tight, white bandage when a shrill sound pierced his sensitive ear drums. "ELI!"

Ethan visibly winced and lurched back, squarely missing getting his face slammed into one that did not belong to him, and slapped his hands over his ears.

"W-w-were?! Where am--? What are--?"

Ethan looked at her, a confident snickered written all over his face. “Was that first one a question, or an utterly confused, panicked statement?” Of course his question a more rhetorical one, but he still felt the need to say it. Just as the Were paused to let out another chuckle, her saw the girl fumble backwards and fall off the couch. Ethan’s eyes went wide with surprise and worry, and he leaned forward in attempt to assist her back to her feet. But she scrambled to gather her shattered dignity and quickly regained her composure and crouched solidly. She looked suddenly… angry, and glared up at Ethan. A dumbfounded look came upon her as she finally noticed the clean bandaging on her arm.

"Oh... You did this."

“Duh…” Ethan muttered silently, but realizing that it was rather rude, and regretted saying it.

"Thank you..." Ethan nodded awkwardly, accepting her thanks.

"W-Why did you decide to help me?" She asked suddenly, her voice dry and threatening to crack. "I know why he helped me. He is bound by his promise...and by fear of the light...but...I don't understand you.”

Ethan couldn’t help but let a small grin form on his face. He had been waiting for to ask something like that. “Well…” He muttered, and stood up slowly and began walking over to another part of the room. “I was wondering something about you too, sweetheart…” He sighed, and scratched the back of his head. “Why are you so antsy around me? I don’t mean to pry, but I know we’ve all had our fair share of sad pasts…” Ethan than cringed, his parent’s marble white skin and lifeless, cloudy eyes flashed across this vision. “I mean… I’ve practically hated the entire Vampire species until, well today, to be honest…” He glanced over her shoulders, hands now burrowed into his pockets, and his eyes rested on Sam. They waited there just for moment, but at the perfect moment to see her eye lids fluttered open. “Ahh… speak o’ the devil…”

Ethan strutted his way over to Sam, taking his time, and bent over, shoving his face extremely close to hers. “Sleep well, sugar?” He grinned widely, and a small bump was prominent in the back of his pants. Soon it grew until a small black and white tail poked out from the top of his pants and grew to its full length. It swished back and forth behind him in amusement, and he was rather oblivious to it. He pulled his head back and then crouched down, knees bent outwards. He, once again, shoved his face really close to hers, but his head was bit lower than last time. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and placed his fingertips under her chin. His fingers slowly moved in an outwards motion as he felt along her jawline. His hands traveled over the corner of her jaw and he just grabbed her head, his thumb rubbing Sam’s cheeks.

“It doesn’t look like a broke your jaw… oh, sorry about that, by the way. I sort of… ah… panicked.” Though Ethan hated to admit it, he felt he had to. He flashed a sincere smile and stood back up and then practically skipped over to the fridge, his tail trailing behind him, wiggling in delight. He thrust it open and surveyed the contents. It was rather empty, but it was enough to sustain one person, not four. He pulled out a half empty milk jug and a little bag of about five apples. He grabbed a few cups from a cupboard and poured four glasses. He nudged one in all of their directions. “I don’t have any more bottled water… and the tap tastes almost like metal, so I hope milk is ok.” Ethan said, a bit nervously. He wanted to please his new guests. He grabbed the apples and rubbed them off, and proceeded to put them into a bowl and shove them to the middle of the table. “Help yourselves.” He told the ground, gesturing to the apples. He picked one up himself and dug his sharp canines into the juicy fruit and tore of a piece just before plopping down onto the couch next to Sam.

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"If yer finished mackin' on Orozco, Ah've got some questions. Fer one." Sam saw the Changling turn to look at her, she took a deep breath and was ready for what he was going to say to her. "What were you doin' with th' girl with a bleedin' neck. Both you and Orozco. Two. Th' Bloodless Murders, twelve dead in six months. Two of them my people. What do you know?" Sam took a deep breath and said, '' I was only doing a good deed to help the girl. If I hadn't stepped in, who would have?'' Sam said with her voice getting a little loud. She didn't like being questioned about this. "You lie to me and Ah'll find out. And Ah'll find you." Sam looked back at him and said '' And if you do, I'll be ready for you. But, like I said, I was only doing a good thing. I couldn't let anyone die like that. I'll always do something as long as I can.'' Sam sighed and went to go to the bathroom after Ethan directed her. She stopped dead in her tracks as she heard the Listener say, '' Debello'' That name rang through Sam's ears.

"Do you know the name, Changeling?" Sam didn't wait for an answer frpm him, she sat down again and listened as the woman spoke again. "My name is Willa Thorn...trained by the Master Listener Willow Kirol. And when I was small, she used to tell me a story. A story about a great evil that years before I was born took many lives in New York city. A wave of murders that only had one thing in common: the bodies were found completely drained of blood." Sam took a deep breath and continued to listen.

"The police then were baffled. But my ancestors were not. So again--the Listeners are not baffled. The evil has returned. The vampire Debello." Willa looked hard at each face, impressing the importance of this through her expression. Sam nodded as she realized what happened years ago is happening again. "If the stories are correct, and Debello has come back to raise an army against the Light Song creatures--against anyone that walks with them--there is only one solution." Sam saw Will pause and look at her."And I do not like it. The races have to unite against him once more." She paused, letting this information sink in to the creatures around her.

Sam took a deep breath and said, '' Debello. I never thought I would have to hear that name again. I know about the races being brought together to fight, and I know how difficult it will be.But, I'll be glad to fight Debello.'' Sam took a deep breath and looked back at Willa. '' Willa, I will assist you. I know Debello reigned over twenty five years ago, and I know this will be hard to believe. But, I was there probably around twenty something years after the first attack.'' Sam paused and let what she said sink in to the other's minds . '' Even though I do look eighteen years old. I'm older than that.'' Sam looked at Ethan and smiled, she then said, '' I'm older than Ethan and probably even you, Willa.''

Sam sighed and said, '' I look eighteen, but I'm really twenty eight. There were some people I knew that told me stories of Debello for years. I know about him very well.'' Sam sighed and said, '' I'm the same age as my twin brother, Logan. There's no doubt in my mind that he's a part of this, he's evil through and through. When I saw the girl at the sub way, I had a feeling it was him.'' Sam looked at the three before her and sighed, '' When a Dahampire bites someone, their fangs leave a certain print in the fang mark. It's like when you shoot a gun, the gun imprints the bullet with a groove to match the gun. That's what happens when we bite people or animals. ''

Sam took another deep breath and finished by saying, '' When I saw the bite, it had the same printing as my brother has. I'm almost sure he's working for Debello. And the only reason if he is. It's that he wants to find me......so he can kill me.'' Sam looked at the three before her and let the strange, but true information sink into the others.

"Wait, what?" the Were said in a rather exasperated tone. His icy blue gaze scanned over the group that was in his apartment. "You expect us to just rise up and defeat this Debello guy? I've heard quite a bit about him actually. It was a story passed down by my grandmother. I had no idea it was true..." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Willa expected this sort of reaction. It was only natural. She expected his questions would soon be followed by more. Instead, he seemed to gather himself, calm and said, "So, How are we going to do this? I mean... are we don't this ourselves or are we going to need help? I've got some buddies..."

He trailed off, seeming as overwhelmed as Willa felt. Willa nodded, about to speak when Sam suddenly perked up. She agreed to help as well, and even admitted she was older than she looked. (Something Willa had partially guessed. Her kind never did age right.) But what she said after made Willa a bit more nervous.

'' I'm the same age as my twin brother, Logan. There's no doubt in my mind that he's a part of this, he's evil through and through. When I saw the girl at the sub way, I had a feeling it was him.'' Sam looked at the three before her and sighed, '' When a Dhampire bites someone, their fangs leave a certain print in the fang mark. It's like when you shoot a gun, the gun imprints the bullet with a groove to match the gun. That's what happens when we bite people or animals. When I saw the bite, it had the same printing as my brother has. I'm almost sure he's working for Debello. And the only reason if he is. It's that he wants to find me......so he can kill me.'' ''

Logan? Great. Another reason to dislike her kind. Especially if they were foolish enough to join up with Debello. Debello would surely have plenty of use for a Dhampire. Someone to stalk prey for them during the day. Now, they wouldn't even be safe in the daylight. (An advantage she had been counting on.) Willa frowned as she absorbed this but simply said,

"That is a problem...if you have this Dhampire after you already, it will make it much easier for Debello to track us..." Willa looked up into Sam's eyes. Willa's expression seemed cold. "You may be more of a hindrance than a help, in that case...but...i'm in no position to refuse your help.."

Willa's train of thought was interrupted by the changeling, who introduced himself as Nicholas. Even though she wasn't on the brink of unconsciousness anymore--he was still difficult to understand completely. Willa had to concentrate hard to get his meaning, but gathered that he understood the immensity of the problem, and he seemed willing to cooperate as well. Three. Together they made four. Four of them against an army...the odds were not in their favor.

But Nicholas had more to offer--The Autumn Coronation. Willa had read about that.

"Ah can get ya'll in an'. Vouch fer ya'll. Get us an audience with th' Ashen King. Or Queen. Spread th' word 'bout yer Blood-Sucker ganglord. Rally th' fighters in Summer Court, prep th' safehouses in th' Winter Court. Get healers from th' Spring Court. Th' works."

Willa's eyes went wide. That would be risky. (Not to mention deafening....) She would be exposing herself to a very very large group of changelings. But--Nicholas was bound to her by his word to protect her--for at least half a day more. And if they managed to rally the support of that large of a group of changelings--they would have half an army of their own. This would be their best shot at getting a large group to unite quickly. Willa chewed her bottom lip as she thought.

The Changeling knocked his knuckles on the table. "Sound's good?

"Yes." Willa said firmly. "This will be our best shot..." I'm going to need earplugs...Willa thought wincing a little as she moved her injured arm too quickly. She was surprised by how easily the three creatures agreed to help. And...somewhat thankful. She disliked talking. And persuasion would have required more talking for sure. She looked from face to face, looking tense but also--was that a hint of a smile? When she realized her expression--it was gone. Wiped from existence before it was barely born. "Thank you all for your cooperation. I know it is not ideal..."

''Name's Nicholas. Mah folk call me White-Eyes. Ah been 'round fer a while, longer than you Larson. Ah've only heard whispers 'bout yer Debello, an' those're old whispers. But if what yer sayin' is true, Thorn, then Boston's gonna be in fer a shitstorm to swamp all shitstorms." The Changeling rubbed his rough goatee, his neck scar itching and twitching. "A danger t' th' normal folk and Wyrd-folk. Ah've got duties to both." Sam noticed his white eyes settle on Willa. "Mah people are havin' a political get-together in 'bout three days time. It's called th' Autumn Coronation an' a new leader fer all of us is gonna be chosen. Plenty of old Changelin's there includin' th' Scrivener an' Loremistress who might know more 'bout yer 'Debello' guy. Ah can get ya'll in an'. Vouch fer ya'll. Get us an audience with th' Ashen King. Or Queen. Spread th' word 'bout yer Blood-Sucker ganglord. Rally th' fighters in Summer Court, prep th' safehouses in th' Winter Court. Get healers from th' Spring Court. Th' works." Sam sat quietly, letting the others talk.

The Changeling knocked his knuckles on the table. "Sound's good?'' Sam was then knocked out of her trail of thought when Nick knocked his knuckles on the table beside them.


"Wait, what?" Ethan said in a rather exasperated tone. Sam smiled at his obvliousness. Sam watched as his icy blue gaze scanned over the group that was in his apartment. "You expect us to just rise up and defeat this Debello guy? I've heard quite a bit about him actually. It was a story passed down by my grandmother. I had no idea it was true..." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Sam just smiled at his lack of knowing about Debello.

Sam expected him to ask more questions, but to her supprise he said, "So, How are we going to do this? I mean... are we don't this ourselves or are we going to need help? I've got some buddies..." His voice trailed, Sam was about to speak when, she went quiet. She still wanted the other to continue before she would start to ramble off again.

Sam just sat there as she heard each of the other creatures introduce themselves and tell what they could do to help. Sam's neck twitched when she heard Willa say, '' That is a problem...if you have this Dhampire after you already, it will make it much easier for Debello to track us...'' Sam took a deep breath and sighed, she then slightly nodded and looked back into Willa's eyes. Sam could tell that Willa's expression seemed cold, Sam could always feel emotions, but for some reason, it seemed harder for her to read Willa's.


"You may be more of a hindrance than a help, in that case...but...i'm in no position to refuse your help.. "

Sam just sat there, her heart almost stopped, she was accepted, then quickly rejected like that! Sam just looked at Willa, then Sam said with a soft voice, '' You're right. I am a hindrance.'' Sam stood up and walked over to the wall, rested her back against it, and looked around. Sam then decided to tell another thing that popped into her head, '' If I'm a hindrance, then I know who won't be.'' Sam smiled slightly, she brought her hand up to her neck, she slowly traced the scar on her neck down to where her shirt started. Sam sighed and said, '' I have a few friends, about twenty or more that would love to kick Dabello's ass. They're not all Dhampire's like me, some are full vampire, but they're all good. They helped me train and become a fighter for this day.''

Sam stood up fully and burrowed her hands into her hoodie's pockets. Sam then spoke up again ad said, '' They could help you better than I can. They're stronger, faster, and wiser than I am. If they help you prepare to fight Debello.......I could then buy you all some time.'' Sam walked over to the couch and sat by the Changling. She perked up and said, '' If you three go to the The Autumn Coronation with Nick. Then I can buy you time, send my friends to meet you, and then......'' Sam then stopped and didn't want to tell the whole plan, since it wouldn't be ending very well for her. Sam looked at the others and just waited for their answer or to at least take her offer into consideration.

(Sorry, I thought this had completely died! I could probably throw a post in and see what happens!)

Willa had hoped it would be as easy to convince the three creatures to join in with Nick's plan as it had been to convince them to fight with her--but it seemed the Dhampire was set on causing further trouble. Sam described a group of full-fledged vampires--supposedly "good"--who could help. Willa didn't like the way the girl seemed to be dazedly tracing a scar along her neck as she spoke of them.

Willa watched Sam with hard eyes, listening. It was what she did best, after all. After Sam finished, Willa took a breath and placed a hand on the table in front of her, as if making sure the world around her was still solid.

"No." Wall declared firmly. " I don't know these vampires. I don't trust them. Debello's reach goes further than I think you realize, Sam." Willa looked to Nick, expression calculating before she looked back to Sam. "With Nick's plan, even your brother would have trouble tracking you. With yours--well--why should these vampires want to help us? I only believe in revenge as a purpose for so long before the temptation of power overrules it...and my kind isn't exactly...popular among Vampires..."

Willa gave a small sarcastic smirk on the word "popular".