Lyra Kingsley's Story

"This is shameful behavior, grandfather," Julian snapped, unwilling to admit his defeat. "Is our kind not reared to practice compassion and extend our hand to those in need?"

He shook his head, but then an eerie silence befell the entire household. Wolfgang, Julian and his brothers all halted in what they were doing; at this moment in time, as a putrid, sulfuric odor entered their radiuses, their pupils dilated to animalistic proportions. Their nostrils flared, detecting the scent, and immediately their heads swiveled in the direction from which it had come. The front door was wide open, indicating Lyra's retreat into the woods. That foolish girl was going to get herself killed in the forest she knew nothing about.

"Get a whiff of that," Damian growled, his eyes the largest of all.

"Lyra," Julian said, his tone suddenly becoming severe.

"You're not seriously considering going after that bad juju magnet are you, Julian?" Lukas challenged incredulously.

He received no acknowledgment as he lurched past them and bolted into the foliage. His form became a massive black blur until he was no longer within their range of sight. Wolfgang breathed in another plume of smoke, which slithered from his nostrils like thin serpents, and he seemed to be pondering something. His grassy eyes shifted to the brothers, who watched him expectantly, as if waiting for a command, though they received none. Were they such terrible packmates that they questioned their appointed alpha so?

"It is as the oracle foretold, my sons," Wolfgang purred, his voice monotonous but still heavy laden with sorrow. "We are on the brink of the great war."



Selene gazed in horror as the demonic apparition contorted poor little Lyra's frame and left her. It seemed to be torturing the girl just for the hell of it, and before she could react, the corrupt miasma wafted into the air like pollution and disappeared. The huntress shifted her gaze from Michael, so vigilant in protecting her, and Dean, who seemed to be combating himself in deciding whether or not attacking Lyra was necessary. As the trees stopped their fluttering with the dark wind, Selene listened tentatively to the haphazard pace of Lyra's heartbeat. It was so faint, she feared that the child might actually be dying. That's when she thought of Isabella, and how the girl might handle another death of someone she so deeply cherished.

"She can't die..." she murmured to no one in particular, stepping forward. "Isabella needs her..."

She hesitated when a blinding flash of light momentarily disabled her vision. The huntress recoiled in pain, bringing her arm up to her eyes and withdrawing into the shadows behind Michael. When she peered over his shoulder, a brilliant illuminated being hovered above Lyra's motionless frame. She could only see the outline of this person; a female, with long, straight hair the color of sunlight. But the most curious feature of this woman were the two enormous white wings curled against her back, which unfurled as she knelt down beside the girl and stretched a pale hand to stroke her cheek. For reasons unknown, Selene felt threatened- perhaps it was the fact that this ethereal creature emanated such powerful virtue that she couldn't help but feel ashamed in comparison.

"Lyra," the woman spoke into the girl's ear, softly but with purpose and authority. "Wake up, sweet child, and be strengthened. You are the vital comrade of God's favorite- you are one of the chosen -so do not give up just yet. Your time to reunite with Katherine is not yet so, beloved..."

She placed a tender hand on the girl's forehead, eliciting a warm pinkish glow before she withdrew it and stood, her light amethyst eyes gazing at the hunters before her. They fixated on Dean, and for a moment, her expression was readless. Then her full mouth blossomed into a smile, and a look of deep, motherly pride befell her beautiful features. Her wings fluttered momentarily before folding neatly back into place as she rested a hand at the intricate, double-edged sword holstered at her hip. The sheath itself appeared to be made of pure gold and embellished with multiple precious gemstones. There was a rustle in the brush, and before the angel could say anything else, she disappeared in another blinding ray of sunlight. Before she completely vanished, however, a sweet smelling breeze passed over Dean, gingerly skimming his cheeks as if the wind were giving him a loving kiss.

Where the seraph had once stood, Julian now erupted from the foliage, his chest heaving as his grey eyes searched around and found Lyra on the ground. An involuntary gasp escaped Selene's mouth when she saw the boy, though she immediately composed herself as she watched him kneel on the ground beside the girl and scoop her into his arms as he had before. Then he snapped his attention toward the others, as though he had just realized they were there. He and Selene locked gazes for several moments, and a knowing acknowledgment was exchanged, though they each watched each other with feral eyes. Then she turned to Dean and Michael.

"Isabella needs to be here with her," Selene remarked gravely. "She needs to know what's happening to Lyra. Shall we take her to Avalon's? Dean, if you go get Isabella, Michael and I can search for the witch with Vera. Unless..."

She observed Lyra's limp form bundled tightly in Julian's strong arms.

"...unless we've already found her."

-deleted on purpose-

...

A touch was all an angel had to do, and healing was instantaneous. A voice, one that was equal parts soft and gentle, like a mother's lullaby echoed in her foggy brain. The love that radiated from this strange, yet welcoming presence flooded through Lyra's small form as though she were bathed in warm honey. Slowly, her eyes slit open, the radiating, light that glowed from the woman pierced through the girl's blurred vision and everything was clear. What just happened? Before she could voice her questions, much less wonder about this woman, the lady was up, and gazing at Dean, there was a familiarity in her expression, it was all there in that fully blossomed smile, meant just for him. Lyra opened her mouth to say something, but all that left her was a whimper of shock and she flinched in surprise when someone moved in on her, strong, warm hands banded around her, picking her up and pulling her close to a hard body. The smell of the woods and something more that she couldn't recognize struck her like a brick wall smoothed her heart beat some. Julian. No doubt about it.

She moved her hands that were trembling, touched his chest, felt his warmth, the pounding of his steady heart beat beneath her palm, her eyes tracked him up until her wondering gaze snagged at his cloudy eyes. This was real, he was real, he was here. Then she remembered the lady, momentarily tearing her eyes from him she searched as much as she could for her, but she was gone. How? When?

I remember everything, the demon, entering me, using me like a mannequin. How horrid. I don't want that to ever happen to me again...

The thought brought her back to reality, and here she thought it was all over. Wait -Julian? Stiffening suddenly as she had recalled their last encounter she was surprised to find that she was able to squirm in his tight hold, finally her voice sprung from her throat, light and her normal self as she said, "Why are you? What's going... Julian I-" Her eyes flickered from him, to the hunter and then at Selene and Micheal -they had retreated into the protective shield of the forest trees, the strong rays of sunlight flooding her view in light. It was early morning now, maybe nine-ish. She pushed against Julian afraid that his old lagger might suddenly make an appearance and this time really box the boy's ears for disobeying.

She was able to pull from him and stand, what had that lady given her that made her feel "whole" again? No dizziness or any sleepiness anymore, what was both wonderful and freaky.

"We're not pulling Isabella back into this mess, this is our job to handle, and we will do it without involving others into it. So that's a no. End of story." Dean told Selene tersely, he had kept his steady gaze on the Julian, wondering if he was a threat or not. She could see the hunter trying to figure out if the guy could be trusted -but what were they talking about before she came to? And what was -oh. That. Isabella was a vital piece to this "mess" vampires wanted her blood? For power? Is that what they were all talking about? No time to wonder, Aleksei's voice was next to clear the air after the hunter's, giving out a hello to someone named Wolfgang? She looked to Julian and she could see it in his eyes, someone he knew well. Was it the old turd back at the house? She found herself holding on to Julian's shoulder, curling her fingers around his shirt, the trembling was something that had ceased when the angel had touched her -heh, touched by an angel. But was now running ice through her veins making her chill again. Fear. Fear for Isabella, and the secrets these people were they people? were keeping from her. Trying to defend her from a great world of pain. Would it be far worse than being possessed? Hopefully not.

Dean agreed to drop whatever he was doing to go for Isabella, and Selene to locate a witch? Now she was confused, could a witch really help them here? No, could a witch be trusted? Could any of them be trusted? And what about that demon? They all just let him slip like water, was no one going to have at it with that thing flying around invading people? Was that even important right now? Something told her that vile creature was powerless without a physical form to attach to. So that could explain their forgetting about it. As soon as Katherine showed up, if she ever would, Lyra was gonna give her an ear-bashing not that it would change anything between them, was there anything?

Shaking her head a little, Lyra returned to here and now, and right now Dean was gone, to find Isabella? And Selene to meet him where now? She had missed that part of the discussion, she really had to stop zoning out.

Michael smirked at the girl, she seemed fine to him, almost too much, she was quick to detach herself from Julian who seemed to know his love. Brining a gentle hand to touch the side of her face he whispered, "Do you know him? He smells like a were wolf, I don't think I've encountered his kind before, in a very long time. But you recognize him, mind filling me in on the deets?"

Lyra stood away from Julian, no, he wasn't going to get in anymore trouble for her, that she decided. After graciously thanking him, she told him she had to go home, though that word left her in a slight grate. She hated that place and hated calling it "home" but it was enough to keep up with appearances. "My folks are going to worry for me, I haven't been there since yesterday, I need to go, you should go back to your grand father before he- well you know. Good bye sir," she chuckled half heartedly, hoping he would listen and do the right thing for the sake of his own grandfather who cared for him dearly. She nodded to him, then to the others, and she started to walk away into the very direction the hunter had taken, as if he had cleared a path for her back to town.

Selene glared at Dean with a disapproving look of steel. She tossed her dark hair and then shifted her gaze to Michael, who stroked her cheek, inquiring about her history with Julian. She moved her head away from him, then stepped toward the wolf boy, who was watching Lyra as she retreated from him. Her expression never wavered, even when she looked back at Michael. She straightened her leather jacket over her figure.

"Does that fool still not understand Isabella is the focal point of all this madness?" she growled, deeply peeved. "No matter what we do, Isabella is linked to all of it. I believe she should be notified that her dearest friend was hurt. But whatever. That stupid boy will learn soon enough. Unless he really is that dense."

She rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything else, she noticed Michael's inquisitive expression. He truly was curious about her relationship with Julian, but she was unsure if she wanted to inform him yet. She fixed the bow strapped to her back, itching to use them, then remembered Billie. He was an advocate of weapons, so perhaps she could buy a more suitable one off of him? She would bring it up when they got to where they were going. Now all she had to do was find Vera. She needed the woman, whom she felt a growing bond with, to help her in tracking the witch and possibly fighting her off if push came to shove.

"He is," she finally answered Michael, stealing one last glance at the boy whom Aleksei was addressing. Then she started through the woods, ignoring the sting of the sunlight as she made her way toward her motorcycle. "Meet me at Billie's. Finding the witch is our main priority."

It was truly outstanding, though a usual occurence, how Selene could shut her emotions off so easily. She was quick to guard herself and not waver from her defense, even if it meant she was opposing those that cared for her. Nonetheless, it was her method of protection, more like an instinct she adapted from her father, who digressed that emotions and the expression of them were traits of the weak. She eyed the crescent moon ring on her hand, fingered it, and looked toward the horizon. She then took the helmet that was strapped to her front handlebars and put it on, kickstarted her bike, and finally sped away into the hills toward the automotive shop.



"You're the White One, aren't you?" Julian said, observing Aleksei as though he were an apparition. "My grandfather always spoke highly of you. I'm sure he will be pleased with your visit."

Then he shifted his grey gaze to Mina, whom watched him like one might stare at a puppy. He fidgeted uneasily before finally returning his attention to Lyra, who pulled away from him and retreated into the woods. She lied to him again. He could smell it and understand it almost as if he could read her mind- but why? What about her family was she so bent on hiding from him? What was she so ashamed of? He lifted his eyes heavenward, squinting at the sun beating down on the group. He closed his eyes and breathed in the sweet scent of earth and pine. He loved the outdoors. He was born of the earth, and it was his duty as her son to be a proper steward and ensure her wellbeing.

"Lyra, wait-" he called, running after her and seizing her by the hand. "Why do you keep running away from me? I mean you no harm. At least let me walk you home."

He let her hand go, afraid she might recoil and become fearful of him. He just wanted to make sure she knew she had a comrade in him regardless of what his grandfather and packmates thought. Afterall, he is the appointed alpha, and what he says is ultimately what goes- trusting in this particular human was not a foolish move. If what his grandfather had taught him his entire life proved to be true, then the humans, particularly God's favorite, would come to need all the help they could get- and that included a comraderie with his pack. He would have to get his brothers to trust in his decisions sooner or later, or perhaps if he brought Lyra around them more often, they might see what Julian saw.

"And don't mind that old dog," Julian said of Wolfgang, nudging her reassuringly. "They don't learn new tricks, you know. He hasn't quite accepted the evolution of the present century. I'm sorry if you heard what he was babbling about."



Selene hesitated before she went up to the door. She remained straddling her motorcycle, which growled lazily beneath her until she shut it off. Then she took her helmet and strapped it again to her handlebars, her aquamarine eyes scanning the quiet business. This man was close friends with the hunter- could it be possible that Billie was familiar with her father as well? Perhaps they had been teammates at some point, or something. Her eyes fell to the trinket on her finger, and she sighed, swinging her leg over the bike and approaching the building.

"Billie?" she called upon reaching the door, looking over her shoulder in search of Michael and Vera. Where had she gone off to?

Selene glared at Dean with a disapproving look of steel. She tossed her dark hair and then shifted her gaze to Michael, who stroked her cheek, inquiring about her history with Julian. She moved her head away from him, then stepped toward the wolf boy, who was watching Lyra as she retreated from him. Her expression never wavered, even when she looked back at Michael. She straightened her leather jacket over her figure.

"Does that fool still not understand Isabella is the focal point of all this madness?" she growled, deeply peeved. "No matter what we do, Isabella is linked to all of it. I believe she should be notified that her dearest friend was hurt. But whatever. That stupid boy will learn soon enough. Unless he really is that dense."

But would it really benefit Isabella in knowing something that seemed like a distant memory now? Telling her would be counter intuitive since the little medium was alright now. Michael agreed with Dean on keeping this one a secret. Unless it were highly necessary it wouldn't need mentioning at all.

He gazed at his belle as she rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything else, she noticed his inquisitive expression. He truly was curious about her relationship with Julian, but she was unsure if she wanted to inform him yet. She fixed the bow strapped to her back, itching to use them, then remembered Billie. He was an advocate of weapons, so perhaps she could buy a more suitable one off of him? She would bring it up when they got to where they were going. Now all she had to do was find Vera. She needed the woman, whom she felt a growing bond with, to help her in tracking the witch and possibly fighting her off if push came to shove.

"He is," she finally answered Michael, stealing one last glance at the boy whom Aleksei was addressing. Then she started through the woods, ignoring the sting of the sunlight as she made her way toward her motorcycle. "Meet me at Billie's. Finding the witch is our main priority."

"Alright then," Michael replied as he misted away into the thick woods, taking a much faster route. Unlike the huntress who was more lenient towards the sun's light (it was a known fact that all "turned" hunters could better withstand or get used to the light over time) purebloods on the one hand could never gain such a talent for it. So he had to stick to shadier places, so that he wouldn't have to deal with that annoyance. Before long he'd reached the old car shop, there he was greeted by Selene's parked bike, she had arrived a few seconds earlier it appeared. He came to stop next to her, noticing her searching eyes, maybe for Veratos. "She'll return soon ma petite," he told her with reassurance.




By now the exorcist was already reaching the half-way point of the woods, edging ever so closer back into town, she could already make out the town's little shops and see cars whizzing around with people out and about. Her guardians must already be gone and Serenity getting ready for school, the girl loved to pamper herself and look flawless before she stepped out of the mansion-perhaps they may even cross paths if Lyra were to hurry. She had the strongest sensation in her that the younger, achingly nosey girl could be invading her boudoir again, looking through her stuff (especially her wardrobe) and "borrowing" her things all without ever asking for permission of course. In other words, the girl was aggro in its purest form. The only one person that could cheese up Lyra. (Piss her off)

"Lyra, wait-" Julian's voice called, running after her and seizing her by the hand. "Why do you keep running away from me? I mean you no harm. At least let me walk you home." The girl almost smiled, this lad chuffed her to bits

She felt his grip on her, a cold shiver slithered down her spine and she froze, took a breath, then spun on her heel to face him, her eyes wide, her face pale, "Julian I-"

He let her hand go, as quickly as he had took it, did he feel that shock too? Maybe, but she wasn't about to ask. He had the look in his eyes, fear that she may come to be intimidated by him. And also, there was concern in his brows, like his expression were somehow asking that she forget their last encounter, the part where she eavesdropped on him and his old codger, and trust him. Could she trust him? Start over?

Fat chance.

"And don't mind that old dog," Julian was saying of Wolfgang, nudging her reassuringly. "They don't learn new tricks, you know. He hasn't quite accepted the evolution of the present century. I'm sorry if you heard what he was babbling about." His expression then shifted, calm now, like himself when she had first awoken in his room was it? She couldn't tell, when she realized how much she liked him this way.

Lyra's eyes broke contact from his and fell to the ground, as if she found her dirt caked shoes suddenly fascinating, refusing to look up at him again. "I...I still wouldn't want you to get yourself in trouble, he seemed very serious." Because soon enough, you'd grow to hate me too, you wouldn't have to tell me, I would know, just like Serenity, she thinks I don't know, but I do, I feel her icy stares even when I don't look at her, like she resents my even being there...That's why, I leave today... Her features was touched by deep sorrow, but she put on a brave face, then finally looked up at him, "I'm sorry too... But having me around will only be a liability on you and you know it. I will be distracting you from whatever important duties you have to perform. You're going to be an alpha, that is what you should be chasing. I'll be alright, I have two legs, I can walk. "

She offered him a smile, thanked him again, than whirled back around and this time ran on full sprint. Whatever he was, she knew it wasn't right. Normal. She felt it emanating off his pores, like energy, similar to what Dean gave off, but the difference there, Julian's was much brighter, the brightest. He had responsibilities to uphold, a bunch of brothers that needed him to be their alpha. She in no way will allow him to tangle up with her and her package of issues. He didn't need it. As much as she wished things were different, they just weren't and she had to live with it.

By the time she got to the white, large estate, she was panting for air and her steps were wobbly. Pretty soon she was in her room, giving it a once over, then dread filled her to the core. The white rectangular box she kept under her bed for safe keeping was opened, on her bed. She approached it with pure horror taking root and growing branches inside her. Trembling fingers touched the ivory tissue paper, felt inside for the dress she already knew wasn't there.

"Serenity." Lyra breathed, her shoulders fell distraught.

Luckily, she found the girl just before she stepped into the limo, she dared Reeve to close that door, with a glare. The older man knew what was coming for the misses daughter and he for one could care less what happened to the brat -nothing too bad though since he could get in serious trouble if she like died or whatever. But this was the norm here in the Vandalia house-hold, as normal as the sun rising every morning in the sky. He stepped aside even as the girl commanded him to shut the door and drive her to school so that she could show off the new and priceless white, MARC JACOBS 2012 Taylor style Silk maxi dress, she looked absolutely cracking in (stunning) a simple, yet elegant number that was too "old" for her age range, but bespoken for Lyra in every way, in case that special occasion would arise -not that she'd ever don it since it was the last gift her aunt Katherine had purchased for her before the accident that took her life away. It was something Lyra wanted to keep as a precious "treasure" something that she would cherish rather than ever use. In loving memory of her aunty, and now this? It was mostly unforgivable, one that shook Lyra to experience a rage she never knew she had.

"Reeve you idiot let's go-" Serenity was yelling, than her clear mossy eyes snapped to the seething Lyra who was already yanking the stretch limo's door open, reaching in and latching her hands onto the girl's scrawny arms, pulling her out, out until they were both standing on the ground, Lyra was a few inches taller than her, and could easily look down at her. "You're wearing my dress. Take it off now." she intoned, sounding eerily scary in the younger girl's ears.

"No...L-like I always s-said... what's yours is mine, and what's mine is...mine!" Serenity shot back, though her tone wasn't as forceful or strong. She tried to look tough but defending herself or even fighting was a big no-no if you wanted to be "lady-like" at least according to mother it was. Not just the simple fact that she couldn't even fight worth crap.

"You didn't ask me if you could-"

"I've never asked to wear or take anything of yours, why would I start now?" Serenity interrupted her trying to wrench herself from the medium's hands. Lyra released her as if noticing how mad she was getting. This wasn't like her and she was shocked herself, but she managed to keep her composure.

Serenity straightened herself tall, picturing her lean and graceful mum, how enchantingly she would look in a designer dress that costed a bomb as this one surely did, she attempted to poorly resemble such elegance but failed to since the dress looked bodged up on her. In every way.

"No, I refuse, don't you see Lisa, I'm far more superior than you, and this dress is brill on me, you're just jealous that I'm more prettier than you and Bob's your uncle!" she snapped flippantly as ever. Lord did she need a reality check.

Lyra grounded her molars, trying fervently to keep herself calm, her patience running thin. "That's a load of cobblers and you know it, just take it off and wear something else."

The girl locked eyes with Lyra, "Make. Me."

"I've let you take all of my things and I never complained, but this. My aunty's last present. I can't." she tried to explain, be nice.

"I don't care!" The girl spat, crossing her arms, edging Lyra on with a smug grin, her eyes sparkling, daring the other to even try to strike her.

Lyra sighed, as if letting it all go, it was her fault after all that the girl had found her dress and decided to wear it. If she hadn't wanted this to happen, she should have chosen a better place to hide it. Nothing could be done, and well fighting her for it just might ruin the dress. Aware even so that she just may win had they fought regardless, Lyra held back the burning anger inside her. "Fine, just know that the gown isn't appropriate for school, try not to ruin it. Please return it when you're done modeling. For the record my name is Lyra and not to offend, but you look disastrous in that dress. It doesn't fit you well and is too long." she let out calmly, already feeling the anger evaporate. There was no use trying now. Then she turned away from Serenity and retreated back into the mansion. She wouldn't be able to leave today after all, the dress was her chain holding her back. It was also the only link that kept Katherine's presence here on earth. If that dress were to be destroyed than she'd loose what was left of her aunt's spirit. The medium knew well, that's why she hadn't ever touched it. She hoped to God that Serenity wouldn't damage such a sacred piece of Lyra's heart.

Serenity rolled her eyes, now she was deeply cheesed. What would it take to ruin Lyra? Make her soo angry that she would just leave? She figured this would be the last straw but it wasn't. Maybe if she did ruin the dress that would definitely break her! That is, after she wore it and took pictures with it, Lyra didn't know, but today Serenity was going to attend a party, one that only the wealthiest kids could attend today. A celebration that had nothing to do with attending any classes, yup she was a skipper all right. Nodding over at Reeve, she picked up the length of the dress and tried to gracefully reenter the limo, only to trip half way. She reached for the door handle to keep herself steady and she flashed the chauffeur a breezy smile, she got this. No, no she didn't, but the man wouldn't tell her that, unless he wanted to loose his job.

Reeve watched this surprised, Lyra had handled it well, but she lost to this little punk. That was something he would bring Serenity's mother to attention, though he doubted much would be done about it. The woman could care less what her child did, all she was concerned about was keeping up with her job and nothing more. This family was falling apart and there was nothing to be done to salvage it. Not even Lyra's sweet nature.

Up in her room, Lyra gently folded the paper back into the box and returned its lid, treating it like glass. Though she fought the hugest urge to strike at the girl, here, alone, she couldn't contain the silent tears rolling down her cheeks, leaving salty warm trails on her face, behind her, Katherine emerged as if she were summoned by Lyra's sorrow.

"I tried to stop her, but my movements ghosted right through her. I'm sorry."

Lyra shook her head as she closed her eyes and took in another blow.

"No, it's my fault. It always is."

Katherine hated it when the girl blamed herself for things she couldn't possibly prevent. However she couldn't do or say anything to change Lyra's ways as a person's true character can only be changed by their own will.

Katherine watched her little niece dozing off in bed, God knew the kid was helpless. She wouldn't even defend herself against something that obviously belonged to her. Well, that would change. When Katherine had disappeared, she'd been roaming about the graveyards, it was there that a certain spirit addressed her, taught her things. Thing that she would now put to good use.

"I will get that dress back, no matter what." Katherine stated more to herself than Lyra. Then she vanished in a wisp of grey smoke and reappeared in the girl's bathroom of a structure where the beastly girl known as Serenity was enjoying a party. Currently the human was inside, reappling too much make up on her small, round face. What a nuissance. Standing right behind her, Katherine focused, little by little her translucent image materialized until she looked like a normal woman. It must be the dress giving her that strength to drive forward.

The glass in front of the girl misted completely and words were forming, to her horror as she read it, the girl saw: Ruin the dress, I ruin you.

"L-lyra you-" Serenity said getting angry, she wiped at the glass with the palm of her hand, looking into the mirror, she gasped at seeing Katherine. Turning around the ghost disappeared. Serenity leaned back against the sink, trying to calm her racing heart. Her efforts were futile, Katherine was back again, this time closer than the girl would like.

"Take off the dress." Was all she had to say and the girl obeyed.

A few friends walked in soon after, caught in the bubble of teenage glee, giggling over an Instagram pic in their mobile phones, what it was about wasn't important, when they found Serenity huddled in the corner of the rest room pale as death and shivering in her white bra and panties, they knew to stop laughing.

"I-I sss-saw her...." Serenity whispered in tears as the girls rushed to assist her back to her feet.

"Who did you see? What happened to your dress?" Another girl asked, rubbing Serenity's shoulders that were risen with goose bumps.

"Katherine."



"Lyra, I've retrieved your dress and your money, I knew the Vandalia's wouldn't give it to you, so I took the liberty of making her."

By now the medium was up and packing her stuff into a suitcase. When she heard her aunt say this she straightened, glanced at her and froze. "You did what?"

Katherine was there, the dress delicately draped over her arm, and the envelope that contained Lyra's college money inside. They all belonged to her anyways.

"Why-how did you do this?" Lyra was saying as she reached for the dress, felt its silk and believed, yes it was the very gown, and no it wasn't damaged at all. She was relieved for the most part, but having her aunt force herself upon people wasn't the kind of behavior she'd accept. Little did she know that there was so much more trouble and pain to come.

Soon, Lyra was outside, lugging her suitcase and white box in either hand, the mansion and its memories long behind her. She would forget it all, forget Serenity and her cruelty, forget the ever careless Vandalia's, perhaps some day, they would look up from whatever they were doing and notice. Isn't something missing? Isn't someone missing?

Or maybe not.

"Where are you going now?" Katherine was asking as she strolled beside her as normal as she could make it when she had been alive, the perception of it all being ultimately ridiculous a little bug skittering at the edge of her consciousness, she smiled kindly at her niece.

"I was thinking of camping out in the woods, but I would have to purchase camping stuff, and all I have are Euros, do you think they would accept it?" Lyra asked, looking up at the pretty Katherine, ignoring the little bad vibes she was picking up from the apparition. Not at all wanting to accept that as the days passed by, the longer her aunt's spirit lingered on Earth, in the physical realm, the more twisted and clouded the spirit's judgment would fill inevitably with dark intentions, vengeance namely. She would soon be the very thing Lyra would have to exorcise herself. But for the meantime she would take these moments she had left with her aunt, run this as long as she could take.

When that day came, she didn't know if she would be able to go there. This was her aunt here, not some benevolent ghost that was just a stranger.

"Well you could exchange that money for US dollars over there, see?" Katherine pointed to an establishment that did just that. The two headed there.

"Are you sure this is going to be your new home? It's not really suitable a place to live very long sweety..." Katherine said looking rightfully concerned at her niece as she bumbled around gleefully building a fire and making a snack called "smores". The Brit had already taken several minutes to put up the tent and settled down for the rest of the day. The ghost couldn't tell if she was more concerned for the girl's safety, or her sanity.

"Relax aunty Kat, this is just something I've always wanted to do, the American's call it camping," Lyra camly explained, trying to contain her inner excitement. She had wasted a lot of her money on purchasing camping gear so that she could experience the full on camping life -for a short couple of days until she would then decide to find a new place to actually call "home".

"Becareful darling, I sense this place isn't exactly just a forest, there are other entities among us, and they're vibes aren't so comforting in the least." Kat warned the girl.

"I know that, why do you think I camped out here far from the road and stuff, no one will find me. Not that anyone will even be searching for me anyways..." She turned from her aunt's ghost and continued making smores alone. Meanwhile she wondered how her best friend was doing, Isabella was probably with Aleksei living it large in a mansion somewhere. Lucky. Some people had luck while others didn't, like she for instance. No luck what so ever, but she couldn't complain, it could have been so much more worse. When the girl finished making smores, she went back into her little yellow tent and picked up her photograph that held her mother's image -it being all she had left of her memory. As she muched on smores, she spoke to her mother in a low whisper, almost holding a conversation with her, however one-sided it may be. At least she could pretend someone was listening to her, besides her dead aunt's spirit.

A crack of a breaking branch suddenly filled the silent air, making the british girl jump. Placing the photograph back in its shelf being the top of a shoe box, Lyra crawled out of the tent to take a peek outside. So far, she couldn't see anyone there. Her eyes flickered to her aunt's spiritual form, she stood there still as a stone statue, staring ahead, as though she could perceive what Lyra could not.

"Lyra, you must not move or make a sound, the creatures out here are highly dangerous and malignant. Far worse than-"

"Demons."

Katherine tore her gaze from the flitting shadows weaving in and out of view, to stare at her beloved niece who had once again disobeyed her and was up on her feet, standing tall and steady. The look on her face was sure and not a hint of fear in her eyes, what a strong medium she turned out to become.

"They aren't normal spiritual manifestations Lyra, they are more lethal and unrestrained, they can and will kill you. Or possess you again, please go back inside-"

"No. I-I won't run-not anymore!" Lyra shouted, the ground beneath her feet rumbled as the collected group of demons sensed her, and drew closer and closer, a giant cloud that swallowed her up.

Lyra closed her eyes and made a little prayer, then a voice came to her, a whisper to answer her prayer.

Looking up, her eyes flaring a bright light, she screamed, "Yes, please help me."

A bright light filled the skies, and when the girl lowered her gaze to the ring of demons trying to grab at her form, she spoke, "Priinceps gloriosissime cælestis militiæ, sancte Michaël Archangele, defende nos in prælio et colluctatione, quæ nobis adversus principes et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, contra spiritualia nequitiæ, in cælestibusus. Veni in auxilium hominum, quos Deus creavit inexterminabiles, et ad imaginem similitudinis suæ fecit, et a tyrannide diaboli emit pretio magno," she paused to take a breath and finally yeld, "exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus!"

A whiplash of white energy burst from Lyra's small frame, tearing apart the spiritual particles that were the demons, they were gone within seconds, leaving the girl alone with her aunt soon appearing after. She stared at her niece, who looked awfully shocked as she fell to her knees.

"Lyra..."

"Kat, I heard her..." Lyra said, shivering as if she had just walked into the frozen section of a supermarket, she crossed her arms over her chest trembling, "I... I... heard her voice...."

"Who did you hear?" Katherine asked, her eyes wide, looking down at her niece.

"Assasiel...An Angel," Lyra whispered, trying so hard not to loose it. Maybe she was going bonkers? At least the demons were gone though, that was a good thing, right?

At the edge of the forest where the foliage met the lips of the ocean, Julian and his brothers and sisters all gathered around a boat where the body of Wolfgang rested. On a bed of spices his carcass lay, the sweet scent of myrrh and frankencense wafting through the pine and salty sea breeze. An archer waited at the top of a cliff peak, wielding a flaming arrow that would ignite the boat as the ocean current carried it away. Julian took a deep breath, tears streaking his pale face, and kissed his grandfather good-bye once more. After watching his brothers do the same, he pushed the hand crafted boat offshore until the currrent began to pull him away on its own.

His grey eyes lifted to the archer, who prepared his bow and arrow until the boat was a few miles out to sea. Then the arrow soared and struck the boat, immediately engulfing it in growing flames. A soft sob left Julian's mouth, and he turned away, unable to watch as his grandfather turned to ashes. As the sun started to sink into the horizon, giving way to the glowing white moon, Julian ran through his congregated packmates and darted into the forest, his form already beginning to shift. The others let him go, beginning to beat their drums and play their ceremonial music in reverence to their deceased pack leader. When his feet touched the damp, brown earth of Silver Mist, he fell to his knees and roared, both in pain and fury.

The soft, but violent crackle and popping of his bones as they rearranged themselves and grew could be heard. Inky black fur erupted all over his body, and his face elongated as the moon began to rise. He roared again, tearing his clothes from his frame and crawling forward, his fingers and hands morphing into massive paws with huge ebony talons. He gagged as his vocal cords shrank back into his throat and his tongue stretched forth, robbing him of his human ability to speak and forcing him instead to communicate with animalistic noises.

When he completed the shift, he bolted through the foliage, determined to find a spot where he could mourn alone in the darkness. As he ran, he picked up the sweet scent of burning chocolate and melting marshmallows; instinctively, he changed direction and started toward it. As he came closer, he caught a familiar fragrance, something like vanilla mixed with lavender; drawing closer still, he saw the little tent, and paused for a moment, sniffing the air. A low growl gurgled in his throat as he approached the tent, the hairs on his back standing on end while he scoured the campsite for sign of its occupant.

Then he spotted Lyra, and immediately he froze, his icy, silver gaze locked on her.

((Well I surely had fun in this, I'd say this could be the longest running role play I've been in since ever. I'm proud to say it. I hope we can all stick together for more RP's to come. )) ,

Lyra took a few deep breaths, having already come to the conclusion that she was no longer in any immediate threats by the demons, she was only beginning to pull herself together when she sensed a pressure much stronger and yet strangely familiar approach her vicinity.

"Oh look, it's wolf, so much for no one able to find you here Lyra. You know what that means right?" Katherine said drily, noticing the animal as it came to a slow pace. It's lustrous eyes on her niece, she would do anything to protect her niece, and she was there, her ghostly figure standing in between the wolf and her precious love.

"W-wolf...? Crikey Moses... I've never..." Lyra's words mixed and jumbled in her rushed way, she shrank back, edging toward the tent like it was a safe haven, like the giant dog wouldn't be able to rip through it and tear her to pieces. She stared at it, and for some reason, she didn't know what it was, but, she didn't feel so terrified. Her gaze engulfed the beautiful creature, so majestic and fierce, and his aura -how could she mistaken it? The "pull" she felt, his presence tugged through her, reaching her soul.

Julian...?

But how could that be? Well, who else could she name have the same spiritual pressure as he? No one for that matter, so it wasn't possible that the wolf before her was also the young man she had met earlier? Was this what his old codger was going on about, him becoming an "alpha" for... a pack of wolves? They were werewolves? She felt her skin crawling with absolute fear, she has had her reads on their kind and knew too well on what happens when they shift -they're more animalistic, running on primal instincts and dropping their humanistic morals as they do when they shed their clothes. This was not going to end well and running would only worsen things, she was now his human death wish. Perfect.

I never thought of myself dying at the jowls of a wolf, really...this is just....this is just... Maddening!

It was a wonder how she could even think clearly when her body was literally trembling with horror. She was gonna die, that was definite, and there was nothing she could do about it. Sure she could wipe out a class room of demons in a snap, but that was because they were in their spiritual state, there was a chant for that -however that wasn't the case for physical, wild were wolves, it was much different, there was no chant for this, not that she was aware of anyways. Basically, she was screwed.

"Lyra, stand up, move very slowly and climb up that tree, try to get to the highest branch and stay up there," Katherine instructed in a hiss, her gaze never drifted from the wolf who's attention remained on Lyra, like a hawk capturing its prey with its eyes alone. Frightening.

"What are you gonna do?" Lyra whispered back, snapping to action, she reached for a stone the size of her clenched fist, so that she could throw it and maybe even distract the wolf with it while she made an escape for it. Slowly, but deliberately, she shifted herself on the ground, mindful of her surroundings, being sure not to get too close to the fire, maneuvering in a half-circle around the tent, giving up on her idea of hiding in it.

"Don't worry about me, I'm already dead, it can't kill me twice, go!"
"I am, be careful."

Katherine frowned a little, "I should be saying that to you sweet heart."

Lyra was half way there, moving at a snail's pace, that felt excruciatingly long to her heightened nerves, she kept glancing from her aunt to the wolf and back, then deciding she could just run to her tree she rose her rock hand, and chucked it, aiming for a spot behind the wolf. The stone made a good amount of wanted noise, rustling a bush. She was thinking it would glance back to inspect for any intruder while she shot to her feet and ran the rest of the way to her tree. that she did, only to encounter a newer, more dreadful problem.

"What's taking you?" Katherine snapped, moving herself to block the animal from reaching Lyra, if it had reacted to the distration or not wasn't the real concern here.

Lyra hopped a bunch of times, but the lowest branch was just out of her reach. "I can't climb trees Kat!"

"Then get to another, quick!"

The medium ran to another tree, but the same problem laughed down at her, these trees weren't like the ones back home, they were immensely tall and she was ridiculously short. What was she going to do, run screaming through the woods and attract more hungry wolves to feat on her? Fat chance. She had to try and survive, so focusing on that while keeping a tight hold on herself so that she wouldn't fall into hysteric fits and really lose it, she slowly made her way to the fire she had going on, reached down to pick up a thick piece of branch and with its burning tip she held it out before her, swinging it out horizontally like a sword. Not wildly, rather in a threatening gesture, "I know this isn't silver, but fire does burn, so… So stay away from me!"

(LOL Angel I love how you called JULIAN Justin!)

Julian's twin audits twitched at the sound of the rock crashing against the brush, but he didn't move. His silver eyes remained on Lyra's scrambling form, watching her without moving, still almost as a statue. He could see the translucent form of her protective aunt, a brave little specter before the mouth of the beast, knowing full well she couldn't do anything if he wished to attack the girl. He approached her, his head lowered and a growl still rolling from his throat, tail straight out behind him as she struggled to climb to safety into different trees.

Then she stopped and started to swing a flaming branch at him, nearly striking him in the nose and causing him to retreat. He snorted, clearly agitated now, then curled his lips back to reveal his shiny jowels. He took a tentative step backward, his gaze still unwavering until the sounds of a few more foreign snarls echoed through the trees. His ears perked and immediately he lifted his head toward the noise, coming from the woods around them. Soon, three sets of glowing yellow eyes matched the wicked growling, followed by the giant forms of ash-colored wolves.

Julian stiffened, bringing himself between the intruding animals and Lyra, his eyes following their moves as they approached the two. The lips of his maw curled further, fully revealing his massive canines as they began to drip with saliva. He lifted his head to the sky and howled, his call reverberating through the forest in hope that it would alert his packmates of his location. The three wolves closed in, their snarls becoming even more violent, preparing to attack. Julian stood his ground, his huge body blocking Lyra from the opposing side, as though in attempt to protect the small girl.

The largest one striked first. He dove toward Julian, snapping at his neck before the alpha pummeled him to the ground. He slammed his paws into the other's head, raking his talons over his eyes before clamping his jaws down on the thick flesh of his throat and tearing. The other two leapt onto the black alpha, and the four were sent tumbling into the woods. The ashen wolves ripped at Julian, who fought bravely against them, drawing blood from them all with the sheer brutality of his alpha instinct and force. As strong as he was, he couldn't possibly take all three of them on at once, even after severely maiming the first.

Blood, fur, dirt and twigs went flying as the quarrel commenced, Julian trying with all his might to lead them away from Lyra's campsite. When one of them broke away to try and get to the little medium, Julian was quick to tackle him to the ground, fiercely attacking him until it no longer tried to do so. One of the other wolves got a hold of his neck and another sank his teeth into his hind leg, bringing Julian to the floor. Even as they tried to strangle him to death, Julian fought them, his blood spilling over the earth and matting his fur.

Several more snarls could be heard, and just as Julian was beginning to lose consciousness, the five forms of his packmates dove over him, crashing into the already wounded opposing wolves, who immediately retreated. They bolted the opposite direction, and Julian's brothers followed suit, leaving him in the grass a few yards away from Lyra's campsite. He struggled to stand, and when he did, he wobbled weakly.

He limped through Lyra's camp, trying to get to the place where he had abandoned his clothes, knowing that if he lost consciousness he would shift again. He had suffered much damage, however, and before he could even get past the bonfire, he collapsed in a heap on the ground, panting heavily. A soft whine left his maw before he succumbed to unconsciousness and his massive physique began to shrivel; the ebony fur that once covered him began to fall off, and his bones shifted once again until he returned to his normal form, totally illuminated by the firelight. Julian was curled into the fetal position, naked and covered in mud and crimson, shivering and unresponsive aside from that.

((See, now you got me calling Julian Justin I'll fix that! lol))

Lyra was all too frightened to be of much use, rather than take the opportunity to flee as the wolves all collided into each other in such a fierce and brutal fight, forgetting her as it appeared, she remained at her stand, transfixed by the most incredible and unnatural scene playing out before her. It was like being at the set of a Twilight movie sequence with the wolves all tearing at each other as wild as it got, it was almost thrilling. Leaning back against the tree, the Brit sunk down into the earth, her breaths coming and going in tandem with the action, at first hollow and quick as the fight seemed to have reached its climax at the arrival of more wolves, then slower and deeper as the danger signals raging in her calmed. Or perhaps she was far too gone to feel anything else anymore. This was the ultimatum, no longer would she ever think those books she'd been reading were simple fairy tales. It was all real, too real.

The giant wolf of the darkest and beautiful night struggled in its passing, her eyes stuck on its large form as it moved slower and slower passed her tent, then she heard the creature's breaths give way to its weakness, its body trembling in the effort to keep going, but alas could not do so and in an instant had crashed into the ground much as she had. At first, she thought that was it, the poor thing was dead, only to feel her heart swell with something she couldn't identify. The animal changed, into a human being right there!

Striken with both dread and wonder mixing in her, the girl sat there, just breathing. She closed her eyes taking a grip on herself, in no bloody way was she going to fahking go bonkers, no way! That was not a were wolf, that figure lying on the ground marinated in his own blood and dirt was not, could not be Julian.

"Lyra we... We should really go now..." Came Katherine's voice, slicing through the girl's thoughts.

Lyra snapped her eyes opened and swallowed hard, her heart was pounding but she was slowly coming to grips with this ordeal. So Julian was a were wolf, and he had tried to protect her from the other wild dogs that would have had her for dinner had he not had shown up. No kidding!

She stood, and very cautiously started toward the collapsed young man, still the pounding in her chest made her think that he just might hear her heart beats, they felt so loud in her head. She ignored her aunt's plea to turn around and run away, but that was the problem now. If she ran she might end up bumping into the pack out there fighting it off, not something she wanted to encounter again. The danger was out there not here, so she had no choice.

"Stay away from him Lyra!" Katherine cried, reaching for her niece, grabbing her shoulder to keep her back.
"I can't leave him there like that Kat, I have to help him, after all, he had helped me when I was helpless back at the school..." she smiled at the memory, "I owe him one."

Katherine didn't like this one little bit, but the boy was unconscious and well, had protected her niece from the other wolves, she would have to comply for now and if anything happened she would deal with it -she was a powerful ghost now, she coud do so much damage.

Lyra reached the boy, knelt down beside him and gently patted his forehead, her smile blossoming sweetly, "It's alright, you're safe now."

Katherine slunk away into the shadows as she watched her niece manage to pull the boy away from the fire, into her tent to further assist him. She had really prepared for this hiking trip, having brought with her a first-aid kit, which she used up on the kid. She tried cleansing his wounds to the best of her abillity and covering the bite and scratch wounds. Soon enough she covered him in the sleeping bag, and accompanied him all through the night. When he were to awaken at last, Lyra would hand him a couple of giant Hershey bars and a bottle of SmartWater, to hyrdrate and proteinate -sort of.

{I'm so sorry, Angel! For some reason it didn't show me that you had posted, so I was here waiting for your response for like a week haha}

"Do not be wary of him, woman," came the soothing voice of a particular apparition, whom had suddenly appeared beside Katherine, still tarrying over her niece whom was nursing Julian back to health. "The boy is a kind soul."

His translucent form materialized against the accumulating mist as if the fog is what he was composed of. He had the youthful and handsome features of a man in his early twenties, though he was dressed as though he were living during the era of Queen Victoria's reign. He watched the young couple indifferently, then shifted his gaze to the woman, who emanated a slight jealous rage over the girl.

Julian rested soundlessly inside the tent, bundled up in Lyra's sleeping bag beside a bunch of chocolate and sugary water drinks. His lashes twitched and weakly he stirred, regaining consciousness gradually until his pupils finally were able to properly focus on his surroundings. His eyelids parted to reveal his silvery irises, which shifted around the little tent in slight confusion before falling upon Lyra. For a moment despite his agony and tired confusion, he watched her warmly, but then at realizing he was naked and inside her tent, his eyes widened and he jumped a little, though recoiled immediately.

"What...what's goin' on...?" he muttered, cradling his head, which had suffered a massive blow, and touching the bandages around his torn neck.

Welts and dark bruises began to form on his ribcage, which he was certain he had cracked a few, and then he opened the sleeping bag just enough to where he could see the deep bite marks on his calf. He winced in pain, falling back against the ground and groaning softly before he closed his eyes.

"Why did you bring me here?" he asked. "What did you see, Lyra?"

He avoided her light eyed gaze, unsure of how to explain what she had just witnessed, and also uncertain of how he felt about it. Here he was, naked inside her tent, bound up and bandaged crudely while his packmates were off killing some rogue wolves that had appeared out of nowhere. Were they the ones that his grandfather had mentioned before he passed? The ones that were responsible for claming numerous lives and leaving chaos and destruction in their wake, risking the exposure of his family in consequence to their recklessness?

The world was spinning crazily, too quickly for wounded Julian to comprehend. He was of no use in the state that he was in; he could hardly even stand. How was he going to explain this to little human Lyra, who probably viewed him as nothing more than a wild beastly monster now. What would she think of him, having seen the extent of the curse that plagued his family?

Lyra couldn't formulate the right words to say, if any at all. She was still trying to wrap her mind about this, about all of it. Sure she could accept the fact that vampires and ghosts were more real than fiction, but there were also were-wolves too? What the fahk? She remained still, hugging her knees to her chest as the boy that was once a furry, feral, and dangerous wolf, now a normal looking bloke, stirred and reacted at finding himself in her tent.

"You...You were hurt..." she managed to let out slowly, her eyes staring at him warily in case he suddenly changed into a giant dog again. At the other question, she felt a lump form in her throat, her eyes burning with unshed tears and fear tearing into her little chest, she looked away, toward the fire and tried to keep herself still. She was shivering, but it wasn't because she was cold. Being near him she felt warmth, almost like what Bella mch she could do ust have felt when she was around Jacob, the thought of which made her smile a tiny bit. Twilight, she wondered if that story was real.


Katherine watched the girl she sighed knowing there was nothing much she could do to change anything.

"How do you know he's harmless? How do you know he won't snap and eat Lyra?" she demanded at the spirit that had formed beside her now. She didn't glance at him, her sights were stuck on her niece like glue, her concern and fear too great for her to ever look away. What would happen if that bloody heathen were to try and attack her precious niece? She would be ruined that's what! She would forever haunt that boy until he was driven mad with guilt and repentance for his sins. One that even in death she would never forgive.

Lyra catches the glimpse of her aunt and of the other spiritual presense beside her, she remembered how terrible she had felt when she couldn't help her before. It reminded her of what Julian had done for her, his care and gentleness, his willingness to let her into his home despite her being a stranger, despite his old grandfather's disagreeing. She turned her attention to the boy that had some how slithered out of the sleeping bag, she sucked her teeth as she uncolied herself and crawled toward him.

"Hey," she whispered, surprised at how calm she sounded, she placed gentle hands on his shoulder and arm, trying to lead him back into the warmth and cover of the sleeping bag. "Stop moving or you'll open your wounds, you're not going to cause me more trouble by doing that are you? Listen to me bloak."

Julian flinched as Lyra forced him back against the sleeping bag, the pain from his wounds flaring throughout his body. He hesitated for a moment, leaning back on one arm, while holding other close to his chest; if one looked closely and with the right eyes, it almost appeared like he might lick his injuries. He then looked back up at the British girl, about to relinquish his rebuttal to her having just called him a bloke, but the sound of his brothers calling his name echoed through the forest and carried to his ears. He perked up, listening closely until he knew that they were within radius.

"Julian!" they shouted.

The heavy smell of another's blood carried as well, and Julian grimaced at the new odor.

"In here," he responded, though his voice was gruff.

There was a moment of silence before Damian appeared at the entrance of the tent, though he did not enter, and only his silhouette and those of his brothers surrounding were visible. All of their heads were bowed as if to show respect, and none of them dared to ask for permission to come inside.

"Was it it, brother?" Julian asked.

"We caught the rogues," Damian answered, and his shadow nodded at another, most likely that of Lukas. "We killed two, but we have bound the one who led the attack."

Another silhouette could be seen with his arms behind his back, getting thrown to the ground and landing on his knees. His head drooped, and an audible growl rumbled through the little area. Someone reached out and struck the shadow, who recoiled, but almost immediately straightened back up as much as he physically could. The smell of another's blood was so pungent to Julian that he grimaced quite exaggeratedly, though a human nose could not detect the odor, which indicated that the man was heavily wounded.

"What is your name, rogue?" Julian demanded, though his tone was gentle.

When the intruder did not answer, he was struck again, and this time a puppy-like whine escaped him.

"You will speak when the alpha addresses you," said Lukas.

"Botolf," the rogue replied drily.

"Who sent you?"

Again there was silence, and another time he was struck, though all of the packmembers took their turn in hitting him aggressively. Julian's countenance fell at the sound of the intruder's torture, his eyes wishing to meet with Lyra's but feeling too ashamed of what she might think of his pack's methods. The pecking order had been this way since the beginning of time- the brute was fortunate enough to still have breath in his lungs and not have ended up like his accomplices.

"Answer, rogue." Damian ordered.

"I will not."

"Do not strike him," Julian commanded, his voice the strongest and most demanding it had ever been. There was frightening authority behind his tone, and it was made clear that he was not jesting with his commands. "Bind him to the post for three days and nights; he will not have any food to eat nor water to drink. If he has not complied by the third night, melt his tongue with a log prodder."

His steely eyes were cold for the first time that anyone had ever witnessed. He breathed slowly, cleary angered, but not willing to lose his temper over the matter. He had seen his grandfather handle similar situations in the same manner numerous times, but something about this one made him feel sick to his stomach. The issue of rogues was always the shakiest to him.

"Fetch me my clothes," he continued. "I must warn the others that there are outsiders in our vicinity. The Salvatore boy's father had been attacked by a rogue tribe... perhaps that man can force answers out of him."

He attempted to rise, but was much too weak to do so; he withdrew, wincing deeply with the agony and hissing as he fell back against the sleeping bag. He sank against the sheets with a sigh, waiting until the pain subsided to take another shot at it, knowing full well how upset Lyra would probably get over it. He looked at her, waiting to see what she might have to say about the events that just unfolded before her. Surely, she would be horrified at their barbaric tactics; they were so void of humanity, so how could she bear to be near him anymore?

After all, he was nothing but an animal.

Lyra edged away from Julian as his conversations with his pack-mates took a much darker turn. They had managed to capture and keep alive one of the rogue wolves, and were going to resort to physical abusive tactics to get whatever they wanted out of him. A part of her felt sorrow for the poor dog, but in a sense she wanted justice to be served, if it hadn't been for Julian or his crew, that very captured wolf would have torn her to shreads along with the others that were now dead meat. She stared up at Julian right after he'd given the order which she was damned well sure the others were going to obey like the group of dog's body that they were (gofers). Couldn't he leave the captured enemy to be dealt with by the Bobbies? (Police Officials). She was shocked that he would be so cruel, such a git. It scared her even to think how he would punish her if ever she got on his aggro side. At his movements, she watched silently, looks like he was getting ready to go -probably to infilict the punition himself. Then he mentioned Salvatore and she immidiately thought of Dean. The last she'd seen of him, he was with Isabella, she hoped they were hunkey-dory.

Then Julian was staring at her.

"You're going to take this matter into your own hands? Isn't that illegal?" she whispered shakily, wanting nothing more than to be far away from this wolf boy, she then shrugged feeling rather hopeless, "Oh well, it's horses for courses I suppose..." tears stung at her eyes, she was more frightened than she could ever remember feeling, and she wished she were dreaming. Maybe she could wake up to a world were Julian was a normal chap and she a normal non-medium chapess. Maybe life would be far more simpler and less dangerous. Currently she was stuck with him, at first he seemed like a fit bloke, but now that she knew what he was, he might end up killing her for knowing his secret. Or that could be her brit wild side creeping in and jumping to conclusions. Perhaps he hasn't gone barmy as she thought, maybe this was how these yanks handled things here. It was best that she not say anything and get to the program. Though now that she thought of it, it was almost like he was more ashamed of her knowing what he was rather than brassed off with her. He never really met her eyes when he looked at her and he was far too weak to put up much of a fight. But she was also too afraid to try and make a run for it with his wolf mates out there tying up the beastly wolf they had seized.

Staring at his eyes she grit her teeth, he was serious about this it seemed, "You have a lotta bottle, I guess it comes with being the alpha of your pack right?" She didn't know what she was doing, but she figured that maybe in talking to him it could change his mind over possibly killing her. While she figured out a way to escape with her wits.


Katherine watched as the events unfolded before her, sure she was surprised that they all decided to turn him in to their leader rather than take him to the Bill (police) but since they were all not exactly human, and their captured prey was just like them,she came to the conclusion that they all had their own set rules to go by. She wondered how Lyra was handling this, knowing her, not well.

Arriving at the spot where the hunter could see the silhouette of the tent illuminated by a small fire that was kept up, so Lyra was camping out here in the woods? Why? Oh right, she had no idea that this side of the wood housed a pack of wolves all hungry, she was like a sitting bar-b-q. Yet they didn't seem to be the bad guys, they had turned to him after all for assistance with a particualr wolf that wasn't playing nice at all. This would be fun.

And there was one in there with the human girl, he could smell the blood of him all over the place. This was where they had all been fighting it out, and also where they kept the captured one.

Dean could also pick up the scent of his father's blood on the man that had been bounded to a tree a little farther away from where Lyra's camp was set. Like they wanted to conduct their business away from human eyes, on that he agreed, saying simply,"take me to the bastard." No time to waste.

Vera could sense the anger within Dean, already knew he was pissed off without him having to say nothing more. She knew him that well, when it came to family, things got dangerously personal. "I'll stay here with Isabella while you handle this," the huntress glanced at Selene with a nod, putting a hand on the Italian girl to keep her from following Dean.

The hunter left them to follow his new comrades to the sunovabitch that wouldn't cooperate. Coming into such close distance with the animal that would have nearly killed his father tonight had he not intervened made such a sudden jolt of irritation fill the hunter that it took a lot to keep himself cool. This was still business and he had to treat this as it was.

Standing a few feet away from the bloody mess of the man that was also a beast he glared at him, just as curious to know who had sent him here, why Sable? When they were originally from Carolina? He could see that the others had beaten the crap out of him in attempt to get that info from him. If he hadn't spilled the beans yet it was because he either had been sworn by his sire not to reveal anything, was very fucking stubborn, or they hadn't tortured him enough.

Taking out Silver Moon, the hunter smirked at the man, staring at him right in the eye, the other was half shut, and badly swollen from being punched several times in the face, but it wasn't enough was it?

"Give me ten with him, I'll make him talk." Dean spoke this without having glanced back at the others, he stepped out of the group and walked toward the man until he was at arm's reach from him.

"Killing you now would be too easy, though every cell in my body is screaming to shoot you in the fucking head. We can do this the easy way," he cocks the pistol, "or the hard way, it's your call pal."

He really hoped Isabella wouldn't try to venture out and try to find him, though that wouldn't be her cue, as of now she's probably obsessing over her BFF and demanding answers. Good. That'll keep her busy while he chats with this one. A great chat it would be.

-Has been moved to the proper location: Silver Mist Forest, you'll find your post there-

St. Valentine wrote:
"Aleksei?" Isabella called softly, searching for him when she turned to see if he was following. "Aleksei? Where are you?"

Her voice was so small and shaken it sounded akin to a child calling for its mother. Her eyes became glossy when she realized that he had long disappeared, watching as Dean returned without him and joined them as they made their way toward the forest where Isabella's house had once been. Selene nudged her forward, urging her not to waste time looking for the pureblood that had vanished for a good reason that he obviously did not wish for the Italian girl to know. She continued on reluctantly, looking over her shoulder in search of him repeatedly until they left the cemetery.

When they reached the forest, Isabella was horrified at the carnage strewn about the foliage. The earth had been torn apart in several places; some trees had been snapped in half, and there was blood and fur all over the place. They reached the tent, and she could see the familiar silhouette of Lyra's bouncy hair, as well as Julian resting beside her. Instinctively, she ran toward the campsite, barely able to contain herself.

"Lyra?!" she cried out, on the brink of hysteria. "Are you in there??"

She whipped open the tent to find Julian beneath the sleeping bag, naked and bruised, and Lyra with her arms curled around her knees next to him. Their source of energy and protein were chocolate bars and sugary energy drinks, marshmallows and graham crackers- Isabella's horror intensified. Immediately, she dove into the tent and embraced her friend, relieved beyond measure to find that the girl had not been harmed.

"Oh my god, Lyra, I thought you had been hurt or killed! What on earth are you doing in a tent?!"

Julian stirred beside them, trying his best to sit up on his elbows and acknowledge the Italian girl that had just knocked his bandaged and injured foot when she leapt into the little tent. His grey eyes watched the pair interact, though he was biting down on his lip to keep from howling with the pain that surged the span of his limb. At that same moment, Lukas appeared with a bundle of Julian's clothes, which he put on before he was helped to stand and exit the tent.

"The Salvatore boy has arrived," Lukas informed his alpha, who was struggling to stand upright as he shifted his weight onto a tree for support. "He wishes to speak with the rogue alone. We figure the hunter will do better to get some information out of him."

"Does he know?" Julian asked.

"Yes."

"Take me to him."

Bound at his post, Botolf slumped over, staring viciously at the ground with the one eye that hadn't been swollen shut. Blood oozed out of his wounds and dripped from his broken nose and busted lip. Sweat had slicked his skin and dirt was caked on it, turning gradually into mud, while his hair had been cut off and only a few patches had remained. He didn't look up when the hybrid hunter arrived, though a smirk did curl over his split lip, and a weak, pained laugh erupted from his throat as Dean cocked his weapon.

"Go ahead and shoot me, hybrid," Botolf spat. "I will take the secrets of my alpha to the grave, and you will only be making it easier."

His one good eye, the color of a ring of purified brass, feral and inhumane, lazily lingered up to meet Dean's furious gaze. The rogue's smirk widened, revealing several missing teeth, which the other wolves had crushed when trying to get him to talk. Bloody saliva dripped from the side of his mouth, adding to his barbaric visage, then he cackled wildly.

"You will never see them coming."

"Actually you'd be a waste of a perfectly good bullet," Dean retorted back even putting the pistol away for emphasis. Listening to the captured man talk he was coming to the conclusion that he was an insane catch and there was no real way to deal with him, unless he wanted to be dragged down to his level and beaten by his own craziness. He was not going there. Whoever sent him was no longer the concern here, rather whom he spoke of. The hunter was only aware of one group that surely wanted Isabella so far, the Italian vampires. Now if there were a whole other group of big bad that wanted her too, well, it would be wise to know at least who they were. Nothing else mattered, when they were coming didn't matter. He would be prepared for it.

"So we're getting a surprise visit from 'them' huh? Wow, I didn't even have to touch you to get that out. Progress." Dean noted aloud smiling back at the deranged fellow. Poor dude, it's like he had nothing better to do than prey on weak people, he couldn't blame being a wolf for that, his changing had nothing to do with his insanity. Shaking his head, the hunter leaned back on his heals, looking the other up and down, maybe all this was just an act, perhaps his mind running on half-charge since he thought he was a gonner. "Hey Botolf, tell me something, why are you in this? I mean, what's in it for you? Do you have any idea what you're dealing with here? Did some one in a dark cloak approach you and promise you power or something? Because I'm not gonna believe that coincidence crap that you just happened to trail all the way out of Carolina to a much smaller, less populated ol' Sable town for no reason than hiding out in the woods and preying on defenseless, innocent people, only to get caught by these guys," he hooked a thumb over his shoulder to the pack of wolves across from them. Staring into that sickeningly yellow eye, Dean drew toward him, closer, then reached out and touched his forehead, all traces of his severe beating on his face, and head shaving vanished, like a cool breeze, and that was it, he only healed Botolf's head and facial injuries, not him entirely, "Let's make a deal, you tell me what I want to know, I help you out, see, unlike some people, I don't harm humans, I protect them," he let his fingers trail down the fully healed man's face, to grip at his jaw, now he could glare into both Botolf's eyes without missing a beat, "you could be the most terrifyingly, ugliest, monster on the face of the earth, but that doesn't define you. It's what you do with what you've got that makes you who you are. And right now, you're just an animal, still hangin' on a thin thread between being human and being a beast."

Yup, the hunter believed in second chances, but only for those who deserved it. This man could be saved, maybe he was going on the convictions that being an animal was the only way to go. Maybe that's how his alpha ran things and since he had no one else to follow, went with it. If he had been human, he must have remembered what it was like to be one right? To have a life? Why was he even trying to save this guy? It was beyond the hunter, but that was just his ways, in a sense he could see himself in Botolf's eyes. See himself lost. See himself hiding behind the mask of the beast roiling inside, given up on everything and slowly loosing his humanity. Most were wolves even forget how to change back, or choose not to voluntarily, instead live the rest of their existence as the animal they've become. Either that would be this man's fate, or he would die here. But nothing was ever certain.

"Who's coming over? Give me a name, it's as simple as that, you're making this more difficult than it has to be," Dean said calmly, loosening his grip on the man's face to let him speak. "I really don't think you have any other options here, these guys aren't gonna stop pummeling you, and you're not going anywhere. You're all alone, your buddies, they're all dead. That includes your leader, you're no longer bound by his will don't you get it? You're fucking free, you do whatever the hell you want now. Do you really wish to keep that secret so bad? You're screwing yourself over if you'd rather accept a bullet than anything else. I just want to know who we're up against, that's all, I don't want to know about your alpha or the fun times you've had with him." His eyes stared unwavering at the man, almost seeming to glow a bright blue, his countenance a mixture of hope and integrity, "You're still human at the end of the day, and right now, a lonely one. Think about it."

Veratos watched the hunter not surprised as he conversed with the enemy, why was he trying to humanize the son of a bitch was something that made Dean totally weird -but it was that simple fact that would always draw her in. It was in his prerogative to try and "reach" to those he thought he could save or whatever. Except this dude, he was just a waste of their time. It was touching, the futile attempt Dean was making, but it would be a grave disappointment on his part if he walked away with nothing. Which would not change a damn thing, he just wasn't the type of guy to give up. Ever. She glanced back at Selene wondering if she was getting this, it was almost sad and it would be a fact of life Dean would have the most trouble swallowing: Not everyone could be saved.

Aleksei's wolf, lingered near the tent, seating itself on the earth, it's carnelian eyes watchful to its surroundings while his charge interrelated with the the other human girl inside. It's ears twitched at every slightest sound made by the others around him, and knowing they were created by the other humans he didn't need to look at them. He was however mindful of anything that would make a new sound, or try to pop out and attack them. A new fear though was beginning to grow within him, the Italian vampires were no longer their main threat, perhaps there were others out there that have found out about the Lombardi's secret, and would come to covet her. Was this the secret that the captured were wolf Botolf was concealing? Knowledge of more assaults after Isabella?

Dean sighed as the man addressed him, he was already lost, there was no turning back for him. Pity. Crossing his arms the hunter thought over what he'd said, so it looked like whomever had sent the pack over to Sable was aware of what Dean was, and of his association with Isabella. Could it have been that Azera girl? Or maybe it was Lorenzo? Or the entire Italian clan teaming up with were wolves in attempt at taking them down? Wait -teaming up, with were wolves? Weren't they supposed to be enemies? Wow, they were really scraping the bottom of the barrel here. It almost cracked him up, but he kept his composure, little by little Botolf was revealing what he knew, or what he wanted the hunter to know.

"Mercy is something I only have for humans, but for monsters I have none. Nada," the hunter said, he didn't care much for the man anymore, he could see now in him nothing, an emptiness that had already consumed him long before they even met, he was already doomed. "And I suppose you're talking about the Italian fucks back there in Italy right? We'll go with that. Apparently they don't know shit, if they think that girl is my weakness, they got another thing commin'. Well I think I've heard enough, later." With that the hunter turned and walked off to meet up with Selene, Veratos and some face he couldn't quite name but knew he was a were wolf, to inform them on what he'd gotten from Botolf.

"They know Isabella's blood secret, and that she's supposed to be my weakness and they think they have an advantage over me. They think they know where to strike, can you believe that crap? They need to do their homework if they assume that they know me, 'cuz they don't." He shook his head with a half-smile and chuckled darkly, he found that so amusing. What did they know? His weakness? Certainly not a girl, what? They're joking, what the hell did they think weakness was? He saw it as Krytonite to Superman, an object that physically brought him fall to his knees, Isabella NEVER had that effect on him, but the opposite. With her he felt good, clean, powerful, whole. She could never be his weakness, more like his strength.

Now his weakness, it was something he had yet to discover, for a boy who feared nothing, what could possibly weaken his spirit? He was afraid to find out, and the fact that he realized this made him in turn freak out even more.

"Well that was expected, why do you think they're after her? But as of your connection with her I don't think they know that yet. It's best that they don't for obvious reasons, though I suspect that they want you out because of your father's involvement with her family. They assumed that you would follow in your father's steps and protect her, as he had defended her ancestors before her. They were right, and they know how much trouble you'll be for them if they try to capture Isabella, makes sense don't you think?" Veratos asked, looking from Dean to Selene and then and Julian, and back at the hunter as her own mind started up on a spin wheel, her eyes trailed to the little tent aglow with a flash light the girls had lit up inside as they caught up with each other, "they want to get rid of you so that it will facilitate their reach to Isabella, they know that where ever you are, she will be. So that means we gotta get off the grid and figure out what they're planning so that we can plan around their plan."

Dean turned to gaze at the tent recognizing Isabella's shadow against it, "Or we take them down head on, I don't do hiding, what do you think I am? Not a coward, you know that Vera. I don't run from danger, I run towards it."

"Well that is your style, but we should consider the safety of our client first Dean, I'm not going to tell you how to run things, but it's not just your fight anymore, it's hers too." Vera told him, her gaze following his to see the tent.

"I think they're trying to ambush us, using were wolves to lure us right where they want us. They must have been tipped off by someone who knows what we're trying to do, or like a chess game, they're trying to anticipate our moves, trying to prepare for the worst. I think we should strike now, and not wait," Dean said, voicing his own thoughts to the group, "it may be her fight, but this is something she can't handle on her own, she's a just a girl with alien blood that every one is killing each other over. I'm her guardian now," he showed them the key,

"that means I protect her, and that means she can't be directly involved, I hear you Vera, we all have to protect her, and deal with this shit ourselves, that's what we were hired for. Nothing else matters, remember when Lorenzo told us six months? I doubt that was giving Isabella time, more like giving them time to plan out a strategy of their own. I say we surprise them by giving them a visit in Italy, take out their monkey running the joint and finish this shit. I don't like taking forever on a damn case, I've dealt with vampires before, they aren't that scary."

Vera looked pensive as she took in what he had said, he was right, they were just puppets with fangs and glowy eyes, not as scary as demons, but in a group they could be a little more tougher to "take down" and Dean may have trouble dealing with them, especially if they fight dirty -Dean likes a fair fight.

"So you're saying that we should ambush them, before they strike?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"And you think they'll be surprised? I think they've already thought of that tactic, we have to really come up with something in case that fails."
"Whatever we should just get going, leave Isabella somewhere safe which I have pretty good idea where and go. We'll be assassins and change up our plans, we can't stick to one now can we?"

Vera nudged Selene and asked her what she was thinking on all of this. If she agreed on it all or had something to add, or knew anything more about the Italian vampiros?

The black wolf eyed the group as they conversed, their thinking that going after the Italian vampires was a good move could be risky, there may not be many pure bloods left in the world, but there were enough of them to become an unstoppable force if faced with all together. If Dean was planning to go up against them, he would require the help of the hunters association, with every weapon in their arsenal, that would be the only sure way to defeat the vampires, unless he was planning on taking them from the inside, like Isabella had suggested. Though without Isabella actually being there, could get very interesting.

Your friend could disguise herself as Isabella, she's done it before, you might want to consider the possibility of using that as an advantage. He probed the idea to Dean.

The hunter thought it over and nodded agreeing, "We already have what they want," Dean said, turning to face Veratos, her eyes glowed a bright golden resembling Isabella's topaz hues.

"If I play her for a while, I could trick them, they don't know about me at all, or of my skills." Her voice sounded like Isabella and it kind of freaked Dean out which he knew was going to work.