Ann and Adam had been mid discussion regarding potential baby names for each of the pups when a frantic looking Felix practically fell through the doors and into her room. "They… fuck… Jasper… it was him! He was here… he still IS here!" he rushed out between breaths almost incoherently as he leaned on the table as he tried to catch his breath. Ann and Adam froze mid conversation as they took in his panicked appearance and they exchanged a look of concern. "What the fuck has crawled up his ass?" Maeve grimaced as she flicked her ears in annoyance. Ann ignored Maeve's snarky comment and sat up, pushing the sheet back a little as she held her hands out in front of her in a placating gesture. "Felix, slow down…" Ann began in a soothing tone but she was cut off by Felix's furious glare. "No, you don't understand. He's STILL HERE!" He yelled impatiently as Adam growled warningly at his tone. "Growl all you want Adam, this is fucking serious. He killed Aoife, but she wasn'
"I can't believe you agreed to bringing her with us." Baldur snapped testily inside Adam's head. "It's not like either her or Maeve would take no for an answer," Adam snapped back as he readjusted his grip on Ann's legs and shifted her position on his back. "You're an Alpha, Adam… if you can't control your mate…" Baldur snorted derisively. "She's the Alpha Queen for a reason." Adam replied with a sigh, "If you're that salty about it, how about we shift and you can have it out with Maeve, hmm? See how she likes you ordering her around." Baldur whined almost instantly and Adam could see his tail tucked between his legs reflexively. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Adam snorted as Baldur skulked to the corner of his mind and curled up sullenly on the corner. "Everything okay?" Ann asked softly as she tightened her arms around Adam's neck. "Baldur is pissed that I brought you with us." Adam grunted. "I told you I can walk," Ann scowled. "Yeah, but for how long? You still
"So what do we do now?" Felix asked to no one in particular once they were all gathered in Lord Brarthroroz's suite. The guards had been instructed to let them know as soon as Lexi began to stir and Allen stood in the doorway to Lord Brarthroroz's suite so that he could run to their room as soon as she showed any signs of waking up. "The first thing we should be doing is getting my stubborn mate back to her bed in the hospital so that she can get the rest that…" "Not a chance Adam." Ann glowered, "I've been out of action long enough and if I need to rest then I would much rather do so in the comfort of our own chambers." "But, what if you need intervention from the doctors again? Think of the pups. What if…" Adam tried to reason with her but Ann's loud impatient sigh stopped him in his tracks. "What if the sky falls and we're all buried?!" Maeve yelled suddenly in Ann's head and it took everything in her to not snort loudly. "Maeve thinks you're being dramatic, and just f
"I'm sorry, just… wait a minute. Let me get this straight because it seems absolutely fucking unbelievable. What you're saying is, some poor bastard's soul is being used to hold a magickal barrier that stops all communications within it?" Felix asked in disbelief. "Pretty much, yes. It prevents all communication from inside of the barrier, with the outside. It can only be destroyed by the same signature of magic that it was constructed with, so any magick that doesn't match with the caster's variant of magick, simply won't work." Lord Brarthroroz answered. "So how the hell are we going to take it down?" Allen murmured. "Lexi…" Ann breathed as Lord Brarthroroz's eyes snapped to her. "As much as I dislike the truth of your statement, I cannot deny that you are right." he frowned. "Why Lexi? Why does it have to be her and not you?" Allen interrupted fiercely, "She's already unstable and we've seen how using her… powers, abilities, magick whatever you want to call it, has affec
Despite the brave face that Lexi had put on, she had still needed a couple of days to recover as her energy levels were incredibly low. She had fallen asleep a few times when they had all been sat discussing how best to proceed and then been furious with herself afterwards. One thing had been certain though, she was going to find Greyson whether Allen wanted her to or not. They had come to a silent agreement about it, that neither one of them would mention it outright, but they would both participate in planning the expedition out there to take care of the sites. Lord Brarthroroz would go with them, along with a handful of specialists from the Enclave, and a few of Lord Brarthroroz's commanders would accompany them, for back up if needed. Ann would stay behind with Adam and work on having the plans for the portal room in the Enclave approved by the council with Bartholomew's help, and take a closer look at the finances required to get their military force up to scratch, so th
Ann and Adam followed Bartholomew to his office, requesting breakfast from a passing omega as they made their way there. Once inside the safety of his office, Bartholomew took the stone from his pocket and placed it on his desk as they sat and looked at it. "Soulstone? It sounds kind of ominous." Adam commented dryly. "That's because it sort of is." Ann answered as she reached for the stone and held it to the light that streamed in through the window. "If you look closely Adam, sometimes you can see the solidified energy of the soul inside…like a mist that's infused within the stone." Bartholomew explained. "It's filled with dead people?!" He exclaimed in horror. Bartholomew chuckled and shook his head. "I suppose it is. Soulstone was formed from the souls of thousands perhaps, all fossilized centuries ago when the gods themselves roamed the earth and walked among us in various guises. It can only be found in the realms that were eventually given over to the Daemons as
The journey out to the last spot that had been scouted by the Enclave's Specialist handlers and their direwolves had been uncomfortable to say the least. The standard black armored transport with tinted windows was not air conditioned, and the heat in the back was stifling. The only breeze came from the window in the front passenger seat, where Lord Brarthroroz was seated next to an obviously tense driver. The specialists that accompanied them sat in the front two rows, occasionally throwing worried glances back at the cages, as Lexi grinned unashamedly at them from her seat next to Allen on the back row. "Do you have to torment everyone that you come into contact with?" Allen murmured in annoyance as he rolled his eyes. "What? I'm just being friendly." Lexi protested with a shrug, her eyes glinting mischievously. Allen raised an eyebrow at her as Lexi snorted. "Look, I'm hot, I feel like we've been cooped up in this tin can forever and I'm already bored. A girls gotta do
The specialist raised an eyebrow at Lord Brarthroroz and barely suppressed the scoff of disbelief. "You're telling me that your hellhounds can sniff out the sites faster than our direwolves?" "We could always make a wager on it, if you like?" Lord Brarthroroz answered casually as a sly smirk played at the edges of his mouth. "I'm not betting my soul…" The shifter replied before he was interrupted by Lord Brarthroroz's laughter, "I don't know what's funny about that." He continued, scowling at both Lexi and her father. "Listen buster, I think you and your little friends have us confused with the demons of the human religions," Lexi snorted, "We're daemons, not demons. There's a huge difference." "I don't see how. You both deal in souls and dark magick, and live in the depths of hell." "I'll have you know my home is quite comfortable and welcoming actually. If you can get past the succubi that is… although I'm sure some of your unmated would love spending time with them...