Kierra

I get woken the next morning by a cold nose stuffed into my ear and snuffling. Wondering what the heck Bastion's doing as I shake my head, I come awake on my side. Head continues to shake as I sit up, pulling my legs under me. The scent finally registering in my nose has my eyes snapping open.

A pair of Caribbean sea jewels are looking at me, midnight colored muzzle next to mine. Asher is the last thing I'd expect to wake me in my home. I bolt further upright, instantly awake.

"Is everything alright? Where's Bastion?"

Warmth flows into my head, along with the knowledge that he's safe and upstairs entertaining my squatter and that everything's fine. I relax instantly and fall back down to lay on my side, amused by Asher calling Xavier a squatter.

"Very funny Mr. Cranky. What do you want? I was having a very interesting dream."

Which is sort of the truth, nightmare I think would be the qualifying term here. One full of rage, flying shadows, desperation, teeth, and blood. Lots of blood. So much in fact that I'd been drowning in it.

I get images in my head of my whines and abrupt movements. I close my eyes as he shows me what he had heard and came down to. Xavier and the boy had already woken and gone upstairs, so I was down here alone.

Bastion had let the wolf in about twenty minutes ago and had been waiting upstairs for me when he heard me crying out. Xavier had heard me too, but Asher made it to the stairs before he had. Coming down and trying to wake me as gently as he could, he finally resorted to what he did.

Having tried licking my muzzle to nudging me and even nipping at me, seems the dream wasn't going to let go till it was good and ready to. With there being no telling what can happen with me being a Silver, the midnight wolf had been worried.

I lay there for a few more minutes to gather myself, then stand, thanking Asher for waking me, and head upstairs. Going for the bathroom as my usual to shift, shower, then go to my room to get dressed. With the bedroom door closed, I sit on my bed and bring up the dream in privacy. Much of it has faded, but I recall a couple times before of dreaming about something long-legged. Xavier. Now with my seeing blood, I worry if it's to do with my sister or another upcoming fight. Probably both. I have more information now, but I still don't know what to do with it.

The Vampire Nicolaus has my sister, is wanted by other Vampires for possible exposure and has hired multiple other 'things' to kill me. Ones known to have killed previously and more than likely weren't picky on who it was they ganked.

Closing my eyes, I hone in again on my sister. Darkness, but there. She's asleep. Still alive, still a sense of confusion coming from her, but alive. I whisper to her that I am getting closer, and to hold on. I AM coming for her.

Another morning pep-talk over, I put all the piercings back in and pad back out to the living room on bare feet. Xavier is still in his animal form, sitting next to Bastion on the couch as the child reads to him about the different Canid families. I can see the boy growing up to become a teacher or zoologist.

My eyes go from the maned wolf to his clothes and junk still in a pile in front of the desk. Oops.

"Uhh, Xavier? If you'd like to use the shower, you're more than welcome to. Bastion can get you any clothes you may need or whatever. You do have extra clothes right? That bag isn't full of weapons or some macho-man crap?"

His mouth is open wide in a canine smile, laughter in his eyes. Oh boy, here it comes.

"Oh, I'm not sure. I might have a couple of extra pairs of socks. Don't see the point of underwear, I always lose 'em when I'm shifting or women are always stealin' 'em."

I scrunch up my nose in disgust as Bastion laughs. Not sure where Asher is, was still below when I came up and now nowhere to be seen. Going into the kitchen, child and dog go to the duffel that's against one of the bookshelves near the T.V.

Turning my back to them, I get me some juice. Or reach to do so anyway before I see a glass on the counter for me.

"Thank you, Bastion."

"Welcome."

My eyes roam over the items on the island as half my glass is drunk within seconds. Materials to be used while dealing with whatever my neighbors left. Cold air will help air it out I hope, but the smell is going to travel, no way I can help that. No other neighbors to complain, not for several miles, but still.

I can probably get over there and get it opened, let it air out while I go downtown. Too bad the hardware store doesn't sell Hazmat suits, that would be extremely helpful.

"Nice shirt."

Startled out of my thoughts, I look over to see Asher rubbing himself on the couch, especially the side he had claimed. If either of them starts pissing in the house, we're gonna have some major issues.

"What?"

"Your shirt."

Looking down, I catch on. Green T-shirt with white and red writing:

'Never go to bed Angry, Stay Awake and Plot your Revenge.'

Didn't even realize which one it was when I grabbed it. I grunt and finish my juice.

"Asher, did you know the old couple that lived over there?"

"I did not. They had come in after I'd been gone a few years traveling. Never noticed anything wrong with them, but I never got close either."

Bastion comes out from the hallway and goes to retrieve one of his puzzles. Five hundred piece. Table should be big enough.

"Hang on Bastion, I might have something that'll help you."

I go to my room, rummage around a bit before I remember where they are and come out with some trays. Very much like the ones you get your food on when in some restaurants.

"My grandmother used to use these when she did her puzzles. When I started doing the bigger ones, I found them to be extremely helpful. That may have been my O.C.D. kicking in, but separating pieces comes in handy."

Smiling, I put them on the table for him and grab up the box and a knife to open it. Setting it back down for him a minute later, his eyes are alight as he opens and gets down to it.

His hurried 'thank you' is received when I tap his forehead and chuckle. Going back to the island, I start opening packages. I keep glancing over at Asher every now and then as his movements continuously catch my attention.

"I swear if you don't stop rolling you'll rub off the texturing, not to mention I will get a squirt bottle after your ass."

He chuckles in my head, but settles by sitting up and laying on the quilt. Tigger on his cat tree looks at all of us with haughty disinterest. He seems to have come along well with the supernaturals, including myself.

Think he's realized that even though scents might be a little different, he can distinguish who we are in any shape. Although when more than one wolf is around he disappears, as well as when I go monster. He doesn't like that one at all.

Might have to make up some highways for him along the walls so he can go high and feel safer. Actually been wanting to do that for a while since he's always trying to get away with getting on the bookshelves. Just one thing on a list that grows each day.

Bathroom door opens and out from the hallway comes a half naked, very ripped, long haired male.

Oh, Goddess, save me now.

Good thing Faline isn't here to see me drool on myself, she knows about my wee fascination with men having long hair.

Barefoot, with low cut jeans and a towel over his head as he rubs at the mop, his face is still hidden within it, but I can see the tail of black hair that goes down his back. The trail of fuzz trailing down from his navel once again catches my attention.

I am in so much trouble.

Bastion, the little devil, is eyeing me as I gape with a smirk and knowing eyes. My eyes narrow at him as I toss a glove at him. I clear my throat as I turn around and go for another glass of juice, my mouth suddenly dry.

Can hear him giggling, so I reach back without looking and toss the other glove at him. Refusing to turn around until I can get my face under control and not be bright red. Let's see what's in the freezer, shall we?

The worst part? The adult males being able to smell the fact that I'm affected. Hence the difficulty in getting the blush to subside. Pretty sure I'm not fooling anyone by looking into the icebox. Where's a bag of frozen peas when I need one?

The miniature devil behind me has gone from giggling to all out laughter since I threw the other glove.

"Keep it up you Imp, and I'll start throwing ice cubes."

Really don't want to turn around, but I have to at some point. Can't hide forever. Sighing, I shut the freezer, then turn and retrieve my gloves. Going back to the counter as if nothing is wrong, I take a big drink of whatever liquid I had managed to get into the glass.

Sputtering, I look at my cup, full of green, goopy weirdness. Bastion had gotten some V8 veggie juice. It tastes like ass. Apparently I live in a house full of cackling hyenas, as everyone, even Asher, is behind me laughing up a storm. This just keeps getting better and better.

Turning the sink on hurriedly, I rinse my mouth of the foul stuff. The glass is taken to the little boy and handed to him as I glare at everyone in the room. Bastion tries to keep his smile behind his hands, Xavier is bending over next to the desk, and Asher has his head laid on the couch with his paws over his muzzle.

"Bunch of hyenas."

That just gets me another round of laughter. So happy I can amuse. Xavier is holding the towel to his belly as he tries to breathe, which gives me a better look at his confusing hair.

Short and spiky around his head then leads into a long tail going down his back. Thick on top and steadily thinning as it goes down, ending at his rear. And with his long, lean body, that's a lot of tail. Not to be confused with a mullet or rat tail, as it is neither.

A tattoo on his left shoulder catches my attention. A human skull faces a canine one with crossed swords behind them, music notes around the top while numbers are listed underneath. Well, he did say he was enlisted, so more than likely that's where he got it. Leaning back against the island, my arms cross while my eyes travel over them all as they finally get a hold of themselves.

Bastion drinks his nasty pureed veggies, Asher inspects the backs of his eyelids, and Xavier stays bent over to scrub at his head some more.

"Y'all're going to drive me nuts. Bastion, your... whatever you call that stuff, tastes like butt."

I love my veggies, but not all mixed together with fruit and turned into a drink. That's just eww. He looks at the glass with a smile and takes a drink.

"Tastes fine to me."

My eyes roll skyward, then back to the maned wolf, where I motion to his tattoo.

"From the service?"

He looks at it and nods. His hair reminds me of his mane in animal form. Must look real interesting when in Were form. That brings up another question; what are the feline Weres called when 'loup-garou' is a french term for 'Werewolf'? Hmm.

"Got it when I joined the animal faction of the Special Forces. Numbers are for my company, music notes were a joke on my bark while in animal form. Skulls are self-explanatory, and the swords are a symbol of battle."

"Nifty."

He smirks, going to his pile of clothing and gathering everything up.

"There's an area downstairs that was getting sectioned off, you can put your stuff there for now if you'd like. Don't want it piled up in my living room."

His eyes widen in surprise, but he gathers his things and takes them below, giving his thanks as he passes me. I have to hold my breath as he goes by. Not because he smells, not bad anyway. The total opposite, actually, because I know he'll smell amazing to my wolf. Well, wolf and inner giddy female.

Going in the opposite direction, I put the gloves back with the other items and look up at the clock on the microwave. Doubt Downtown is very populated this early, so I need to get started on this before it gets too late. A liquid warmth slithers into my brain, causing me to glance up to a closed-eyed Asher.

"Care to share what you're planning to do with all that?"