Kierra

Get the feeling of a shrug in my head.

"What's your medium?"

"Metal."

"No shit?"

Startled, he looks back over to me. Don't know why he's so surprised. I had tried it once, only parts I was good at was burning myself and slicing open my fingers. The snow wolf just looks at me, so I'm a bit confused here. I know there's a couple schools in Chicago that give classes, is that what he's wanting?

"Um, you alright?"

"Don't usually get that type of response from a female."

Xavier steps out to get a look at the finished projects.

"I think you'll find my friend, that she is not a typical female."

Not sure if that’s a jab or a compliment, so I just lift an eyebrow. He doesn't notice though as he looks at the finished work. Well, while they gawk, I want more juice. Dammit.

Xavier makes me go around him so I pinch his side, hard. He jumps and pulls away, laughing. Get him to move one way or another, maybe I should look into getting a cattle prod. Seems the only sensible way to deal with that man-child.

I get to the kitchen with no more roadblocks and get my refill. When was the last time I drank something? Hmm.

Zypher comes out of the shower, bathroom all steamy. Have a feeling my water heater is really going to get tested in the days to come. Should probably have them wait ten or so minutes before the next one, but if his bro really wants in, there's no stopping him.

Thankfully, he has a towel securely around his waist. His thick chest is covered in a light cover of hair, so stereotypically Canadian that I have to smile. They did say northern Wisconsin right? His moisture darkened purple hair is in a long braid down his back. Nifty.

"Never understood how people could do that, I never could."

Gray-blue eyes blink at me till I motion to his hair.

"The braid, I can pull mine around and do something simple, but it doesn't stay long."

He smirks as I pour another glass. Where is that Imp anyway? Don't have to look long, he's curled up on the new couch, tucked into a center corner and sleeping. Looks like a very good idea actually.

"Takes a lot of practice when you have nothing better to do."

I lift a brow at that. For some reason, I can't picture this man having nothing to do. Calling out to Shade, I ask him to wait a moment so I can get some of the paint off my hands.

Once as clean as they're going to get with a quick rubdown, I give the okay, closing the door for him as he goes in and pointing to the cabinet with towels. Pretty sure I didn't need to since his sibling managed, but oh well.

Older brother is leaning against the island counter watching a sleeping Bastion. Not wanting to answer anymore past dredging questions, I speak up first.

"Shade says he works with metal, do you have any artistic ability?"

Rinsing out the glass quickly before the shower starts up, I get it put in the strainer. Here's to hoping it doesn't screw him too much. Whoops. Zypher grins at me as if he knows what I'm thinking.

Probably does since I'm not concealing any thoughts, so they play over my face pretty easily. He gives a shrug while shaking his head.

"No, my trade is being a badass and working on bikes."

Uh-huh. I just blink at him till he chuckles. Since having spotted the sleeping child, I seem to be dragging more and more. Leaving him to scrounge for food, I head to my room.

The door never gets closed all the way so I can open it easily once on four paws. Just as I'm about to pull my shirt over my head, it opens then closes softly. My heart thumps hard as the male scent finds my nose.

"You can continue, I'm looking away. Just wanted to go over a few things."

Looking over my shoulder, the maned wolf has indeed turned away. I move more in front of my closet door mirror so I can keep an eye on him.

"Speak."

His head sinks down as if he's rubbing his eyes, so taking him at his word, I start stripping. Hope he knows if he tries anything, I'll never trust him again.

"Conversation earlier never got finished."

"What conversation was that?"

He almost turns, but I see him catch himself. His hand instead waves in the air motioning at the house.

"Asher. You said you're technically on his lands."

I nod before it clicks he's not looking, so I give an affirmative 'Mhmm'. Pants and underwear down, shirt and bra left to go. All my shirts tend to be pretty long, so even just in a shirt, I'm still relatively covered.

"I know he marks everything, the whole area within a five-mile radius is claimed, but I've found your marks on some of the trees that are further out from range of the house."

That makes me wince. I kneel down to my knees, legs under me as I look into the mirror, trying to find the courage. My voice is low as I look down to the once upon a time punctures on my outer thighs.

"Those had been made on my second day of the full moon. I was foolish in following a trail that was laid out specifically, a stranger’s marking making me go nuts till I removed all trace, to follow the scent and be rid of it."

"Stop."

I look up, he's still looking away, but I can hear the harshness in his voice. He knows what happened on my first full moon. Can see his attention flick over to the box on the side of my bed.

The box that a mysterious someone sent to me as a gift. Forgot to ask Alarico if he knew anything of it. I'm sure it isn't too often an occurrence for a rogue to get skinned.

A large, tan-colored pelt from nose to tail tip is folded all nice and neat within the box, fitting end for a rapist I think.

"I thought we'd gotten them all re-covered with Asher's scent. At the time of them being made, I was still trying to stay under the radar. If one could find me at home, another surely could as well, but if all they get is Asher's scent, it might deter them."

At first, I had thought I was putting a burden on the wolf by doing all that, but when you think of the fact they used to be his lands in the first place, I'd just given him an added reason to go over everything.

"The burned-out house near here is his from over twenty-five years ago, he’d lived there with his wife before she was killed and he was cursed. I don't know if anyone had lived in this house or the other at that time, so as far as I know, everything is his."

Can see him nodding, so I remove my shirt and unclasp the offending boulder-holder. Really hate when just as you take the darn things off, your nipples become instantly happy with freedom and decide to become harder than stone. Can actually be painful at times.

Re-positioning, I sit on my rump and bring my legs up, crossing them in a way that everything is covered when looking in the mirror.

"Xavier, turn please."