Kierra

Since I'm bringing art in, we go to the back of the building. Pounding on the back door, the curator opens shortly after with a smile. Security cameras are clearly working well. Zypher grabs the bigger canvas while Kani grabs one of my normal-sized ones, the other two I grab and we're herded inside. Whole time through, the older man is jabbering on about current events that I should attend and yadda yadda yadda. I make the appropriate noises where needed, but I hardly pay attention. I learned early on not to engage this man into a conversation, if done so, he will not shut up. He's nice enough, but I'm really not big on idle chit chat.

Since I'm nice enough, he never takes offense...I don't think. Apparently, for this event, the artist's names had been sent out a week beforehand, so it gave plenty of time for buyers to plan and prepare for attendance. I rarely attend since I hate being gushed or sneered at.

My art leans more towards animalistic and dark, so I'm really popular with the younger crowd. I did a few racy prints before, so a big majority of the older crowd shy away from my name. I slip one in every now and then just to see the reviews, change things up.

So the artist's names are sent out, but the prints will stay covered till the showing. The name of the print and a brief description is needed for each, mostly for the presenters to be aware of what they're about to reveal. These events are sometimes fun, just to see the expressions on some faces, but I have other things to do.

I fill out the information for each; Claim, Asher, Revealed, and Guardian. I still have the sketches of the first three at home, while the last one went from my head to the larger canvas. Unless anyone recognizes any faces or forms of those featured, the meaning and inspiration of each will be lost on most people.

‘Claim’ being of Nicolaus and I facing off over the cat form of my sister, ‘Asher’ is the one done of how I first saw him, ‘Revealed’ is the representation of me finding Bastion in the mouth of the beast waiting to devour him, and ‘Guardian’ is a massive Asher standing over Bastion with torn angel wings. Where the desired price is listed, I put down a very high one.

That way if it doesn't sell, I can take it back home. Would be more expensive anyway just from the size. Each will be auctioned off, so you're basically giving a desired starting bid.

Most of the smaller sized prints start at $45 dollars, but since these mean more to me than they could to anyone else, I set their starting price at $70. The larger one of Asher and Bastion gets set at $300 dollars. Normal one of that size would usually start at $90 to $125.

Can just imagine the rumors that will go around on my getting money-hungry, so I'll have to make some random images at a lower price next time. Kittens and butterflies or something.

Demon kitties and skeleton flutterbugs. Hmm.

Zypher and Kani had been roaming around exploring, so I have to collect them before I can leave. Kani is at a plaster human casting, admiring a male statue that is grossly un-endowed.

"Why are they always made so small? Are they afraid to make things bigger or were all the models really cold?"

Personally, I've always wondered that myself, so I laugh at his question.

"Well, if you go by how human evolution is progressing, the older statues like those from Rome and Greece are done of the current male of that time, yes? Man has been shown to have been getting steadily taller as time progresses. Maybe the same goes for package sizes."

I look on with a critical eye before I get a wicked grin.

"Then again, could you imagine an artist able to use Xavier as a model? It would probably have broken off over time, let alone making many a woman swoon. I think in those time periods, he would have been considered a God."

Not just for groin size, but for his very height. A God or a giant, either way. Kani giggles as we move off to find Zypher, who's at the metal sculptures. Not too surprising since that's his brother’s medium.

"If you can talk your brother into picking his craft back up, I can put in a word for him with the curator to have his stuff shown. Think they've been looking for some new blood to show off."

He looks at me, eyebrow raised.

"You'd do that for him? Even after what happened earlier?"

I shrug and look at the small metal statue that's made to draw you in yet confuse the eye.

"Don't see why not. Just because you guys see things differently than I do doesn't mean I won't help if I'm needed. I enjoy seeing the pleasure others take from creating something out of nothing, the look of pride when it's complemented. I don't know either of you really at all, but I'm sure he's very good at what he does."

The look of love and pride on his face tells me everything I'd need to know. This man may look burly with his thick chest, tall height, biker physique, and off-putting hair, but he has shown to be quite the teddy bear. I'm sure he can be quite the beast as well, but his love for his brother shows that he's more than what he seems.

With that, we finally get out of there, the old man still gushing about random things. From there we go to the shopping center. Know I said I wouldn't do my shopping here anymore, but at that point, I was still in 'hiding'. Since I'm 'out' now, I can shop here.

I send Kani off with a list of food needed and Z off the opposite way with the huge list of a filing cabinet and a few more dressers. Same design as the others preferably, close-to at least. Alone for the first time in... I don't even know how long, I feel off. Like I'm missing something. Hope that passes soon since it's ridiculous.

The first things I go for are sunglasses. Ones I pick out are more meant for guys, but that's fine, I like 'em. Those very reflective ones that instead of seeing my eyes, they'll see themselves. Always liked them, but could never wear any because of the glasses I used to wear. Yay for perfect-vision-monster-wolf eyes.

More blankets and a couple body pillows; pillows being more an impulse buy than anything since they aren't needed, but look very comfy. And they're fluffy. Don't judge me.

Snag up some 'school supplies' since I don't know if they'll need them or not and a sketch pad for Maii. Grabbing up some clothing items for all the new guys, it's while I'm grabbing some more warm clothes for my Imp that shit starts uprising. And for once, it actually is my fault.

One of those loud women that think they're entitled and the center of everyone's world, the thin cheerleader type of the adult world. No offense to other cheerleaders of course, not all are raging twats. She's with another female and a male trying to be gangster but just looks like a two-year-old dressed him.

Now, I'm not known for being nice when I'm annoyed. Faline hates coming to the store with me because I'm not exactly quiet about my thoughts on how someone is acting or looking like. I don't make fun of everyone, just the ones who really deserve it. Like this twiggy peacock.

Dressed in pink pajama bottoms with 'Juicy' printed over her rear end and a cropped tank top two sizes too small showing her lack of bra through her open jacket. Looking down, and sure enough, she's wearing those 'fashionable' winter boots. Chick can't care what she's wearing in public, but you best believe she's wearing a few pounds of makeup with each hair in place and expensive jewelry, laughing obnoxiously while hanging on the male who seems to be having issues with his pants staying on his ass. The female friend is being just as loud, but clearly the more submissive of the group.

Being my normal self, I start talking under my breath. More complaining really, while looking through the boy's section of clothing as she's loitering nearby making an ass of herself. I stay ‘relatively’ quiet till she starts in on another woman and her crying child. The woman already looks harassed and now has to deal with the loudmouth wench imitating the child's cries which just makes the kid louder.

Having enough, I walk away from my cart and up to the mother and smile at the child. A little girl of maybe four or five is upset because she's hungry and the mother is depressed because she isn't sure if she has enough to get what they need. Can read all that just from what comes off them; they're projecting so loud it's not allowing me to stay quiet. Making sure no one but the girl can see, I flash my eyes at her and share images of random animals acting silly.

Feeling the yellow fade, I look up to the mother with a smile as the girl hiccups, cries quieting. Pulling my wallet from my pocket and pulling out all the bills inside, I don't carry much cash on me, usually around fifty bucks in assorted denominations. I press them into the woman's hand while subtly moving her away from the noisy bitch. She tries to reject it, pride and confusion getting in the way, but I shake my head.

"I know what it's like to barely scrape by and you have a child to worry about. If not for you, take it for her."

The woman looks conflicted but finally nods, her eyes showing her gratitude. I wink to the little girl who's smiling at me with big chocolate eyes. I usually dislike kids, but in this situation, I couldn't turn away. I'm just glad the mother didn't turn overly prideful and become defensive.

I do, however, turn back to the loud bitch and walk towards her. The friend notices me first, tossing her chin my way. Pale blue eyes smirk at me as she turns, glinting as she looks over me. Since the first thing she sees is my thickness, she pounces on it, acting like a childhood bully in the courtyard as she starts hurling insults. I smile at her while the male at her side looks at me with disinterest. Her friend is the only one who shows sense, looking nervous, and backing up a step as I come forward brazenly.

"You know, you're being so loud, I'm sure your trailer park can hear you from here. Hoochies anonymous not having their meeting tonight? Too bad, I'm sure you're very popular in it."

I don't know what's more hilarious; her face or her boy’s. He looks like he can't make up his mind on being mad or wanting to laugh. Hers, on the other hand, is all belligerence, so I smile wider.

"Oh sure, now you're quiet. I'm sure it's a few years late, but better that than never, eh?"

Should probably walk away before it escalates, but I'm having too much fun. Pumping me full of Were battle-lust and combining it with my attitude really wasn't a good thing. The boy snickers, so she shoves him. Guess he isn't gonna get laid for a while.

The other female stays in the background, but her wanting to stand for her friend is plain on her face. I shake my head at her before looking back to the blue-eyed dyed blond. Just in time to, as she takes a bitch swing at me. I pull back easily enough from her open-handed slap. Oh geez, a girl fighter. No fun. She had put so much force behind it that she loses her balance and topples over. No fun indeed.

Smirking at her boy, I take a step back before turning and going back to my cart. Her high pitched squeals of outrage could break glass, so I'm glad there's none around. Even being over fifteen feet away and moving further out, her anger and outrage are hot at my back.

Can hear him and her friend try to cajole her into quieting down before they get kicked out. They should have been already if you ask me. I grab a few more things for Bastion then head towards the front to meet up with the others.

Both Kani and Zypher are already there waiting, Z with a raised brow and the fox grinning.

"Don't suppose all that shrieking has anything to do with you does it?"

I look at the wolf with innocence written all over my face, but my eyes are what give me away as they glitter with mischief. He shakes his head with a chuckle.

"Xavier warned that you had a penchant for finding trouble, guess he was right."

I snort at that one.

"Well he should know, half of it is caused by him oozing sex everywhere so I get glared at by every female around. It's a wonder I don't get into catfights more often. You ever want an abundance of female activity at a bar, take him with you. You may end up having to save him though. I did once, but not in a way he liked."

My grin is just downright evil as we go through check out. So glad we have the truck, my jeep would need two trips for all this. One cart is full of food; some for the house and the rest for Ava's holiday dinner.

I hate turkey, so I usually get a ham. This year, however, there are a lot more mouths to feed so a big bird is added to the menu. As well as the stuff needed for Ava to make her meatballs. No one makes meatballs like my best friend.

The other cart has a large three-drawer file cabinet and three small dressers like the ones at home. There are also several smaller things to do with motor vehicles. Since it's needed, I'm more than willing to pay for it, but he wants to do his own buying. My cart is full of clothes and bedding.

While waiting for everything, I give him directions to the auto-parts store that I know of. Once more I use the money slipped to me from the bad guys to pay for everything. By the time we get out of the store, it's dark out. Good thing the hobby store I need to go to is open late, otherwise I'd either have to wait for tomorrow or just order in bulk online. Should probably just do that anyway, but I'll still grab a few while we're out.

With the truck being so huge, we parked towards the end of the lot. Large snow mound on one side buries the small tree that sticks up valiantly. Didn’t think we had gotten that much, but the plows have to stash it all somewhere. It's while Kani and I are handing things up to the wolf that trouble comes back around. I groan as I turn, the loudmouth with her boy and girlfriend coming at us. Chick is still hurling insults.

"Friends of yours?"

Zypher sounds amused. Since he's hunkered down the way he is, I'm guessing they can't really see him, just Kani and I. Not sure, but I probably have at least eighty-five pounds on the teen, having already been real thin before he was starving. He's able to get into Faline's old pants that were too long for her and still have a little room to spare. Most of his weight seems to be in his rear end. He's the one who needs those 'Juicy' pants.

"Don't have much to say now do you bitch? Hiding behind a little boy."

I can't help it, I start laughing.

"How can I say anything when you're still being a loudmouth? And I'm pretty sure this 'little boy' could wipe the floor with you with no problem."

Being who he is, he smiles at the wench and raises his fists. I laugh heartily as she gets more and more pissed. Some people... Her boy is watching Kani, his expression guessing correctly at his gender preference. He also has to join in on the hurling of insults and threats of beating ass. His wannabe gangster talking is just downright sad. Pretty sure my cat is more gangster than he is.

Stopping maybe five feet in front of us, they still haven't really paid attention to the very large male behind me. The friend has finally found her courage and is following suit of her pals. Looking at her, I shake my head sadly. Peer pressure is a bitch.

"The three of you need to turn around and go home. You really don't want to start anything here."