Faline

Orion is right at my side as we go through the doors. This front area isn't a place I'd been to until that day I left, being chased into it and led by a feeling. A feeling that to this day I don't understand where it came from, but I'm glad it was there.

Vampires and animals alike are milling around. Feel a bit ridiculous with the plant now, but that'll pass. I recognize a few of the submissives, each one’s eyes widen as they see me.

Within five minutes tops, I bet everyone will know I'm here. The Vamps seem to be split down the middle about my return. A few appear amused while others look disgusted. I blow them a kiss.

Orion is leading me through when I actually start thinking about where I'm going to stay. When we get past the crowds, I turn to ask him.

"When you were here before, did you stay in any of the rooms, or did you always leave?"

Feeling like a very small child next to his over six and a half feet of burliness, I look up. Dressed in slacks and a tucked-in button-up shirt, you'd think he was out on a date or something. When you get over his barrel chest and super deep voice, he's quite the pussycat.

Just a very large pussycat. Being an over eleven-foot-long lion, he takes up some space. Just as much as his human form I'd say. Ruggedly handsome, with the permanent five o'clock shadow going on, high cheekbones, and a deep tan. Could call him good looking I guess, but I don't see him that way. Trying to romanticize him in my head makes my brain hurt.

"There were rooms I stayed in, but I never slept here, no. Is there a specific one you were wanting?"

"That's just it, I'm not sure."

He looks down at me as we stop in one of the sitting rooms that are randomly placed at hallway crossings. Black eyes remind me of obsidian when they glitter with laughter. Right now they're more or less lacking in expression.

"Where do you plan on spending most of your time?"

"If I keep up with how things were before, more than likely the kitchen. Seemed I did the most good there."

Nodding, we head off again. Going past a slave or two, I don't make any eye contact. Considering how I was always dressed when here before, seeing actual clothing on me probably looks weird.

I'd only packed a few outfits, the pants I'm wearing now being the only ones I'd brought. Like I told my sister when she looked at my skirts; if I need to shift fast, skirts just fall right off. Also why my tops are all tank tops.

My bust is small enough that I don't necessarily have to wear a bra. Being undead takes any need for one totally out. No skin saggage for the living impaired.

I'm wearing shoes, but I don't see them staying on long. I'd grabbed my oldest pair, so if something happens to them it's no real loss. Didn't see much point in grabbing underwear, but there's a pair of boxer-shorts in there.

Not sure if they'll fall as easily as the skirt, but we'll see. Having gotten the idea from Nicolaus, I have a very snug hair tie around my wrist. His cat being larger as well as his male human bones, the one he had didn't have to be tight.

My cat is much smaller, so need one snug enough to stay on while running around on four feet. Thought about grabbing some kind of neckwear, but I can see that getting used against me. If I do have to shift fast for any reason, I'll let the ones around me know to stash my clothes somewhere safe.

"There was a library-office-like room near the kitchen, that one will do."

It’s not till after I say it that I recall what happened last time. Lowering my head to keep my blush from being so obvious, a small thrill goes through me. My heart had slowed way down, but now it thuds a few times before settling again.

"You alright?"

I nod, trying to think of other things that have nothing to do with enticing nude male Vamps. Of course, that's also the room I had threatened to kill Madaline in, so it has that going for it too.

"Don't you want a room with a bed in it?"

I look up at him as if he's crazy. Even with the 'sort of' relationship with my Vampire, I will never be able to sleep in one again. Not after being chained to one.

"Um, I don't do beds. A couch will do just fine. Think my sister actually had a good idea with the whole sleeping in animal form thing, and getting into smaller areas to sleep should be pretty easy."

Lion blinks at me but inclines his head. He won't ask, but I'm sure he can figure it out.

"Has there been any luck on finding out anything more about that lawyer that had been here?"

Kierra's idea of going after this ring sounds crazy to me, but I guess everyone needs a hobby. His head shaking has me scowling.

"Don't suppose you and Benjamin keep in contact either, do you?"

Benjamin is my sister’s work friend, who also happens to be Vampire. She may only see him as a friend, but you can tell just by the way he looks at her that there's more for him. She doesn't see it though.

That's one of those weird things, since with her empathy she can feel and see when someone likes another, but seems totally oblivious when it's aimed at her. I'm talking about before she became a wolf though. Now... She seems to ignore it on purpose.

"No. Lions don't go to others for help."

I stop walking abruptly. He takes a couple of steps further before noticing, his strides being double mine anyway, so he's feet ahead when he looks back.

"That's something I agree with Kie about. None of this would have happened if the different groups kept in some kind of contact - other than that of sex in a place like this. Because of all your stubbornness and old ways, how many children do you think have suffered for it? Not just human, but Shifter as well?"

Angry now, I stomp forward and go ahead. I sort of know where I am.

"It's a wonder all you damn animals aren't extinct because of your own stupidity."

Can feel his gaping at me, but I could care less right now. Just because some dirty old men in charge say things have to be kept separate, the ones below are the ones who feel the pinch of time and loss from no communication. Fucking politicians.

Getting snippets from Kie is where my anger is coming from, I think. She's talking with the Red Wolf Alpha about the same things I'm talking to Orion about. Her emotions and thoughts keep bleeding through the shield she keeps up.

Doesn't take long for him to be back at my side, so I share.

"Right now my sister is talking to the Red Wolf Alpha about this same subject. I’m only getting bits and pieces of the whole, but she's very angry, having the very same thoughts as I on this. You don't have to be chummy with each other, but some kind of communication is needed. Something more than just rumors getting spread around."

The giant at my side is quiet as we make our way through the halls. It's a good thing he stuck with me, I would have gone the wrong way. Damn place is a maze, and doesn't really have too many distinguishable 'landmarks'.

All the artwork is in the rooms, kitchen, and Lady's wing. Don't know if it's kept like this on purpose or what, but I should probably try to learn the paths. Even if I have to mark them myself.

From the smells drifting around, I can tell we're close to the kitchen. There’s actual food cooking, so that's good. Wonder if it's Kerry and crew or someone else. Orion is still silent next to me, so I look up at him.

"You alright? I know you're not that big a talker but you usually have something to say when I'm annoying you."

He gives a smile, but doesn't respond till the door to the room we're going to is shut behind us. Not sure why people still bother doing that, it's all illusion when almost everyone in this place can hear what's being said from down the hallway, even with the door closed...if it’s quiet enough. Think I'd personally prefer it open, then I can see and smell who's coming before they're bursting in on me.

"Was just thinking. Everyone's getting so up in arms about the prophecies around you and your sister when it's actually up to us to make those changes. We say we want them, yet do nothing ourselves to make a difference. Granted there's a council that oversees everything, making the rules and laws, but the leaders and Alphas of each group can choose to do things differently."

He starts pacing the length of the room while I look around. Guess you could call it a type of office, it has a desk with a small lamp, bookshelves line the walls to the left and right, wall at the back of the room is bare, just as the wall with the door leading out, and a small couch, more loveseat, is against the wall with the door. The desk is sort of in the corner, but more angled to be in front of the shelf. Since it isn't a room on the outer rim of the building, no windows are present.

Without those or any kind of markers, the room seems unfinished. The bookshelves are more in the wall rather than in front of it, so getting on the top of them is a moot point, but if some books were taken out on one of the higher shelves that aren't very visible right when you open the door, it could provide a good spot.

Of course, that also depends on how deep the shelves are, too. There are no ladders for these shelves as they only go up maybe seven feet, but there's the desk chair and the desk itself that I can stand on.

Or I could just ask Orion since he's right here. Simplest ways are always the last to come up.

Putting the plant and my bag on the wooden desk, I wave at the lion to get his attention. Having picked out a spot on the top shelf that's more behind the door when it's opened, it blocks my sight of who's coming in, but the noise will alert me and I'll be in range to lunge if needed. The very first time when I changed into my cat, I was judging things by a human’s reality’s terms, not Vampire terms. I can jump, leap, and run faster than I originally thought. The running I'd already figured out, but the leaping and jumping I didn't get till after I got home.

My hand is grabbed, making me jump, the lion looking at me with laughing eyes.

"You and your sister seem to share some traits when it comes to wandering off in thought processes."

Frowning at him, I tug my hand back. Apparently, I'd had his attention for a bit before he just came over to jog me loose. So in other words, I was waving my hand in the air for no real reason. Perfect.

"Can you pull out those books for me? Want to see how deep the shelf is up there."

He looks to where I'm pointing and does as I ask. Of course, depth won't matter if shelf height is a problem. If I can't get into it to begin with, then there's no point.

The space between the shelves looks to be over a foot, accommodating older books that are hella tall. May end up having to settle for a lower shelf, easier to get into. I wait to see though till after he pulls down some of them.

Amazing part here is that they're actual books, not an image filler. Seems a bit pointless to have all of them when most of the live-in bodies here don't or can't read. Not like they're picture books either.

"Shouldn't get too comfortable in here, you'll want to bounce around so you aren't so easy to find. Find one of the rooms that has a canopy bed and get on top of it if you must. If your aversion to beds is well known, it'll seem less likely you will be in one."

"I highly doubt it's a known tidbit... What were the reactions to Anthony's death? I don't want any blowback on my sister, especially since by that point she was protecting herself from getting killed. You saw her wounds."

All those times I thought I'd bested that dog and it turns out he'd been holding back. Guess I should have suspected that. Nicolaus too, having kept two Were-animals off of him.

Asher and Xavier had some pretty bad wounds, broken bones. Not sure the extent of the Vamp’s wounds, I couldn't see very well. Tear filled eyes and him covered in blood kind of obscured things.

"Most were indifferent. He wasn't very popular. The only outcry was about him being killed inside where it's supposed to be safe. Not sure how the Mistress got around them on that."

That reminds me, should probably tell him. Just have to be really low about it. Looking through the dresser, I find an old pen, but no paper.

I send a quick sorry to my sister, then rip a page out of a book. Doesn't even look like it's written in English. Scribbling the pen over it till ink starts to sort of flow, I start writing it out instead of chancing saying it aloud.

All eyes are going to be on me now that I'm back, which means no privacy. Would be so much easier if I could talk with the animals in their heads like Kie can.

I seriously got jipped.

I have to go over several words multiple times since the ink is touch and go. Writing down to tell him that Lady, the Mistress, knows what I am, but has to be careful of appearances. That she might have more info, but he has to be creative on how he talks to her about stuff.

There's a nice little stack of books in front of the shelf when I look up. Get a sudden childish urge to make a fort out of them all. Could work as a decoy I guess.

Stepping close to the man, I hand my note to him.

"Don't tell my sister I did that, she'll kill me."

He raises an eyebrow, then reads it. When done he puts it in his pocket and nods to me. Yay. With the conversation we just had earlier about the races communicating, hopefully, he'll take some initiative.