Werewolves and Vampires and Psychics: Oh my!

[The Lilith Myth]

“You should temper your replies, Blair.” Crow pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyance etching lines on his forehead.

“Why? Is he that scary?” Blair sighed, gently picking at the faux fur on her ear muffs. “I don’t even understand why I need to be here.”

“You don’t say ‘No’ to Vlad, the Dragon.” Crow tossed the fine leather gloves at her, earning an annoyed scoff from Blair. “You need to use your gift and be very careful.” He advised sternly, reaching out to adjust her coat lapel.

“Why are you fussing over me so much?” She swatted at his hand, shrinking back from his touch. “Stop being a mother hen.”

“Yeah, Crow.” Aramis chortled, opening his eyes to wink at Blair.

“I’m just being cautious! You can never be too careful with Vlad.” He shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his head back into the seat. “Forgive me for trying to help.”

“You picked out my outfit, too.” She giggled quietly. “You do have good taste, though.” Blair mused as she stared out the window at the frozen landscape while the limos rolled up to the castle of a home. “Geez. This place is enormous.”

Aramis yawned loudly and stretched his arms out over his head as the limo doors opened. He sternly looked at Blair quickly before exiting the car and helping her out and into the frozen quiet. Goliath took a look over her quickly before trying to remind her to be confident and steady as Blair adjusted the earmuffs over her ears quickly. She could feel her nose getting red in the slight breeze.

When they entered, they separated, Blair being led away from her guards and the safety of Goliath. The servant that ushered Blair away and into the hall where her summoner awaited her in front of a hearth. Suddenly she didn’t feel so confident in herself. It was as though his eyes could see through her. The intensity of his stare was as though nothing else existed in this world expect for her.

He spoke her name as though he had spoken it a thousand times and she got goosebumps, faltering in her steps slightly. The faceless servant took her coat, gloves, sunglasses, and earmuffs, backing away from the couple and quietly exiting the room with her belongings. Blair gracefully sat down, tucking one foot under the other and folding her hands in her lap. It took her a moment to find her voice, her blue eyes glowing slightly from the firelight as it flickered around the logs. “Thank you.” She spoke quietly, as though if she were to raise the volume of her voice it would be muffled by the sheer magnitude of the home. “It seems everyone knows more about me than I know about myself these days.” Blair watched the flames dance, trying to compose herself.

“What do you need of me?” She flatly asked, turning her blue gaze to her companion.  

[~Lonewolf703~]

Vlad Tepes
The Dragon
The Ban of the Turks
Vlad the Impaler
,,,,,,,Dracula.

Dracula smiled warmly upon hearing Blar's voice, please to hear that it didnt seem shakey. Despite his presence. Communication was always easier with those of sound mind before him. "Ah, it is not what I need with you Blair, it is what the world has in store for you. You have lived within this new vision of the world for a year now, through the gauge in which you have seen it is small and limited you know see the world for what it truely is. You see much more then humans and their troubles, sadly this is not to say that the world is not darker for it."

Dracula motioned, and from a wall appeared one of the faceless.... entitiies and in their posession a slim elegant remote, doted in silk black buttons. The design was incredibly sleek amoungst the more grand nature of the room in which they found themselves in. The being moved silently, as if it were not. In fact everything about the being was emptiness itself. No intentions, no decernable mannerisms, no inner voice, no outer expression. It was as if it was a construct of dust dancing between rays of sunlight in the air in solid form. There, noticible, but nothing more. Dracula still bowed his head ever so slightly in a thanks as he took the remote smoothly between two fingers, careful not to touch the being. And with that, the thing, the ghost disappeared, sinking rapidly into the solid stone floor below them. Gone as if never there.

Dracula then clicked a button on the remote and a large scale, slickly modern flat screen television rose from the fireplace mantel. "I must apologize that your transition to this side of reality was not as smooth as I would have hoped. But the policies of the court are slow moving and even my own hands bound by the restraint of bueracratic paper work." He motioned to the television as the screen flicked to life at the pressing of another button.

"Werewolves" The screen showed an image of a massive bipedal muscular wild figure once only contained to the pages of fantasy novels and fiction. "Vampires" again the screen changed, "Mystics, Gargoyles, Constructs, Ghosts, Ghouls, the undead in various forms, Spirits, curses, magic, spells, curses, angels, demons, gods, and devils, legends, horrors, abominations, and those who rule them all." The screen flicked with examples between his announcing of all of these things and landed on an emblem that the councel used as identification. Dracula continued. "Despite our best efforts, both sides of the counsel could not act before the... greedy actions of the common rabble Im afraid. Dracul's brood, whom has unfortunenetly been a stain to my name for some time, and the werewolves were never to be in the picture. Your meeting them was a most regretable mistake. To boil it down simple Blair you were a commodity, the vampires wanted you, and the werewolves hated that brood enough to simply want you to play keep away. I doubt the wolves themselves had much more of an idea then that.... their relationship is in the end childish, and it's scope of operations very small in comparison to your accension.

He eyed Blair's reaction to his use of accension. "Accension to the protection fo the counsel of all of this madness. A duel counsel of Life and Death, with a duty to ensure the freedom of life that comes with the balance of the concepts. With agents and powers to ensure that not one in particular becomes a threat to large to the right of ignorance that your once shared in, but I suppose that even this has failed to answer your question in full.."

He refocussed all of his golden gaze to her own blue eyes. "But despite all of the mystical natures of fiction and fantasy, your existence is an enegma. You my dear are a translucent. One who can see beyond time, something that no one on the courts of Life, nor Death have acclaim to. And in time, if the legends of our past, and those before your arrival here words are to ring true. The true nature of balance in this world can be maintained by what the world and the voices of the void speak onto you. Balance Miss Lyone, from the perspective of a third party, guided by information beyond our own reaches. You are marvelous my dear, and your perspective, while confusing to you now will in time be your greatest tool in finding your place amoungst the tides of time.." Like a gift giver Dracula took in the reveal to the woman.  

[The Lilith Myth]

Blair quietly listened, watching the examples on the television as he named them. “Ascension?” She mused, tilting her head softly in confusion for a moment before her companion continued. “Ah.” Their eyes locked as he spoke, the intensity of the colors magnified by the firelight. She crossed her arms under her bust loosely, listening to his explanation while leaning back into her seat.

“So, you want me to serve as your balance? Your go-between for all groups?” Blair sighed, feeling the frustration bubbling up. “I am a tool to be used, as a rare commodity in this world, and I am apparently very valuable.” She stood slowly, her heels clicking on the floor as she moved closer to the fireplace. “While everyone was trying to play keep-away with me, the original plan was to get me to Goliath’s security, I presume.” Blair pinched the bridge of her nose softly, trying to clamp down the rising bile in her throat. “You’re telling me no one else can do what I can do?” She turned to face Dracula, standing with the fire behind her. “No one else is available to be your ‘Lady Justice’?”

She flopped down ungracefully into her chair, watching Dracula carefully. “Basically, my life is no longer my own.” Blair groaned. “Not exactly a news flash for me. Although Goliath did try to make me feel better in his own way, implying that I was a Queen among pawns.” She absently drew her thumb over the engraved dog tags hanging from her necklace. “But, unless you have someone who can teach me how to harness this gift, I don’t know how to help you.”

Blair’s blue eyes locked with his gold, unsure and slightly afraid of what to do at this point in their conversation. “I don’t even know how to use it, and I’ve lived with it for over twenty years. It’s ostracized me for at least that long, and now that everyone wants it I have no idea what to do with my newfound popularity.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “Everyone keeps telling me how special I am, but I am not sure that I’m as special as you want me to be.” Blair felt deflated, unsure, and lost. She couldn't have felt more alone in the world than she did right now. "Where do we go from here? What do you want me to do?"  

[~Lonewolf703~]

Vlad Tepes
The Dragon
The Ban of the Turks
Vlad the Impaler
.......Dracula.

Dracula took in her responses thoughtfully. He took time to think over her concerns and her statements. From her perspective much of this looked to be much different then he was hoping. He smiled warmly, yet stinged with concern. The entire light of the situation was in her eyes that of darkness. To some, this new life style was freeing, but it would appear that to this one, perhaps this was to much.

"I assure you Blair," He leaned forward and placed a calm hand on her knee. "That very little in what the world has in store for you is anything of service to any, but your own. You are very correct, the foresight of others points to you being a key to the balance of the two sides of the same coin, but for any input further as to how that is to come to past I cannot be the one who offers that. Otherwise the situation would grow more to my own perspective of things. Goliath is limited to what he can do, and Im afraid his more.... covetting and walled off form of caring for you has staunted the true natures of possiblity before you. And your growth to finding yourself." Dracula withdrew himself back in to his large chair, continueing.

"Your life will again change now that we have the paper work in order. Your torment as a caged bird will no longer be on the table as your reality. No more Seattle. No more connections, to governing officials of the world of humans. And financing from the Counsel with little to no limits. Your gaurds will now follow your orders, and the scheledule will be your own."

"Life... has a way of making those unsuspecting into roles of granduer." Dracula snapped back to his own time before his curse.... Thinking back to the warrior king in the corner of an invaded nation. Enemies at the door, and those he loved behind him. "I have walked those shoes in a life long ago myself. It does get easier, and through the pain we often become our best selves." He gave his best attempt at a kind face, so long the time had been since this kind of talk had occurred between himself and another. Perhaps this was already the showing of power of her perspective? "Now then, shall we move to the library? While I only know of the journey, and not your destinations. I still have gifts to bestow. ". He rose and smirked. "While your American Hollywood has painted me into a shadow of the true picture. I was never one to not treat ladies." He motioned to follow him and began to move further into the castle. Dancing torch light, and flickering shadows playing amougnst the stone and tapestries.
 

[The Lilith Myth]

“Yes, but until all of this is over, I’m still a hot commodity, unfortunately.” She sighed, eyeing his cold hand on her knee. At least everyone around her was trying to help her and held varying amounts of concern for her. “Wait, coveting?” Blair eyed the doorway where she left her companions and shook her head, unsure if she could believe what she heard here or not. He seemed to drift back into memories as she watched, feeling slightly sympathetic and a little guilty for being snarky to such a powerful person who so obviously suffered for his choices.

“So you’re saying I’m allowed to be alone again, respectively? I’m sure it would be easier for me to stay with him but to have my own freedom.” Blair felt his hand slide from her knee as he settled back into his throne of a chair, trying to find a reassuring face to show her. It seemed awkward and unsure, as if he hadn’t done so in a long time. He stood and motioned for her to follow him, telling her about a gift. She quietly stood and followed, feeling a little strange that this immortal man was flirting with her. It was flattering though, even if it was a little weird, and extremely surreal. “Hollywood isn’t exactly known for their accuracy.” Blair shrugged, trying to stifle her curiosity at exploring the castle. She was definitely interested in the library. A man who has lived as long as Dracula has, she assumed he had accumulated a vast amount of literature and knowledge over the years.  

[~Lonewolf703~]

Vlad Tepes
The Dragon
The Ban of the Turks
Vlad the Impaler
.......Dracula.

"The guards are merely there for your own protection, depending on the environment and location. This means in on the same cruise line as you. In the same multi story hotel as you. In some choice location in the same mile of you. They can be as unseen as you wish, we can accommodate that. And any friend you wish to add from your time with Goliath will be happily employed, I do warn your that some places the guard will need to be pulled tighter in. As we do have our enemies. And as you so delicately put it you are a commodity darling."

Dracula smirked, and only then did he realize how long his expression had not felt that motion. How long it had been since his grim, stoic expressions have been lifted. Long at the head of many meetings, and fewer still those who saw as higher then his peers. Most who met him did so in fear, but Blair, this woman was a firecracker in comparison.

And the smirk lifted further into a full smile as he opened the heavy inner wooden doors, swiftly working the skeleton key to reveal a red carpet, lined in gold trim leading down a long hallway. Both sides of the walls lined with Dracula movie posters, illuminated by modern lighting. He turned to Blair. "They might not be known for their accuracy, but they do make for interesting entertainment." He let Blair lead the single way down the hall. Closing the doors behind them with a solid thud, as the doors moved into place returning the lock to it's normal position. "This is my abode, I left my need for sleep long ago. It has given me a new purpose with what to spend my nights." He spoke as Blair broke the hallway, broke into a massive cavernous space. Around her ancient scrolls behind glass, row after row of book, scrolls, maps. The walls adorned with tapestries. So many languages spattered over everything. Every free space taken over with written knowledge. It was breathtaking. A huge collection of history of all things close to men. Modern books, few and far between but present amoungst the leather bound handwritten tablets and tombs. At the head of the once grand thrown room, up a small set of three stairs rising from the floor a large thrown fit for a king of old. Nearby a small end table, and candle.

"Blair, may I present to you. The lost library of Alexander, with a few of my own personal additions. Three stories of every human concept known to mankind since the beginning of the written word. Tell me, do I deliver a surprise?"
 

[The Lilith Myth]

Blair nodded along as she walked down the hallway with Dracula, pausing at a few of the posters to examine a few of them closer and giggle at the inaccuracies quietly. “They aren’t entirely inaccurate when it comes to the nature of your personality. At least, not always inaccurate.” She laughed softly, watching him wink at her before he had her lead the way down the hall and open the doorway to the library.

“Are you telling me you’ve collected the famed ‘Library of Alexander’ and put it in here for your own personal pleasure?” She sighed shakily, reaching out to steady herself against his arm. “You do indeed deliver a surprise, darling.” Blair laughed, looking around at the vast amount of knowledge surrounding her and wishing she had had more interest in foreign languages while she was growing up.

“Here.” He slipped a key into her hand and closed her fingers around it. “This is a key to my castle and invariably the library.” Dracula patted her hand softly before stepping into the vast library. “I’ve brought you here to give you a gift. A book…” He paused, as if in thought. “If I can find it.”

Blair looked down at her hand and quickly tucked the key away into a small pocket on her dress. “I’m pretty sure I could just curl up with a pillow and blanket and be the happiest person on the face of the planet, so thank you.” She watched him walk away with a twinkle of remembrance in his eyes. ”How in the world did you acquire all-“ She paused, blinking several times. “…all of-“ Blair shook her head softly, as if the fog outside the castle were inside her head.

“What kind of book is this?” Blair asked as she slowly began walking into the library, passing a framed scroll. She caught a glimpse of her eyes, faintly glowing blue intermittently as if they were the light on a tracking device. “Huh. That’s… unsettling.” She stood and stared for a moment, watching the glow dim. “The book is definitely here.” Blair closed her eyes and tried to focus like Crow taught her.

The book Dracula was trying to locate in his vast library was definitely calling out to her. There were faint whispers all around her, and frankly the entire room had so much energy she nearly wanted to vomit when she entered, the room spinning around her after the initial shock of seeing thousands of years of history stuffed into a famous vampire’s three-story library. Was there something she could hone in on? Something different about the book that spoke to her louder than the others? Blair took a moment to take a few deep, calming, stomach-settling breaths before opening her eyes. Crow had tried to teach her a little magic, in order to keep her own psychic abilities under her thumb. It was difficult, and she admittedly didn’t really feel like she believed in all of it just quite yet. But, the existence, the pain, the signs were all there.

“Okay, focus.” She closed her eyes again, listening to the voices, feeling for the energy. A spike of energy surged within her, as though a wave of nausea crashed into her abdomen. Fighting the urge to quickly cover her mouth with her hands, she held them out in front of her, palms up. They shook slightly, but soon steadied and when she opened her eyes, she could see the library in whole.

There were bright spots of energy practically everywhere, making it difficult for her to single out exactly what she was looking for. And frankly, she was astonished she could even manage this level of control. “There are too many voices…” Blair quietly whispered to herself. “I can’t single one out. Stop talking all at once!” She hissed and the voices ceased suddenly. Taking a shaky breath, Blair looked around the library. “Just please, lead me to where you want me to go.” Blair spoke quietly, and the voices beckoned her forward. “This isn’t creepy at all. Listening to the voices in my head looking for a book in Dracula’s castle, in the lost library of Alexander…” She paused to laugh at herself. “On the bright side, it’s kind of nice to have someone flirt with me, even if it is Dracula and I’m absolutely positive he’s an absolute poon hound.”

The energy spiked when she went in the right direction, or weaned when she went in the wrong direction. She felt as though she had a blindfold on and was stumbling around in the dark in the middle of the night as if she were trying to find her way to the bathroom and not wake up anyone in the process.

Blair made her way to one of the staircases, grabbed a candle and lit it, then made her way to the second floor. Some of the hallways were darker than others, but the voices got louder with every step she took. Finally, she found a leather-bound book under a glass case, watching her eyes glow steadily in the reflection. The voices died down slowly as she put her right hand over the glass, setting the candle down on the sparely filled shelf beside the stand.

“Oh, good. You’ve found it.”

“Holy s**t!” Blair hissed, jumping back from the book and into Dracula’s chest as he loomed over her with a smile that was bordering on a self-satisfied smirk. “Wear a bell..." She sighed softly. "Yes. I have.” Her eyes stopped glowing as she brushed nonexistent dust off her dress in an effort to calm her heart beat. “This is supposed to help me?”

“Yes, darling.” He lifted the glass case lid with ease and set it aside, picking up the book. “This was written by many of your ancestors. It should work as a set of training wheels, so to speak, in channeling your power.” Dracula held out the book in his hands, and Blair slowly grabbed it with caution.

They made their way back down to where the seats were and she brazenly sat down in the throne-like chair with the book. Carefully she opened it, flipping through pages slowly, pausing between them when a picture or writing piqued her interest. She was thoroughly engrossed, taken over by the interest the book held. "Crow will be able to help me understand some of the languages at least..." She murmured to herself, flipping through to the last page that was blank. She hesitated while looking at it, feeling as though there was something about it but she couldn't quite place her thoughts in order over it.  

[~Lonewolf703~]

Vlad Tepes
The Dragon
The Ban of the Turks
Vlad the Impaler
.......Dracula.

Dracula could only offer a single, peice of advice for the young woman as she made herself at home before the grand fire place onces more. "Yes, Crow, and perhaps many others. However I do warn you Blair, these are.... concerning times. And the information in the book, is ment for only you. Never give anyone the full book. Their are fates beyound your own that are bound to those ancient pages. The ink itself mixed with the blood, strife, and hardships of others like yourself. Legend has it that not all of them lived to write their own lessons. You will be staying here for the winter. It gives you plenty of time, and any staff you may need is at your disposal. In time we will speak of your personal entourage as you venture forward for what the world needs you for." He almost continued, but hesistated as he saw her already lost in the pages. "If you need anything, simply ask the armored suits. The will lead you to your lodgings, and convey needs to be met by others. I will pardon myself."
 

[~Lonewolf703~]

Sthena Mydruk, Dracula's Right Hand
'Gods, like mortals, can close their seeing eyes
In mannered calm amidst catastrophe and death.
Is not such strict composure widely praised?
To them I fear another Gorgon's head was shown.
That what turns these human hearts to hearts of stone
Seem to as well affect those upon gilded thrown.
The Heavenly host caught blind behind Granite stone.'

A grand courtroom, a festival of activity frozen to time. A grand collection of the modern and the past. A frenzied dance of crazed fear and panic, etched into granite stone. Where once warmth and color was stained, was washed now in grayish, dead stone. Silver moonlight danced macreba columns no more different then the stone floor beneath their feet. All trapped within cold night air, capped under a tall ceiling, upon it paintings of a grander time. Greek, and Roman scenes alien to the nation they currently resided in. Alien to this century, more artifacts in the castle that were beyond the condition of those found in the best museums within the mortals realms, but they were not painted centuries past, but perfected more recently, the artist fresh at hand. Golden eyes, illuminated in the darkness further into the room, peering coldly from the veil of darkness.

"Goliath. I wish I could say that this was an pleasant surprise, but I must say being two weeks late from the time you were summoned... well actions like that might have consequences in the future."

Goliath, kept his mouth shut, he knew the power bracket and where he fell here. There was a time and a place, and this was far from it. This was a test. A test he had already been docked points from. His eyes couldn't help but notice the three men from the other car that had been pulled aside upon entering the castle grounds. Punishment for his own actions never even crossed his mind. This was not the type of people he was dealing with here. No, here men met fates that their own personal souls had to bear witness to,

He stopped near shoulder to shoulder with the men he had once trusted so heavily. Men he had vetted for decades. Men that out of the 60 staff members he had hand-picked had made it on this trip's roster to one of the most secure locations in the world. He awaited for the voice to continue.

"Always the stoic, aren't we?" From the shadows her form revealed as she moved out amongst her collection. Like a form from Grecian marbled statues in homage to the likes of Athena and Hera, perhaps even that of Aphrodite herself. A tangle of mortal female, and snake. An entangle beauty of monster and pure sex appeal, the blues of the stained glass painting her in purple and blueish dancing light. As if striding across tightened skin and feminine curves. Here piercing yellow eyes demanded Goliath to speak as she glided forward.

"Far from the greats mam, I simply know my place in the pecking order. I apologize for my delay, It has been.... increasingly difficult to find good help, and to keep these matter secret. I fear I find my mind craving a simpler time, without all of the prying eyes of technology. That said the failure is mine and mine alone. I arrived late.... with ill fated staff." Goliath made his case. Simple and to the point it had taken him a fair amount of time to move the girl from the city. It had taken him time to find a pathway to her travel visa, and alias.

Sthena lowered her poise of cat and mouse. Deep down out of all of the servants of her master, this one she had always fancied. A sentiment she would keep to herself. "Fear not Goliath. We know these men claimed to be yours for over 50 years... sadly this is no longer long enough. The times have become troublesome in more then just prying eyes. To that degree you are forgiven. We simply worried about the fate of the female. There is troubling amounts of movement on all fronts, and I fear we are indeed coming to a crossroads in due time. Her guidance may be the only hope we have in coming out on the other side."

Goliath knew the stories. Recent Angel sightings around the world. Ghosts, spiritual phenomenon, monsters, the internet's obsession with creatures of the Rake and even Big foot making a splash appearance again. Thankfully most were dealt with by others in a rather cutting fashion. Technology at it's finest. Post production effects and video software, rendered even the most convincing film and pictures as 'fake and gay'. But deep down he knew that every ghost was another spy. The every sighting another movement of forces. The reality was, a grand many players were making larger moves now then they had since the times of the Great Wars. Though his heart finally felt heavier then the granite around it, at her mentioning of the prophecy. He moved to speak, but words did not come.

Sthena saw all. Felt all. The shaking of a man's heart. The weight of his pride. An instinct cursed to her all of her days. And she knew his sudden heart beat. For as Dracula so favored this man of stone. This man of stone had favored another lost soul, two of them. "Goliath, I thought more highly of you then that." She spoke with a near infliction of concern as her body circled his. Her long tail pushing him forward like a constrictor moving him to follow her, as she moved back to her own throne. Goliath remained confused. "Did you think that one as yourself could stop the fate predetermined by her forerunners?" Goliath searched Sthena's face as she ascended and sat upon her throne. Watched her muse at his heart beginning to race and his confusion.

"The lost boy remains." She let out with a devilish grin, truly enjoying the role of gatekeeper at times to information. Relishing her power she still had.

"Sasha, is dead. Mam. Regrettably as my report stated. Nothing could have survived that. After that the explosions were merely icing on the cake. Sasha is very much dead, and I respectfully ask that my torture at the words end here." Goliath stood his ground. Mind standing in defiance, but heart feeling the warmth of embers he had not felt in the following months. A heart left frozen by his sins. By his failure alone.

"Oh? The man of stone is capable of emotions other then that of grim stoicism., this I fancy. And I beg of it more. For I speak the truth YOUNG one. Do you think that you or any man below you has the methods to defy the god of fate that we all must call our master? Even the great Oedipus in all of his motions tried to stop the string of fate from dragging him into his damnation did he not? Yet he failed and suffered all the same. Did the kingdom of Troy not attempt against all before them to snuff out the destiny written for them? Hear their screams in the bowels of history." Sthena felt her cold blood rush. Felt the whirl as emotions filled Goliath's face before her. Saw every struggle between mind and heart. Watched the man squirm in his very soul. "For what names of the Dead does not Death already possess, when only those living can hide their true names to him. Death himself seeks our 'lost boy' for his own amends. Sthena continued onward. Choosing not to circle the drain more.

"Do with it as you will Young one. Now that the girl is here. Your part to play in this is rather your own. The master only request she stay here till winter passes and trains, under the minds we can present to her. You too are welcome to stay with your present staff. You are free to go, however if you would heed my advice I offer"

Goliath looked the fiery eyes straight on. Goliath, a man of stone, nearly 700 years old but before Sthena he was even a young one. Before him his stone flesh was but the same as a mortal. Even the glare of Medusi could bring him to a permanent fixation. For the granite would envelope his heart. To others he was unbreakable, but to her, he was a simple play thing, and his cracks apparent to her like an open book. His mind wondered if this was the reason Dracula had found a partnership with the being. That even for him, her trust and subsequent distrust could be his undoing. Maybe in this sense he finally understood the dynamic as he faced down the Sthena, the Medusa. "I am always ready to learn mam'."

"To turns one's back to the gift of life, is an abhorrent sin.
To gain the watchful eye of death, is an intimate threat.
I would be weary of my steps around a man who has denied himself rest."

Back to the hallways Goliath found himself. Back before the grand inner court. Blair upon the chair before the fire. As he attempted to collect his thoughts. A somber sting of what his relationship to her would be know. What his relationship to Sasha was now. And a grim uncertainty of his role now in the game a foot. His logical mind wondered to the cars outside. His logical mind told him to fold his cards and not play the hand before him. But his curios mind screamed for answers. And the cards in play were of grand importance to the world. How did the entire fate of everything fall down to a fairy tale story. The madness of it all lived in spite of his own logical mind. As if to taunt it as he watched Blair engrossed in her new items.


 

[~Lonewolf703~]

Sasha
Maverick
Book II, Chapter 1. A Good Run of Bad Luck
8 Months After the Mansion....

Eight months since the incident at the mansion and the complete collapse of the life Sasha had spent decades growing accustomed to. The fine life in many ways. Women, Money, Power, hell most would have fallen prey to it. Most would have embraced the power it brought. The ultimate power fantasy for the modern world. And yet Sasha hadn't taken the time to fall into the bed that he had helped made. He hadn't taken the time to let the new kids do the dirty work and kick back. Hadn't cashed the check on all the bodies he had to create to put that house on the hill.

Landfall in Russia only took a couple of weeks after leaving the US on the small refurbished Torpedo boat that the clan had kept in a dirty warehouse on the water. The others had left. Falling back into their lives, attempting to help, but the words hadn't hit him. The betrayal, the pain, the numbness, or was it the feeling of having purpose again? That woman.... god she had gotten into his head, and perhaps he had admitted alone in the trip across the uncaring Pacific, his heart. And that had surprised him.

That life was behind him now. The contacts now dead names rotting away on burner phones, turned off, batteries dead, thrown in packs, saddlebags, drawers, and dashboards. Sasha hadn't had contact with anyone from the night in 7 months. Life was a sling pack, an old classic American Pontiac he had dug up, a few firearms, three pairs of clothes, and steady work throughout the Middle East working for the Russian Mob, and others. Delivery boy, would be the title in layman terms. Gun running, Opium smuggling, and the pigeonholing of wealth of the quickly changing political scene. And Sasha couldn't have been more in his element. Running from his heart, hiding from his head, it all made running from American forces, or various pissed off militias a physical outlet for legs that couldn't run from the feelings of unfinished business. He was fine being a nobody... a nobody to most people.

His only contact on this side of the world was Dimitri, a once Russian soldier who fought for his country in the likes of World War 1, 2, and many other hot conflict zones. Now a Werewolf, Mob Boss with considerable territory, back by an army of loyal comrades who had seen more conflict than most. Sasha had met him when the US made contact with our Eastern Allies before the fall of Berlin in 1945. Made a stand against a resilient bunch of Nazi SS, back to back with the man, and had such never lost touch. Despite the geopolitical stances of their countries, the two men kept the brotherhood of comradery. And despite 20 years of separation. When Sasha crashed in on him, the man had found work and documentation that would get him by all but the most keen eyed and dedicated investigators. Sasha didn't ask questions, and wore no flag of alliances, and was well rewarded for his time, hell maybe to well rewarded as he eyed the large pot of colorful chips in the center of the table, more than one major job worth of pay, but what else was there for a man who money didn't satisfy?

He burned his time under the desert skies, cratered filled roads, run down towns, and currently the Yellowflag, in some lawless port town called Almat.

(WIP Will Return Tommorrow for my writing.)