Kierra

My jaw clenches as I fold the images up and put them into my own pocket. Feel quite peaceful with myself actually as I continue walking. Serene. Don't need to look to see if he's with me, I can feel him.

Some small piece of me calls out to him like I'm sure a piece of him does for me. Thanks to the bond created from calling his animal, I can feel him when he's close, a slight humming in my blood and in my brain. Don't know what it means yet, but I'm sure it will reveal itself in time. Everything seems to eventually. Right now, I need to figure out a way to kill lots of people and get away with it.

After they’re dead it will come out as to just who and what they were, I will make sure of that. No one will care that they’re dead. Just have to make a point not to send all the others underground. Even then, I will find them, even if it takes me years.

I have the time, that's the beauty of it.

Once on the property that goes to the house, I turn back to Benji. Yellow eyes beat into his cerulean. He's tried to close himself off from me, and I appreciate the attempt, but it isn't working too well.

"Can I count on your continued help, or do you wish to stop? I need to know now so I can prepare one way or the other."

His lips purse, long beaded goatee moving with his chin. Doesn't have to say anything, I feel it. Bit creepy, to be honest. I ignore what his body is telling me and wait for his brain.

"I've always been with you on this, will till you no longer need me, and even then."

That sounds way too close to what Xavier had said for comfort. Please tell me all the guys aren't going to be like this, falling one by one into what looks much like infatuation. I screwed up Benji, he wasn't like this before I called his animal.

His head goes up alertly just as I hear it. Problem is, I can feel it too; Asher is pursuing something hard this way. The Vampire moves to stand in front of me when I turn to face what's coming head-on, but I shake my head, eyes a bit confused when this seems familiar.

Bits and pieces of a remembered dream rise to the surface. Can see the shadows barreling this way and have just enough time to brace myself when my arms are filled with a wet, shaking mass. Asher puts on the breaks immediately, actually had before he got this far, not running at his full speed.

"Uhh, Asher? Hun, why are you chasing a child into the ground?"

He snorts, air expelling from his nose hard as he shakes his head. I catch it to, the same scent of fox that’s been driving him nuts for days. What he doesn't seem to be getting is that this is a Were-child.

"Asher, he's like me. He's like you, he's like just about everyone back at the house. Pull back your seeming rampage and use your head, not your instincts."

I keep my voice soft, soothing. Nobody likes losing their quarry, let alone to another.

"I know what he is. He was getting taught a lesson. You do not mark up another's home without consequence."

That, I have to give him, so I incline my head. The poor shivering thing is panting hard, heart pounding against my body as small sounds come from him that sound much like sobs. Foxes have a weird assortment of sounds, and right now he's doing what's called a 'gekking' which is like a cross between chittering whining and an almost high pitched talking.

His head is tucked in close to my abdomen as he tries to hide, covered in mud and who knows what else. Asher sure made him work for his ignorance. While the creature whines softly, I project to both Benjamin and the black wolf’s head.

"Not going to like this Asher, but this boy was in my dream, he's meant to be here. You've done the whole big bad wolf routine, and I'm sure he needed it. But for now, leave him to me."

Neither wolf nor Vampire is very happy, but it's really not their choice. If I wish to fill my home with a hundred men, I will do so. Asher's ocean eyes set on me with that, not looking at all enthused. Since my hands are a little full, I send him the impression of rubbing along his side making sad eyes, and motioning to the pitiful thing. He rolls his, but I feel the returned motion.

"Alright, let's head back. No telling how the house is going to look from them all being unsupervised."

The fox in my arms is so exhausted, he passed out. Pretty sure foxes are supposed to be a little heavier than this, so he's probably starving as well. If I keep collecting kids I'm going to need to open a damn daycare.

Asher is laughing at my complaints, but in all honesty, what the hell am I going to do with another kid? His scent is mixed with everything he ran through but I catch enough to see the visuals in my head. Red fox.

Looks like your everyday garden variety vulpine till you see the markings on his face and down his back. They're a darker red than his coat and remind me of tiger or zebra stripes. Starting at his muzzle and making a direct line down his back to his tail.

Very interesting. Never heard of markings like that, so must be something along the lines of Maii's markings. Walking back with a large black wolf on one side and a Vampire on the other, I bet we look quite the group.

"Why are you out here all by yourself with a Vampire again?"

I hide my grin as I look down. Was waiting for that.

"You're adorable, you know that? Benji was giving me info on the ring that was personal to me. Didn't want the others to hear."

I want to share with him, yet at the same time, I don't. He doesn't ask or push, letting me make the decision myself. Figure now is not the time, so I say nothing.

We make it back a lot quicker than when we left, Arctic brothers still out front messing with their toys. I look up and frown just as the snow starts to fall again. Think the weather Gods are all confused on what they want to do. Hearing thunder miles away makes things even weirder. Knowing my luck, the damn world is ending. Right when I have several jobs lined up, too.

When close enough to not feel like I'm shouting, I ask them how their search went. With everything that had happened, they figured to try their luck at the wolf bar again. With having previous experience, they were welcomed in. I give them happy smiles before looking to the bike and truck.

"Same hours?"

With their nod, I motion to the bike.

"Are you planning on using that?"

Zypher pulls his purple head out from under the truck hood that even he needs a lift to get into and smirks. Whatever he's standing on must also belong to them because it doesn't look at all familiar to me.

"Thought about it, but since we have the same hours and such, would just make sense if we used the Beast."

I blink at him. Clearly I'm not caught up on my car talk, but I get pretty quickly that he's talking about his brother’s ridiculous sized truck. Said brother is looking at my arms with a raised brow, dirty rag in his hands. I decide to be nice... For once.

"Can get my jeep pulled out and put the bike in the shed if you wish, might be better than leaving it out in the weather or taking it with you where it can be stolen. Downtown can get pretty rough."

Not sure why I bothered with that last part since it only has them both smiling at the possibility of dealing with trouble. Zypher does incline his head though. His bike, so his baby.

"How much longer do you think you'll be? Need everyone together so don't have to keep repeating everything."

Not only is it past nine, but it's cloudy as well, so I'm not sure how they're getting any work done to begin with.

"Just about finished."

Nodding, I start heading in. Should give me enough time to get the fox settled. Once in the doorway, I turn and glare at the undead male.

"Shoes off. No mud. Asher hang up a sec and I'll get you squared away."

With the way I tied my boots, they can be pulled off relatively easily, which is good since my hands are full. Wolf sits off to the side amused while Benjamin grumbles good naturally. Someone got him to take them off before, so he can just deal.