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"I... I guess." She never really thought of it as a balance to strike. The Beast was something that ate at vampires, demanded they succumb to its instincts and hunger, and gave no worries about things like the Masquerade or consequences. To her, it was just something to avoid. But to someone like Jessy, it was a source of power and confidence, that she could tap into the Beast's strength without completely giving into it.
Art's phone buzzed, and he sighed. "Probably Avery. Gimme a sec." He stepped away and pulled the phone out of his pocket.
Natasha watched him for a second, but looked away. They had an unspoken agreement in their relationship, that they wouldn't pry into each other's covenant business. He was a werewolf, a member of Avery's pack, who belonged to the Hunters in Darkness group, called Meninna in the strange language they spoke, them and spirits. Sure, he wasn't a member of a secret organization of mad scientists who did experiments that bordered on insanity, like she was, but that didn't mean she shouldn't respect what secrets he had. Art and Matt did the same for her.
"I'm surprised you haven't brought up Maria," Matt said.
Tash froze and stared at her laptop. Better that than letting Matt get a close look at her eyes, that were probably wide and singing 'I visited her days ago!'.
"Everything's b-been quiet. Avery said she'd give me t-time, so I'll keep looking for evidence."
"Still think she's not up to something?"
Of course she thought Maria was up to something, just, not anything to do with Lucas. Getting that information into Avery's head was another problem entirely. It wasn't like Natasha had a catalog of quality evidence proving Maria was innocent, just her word, and a damn compelling argument.
"You know," she said, "M-Maria is a devout worshiper of God?"
"Right, right, the whole Longinus thing."
"Yeah. She's... she's a true believer, you know? I worked with her for decades, and she was..."
"Cruel." Matt reached over and wrapped an arm over her shoulders.
"Yes, b-but... consistent." Pretty much the opposite of Jacob. "I trust her. She wouldn't... d-do something that went against her beliefs, even if she really wanted to. And the Lancea et Sanctum doesn't condone dark magic stuff." She almost laughed as she said it. Dark magic? What was this, a fantasy story? Fifty years of vampire-y stuff, and the idea of magic still made her reel in shock, that something like that could actually exist. No wonder she ran from the Ordo after Daniel sired her. "Or at least, they don't condone... doing things that they think God wouldn't like. Resurrection is--"
"It might not be resurrection, you know." He let go of her shoulders, set his elbow on the counter, chin in palm, and winced as he looked at her. "Spirits don't go around, talking about vamps unless they're connected. She's up to something, Tash, and there's no way she isn't. If you think it's not resurrection, fine, it's probably not, but you heard those spirits as much as we did. And Avery and the others have found more spirits, talking about some kind of ritual, with those red wraiths mentioning Maria specifically.
"I... I d-don't know why they're mentioning her by name."
"Maybe because they're working with her? And that's... not good."
Sighing again, she closed her laptop and set her chin on it. "I know. I know."
Arturo put his phone away, groaned, put on his shirt and socks, and walked to the door of her apartment. He got his jacket, and tossed Matt his. "Let's go."
"Go, where we going?" Matt hopped up and joined Art at the door. Natasha did, too.
"Got a sighting on those azlu that got away. Clara said there were some that weren't merged, dealing with those tears, right? She thinks she's found them."
"Oh shit, let's go." As if summoned to do his destiny, Matt hopped around like a fool, putting on his shirt and socks at the same time, before he slipped on the jacket and rubbed his hands together. If Natasha didn't know any better, she'd think he was excited. He was definitely energized. They'd told her the Hunters in Darkness specialized in killing Hosts, like the azlu, and whenever the opportunity arose, they were all over it. It was their purpose.
It made her smile. Vampires didn't have that. Vampires were selfish, and everything they did was to further their own goals; which covenant they stuck with was determined by those goals, not the other way around. Sure, some vampires gave themselves a purpose, something bigger than themselves, but the werewolves did it naturally. To them, their purpose was as intrinsic as their wolf halves.
"Can I c-come?" she said as she got close to Art. "I have tonight off, and--"
A harsh thud interrupted her, and she blinked up at Art, confused. Did someone just slam a door? No. It felt kinda like that, but she didn't hear a slam or anything. Art had reached out for her, maybe to steady her from the sudden vibration? Earthquake, maybe?
Art looked sad. Very sad. He looked miserable. Why? Matt was bursting with energy and eager to go on a hunt, but Art looked like someone had just ruined his life and told him to accept it.
Tash looked down, and blinked. Something was sticking out of her chest, straight through her blouse. A piece of wood? And it was sticking out from the right spot on her chest to stab her heart. But, that was crazy. Why would there be a piece of wood in her heart?
She blinked up at Art, and the man winced, as if she'd just shot him. Matt started yelling, but she couldn't hear him, only see the shocked and angry look on his face. She collapsed, Art caught her, and before she could say anything, everything went black.
- COMMENTS
Jackspeed2uabout 1 year agoIt’s not love if your cult comes before your woman. Given the ending it means the wolves were just using Natasha, including her ‘boyfriends’. One phone call from the boss and a boyfriend who had professed his desire to never leave the city or Natasha just stakes her, so not love and no real care there just an undefined opportunity in the future. The prince will roll on the wolves for attacking her covenant and Jacob will gladly join and so will Jessy and Eric will fight the wolves to have Jessie’s back and Jack will fight because he’s good friends with her and she was excellent very long term friends with Julius and Damien will fight because he will watch Jacks back and the rest of the Right Hands are there then Michael will mobilise the Invictus because the wolves are aligned with the Carthians and Daniel will fight because they staked his always damsel in distress useless in a fight childe.
So yeah, the circle and the Invictus and the dragons Vs the wolves and Carthians. Considering Jack, Jacob, Antonitte, Elaine, Michael and Maria can easily take on a coup,e of wolves each at a time and just tear them to shreds with no effort means that 12 wolves just isn’t enough for a stand up fight and bring on the silver loaded machine pistols to break up any pack formations at the start. Blow their knees out and then a2 to the head. That happens while the light fighters keep the Carthians from interfering. In an ideal world there would be snippet over watch from at least 2 points so there’s no blind spots. Then 50 BMG rifles loaded with Raufoss Armour Piercing Explosive Incendiary rounds would fuckup wolves even with no silver as the AP will penetrate the hardened Guru form only to explode inside them dumping ungodly amount ts of shrapnel in them powdering bones and shredding organs…. Then there is the 2000°C incendiary charge…. That will kill a vamp outright ash him straight up especially an elder. There is no doging that either, one millisecond you’re alive then the next millisecond you’re fucked up and at a 200m range your mates will hear the earth shattering report 0.1 second later. No real skill is required with any rifle at only 200m and the down slope from shooting down from buildings or guessing the range and windage is all immaterial at 200m, just doesn’t matter.
Hellhiem get really nasty and set a Ma Duce a 50 BMG machine gun that that USA has used and still uses for over 100 years. Do the quick change barrel replacement mod and set it for aircraft use at 1200 bullets a minute. Load that with 3 boxes of linked Raufoss rounds and then just let the enemy approach you and then just cut them down. Have an extra on the gun crew. Then the gunner stays behind the gun on the trigger, one changes the barrel in 15 seconds with a cool one, and the third loads the first link on the next 3 linked boxes of Raufoss and then after a 30 sec max delay cleans up again.
No matter how good or bad or badass Gary thinks he is, if the first shot from any gun is a 50 BMG Raufoss to his head and that being the cue for the machine gun to start on the wolves and the two snipers just put shot after shot into Gary till he ashes then the snipers switch to his3 100 year old crew and then pickoff any wolves that are fucked up and squirming g on the ground. At this stage the machine gun switches to the Carthians and the dragons and the Invictus and circle are silver sword beheading every wolf and stopping anyone rushing the gun emplacements. After the enemy has been totally demoralised and thinned then you kill the immobile and enact your previously decided action for the survivors, kill, capture or let go. But every wolf must die or no wolf must be hurt. Avery has already said she will fight anyone as a full pack rush and overwhelm (her plan for Jacob).
So yeah I think the Prince, Daniel and Jack and Jessy and Jacob won’t take this well. Hopefully Jack will realise that the ultra beast is only a curse because the church called it that because it out powered the church and you can’t have that, and that it can be reasoned with so set up a bargain. Say any fight and you get free reign then at battle cessation you immediately return control and provide tactical advice in situations that haven’t reached the fighting stage and lend power and control to Jack in normal everyday life.
Anonymousover 2 years agoNow I did not see that coming. Another great episode for the all-night society.
Excellent stuff. 5*
SensitiveHandsover 2 years agoWell Damn You! One hell of a cliffhanger there! Never in a million years would I have seen that coming! 🤔 🙃
ironmoose007over 2 years agoWHAT DID I JUST READ!!!! You did not just stake Tash !!!! Bad writer no biscuit!!! To your room, and write 1000 times" I will never stake Natasha again" after you complete your punishment, will post the next chapter... so I know she is ok and being a good undead, comatose vampire... how could you do that to her?? After all great sex in the shower....im just blown away.. so many questions....cannot wait for next chapter... I will be loading my silver bullets untill then....
