Satyr Play 02 Pt. 02

"The Queen needs this task completed successfully. We have no more time for delays... or mistakes." Ikehorn growled. "Can you shoot now?"

"Yes, but still not with the accuracy required. I don't know how you healed the bones so quickly, but I wouldn't put faith in my marksmanship with this tremble in the muscles. My plan still makes more sense!" he insisted.

Ikehorn growled in frustration. He hadn't wanted to expose his new abilities to anyone else, but Rohann forced his hand. For nothing, it seemed. Dammit!

"Fine! But we will both need to be as careful as possible to ensure nothing gets beyond our control." Ikehorn asserted. He received a silent nod from Rohann.

Ikehorn pointed to a junction on the map. "Meet me there tomorrow at 5:30 AM." The man memorized the location and nodded. "And speak to no one about what I did for your wrist. Queen's orders."

He didn't often invoke the Queen's authority. As her man, he had the right to, but he was all too aware of the responsibilities that came with it. He would have to kill the person he issued it to, should they fail to comply.

Rohann was aware of this as well and glanced at Ikehorn uneasily. He nodded then left.

Now all Ikehorn had to do was survive explaining to Mab how the second attempt failed.

Chapter 34

Tish smiled as the early morning rays of sun touched her face when she climbed the stairs to street level from the subway. She loved the city in the early morning hours. It was her favorite time of day. While New York never slept there were times like this when the hectic pace eased, and a person could take a few deep calming breaths.

She crossed the street, making her way into the grounds of Central Park and found a spot to do her stretches. As usual, she saw she wasn't the only one who used these early hours to get a little run in before the busy day.

Due to a mixup on the subway, she'd managed to get to the park a little early, so she was gifting herself with an extra eight minutes of running this morning.

Smiling to herself, she wondered if Henry would be interested in joining her one morning. She'd love to run with the man. Hell, she'd love to do many things with the man!

She snorted and got a careful look from another woman doing her stretches.

Muscles sufficiently warm, she began with a light jog. Music playing softly in her earbuds, she set her course and let her muscles carry her away.

-=-

Rohann arrived early and cased the wooded intersection where the trap was to be sprung. He noted the Dryad was sleeping fitfully at the base of her tree. Appropriately, she wore the disguise of an old female Human wearing dirty, tattered and torn clothes, one of the city's numerous homeless. He knew she would make the perfect weapon.

What Rohann had withheld from Ikehorn was how he intended to push the ancient being into homicidal madness. Screwing the silencer onto the barrel of his gun, he moved to the shelter of bushes next to the running path. The three bullets he'd fire into the tree contained a fast-acting poison that would kill the giant oak. It would take mere seconds for the specialized shells to leak their poison into the tree. Once that happened, the Dryad would feel the tree's impending death, and she would associate the attack with the Humans using the path.

He prepared his next glamor. He currently appeared as a Human jogger himself. When the chaos erupted, he would switch to the disguise of an NYPD officer. Naturally, he'd have to kill the Dryad.

He checked the time. Ikehorn would be arriving at their rendezvous any moment, but that was just around the corner. Looking down the path, he saw a man running along the trail- He spotted the tall female a short distance behind the first runner. SHIT! The target was early!

Raising his weapon, he put the three poisoned slugs into the trunk of the tree at six-foot intervals.

The Dryad immediately jolted awake and turned to the tree, gripping its rough bark in her bony hands.

She began to wail.

Loudly!

The male runner rounded the corner and slowed slightly to look cautiously in the direction of the old woman. Her head whipped around and Rohann could see the rage in them. Good but not enough. He fired another bullet into the tree from his cover in the bushes behind the runner.

The Dryad's rage exploded into a murderous frenzy. She picked up a thick branch from the ground like it was a twig and charged at the runner.

The man stumbled back, tripping on a root and fell on his ass. He only had time to raise an arm before the heavy club caved in his skull.

Blood sprayed across the bush Rohann hid behind as he heard the approach of the target. He glanced in her direction and saw she was becoming aware of something wrong as she rounded the corner. She was too close to avoid it now.

Rohann turned his head to look back to the Dryad just in time to see the bloody end of the branch drive into his skull.

Then nothing.

-=-

Ikehorn, disguised as one of New York's finest, scowled when Rohann missed the rendezvous but immediately began running when he heard the wailing from the wooded intersection. The wail became a snarl as he raced into the secluded area to see the Dryad drive a huge branch into the face of a jogger hiding behind a bush.

A gun fell from lifeless fingers, and Ikehorn knew it was Rohann.

Just then, their target entered the intersection and tried to sprint past the old woman. The Dryad spun inhumanly fast to club the woman's lower back.

Ikehorn heard the sharp crack of breaking bones as the target flew forward to collapse on the dusty surface of the trail. She screamed and tried to crawl away, but her legs weren't responding. She looked back over her shoulder in terror as the crazed woman stepped closer and lifted the branch for the killing blow.

Ikehorn emptied his clip into the Dryad, a cluster where her heart should be and the rest into her head. She was dead before she hit the ground.

A silence settled momentarily then came the sound of hooves as two mounted police rushed into the scene.

"Call for an ambulance!" Ikehorn yelled as he made his way to the dead jogger then circled the bush to look down at Rohann's disguised body. His face was caved in gruesomely. Ikehorn knelt and palmed the gun to slip it into his pocket.

Glancing around himself, he saw he was hidden from view. He switched to a glamor of a jogger and rushed around the other side of the bushes. He waved his hands to the mounted police as if he'd just arrived to make a grisly discovery. "Officers! There's a dead man in the bushes- OH!" He feigned shock at seeing the other body.

"Sir! Please stand back! This is a crime scene!" the officer kneeling next to the injured woman barked.

"I'm a doctor," Ikehorn blurted with a practiced nervous wobble in his voice.

With a frustrated scowl, the officer gestured for him to approach.

Ikehorn rushed forward and knelt next to the tall brunette. He reached for her and felt an intense tug of his body preparing to heal her. Ikehorn threw himself back to land on his back a few feet away. The two cops investigating the other bodies looked back at him suspiciously. He gave them an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, muscle cramps from stopping too quickly." With a grunt, they went back to ignoring him.

He eased himself closer to the crying woman. He knew now he couldn't risk touching her. He needed her injured for the Queen's plan. Still, he needed to confirm she wasn't going to die.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked her.

"My back," she managed to force out between sobs. "I can't- can't feel my legs!" Her voice was becoming shrill with her panic.

He could see the skin on her lower back was severely cut and bruised from the clubbing. Beneath the torn and bloody skin, he could see the distinct impression of her crushed vertebrae. Several severe misalignments were visible. The bones were destroyed as if hit by a truck. Certainly exceeding the damage, an old woman should have been able to do with a branch. Too late to do anything about that. He leaned away from her slightly as he'd been getting too close.

Ikehorn was feeling ill from denying the compulsion to heal her. That disturbed him deeply as she was only a Human. He wasn't even sure if it was possible considering the extent of the damage.

Glancing at the officers, he saw he had only a moment, so he had to trigger the second half of his plan. He held her eyes and whispered the ancient words of power Mab taught him. Instantly she stopped crying, and he had her full attention. She was highly receptive in this state. Time to plant the suggestion.

"Henry Gable. You need Henry Gable. He can help you. He is the only one who can. You need him. He will make everything better. Let no one else try to help you. When you get to the hospital, call for him. Sleep until then."

The woman slumped, and one of the officers rushed back to check on her. "What did you do?" he barked.

Ikehorn put a panicked look on his face. "I didn't touch her!"

The other cop stepped from behind the bush. "Where's the officer who went to look at the victim back here?"

The two looked to Ikehorn who stared back at them in puzzlement.

"I didn't see anyone, but I did hear someone rushing away through the brush."

"SHIT!" the cop by the bush cursed. "Fucking coward left us with his mess!"

His partner nodded then looked to Ikehorn like he was a liability. "We can take it from here," he growled as an ambulance crunched to a halt on the gravel path a short distance away.

Ikehorn nodded to the man and climbed to his feet. With a glance back at his target he walked towards the ambulance and met the paramedics. As they looked to him, he spoke the ancient words again and gave them instructions to take her to her hospital. Her friend's anguish would pressure the Satyr to get healing for her. He released them then walked away. He needed to disappear as he'd spent too much time at the scene and people with cameras were beginning to gather. He left the park and found a spot to switch back to his default glamor. Moving back out to the street, he stepped down the stairs to the subway to join his victim at the hospital.

He had to present an offer to a Satyr.

Chapter 35

Henry visited Sigrid in her office first thing when he arrived at work, and she greeted him with a happy smile. That smile slipped as she saw the tension in his eyes.

"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked.

Henry snorted with a mix of amusement and frustration. "That's becoming our thing. Always another problem," he sighed, and she gave him a sympathetic smile which made him think of what Nate said about the beautiful women supporting their happiness. He couldn't keep a chagrined smile of his own from spreading across his face.

Sigrid watched his expression change. "What's the smile for?" she asked curiously.

He shook his head gently. "Nothing. Just something Nate said to bring things into perspective."

Her smile widened. "I like this man even more if he can put a smile on your face like that."

Henry could only nod as he agreed. Then his expression turned serious. "Did you hear what Camila did last night with the NSA agents?"

"No, what happened."

He filled her in on the details and how he'd resolved the issue with the Director with his solution.

"They should have spoken to you first!" Sigrid said with a frown. Henry picked up from her body language that she was pissed at her friend.

"I said as much last night. Regardless, with what happened I think they're going to leave us alone. That doesn't mean I won't be watching. Eternal vigilance is the price we pay." Henry sighed then smiled at Sigrid.

The intercom buzzed. "Yes?" she asked.

"Ms. Villamor is here to see you."

"Please send her in," Sigrid said.

The door burst open as Camila surged through the door and closed it behind her. She spun to see Sigrid and Henry watching her in surprise.

"Good, you're both here!" Camila gasped.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Sigrid asked, and Henry snorted involuntarily then murmured an apology.

Camila yanked off the big Hollywood sunglasses and stared at them intently.

Henry shared a look with Sigrid then turned back to Camila. "What-"

"My eyes!!!" Camila exclaimed.

"Are you having trouble seeing?" Henry asked in concern.

"No! That's not it!"

"Maybe if you joined us over here we could see what you want us to notice about them?" Sigrid suggested gently.

Camila quickly moved up next to them, and they both immediately caught the difference.

"Oh! They're lovely!" Henry gasped. Her dark brown eyes once had small flecks of gold in them, giving them the impression of being a dark gold. Now those flecks were more substantial, and her eyes had a subtle but perceptible gold glow to them.

She smiled nervously at him then turned to Sigrid.

Sigrid wasn't smiling. "Tell me how you came to have these alterations to your glamor, Camila."

The woman in question was no longer smiling either. "Don't preach to me-"

"How did it happen?" Sigrid asked with a calm voice.

Camila huffed and crossed her arms across her chest under her heavy tits in a very defensive posture. She caught Henry trying not to ogle her pushed up breasts and some of her anger dissipated. "I- I seriously depleted my energy levels with pushing two NSA agents beyond their ability to restrain their impulses. I was in a desperate state. Henry offered to feed me. I needed the energy." Her expression turned a little dreamy. "It was very... potent last night and... I may have become a little aggressive."

Sigrid looked to Henry whose face looked like it might ignite. "How aggressive?"

He glanced between the two of them then looked down at Sigrid's desk. "She growled at me and gripped my legs to keep me from pulling free."

"And you stopped her, how?"

He looked away then back to her. "I dropped my glamor and choked her with it."

"PFFFFFFHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sigrid burst into loud laughter as Camila pouted and looked everywhere but at them.

Henry stood and moved to stand before the gorgeous brunette, taking her hands in his. "I think you look incredibly beautiful! You're eyes still look human, just with an exotic touch. I think they're stunning!" He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Her eyes were looking into his, and he swore he could almost see the gold sparkling happily.

"Thank you, Henry," she purred.

He glanced at Sigrid and saw she was getting control of her amusement. He still wanted to talk to her about his issues with controlling his heat, but Camila looked like she needed Sigrid more. "I'll talk with you two later, ok? I should get started on my day."

She nodded with a smile, and he let himself out.

Sigrid sighed and shook her head. "Henry's right, they are gorgeous! May I assume your actual eye color changed as well?"

"Yes! They're now brilliantly gold, but I'm not sure how to explain these," Camila stated, gesturing to her eyes.

Sigrid tilted her head as she examined her friend's eyes. "Tell people your ophthalmologist prescribed corrective contacts which have a side effect of emphasizing the natural gold in your eyes. I also like the highlights in your hair."

"Thank you," Camila said with a smile as she touched her hair fondly. Then she caught the look in Sigrid's eye and her smile slipped again. She sighed and nodded. "OK, I admit it. I lost control last night. I pushed myself too hard with those agents and left myself in too desperate a state to be able to control my appetite."

Sigrid nodded in satisfaction, glad her friend could see the mistake she made. Then she grinned. "So he choked you with it?"

Camila's eyes flared with the memory, and a tingle ran down her spine as she bit her lower lip. "It was so thick; it filled my throat!"

Sigrid threw her hands up in surrender. "Sorry! Don't need to know the details!" The image of it was flashing in her mind giving her tingles too.

Camila snorted and put her shades back on with a satisfied smile of her own as she knew what Sigrid was thinking. "I leave you with that... delicious thought. Have a lovely day!" she said as she let herself out.

-=-

"Good morning, Mr. Gable!" Marisa said with a brilliant smile. "You're a little late this morning."

Henry returned his assistant's smile. "I stopped to talk to Sigrid... and Camila."

"Oh! I didn't see you pass by," she said.

"No, I was with Sigrid when she dropped by," he explained a little awkwardly. Her brows rose.

"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked in concern.

He gave her an exasperated look. "Were those questions asked as frequently before I started working here?"

She gave him a smirk.

"Ask your... aunt. All I can say is she got a small taste of what Paloma faced the first night... Stanley and... her... never mind." As he struggled to keep the names straight, he stumbled to a stop as his words just felt weirder and weirder.

Just then Camila rushed by and waved, her shades in place hiding her eyes once more, the red highlights in her hair catching the light beautifully.

With a final surprised look at Henry, Marisa rushed out to chase after Camila.

Henry let himself into his office and settled in behind his desk with a sigh. He needed to put this stuff, this non-human stuff, in the background. He started up his laptop, and his calendar app popped up a reminder for a trade show he was supposed to attend today. It was going to have a lot of network security vendors in attendance as well as lots and lots of tech. He tingled in anticipation!

He opened a desk drawer and smiled down at the box of business cards Marisa had printed for him. It would be the first time he'd be presenting himself in public to his 'peers' with his title. He admired the embossed piece of cardboard.

VRL Investments

Henry Gable, CIO

He giggled then caught himself and glanced to the door. If he wanted anyone to take him seriously, he'd have to kill the impulse to laugh like a little girl.

He pocketed a bunch of cards and glanced at his calendar once more. Marisa had cleared his day for him. He smiled at her incredible efficiency. Henry shut down his laptop and decided against bringing it. Cell in his pocket, he exited his office and bumped into Marisa as he stepped into the hall.

"Oh! Sorry!"

She flashed him a grin. "Off to the trade show?"

He smiled in return. "Yes!"

"Look, but don't buy anything! Eve tells me we have no budget for the next two years," she admonished him gently.

He snorted and nodded. "Understood. Not to worry, I'm just shopping for ideas primarily."

"Fill your cart then!"

He laughed and headed off to the elevators with a wave.

Getting to the Javits Center took a little time and registering took a little more, so it was almost noon when he finally got to walk the floors of the convention center. It was only when he was in the center of the building that he recalled his intention to avoid being in crowds. He looked around and saw most of the attendees were male. He spotted women in the gathering, but the majority were men. He relaxed somewhat as he realized how absorbed everyone was with the tech. Just like him. He grinned and got to it.

As a throwback to the old days, some vendors hired booth babes, models dressed suggestively to draw customers to the display. These ladies were more of a distraction as they seemed so out of place now.

He saw a few booths which were making claims of military-level encryption with no lag, so he made his way over to review what they had to say. The salesmen were eager to speak to him and gladly took his card, but he could see their disbelief when they read the CIO title. He actually saw one toss his card into the trash as he left the booth. That pissed him off, but he wasn't going to try to change the fool's narrow little mind.