The girls looked a little put out that they hadn’t received a phone, but Persephonii also knew they would be more likely to give into the urge to call friends. In any case, they could always barrow one of the others. She didn't expect the women to be leaving the warehouse very often, but she couldn't say the same for the others. It may have looked a bit sexist, but she could tell by Autumns behavior that she was bunking down in the building. Ms. Taggert looked like she would stay with Autumn, and Lindsey would no doubt share the cell with them if they but asked. Maxwell and Harker had already been discussing outings, while North stayed as backup for the girls, plus it didn't seem like a phone would be that useful for the strong silent man. North didn't seem like much of a talker, but she hoped he wasn't too put out by not receiving a cell phone.
“I’ll give you my number. You can call or text me if you need me.” Writing it down on a piece of paper, she handed it to Harker who put it in his phone before handing it to Maxwell and so on.
“If Mr. Rutherford needs a new phone as well let me know. I might be able to pick up another.” She did have additional phones in her storage, but they were registered under different names and were not nearly as advanced as these three.
“Since all of you are together, would you like to discuss a few things now?” Motioning to the large table, she sat at the head.
Harker nodded to the others as he took the seat to her left, Maxwell across from him, the others filed in, taking seats barely filling up the one end. Finally they were going to get somewhere.
“Your cousin seems to have a strong desire to see you out of the picture. Any idea why?” Glances were exchanged back and forth but they all landed on Harker whose enigmatic expression Persephonii guessed was a mixture of doubt and angry recollection.
"I know that it's probably not where you wanted to start, but Mason Donovan is the biggest opposition and threat at the moment. He has the numbers and drive to see you go down for murder, enough so to hunt you down even here." Watching them as her word sunk in, she noticed Autumn closely as she seemed to fold in on herself.
"The wards on the building will protect you from those looking to harm you. I added all of you into their weaves last night. However, their protection has limits, like distance, the safety wards extend to the curb but not beyond." Everyone looked relieved, Persephonii was glad she wouldn't have to explain wards to them. Larger Packs tended to pay for Wards of safety and protection around their territories, especially their Hunting grounds.
"The weakest point is inviting someone in. The business area is warded to allow those seeking help to enter, the living space is warded separately and must be by invitation only. At this point, I am the only one who can offer such an invitation." For a moment it seemed like a few were ready to protest. "I understand there are mitigating circumstances, but anyone needing help will be admitted to the lower levels. This way an invitation cannot be pressured out of you, nor will those offering friendship but seeking your harm be allowed to enter." She could see from Harker's expression that he too, had similar worries. Their track record for knowing friend from foe was poor. Even now, if one of them changed sides and came back to do the others harm, the wards would not let them in. It was sort of a provisional status, but explaining the intricacies of Warding was not something on the docket.
"Now that we have your immediate safety out of the way...?" She hoped changing the subject would get them back on track. But her prompt fell flat, leaving her to try to prod information out of them.
.” Maxwell seemed to get the hint and take up the conversation. It was more a question than a statement, so she shrugged and answered. “I’m not sure how familiar you are with the workings of the Pack
“I’m familiar with the hierarchy and Lore. My best friend is a Wyr-bear, so we don’t need to go into too much detail.” Harker nodded looking somewhat relieved, Wyr-wolf and Wyr-bear hierarchies were similar in design and nature.
“I have been the Alpha of the Grey Forest Pack for the last decade, ever since my uncle retired, so to speak, and named me leader.” Persephonii, nodded in understanding. Wyrs lived long lives, but they eventually grew old, Alpha’s grew tired and tended to name their successor rather than be challenged.
“Your uncle? Was he Mason’s father?” Mason being overlooked for the position might have started the feud much earlier and it was only now coming out in the open. But before Persephonii could go further with her thoughts, everyone was shaking their heads.
“My Father had two brothers, Morgen, Mason’s father and Bran, the last Alpha, who claimed the title after his father,” he stopped as if to say this part was significant.
“Your Wyr-born?” At this her excitement grew. It was uncommon for Wyr to have children as the process of the Change, and general physiology made carrying a baby to term rare. Wyr-born were more powerful, aged slower and in general had a number of attributes that infected Wyr did not. Though few had been open to being involved in the Wyr research, she now had two Wyr-born staying with her. She longed to ask them about their abilities, interested in their differences as wolves, especially their births. Though the Havereauxs were Wyr-born, their numbers were due to Olivia's close friendship with her mother, whose healing abilities and knowledge had seen all five sons through the hard pregnancies to be the rambunctious lot they were today.
Practically salivating at the thought that here sat possible knowledge that could not only save the children but the mother's as well, Persephonii made a note to ask about their origins at a better time. Reigning in her focus to their story, she heard a fragmented tail of betrayal.
Apparently everything had been going well for the past several years. Harker being named Alpha had been an honor, but not a surprise, as Mason showed no sign of wanting the responsibility of caring for so many wolves. Instead he was touted as the fun-loving cousin, loyal and trustworthy, but always near the Alpha and his inner circle.
Then a few months ago, this began to change. Mason became distant, less available, less conciliatory, preoccupied. Then a little over a month later, tragedy struck, and struck again, soon rumors of a curse, of misuse of power started circling the Pack.
"Nothing definitive, just unease and tensions, which quickly focused on the Alpha and his leadership." Maxwell looked at Harker watching his reaction as he spoke about his Alpha and friend.
"Though I talked with many, there was no open hostility, no source to trace the allegations to... but people were talking." Maxwell continued, clearly he had wanted to find the source of the allegations, before Harker heard about them.
"Fear does that, takes random tragic events and gives them meaning, significance, coupled with wanting to place blame..." Persephonii didn't want to rub salt into his wounds, she could see well enough that the condemnation from the Pack still weighed heavily upon him, on all of them. It seemed like no one wanted to continue, so Persephonii set out the scenario she had been piecing together.
"So they question the Alpha, thinking someone or something has angered powerful forces, drawn attention, and retribution onto the Pack. And Mason takes the opportunity to step in, stir things up and seize the Pack for himself?" Nodding from Lindsey suggested that she had the gist of it right, but Harker, who had yet to speak directly about the takeover was quiet, his silence was telling. It often amazed her how Paras could be so superstitious, and near sighted when it came to the paranormal, and the unexplained. Mason appeared to be using these tragedies for his own means, Persephonii was beginning to wonder if they had been so random after all.
"In the midst of tragedy, it was like a tsunami, out of nowhere we were hit...then again and again, wave after wave. A freak accident, a run in with Hunter's, the loss of a mother-to-be, unexplainable deaths. What could take down a Wolf in his prime, no signs of battle, no wounds. What but magic?... They turned to me for answers, but I had none." Harker's voice was even, low but clear, gaze steadily looking down at his interlocked hands as they rested on the table. Persephonii too was looking at his ha
nds, knuckles and fingers turning white from how fiercely he gripped them together.
Maxwell explained that the deaths had been random, but somehow someone had found one link, one connection between them, Harker. From the sound of it, the uncle had named Harker Alpha had a year or so to enjoy his retirement, then met an untimely end himself. The death was understandably hard, the last of the three brothers now dead. But recently Mason had started to have disagreements with Harker over Pack management, especially Mason's place in the Pack. He wanted to bring in more members, outsiders he vouched for.
Then tragedy stuck, those that had been lost, had not only had recent meetings with Harker, but many had been in some form of dispute with him. Past misunderstandings and friendly debates soon became described as vendettas and full out fights, finally escalating into a meeting that named Harker a deviant. If he hadn't killed them outright than he had someone powerful do it instead. It was only these recent deaths, those within the last month that had no negative connections with him.
"Mason called for a vote to renounce Harker as Alpha, but there were still too many who believed in Harker." Autumn spoke up in her brother's defense, placing a calming hand over his clenched fists.
The other woman spoke next."A few days later, Mason called again, this time for a Challenge against Harker, stating that the other's were too scared of retribution from him to cast him out. That he had to think of the Pack and their safety. As if he thought of something other than himself for more than a few minutes." It was the first time Blake had spoken at length during the telling of the story. From the derision and tone in her voice, Persephonii could guess that the two had once been close, but there was no love lost between Mason and Blake.
"The fight was set, the Challenge accepted, but it didn't turn out the way you had planned..." Persephonii waited for someone to take up the tale, though it seemed they were still shocked about its outcome.
“He cheated...” A soft deep baritone voice came from the end of the table. Mr. North's voice was exactly as she imagined it, soft, cultured, with weight behind what he did say. But these two words held disbelief and anger.
From the snippets that the retrospective and tight lipped group gave, Persephonii surmised that Mason had used some magic of his own, coupled with a few dirty fighting moves. The cousin had not only bested the Alpha but done enough damage that kept Harker out of sight, long enough to lose the majority of the support he had left.
From there, the new Alpha had put out a subtle warning to those who would help Harker and his small group of supporters; the threat of a visit from his new enforcers. The brutal men and women who Mason had urged Harker to adopt into the family, left little doubt who now ran the Pack, and that the days of understanding were over. There was some arguing over the details of when they came into the Pack and why they had been invited in the first place, but in the end it was clear that Harker thought the enforcers the real threat. Mason wasn't much of a fighter, but the brutality and violence they had used against their own, had clearly stopped the group from seeking anymore help from those they still considered allies.
As they were arguing over the possible reasons behind Mason’s sudden and intense hatred of his cousin, Persephonii’s cell rang. The lyrics from the song 'what does a fox say?' echoed out from her pocket, silencing the argument. Amid a few looks of amusement, she excused herself, walking passed her desk, out the large glass back doors, and answered Agent Colton Fox’s call. She had assigned him the ring tone as a joke, but had kept it since it was slightly more appropriate than it was ironic.
Fox's voice was strained, from the noise in the background she knew he was currently at a scene and a call this late at night meant that he wanted her there pronto. Quickly getting the specifics, she was about to say she'd see him there soon, when the line went dead. So much for pleasantries, the abrupt ending meant that he was on edge. She was not looking forward to a gruff, day worn Agent.
Saying her goodnight's to the other's, she advised them to eat, rest and try to write down their thoughts and any new bits of information, no matter how trivial it might seem, as they came to them. It had been a long, but fun day, now it looked like it was going to be a longer night.
Chapter 7: Aura:
Described as a metaphysical spectrum of energy that radiates outward from living beings.
Asotin Gallery, Tahoma, Washington. 8:28 pm PST.
Though a Master in his own right, Sebastian Ardeal, Bastian to those closest to him and 'The Bastard' to his enemies, had been assigned to monitor and investigate the increasingly violent cases in the state of Washington. The Houses had shown concern that one of their number was acting outside both human and Vampyre Law. Combined with the disappearance of a few key local members, the Investigator for the House Council and his Kiss, a small nomadic group, had arrived a few weeks ago to discover what or who was behind these attacks.
Having arrived at the downtown scene, later than he would have preferred, he stared at the throng of human law enforcement with little humor. His gaze strayed to the Consultant team, hired to work on the ever expanding Fischer case; one he too had been interested in solving. Ms. Vaughn’s tan high heeled shoes were not the proper attire for the scene, the team seemed to be mostly flash with average talents to back them up. He had his own surveillance watching them, wanting to know new information as soon as they uncovered it. Unfortunately, both the human investigators and their Vampyre counterparts had found little to suggest what had happened to the ignoble Norman Fischer other than the conclusion that had lead to their first assumptions that it appeared to be the result of a Turning gone wrong. But it was like no Turning he had ever witnessed.
No Vampyre should have had the gall to go against the Houses and turn a public figure regardless of their collective loathing for him. Despite the thorn in their side that Fischer presented, the Houses simply had to wait him out, after all, they had all the time they needed.
Instead, Sebastian found himself following leads that lead nowhere, a House that was uncooperative and left him little choice but to rely on human investigators for the time being. Though he could have easily stepped in and taken over their ranks, Vampyre sentiment in the area was quickly degenerating into a steady loathing. He would wait, taking his time, and letting the media flay the investigators while he hunted down this Rogue.
Ms. Parker Vaughn seemed to be directing those around her to move this or that, her voice ringing out over the scene towards his sensitive hearing. He had to wince at her annoyed pitch. Moving closer he wrapped the shadows around him like a cloak, felt them hiding his form from human and Para eyes alike, until he stood not two feet away from the edge of the now overturned patio space. The back of the Asotin Gallery was tastefully decorated in twinkling lights, whose white accessories were now painted in blood.
The two story warehouse had been converted into a large art gallery. What was left of the reception and the almost two hundred people that had come to see the exhibit, were loitering out front, officers still taking their statements. A few of his Kiss were scattered through the crowd gaining information and hearing the recounting of the night's events.
The shadows would not hide him under the bright white gallery lights, but then, he did not need to move any closer, from his position he could gain all the information he needed. Biding his time, he felt the urge to sigh as he watched the two consultants doing this and that, but once again they revealed nothing that his keen senses could not tell him even from so far away. He hoped Gavril or Talia were at least gaining some information from their positions around the crowded gallery.
Readying to go, he signaled to Miklos that he had heard all he cared to when a strange, grey garbed figure moved through the crowd as easily as if she were invisible. Holding up his hand, he paused as the small female worked her way over to what was left of the recently Turned, Alicia Kunhe. And listened as she spoke with F.B.I. Agent Colton Fox, one of the agents assigned to the investigation task force, who stood looking down at the
artist body and the path of carnage she had caused.
“Anything interesting yet, Percy?” Fox looked over the rims of his 1950’s style ray bands.
“Yes and no,” she shrugged as if to say ‘depends on who you ask’. Sebastian wondered if he had been mistaken in his pique of interest and turned to go.
“It's a mess, jagged, but cold, so cold it's almost as if...” Percy, had been focused on the energies crowding the gallery, like echoes they were remnants of the people who had recently filled the space. As she moved closer she was nearly froze out from the young artists aura.
Parker Vaughn came up behind the two, listening in on the conversation. Leaning forward almost pushing into their personal space, Parker could almost laugh at the poor, socially awkward Waters, almost.
“And to think this is the famed Paranormal Consultant firm Argent Waters. Well one half of it.....Where is Argent? To busy picking up a date to back you up?” The tone of voice, coupled with her intense sardonic expression, clearly said she could care less where Chase was.
“I think we are done here. If the local yokels want to bring in a consultant, Ms. Waters here can handle things I’m sure.” The derision was thick in her voice, but if she was looking to find others willing to laugh at the 'little consultant,' she found none in their numbers. The majority of P.P.D. in the area, up and down the coast even, had worked with Persephonii, personally or as part of a case. Many could even attest that her insight saved lives as her skills and talents had gone to solving cases with little accidents and fewer casualties.
Fox’s large sigh could clearly be attributed to one of relief at Vaughn's departure. “You were saying?”
“Well, I’ve never seen so jagged an aura, the colors clearly denote a high level of mental instability, but it's like it was triggered, not something that came on gradually.” Moving over to stand adjacent to Fox, she elaborated on her findings.
At First Sight (Persephonii Waters Book 1) Page 8
