Fantasy Compliments and Conundrums : Private for Tarmagon and readysetstalk

[Tarmagon]

The tales are true you know. There are vampires, witches, werewolves and lots of other creatures, both benign and not so benign. Most of the human population is ignorant of the supernatural world, but there are a few who know they are not alone in the world. What they don't know, is that somewhere in the world, each supernatural being has a match, a complimentary being. When a supernatural and their compliment get together, things get interesting.

Ryan, in the Timberwolf restaurant.

Ryan put down his fork with a contented sigh. The blueberry pie had been truly heavenly tonight, and it had taken all of his willpower not to lick his plate clean. It was fortunate that he limited his visits to the Timberwolf to one a week, or even his enhanced metabolism wouldn't prevent him from blowing up like a balloon. Looking around, he saw Kathy making her way back to the waitress's station, and waved at her. She headed to his table with one of her perpetual smiles on her face.

"What can I getcha Ryan?" she asked, surveying his empty plates and glass. "Need a refill?"

"Just the check please," Ryan said, matching her smile with one of his own. "And let Nancy know that the pie was awesome tonight. She and Jimmy outdid themselves tonight."

"Will do," Kathy said. "And I'll let them know."

Ryan watched the waitress make her way back to her station, and had to smile. He had washed up in Half-Moon Falls just over a month ago, after spending a long time wandering randomly throughout the back roads of the country. He had been leaving behind a bad situation in North Carolina, and had wandered aimlessly for months, putting himself back in order. He had pulled into a small gas station and mechanics shop boasting a sign that proclaimed it Hank's Place. The 'mechanic wanted' sign had caught his eye, and he had struck up a conversation with the owner which had led to his becoming Hank's assistant. Normally people in small towns tended to be standoffish, but folks apparently trusted Hank's judgement. Ryan had been able to rent a space for his small rv without any trouble, and had set to work at the shop. Things had gotten a little tense when Ryan had realized that most of the town were of a similar nature as himself. That had caused a few nervous days until he met with the local mayor, who was also the Alpha of the pack living in Half-Moon Falls, and made it clear that despite his Alpha status, Ryan had no interest in challenging Carl for leadership and just wanted to relax and fix cars with Hank. Carl had taken him at his word, and the rest of the community had taken their cue from Carl.

"Here you go sweetie," Kathy said, pulling Ryan out of his introspection. "And Nancy says 'thanks'."

"See you next week," Ryan said, dropping a five on the table and picking up the check. He glanced at it, then headed for the register. He needed to pay up and get back to the shop. Hank had said he needed some help tonight, and Ryan was looking forward to seeing what project was waiting for him.

readysetstalk (Welcome to Half-Moon Falls.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Half-Moon Falls had been her home her entire life. It was a small, quaint town where everyone knew everybody. With word of the supernatural actually existing, it quickly became known that Half-Moon Falls was not just populated by them, but mostly populated by these extraordinary beings. Although many found it troublesome, Gracelynn had no problem with them whatsoever. The past few years, more and more locals came out and announced their true selves. Gracelynn, however, was not one of these beings.

Many years ago, her father relocated to this small town to build a life. Her mother had passed and her father was looking to turn a new leaf. Why not start it in the middle of nowhere? Gracelynn had only known this small town and unlike many other people, had no interest in seeking out adventure. This town was her home. With humans now hunting down supernatural beings, she didn't want to be tied up into the mess at all. Everyone coexisted peacefully here at Half-Moon Falls. There was respect among the people, no matter their race.

Her long dark brown hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, waves falling down around her shoulders. It was a decently chilly day out, but Gracelynn opted for a stroll through town. She needed to pick up a few things as well. There was also word that blueberry pie was on the menu today at the Timberwolf. It was Grace's weakness if she ever had one. The five-foot-two woman rounded the corner and a smile danced upon her lips as the sign lit up her pale blue eyes. The smell of Nancy's pies filled her nose. Her pace quickened just slightly, her hand finally reaching out to the doorknob. As she pulled the door open, the bell rung and her smile widened.

"Kathy! Please tell me there's more pie!" Her energy seemed to light up the room. Gracelynn had always been a very energetic, lively woman. She was petite, but man, was she spunky. "I will just die if there isn't any more!" She stepped further into the restaurant. Her shoulder brushed against Ryan as she walked, and something weird seemed to circulate through her. Shaking it off quickly, she placed her hand on his arm and offered, "Oh! I'm so sorry! I get a little excited about Nancy's blueberry pie!"

Gracelynn didn't want to pull her eyes away from him, as he seemed fairly new to town, but she figured it would be rude to just stand and stare at him. She gave him a wide smile before bounding over to the bar and sitting down on one of the stools. Something still felt off...

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan was chatting with Jillian as she made change for him, when a small, dark haired whirlwind came blasting through the front door.

"Kathy! Please tell me there's more pie!"

The petite woman, Ryan didn't know her name, despite seeing her around town, shouldered past him and at her touch, something electric seemed to sing along Ryan's nerves. The moonsong that always hummed in the back of his mind intensified, drowning out everything around him. Then, it was done as she moved past him, only to resume at an even greater intensity as she laid one hand apologetically on his arm.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I get a little excited about Nancy's blueberry pie!"

Before Ryan could recover his wits, he had been the recipient of a dazzling smile, then she was gone, bounding, and that was the only word that fit, over to take a seat at the bar.

"Earth to Ryan," Jillian said teasingly, holding out his change. "Pick your jaw up off the floor there big guy."

"Um, yeah." Ryan replied. "I was just trying to decide whether or not a tornado had blown in."

"That's just the way Grace is," Jillian said with a grin. "She's always been full of energy. Kind of a good thing too, what with her running the Hardware store and all."

"She runs the whole thing by herself?" Ryan asked. "No partners or anything?"

"Nope, just her ever since her dad died last year," Jillian said, her voice turning serious. "We were worried about her, but she's resilient Grace is. She and her dad showed up here when she was just a little thing. They had just lost her mom somehow, neither of them ever really said much about that, and he bought a stake in the hardware store from Harper when he retired. He ran the place with George for years, then bought George out when he was ready to retire and ran the place with Grace's help right up until he passed away."

"Wow," Ryan said, glancing at the young woman sitting at the bar with new respect. "I guess that energy serves her well. Is she, one of us?"

"No, she's as human as they come," Jillian said. "But she grew up here. She knows, she just doesn't make a big deal about it. Carl keeps the wolves in line, Marissa loves her, and even old Franklin respects her."

Ryan was even more impressed as he watched the woman, Grace he told himself firmly, order something from Kathy. The wolves wouldn't mess with her, nor would the witches if Marissa liked her. Add in the favor of the only vampire in two hundred miles, and... Ryan couldn't imagine anything or anyone who could possibly threaten her.

"She's single you know," Jillian said in a new tone of voice, causing Ryan to shoot her a sharp glance. "I'm just saying. There was a rumor about her and Carl's oldest, but it was just a rumor. Heck, you're the only male she's said anything to outside of work in an age."

Yeah," Ryan said with a snort. "She's just excited about the pie."

But, there had been that shock, that strange sensation like shifting under the silver light of moonsong. Ryan wasn't certain, but he thought that maybe she had felt something too. A 'ping' from his watch pulled Ryan back to reality. Hank was waiting, and he needed to go.

"Here," Ryan said, pushing a twenty into Jillian's hand along with the change she had been patiently holding out to him. "That should cover her dinner. If she asks, tell her anyone who loves pie that much deserves a treat."

Before Jillian could say anything or protest, Ryan pushed open the door and stepped out into the cool evening. Whistling, he turned his steps towards Hank's, wondering what project was waiting for him. As it turned out, Hank was waiting for him in front of the shop, and gestured to a car already up on the rack, all four wheels pulled off.

"Mrs. Jenkins needs to head out for a family emergency," Hank said, gesturing to the car. "But those brakes of hers would never handle the trip down the mountain. I promised Clarissa I'd be home at a reasonable hour tonight, but I can stay and help..."

"I've got it," Ryan said as Hank trailed off. "I'll get the brakes ready and lock up the shop when I'm done."

"Thanks Ryan," Hank said. "There's beer in the fridge and don't worry about opening tomorrow. Sleep in and head in when you wake up."

Ryan just waved, already pulling on a coverall and turning to his tool chest. Hank waved and left, which allowed Ryan to change the radio from Hank's favorite country station to something a little more upbeat as he set to work. His encounter with Grace bubbled away in the back of his mind as he worked. What was so special about her? What had that feeling been?

readysetstalk (Zap)

 

[readysetstalk]

Before her bottom even hit the seat, Kathy had a slice of pie waiting for her. As if today could get any better! Gracelynn's smile widened as she laid her eyes upon the blueberry pie in front of her. Almost immediately, her delicate little fingers picked up the fork and dug in.

"Goodness! This, I think, is even better than the last one. I just don't know how she does it!" Gracelynn smiled back at Kathy as she moved on to wait other guests. Something was off, however. She flexed her fingers between bites, a strange sensation seemed to be lingering. It wasn't there before she had gotten to the restaurant. It left her in confusion as she ate her pie. Although she couldn't attribute it to the stranger that she had run into, she had a strong feeling that he was the reason. Since she had touched his arm, something seemed to stick. There had been many people she had bumped into in her days, but not once has someone left such a mark on her. Glancing over her shoulder towards the man talking to Jillian, she tried to place where she had seen him before. Nothing seemed to stand out.

"Hm.." She drew her attention back to her pie, almost having finished it. Another waitress, a new girl who was still in training and still quite young, came and leaned against the bar next to Grace.

"He works for Hank. Good guy." Her eyes watched as Ryan slipped Jillian more than enough money and disappeared through the doorway. "His name's Ryan. I have an inkling that he's a little taken aback by you." Sarah gave Grace a playful wink, wiping off the countertop to make it look like she was doing more than just gossiping. "He's not too bad on the eyes either, if I don't say so myself."

Gracelynn nearly choked on her pie as she heard the words come out of Sarah's mouth. "Maybe he's just not been around here long enough to pick up on my mannerisms." She brushed it off with a shrug, and placed her fork on her now-empty plate.

Sarah simply rolled her eyes. "Why don't you ever date anyone? Or at least have some kind of romance in your life? You're what? 30? Isn't it time to start settling or something?"

"Thirty?!" Gracelynn's eyes widened and she playfully smacked Sarah's arm. "I'll have you know that I am only twenty-six. I have plenty of time to 'settle down'." Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she stood from the bar stool and placed her hands on her hips. "And, besides, with the hardware store, I don't have much time to even think. Much less time to think about men." Grace returned the wink as Sarah shook her head and took her empty plate to the back for washing.

With a contented sigh, Gracelynn left a decent tip on the table for Kathy and headed to the front to pay for her pie. Much to her surprise, Jillian made it clear that her check was covered.

"By who?!" Grace's brows furrowed.

"Ryan. He said to tell you, anyone who loves pie that much deserves a treat." It was very obvious that Jillian was over the hill excited about this little exchange. Gracelynn wasn't sure how to react, so she simply smiled.

"Well, next time you see him, tell him the next one is on me." Gracelynn didn't dally much longer. She said her goodbyes and made her way out the door. A little break for pie was all she needed to get through the paperwork that was stacked up on her desk back at the shop.

Once outside, she pulled her black flannel closer around her midsection and took a nice stroll down the street towards the hardware store. It was closed up for the night, but that just meant she had plenty of time to herself to get things done. Along the way, she passed Hank's Auto Shop. The feeling that she had before seemed to have faded back in the restaurant. But now, now it was much more prevalent. Grace tucked her hand into her pocket as she walked past, her eyes glancing towards the open garage door and deeper inside at the car lifted and missing all it's tires. Something inside her seemed to hum as she got closer, and slowly began to fade as she got a little further away. The hardware store was just a few shops down from Hank's. She turned down an alley and walked towards the back entrance, humming quietly to herself.

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan was in the middle of pulling the drum off the right rear wheel when something tickled his senses. Some subtle sound, more felt than heard, was making itself known through the pounding guitar of Dragonforce. Ryan cocked his head to one side, trying to make sense of what he was feeling, then it hit him. The moonsong was starting to swell within him, as though he were watching that silvery orb rise slowly over the mountains. Unlike a regular full moon however, this swelling song wasn't bringing the urge to Change with it. What puzzled Ryan the most was the exhilaration that usually accompanied the Change seemed to be building as the moonsong built, causing his senses to expand to nearly the same level as his wolf form. He had to reach over quickly and turn down the radio as his hearing gained acuity, and as the music faded the sounds of an early evening made themselves known. It was too cold for insects, but the hum of the fridge in the back stood out to his ears, as did the sigh of the breeze and a faint scuff of shoes on pavement. The swirling breeze carried a hint of blueberries, heavy flannel, and a sweet scent that Ryan couldn't put a name to. Slightly spicy, slightly sweet, and wholly unique, it was fascinating. If he had been in wolf form, Ryan's ears would have pricked forward in interest.

Something drew his attention to the front of the shop as the moonsong reached a crescendo, and Ryan caught the briefest glimpse of dark hair and black flannel before the sensations began to fade away, albeit slowly. Moving to the open garage door he was just in time to see Grace turning down an alley near the hardware store. Could she be? Ryan found himself following the petite woman on silent feet, the strange sensation ebbing and rising as he changed the distance between them. It WAS her! Ryan watched from the alley entrance as she, Grace he told himself firmly, entered the hardware store through the service door. Sighing he turned back towards the garage when the hairs on the back of his neck rose, a flicker of shadow seeming to flit from rooftop to rooftop in his peripheral vision. Whirling in place, Ryan tested the night with all of his enhanced senses, but only the wind whispered in his ears, along with faint sounds from inside the store.

"You're getting paranoid," he told himself. "This isn't North Carolina. Nothing is stalking the Pack. And those brakes aren't going to fix themselves."

Ryan returned to his work, though he left the radio off. Just because you were paranoid didn't mean something couldn't be wrong. He worked until nearly ten thirty, then lowered the car with a satisfied sigh. Everything was in place and properly adjusted, ready for a long trip. Moving through the station, Ryan turned out the lights and locked the doors, helping himself to the beer Hank had left for him before closing and locking the back door. His rv was parked on Sam Hackett's back lot, three streets over, and Ryan set off, paying close attention to the night as he walked.

readysetstalk (Something wicked this way comes? )

 

[readysetstalk]

After shutting and locking the door behind her, Grace flipped on a switch that illuminated the small office in the back. There was a small stack of paperwork waiting for her patiently. "Well, I guess it's not going to do itself.." Gracelynn slipped off her flannel and hung it on the back of the old, rickety office chair. With a small sigh, she sat down and went to work. Most of what she had to do was checks and balances, and then ordering supplies that had been purchased thus far this month. It only took her about an hour to complete her paperwork, and then she was free to leave. However, that wasn't how Gracelynn operated. Once the paperwork had been done, she went about cleaning up and tidying the store for the next morning. Whenever her father Clark was alive, he'd handle the paperwork, and she'd do the cleaning. Now, it was just her. Despite those who came in to apply for a storefront job, Gracelynn couldn't bring herself to hire anyone. She wanted so badly to run it just like her father had before her. Bringing someone else in might just jeopardize it.

It was almost ten-thirty by the time she finally finished up in the store. She hung up her broom and gathered her flannel from the back of the office chair. She pulled it on her petite frame and buttoned the bottom four buttons. She turned, looking over everything in the store before she was content with how things looked. She flipped off the light, and out the back she went. As soon as the fresh night air hit her nostrils, she smiled happily. It was such a beautiful evening. She pulled a pair of headphones from her back pocket and popped them in her ears. Listening to music on her way home was always the best part of her day--aside from when Nancy made up some blueberry pies. She slid her phone back into her pocket and headed home. Home was just a few blocks away. It was a small, quaint house. Just big enough for a small family to take up, although it was only her now.

In those short few blocks, one would assume anything could happen, right? Right. But not here. Not in Half-Moon Falls. Everyone knew everyone. Everyone got along. There was supernatural beings, sure. But they were all on peaceful terms. All it took was one outsider. A single outsider. A lone vampire who was starving for his next meal, and had no intentions of using a bank to get it. Outside he waited. Luther had seen Gracelynn walk into the hardware store. Her scent radiated for miles, it felt. That sweet, blueberry pie seemed to linger on her. Luther could hardly keep himself from entering the store and taking what he wanted. Perched on the roof of the neighboring store, the pangs he felt only intensified. The moment that sweet girl stepped out of the store, and the wind carried her scent even higher, Luther could feel the animal inside him getting restless.

"Mmm… Of course.." Luther licked his lips in anticipation. "Humans and those god-forsaken headphones.." It was perfect. Luther was already quite stealthy. Now? She wouldn't even know what hit her. Not even in the slightest. Moments later, as Grace began her routine walk home, Luther swooped down off of the roof, landing just behind Grace. It was simply all too easy. He snatched her up, his hand quickly covering her mouth to prevent any noise. His other hand snaked around her waist and lifted her off the ground, quickly escorting her behind the hardware store where no one would walk up on them. "Silly girl... You make hunting far too easy," he whispered.

Luther was right. Gracelynn couldn't have seen it coming. She was blindsided. Never in her life has she had to worry about anyone here in Half-Moon Falls. Tears immediately poured down her cheeks, meeting the cold hand that was pressed over her mouth. She struggled. She kicked. She tried to fight her way out of his grasp. Nothing worked. He was far too strong. Her eyes closed as she tried to scream, though it was nothing more than muffled.

"Ah-ah. No, no, no. You're not going to get away from me.. I've been thirsty far too long.." The burning in his throat was intense. His meal was so close. Her scent filled his nostrils. He brought his lips to her neck and took in a deep breath. "Oh so sweet..."

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan had just passed the hardware store when he heard a door close and a lock click home. It seemed that Grace liked to work late as well. He thought about turning around, or waiting for her to emerge from the alley, but he didn't want to seem like some kind of stalker. He had no idea if she felt anything in his proximity, but the swelling moonsong let him know that she was... A whisper of sound that didn't belong caused Ryan's head to whip around, eyes narrowing as he tried to place what his ears were telling him. One set of shoes scuffing the pavement in the alley, but going deeper into the shadows?

"Silly girl... You make hunting far too easy,"

The words were a sibilant whisper carried on the breeze, but they might as well have been shouted in Ryan's face as his enhanced hearing picked them out. Sounds of a struggle and a muffled cry of fear galvanized Ryan into motion, the pack of beer falling from his hand and starting its inevitable trip to the pavement. One step. The moonsong swelled in Ryan's chest, and he embraced it, letting it wash over his body in a warm tide. Two steps. Ryan's body elongated, going from his usual five foot eleven to nearly nine feet tall, his legs bending and popping as they reconfigured, even as his hands lengthened, his nails becoming dark claws. Three steps. The remains of Ryan's clothing fell to the street just as the pack of beer met its end against the unforgiving pavement. Sleek fur, as black as a moonless night flowed over his body as his face stretched out, his newly formed muzzle sprouting gleaming fangs. Four steps. A fully formed man-wolf hybrid, what the experienced weres called 'battle-form', bounded to the mouth of the alley just as more words reached his ears.

"Ah-ah. No, no, no. You're not going to get away from me.. I've been thirsty far too long.. Oh so sweet..."

The predator in Ryan took in the scene in a flash, his eyes seeing the alley as clearly as if it had been high noon. Grace, struggling and kicking in the grasp of an unnaturally pale stranger, his mouth hovering just above her neck. Ryan could have reigned himself in, attempted to reason with the obviously out-of-town vampire but the sight of the tears streaming down Grace's face from her closed eyes as she struggled uselessly triggered something sleeping deep inside Ryan's soul. The vampire looked up from Grace's neck, his face shocked as a rumbling growl erupted from Ryan's chest, even as he left the ground in a prodigious leap that carried him behind the vampire. It spun in place, dragging Grace around as though to use her as a shield even as it hissed at him.

"My prey you mangy cur! Go hunt elsewhere..."

The vampire's words vanished into a squeal of pain as Ryan's hands shot out, grasping its forearms and squeezing with the power of a pair of hydraulic vises. The bones in the vampire's arms shattered, and Grace dropped free of the thing's grasp, allowing Ryan to whirl, hurling the vampire at a wall. It twisted with preternatural grace, its feet striking the wall before it dropped to the ground, raising arms already healed in a fighting stance. Talons exploded from the vampire's fingertips, and fangs distended its mouth as it snarled at Ryan.

"I'll dine on you first, then have your bitch for dessert dog!" the vampire screamed as it rushed forward, talons extended to rip at Ryan.

Ryan was perplexed. He had sparred with vampires in the past, and while he was unnaturally fast, he wasn't as fast as they were, except, he was. He countered the vampire's strikes, taking the raking talons on his forearms rather than his body or neck, and unleashed his own blows in return that opened up gashes along the vampire's arms to match. Those slashes healed almost as soon as they were made however, and while Ryan's healed as well, they didn't heal as quickly. He had to find a way to end this before he began to weaken. Suddenly, the vampire sprang, but not at Ryan, his leap carrying him towards Grace's prone form. Ryan leapt after him, only to grunt in pain as the vampire twisted in mid-air, his hand spearing into Ryan's torso. The vampire's gloating look of triumph changed to confusion as one of Ryan's hands locked around the wrist of the hand still buried in Ryan's guts while the other, claws fully extended, stabbed into the front of the vampire's throat. Ryan closed his fist as his claws hit bone, grasping the vampire's spine and twisting sharply, even as he pulled. The vampire's head left its body with a wet, squelching sound as their bodies crashed to the ground, the vampire's claws bursting from Ryan's back as the impact drove it forward.

Ryan lost consciousness for a moment, the pain overwhelming even his supernatural endurance, but only for a moment. As his vision cleared, he managed to pull the vampire's arm out of the massive wound and roll onto his back. He could feel the Change coming as his body tried desperately to repair itself, all of its energy going into healing the grievous wound the vampire's dying act had inflicted. As his body twisted and shrank in on itself, Ryan could feel himself fading out.

"Ow," was all he managed to utter as his body reverted to human form, naked and covered in both his own and the dead vampire's blood. Definitely not the first impression he had wanted to make.

readysetstalk (Naked, bloody, unconscious man in an alley along with a decapitated vampire. Hell of a way to say 'hello'.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Everything unraveled before her eyes. Before she knew it, she hit pavement. Thankfully, whoever this mystery wolf was had gotten there just in time. Luther, the vampire, hadn't had the chance to even prick her skin. As she sat there, knees curled underneath her, she watched this were protect her. Anyone in Half-Moon Falls would have done this for her had they known what was going on. She was very well liked throughout the community by all beings. But there was something different this time. As soon as he had approached, something inside her seemed to hum. And the closer he got, the more radiant that hum became. This was what she had felt back at the diner.. That inkling in her fingers seemed to spread throughout her entire body. Her arms, chest, legs, feet--every inch of her seemed to hum as this were got closer and closer. Quickly, she pulled her earbuds out of her ears and stashed them away in her pocket. And before she could even move out of the way, Luther had been taken care of.

But now? Now there was a naked, barely conscious man laying in the alley. And to put the icing on the cake, he was badly injured. She froze. What was she even supposed to do? Was she supposed to just bypass the headless vampire? Was she supposed to aid this strange man she had just recently seen earlier? Was she supposed to call the sheriff? Never before had she been in a situation like this. Gracelynn had stayed clear of all drama that may have erupted in town. Hell, she had hardly ever seen anyone transform!

Shaking her head, as if that had cleared the fog in her brain, she shuffled to her feet and rushed over to Ryan. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of the arm just chilling out next to him. "Good lord...." She could barely believe her eyes at this point. Even oddly, the hum was now a constant, feeling the strongest she had ever felt it. It was like her body was buzzing the closer it got to his. She had heard rumors of companions, but she didn't believe it to be true. Grace definitely didn't ever think she'd be a companion to anyone, either.

Gracelynn removed her flannel, exposing her heavily tattooed arms underneath. She draped the fabric over his lower half to keep him from being entirely exposed. Her eyes surveyed his body, taking in the wounds that were both healing, and the ones that seemed to be going much slower. The large gaping hole in the middle of his torso caught her attention the most. Gracelynn wasn't even sure what to do with that... Surely there was internal damage. But does that heal like she figured it would? Do werewolves heal from injuries like that? Humans definitely don't.

As she knelt next to him, she reached out and pressed her fingers to his neck to check how strong his pulse was. In that very moment, an electric current shot through her body. That hum was much more intense than it had been just moments ago. Her eyes closed momentarily as if she tried to dismiss it. Thankfully, his pulse was strong and she knew then that he wasn't dead. However, he could be close..

"Should I uh... Should I call the uhm, sheriff? Or an ambulance or...." Gracelynn was obviously still shaken. Her heartrate was fast, but it was slowly leveling out. Her hands shook and the constant humming in her body was mildly distracting. "We can't just.. leave him.. it.. in the alley... Are you okay? I mean, you're obviously NOT okay. But, like, you aren't going to die... Right? I mean, you didn't have to help. Jesus, I didn't even say thank you! Oh, god, I am SO thankful! You saved me! Thanks, thank you. Thank you so much! But now you're hurt and I don't know what to do 'cause I just run a hardware shop and I don't know the first thing about first aid!" Her nerves were shot. Grace couldn't even contain what was coming out of her mouth. She was amped up. Her adrenaline was sky-high.

"I should call the sheriff. Right? I should call the sheriff, right? He'll take care of the... body..." Grace started patting her pockets to find her phone, and soon produced it from her back pocket. Her hands were shaking so bad, she immediately dropped it. "Well shit.. Hang on." She picked it back up, and took a deep breath as if that helped any. A call was made quickly to the sheriff, Grace talking a mile a minute. As she hung up her phone, she put it back in her pocket and looked down at Ryan.

"Are you going to not die? I really need to know that you're not going to die..." Gracelynn looked down at him with intensity. "You HAVE to live.."

Tarmagon (One disaster averted.)

 

[Tarmagon]

Darkness. Warm and comforting. A pleasant place to float. Awake was pain. Time to rest... A jolt like nothing he had ever felt coursed through Ryan, dragging him forcibly back into awareness and into pain. But, the pain, while terrible, wasn't the pain of near death, just a lot closer than Ryan liked being.

"Bastard's arm went right through me," Ryan thought as he tried to take stock of his condition. The wounds were healing, but the healing was slowing down as his body depleted its reserved of energy. He needed food, and soon. Something seemed to be trickling energy into him though, and Ryan concentrated on the warm feeling radiating from a point near him. What?

"Should I uh... Should I call the uhm, sheriff? Or an ambulance or.... We can't just.. leave him.. it.. in the alley... Are you okay? I mean, you're obviously NOT okay. But, like, you aren't going to die... Right? I mean, you didn't have to help. Jesus, I didn't even say thank you! Oh, god, I am SO thankful! You saved me! Thanks, thank you. Thank you so much! But now you're hurt and I don't know what to do 'cause I just run a hardware shop and I don't know the first thing about first aid! I should call the sheriff. Right? I should call the sheriff, right? He'll take care of the... body.." There was a slight 'thunk' as if something had been dropped, then the flow of words resumed. "Well shit.. Hang on." Beeping, and then rapid fire speech, too fast for Ryan's muzzy brain to keep up with, the silence.

"Are you going to not die? I really need to know that you're not going to die...You HAVE to live.."

"Dying..." Ryan managed to croak out, cracking one eye open to see a Grace, minus her flannel jacket, standing over him, "Not... on... my... to... do... list. Call.... Timberwolf... Tell... injured... wolf... Will know, to do. Tell them... hurry."

Ryan knew there was a lot more he should be telling Grace, but his mind was just too fuzzy. He wasn't dying, but the possibility of a healing coma was starting to loom in his future. He had one chance, and he had to pray that Grace would understand and that he was right about her. His right hand shot up, locking onto Grace's left wrist like a drowning man might clutch at a life preserver. The electric jolt immediately rushed into Ryan from the point of contact, and his heart began to beat faster, even as his thoughts cleared. He could feel the healing pick up speed, even as he felt his mass begin to dwindle. This was a two edged sword. Grace's tough was super-charging his metabolism, but it would soon start to use his muscles to repair the damage, leaving him worse off than he was now.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly into Grace's shocked face. "Contact with you is speeding up my healing, but it's costing me resources I don't have. Call the TImberwolf. Tell them a badly injured wolf needs food and where we are. They'll know what to do. And... I'll let go if you tell me to, but I'll most likely lose consciousness and might slip into a coma."

readysetstalk (Grace, the werewolf supercharger!)

 

[readysetstalk]

To say this wasn't how she had imagined her evening to go was quite the understatement. Paperwork was no big deal. A completely naked man with an arm protruding from his abdomen was a little off course. These sorts of things never happened to her. Always, she was left alone. No one bothered her. Where did this rogue vampire even come from? There wasn't a city anywhere close to near. Everyone was so peaceful here, and then this had to happen.

Her hands fumbled to dial up the Timberwolf, which thankfully was on her list of recent calls. There was no way she was going to miss out on a blueberry pie, of course. "Kathy! It's Grace! There is a HUGE issue going on right now at the hardware store." She couldn't help but gasp as he reached out for her. Her eyes shot to him, and then to her arm where he seemed to cling. She wanted so badly to pull away, but she couldn't. The humming inside her seemed to break into a much bigger song. It was a constant singing inside her. What even was this? "Uh-uhm. Ryan, that pie guy from the restaurant earlier, he's pretty much dying right now and I don't have a freaking CLUE what I'm supposed to do!" Gracelynn was met with a dead line tone. Kathy had hung up. Gracelynn only hoped that Kathy knew what to do and was on her way. She laid her phone on the asphalt and placed her free hand on top of his. She felt exhilarated. She was buzzing.

Just as Grace had hoped, Kathy was there in what felt like seconds. She carried a bag with her, and Grace didn't even want to know really what was in it. Kathy showed up much like Ryan had when he fought off the vampire. She had been so quick, the sheriff hadn't even made it there yet. Kathy moved closer to Ryan and pulled out the slabs of meat. A wrinkled formed on Grace's nose at the smell. It was definitely not cooked. And if it was, it wasn't done very thoroughly.

Gracelynn kept her contact with Ryan. Something seemed to have started between them as they made contact. He seemed to be healing faster. With the wounds he had, Grace would do anything to help him. She was alive because of him. All this trouble, and he didn't have to do a single thing for her. She could have been a little midnight snack, and those around her would have mourned. But things would have continued on. Now, a newcomer to Half-Moon Falls may be dying right before her.

Soon, the sheriff would arrive. He stepped out of his car and just sighed loudly. "Of course..." He walked over and took in the scene. He saw Kathy and the goodies she had brought Ryan, so he wasn't worried about that. He pulled out a flashlight and walked over to examine the various pieces of flesh that were once a vampire named Luther. He spoke into his radio, requesting a coroner to come and collect the body.

Thoughts raced through Grace's head. She barely paid attention to anyone around her besides Ryan. He needed the most attention out of all of them. She tried to offer a smile, as if that was actually going to help anything.

Tarmagon (Talk about a crazy night)

 

[Tarmagon]

Grace fumbled for her phone and Ryan could hear her stumbling words over the moonsong coursing through his body, but only just. Despite his fear that she might pull away, Grace allowed him to maintain contact with her, and it was as if golden sunlight was pouring into him from the touch of skin on skin. He could feel the wounds deep in his body healing, and before he could worry about the energy cost, Kathy was there in hybrid form, carrying a bag that smelled heavenly. Without a word, she opened the bag and began to hand Ryan slabs of barely cooked meat. Taking a moment to transfer Grace's hand to his shoulder with a squeeze and smile, Ryan set to with a will, tearing bites out and swallowing them as quickly as he could chew them. With the ongoing effect of Grace's hand on his shoulder and the calories, Ryan's wounds began to visibly knit shut faster and faster. He was vaguely aware of Kathy stepping around a corner, then returning in human form wearing shorts and a t-shirt just as the sheriff pulled up.

Alec Driscol was a no-nonsense kind of man, but it seemed even his monumental aplomb was a bit tried as he took in the scene.

"Of course..." was all he said, pulling out a flashlight and surveying the scene before returning to his car to use the radio to call for the coroner to come and clean up the body. When he returned, Ryan was finishing up the meat Kathy had brought him, the vicious scar on his abdomen now nothing more than a twisted red welt that was fading away slowly. Grace still had one hand on his shoulder, most of her attention fixed on him as she smiled a tremulous smile.

"What the hell happened here Ryan?" Alec asked, his tone stern. "I'm hoping there's a good reason there's a strange vampire in multiple pieces and you looking like something a cat dragged in."

"All I can tell you is what led me to taking that guy apart," Ryan said, then launched into as accurate a description of the events as he could. Working late, hearing Grace leave the store, then the sounds of a struggle. The strange vampire's words, and his reaction to Ryan's appearance.

"And you didn't think to try and talk to him?" Alec asked, interrupting Ryan briefly as he described finding the vampire holding Grace.

"Nope," Ryan said firmly. "His mouth was inches from Grace's throat when I showed up, and he held her up as a shield, telling me 'My prey you mangy cur! Go hunt elsewhere...' To me, that made it quite plain that he intended to violate the Code, either by draining Grace to death, or Turning her. Either way, he was about to feed on an unwilling victim, and we both know the penalty Franklin would have meted out for that, assuming that he didn't make it out of town before Franklin heard about it and tracked him down."

"Point," Alec allowed, frowning. Franklin was serious about the Code, and he handled violations immediately and, permanently. By attempting to feed on an unwilling victim, the strange vampire had effectively signed his own death warrant. Even if he has left Grace alive and un-Turned, his life was forfeit the moment he grabbed her.

Ryan finished his recounting of the incident, including Grace's call to the TImberwolf and sheriff, though he left out the strange power that seemed to be super-charging him.

"Thanks for getting here so fast Kath," he said as he finished his story. "I think I would have slipped into a coma if you hadn't shown up. Once Alec lets me go and I manage to find some pants," Ryan gestured at the dark flannel covering his lower body, "I'll be around for another meal. That bastard got me good, and I'm going to need a lot more calories for the healing to finish up."

"We'll stay open for you," Kathy said, collecting her bag and turning to go. "Don't keep him too long Alec."

"Grace?" Alec asked, his voice reassuring but firm, "Can you tell me what happened from your point of view? This looks like an open and shut case of Ryan defending you, and while I wish he had managed to leave whoever that was alive for questioning, I understand why he didn't. Why don't you just talk to me while Ryan goes and finds some pants. We'll just stay here until he gets back."

readysetstalk (At least the sheriff understands.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn's mind was spinning. Absolutely spinning. It was hard to wrap her mind around everything was happening, especially when there was a strange feeling surging through her right now. The simple touch to Ryan was sending feelings that she had never experienced before. Things were happening, and she had no idea what was going on. Ryan seemed to be pretty adamant about keeping touch with her, so she allowed it. She kept her hand on his shoulder, her eyes watching as his wounds began to close. What even?

And just like that, she was snapped back to reality. Her eyes shot up at Alec as he spoke to her. She glanced around at everything before just shrugging her shoulders. "Am I allowed to just say ditto? I mean, Ryan here seemed to sum everything up pretty well." Her words were met with a very stern look from Alec. With a small sigh, she lowered her head and gave a slight nod, as if she was convincing herself that she needed to say more.

"Right. Of course. So, I was closing up shop. I had earbuds in, because you know, peaceful town and everything. I had just finished locking up the back door, and before I knew it, this creep had a hold of me." Her hands started to wave all over the place as she spoke. explaining what happened.. "And Ryan was right. He was super close to biting me when he showed up. Hearing upbeat music, while being attacked, is probably the worst part about all of this, honestly. I thought I was going to die, and I was steady rocking out to 80s music. It was awful. Truly awful. BUT! Ryan showed up, saved my weak human ass, and now he's naked, with my shirt over his junk, and has a giant hole in him." Gracelynn looked back up at Alec, her back slumping down as if it had exhausted her to even speak about it.

Alec gave one, slow nod before turning back towards his car. Everything lined up. He couldn't argue with that. And Ryan was right. Franklin would have handed out the same punishment. He just hoped that Franklin didn't mind Ryan taking care of it himself. Alec just hoped that everything would stay calm after this. If this opened a door for more to come and attack the townspeople, they had a very big problem on their hands.

Gracelynn pulled herself up off the ground, glancing in whatever direction Ryan had went to retrieve pants. Her hands fumbled with one another, rather nervously. She was one of the few humans who lived here. She had a big target on her back here. What if more came after her?

"Uhm, Alec? We didn't set off a domino trail did we? 'Cause, I mean, what if he was part of a group? A clan? Or whatever... What if more come? Like, because of me?" Gracelynn grimaced, her nose wrinkling at the idea.

Alec thought for a moment, his hand resting on his radio. "We'll handle it."

With such a vague answer, Grace wasn't exactly sure how to feel.

Tarmagon (Super sorry for being so slow! Life slapped me around a little this week!)

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan took Alec's rather pointed hint and stood, careful not to upset Grace. He gave her a huge smile, then gently disengaged her hand from his shoulder. The wonderful flow immediately slowed, but this time it didn't completely fade to a background hum. Ryan was aware of something tying him to Grace, some connection that had established itself while she had helped him heal. Using one hand to hold Grace's outset shirt in place, Ryan moved back to the street, scanning the ground for a moment before finding his key-ring, wallet, and phone where they had fallen from his shredded jeans. Gathering them up in his free hand, he turned and made his way back to the garage, opening the 'employee's only' door and slipping inside. His locker yielded his spare pants and a t-shirt, but shoes were going to have to wait until he made it back to his rv. Oh well, given the circumstances he rather doubted that 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' would be enforced tonight. Dressing quickly, he contemplated Grace's shirt and grimaced. Blood and dirt coated it liberally, and he didn't have any way to wash it here. Rummaging in the back of his locker, Ryan discovered a light jacket he had stashed away for rainy days. Considering their size difference it would most likely fit Grace like a tent, but it would cover her arms and provide a bit of protection against the chill. With his metabolism in overdrive, Ryan wasn't going to need it anytime soon. Turning off the light and locking the door once more, he retraced his steps back to the alley behind the hardware store, just in time to see Alec saying something to Grace.

"I'm back," Ryan said, basking in the warm glow that Grace's presence was providing. "I've brought you my spare jacket Grace. And I'm Ryan, but I think you already had that part figured out. Probably from the ladies at the TImberwolf if you got your information from the same place I got mine."

Ryan winked and grinned at the last few words. The staff at the Timberwolf were notorious gossips and matchmakers, though they were never malicious. Grace looked a little unsettled, as though whatever Alec had told her hadn't exactly reassured her, but Ryan chose not to pry. If she wanted to tell him about it, she would. Before he could say anything else though, his stomach gave a rumble that drew sharp glances from Grace and Alec.

"Sorry," Ryan said sheepishly. "Healing takes a lot out of me. What Kathy brought was enough to keep me from going comatose, but I need more."

"Go," Alec said, waving in the general direction of the TImberwolf. "It looks like the coroner's vans here, and if I need more information I know where to find you both. Grace, we'll figure it out."

Ryan guessed that Alec's remark was in reference to whatever had Grace disturbed, but he stood by his previous decision. She'd tell him if she wanted to.

"Grace?" he asked, and now his voice was a bit hesitant, uncertain. "Would you care to join me for a late meal? I'll walk you home afterwards?"

readysetstalk (It's a bit short, but interactions and all. As for the other, real life comes first! I'm just glad you survived whatever it was.)

 

[readysetstalk]

It was almost like Ryan had never left. That hum she had felt before, she no longer felt. It was much stronger now. Much, much stronger. She could still feel him as he shifted through the auto shop. She could still feel his presence. And it only grew when he began his trip back. Gracelynn looked in his direction before he even appeared from the shadows of the alley. Something inside her was...radiating... She felt calm as soon as Ryan approached. She felt like everything was actually going to be okay. Her mood shifted greatly from fearful and worrisome, to somber. Gracelynn crossed her arms over her chest, unsure of what she was feeling. It was odd, and it scared her a little. So quickly she had been taken from the verge of a panic attack, to relaxed.

A wide smile appeared on her lips at the mention of the ladies at the Timberwolf. "Ahh, so they got to you too, huh?" She playfully rolled her eyes. "They're quick to try and set people up, that's for sure." She unfolded her arms and took up his jacket. She glanced it over, knowing immediately that it was going to be much too large. She was a petite girl, and well, he was far from petite. Nevertheless, she slipped her arms through the holes and pulled the jacket tight around her midsection. To say she was swimming in it would be an understatement. A small laugh could be heard as she fished her hands out of the arms of the jacket, rolling them up at the ends so it wasn't as long. "Jillian told me you paid for my food, which was very, very kind of you. However, I do owe you a dinner now!" She beamed up at him, sounding very sure of herself.

"So, I really think the best food in town is probably the Timberwolf. You haven't been around here very long, so let me escort you in case any bad guys show up! I'll keep ya safe. I promise." She wrapped her arm around his and began to lead him to the Timberwolf. "It's a very safe town, ya know. But sometimes you just don't know." Gracelynn was obviously being sarcastic. Naturally, she was a playful person. But something about Ryan seemed to make it come out more than usual. She felt great near him. Like she could do anything she wanted right now.

"Also, I think... I could definitely use some more pie after tonight. And I think you could use a steak. On the rare side. You seem like a rare steak kind of guy." She glanced up at him, still smiling just as bright. "I also think you'd be the best guy to walk me back to my house. Hell, you can even sleep on the couch if you're just too tired to make it back to wherever you're staying. It is late, you know. And you never really know what's going to be out there.." Okay, so maybe that hint wasn't exactly smooth. Gracelynn lived by herself. She had a few guns here and there, but it wasn't exactly ideal against anything of the supernatural. If Ryan wanted to camp out on her couch tonight, she wouldn't disagree with him. Hell, she'd even make him breakfast in the morning.

Tarmagon I don't think it's that short at all! Plenty of stuff for me to work off of

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan couldn't help but smile as the diminutive tornado that he had first encountered reappeared. Despite the fact that she looked like a child playing dress-up in his jacket, and despite the fact that he had just saved her from a vampire attack, Grace was tugging him along towards the Timberwolf, chattering away. She was obviously going to be the one protecting him, the new guy, and of course he was going to walk her home afterwards. Ryan's eyes widened a bit as she made her comment about him sleeping on her couch, but then he paused to think about the undercurrent of her words.

"She can't come out and say it," Ryan thought, "But Grace is nervous. I don't even know if she realizes it, but I think tonight hit her fairly hard. Add in this strange bond we seem to have... Hell, I can barely think straight in her presence. She's like the light of a full moon coupled with the warmth of the sun. And the longer she's closer to me, the more intense the feeling is. Hell, I shouldn't have been able to heal a wound like that so fast. What is the woman doing to me?"

Grace's soliloquy had led them to the door of the TImberwolf, and the sign was off, but the light over the front door was still on. Ryan reached out and opened the door, bowing slightly to Grace.

"Ladies first."

The grin Grace gave him was definitely impish, and Ryan found himself grinning back. Inside only one bank of lights were on, and Kathy's voice rang out from the kitchen door before she appeared in that same door.

"We're clos... Oh, good. Ryan, Grace, lock the door and come on to the back. Jimmy left a massive platter for you, and Nancy left half a pie."

Ryan locked the door, then followed Grace to a large table near the kitchen door. Jimmy had indeed left a massive platter of food, heavy on the meats but sporting enough various vegetables to make a vegetarian cry in happiness. Ryan saw Grace's eyes glow as she saw the half pie sitting in solitary splendor to one side, and he waved at it with a chuckle.

"I think you earned another slice," he said, laughter in his voice. "But don't you think you should have something besides pie?"

"The drink machine is still turned on," Kathy said. "I'll be working in the kitchen for a while yet, so take your time. Just give a shout when you're done."

With that, Kathy vanished into the kitchen area as Ryan pulled out a chair and nodded to Grace.

"If my lady would care to take a seat," he said, "I'll brave the intricacies of the soda machine. What can I get you?"

readysetstalk (My my, someone's a little bundle of attitude and energy.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Nervous? Sure. Grace was a nervous wreck. Or, she would be. Something about Ryan calmed her. Maybe it was the fact that he had came to her rescue in the most heroic of ways. Or maybe it was this weird connection that seemed to pull her closer and closer to him? Was this connection what kept her calm? What even is the connection? Why was he able to heal so quickly after such a devastating would? Questions were whirring in her head and no answer seemed to be coming forth. Gracelynn would do just about anything to get Ryan to sleep on her couch at this point.

At his bow, she offered an overdramatic curtsy and tip-toed into the restaurant. She smiled brightly at Kathy, as if her mind wasn't plagued with questions. "Ooh! Pie!" She bounded over to the table, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of a half of a pie. "Oh, wow.. That's a lot of pie.." She placed her hand on her stomach, unsure of whether she'd even be able to put a dent in it. It had been a while since her last meal, as she had plans to eat once she got home.

"Well thank you, kind sir," she smiled, taking off the jacket and laying it on the seat of a nearby booth. She sat down in the chair Ryan had pulled out for her and scooted herself in just a few inches. She tucked a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail back behind her ear, the curl forming around her ear. Tattooed hands reached for the pie and a fork, and immediately dug in. As she heard Ryan ask what she'd like to drink, she covered her mouth and said, "Doctor Pepper, please!"

Gracelynn could feel the eyes of Kathy burning into her. She could tell that Kathy knew something was going on. Was it obvious? Was this a wolf thing? Was it normal for this feeling to happen? Did everyone have this feeling? Gracelynn quickly pushed it out of her mind and focused on the pie in front of her. She ate directly from the pie pan, have no intentions of returning whatever was left when she finished eating. This pie was going home with her. No matter what. If Ryan didn't take her up on the offer to sleep on her couch, she would at least have pie to fall back on.

After a few bites of pie, Grace slid it to the side and scooped up some of the vegetables off of Ryan's platter. She slid the plate in front of her and munched down on some broccoli. "So, Ryan. How long have you even been here? I can't say I've seen you a whole lot around town." Her eyes lifted from the plate in front of her, and over to the tall, very kind, man who was fetching her something to drink. If she were to say this day was just like any other, she'd be lying.

Tarmagon Grace is somethin', that's for sure! Hope Ryan can keep up

 

[Tarmagon]

"I've been here a little over a month," Ryan replied, setting a glass full of dark, fizzing liquid in front of Grace. "Your prune juice."

Ryan sat down beside Grace, not so close as to crowd her, but close enough that they could talk quietly as they ate. His own glass of Sprite went in front of him, then he began to systematically annihilate the huge patter of food, speaking between bites.

"Let's see," he said thoughtfully. "The names Ryan, Ryan Carter. I'm twenty-eight, Pisces, mechanic, no pets, no hobbies besides reading a good book, and I'm a Born werewolf."

Ryan watched Grace's face as he said the last few words, but her only reaction was a nod of understanding. As a long time resident here, that was to be expected, but the confirmation of her awareness of the supernatural was reassuring.

"What else?" he mused aloud as at least two pounds of roast vanished in quick, neat bites. "I work for Hank, live out of my rv, which is parked at Sam's place, and don't spend a lot of time in town."

Ryan didn't mention that as an Alpha in a town that already had an Alpha, his presence could cause confusion, so he stayed home out of courtesy. He had no intention of Challenging Carl, and once he'd made that clear he'd been welcomed, but an Alpha had certain effects on wolves, so Ryan kept mostly to himself to minimize his impact on the town.

“That’s pretty much my story,” he said, “At least the part that brought me here. What about you?”

readysetstalk (Tag)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn listened to his story, eating away at her pie as she did so. She was delicate, cutting off pie piece by piece as she ate. She did notice that the platter of food before quickly vanished. She still had a good chunk of pie life. Maybe all this food was to help him heal further. If it had been mentioned back in the alley, she didn't remember. A lot of things were going on and she could barely remember what all Alec had said to her. It was enough to leave her unsettled, she knew that much.

"Hm.. Well, I'm the proud owner of a hardware store. My father and I moved here when I was about four years old. My mother had passed, and he wanted a fresh start. Not so much as to forget her, but to not be reminded of her every turn he took. So, we packed up, moved out here, and he bought a stake in the hardware store with the previous owner. When he retired, my dad took it all on himself. And when he passed a few years ago, I took it over." She paused, bringing her Doctor Pepper to her lips and taking a small sip. "I'm also twenty-six, a Capricorn, and a painter by night." She offered a playful wink. Not many took interest in her life, so most only knew that she ran the hardware shop. She didn't have a whole lot of friends around town, but she liked it that way. She had her solidarity whenever she pleased.

"I live just up the hill in a little two-bedroom house. And I do have a pet fish named Steve." She couldn't help but laugh a little. "Fish are boring. But also easy to take care of." With a shrug of her shoulder, she looked back down at the pie pan in front of her. She'd eaten at least half of what had been left out for her. She pushed around a stray blueberry with her fork.

"What pulled you to Half-Moon Falls?" she asked, her eyes moving to look up at Ryan, that small little smile still plastered on her lips.

Tarmagon (You're it!)

 

[Tarmagon]

"I'd like to say something deep and mystical," Ryan said with a grin, "But honestly it was an empty gas tank. I'd been driving around pretty aimlessly for a while by the time I stopped for gas at Hank's. There was a, situation, where I was living. It didn't end well."

Ryan's voice trailed off for a moment as old pain and regret surfaced, but he quashed it down ruthlessly. He hadn't caused the problem, but he had damned well ended it. But the cost... By the Lady, the cost.

"So," he continued in a deliberately cheerful voice. "Hank had his sign out looking for a mechanic. I'm a mechanic, among other things, and I was tired of driving around. End result, here I am."

As they had talked, Ryan had demolished the patter down to crumbs. Only Grace's pie pan had anything still in it, and Ryan stood.

"I'm going to help Kathy clean this up," he said, grabbing plates and silverware and seeing them on the platter. "Give me a few minutes and I'll walk you home."

readysetstalk (Sorry it's short, but there's information to be had. Ryan will accept the couch, but only if they swing by his rv so he can grab a change of underwear.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn listened to him speak, picking small pieces of the pie and placing them in her mouth from time to time. She could tell that there was more information behind him just picking up his life and setting out in an RV. There was always something more. Given this was their first time ever really talking to one another, she wasn't going to dwell on it. She would let him open up about his past when he was comfortable. And if he didn't want to, that was fine also.

"Someone's a bit of a butt-kiss," she teased, helping him gather all the used utensils. She stood as well, and went behind the bar. She grabbed a wet rag and went to wipe down the table. Ryan was quick to eat, and in turn, left quite a bit of crumbs and other things in his wake. The least she could do was help out Kathy, especially since she had been so kind as to leave the door open for them until such a late hour.

Once the table was wiped down, she popped the lid back on the pie pan and slid it into a bag. There was no way this pie was going back. It was hers, and she was going to make that very clear. She put the bag on her wrist, and waited patiently for Ryan to finish up what he needed to do. In the mean time, she hummed quietly to herself, hoping to distract her mind from the fact she almost became a meal for someone else.

Tarmagon (Perfectly fine!)

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan snorted as Grace called him a butt-kiss. As if.

"I'll have you know," he said a trifle primly, "That my parents actually instilled a set of manners into me. Open doors, help out whenever you can, those sorts of things. If you think that makes me a butt-kiss, well then."

Ryan made exaggerated smooching noises at Grace as he maneuvered the platter through the door to the kitchen. Kathy was rinsing dishes and seeing them into an autoclave, and Ryan began to scrape and hand her plates, receiving a nod of thanks. They had the machine loaded in under five minutes, and Kathy hit a big red button that lowered a door and started the massive machine with a loud hiss of steam.

"All done," Kathy said. "Thanks. You walk Grace home and I'll lock up."

"Yes ma'am," Ryan replied. "Let me know how..."

"Nothing," Kathy said, cutting him off. "You saved Grace. Don't argue either. Just get her home safely."

Ryan nodded, then emerged from the kitchen to find the table wiped clean and Grace ready to go.

"I'll walk you home," he said with a smile. "If... you were serious about wanting me to stay, we'll need to swing by my rv so I can get a change of clothes."

readysetstalk (Ryan is giving her a polite out, if she wants it.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn grinned, but rolled her eyes all the same. She shook her head as she watched him disappear into the back to help Kathy. He was right. He at least had decent manners. She had to give him that. Too many people would have just left the mess for Kathy.

While she waited, she straightened up various tables, making sure salt shakers were where they needed to be, napkins full, the sorts. Once he emerged from the back, her smile returned. "Of course I was serious!" Her eyes widened slightly. "Do you really think I want to be alone after what happened tonight?" Her voice lowered just slightly, almost as if she didn't want Kathy to overhear her. The whole situation had Gracelynn rattled. She lived on the outskirts of town, so there weren't any neighbors close by. They were there, but they wouldn't hear her scream in the dead of night if someone came to her house.

"Besides, I have the most comfortable couch you'll ever sleep on. And it's probably better than whatever bed you have set up in your RV." She gave a soft shrug of her shoulders and she headed towards the door. With exaggeration, she pulled open the door and bowed. "M'lady," she smirked, ushering him through the threshold.

"I'll even cook you breakfast. And you can shower as soon as we get there, so you can get all the gross dirt and blood off of you." Her eyes looked over his body as they emerged into the light of the street lights, her nose wrinkling. "In fact, I insist on it... I don't really want any of that on my couch..."

Tarmagon (He'll just have to put up with her. )

 

[Tarmagon]

"Of course I was serious! Do you really think I want to be alone after what happened tonight? Besides, I have the most comfortable couch you'll ever sleep on. And it's probably better than whatever bed you have set up in your RV."

"Don't presume to judge that which you have not experienced," Ryan said, then suppressed a snort when Grace held the door for him with a "M'lady," He allowed himself to be ushered out, and when he spoke again, it was in the most exaggerated Southern accent he could manage. "Well ah do decle-ah! That was most gallant of you sirrah. Whatevah would I do without you?"

'll even cook you breakfast. And you can shower as soon as we get there, so you can get all the gross dirt and blood off of you. In fact, I insist on it... I don't really want any of that on my couch..."

Ryan looked down and grimaced. Normally when he shifted, little things like blood and dirt were taken care of, sloughing off when his fur disappeared. Unfortunately, he had kind of been lying in an area liberally coated with various bodily fluids and filth when he had changed back. His need for food to fuel the massive amount of healing his body had required had kept him from noticing how much, stuff, was splattered on his arms. Now that he was thinking about it, he could feel dried gunk pulling at his legs and back as he walked. How had Grace managed to overlook the fact that she was dining with someone who looked like he just stepped out of an abattoir? This woman was made of stern stuff.

"Fair enough," he replied. "I appreciate the offer of a shower rather than a hose-down in the yard. Let's head over to Sam's so I can get some clothes that won't have to be burned when I take them off."

With that, Ryan set off down the street at an easy pace, one that a regular human wouldn't have any trouble matching. He kept his senses fully alert, testing the night for any possible threat as they walked. It took about five minutes of steady walking and small-talk before they arrived at Ryan's rv. He chuckled a little as Grace took in the sleek, obviously modern and equally obviously expensive vehicle.

"What did you expect?" he asked as he unlocked the door. "A beat-up Winnebago barely big enough for a suitcase? Come on in. No point in standing around outside while I find clothes."

readysetstalk

 

[readysetstalk]

A girlish giggle erupted from Grace as he exaggerated that accent. She shook her head, smiling all the while. "I suppose you'd probably just open the door yourself." She gave him a little nudge with her elbow. She pulled his jacket tighter around her body as they walked. With it being so large, it allowed a lot of air to make its way to her body. Grace tried to roll the sleeves up, but that didn't seem to help much at all. They slid down over her hands almost immediately. At least it was still warm and a much better option than walking around at this hour in just a simple cotton t-shirt.

"I could never hose you down on a chilly night like this! Men are much too whiny when they're sick. We can't have that happening if you're going to be crashing out on my couch." Her eyes peaked up at him to see his reaction. She followed suit, however, allowing him to lead the way back to Sam's. She had been there plenty of times before, but she allowed him to take lead. The constant song she was feeling within herself became less and less noticeable. It was there, that's for sure, but it was sort of in the background the longer that they spent together. It was so strange at first, but now she was almost used to it. Something about it was so welcoming... warming... And oh how she wanted to ask him about it.

Shocked was an understatement. Her eyes widened as she looked up at the very modern RV before them. Her eyes scanned the whole length before she looked up at Ryan. "Oh heck yeah I was expecting a Winnebago! This is by far the most expensive RV I've ever seen around here.. And we get a lot of people traveling through on vacations." She placed her hands on her hips as she took in the whole thing. She gave a little huff before she followed him into the RV, almost afraid to touch anything in it.

Once inside, she gazed. She was surprised to see that he had such an expensive RV. She was full heartedly expecting a smaller RV. This was the last thing she could have ever imagined. She stepped further into the space and her fingers trailed along the countertop. "Well, then.. This is a pretty nice RV you've got here," she laughed, plopping herself down at the small table. There was so much to look at, she felt. It sparked her curiosity. Everything in here, she wanted to look at and be nosy. However, it was not her place to go snooping, so she'd just have to deal with sitting there patiently as he gathered clothing.

"So, I know the salary of a mechanic couldn't afford this... So.. What did you do before? Mafia? Drug lord?" She was teasing, of course, but she was rather amused by all of this.

Tarmagon

 

[Tarmagon]

"Nothing so prosaic," Ryan replied. "I was the Alpha of a rather successful Pack, and the CEO of our corporation. I've actually got a pretty good nest egg, but I like to work with my hands, hence the job at Hank's. I can work for less, which gives him more to reinvest in his business. Hank doesn't know. He thinks I won this in a lottery, and I'd like him to keep thinking that. Everybody wins."

Ryan headed to the back bedroom to retrieve fresh clothing and shoes, wondering why he had just told what amounted to a complete stranger the truth about his resources. He didn't need to work. Hell, he could have bought the station from Hank, but that wouldn't have made anyone better off. Hank loved his work, and his town. No way was Ryan going to mess that up. Opening his closet, Ryan grabbed fresh jeans, underwear, and a shirt. After a moments consideration he grabbed a pair of boots as well. It was that, or formal shoes. He'd have to buy some new sneakers. Damn. Almost as an afterthought he reached into the back of the closet and pulled out a book, bound in leather and held closed by metal bands. Dropping his clothes into a backpack, he shrugged one strap over his shoulder and headed back to where Grace was waiting.

"A little light reading before bed," he said, hefting the book. "I'm hoping it can tell me what this strange boost you give my healing is. For now, please lead on o heavily inked one. I know not whence we go, only that you must show me the way."

readysetstalk (What will the book reveal?)