Fantasy Compliments and Conundrums : Private for Tarmagon and readysetstalk

[Tarmagon]

Ryan wasn't certain how much time had passed. The bathroom and massive shower had formed their own little world as Ryan had done his utmost to show Grace that no matter what happened to the rest of the world, no matter that they now had their own little Pack, SHE was what mattered most to him. Eventually the hot water came to an end however, bringing their interlude with each other to a slow ending. Instead of feeling tired however, their melding had somehow energized Ryan. Where making love with Grace had led him to a warm, hazy stupor, now Ryan was fairly bursting with energy. He couldn't help but grin as he watched Grace dress, then suddenly he remembered that he had enter in wolf form. Oops, no clothes.

"Grace love," he said, a chuckle in his voice, "Would you be a dear and go get me something to wear? Unless, of course, you want me to walk out there naked."

Kathy could care less, she was a life long werewolf, and casual nudity among Packmates was just, normal. It really didn't mean anything except someone was trying not to shred their clothes. Marissa wasn't into men, though Ryan thought back to her comment when he was carrying her a blushed slightly. Sarah was new to being a wolf however, and Grace was new to everything... Ryan felt a slight tug at his awareness. It was like a gentle tap on his shoulder, just to get his attention. They were needed.

"Best hurry dearest," he said. "I think they need us."

readysetstalk (Werewolf needs clothes.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Their closeness had Grace buzzing on a little bit of a high. Her anxiety had disappeared entirely and she was left as a little pool of human. She had needed him. Maybe not in this exact way, but she wasn't going to complain either. Everything around them had seemed to melt away while they were in the shower. It didn't matter what Kathy, Marissa and Sarah were doing. All that mattered during that time was them, and only them. It was an escape. That's what Grace had needed.

Grace ran a comb through her hair and then got dressed. She laughed a little at Ryan, seeing him stand there and asking her to go get him some clothes. She gave a small nod and exited the bathroom. Once she gathered him fresh clothes, she reentered the bathroom. She placed his clothes on the counter next to the sink.

"Here ya go," she smiled. She walked up to him and slid her arms around his waist. For a moment, she just looked up at him. This man had come into her life and completely changed it. A change that had been for the better. She gave him a lingering kiss and then stepped back, just a little.

"Alright.. We should get back, right?" Grace didn't necessarily want to, but there were bigger fish to fry. They had to get things figured out and keep going. People needed them.

Tarmagon (Clothes delivered.)

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan chuckled as Grace promptly exited the bathroom in search of clothes for him. It seemed she was going to be a bit possessive of him, and he didn't mind in the least. Grace as only gone for a couple of minutes before returning with an armload of his clothes that she set on the counter with a chirpy "Here ya go." Before Ryan could dress however, slim arms encircled his waist and he looked down into those blue eyes, reading the happiness there. Then Grace was standing on her toes, stretching up to give him a lingering kiss before stepping back a bit, regretfully?

"Alright.. We should get back, right? she asked. Ryan could feel that she didn't want to, but knew that they needed to.

"Yup," he replied, sorting through the pile of clothing she had brought. "Just let me dress so we don't scandalize, well, anyone."

Ryan quickly pulled on his clothes, jeans and a t-shirt with his boots. Grace had even brought a flannel shirt to go over everything, though Ryan didn't really get cold. As Grace started to move to the door, Ryan snaked out one arm, wrapping it around her waist and pulling her close before lifting her up so that her eyes were level with his.

"We'll get through this love," he whispered. "No matter what, we'll get through this." Giving Grace a quick kiss, he set her back on the floor, then opened the door himself, bowing to Grace like a doorman at a high end Hotel.

"If m'lady would care to precede me?" he said with a grin, then shamelessly watched Grace's rear end as she giggled, then sauntered past him and back into the main room. Kathy and Sarah both looked up as Grace and Ryan entered, but Marissa was engrossed with the pile of crystals and wire she was working with. Kathy gave a single sniff, then winked at Grace before giving Ryan a wicked grin. Sarah also sniffed, but looked confused, testing the air again and again before suddenly blushing hotly and looking down quickly. Kathy snorted out a giggle at Sarah's reaction, which caused Marissa to look up sharply.

"Good, you're back," she said in a no-nonsense voice. "I've made amulets for Kathy and Sarah, as well as one for me so I don't have to be constantly shielding myself. If you would all join me here, we can put the finishing touches on these."

Ryan and Grace moved over to where Marissa was working, sitting side by side on the floor where the witch indicated she wanted them. Kathy sat beside Grace, and Sarah beside Ryan with Marissa sitting across from the space between Ryan and Grace. They formed a small circle, into which Marissa carefully set three creations of crystal and wire.

"Join hands," Marissa directed, reaching out to grasp Kathy and Sarah's hands. Kathy immediate;y reached out to Grace, who took her hand with no hesitation, then reached out to Ryan. Ryan grasped the offered hand, then took Sarah's, completing the circle. As the circle closed, everyone felt a tingle, almost like a static shock, run around the circle. Sarah felt like she was going to pull away, but Ryan held her hand with gentle pressure, and after a moment she calmed. Grace's grip had remained steady, and Ryan gave her hand a small squeeze before returning his attention to Marissa.

"Ok," Marissa was saying. "Sarah and Kathy, I'm not going to be drawing Power from you, but you have to be a part of this so the amulets know you. It will feel like something is moving around the circle, and might be a little odd, but I promise it won't hurt you in any way. I'll be send little pulses of Power around through our hands. When they get to Ryan and Grace, I'd like you two to, well, add a little of your whatever it is you two have. Just imagine the sensation getting stronger every time, and that should be enough. When I've collected enough Power, I'll put it into the amulets and we'll all rest for a bit."

Ryan wasn't certain what Marissa wanted, and he could feel Grace's uncertainty as well, but before he could say anything, a warm sensation seemed to pass from Sarah's hand to his. The warm spot moved up his arm, across his chest, then down his arm to disappear into Grace's hand. Her eyes widened momentarily, and he could feel her alarm, so he instinctively reached out to her through their new Bond. Instantly, she reached back, and then there was no Ryan, no Grace, just a sense of completion, warmth and love. They were aware that the warmth had returned to Ryan's hand, and they welcomed it together, adding a bit of themselves to it as it raced through them. In moments it was gone, only to return once more. Again they added a bit of themselves to whatever it was Marissa was doing, repeating the process over and over. No matter how much of themselves they poured into the Working, the Bond between Ryan and Grace never seemed to diminish. It was like they were so much more together than they were apart, that no matter what was required of them, they could provide it.

The small ball of warmth had grown into a spark of the very sun itself, though it didn't bother them in the slightest as it moved through them, and no matter how hot it seemed to grow, they could always put a little more into it. Suddenly, brilliant light flared through the room, visible through eyelids that Ryan hadn't even realized he had closed. Sarah's hand fell away, leaving only his connection to Grace through their clasped hands. Opening his eyes, Ryan saw the three wire and crystal creations glowing with a brilliant, white light that seemed to slowly sink into the crystals, forming a tiny dot in the very center of each.

"And, done." Marissa said, her voice exhausted. "That was... intense. I've never handled that much Power before. I underestimated you two, even knowing the Bond between you. Let's hope that our unknown enemy does the same." Reaching out, Marissa picked up one of the amulets, slipping the leather thong over her head, and gesturing for Sarah and Kathy to do the same. "And now, more... sleep."

Marissa's eyes slid closed, and she started to tip sideways, but Kathy moved, gathering her up and setting her into the large recliner she had occupied not so long ago.

"Well, that was a thing," she said, straightening. "Now what?"

readysetstalk (The dynamic duo are literally a dynamo.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Giggles had erupted as he pulled her back, a smile plastered on her face. She looked into his eyes, feeling the reassurance hit her through the bond they had. She knew it was going to be hard, and she knew that it was going to be scary. But she felt that if she had him, they’d be able to survive. They would be able to get this done. It would take a lot of hard work from everyone in their group, but they had a good group with them.

She stepped out into the room and Marissa was quick to put them back to work. She had already completed Kathy’s and Sarah’s amulets. Now, they were needed for the next step. She took her seat and clasped hands with those beside her. Gracelynn wasn’t sure what was going to happen. There had been no warning with this. At first she was a little apprehensive, but Ryan was quick to reassure her. She focused, like she needed to. She put herself into that little surge of energy every time it came her way. It didn’t take long to complete. Whatever had just happened, happened. Her eyes opened and she saw the light become one with the stones. She still held onto his hand, giving it a small squeeze. There was a lot that just happened here. The energy moving through them had been... so different, yet warming. It wasn’t like the bond they shared, but while it took energy from their bond, it seemed to replenish rapidly—if not grow. What was even going on?

There would be no questions answered from Marissa. She was selfless. She was using all the energy she had to make sure they were protected. It was admirable. Gracelynn watched as Kathy carried her to the recliner. She shifted a little closer to Ryan, looking up at him. Her eyes searched his face for a moment. “That was..wild..” She didn’t know how else to describe it. It was wild. Even Marissa was surprised. Their bond was obviously something that hadn’t ever been seen or heard of before. At least, not by anyone near here.

“I’m not really sure what to do now..” Did they wait for Marissa to wake up? Did they just carry her out to the RV? Was there anything else that they could do here? Whatever was outside earlier hadn’t seen them, she thought. But whatever was happening, was only getting closer. They’d be found eventually. Were they ready? They didn’t even know what they were facing, really. It was a shot in the dark at this point.

“Ryan?”

Tarmagon (Sorry for the delay!)

 

[Tarmagon]

"Rest," Ryan said without hesitation. "Whatever is going on out there hasn't found us, and while I've always been told to be a moving target, I've also been told to take advantage of any safe spot to hole up in that you find. We have shelter and food, and while Marissa seems only to be exhausted, she counts as wounded right now. So, she'll recover better here. What we can do is make certain that the RV is ready to move at a moments notice. We'll top of the water tank, plug in to the Cascades power so the batteries stay charged. We need to search a little better, and a little more cautiously. A place like this has maintenance gear for the grounds, which means a fuel supply. If we can find it, I can use it to fill the tanks on the RV."

Ryan paused a moment to look over their little group. Sarah looked nervous, but also determined. Kathy looked serious as she stood by Marissa, and Grace looked expectant. Time to divide and conquer.

"Kathy, you're on wood and food duty," Ryan said. "There was a pile of wood out in the service area behind the hotel. Take the cart and fill the top with things we can cook over an open fire, then fill the bottom with wood. Sarah, you're on guard duty. Protect Marissa and guard the door. Keep an eye on the sky. Your vision is now as good as if you were looking through a set of binoculars, so scan the sky. Click the radio three times if you see anything up there. Kathy and I will carry radios with the volume low. We hear anything, we'll go to ground until you give us an 'all clear' by clicking four times."

Kathy and Sarah both nodded, Kathy moving to collect a radio and unload the food remaining on the cart. While she was doing that, Ryan turned to Grace.

"We're going to move the RV," he said. "I know it's a risk, but we can't make the necessary hook-ups where it is now. We'll move it behind the hotel, into the maintenance parking lot. I remember a water spigot, and it's close enough to the electrical room that I shouldn't have any trouble getting power hooked up. You'll drive, I'll keep watch. Ready to go?"

readysetstalk (Their tasks will be accomplished without any outside interference.)

 

[readysetstalk]

And without any sort of hesitation, Ryan was back into war-mode. They hadn’t a clue what they were really up against. They just knew that it wasn’t good and they were easily outnumbered. The curtain of fear seemed to drape itself over Grace’s shoulders once more. Now was the time for them to make use of the amulets and get to work. There were a lot of things that still needed to be done, and they couldn’t leave until Marissa was back up on her feet. It was time to utilize their time wisely.

As Ryan explained what each of them were going to do, Gracelynn slipped her boots back on. It was clear they were going to be heading back outside. She stood and straightened herself out a bit before giving him a small nod. She was as ready as she was going to be. She’d only driven the RV once, and well, that was not exactly something she was proud of. It had been quite the experience, and she was more than glad to never have to do it again. Yet, here they were and she was put into the driver’s seat again.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, a little uncertainty hidden in her voice. “I’m ready.” She forced a smile. It was a toss up on whether she was trying to convince him or herself. Either way, this needed to be done. It was time to put her big girl pants on. Grace grabbed the gun she’d carried earlier and put the safety on before slipping it into the back of her pants.

Grace gave a quick look to Kathy and Sarah before giving another small nod. She was ready. She had to be. “Let’s do this.” She waited for Ryan to lead the way out, and then she became his shadow all over again. She almost held her breath the whole time they made their way to the RV. With having seen whatever it was in the sky last time, her anxiety was much higher now. She was a little more aware of her surroundings now that it was common knowledge that they were no longer alone up here.

Tarmagon (no creepy crawlers detected)

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan carefully didn't notice Grace's nerves as they made their preparations. She was pushing through them, so he wouldn't notice them. Kathy took off with the cart as Ryan and Grace moved to the RV, Grace practically his shadow. They arrived without incident, and Ryan waved Grace inside, tossing her the keys the moving around the RV in a quick inspection. Satisfied, he moved to the front of the RV and waved to Grace. He mimed starting the RV, and when the powerful engine rumbled to life, he made a 'follow me' gesture, setting off around the hotel at a brisk walk. He constantly scanned the sky and woods around and above the hotel, but nothing presented itself to his senses as he picked out the easiest path for the RV. As he moved around the buildings, he took a slightly different path than he had before, and grinned to himself as he turned a corner and saw a series of long parking spots with stubby poles between them. Each pole had an electric meter, a covered switch-box, and a faucet. Moving over to one of them, he gestured for Grace to park the RV in the long spot beside the closest hook up box. Once it was positioned to his liking, he made a chopping gesture, and the motor died away. Moving to the door of the RV, Ryan swung up as Grace turned the drivers seat to the rear.

"We lucked out," he said, smiling. "I should have expected they'd have RV hook up points at a place like this. I should have looked closer when I did my first scout. I'm going to hook up the connections. While I do, can you inventory the supplies in the pantry? Anything we're short on, we'll take from the hotel if they have it. After we're done, we'll search for the maintenance supplies."

Grace nodded firmly, and set to work as Ryan swung down from the RV, leaving the door open. Moving with the ease of long practice, he soon had the RV hooked up to water and power, finishing up just as Grace appeared in the door of the RV. Ryan helped her down, even though she obviously didn't need the assistance, collecting a quick kiss for his efforts before returning his attention to the sky and woods. Moving quickly, they circled the building until Ryan noticed a large Quonset hut set at the edge of the woods. There was a large drum set up on stilts beside the hut with a filter and hose arrangement attached to it.

"That looks like a maintenance shed to me," Ryan whispered to Grace, who gave him a quick nod, her attention never leaving their surroundings. They moved quickly and quietly up to the shed, which proved to be secured with a heavy chain and padlock. Ryan looked at both, then took up the chain and pulled sharply. The chain and lock held, but the screws holding the anchor points into the hut door failed with a squeal of rending wood.

"Shall we?" Ryan asked as he pulled the door upen.

readysetstalk (Maintenance shed located. Whatever could be inside?"

 

[readysetstalk]

There was a lot that went on in the next few minutes. Like before, Grace was practically second skin on Ryan. Whatever was out there had her nervous. They had seen it earlier, and surely it was only a matter of time before it made its way back up there. Thankfully, it wasn’t that time yet. Grace had a little bit of a “I’m a badass” moment as she drove the RV. It was a hell of a lot smoother this go around than it was before. Granted, Ryan was in front of it and she didn’t really feel like running him over. That would put a little bit of a damper on their parade.

Once the RV was parked, she began inventory on the supplies within the RV. There was a decent amount of supplies, really. He was well stocked before this whole thing started. She supposed that had a lot to do with him just simply living in it. And then he had basically lived at her house for a few days. Gracelynn wrote everything down with its appropriate number next to it. She folded the piece of paper and shoved it down into her back pocket. Just as she was finishing up, Ryan appeared at the doorway of the RV. She was more than willing to give him that little prize for his bravery. The feeling of his hands on her hips as he helped her down was calming. Her nerves seemed to vanish for the time being. But, it didn’t last long. Soon they were on the move again. Second skin, engage.

Grace followed him, hand on gun, to the maintenance shed. There had to be plenty of goodies inside. The lock on the outside seemed untouched when they got there, so it was unlikely that anything had breached it. Gracelynn glanced up to him after he’d solved their lock issue before her eyes went back to the looming darkness before them. Grace was cautious as she stepped inside, but she knew that if there was anything inside, Ryan would have sensed it first. It had to be clear.

She stepped inside and started feeling the wall for a switch. It was in deeper than she originally would have thought, but eventually, those pale fingers found it. She flipped the switch and it took a few seconds for the bulbs to illuminate the room. Yup. Definitely a maintenance shop. There was just a distinct smell about the place. With a slight wrinkle of her nose, she stepped further inside, her eyes glancing over her shoulder at Ryan.

“What all shall we gather then?” She flipped the safety on her gun and stuffed it down the waist of her jeans in the back. Who would have thought that she’d be here, toting a gun, and running from zombies? She didn’t. Not at all. Gracelynn started looking for a bag for them to gather their items in. “I really feel like we need to get a blow torch. For scientific reasons..” Who didn’t want to take zombies out with a blow torch?

Tarmagon Sorry for the delay!

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan snorted slightly, letting Grace feel his amusement at her request for a blowtorch.

"You are a closet pyro," he said with a chuckle. "And while I agree that we need to take any propane or butane bottles we can find, if you let a zombie get close enough to you to use a torch on it, I'll turn you over my knee once we're somewhere safe."

Ryan looked around, trying to find something to carry their gleanings in, but the shop was pretty bare of things to put stuff into. Finally however, his eyes lit on a canvas bag with a shoulder sling made out of heavy rope. It was obviously meant to be worn over the shoulder to collect paper and trash. The long stick with the trident end he found under the bag reinforcing this idea.

"This'll do," he said, putting the bag near the door. "Look for gas cans, the bigger the better. Also, see if you can find any propane or butane cylinders. I'm going to look through the landscaping tools."

Suiting actions to words, Ryan moved towards the back of the building where he could see racks of rakes, hoes, and other, less identifiable tools. Long shears... too unwieldy. Same with the loppers. The pole saw might be useful, but the blade was very flimsy. Good for cutting an immovable branch maybe, but little else. Ryan's eye lit on a rack of long sheathes. Ah, machetes. At least half a dozen in canvas sheaths. He gathered them all, slipping each out to examine their edges before slipping them back into their sheathes. Moving back to the bag, he deposited his findings and headed back into the building's depths.

A rack of chainsaws briefly claimed his attention, but after a moments thought, Ryan turned away from them. Sure, they'd slice and dice anything he hit them with, but he knew chainsaws were temperamental beast that never started when you wanted them to, not to mention the noise they made, the space they took up, and the gas and oil they required. Nope, no matter what the movies said, chainsaws weren't an ideal weapon for zombie killing. Or was it rekilling? Turning to help Grace, Ryan spotted an odd tool. A long, ax-like handle sported a curved blade nearly a foot long, curving back towards the handle. He wasn't certain what the tool was called, but he hefted it, giving it an experimental swing. Oh yes, this could work, extending his reach by nearly six feet.

"Grace" he called quietly. "Got any idea what this thing is?"

readysetstalk (Hmm. Werewolf has found a bush-ax. He likes.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn’s eyes narrowed on Ryan. “Hm.. Is that a threat or a promise?” Her brow rose as she ventured deeper into the little shop. Gracelynn was going to try and stay as far away from these things as possible. But would a blow torch make her feel like a bad ass? Absolutely. Grace was was looking forward to things getting back to normal. This whole thing was much more stress than she needed.

She kept a close eye on Ryan for a few minutes before she went off on her own. She tuned into the bond they shared, simply trying to keep dibs on him. It also had a relaxing effect. He was always so sure of himself. Ryan gave her a sense of security, especially when the world was ending.

Gracelynn found an empty milk crate and tried to fill it up with whatever they could use that was also practical. She found a couple canisters of propane and carefully dragged them to the door. It had been a long time since she had to carry one of these around. Why did it feel like it was three hundred pounds? Huffing quietly, she moved back to grab the two gas cans she’d found. They were fairly large, and empty. At least those weren’t heavy.

She wiped her hands off on her jeans as she followed Ryan’s voice back to where he’d disappeared to. A smile instantly stretched across her lips as she saw him holding out the bush axe. She stifled a giggle and approached, taking the axe into her own hands. “Well, my love, this is a bush axe.” She shifted it from left hand to right hand before handing it back to him. If anyone could carry this around and put it to good use, it was Ryan. A weapon with a lot of range was much more her style. There was absolutely no need to get that close.

“Gotta say, first time I’ve seen someone look so good holding one.” She winked before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. “I found two propane cylinders, and a couple empty gas cans.” Her thumb jerked over her shoulder, towards the door. “No blow torch though,” she pouted.

Tarmagon (thanks for saying what it was, because I was lost

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan reached down and hefted each propane cylinder, judging their weights.

"Pretty full," he said, setting them into the sack he had found. They were just too big for a milk crate. "Good find. And as for the knee thing... well, if you're good, we'll find out when we get some alone time."

Ryan waggled his eyebrows at Grace, and was rewarded with a giggle. Good. She was coping. Nervous as hell, just like him, but also, like him, coping.

"You get the empties and set em beside the rig outside, then watch my back while I carry the propane bottles to the RV. Then we'll come back and start ferrying gas to the RV until we've topped off the tank. I don't want to move it any more than we have to. Oh, and here. It never hurts to have a backup."

Ryan handed Grace one of the smaller of the machetes he had found, complete with sheath and belt clip. He clipped the largest he had found to his left hip, then picked up the canvas bag in one hand and the bush ax in the other. He stopped to scan the sky, but they were so close... click... click... click. Immediately Ryan tossed the bag he was holding into the hut, and reached out to pull Grace close to him as he took a step back into the gloom of the hut. He didn't bother to try and shut the door. Motion attracted the eye, so best to hunker down in the shadows inside the door. He could feel Grace's tension at his unexpected movements, but to her credit, she froze into immobility just as he did, setting the crate down and drawing her gun silently, her eyes darting about. Ryan scanned the sky, but suddenly his attention was pulled towards the front of the hotel by a faint sound, barely audible even to his enhanced hearing. He sniffed, thankful that the breeze was coming towards them, then grimaced. Werewolf, and decay. Shit. One of the undead wolves was approaching.

Hefting the bush ax, Ryan slipped out of the hut for a good fifteen feet before motioning for Grace to follow. He didn't want her on top of him if he had to intercept an attack, and her pistol had a good enough range that the separation wouldn't hurt her aim. He could feel her disquiet at being so far from him, but also an understanding that it was required. They ghosted around the perimeter until they could see the road leading to the Cascades. A twisted figure shambled along the road, nose down and snuffling. If seemed to be following the path they had taken in Grace's car, since it was making a beeline towards the parking spot they had occupied. Tension began to fill the Pack Bond, and he knew that Kathy had eyes on the creature while Sarah was remaining perfectly still behind the closed cabin door. Ryan reached out to where he could sense Kathy in the main building, watching from a restaurant window.

Make a noise.

There was a soft clatter from the main building, and the shambling figure immediately turned towards the noise, head coming up, dead eyes fixed on the restaurant window. Ryan rushed silently forward, his body twisting and shifting from man to man-wolf hybrid from one step to the next. The undead must have heard something, because it began to turn towards Ryan, but far too slowly. The bush ax lashed out, keen edged blade striking the things neck just below the chin. The head leapt into the air, while the upright torso gushed black fluid from its neck stump before collapsing soundlessly in a heap.

"Well crrrap," Ryan said as he shifted back to human form. "Let's hope that one was just following the scent from earlier. Oh... oops. Guess I need new clothes."

Ryan blushed as he said the last, just then realizing he was now totally naked except for his wedding ring and amulet. Oops indeed.

readysetstalk (Wardrobe malfunction!)

 

[readysetstalk]

Everything had been going smoothly. They’d moved the RV without incident. They scoured the hut, still no incident. It was bound to happen sooner rather than later, right? Despite knowing that eventually everything would begin closing in on them, Gracelynn was still unprepared for that jolt back into the hut. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, her breath ragged. Her hands gripped at Ryan’s shirt as she stayed as close as humanly possible to him. She hadn’t seen a thing, but Ryan had—or he’d heard something. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. That much she knew.

After a few calming moments, hands that still shook retrieved the gun from her waistband. With a soft click, the safety was turned off and she followed behind Ryan. The distance between them certainly had her on edge, but it was necessary apparently. She doubted that she would be any good at providing some sort back up. But alas, here she was, toting a gun she didn’t have a whole lot of knowledge on. Who decided this was a good idea? Oh, right. Ryan. That man had way more faith in her than she did herself. Could she point and shoot? Sure. Would she actually hit the target? Probably not, unless they were at close range. Grace wasn’t cut out for this world. Zombies. Zombie werewolves. Bravery was not exactly on her character sheet. The love of her life needed her, though. She would absolutely do everything in her power to help him. Even if it meant shaking like a leaf a couple yards behind him. Gracelynn didn’t pray, but if she did, she’d be praying that she didn’t have to use the gun in her hands.

They edged the hut, Grace’s hands sweating along the way. She was no GI Jane. She worked in a hardware store and painted in her free time. No where on the resume did it say Gun Toting Badass. Gracelynn had to force herself to stop thinking about what it could be, and focus on their surroundings. It was like her senses were on overdrive. She was hearing things she probably would have never paid attention to, like the birds above chirping quietly, or the sounds of the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees. But then, her eyes focused in on the werewolf—a dead one, to be exact—sniffing around the parking lot. She was suddenly nauseas. Her nerves were getting the best of her.

Thank the heavens that Ryan had been able to handle all of that on his own. It was like watching in slow motion. His transformation was seamless, and the follow through of the bush axe was damn-near perfect. Gracelynn’s eyes watched as the head was launched into the air, black sludge spraying out of the stump where they head was once connected. Grace’s thumb stretched to push the safety back on as she back against the wall of the building, slowly sliding down to her butt. She didn’t even do anything, but that was enough excitement to give an elephant a heart attack. Well, to her anyway.

“What?” She glanced over to Ryan, her brain still processing what he had said. But then she saw. For whatever reason, the bit of comedic relief seemed to help calm her down. Her heart started to regulate down to a slower pace. It wasn’t normal, but it wasn’t about to beat out of her chest. She slowly pulled herself back up to her feet, her shaking hand still gripped on the gun.

“We need to get you some of those rip-away pants that strippers wear..” She bent down to pick up a piece of what was once his shirt. “You could use this as a loin cloth until we find you something,” she spoke, a small laugh escaping those lips of hers.

Tarmagon Grace is gonna need therapy after all this

 

[Tarmagon]

"Normally I have some warning before I have to Change," Ryan said conversationally as he knotted the remains of his shirt around his waist. "I'm not in the habit of bursting out of my clothes. If this keeps up, you're going m and he turned back towards thto have to start carrying something like bike shorts and t-shirts with you for when I have to Change unexpectedly."

Ryan paused to look around, finally spotting the radio where it had fallen when he Changed. Retrieving it, he triggered the mic four times, feeling a wave of relief from Sarah. Kathy had seen the whole thing, so she already knew that things were as okay as they could be. He gestured towards the cabin, feeling assent flow along the Pack bond, then he looked at Grace.

"Let's go grab our loot and get back under cover," he said. "I don't hear or smell anything, but I didn't smell or hear that thing until it was far too close for comfort. Something is keeping the bodies from decaying normally, and that's going to make them a bit harder to detect."

They retraced their steps, gathering up the items they had left when they made their hurried exit from the Quonset hut, then moved quickly but carefully back to the cabin. Kathy was already there, along with a cart load of food and firewood. Ryan nodded his approval, then smiled at Sarah. The young woman looked nervous, but determination washed off of her in waves. She would protect the Pack.

"Okay," Ryan said, "We're going to have to figure out a place to set a watch that's under cover but can still see the sky and now the road. It'll need to be accessible and have covered egress in case we have to vacate in a hurry. Ideas?"

Ryan had absently been collecting clothing as he spoke, and without thinking he untied the remains of his shirt and began to dress, only to freeze at an appreciative whistle. Kathy was staring opening, a huge grin on her face, while Sarah was blushing a brilliant scarlet as she whirled away. HIs own cheeks heated as he felt Grace's amusement and possessiveness flow down their Bond, before a sense of MINE resonated through the Pack bond.

readysetstalk (Time to figure out a watchtower. and why Ryan always seems to embarrass himself )

 

[readysetstalk]

The sense of calmness after that thing was gone seemed to flow freely through the bond. Gracelynn was much more amused by his suddenly naked body, really. She couldn’t help but let her eyes wander as he tried to cover up. “So what? Now I have to be a portable wardrobe because someone can’t control himself?” Her brow rose at him slightly, a playful smirk on her lips. Gracelynn knew that this was still new to him. Their bond was something many had only ever heard rumors of. They both had a lot to learn about it still. Her more than him. She was still new to all of this. She just knew that thoughts weren’t really private anymore. Her hand took up his as they walked back to the hut.

She helped him by carrying as much as she could, but let’s face it. She just worked at a hardware store. She didn’t necessarily have the strength to carry a whole lot. She did her best, though. When they got back to the suite, she practically dropped what she had at the door. She was relieved to see everyone was still okay. Her breath was a little labored, but it slowly leveled out. Mentally, she took note at Kathy’s goodies and gave a nod of approval. She wiped her hands off on her pants, just in time to see Ryan untie the shreds of shirt from his waist. A smile spread across her lips as a small giggle was heard. There was a bit of a primal response to Kathy’s whistle, and she shot her a look. She knew she had nothing to worry about with Kathy, but something along the bond forced her to become a teensy bit possessive of him. Her stance had squared off for a split second before she relaxed again.

“Maybe you should finish getting dressed in the bathroom, hm?” Those green eyes of hers trailed over his body once more before she nodded her head towards the open bathroom door. Grace glanced to Kathy for a moment before she walked further into the suite, taking a seat on the couch. She untied her boots and kicked them off. She was honestly hoping for a few minutes to just sit down. There had been a lot of excitement just then, and she wanted to take a break from it. She knew when Ryan was done getting dressed that he would want to continue brainstorming. Her brain felt pretty fried at the moment. This honeymoon of theirs had been ruined in the worst possible way. It went from a quiet getaway for the two of them, to a survival party of five. Grace had lived a quiet, alone, life before now. Now she was married, and fighting to survive with other locals.

“There’s that water tower not too far from here,” she spoke after a moment, her body leaning back into the cushion of the couch. “There’s a little bit of cover on the top. Not much.. But you’d be able to see the road and a fair bit of the sky. There isn’t any other place that would have a vantage point.”

Tarmagon Lone wolf syndrome. Grace is a little weary of Kathy, though. Trusted, but weary.

 

[Tarmagon]

"Good idea on the face of it," Ryan said, emerging from the bathroom fully dressed. "But it won't work. Anyone who was up there when something showed up would be fully exposed as they climbed down. It's a shame though, that would give great coverage. Wasn't there some burlap in the maintenance shed? Hmm."

Ryan absently grabbed a package of sliced meat off of the cart where they were keeping the food and began eat, his brow furrowed. He paced back and forth, reaching out to ruffle Grace's hair as he passed behind her. He paced for a full five minutes, pausing only to grab more food as whatever he was currently eating ran out. He was just bringing a bite to his mouth when he froze, his head cocking to one side, his eyes lighting.

"Sarah?" he asked, turning to their youngest wolf, "How's your head for heights?"

"They've never really bothered me if that's what you're asking," Sarah replied. "Why?"

"This place has to have roof access," Ryan said, gesturing towards the main building. "But who knows how long it would take us to find it, even with our enhanced senses. However, it would be obvious from the roof. It's a bit too far to jump, but you're small enough that I could give you enough of a boost to make the roof. Then you could easily spot the access door and force it from the outside. Once we know where it enters the main building, we can cover it with burlap for camouflage and take turns watching from good cover with a safe path to retreat along if we have to."

Sarah looked like she was going to protest, her eyes widening, but then her face took on a thoughtful expression. After a moment, she nodded firmly.

"I... can do it," she said firmly. "I was about to ask what happened to me if you threw me too hard, or I landed on something up there, but it doesn't matter. It might hurt, but I'll heal. I'm a freaking werewolf now."

"Yes, you are." Ryan agreed. "We're not invulnerable, and it still hurts, but unless we're wounded by fire or silver, anything short of losing a limb can be healed eventually. So, let's do this."

Kathy was sent to the Quonset hut to retrieve the burlap while Ryan and Sarah kept watch and scouted the back side of the building for the best spot. That left Grace to watch over the sleeping Marissa. While she hated being separated from Ryan, even knowing he was just outside, Grace knew she couldn't add anything to what they were doing. It only took a couple of minutes before all three werewolves returned, Kathy with a bundle of rough fabric, and Ryan and Sarah wearing satisfied expressions.

"We've got a good spot," Ryan said. "Right outside the cabin in fact. We think we saw the top of some HVAC equipment, so there has to be an access point up there close by."

"It will probably be locked," Sarah said. "How will I get it open?"

"With this," Ryan said, holding out a large pry bar. Sarah looked at it, then reached out tentatively. The look of surprise on her face as she took the bar made Ryan grin and Grace stifle a giggle.

"It's, light," Sarah said, twirling the bar one handed.

"No, you're stronger," Ryan corrected. "A LOT stronger, so keep that in mind when you're opening the door. If it's just a locked handle, you can probably snap it, but if there's a deadbolt, you'll need to pry it open. So, we'll send Kathy to the third floor to wait for Sarah, Grace will watch my back and the entrance to the cabin while I give Sarah her boost. Anyone have any other ideas or objections?"

readysetstalk (Werewolf circus act?)

 

[readysetstalk]

The silence while Ryan paced was almost deafening. No one really had much to say as he thought. Grace just sat on the couch and watched him, her hand batting at his as he touched her hair. It did bring a smile to her face, though. She had an admiration for him. Here he was, a stranger in this town. And he was rallying to try and save whoever they could. He’d grown bonds with other werewolves so they were stronger as a unit. This town meant nothing to him. But, he was still trying to save it. He could have hopped in that RV and hit the road. But he stayed.

Gracelynn looked up as he started talking, resting her head back against the cushions. Suddenly, there was a plan. It seemed a little crazy, really. She wasn’t exactly sure how it would all piece together, but she trusted him. Shortly after, she had been left with a sleeping Marissa. She listened for any weird sounds and looked for any weird creatures. Thankfully, it had been relatively uneventful while they were gone. She just strolled around the room, taking glances out of the windows. She knew she wouldn’t be of any use. Sometimes she felt rather inadequate with the group. There were no special talents, or some supernatural being lying deep within. She was just Grace.

“Sounds like a solid plan,” she nodded, offering Ryan a small smile. Everyone was about to leave, but she grabbed Ryan real quick and pulled him back to her before he could get too far.

“Hey,” she whispered. “Be careful.” She used his shirt to pull him down to her, her lips pressing against this briefly. “I love you.” She gave him a wink. “Now go do some crazy shit, yeah?”

Tarmagon (Sorry for how short it is. You’ve got the reins right now. Lol. And my brain is fried from lack of sleep.)

 

[Tarmagon]

No one seemed to have a better idea at the moment, so they set to in earnest. Kathy took her bundle of fabric and headed into the motel, while Ryan checked the load on the shotgun before handing it to Grace. As he did so, she pulled him down for a quick kiss before telling him to ' go do some crazy shit, yeah.'

"Crazier than marrying someone barely a day after meeting them?" he quipped "I think we've pretty much got the market cornered, so let's just call thins, daring darling."

Sarah had taken a spare belt and used it to strap the pry bar to her back, and now she nodded at Ryan. Ryan moved away from Grace, leaving her at the door to the cabin as he took up a spot about ten feet away from the wall of the motel, facing outward. Sarah moved away, turning to face Ryan as she bounced on the balls of her feet. After a moment, she shook her head and backed away another ten feet, then headed for Ryan at a dead run. Ryan interlaced his fingers and squatted slightly, watching Sarah run at him. Her right foot lifted, landing in his cupped hands, then he was straightening, lifting Sarah with all of his strength as she leapt upwards. She cleared the top of the roof with several feet to spare, and Ryan didn't hear any crashing or cursing, though a quiet 'wow' drifted down from the roof.

"I'm fine," Sarah called over the sounds of scrambling over gravel reached Ryan's ears. "And I see an access door...No deadbolt.... Ugh." A metallic twang came from the roof along with a muttered 'holy shit!' followed by Sarah's voice again. "I've got it open. Heading down."

Even though he couldn't hear them, he knew when Kathy found Sarah, the feeling of satisfaction radiating down the Pack bond was obvious. He heard the rustle of heavy cloth, a few indistinct words that even his hearing couldn't make out, then more satisfaction. A minute later, Kathy and Sarah came out of the motel, making a beeline for the cabin. Ryan gestured Grace inside, and clsoed the door behind himself after letting Sarah and Kathy by.

"That was awesome!" Sarah gushed. "I wasn't even scared. I've never..."

"Whoa there," Kathy said with a smile. "Ok, the roof door is accessed through a small utility room on the third floor, right near the stairs. We covered the entire access with the burlap and left the door propped open. There's a good view of the road in both directions, and there's, something odd about a mile or so past us. It's like a heat shimmer, but it seems to curve in both directions. Almost like a long wall."

"That's disturbing," Ryan said. "I haven't seen anything like that before. We'll have to ask Marissa when she wakes up. For now, Kathy, can you take first watch? Sarah or I will come up and take over in a couple of hours. You see anything, call us on the radio."

"On it," Kathy said, taking a radio and slipping out of the cabin.

"Crap," Ryan said after she had left. "What.... Nope, not going to finish that question. Going to eat and recover from Changing. Sarah, you get some rest too. Grace and I will stay up and keep an eye on thigns."

readysetstalk (Now what? If Marissa wakes up, she will identify a Mage Barrier from their descriptions.)

 

[readysetstalk]

"Don't do anything like that," she smirked. "I'll have to beat someone's ass, and that might be awkward considering we're all in this little pack thing now." She gave him another quick kiss before he headed out. She hated being in the position she was in, truthfully. What good did she bring this group? Nothing. She was the lookout. And even then, she couldn't guarantee that she'd hit anything if it came running at anyone. She wasn't familiar with guns, to say the least. So, while they were all out doing badass things, she was stuck just looking like a badass. However, she did play the part pretty well. Kathy had played a large part in that with the clothing selection she'd packed for her. Need someone to stand at the door in skin tight jeans and a shirt to match while holding a shotgun? Grace was your girl.

As she stood at the door, she watched the scene play out before her. This was some Cirque du Soleil shit. She did keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing caught her eye. She was thankful for that. She did not want to be the one to send that message over their bond that some creepy thing was heading right towards them. It was much better for nothing to have happened instead.

When they all started heading back in, Grace kept her position, only moving to let Kathy and Sarah into the cabin. She waited until Ryan had approached before she stepped inside herself. Sarah's excitement had drawn a smile to her lips. She propped the shotgun up against the wall after setting the safety switch.

After Kathy left, and Sarah took off to get rest, she looked up at Ryan. These past few days had been a headache. There seemed to be more and more questions than answers. That was certain. Gracelynn was pretty annoyed by it, honestly. People were dying and reanimating. And they didn' t know why.

"So.." She sighed quietly, watching as Sarah took up the couch and curled up. "Are we just going to hang out here forever? I don't even understand what's happening." They were turning this cabin into a bit of a fortress. And to think this was their honeymoon.

Tarmagon So sorry it's taken so long. My life is a mess. lol. I guess we should let Marissa wake and shed some light on the situation. Maybe she has answers.

 

[Tarmagon]

"And you think I do?" Ryan asked, equally quietly. "I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. I've never seen anything like this, not even when I... lost my Pack. Now, I've got a fledgling pack of two wolves, and a Mate to protect. The stakes have never been this high for me. So, I'm doing what I can with what we've got. Until we have a clue, we protect ourselves."

Ryan moved over and sat down, absently reaching out to lay one hand on Grace's leg. The contact steadied him, and he took a deep breath, settling his mind.

"We've got a companion possibly injured, or at least exhausted magically," he said. "We have one experienced werewolf, one brand new werewolf, one Alpha werewolf, and you. Mate, compliment, life-bonded, soul-mate? We don't know what you're going to be able to do in the end. You can already Command and, I think, Enthrall our Pack. Who knows what comes next?"

"I think," a soft voice said, "That she will become stronger, faster, more resilient. Possibly take on many werewolf characteristics without actually being a werewolf."

"Marissa!" Ryan exclaimed, turning to see the witch leaning against the recliner she had so recently occupied.

"I'm still pretty spent magically," Marissa said, moving slowly to collect a snack and a drink before returning to her chair. "But I've just about slept myself out. I just can't sleep anymore. So, what have I missed?"

Ryan and Grace filled the witch in on what they had accomplished while she was sleeping. While they spoke, Marissa nodded several times, though her lips thinned out as Ryan described dispatching the zombie werewolf. When they described the odd shimmer Kathy had described...

"Crap," she muttered. "Crap crap crap crap crap! With a side of dragon crap."

"Marissa?" Ryan asked carefully, wondering if the event had finally caught up with their only magical expert.

"Just a moment," Marissa said, her voice all business as she reached out a hand to each of them. "Loan me some power."

Ryan took the proffered hand as he saw Grace take the other. Unlike when they helped make the amulets, Ryan felt a mild tugging sensation that vanished almost immediately. He could feel Grace's confusion, but then Marissa was standing, her eyes glowing the pale silver of moonlight as she turned in a slow circle. Once she had completed the circle, the glow faded from her eyes, being replaced with a hard, determine light.

"Someone has managed to put a Barrier around the whole damned area," she said, her voice both wondering and icy. "We're completely cut off from the outside world."

readysetstalk (Uh oh. That ain't good.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn flinched at his response, her eyes lowering slightly. They were all getting stressed out. She shouldn't take it personally, and he probably didn't intend for his words to hit the way they did. Still, there was a twinge of hurt. She fell silent, just nodding her head. No one seemed to know what was going on anymore. Zombie werewolves, zombie people. The weird shimmering Kathy had seen. None of it made sense.

I'm sorry.. I shouldn't expect you to know anything more than I do.. Straight to Ryan through their bond, excluding those in their pack. Her hand came up to rest on his as he continued to speak. Before she could form any solid thought that would make it to her mouth, Marissa was answering. She lifted her head and looked to the woman, who looked utterly exhausted. Some insight seemed to be shared. Werewolf characteristics, without being a werewolf.. The thought of that seemed to swim around in her head. It seemed strange, really. Only time would truly tell.

But then they shared their past experiences while she had been sleeping, and something had clicked in Marissa. Gracelynn was quick to her feet to loan some power to the witch. It wasn't like it really effected her. Even with making the amulets, Gracelynn had felt no different after it had been done.

Grace took a step back when she saw Marissa's eyes, her hand reaching out for Ryan's, giving it a small squeeze. There were so many things that she didn't quite understand with this supernatural world. She had lived here her entire life, so she never thought of them any differently than herself. Some were just special.

"Wait.. What?" Her brows stitched together as she stole a glance up to Ryan. "We're completely cut off?" This seemed like a bad episode of Jericho. Or the Simpsons. "Why Halfmoon Falls? We're in the middle of nowhere.." But as she spoke, it seemed to click. "Is this... Could this be a trial run for something on a larger scale?" Why not pick on a town that was better known for being in the 'boonies'? "If they're successful at whatever it is they're trying to do... Imagine what would happen to a city?" Grace's heartrate picked up as panic started creeping in again. If this was just the start, then there was going to be whole other plethora of issues down the road. Things were going to get hairy, and fast.

"We need to find a way to stop this... Imagine all of this happening in New York City or something.."

Tarmagon Time to go Sherlock Holmes, with a side of Winchester.

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan felt Grace's irritation and hurt, followed by a soundless apology. Before he could do more than send the slightest wave of love and support down their bond, Marissa was speaking. He could feel a bit of the confusion that her words evoked in Grace, but then the witch was asking for help and the light show began. Grace took an involuntary step back from Marissa as visible evidence of her Power manifested, reaching out for his hand and squeezing slightly. But then, Marissa's words sank in, and Ryan could feel the wheels start turning in Grace's mind. He could follow her logic, and it made far, far too much sense.

"I'd rather not," he said, worry in his voice as he sent out a silent Call.

To me.

The words rang along the Pack bond, and from the look on her face, Ryan was certain that Grace had felt the call. He wasn't sure if she had heard the words, but he was certain the intent had come across. He felt Kathy's acknowledgement, and felt Sarah rising from sleep. In less than a minute, both were in the room, taking in Marissa's face, as well as the emotions drifting off of Ryan and Grace like smoke. Both women immediately took seats, looking at Ryan expectantly, and he took a deep breath.

"Marissa knows what the shimmer is," Ryan began, then proceeded to tell them what Marissa had said before relating Grace's realization. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head before continuing. "I think Grace is right. The logic works. This place is isolated and insular enough that no one will think twice if there's no word in or out for a few days. Beside the isolation though, I can't figure out what else could have..."

"The above average supernatural population," Marissa interrupted, a frown on her face. "In a town this small it's very unusual to have a large Pack, much less a full Circle, as well as a resident vampire Elder. If this is a trial run for something bigger, they find out if their spell, artifact, whatever the hell he, she, or it used, can effect multiple supernaturals. Add in the fact that the creatures were taking my witches alive. Oh shit."

Marissa's face went pale as whatever though she had just had fully hit her. Ryan already saw it though. He hadn't had to deal with it directly, but he knew.

"Sacrifices." he said flatly. "Blood magic."

"Yes," Marissa said, her voice finally wavering as the full impact hit her. "That means we have... five days to figure out who or what is behind this and stop them."

"Five?" Ryan started to ask, then answered his own question. "Never mind. Moon-dark."

"Moon-dark," Marissa agreed, the waver gone from her voice, replaced with something closer to frozen steel. "The best time for blood magic, death magic."

Marissa began to pace about the room, seemingly oblivious to her audience as she continued to speak. She was obviously aware of them however, because her words were as much of an explanation as personal thoughts.

"Mage shield that large and strong... there had to have been a full Circle to cast it, though it's probably self-sustaining now with all the death and destruction. They're sending out constructs, but we have the amulets to cloak us. Zombie wolves are a bigger problem. Their sense are dulled, but still far sharper than a humans. They have no more survival instincts, so they never stop. Silver bullets to the brain work. Disruption spells work better. Decapitation works, which means they aren't traditional zombies. What are they? What... Ryan, bring me the head of the one you killed. NOW!"

Ryan didn't bother to ask any questions, just bolted out of the door at full werewolf speed. He gave his surroundings a quick inspection, then ran to where the body lay, black fluid congealing in the sun. Thanking the Goddess that the head was no longer oozing, Ryan picked the grisly trophy up by the ears and headed back to the cabin. Marissa had been busy in the few seconds he had been gone, a circle of ash, obviously from the fireplace, laid out near the hearth. At her nod, he set the head inside the circle, then stood back. Marissa didn't ask either of them for Power, instead beginning to speak in a language Ryan didn't recognize. Her words sounded, wrong, like they weren't meant for the human mouth to speak. Despite the fire, the temperature began to drop in the room, their breath becoming visible in the chill air. Marissa slashed her palm with a knife Ryan hadn't known she had, then held the palm out over the head, letting the blood fall onto the head, whose eyes snapped open, moving wildly until they settled on Marissa.

Why do you disturb me again?

The voice emerged from the severed head, though the mouth remained closed. It sounded, hollow, and hungry. And very, very angry.

"To answer my questions," Marissa said firmly, blood still dripping onto the head. "What..."

I am not bound to you. I owe you nothing. I fulfilled that which I was Called forth to do. The Token holds no sway over me, and neither do you.. I return to the dark waters which are my home.

There was a flash, not of light, but of absolute blackness, from the circle. Marissa staggered back with a cry of frustration as the darkness enveloped them. Seconds alter, the darkness dissipated, revealing a pile of ashes in the center of the circle where the head had been.

"What just happened?" Sarah asked, her voice unsteady.

"I used a spell that is forbidden," Marissa said, wrapping a cloth around her hand. "And it got us a single answer. The werewolves aren't zombies. The bodies are possessed."

readysetstalk (This can't be good.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Despite not being of supernatural power, Gracelynn still felt the tugging as he sent out the call. She was already by his side, though there had still been that pull to move in closer to him. Without much thought to it, the distance between them had been narrowed. This whole thing was going to take a lot of time to get used to. Never in her life had she felt compelled to do something just because someone said to. In fact, she was usually did quite the opposite. She was very defiant, usually. If someone told her to do something, she usually did just the opposite. It was different now.

Soon, Kathy and Sarah were with them in the cabin. Her eyes glanced between everyone as Ryan explained what Marissa had told them about the shimmer. She was unsure what to think about it herself, really. It was scary. But once Kathy and Sarah were filled in, even scarier news was shared. Blood magic. Anyone with a brain knew that it wasn’t something to take lightly. Gracelynn was a horror film fanatic. Blood magic was always a big no-no. And now? Now it was happening here in town. They were cut off from the outside world. There was no one they could call for help. It was like their fate had been sealed. They were stuck, and now they were going to struggle to try and get out.

Everything happened in a flash. Ryan was soon fleeing from the cabin to retrieve the head he’d disconnected earlier. Moments later he was back. As things started to unfold before them, she reached out and placed her hand on his lower back, grasping at the fabric of his shirt. The voice coming from the disembodied head sent chills down her spine. It didn’t have a way to move, but she was scared. Hell, it wasn’t even supposed to be able to talk. Yet, here they were. Listening to a talking, dead head. And to think just two weeks ago she was enjoying pie at the diner in town. Now she was staring at a talking head—married, bonded, and mated. Sometimes she questioned her sanity.

As they black smoke engulfed them, Grace tucked herself into Ryan’s side and buried her face into his shirt. After a few moments, she peeked out to see the darkness had completely vanished. Her eyes blinked a few times, but she didn’t remove herself from Ryan’s side. It was comfort, safety. Things were getting hairier and hairier, and it wasn’t getting any easier to deal with.

“Possessed...” She spoke, her voice quiet, as she thought about it for a few moments. “So.. Does that mean we can do like an exorcism or something? Reverse it somehow? What’s been done, should be able to be undone.. Right?” There was a lot of thinking out loud for Grace. She didn’t understand magic or the werewolves that lived here in town. She knew more about the movies. Possession was a pretty basic concept, she thought. There had to be a way to fix it. Grace wanted to fix it. Whoever was left in town, they deserved to be saved. She didn’t want everyone to die.

Grace’s eyes went from Marissa up to Ryan. The anxiety was building inside her. The fact that she was really just a plus one on this caravan was really beginning to weigh on her. There was nothing she could do. She could speak ideas, and that was where her contributions typically ended. Unless they were out on a scavenger hunt. And then she was an extra set of eyes.

“How do we find and take down whoever is doing this?” Grace’s eyes went back to Marissa. She seemed to have more answers than anyone right now.

Tarmagon ((Sorry for the delay! I need to stop checking notifications when I’m half asleep. ))

 

[Tarmagon]

"Teamwork," Ryan said in answer to Grace's question. "We play to our strengths. Marissa, how do we take these things down quickly? I know decapitation works, but I can't count on getting the drop on them every time. And we only have the one bush ax."

"Cold iron," Marissa said instantly. "Silver will work as well, but it takes a lot more. We have to disrupt the spells allowing the possessions. The bodies don't have the same allergy to silver that living weres do. The silver disrupts the magic, but where it would take up to a half a dozen silver bullets, a single round containing iron or steel will do the job. Hmm. Decapitation. Explosives maybe, if you managed to completely destroy the body. Dismemberment won't do it. Cremation would work, but you'd need to burn the bodies completely to ash. Iron and steel weapons will also work. If you damage the bodies badly enough to weaken the spells, salt can be used to disrupt them as well. Oh, and running water. Dump one in a stream and the spells will fail quickly."

"Okay," Ryan said slowly. "That gives us a place to start. I don't have any steel ammo, and I don't have any reloading equipment. The shotgun might work if you hit one of them in the neck... Damn, I wish i hunted birds now. I know that they make steel shot for hunting birds to avoid lead contamination of wetlands. We have the machete, bush ax, and whatever other tools we can scavenge from the shed. We also have that dull sword, but I might be able to put an edge on it with the grinder."

"My family has a small hunting cabin outside town," Sarah said hesitantly. "It's about as far out as we are here, so it should be inside this 'barrier' Marissa is talking about. Dad used to hunt ducks and geese, and he kept his guns in a safe in the cabin. Maybe there'd be some of that ammo you want?"

"That sounds promising," Ryan replied. "Do you think you could find the cabin without following the roads though? I don't want to put the rv back on the road and make a big target out of us. At least, not until we can make a run for it or attack."

Ryan's mood had been changing subtly, a smoldering anger beginning to take the place of apprehension and fear. This wasn't some horrible accident. This was a deliberate attack on the people Ryan had come to call friends. An attack on a small town where the natural and supernatural world existed side by side in a symbiosis that most other places could never achieve. Given equal odds, he would choose to attack, ending the threat before it could spread. But, he had a Mate and a Pack. The one was his other half, and the other, while small, was under his protection. He couldn't think only of himself.

"Ok, what do you want to do?" he asked the room at large. "I've never been one for hiding and hoping. But this about more than me. Do we survive to warn others if... when the barrier is removed? Or do we show the miserable son of a bitch that started this mess why you don't mess with the people of Half Moon Falls?"

readysetstalk (Decision time)

 

[readysetstalk]

Grace’s wheels started turning as Marissa spoke. Iron and steel. She ran a hardware store! There was a ton of iron and steel tools in there that they could utilize. But then, that’s when it hit her. The sudden realization that the hardware store was a mere shell of what it used to be hit her hard. Just when she thought that she could actually be helpful, it was ripped away from her. So much had happened in such a short time. It hadn’t even sank in that the place she made a living in was completely gone. The iron and steel tools were still there. It was far too dangerous to go through and rummage around for items.

There was a new sadness radiating from Grace. She truly felt like she was just holding these people back. It was almost as if she shouldn’t get a say so in what happened next. She was a tag along. Gracelynn shifted a little uneasily next to Ryan. She could feel his anger rising. Reaching out, she took a hold of his hand and gave it a small squeeze. Grace’s eyes scanned the others in their small group. Sarah seemed apprehensive, and Kathy a little unsure. Grace understood their feelings.

“I think we should take responsibility here.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “If we just sit and wait for it to stop, we’re only allowing others to get hurt. We don’t even know if the barrier will ever be lifted. And then what? Another city is under the spell and these things start running amuck all over again? What if it’s a city full of regular humans, like myself? They wouldn’t stand a chance.” Grace sighed quietly, shifting her weight from one leg to another. “I know I’m not much help here.. I get it. But… I wouldn’t feel right just sitting around and waiting for the fog to clear.” Gracelynn might not have normally taken this route, but she felt more inclined to be a leader now. Maybe it was the Alpha radiating off of Ryan. The bonds they shared were strong. Of course she would start picking up more of his mannerisms.

“I think we should get what we can from the cabin, brainstorm to figure out where this is all coming from, and take action. I’m tired of hiding.” Truthfully, she was tired of being packed in a house with people. They were around each other constantly and eventually that would get old. They were a pack, plus Marissa. But there was no room for any privacy here. And that was something she was very used to. She had been quite the homebody before all of this started.

Tarmagon ((Input given))

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan snorted at Grace's words, while Marissa's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. Even Sarah and Kathy's eyes went a bit wide as Grace called herself a 'regular human'.

"No offense meant Grace," Marissa said, "But even before you met and bonded with Ryan, you were never 'just a human'. Your gifts might not have been supernatural in nature, but you were never ordinary. And now, the two of you are both formidable in your own right, but together, you're a force of nature."

"Indeed," Ryan agreed, reaching out to squeeze Grace's hand. "Now Sarah, in human form, how long do you think it would take us to get to this cabin on foot?"

"Umm, I don't know for sure," Sarah said hesitantly. "It's by Rowan Pond, but I'm not sure where that is from here. I never had much of a reason to come to the Cascades."

"Four miles as the crow flies to Rowan Pond," Kathy said immediately. "And we wouldn't haver to go anywhere near town. If we headed over the top of Singer Hill and crossed Rockfall creek it would be pretty much a straight line. The climb might be a bit steep, but I think it would be doable."

"Grace and I aren't mountain goats," Marissa said. "And while I imagine Grace is starting to benefit from being Bonded to Ryan, I don't have a werewolf soul-mate. And I'm a city girl to boot."

"You should be fine," Kathy said with a smile. "It's not that bad. I'd say about three hours or so in good light and weather. Five to six if we went at twilight and we had to lead you after the sun set."

"Daylight," Ryan said instantly. "I won't have Grace and Marissa at a disadvantage if we encounter anything on the way. I'm going to take the sword to the shed and try to sharpen it. I thought I saw a bench grinder and a couple of belt sanders in there. Machetes. Ladies, can you put together a couple of days worth of non-perishable food? This little trip should only be a day, but better safe than sorry. Grace, want to come with me to the shed?"

readysetstalk (Time to get serious)