Fantasy (Open) The "Last Castle" Bar & Grille

[Gwalihir]

Anna, Alyssa and Danielle

Anna hopped up on stage as Jeff and George finished one song, and whispered a request in Jeff’s ear. Jeff blushed as she tousled his hair.

“Uhm, that’s kind of a girl’s song for singing, and Azalea’s on a break. Sure we know the music, but -- “

Anna laughed and promised him: “I know all the words. Let me sing it, I’ll owe you?”

Jeff nodded and started the opening riff, with George joining in. Anna stepped up to the mike like a pro and began singing:

“Goddess on the mountain top
Burning like a silver flame
The summit of beauty and love
And Venus was her name…”

<< Something about the brunette was drawing her attention. Magic, or maybe some kind of party girl magnetism.

"H...hello," Lynn stuttered. She blushed a little. What was going on with her? She wasn't known to be a shy person. "What exactly are you?" she asked Alyssa. >>

Alyssa laughed, but reached out and drew Lynn into the center of her circle.

“What kind of a question is that?”

She danced around Lynn, rubbing up against her back to back as she sang along with Anna:

“I’m your Venus, I’m your fire
At your desire…”

She laughed again as she twirled around in front of Lynn again, gently stroking her cheek with the back of her hand, and her lower lip with her thumb. “I’m a Virgo, baby, if you can believe that! What about you? I’m taking you for an Aquarius, or at least a water sign. Am I right?”

At the wolf pack table, Lucas was becoming distracted by the music. He gave Curtis a gesture and excused himself from the table. The two of them started walking towards the dance floor, Lucas scowling at Anna on the stage...

shadowdude505 , SugaISAMOOD

 

[Pumpkin Spice Cyanide]

Carmilla Karnstein

Carmilla was caught completely off guard by the kiss, not to say it was unwelcome.
She resisted a bit against her at first but soon gave in to the kiss, her eyes going from wide to nearly closed by the end of it.
Only after a moment did she remember she was supposed to be angry and pull away.
Karnstein's vexation grew to just shy of mind melting fury when she realized what was happening.
As Azalea spoke her incantation Carmilla grabbed her by the arm and wiped her mouth.
"What did you do to me!?" she demanded, her posture threatening violence though she would likely never actually use against Azalea.

Gwalihir

 

[shadowdude505]

Randy & Roxy

"Sounds pretty rough," Randy said to Adam. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that here. Tom, he's the vampire owner of this place, and the werewolf pack leader, Lucas, seem to get along OK. What's the werewolf vs. vampire beef about anyway?"

Roxy listened as the conversation unfolded between Adam and Randy. She heard movement from the werewolf table and noticed Lucas heading toward the dance floor. She made sure to give him a wide birth, huddling close to Randy. She didn't think Lucas would do anything to her, but he looked pissed, and she wasn't an alpha like Randy was potentially.

SugaISAMOOD
~~~
Lynn

Alyssa hadn't quite answered Lynn's question, but she didn't care. It didn't matter if she was a human with magic or a preternatural. Lynn felt an attraction and the party animal in her was stirring; it was like she was back in college.

"Good hunch," Lynn replied, trying to act cool while she blushed from the flirtatious touching.

Was it getting hot in here?

Lynn's hips swayed to the music as she pulled off her tank top, revealing the bikini top underneath. "I'm a mermaid, like for real. Lynn Aquari, but I go by Lynn Summers."

She kept her tank top in her hand as she continued to dance. Soon she matched Alyssa's flirty energy. Hips, arms, and shoulders gently rubbed together as Lynn danced beside her.

Lynn sang along.

"Well, I'm your Venus,
I'm your fire, what's your desire
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!"

Gwalihir
~~~
Mai

Mai had been looking at the three...nymphs? Succubi? Magical humans? She wasn't quite sure what they were, but she heard a commotion behind her and that quickly became more important.

She saw Carmilla holding onto Azalea.

"I thought you wanted a meeting," Mai said, trying to get in the middle of the situation. "Let her go before I get a bouncer to kick you out." She sounded like a femme fatale that held all the cards, or at least thought she did. Mai did have one of the special amulets that allowed her to use her magic. So did the bouncers, but she didn't see one on Carmilla.

Pumpkin Spice Cyanide

 

[Gwalihir]

<< As Azalea spoke her incantation Carmilla grabbed her by the arm and wiped her mouth.
"What did you do to me!?" she demanded, her posture threatening violence though she would likely never actually use against Azalea. >>

<< "I thought you wanted a meeting," Mai said, trying to get in the middle of the situation. "Let her go before I get a bouncer to kick you out." >>

“No more bloodletting for you,” Azalea told Carmilla as she twisted her arm free from Carmilla’s grip. “Whether to drink or to kill, try it again and you’ll become violently ill; the taste of bile will fill your mouth, and you won’t be able to wash it out.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t just turn you loose to kill more people. If you won’t control it yourself, I had to find a way to do it for you.”

As they spoke, Lucas had reached the dance floor. His scowl now was like a thundercloud.

“You!” he shouted, pointing at Anna, “Off the stage, now!”

Jeff and George hesitated, and the music stopped. Anna looked across the room at Lucas, and fear and recognition lit her face.

“No! Please, help me! That’s my old boyfriend! He used to beat me!”

Murmurs of surprise and shock swirled among the dancers. The wolves in the group held their ground, recognizing Lucas, but a few of the younger, brawnier vampires stepped out to confront him. Lucas growled deep in his throat, his eyes flashing a promise of the power that was his to bring forth should it come down to a fight.

“That’s bullshit, and anyone here who knows me knows it is! She’s a succubus, and she and her friends are responsible for killing eight of my wolves! Watch out! She has a very compelling voice: don’t listen to her!”

“Save me!” pleaded Anna: “Protect me from him! Please, I need you!”

There was something deeply seductive in her tone, but with the Shroud in place as it was, there was no true magic to it: just the pleading of a beautiful woman.

Alyssa and Lynn had been putting on quite the show until Lucas broke up the music. As the music stopped Alyssa had been stroking Lynn’s sides from behind, and now she wrapped her arms around Lynn’s waist, her warm breath on Lynn’s neck. Her fear seemed to mount with Anna’s as she murmured to Lynn: “Please, don’t leave me. Protect me,” she sighed, stroking the side of Lynn’s neck with her nose.

Danielle had been doing a hot and heavy number between two brawny wolves until they heard the news that she was responsible for the deaths of their brothers. Then the two each gripped her hard by the arms and dragged her off the floor and towards Lucas even as she pleaded: “No! Please, don’t do this! Please, don’t hurt me!”

Tom groaned in frustration. “Enough!” he bellowed across the room, his amulet allowing him to use the full hypnotic power of his voice.

“You will all stay where you are! I will be there in a moment to resolve this!”

He turned back to Carmilla. “I have your summons. I will answer it as soon as I can. But this night: this night it is not possible. By my honor I will not ignore it, but I cannot answer it right now. Go, and tell them I will be there when I can.”

He sighed and squeezed Mai’s hand. “‘No rest for the wicked,’ right? I must have been a bad, bad boy.”

He looked to Azalea. “Finish this. I will need you, too, out there.”

Then he turned and headed to the dance floor...

shadowdude505 , Pumpkin Spice Cyanide , SugaISAMOOD

 

[shadowdude505]

Lilith Cooper
It may have seemed like three succubi had entered, but it was really four. The fourth was much, much younger than the other three, though they all looked like beautiful young women.

This one was a late bloomer, only recently awakening her powers and her hunger for love. Her first draining was an accident and left the guy in a coma.

After that event she started to wear baggy clothing and glasses when she didn’t have to feed. While her sisters were drawing a crowd, Lilith was being a wallflower; her shy demeanor and baggy clothes helped keep some attention off of her, the rest was stolen by her sisters.

Though it wouldn’t remain peaceful for long. Her sisters put on quite the show and someone with authority was trying to end it. She had to do something.

Lillith ran over to the dance floor and positioned herself in front of Lucas with her arms outstretched to the sides, showing her palms.

“P…please, sir,” she stammered. “Don’t hurt my sisters. I know they’re acting like typical succubi, but we don’t have a choice. It’s either this, or age quickly and die. I don’t like it anymore than you do; I can’t speak for my sisters, but if there was another way, I’d choose it in a heartbeat! Please…just let us leave peacefully.”

Gwalihir SugaISAMOOD
~~~
Lynn

Lynn’s face went red, but warning bells were going off in her head.

Succubi? She shifted her gaze toward the floor. She was lucky that the shroud kept the seductive power out of Alyssa’s voice.

“I can’t protect you, even if I wanted to,” she said softly, feeling ashamed for falling for a succubus. She may have spent her whole life living on land, but as a mermaid, she was out of her element.

She jerked herself free of Alyssa’s arms and joined the crowd behind Lucas. She pressed a hand against her forehead and clenched her tank top in her other hand. Had any of it been real? Course not.

Heartbroken, Lynn watched as Lilith pleaded for the safety of her sisters. The mermaid started to feel sympathetic toward the shy succubus; the other three…that was a different story.

 

[SugaISAMOOD]

Adam focus went to the dance floor.”Vampires went onto Werewolf land in the woods. I’m not quite sure what else since when I arrived they were in war.” He watched closely while holding his dagger up his sleeve ready to use just in case.

“What are they?” He walking away from the table getting into his watcher stance. His wings aching to be let out. “Not right now” he thought to himself. He had recognize the werewolf but not the girls. ( sorry for late post I been busy and tried from working at fast food)
shadowdude505

 

[shadowdude505]

Randy & Roxy

“They’re succubi,” Roxy said to Adam. “Sounds like they’re here for more than clubbing…maybe not the forth one…” Unless it was a trick, the demeanor of Lilith made it seem like she had been roped along.

“Maybe you should get in there and help her,” Randy added, pointing to Danielle. He wasn’t in love or under some spell, but he didn’t like seeing a woman in distress. Dragging her across the floor just seemed like too much

Just then Tom’s voice boomed through the room, stopping the chaos, for the moment anyway.

“Maybe you should back Tom up. They’ll probably listen to an angel. That succubus will need all the help she can get.” He pointed to Lilith.

As far as he knew, she hadn’t done anything; he hadn’t even noticed her come in. The other three, however, probably deserved some kind of slap on the wrist.

SugaISAMOOD

 

[Gwalihir]

<< “P…please, sir,” she stammered. “Don’t hurt my sisters. I know they’re acting like typical succubi, but we don’t have a choice. It’s either this, or age quickly and die. >>

Lucas had already snatched a silver-edged broadsword from the wall, his fury rising. But at the gentle plea from the unassuming young lady, his rage abated somewhat: enough that he didn’t take off her head the moment she revealed what she was.

“And what’s your solution?” he growled. “For my people to line up for you by the tombstones, so you can indulge yourselves time and again while you drop them into early graves? To keep young, you must keep on killing. I will not stand back and allow that to happen to my people or any other.”

<< I don’t like it anymore than you do; I can’t speak for my sisters, but if there was another way, I’d choose it in a heartbeat! Please…just let us leave peacefully.” >>

Lucas gritted his teeth. “_You_ may leave peacefully. Clearly you did not come here to seduce and waylay my people. These others did, and would have continued to do so had the Shroud not stripped them of their powers. This night they would have killed again, and the night after, and the night after. If I let them go and they never returned, yet they would go to plague another people, whose deaths would be blood on my hands. Them, I cannot release.”

<< “I can’t protect you, even if I wanted to,” she said softly...

She jerked herself free of Alyssa’s arms and joined the crowd behind Lucas. She pressed a hand against her forehead and clenched her tank top in her other hand. Had any of it been real? Course not. >>

Alyssa stood alone in the circle of angry wolves, clutching her arms around her chest. “I didn’t lie to you,” she murmured as if just to Lynn: “I just didn’t have time to tell you everything. Can I really help it if my most erotic dreams of you involve a bit of tartar sauce?”

Real fear entered her voice as she was grabbed by the legs, grabbed by the arms and lifted off the floor.

“Somebody, please, save me!”

Then came Tom’s thunderous voice. On the instant the wolves left off mauling the two women, though they still held them fast.

It was a long minute more before Thomas came down around the platform with Mai on his arm, and approached Lucas. Even as he did so, Merlin approached from the other side. Tom glanced his way, and Merlin gave a slow nod: he would not interfere save to back Tom up.

Tom looked back at Lucas, and especially at the sword he held in his hand. “I thought we talked about this, Lucas. You have been okay with the presence of vampires here; how do you see these ladies as anything different?”

“Because these vampires have not bled my brothers dry and dropped their withered bodies into the ocean to escape detection. Had they not misjudged one of my men’s stamina and had he not survived, I would never have known who was responsible.” growled Lucas.

Anna gasped and raised her hands to her face in horror. “Not true! We left them sleeping and recovering! That’s why we took nine, not three! By only partly draining each, we assured they would remain alive!”

Lucas’ eyes flashed in anger. “Somebody drag her off the stage!”

“Belay that!” hollered Tom. “And release the other two, now!” Suddenly the two women were released. As faithful as the wolves were to their Pack Leader, none of them cared to tangle with an angry Tom.

And angry he was. This was never his plan for this place, and everything he had worked for seemed about to go down in flames.

“There are three sides to every story, Lucas. Yours, theirs, and the truth. Maybe it’s time we heard theirs.”

“You would trust her word over one of my wolves?” spat Lucas. “Not ten minutes past, she claimed me for an ex-boyfriend who had beaten her. They tell nothing but lies!”

Anna shook her head. “You’re wrong! Yes, I lied to save my own neck: I knew that would turn them against you, and thought we could escape. But something about this place: what is it that prevents us from charming you?

“I will admit to that lie, but to no other. I have no cause to.”

“Except to once more save your own neck,” snarled Lucas.

“No! I, too, want to know the truth of what happened that night! And if you still operate by law, any law, you will allow me to confront my accusers. Where are they?”

“We have no time for a formal trial!” snapped Lucas: “This isn’t the Tribunal: this is simple justice served!”

Tom shook his head. “You are mistaken, Lucas. We always have time for the truth. I, too, want to hear what your witness would say.”

Lucas shrugged in exasperation. “If that’s what it will take to satisfy you, then so be it. Cyrus, you and Mark split up and see where one of you can find Altheus.”

shadowdude505 , Pumpkin Spice Cyanide , SugaISAMOOD

 

[SugaISAMOOD]

Adam had step in between both of them during the entire conversation “Why is it always vampires and werewolves fight” he wonders aloud. When the sword came so did his dagger.
He allowed himself to flash his angel form for a few seconds. “I to will like to join this trail maybe it can help me with other fights around the world.” Once they were both a good distance away from each other he returns to the counter.
shadowdude505 Gwalihir

 

[shadowdude505]

For a moment, Lynn's face scrunched up in confusion. Erotic dreams...of tartar sauce? But they just met. It was probably just a lie; a last ditch attempt to get her to step in. Lynn ignored the plea, but she wasn't completely heartless; flinching as Alyssa was dragged. The succubi must have done something to get the werewolves angry at them. It sounded like they had drained some of their pack dry, but they denied going so far as killing them.

It didn't matter how athletic she was, she didn't think she could defeat a werewolf; so she just put her tank top back on and listened as everyone hopefully talked things out.
~~~
"I...I won't leave...n...not without my sisters!" Lilith tried to sound brave, but her stutter didn't help.

"S..stop! Don't hurt her!" She tried to help Alyssa, but was batted away by one of the werewolves. She was lucky her glasses weren't broken, not that she really needed them to see clearly.

"My sisters may lie and manipulate sometimes, but they don't kill!" She exclaimed as she stood up, rubbing the side of her face with a hand.
~~~
Things quieted down a little; it looked like there was going to be a trial.

"Succubi or not, it's not good for a host to leave people on the floor" Mai said, waving the bouncers over. "Confine them to my room until they bring Altheus here."

Lilith turned to Lynn. "I'm sorry...about my sister," she quickly said, before following her sisters to Mai's room.

Meanwhile, Randy put an arm around around Roxy and they walked closer to the other werewolves.

"Are you sure Altheus is a good witness?" Randy asked Lucas. "I don't personally know the guy, but he practically turned Roxy into a werewolf in broad daylight. Needless to say, I don't have the best the first impression; he sounds like the Scar to your Mufasa." Albeit it a rage-y Mufasa.

"I don't like it...but it sounds like these succubi are just trying to survive the only way they know how..."

"...Unless...they can be taught a better way. M...maybe there's some magic out there that could help them adapt; not drain anyone's life force? It wouldn't bring back the dead...but it would break the cycle..."

Roxy braced herself for Lucas' anger, huddling close to Randy again.
~~~
A minute or so later, Mai arrived to her room carrying a tray with water; she set it on the side table.

"You ladies alright?" she asked. "From one seducer to another, If you really want to know the truth, I suggest you don't try to escape. This place is covered by a shroud that cancels out magic. Only people with amulets can tap into their power. I wouldn't try stealing one. There's a ritual involved to safely hold one, skip it, and you're in a world of hurt."

"I won't sugarcoat it. You girls are in very hot water. I'll try to keep things pleasant for you, but there's only so much I can do. I assure you Tom, the owner of this establishment, will do everything in his power to make this a fair trial. He has some powerful friends, myself included." Maybe she wasn't the most powerful, but her abilities could come in clutch sometimes.

"I'm Mai. What are you're names?"

"I'm L...Lilith."

Pumpkin Spice Cyanide Gwalihir SugaISAMOOD

 

[Gwalihir]

<< “Why is it always vampires and werewolves fight” [Adam] wondered aloud. When the sword came so did his dagger. >>

As the dagger came out, Lucas scoffed. “Mine’s a bit bigger, boy,” he growled at Adam.

<< He allowed himself to flash his angel form for a few seconds. >>

The Shroud was not designed to handle divine powers, nor momentary jumps in the ether. The sudden rush of power required to flash Adam’s angel form for just a moment, then let it go, caused a mild earthquake and something nearly resembling a short-circuit in the Shroud itself. The small thunderclap of power and lurch of the ground beneath their feet made for an impressive show. Arguments and talking ceased, and Lucas took a step back, lowering his sword.

<< “I, too, would like to join this trial. Maybe it can help me with other fights around the world.” >>

“Whatever you say.” Lucas nearly stammered, but held his cool.

Tom chuckled, then approached Adam. “Great entrance, but please do me a favor and don’t do too many of those indoors here. We don’t want to tear the Shroud to pieces and let in all the magic. These beings would tear each other apart.”

<< "S..stop! Don't hurt her!" She tried to help Alyssa, but was batted away by one of the werewolves. She was lucky her glasses weren't broken, not that she really needed them to see clearly.

"My sisters may lie and manipulate sometimes, but they don't kill!" She exclaimed as she stood up, rubbing the side of her face with a hand. >>

“That’s enough!” Tom raised his voice and approached the wolves surrounding Alyssa, waving them away and taking her hand gently. “Come with me, if you want to live,” he quirked with a slight smile.

Then he waved to Anna to come down from the stage and rescued Danielle from the wolves holding her.

<< "Succubi or not, it's not good for a host to leave people on the floor" Mai said, waving the bouncers over. "Confine them to my room until they bring Altheus here."

Lilith turned to Lynn. "I'm sorry...about my sister," she quickly said, before following her sisters to Mai's room. >>

Tom turned to Lynn. “Are you alright? She didn’t try to hurt you?”

After her response he turned to the rest of the crowd. “Anyone else injured by these ladies? No? Then I suggest we give them the benefit of a doubt until we’ve heard all sides.”

<< "Are you sure Altheus is a good witness?" Randy asked Lucas. ... he sounds like the Scar to your Mufasa." >>

Lucas chuckled at that, then turned serious again. “Normally I’d knock you or anyone else on their ass for even suggesting I take the word of a succubus over one of my brother wolves. But I understand your feelings about Altheus, and I’m prepared to let it slide.”

He shook his head. “So now we got an angel in our midst. Why do I think this is gonna make life even more interesting? I wonder: will anyone even be able to think of lying with him standing there? What kinds of powers do you suppose he has?”

<< "I don't like it...but it sounds like these succubi are just trying to survive the only way they know how..." >>

“Thin ice, boy!” Lucas growled at him. “Anyone wishing to suggest my Pack as a buffet for these life suckers better know how to run serpentine. Eight good young men, sucked dry and tossed off a boat at sea. You don’t justify that: you put down whatever did it like a rabid dog, and for all the same reasons.”

<< "...Unless...they can be taught a better way. M...maybe there's some magic out there that could help them adapt; not drain anyone's life force? It wouldn't bring back the dead...but it would break the cycle..." >>

Lucas listened as Roxy put forth her idea. He seemed to consider it before he shook his head. “Pie in the sky. If such magic were possible, we’d know of it by now.

“Essence, or life force, is vital to all living things. And yeah, everything but the smallest plants suck it up from other living things, one way or another. Only, as it concentrates it gains power, and us more complex beings can learn to use it.

“And yeah: the succubi are at the top of the food chain, like sharks in the ocean. But I’m not ready to be a meal fish, and I can’t see anyone else going that way. So I’m cutting the chain as best I can. If that means no more succubi, that’s what it means.”

• * * * * * * *

<< I suggest you don't try to escape. This place is covered by a shroud that cancels out magic. Only people with amulets can tap into their power. I wouldn't try stealing one... >>

As they listened, the three seductresses seemed more afraid. Trembling, the blonde rose and poured some water, first for herself, then for her sisters. She poured one for the fourth girl almost as an afterthought.

“So, this was a trap. And you caught us. What happens to us now?”

<< "I won't sugarcoat it. You girls are in very hot water. I'll try to keep things pleasant for you, but there's only so much I can do. I assure you Tom, the owner of this establishment, will do everything in his power to make this a fair trial. He has some powerful friends, myself included." >>

The brunette sank to her knees in front of Mai in supplication. “Please: you saw the wolf’s anger. They will never let us go free. Can’t you use some of your power to let us go? We promise we’ll leave forever, go somewhere else: you’ll never hear from us again.”

The dark-haired girl snorted and shook her head. “You don’t get it, Alyssa. He lost eight men: men we drank from, and that’s all he knows. And this trial: somebody’s gonna say we did it, and how do we prove we didn’t do something? The real question is, ‘Why _would_ we do it?’ We had a feast from nine: we were sated for the week. What did we have to gain by killing?”

Alyssa the brunette turned back to Mai. “Everything she’s saying is true. We only kill when we find predators: men who, if they didn’t have us would be dragging some poor innocent down a back alley to have their way with her. There are far too many of those out there: we have no illusions that the few we take will make the streets safer for ladies, but at least one or two ladies might make it home who wouldn’t otherwise.”

The blonde laughed. “Like that’s the real reason. The predators are crazed with lust: they taste better and feed us more. And we _are_ doing society a service taking that kind off the streets, whether society wants to thank us or not.

“But those wolves are hungry now for our blood. What’s going to stop them?”

<< "I'm Mai. What are you're names?"

"I'm L...Lilith." >>

“I’m Anna,” the blonde said. “That’s Alyssa,” she pointed to the brunette, “and Danielle. We are the Cooper sisters. So, Mai: any ideas that might save our necks?”

SugaISAMOOD , shadowdude505 , Pumpkin Spice Cyanide

 

[shadowdude505]

<“Are you alright? She didn’t try to hurt you?”>

Lynn shook her head. "Not physically..." she replied. They were having a good time until the succubi reveal, making her question if the emotions had been real or manipulated to a heightened point. If it wasn't for the shroud, she could have had some of her life force drained, but then again...the succubus could have just been playing with her. There had a ton of potential victims around.

Lynn looked toward the door. She could leave, but a part of her was curious about what would happen to the succubi; if anything, it might help her find a little closure.

She found a seat beside Adam, but didn't say anything to him. She looked like she was stuck in her own head, trying to sort things out, as she waited for the craziness of the trial to start.

SugaISAMOOD
~~~
<“Thin ice, boy!” Lucas growled at him. “Anyone wishing to suggest my Pack as a buffet for these life suckers better know how to run serpentine. Eight good young men, sucked dry and tossed off a boat at sea. You don’t justify that: you put down whatever did it like a rabid dog, and for all the same reasons.”>

"He wasn't suggesting that!" Roxy piped up. "All we know is that they're succubi, and that werewolves were drained at some point and are now dead. Randy and I are working off of incomplete information. Right now it just sounds like it we're going off of Altheus' report, and what the succubus said. Here in America, people are innocent until proven guilty; and right now, it's just sounds like a classic case of he-said, she-said. Were the bodies ever found and examined? Something like that could really shed some light during the trial."

Roxy looked brave for a moment, then realizing what she said, she flinched back. Hopefully what she said didn't sound too much like a rant.

Randy put his arms around her.

"Basically, we're still pups," Randy said softly, quickly coming to her defense. "We haven't been werewolves long enough to really think like one." Technically he wasn't even a werewolf at all. "There may be dangerous things out there, but places like this...I think Tom's doing a good thing trying the peaceful route. It may not work all the time, but that's why there are fighters like you around."
~~~
"It wasn't designed to be a trap. Tom wanted a place were preternaturals could co-exist, but to do that, requires a level playing field for the customers," Mai replied.

"If you want to get out of this, you'll have to play it straight. It will be scary, but you'll have to be honest. If you try to run, that'll just put a bigger target on your back by making you look guilty. Leave the angry mob to us. We have ways to tone it down; my seduction, Tom's hypnoses, I'm sure our resident wizard has a trick or two, and you may have noticed the angel. We also have a phoenix here, he's a bit of an empath. If there are any holes in the story, in any story, we're going to find them."

"W...we just have to trust our side of the story," Lilith said. She stood up and huddled with her sisters, grabbing their hands. "I know you're telling the truth. We just need to keep level heads, no matter how scary it might get; it sounds like they have us covered. We just have to trust them; they've been kinder to us than the mob so far, right?" She asked, making a point.

"Thank you," she said to Mai, before the kitsune left.

Lilith tried to comfort her sisters as best she could. As a late bloomer, she hadn't been involved in the incident that had the werewolves all riled up; being there for her sisters was all she could really do.

Gwalihir

 

[Gwalihir]

<< ... right now, it's just sounds like a classic case of he-said, she-said. Were the bodies ever found and examined? Something like that could really shed some light during the trial." >>

“Of course we never had a chance to examine the bodies! They were dumped at sea... “ Lucas hesitated. “At least, according to Altheus. I begin to see your point.”

<< "There may be dangerous things out there, but places like this...I think Tom's doing a good thing trying the peaceful route. It may not work all the time, but that's why there are fighters like you around." >>

Lucas nodded, ruminating for a minute before he spoke. “Yeah. Hope my reaction tonight hasn’t ruined this for him. The vamps may not approve of a trial of lifesuckers on what’s supposed to be neutral ground. We may have some major damage control to do afterwards.”

During this time there had been two huddles in different areas of the bar: one of wolves Roxy recognized from meeting at the Pack, and the other of various pale-skinned individuals one might safely assume to be vampires. At this point three of the vampires broke away from their huddle and approached Lucas, one in front, walking with an air of authority, and the other two flanking him like bodyguards.

“Good evening, sir. I understand you are the local Pack Leader? My name is Romero, and I have been asked to speak on behalf of the local Enclave.”

Romero bowed slightly, but did not present a hand to be shaken. This was not surprising: most vampires preferred not to have physical contact with others when they were not feeding. Lucas bowed back.

“Speak, then.” Lucas could be a man of very few words at times.

“We understand there is to be a trial here, of three young ladies accused of draining the life from eight werewolves. Is this correct?”

Lucas nodded.

“We consider ourselves affected parties, as such an accusation might easily be brought against any of us at any time. It was our understanding that this place was meant to be a sanctuary for all beings preternatural. How can we consider it to be open and nonprejudicial against us if you are putting our sisters on trial?”

Lucas glowered, but did not growl at Romero. “There is the fact of being preternatural, and then there’s crimes against others. These were eight young men of my Pack, all taken in a single evening. There was no need for their deaths: certainly these girls could have fed much less and been sated without killing. This was pure gluttony, plain and simple. You cannot expect sanctuary to protect one from the consequences of murder.”

“I see,” said Romero. “Can we expect it to protect one from prejudice? This trial: how will you select the jury pool? All werewolves? That hardly seems fair.

“We propose the jury consist of three Lycans, three vampires, and six other members who are neither. All must be vetted to assure no pre-existing prejudice will interfere with their search for true justice. Does this meet with your approval?”

Lucas blinked, and considered. Then he sighed and nodded. “You are right. All werewolves would be prejudicial. But how do you propose to find six non-vamp, non-weres in this bar?”

Merlin cleared his throat. “I should be honored to take one position. I understand we have at least an angel, and did I hear someone say a mermaid in our midst? There is the young man over there, and a phoenix somewhere about. Should they all be willing to serve, we need but one more. The kitsune? Perhaps the priestess? Or will she be needed for duties of the court?”

Tom had approached while the conversation developed. “I believe Azalea would be most helpful as the judge in this case. Lucas, would you care to serve as the prosecution? I myself will take the place of defense. Is this arrangement satisfactory to all?”

• * * * * * * *

<< "It wasn't designed to be a trap. Tom wanted a place where preternaturals could co-exist, but to do that, requires a level playing field for the customers," Mai replied. >>

Anna snorted. “So, that means everyone’s defenseless while in the bar? Except for those wielding broadswords?”

<< "If you want to get out of this, you'll have to play it straight. It will be scary, but you'll have to be honest. >>

Alyssa sighed. “Given our habits, honesty is not something we come by easily. Not too many guys want to come with you if you tell them you’re going to suck the life force from their bodies.”

<< If you try to run, that'll just put a bigger target on your back by making you look guilty. Leave the angry mob to us. We have ways to tone it down; my seduction, Tom's hypnoses, I'm sure our resident wizard has a trick or two, and you may have noticed the angel. We also have a phoenix here, he's a bit of an empath. If there are any holes in the story, in any story, we're going to find them." >>

Danielle looked up at that. “An empath? That could save us right there. If he grills the witness and they’re lying, he can tell the court and it’s over! Girls, this could work!”

<< "W...we just have to trust our side of the story," Lilith said. She stood up and huddled with her sisters, grabbing their hands. "I know you're telling the truth. We just need to keep level heads, no matter how scary it might get; it sounds like they have us covered. We just have to trust them; they've been kinder to us than the mob so far, right?" She asked, making a point. >>

Anna sighed. “Okay. No running: let’s make a go of it. When do we start?” >>

 

[SugaISAMOOD]

Adam had ignored Tom and was drinking his Whiskey. He looks up at the new person that sat besides him but doesn’t say anything due to her looking lost in thought. He puts his dagger away. It might look small but can cause a lot damage to anything supernatural.
He pulls out a small notebook and starts drawing his older brother that went missing a couple years back. He haven’t found him yet but he’s holding on to hope. (And that’s my new character) After his feelings becoming overwhelming for him he storms off to his room he’s staying in. shadowdude505
Gwalihir

 

[shadowdude505]

<Anna sighed. “Okay. No running: let’s make a go of it. When do we start?”>

"I guess they'll get us when everything is ready...," Lilith replied.
~~~
"I'm game for some jury duty," Randy replied. It sounded like his last hours as a human would come in handy. "What about the werewolves? Any particular three in mind?"

"Did someone...call for a mermaid?" Lynn asked softly, walking over to the group. She had her hands in her pocket. "If it'll help make things fair...I don't mind..," she added, a little sheepishly.

"Assigning roles without me?" Mai asked, her fox-like hearing picking up the conversation as she got nearer. "If I'm needed on the jury, then that is where I shall be."

Once she caught Tom alone, she quietly updated him on the situation. "I had a chat with the succubi; told them they had to be honest and eased their worried. They've started to calm down, so if you'd like to prep a little, hear the short version of their side of the story, now's a good time."

 

[Gwalihir]

<< After his feelings becoming overwhelming for him [Adam] storms off to his room he’s staying in. >>

Tom watched Adam go with surprise. “Whoopsie! Looks like we lost our angel. A shame: I thought he really wanted to see this through.”

Tom’s phone buzzed about then. He answered once he saw who was on the line. “Yes, Curtis? What’s the word?”

He nodded to what Curtis was saying over the phone, and appeared to be pleased. “Thank you. We’ll see you soon, then.”

He turned to the group and announced: “Altheus, our star witness for the prosecution, has been found. They are on their way back with him, and we should be ready to start this all in perhaps twenty to thirty minutes.”

<< "I'm game for some jury duty," Randy replied. It sounded like his last hours as a human would come in handy. "What about the werewolves? Any particular three in mind?" >>

Tom considered. “That’s a hard call. Obviously not Mark or Lucien: we’ll need them as bailiffs, make sure the girls don’t run or do anything stupid.

“How about Krista, Dan and Isis? They’re wolves, but they haven’t been involved in any of this. See if they’re available.”

<< "Did someone...call for a mermaid?" Lynn asked softly, walking over to the group. She had her hands in her pocket. "If it'll help make things fair...I don't mind..," she added, a little sheepishly. >>

Tom nodded and smiled. “Thank you. That will be greatly appreciated.”

<< "Assigning roles without me?" Mai asked, her fox-like hearing picking up the conversation as she got nearer. "If I'm needed on the jury, then that is where I shall be." >>

Tom took both her hands in his and squeezed gratefully. “I knew I could count on you.”

Romero approached. “I volunteer myself, Claude and Damien here for jury duty. Aside from our desire to assure that a bloodsucker receives a fair trial, which balances out the wolves’ wishes, we are as impartial a jury of her peers as you may find.”

Tom gravely nodded. “That will be acceptable.”

Before Tom had a chance to count heads again to see if they had reached twelve jurors yet, Mai had a word with him.

<< "I had a chat with the succubi; told them they had to be honest and eased their worries. They've started to calm down, so if you'd like to prep a little, hear the short version of their side of the story, now's a good time." >>

Tom nodded. “I’ll go up and take care of that right away. Let me check on Joseph and Adam, if they aren’t up for it then perhaps we need Jeff and/or George to fill in one or two spots.”

As Thomas headed up the stairs, Mark and Curtis entered, escorting Altheus. Altheus was a middle-aged man, a little paunchy, and still had his arm in a sling. It was obvious he had been doing some drinking before he showed up. He looked around in bewilderment.

“What is this place? Why’d you bring me here? Can’t a fella just have a good night on the town?”

Curtis glanced over at Randy, and gave him a little grin. “Relax, Altheus. We just need to ask you a few questions. We’re having a trial about the night you met the succubi. Remember that?”

Altheus jerked up out of his seat. “Wha-wha-what do you mean, a trial? I to-to-told ya all what happened, didn’t I? The-the-the girls did ‘em in, an’ dumped all of us overboard!”

Curtis pushed Altheus firmly back down in his seat. “So you told us, Altheus. But we need to know more, now. We need to check stories against each other, get to the truth.”

“Sto-sto-stories?” Altheus gasped. “Who-who-who else? No-no-none of those guys coulda lived to tell anything!”

Curtis crouched next to him, eyeing him steadily. “Now, how could you be so sure? Did you examine them before they went overboard?”

“No-no-nothing like that! I di-di-didn’t have time! The-the-they threw me over, too!”

Curtis nodded. “And you lived, didn’t you? What makes you think they couldn’t have survived, too?

Altheus just stammered for a minute. “Whe-where are they?” he asked, his face deathly pale.

“We’ll work that out in just a bit, buddy. Meantime, you just calm down. No sense losing your head over it.”

Curtis left Altheus under Mark’s vigilant eye, walking towards Randy. Anything he said aloud, even whispered, Altheus would have heard, but he mouthed a couple of words at Randy. Unfortunately it wasn’t clear what they were, and he kept walking past.

About then Jeff and George showed up from backstage. They both sat by Randy, on the other side from Roxy.

“Hey, bud! So, how’s it going here? We heard they might need two more jurors?”

Jeff shook his head. “Hope they don’t need me. This is giving me a thought or two.”

He produced a laptop he had been carrying, and set it on his lap. “Anybody know the date of this attack? Could prove useful…”

 

[shadowdude505]

Randy

That was Altheus? He seemed more intimidating as the black wolf.

He wasn't quite sure what Curtis was trying to tell him. Did he think Altheus was lying? Or telling him to keep his distance? Maybe there would be a chance later for him to clarify.

"Altheus is our only witness, he might remember what the date was, or maybe Lucas remembers from when he was told about it," he replied.

Gwalihir

 

[Gwalihir]

<< "Altheus is our only witness, he might remember what the date was, or maybe Lucas remembers from when he was told about it," [Randy] replied. >>

Jeff nodded. “Looking at that basket case over there, I’m thinkin’ I’d best ask Lucas,” Jeff said. He left the laptop open and hurried over to Lucas. He was back in two minutes.

“Two and a half years ago, middle of the summer. Let me check some stuff out…”

• * * * * * * *

Upstairs, Tom knocked on Joseph’s door and invited him to participate in the trial. He also asked Joseph to check with Adam and see if he was still interested. Then Tom continued to Mai’s room where the succubi were waiting.

Unaware that Altheus was already present, Tom gave the girls some time to explain exactly what had happened. He had a few questions himself which they answered, and when he was satisfied that he knew enough to serve as a suitable defense attorney he wrapped it up.

“Okay, girls: I am relying on you to be telling the complete truth here. If the details are as you have told me, we should be able to bear it out and you’ll be able to leave. Understand that there’s a wolf down there who is going to be telling a different story: we will be trying to get at which one of you is telling the truth. He will be accusing you of lying, obviously: just keep your cool, and keep telling your side of the story.

“Now, let’s go.”

With that, Tom and the succubi headed downstairs to the “court” awaiting below.

• * * * * * * *

“Yo, Mon. If you want to be a part of the jury they are gathering, come with me now. They are about to start.”

Joseph knocked on Adam’s door but did not wait for the angel to answer. He could see that the group was rapidly assembling below, and he wanted to be a part of it.

Getting downstairs he saw Azalea coming out from behind the stage, wiping her eyes. He walked over to her in concern.

“Yo, girl: you okay? What seems to be the matter?”

Azalea shook her head. “Nothing you could help with, but thank you. Just old stuff…”

She shook her head again. “I heard that I am needed as a judge? It looks like people are getting the room in order. Let me get ready…”

She disappeared back behind the stage and came back out in her white robes and carrying a white staff with an intricate carving on the top: a Gordian knot. She tapped the end of the staff on the floor and spoke.

“Your attention, please. We are about to commence: everyone please take your seats. As soon as we are all seated, we will begin.”

The Nymphs had already rearranged the chairs and tables into something resembling a modern courtroom. Curtis led Altheus up front and sat him down in the witness section just behind the prosecution. Looking around, Altheus seemed a bit relieved, as if he had feared that he would be taken to the seat for the accused. But his calm was short-lived.

Tom came down the stairs followed by the succubi. When Altheus saw them it took a moment for him to remember and recognize them, but when he did he jumped out of his chair so fast he knocked the chair over and set it flying back.

“Tha-tha-that’s them!” he shouted, pointing at the girls. “The-the-they’re the ones who did it! They-they killed them!”

The room roiled, as the wolves looked ready to jump up and lynch the girls on the spot. Azalea pounded her staff on the floor to no effect.

“Enough!” hollered Thomas. The room suddenly went quiet. Thomas continued in a much calmer tone.

“This is why we have trials. So we don’t jump right up and do something we may later regret. Everyone, please take your seats and stay in them unless you are asked to move.”

Slowly the wolves sat back down, even Altheus, though he kept pointing and was about to speak again when Tom cut him off.

“You! Shut up and stay quiet until we tell you it is time to testify!”

Altheus closed his mouth with a snap. Thomas continued into the room, slowly leading the terrified girls to their seats up front as the defendants.

Azalea cleared her throat. “This courtroom will now come to order. The prosecutor will present a summary of their case, followed by the defense. Will the prosecution now stand?”

Lucas came to his feet and approached the jury.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Here are the facts which do not stand in question: that on the night of July 25th, 2019, nine wolves were seen to leave the Pecos Bar in the company of three females, one a blonde, one a brunette, and one raven-haired. Previously the women had been singing and dancing with these men, and had especially requested the song “Venus.” None of these men but one were ever seen or heard from again.

“The prosecution argues that there is ample evidence to conclude that these three women, identified by a witness as being the same three women who now sit at the defendant’s seats, committed the act of murder upon eight of these individuals and attempted to do the same on the ninth, and furthermore dumped the bodies overboard at sea to conceal their crimes. They very nearly got away with these crimes unwitnessed, except that one of their victims survived. We will be relying on the eyewitness account of this victim as the basis for our accusation against the defense. We hope the jury will understand that in such cases, where the actions of the defendants include concealment of evidence, that testimony must carry a heavy weight in making the determination of guilt or innocence.
“Thank you.”

Lucas took a seat, and Tom stood forth.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we stand here today attempting to correct a serious injustice: the disappearances and presumed deaths of eight men who may or may not have died as a result of the actions of these three ladies. These are very serious charges, and cannot be taken lightly. If they are true, serious punishment is deserved: but if they are not true, a great injustice has been done even by presenting the claim that they are so.

“At this time we have only the word of one man who claims to have witnessed this heinous act, versus the claims of these three women that in fact these murders did not happen, and that the disappearances must be the result of some alternate factor. We need not speculate on what that factor might be, so long as we recognize that only evidence beyond a reasonable doubt is sufficient ground to declare these defendants as guilty.

“Today, the defense will prove to your satisfaction that there is sufficient cause for doubt, and that therefore these defendants must be declared innocent. That is all that is required to find for the defense.

“All we can ask is: please be fair. Thank you.”

Thomas sat, and Azalea stood and faced the jury.

“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your participation tonight. This is a heavy responsibility, not to be taken lightly. Lives are literally on the line, as is the heart of our way of justice. Your decision could allow a guilty party to go free, or sentence an innocent to death. It is difficult to imagine a more significant decision that you will make in your lifetime.

“Therefore, please listen carefully to all testimony, examine and weigh all evidence with the greatest of care, and give us your very best, most certain conclusion. Thank you.

“And now, the prosecution will commence their argument. Lucas?”

Azalea sat, and Lucas stood.

“The prosecution calls for Altheus Simms to please approach the bench.”

Curtis assisted the unsteady Altheus to his feet and escorted him to the front. Azalea rose, compassion on her face as she observed Altheus’ wretched condition.

“Prosecutor, it is my ruling that this man is currently unfit to testify. His judgement and memory are both clouded by alcohol, and not to be trusted. Fortunately there is a solution for that.”

She extended her staff head first towards Altheus. “Please put your hands on this staff,” she instructed him. Dazedly he took it first in one hand, then the other. Azalea uttered a phrase that sounded like Latin, and Altheus’ eyes rolled back in his head. He nearly collapsed, but Curtis held him up. And suddenly it was as if he were a whole different person.

He stood up straight, shaking off Curtis’ helping hands. He thrust the staff back at Azalea and released it as if it had burned him. There was no more fear, no wavering: just a sense of calm, cold purpose. He glared about the courtroom, pausing a moment at Randy and Roxy, and finishing up staring at the three women.

“Ask me your damned questions,” he growled at Lucas, who raised an eyebrow at the impertinence. Altheus sat in the witness chair, glowering about the room.

“Altheus: where were you on the night of July 25th, 2019?” asked Lucas.

“I started the night at the Pecos bar,” declared Altheus. “I finished it swimming in the ocean for my life.”

Lucas nodded. “Can you tell us about the progression of events over the course of that evening that led you from one place to the other?”

“I sure can.” Altheus cleared his throat and began…

(Before we get into testimony, taking a break for any reactions folks want to insert for their charries. I’ll start again when you have both answered.)

shadowdude505 , SugaISAMOOD

 

[shadowdude505]

Lilith walked into the "court room" with Tom and her sisters. She flinched as Altheus started to accuse her siblings before the court proceedings really got going. She quickly calmed down after Tom had taken control of the situation.

"Where should I sit?" she quietly asked Tom. She wanted to be near her sisters, but she technically wasn't on trial either. She walked over to whatever seat Tom had indicated and sat down.
~~~
Lynn, Mai, and Randy took their seats in the jury area.

After Azalea had magically cured Altheus of his drunkenness, he seemed like a completely different person; more in line with how Roxy had described him.

Randy glanced over at the crowed, spotting Roxy sitting in the middle of it; she didn't want to sit too close to where Altheus would be. Understandable.

Randy turned his attention back to the trail; waiting for Altheus to explain his side of the events.

Gwalihir

 

[SugaISAMOOD]

Adam jumps up from his sitting position on the bed. “Ok will be down shortly” he goes to the bathroom to splash water on his face to hide his tears since angels do not show emotions.
He walks into the room spotting Randy he walks over to sit by him. “So, anything happening yet?” Hoping he doesn’t see his tears in his eyes.
shadowdude505

 

[Gwalihir]

“It was a hot night, and the bar had all the windows open to catch the breeze. Me and some of the boys was hangin’ out drinking beers like we done most Fridays an’ Saturdays, an’ here comes three gorgeous gals dressed like country music stars. They paraded into the bar, hit up the jukebox an’ started dancin’ with whoever they saw. I moved in on one o’ them, an’ we danced a bit. Then they cranked up the box with this song “Venus,” an’ everything got wild includin’ the gals.

“They invited every guy who wanted to join ‘em to come down to the boat dock, take a lil’ midnight cruise. Hell, we all went but the old geezers an’ the married men or ones with girls already there. We cast off an’ away we went.

“Now the girls got hot an’ heavy with us, one at a time. Man, they kissed like real pros. Only trouble, when they got a good lip lock on ya, the room started spinnin’ around ya until ya dropped. They knocked us out but good. Then I kinda woke back up, an’ they were goin’ around suckin’ the guys dry an’ throwin’ them overboard. I figgered I had a better chance in the water if I weren’t sucked dry, so I pulled myself up an’ hit the rail before they could grab me again.

“I tried findin’ some o’ the guys in the water, but they was gone already. Slapped ‘em about tryin’ to wake ‘em, but it was too late. Then the girls revved the engines an’ took off, leavin’ us all floatin’ in them sharky waters.

“There weren’t nothin’ else for me to do but swim for the shore. Leastwise I could make that out from the lights in the distance. Dunno how I made it as groggy as I was, nor why the sharks never got me. Guess I’d have to say it was a miracle.

“I done told Lucas an’ the rest o’ the Pack about it. Ever now an’ then somebody asks me to tell that story again: never thought I’d be doin’ it with them gals sittin’ a spittin’ distance away. They’re demons, I’m tellin’ ya: no reason we should be talkin’ this out, they should be burnin’ at a stake out back somewheres right now. So: who’s with me?”

Lucas raised a hand to stop him before he rallied his friends again.

“Thank you for telling us the story again. Now Tom may have some questions for you. Please answer him truthfully and completely.”

“O’ course! What else?” answered Altheus.

At the defense table Tom was rising, carrying a sheaf of notes with him. Over by Randy, Jeff was deeply immersed in his laptop, apparently running some kind of search engine...

 

[shadowdude505]

"You're just in time," Randy said softly to Adam, trying not to talk over the trial.

He listened to Altheus's story. "He managed to swim back to shore while partially trained? How far did he have to swim?" In his mind he imagined a long distance. Could a werewolf's vitality pull something like that off?

He glanced over at Jeff's laptop, still keeping an ear on the trail. It seemed like he was trying to find any reported news on the incident; news that wouldn't be aware of the supernatural angle, unless vampires and werewolves had secret sites on the darknet or something.

SugaISAMOOD Gwalihir

 

[SugaISAMOOD]

He listens to the trial and nods along. He was half listening due to his mind keeps wondering else where. He try’s to keep up with it but can’t.

After listening to the story he stares at them in disbelief. How could anyone do that? He thought.

 

[Gwalihir]

Tom approached the witness stand, flipping through his notes. “Well, Mr. Simms, that sounds like quite an ordeal you survived. If you don’t mind, there’s just a few details I’d like to get straight for the record.

“For instance: would you happen to remember the name of the boat you were on?”

Altheus stared at him. “This was two and a half years ago. You expect me to remember the name of the boat?”

“I was hoping you might. It would help us if we could track down who rented or owned the boat, might point another finger at who did this.”

Altheus thought hard for a minute. “The… ‘Magdalena?’ No, that’s not it. Something ‘Madrigal.’ I don’t remember the rest. A color, I think.”

Tom nodded. “That’s good enough. Thank you. And do you have any idea of just where the boat was when all this happened?”

Altheus nodded. “Yeah. We was out ‘round Catalina Island, a place I knew was shark breeding grounds. ‘Course I wasn’t worried about it at the time: had no idea I’d be swimming so soon.”

Thomas took some more notes. “Thank you. And do you remember the names of the men who got on the boat with you?”

Altheus nodded. “Sure. They was all wolves, so I knew ‘em all from the Pack, by scent.”

He rattled through five or six names, then hesitated as he tried to recall the last few, but finally came up with all nine. Tom studiously wrote all the names down.

“Thank you. And to your knowledge, none of these men were ever heard from again?”

“That’s right.”

“And if I recall, you said all of these men were single, without girlfriends, just hanging out at the bar. Would you perhaps describe them as loners?”

Altheus shifted uneasily in his seat. “Yeah, I suppose you could say that.”

“So, if they went missing, there really wasn’t anyone likely to notice. Is that right?”

Altheus nodded. “Yeah, that’s about the size of it.”

“Conversely, had they survived, there wasn’t any particular reason for anyone to know?”

Altheus looked confused. “I suppose not. Beside their jobs and the Pack, I guess.”

“But they could have come back, just packed up and left, and no one would be the wiser?”

“It’s possible. But why would they do that?” Altheus was looking both confused and a bit angry.

“Well, I’m not saying they necessarily did do that, Mr. Simms. But supposing someone they trusted - maybe a member of their Pack - had something to do with what happened to them that night, they might not trust their own safety should they remain in the area. Then they might have chosen to leave rather than risk staying around.”

Altheus growled. “And why would they think that? It was these girls who drained ‘em, not some Pack member!”

Thomas nodded. “It was just a thought, Mr. Simms. I’m not saying any of them was ever found, you understand. I was just proposing an alternate reason for their disappearance.”

“Well, that’s not what happened. Like I said, those girls drained ‘em all dry an’ dumped ‘em overboard.”

“And you survived because you jumped into the water before they could come back and finish draining you, correct?”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Altheus sounded more confident now.

“So: these three girls just drained eight men dry, as well as having partly drained you. They didn’t use any kind of weapons, just their kisses, right?”

Altheus nodded. “You got it. That’s the way it was.”

“It just seems a little strange. You know that when a succubus drains a man completely, they are generally sated for a good week or more? To drain that many men that completely just seems like more than they could manage, don’t you think?”

Altheus frowned. “I dunno about that. They was, kinda high, like: like the draining was drivin’ them on to do more and more, like a bloodlust. I can’t explain it: that’s just the way it was.”

Thomas continued to take notes. “Thank you, Mr. Simms. That will be all for now.”

He turned to Azalea. “Defense reserves the opportunity to recall the witness to the stand at a later time.”

Azalea nodded. “Granted. Does the prosecution have any other witnesses they wish to call at this time?”

Lucas shook his head. “No, your Honor. This concludes the prosecution’s argument.”

Azalea nodded again. “You understand you will not be granted an opportunity to call any further witnesses at a later time? You retain the right to cross examine any witness called by the defense, but that’s it. Is that understood?”

Lucas nodded. “Understood, your Honor.”

In the background, Jeff continued to quietly tap away at his laptop as Azalea tapped her staff on the ground.

“The prosecution rests. Defense, you may present your argument. Do you have a witness you wish to call?”

(breaking for any reactions: will continue after you both have responded.)

shadowdude505 , SugaISAMOOD

 

[shadowdude505]

Mai maintained a neutral expression, but she was smirking on the inside. Tom made a handsome lawyer, and had the brains too.

She leaned over toward Joseph and cupped a hand around her mouth.

“Feeling any interesting vibes? Or is he telling the truth, as far as he knows?” She whispered.