Wednesday, October 25th

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Founder’s Day.

A day in which Salem, Massachusetts welcomes in all it’s citizens to the heart of the city for festivities, fun, and a fireworks show. Washington Square is the perfect area for pop-up shops, food trucks, and other booths for services. An area that lies in the middle of museums and sculptures that properly describe the history of Salem, be it supernatural suspicions or the pilgrimage, this area is shared, today, by all races and species that Salem houses. Despite all reasons in how Founder’s Day came to be, people loved the day off for an excuse to drink, party, and gather. For Ambrosia, it is a time to reminisce of past years and a time to scope out suspicious new supernaturals that may have lurked into the dark streets of Salem within the past year.

A mostly cloudy day with only few glimpses of sunlight to beam upon the lively city is the first thing any vampire would take note of prior to going out during daytime hours. Ambrosia, dressed in her usual, everyday style, sporting an open-shoulder, mid-length dress with tan heels to match. Though she kept the jewelry to a minimum, it is still clear that she is of the richer people. It was a long walk from the master bedroom of the dark, victorian mansion that housed many members of the coven, to the expensive vehicle in which Ambrosia would be chauffeured in. Greeted out front along the stone driveway by Mr. Edwards, a youthful individual that was almost as notably vampiric as Ambrosia herself, despite all signs of black magic within her, was all apart of a daily pattern. He routinely opened and closed the door for her before proceeding to drive her to whatever destination she was required to be present at, but today, it would be to the heart of the city.

Mr. Edwards, dressed to impress with his usual suit and tie, broke the silence during the car ride over,”You look very stunning today, Mrs. Sanguis.” His English accent is very prominent, though he’s lived in Salem for several decades now, he probably still sports it for character.

Ambrosia let out a soft smile as she looked to him,”Thank you, Mr. Edwards. You look very dashing yourself.” Although he gave a similar compliment everyday, the thought went very far and it was always heart-warming to start the day off with a compliment.

“You seem rather quiet today — is something troubling you?” He questioned with concern in his voice.

Although there was suspicion in the community for a coming evil, Ambrosia lied and brushed it off,”Just lost in thought, I guess. Thank you for your concern.”

With each passing business, statue, and sculpture, it would always stir up distant memories for Ambrosia. While normally not journeying into the heart of Salem to save for unnecessary social interactions and questions of her identity, well-being, and wealth, she figured that this day was better than any other to see what the people of Salem were up to. The car ride was rather long from backed up traffic to find parking, but the drive was a comfortable length to allow scattered thoughts to come together.

Ambrosia was dropped off along the curb of a not-so-busy area in order for her to gradually adjust to the heavy crowd of people that lurked up and down the streets. While she enjoys being by herself, she awaited for Mr. Edwards to find parking before being accompanied into the square. Ambrosia stood in a shaded area, fiddling with her enchanted ring in hopes that the daylight will be sparingly generous on her skin today. With each passing person, Ambrosia began to get in a mode of examination, properly eying those that would seem a bit off than the regular citizen of Salem — though these days, Salem had such a diverse range of peculiar citizens. Curious if anyone had sensed her presence yet, she felt no fear in thought of any form of aggressive event due to the public that seemed to cast a safe setting for any individual to face their rival.

Despite the comfortable setting, she still jumped when Mr. Edwards startled her by interlocking his arm with hers. He chuckled towards her before leading the way to one of the many entrances of Washington Square, but with each passing step, something seemed off.

It wasn’t until they made their first step within the grounds before the feeling of an uncomfortable sting raced into Ambrosia’s mind, causing her to feel her power weaken by a substantial amount. With a subdued wince, Ambrosia stopped in her tracks as many passed the two. Mr. Edwards spoke up in worry,”Is everything alright, Mrs. Sanguis?”

As Ambrosia looked around and took a short moment to gather herself and readjust to the sudden change in atmosphere, she turned to Mr. Edwards calmly,”Something isn't quite right here.” While taking time to analyze the feeling and the given situation, she pulled Mr. Edwards in another direction,”Come sit with me on this bench here.”

Mr. Edwards became worried of her suspicions,”What’s happening?”

”I’ve felt this feeling before,” Ambrosia explained, her eyes darting to each passing individual as well as anyone that would look their way, “I believe someone is trying to draw me out, or anyone of us for that matter."

“Of us?” Mr. Edwards echoed,”What do you mean?”

”Someone has placed a holy seal on these grounds.” Ambrosia had no clear suspect for whoever conjured this, but the feeling was apparent and incredibly obnoxious.

”You’re right, I did feel strange upon entering the grounds. Do you wish to leave, Mrs. Sanguis?” Mr. Edwards was the only person that was aware of Ambrosia’s condition when it came to her tainted well-being. Although all supernaturals will be effected by this holy sigil, Ambrosia experiences a much stronger effect instead of just a wiff of holiness in the air.

”No.” Ambrosia replied to him, ”That will create suspicion. I can endure this and make a casual leave to avoid any conflict that somebody may stir up, but we are also unaware of the motive behind this. This is Salem, after all, and many of the citizens are worried for their safety when it comes to supernatural horror stories. This could just be a scared citizen seeking peace of mind by creating a shield to fend off any possible dangers. So — we will wait and take this opportunity to see if any other individual has a similar reaction.”

---

It was Founder's Day. A festive event for Salem and all its people.

Perhaps, for William, this day wasn't any special than others. Though, that was mostly because the day was too noisy and he'd rather bury himself in his covers to spare his ears from any more pain. While he could normally drown it out, the festivities would usually hammer his consciousness and he would feel zoning in and out of it - rarely getting enough focus. So that's why he usually avoids Washington Square on this particular day. That place was where the heart of the festivities were.

Unfortunately for him, Volber had another thing in mind. Despite being acutely aware of William's condition, the butcher found it apt to drag the young werewolf to Washington Square so that they could perhaps sell some of their finest meals. While they were mostly a butchery, on certain occasions, they served cooked food to sell to people. They had one of the finest meat in the city but only a few knew how to cook it well enough to taste its best - two of those few were the workers in the shop itself.

"But Volber, I can't. It's too noisy!" William complained as they loaded the supplies onto the food truck that was owned by Volber. The man was rather large and bulky, even for a werewolf. One wouldn't doubt that he could have been a bodybuilder of sorts. His form was intimidating, and so was his tone of voice, but he's really a rather chill guy overall. However, when he gets his mind on something, it would be very hard to convince him to do something else.

"I'm short-staffed, Will." The bulky man started, hefting three crates with ease and then dumping them into the food truck. They were hidden from the sight of normal people, so it was rather safe to display their unnatural strength. "It's a busy day, and you're the only help I have." He continued, sending a glare at the young werewolf. "You owe me kid, now get in and let's ride." Volber said as he closed the food truck's back.

William groaned. "Yeah, yeah, wait a second." He then went inside the shop again and retrieved a pair of headphones and earphones just in case he gets a break and he can start using them. Not to listen to music, but rather to block out the sounds made by the people there. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too noisy. He then hopped into the truck.

Volber proceeded to lock up shop before they drove off. The ride hadn't been too long. They weren't too far from the heart of the city. It only took them around thirty minutes to get there, and that included some minor traffic. Of course, by the time they got there, the festivities had barely started. They needed to get there early so that they could get a good parking space for their food truck.

The moment the truck entered Washington Square, however, the two of them felt a little off. It was simply because of the tinge of holiness in the air. They looked at each other as Volber parked at a rather good area. Was something going on? Normally there weren't holy runes inscribed in an area unless it became a hunting ground. But Volber eased up relatively quickly. "Just don't make it obvious kid. We're just vendors right now." He told William as he prepared the supplies to be cooked.

"Yeah... yeah." He muttered and then exited the truck. He was assaulted by the smell coming from the other food trucks, the things the people around carried and so many other scents. The sizzling of food being cooked, the conversations of the others, the honking of horns from somewhere far off, two couples getting into a fight - everything started to overwhelm William. He quickly placed his headphones on top of his ears which successfully muffled some of the noise. he then opened the food truck's window and prepared the signboard which showed their menu for the day. He dusted off his hands when he finished.

The owner and the worker looked at each other and nodded. It was time for opening. William had been in charge of taking the orders since most didn't really like interacting with Volber. It had been rather busy for the first hour as people lined up to their food truck to get their annual feed. William saw some of their fellow packmates going to them and made sure to order their... juicier steaks. Volber was more than happy to accommodate their tastes.

The events lulled for a while and William finally took a break. William put on his earphones, that actually did well in trying to block out some sounds, and then took a stroll around. William waved at the few people who he knew around his area of Salem, and then some supernaturals. He wondered if Blaine decided to also attend this place. Ooh, what about Katalina? He hummed to himself as he continued walking.

Something made him turn to a certain direction - the familiar feeling of... something. William actually didn't notice it until he was looking straight at Ambrosia. The moment he realized that he was kind of staring, however, he quickly bowed his head as a sort of apologetic gesture to the woman. Was she one of them as well? May not be a werewolf... a vampire perhaps? Or a witch? With the mingling of scents around, he was unable to be one hundred percent sure about it. Nevertheless, he gave her a bright smile, a wave and then went on his merry way. He still looks cheery as he walked down the halls with his hands behind his back, still humming to himself. He wondered who he will be encountering next. It seems that the odd feeling of the holiness has been pushed to the back of his mind for now. Maybe he could have fun, even a little bit.

---

Katalina pushed a piece of her golden brown hair behind her ear that had escaped her side ponytail before retightening the ribbon in her hair. She was one of the three waitress making and handing out drinks and invites for the founders day 'exclusive' party at the Black Cat club tonight. The club calls the party exclusive but in reality, it is open to everyone to come, they just hand out special flyers that they call 'exclusive invites' to the party to get more business.

Picking up a big box with cases of beer in it, Katalina carried the beer over near the giant bin of ice they had behind their booth. When she set the box down, she opened it up and began unloading the individual beers out of the cases and into the ice bin. While working, she glanced at a clock on a booth nearby and noticed she only had a few more minutes left on her shift then she would have some time to rest before the Founders Day party at the club that night. Focusing back on her work she got the last beer from the first case unloaded and got to work on the next case, beginning to zone out as she fully focused on unloading the cases of beer.

It was when Katalina was finally done that she heard one of her co-workers call out behind her, "Hey Kat!" Katalina turned around and looked at her co-worker. "Could you go dump this trash since its full and you are totally the strongest of the three of us?" Her co-worker, a tall brunette, asked her. "Yeah, just make sure you save some numbers for me. You guys can't be getting all the hot ones while I'm gone." Katalina joked, winking at her coworkers who laughed and refocused on the customers in front of them.

The golden-haired girl went and got the trash bags out of the trash cans. She stopped for a moment when she got the trash bags out of the cans, the smell from earlier filling her nostrils. It wasn't the smell of the trash in her hands, or all the alcohol at the booth, the food from other booths, or even the smell of the mixture of humans, wolves, witches, warlocks, and vampires... no, this smell was pure, more pure than anything she had smelled before and it was putting her a bit on edge. Katalina softly shook her head as she tied the bags shut and began carrying them towards some dumpsters in an alley across the street.

After throwing the trash in the dumpsters she walked onto the sidewalk of the main street and brushed her dress off, straightening it out as she looked across the street to the main set up of Founders Day. She looked at everything going on in the square and let out a sigh. Frowning Kat thought about her sister, Calliope had caught the flu from a classmate and wasn't able to enjoy the festivities of the day with Kat like the two had originally planned.

Katalina pushed the thoughts of her sister out of her mind, Calli was safe and being taken care of at the orphanage which was probably for the best with all the supernaturals that Katalina could smell around. Her sister had to beg her a lot to convince her to agree to go to the event with her this year so, in the end, the fact that Calli ended up sick put Katalina at ease other than the fact she was now worried about her sister being sick.

Looking both ways to make sure it was safe, Katalina made her way across the street, her heeled ankle boots clicking with every step. She made her way back to the club's booth where she saw her replacement had already started. Kat bid the girls a goodbye as she grabbed her jean jacket and slipped it on, grabbing the free drink she got for working and beginning to meander around sipping the beverage. As the warm feeling of the alcohol spread over her with her first sip, she took another whiff of the air to see if the odd smell was still there. Not only was the odd smell there but she smelled a new vampire in the area, this one different from the others. She looked towards where the smell had come from and tried to pinpoint the one giving off the smell but her skills at pinpointing exact smells were not the best. It also didn't help that she was interrupted by a small wave of cramps running through her body.

Katalina cursed under her breath at the cramps that had come yet again that day, the cramps having woken her up in the morning. She knew what it meant but it didn't mean she wanted to listen to what her body was trying to tell her. She began walking again chugging the rest of her drink and throwing away the cup in a nearby trash can as her face settled into a scowl. She hadn't shifted in a while and she knew she was pushing it, but that's just what she did. Kat only shifted when her body basically couldn't stand it anymore since she didn't like that side of herself. That was unless William came and pestered her about it, which she found extremely annoying but it didn't seem like anything she did could push him away much to her dismay.

As the she-wolf walked she fiddled with her special necklace still just looking and walking aimlessly. That was until she spotted the boy who pestered and annoyed her, William. Upon seeing him in the distance she quickly turned on her heel and began walking back the other way. She was not in the mood to deal with him as her shifting cramps, what she tended to call them, made her a bit moody at times... especially with people who just seemed to know how to push her buttons like William. Katalina walked fast, hoping she would go unspotted, at the same time keeping her eye out for other pack members or supernatural creatures. All the girl really wanted was to be alone but she knew that luck typically was never on her side, so she would savor it while she could.

---

"~And don't forget, if someone makes you uncomfortable, punch them in the throat." Her father's sing-song voice burst out of the house just before she was able to close the door. Her cheeks felt a burst of warmth as the relatively cool air began to rasp against them. She looked around her neighborhood to make sure nobody had overheard or called the police for a domestic dispute.

Alden began to regret dropping by his house beforehand. Though most of his hour long, dad-ecture had consisted of staying away from the wrong people and breathing exercises, she could tell that he was trying hard to hide his actual fear. It was the first time that she'd be attending the Founder Day celebration by herself, which usually drew in large crowds of townspeople and tourists alike. It was a situation in which her anxiety could easily get the better of her. And that was without the ever-present thought that something, or someone, would be lurking in the shadows around her. Large events with some vendors that supplied alcohol often didn't mix-well with humans or supernaturals alike.

The girl knew much to well from hanging around any member of her family while intoxicated. Some stupid fight was sure to happen, and knowing her luck, she'd probably be involved in some shape or form. But she couldn't give herself time to debate whether or not she'd go. If she had, it'd easily turn into a 'maybe next year' and another one, after that. Plus she had a commitment to fulfill. Instead she simply fixed the floppy, set of dog ears on her head, before trudging towards Washington Square nervously.

It was no loss to her why she had volunteered to help man the (so creatively named) Annual Petting Booth. The feeling of 'purpose' combined with other's in constant proximity gave her an ample amount of security. Each year the local animal shelter would give some of it's furry occupants enough room to stretch their legs within a fenced enclosure, while everyone in sight spoiled them. They were also up for adoption at discounted rates which led to the month with the lowest put-downs. That was enough to spark warmth into the heart of Alden, along with the added catch that it wasn't exactly 'working' if you could get a break whenever you wanted, or have the opportunity to chill-out with cuddly animals. Sure she had to dress 'stupidly' - the aforementioned ears combined with a rather oversized hoodie with superhero dogs prancing about - but it was a hard bargain to pass up.

Her eyes scanned the crowd absently as she coddled one of their recent admits, Marco, gently. Every so often she'd feel the faintest ounce of warmth shoot up her wrists. It was something she had steadily learned to ignore. Nothing tragic would happen with so many present, unless the person orchestrating it had a small army.

"Yo, Alden." Her supervisor, Brandon, spoke, causing her to look back at him. He was a relatively lanky man that switched between intimidating and softhearted often. On the outside he looked far from the type that would usually devote his time to such matters - a shaved head, numerous facial piercings, and a slew of dark tattoos on either arm. There were many times a family would wander into the shelter, only to turn their own-selves away. Sadly, it was a price of diversity in such a small town. "Me and some of the dogs-" He looked around at the other volunteers in attendance, grinning, "-Are going to go out to eat after pack-up. Down?"

As soon as she nodded the man fistpumped the air, effectively scaring the Pomeranian nestled into his lap. She smiled as he began to console her. Promising a plethora of treats and apologizing for his "rude behavior". Alden rarely went out with co-workers. Namely, the ones that worked under her father. Though it seemed to be a 'year of new opportunities' in which she felt the need to push herself. A few months ago she would've died at the thought of wearing such attire in public or acting like a little kid. To finally... Get loose for once.

She was proud, Marco was getting the cuddle of his life, and there was the evident promise of surprise in the air.

---

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Founder's Day.

It was that time of the year again. An event, that Devin never really celebrated or took into mind. Until he had moved to Salem. Ever since his move 5 years ago; he had taken a part in it. Apart from the first year, when he was still new and trying to adjust to everything. That was the only time, he did not really bother. His grieve and loss of Amara, had been too strong. It was too early for him, back then. The idea of fun, mixing with people...didn't really appeal to him. The grief and loss, hadn't left him yet. Devin wondered, how long it'd take him to recover...if it all.

It wasn't easy for him to forget. And move on. It was her loss, that made him sink back into his own shell. It took a lot of prying, trying, questions and time...for him to open up to anyone.

Even now; he still sometimes prefer his own solitude. Especially over large crowds. But he knew, that his pack were still trying to get him out of his shell...so to speak. Even if he was reluctant at times. Joining in never hurt. Running a hand through his messy, brown hair. He ruffled it slightly. Devin, wondered how this year Founders Day would differ. Each year, it seemed a little different, when it came to entertainment and such.

As he got closer to the Square. He felt odd. A strange feeling seemed to brush over him. Looking over his shoulder a few times. Devin couldn't spot someone following him, or watching him. He didn't know why...it felt like a reflex. He usually had an odd feeling, if he was being followed. But this time...this source of uneasiness was different. And he had no idea why. Devin tried to brush it off. What good would it do? It might just attract unwanted attention.

When he arrived at the Square. The feeling seemed to be a bit more intense here...like the essence still lingered her strongly. His nose seemed to burn, from a lot of senses. He could smell a Vampire, from not so far away. His nose twitched slightly. But he ignored from which direction it came from. When the young she-wolf Katalina walked near by...or rather hurrying off annoyed. Devin rose an eyebrow; wondering what annoyed her today.

She often was quite moody. Devin didn't really know her, as much. Glancing around...he spotted William. The young Wolf and his student. Devin had been trying to teach him, how to block out loud noises and concentrate on a few selected, sounds that he wanted to hear. To train his abilities and help him focus more. Walking over, Devin nodded towards William's collage, but leaned over to William. "Can I have a quick word?" he asked. "It'll only be a moment." He told Volber.

When the two Male Werewolves, had a little bit of space. A few paces away from the cart, in a slightly more quieter area. Devin looked at the young wolf. "Did you feel...anything odd?" he asked him; wondering if it had just been him. Or if someone else felt it too. He wasn't going to go around asking every citizen. That'd be odd. He needed to talk to someone he knew...William was one of those people. His french accent, rather thick as he spoke.

Blaine was deep in the zone. That zone that, to her mind, every artist entered when creating. She was in her workshop, sporting her most comfortable clothes as not to distract her from the work process. Her tank top allowed for freer movements but did not offer much protection against the slight breeze that blew in from the open windows of the workshop and caressed her sweat dampened skin. Had she been anything else but what she was, she'd probably had to contend with at leas a head cold the following day. Fortunately for her, her Were physiology ran hotter than the average human and she rarely felt cold.

The carving was calling to her. She'd found the perfect piece of driftwood some time ago and never knew why it had begged her to take it home with her. Until now! She'd woken up this morning with an image of a face in her mind and that half-forgotten piece of log had called out to her. She hadn't even bothered with breakfast or her morning cup of mate tea. She'd gone to the workshop straight from the shower and now, a couple hours later was still carving away in a sort of a trance. Her mind intent on the face that beckoned to be etched on the wood. But different errant thoughts were interspersed within her artistic impetus. Flashes of the fight with the frenzied Weres some days ago. The mysterious hunter that had intervened. The parting gift she'd left Blaine with as she'd unloaded her hail of silver indiscriminately upon the fighting wolves.

The scar was still new and tender. It had taken her a couple of full shifts to completely heal the silver bullet inflicted wound. Thank god it had gone through and through missing any vital organs, otherwise it could have been potentially fatal. As it were, she now sported a set of fresh scars on the right side of her stomach and back. That Hunter though. At the time she was too preoccupied with the battle at hand. She was outnumbered and the other Weres were strong in their frenzy. It was all she could do to just fend them off. If that Hunter hadn't arrived when she did, Blaine might have not succeeded in besting them. Not that she really did. One had died, a combination of the wounds she'd inflicted and a silver bullet from the Hunter. Or rather Huntress. The others had fled when silver had started raining down on them. As Blaine herself had done. Hence, she never really had the time or opportunity to see the hunter well. Only so much as to know that it had been a woman.

Blaine's right hand holding the chisel hung suspended in mid-air, a couple of inches away from the sculpture of what began to slowly take on the features of a woman. The artist, it looked, was still in a trans of sorts, but this one different from the one that had spurred her creative impetus up until a few moments ago. She was lost in thought. Or in remembrance. The odd feeling she'd had the day of the attack. Meeting Genevieve. The tingle she'd felt upon making her acquaintance. The almost hope for... something. But what, she didn't know. Or dared not hope.

It had taken a lot of Blaine to move on from loosing her mate, Clea. And she wasn't really sure she was ready for something new. Not that Genevieve had given any signals to that affect. In fact, she hadn't pinged for Blaine in any sort of significant way. But still, she supposed, the heart wanted what it desired. To connect. Especially for Werewolves. With their pack mentality and the need for strong familial bonds, a mate was almost a biological imperative. A need stronger than anything and everything. It was a need she hadn't felt for the brief time she'd had with Clea.

Blaine shook herself free of the trance. She lowered her hand slowly, positioning the chisel on the nearby table holding a number of similar, and yet different, implements. The carver looked at the face in front of her that was beginning to take shape. To anyone else it would appear generic. With too many features missing to determine any sort of resemblance. But to her trained artist's eye the face she was gazing at was as clear as it was the day she'd first laid eyes upon it. She felt a strong pull as her heart rate sped up and her breathing fought to catch up. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down, to control her breathing and her erratic heart.

After a minute or so she managed to get herself under control. She focused on the presences of her wolves within Salem. Their essences were strewn across the town here and there, but few felt concentrated around Washington Square. Founder's Day, she remembered. Of course. People were drawn to festivities. Well, people unlike her that tended to prefer solitude or the company of close friends. Of which she had precious few in Salem. Genevieve's face swam into her mind's eye. Blaine's lips stretched into a tentative smile. They weren't friends per se. Not yet anyway. Still it was Genevieve that had sought contact first after their meeting. True, it was a work commission of sorts. But still, it had planted a kernel of hope within Blaine's heart.

The Alpha withdrew from the memories about her enigmatic new acquaintance and tried to refocus her mind's eye on her Weres. She sensed William's essence. The young man had visited her not once or twice, looking for some sort of comfort maybe, or a connection that he'd lost upon the death of his parents. And while Blaine could never dream of replacing them in his heart, she did try to offer whatever support she could as well as any advice he chose to accept for himself.

She could also feel the presence of Devin and Katalina at the same location.

Something felt odd, though. Her wolves felt unsettled. As if they felt at odds with their surroundings. They weren't alarmed as of yet, but their hackles seemed raised.

Blaine looked at the face in the wood one last time. Almost forlornly she raised a hand and traced the yet unfinished lips with her fingertips. And then she traced her own lips with the same care and emotion. She then stood up from her work stool, covered the unfinished carving reverently with a piece of cloth and leaving her workshop, headed for the house to shower, dress and go see what had upset three members of her pack.

"You had plenty money in nineteen twenty-two,
You let other women make a fool of you,
Why don't you do right?"

Pausing her song long enough to coat her lips in a shade of hot pink lipstick, she watched her reflection carefully, taking extra care to make sure she lined her lips just right. After years of applying makeup, it was only recently that she gained a steady hand, but now she focused more on applying it evenly as opposed to making sure it didn't go out of place. Once she finished, she placed another coat to make sure the color popped, and a clear, glossy lipstick on top as a finishing touch. Puckering her lips, Aimee straightened up, giving herself a satisfied smile. "Like some other men do?" She finished, swinging her hip to the side as she placed her makeup back into her bag.

Rather than go all the way back to her place last night, she decided to crash at What's-his-face's place near Washington Square. Founder's Day was essentially a day-long party, and she was definitely in the mood to party. All the people, the food, the festivities, the beautiful boys and girls that came out to play...okay, she mostly liked that last part, but still, she wanted to have fun. Her kind of fun was the kind you needed with two people, though, and so she figured if she went early, she could snag herself a catch and probably let them treat her by taking her around or whatever.

And so there she was, her makeup perfectly set, her white and pink dress ironed and without a wrinkle, and she was ready to take her leave. Exiting the bathroom, she plopped down onto a chair, slipping her feet into her beige stiletto pumps. As she stood up, the bedroom door opened, and What's-His-Face stepped out. He was tall, bronzed with beach blonde hair, and a set of dazzling brown eyes. He was adorable, but she had hoped to be able to just slip out before he woke up. Throwing on a smile, she placed one hand on her hip. Crap, was he going to talk to her? She should probably try to remember his name. She felt like it was something with a 'B'. Brandon? Brody? Bill? Ben? Brandon sounded kind of right, but she wasn't entirely sure.

Luckily for her, he would be the first to speak. "Good morning, gorgeous," He greeted her as he gave her a still-sleepy smile.

Bart? Barney? "Bonjour à toi aussi," She purred back, a hand to her chin daintily. "Don't worry, I was just on my way out."

"Out? Well..." He hesitated, shifting slightly. Uh oh. "I was wondering, maybe you wanted to hang out more."

Benson. Benjamin. No, that wasn't it either. Okay, she needed to forget the name for a moment, she wasn't about to get chained down when she wanted to go on the prowl. It was still early, so Aimee decided to let him down easily. Walking towards him, she would lightly pull up his pants, earning her the slightest reaction as he stiffened. "Darling, that is a nice sentiment, but you and I both know that's not a good idea," She said as she looked up at him, a small smile on her face. "You said you just wanted to have some fun, remember?"

"I know, but there's just something about you that drives me wild," He murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

Shit. That was her fault. Stepping to the side, she avoided him easily. "Which is very flattering, but let's not ruin a good memory, hm?" She told him, taking a step back. "We're both free spirits, coming together for a wonderful night. But it's done and over and I'm going now. Okay?" She grinned.

He squinted at her. "...okay. I'll leave you alone if you do one thing for me," He agreed, crossing his arms.

"I am not ruining my lipstick," She stopped his train of thought immediately, holding out her finger to stop him. "I have a routine and I am not starting over."

"No, not that. Give me your number."

Ugh, come on! Weren't guys the ones that usually just hit it and quit it? Most guys would've been thrilled that she wanted to leave! Fine, she was trying to be nice for once, but if he was going to insist, then so be it. "Listen...B--" She began, though she quickly realized she never did remember his name.

"Jordan." He said, incredulous. "My name is Jordan."

Well shit, she wasn't even in the same ballpark. "Jordan, right," She nodded, though she went back on the attack. "This was fun, but there are better, bigger fish out in the sea." She told him, patting his arm as she watched his expression change. "But hey, you scored me, and that's a big deal. I mean, you'll never do any better, but hey, we can't always get what we want, right? Right." She answered herself as she flashed him a smile, watching whatever ego he had melt away. "Take care, Bennett."

"I just said my name is Jordan!" He whined.

Whoops. She really needed to pay more attention. "That's what I meant. Au revoir," She said as she turned around, her eyes wide as she mentally berated herself.

Scooping up her purse, she quickly made her way out of the apartment, blinking in the brightness. Cloudy day, how convenient for her. Carefully making her way down the stone steps, she inhaled the fresh air, putting on a smile as she would make her way to the heart of the festivities. Pulling her Chanel sunglasses out of her purse, she eyed the people before her as she slipped them on. She shuddered suddenly, something in the air making her skin crawl, though she figured it was probably the sun trying to bake her alive already. Admittedly, that was the only downside that really bummed her out about vampirism. She loved the beach and warm weather, but it was literally dangerous for her to stay out too long.

As she walked, she looked around absentmindedly, taking in the sights. Aimee's carelessness caused her to walk right into someone, sending her slightly to the side. She wobbled for a moment, regaining her footing despite the ground being determined to bring her to it. Satisfied that she managed not to tumble over, she pulled her glasses down slightly to look at the brown haired girl. Her face looked somewhat familiar, though she couldn't place it at the moment. "So sorry," Aimee apologized lightly, though it was obvious it was said out of necessity and not genuity. As she was about to continue to walk, however, she felt that something didn't sit right. She turned back to the girl, a hand on her chin. "Why do you look familiar?" She asked, knowing it was going to bother her all day unless she got an answer.

---

Dante stretched and yawn lazily behind the booth as people passed by, some glanced at his wares while others did not pay him the slightest thought. Today was the glorious Founder's Day, a day meant for celebration, a day that was as famous as most holidays in this town. It was one of the rare times everyone sets aside their differences and comes together to celebrate the found fathers of the town, and its creation in general. He woke up this morning feeling alright, which was his usual, not good or bad just bland. Mornings was the only time of day the Dante could escape the pains of the past and seemingly brush his feelings under the rug, but as he brushed his teeth showered and got dressed it seemed that each part of the daily routine brought back flashes how things used to be. He got a call from his work yesterday saying he needed to be in early today so that he get a good spot to set the booth up and have to struggle as much as they did last year.

Getting the job at the gardens was a dream, he gets to work with plants all day and to is totally worth having to do these kinds of events. Dante is the new guy and has been for the past few years so he was in charge of dealing with he different festivals and group activities around the town were the botanical gardens could improve its image. The gardens don't just host flowers, it also doubles as a herb and flower shop. The place cells everything form Aloe Vera to Valerian Root (or they at least try too), and are one of the best places around the city to get some organic herbs, spices too, pregnant women love to come and get their milk thistle fresh from the gardens and at events like founders day when Dante sells everything discounted the ladies will be swarming in soon.

Today there are many different kinds of "people" in the crowds, he could feel the werewolves, vampires, and other witches out their in the crowd and only hoped that the night ended well. He honestly had no issues with the other races, well maybe the witches, but he was trying to put that behind him and move on to green pastures. He comes to these events with a "don't start none, won't be none" kind of attitude, Dante can only hope that a drunk wolf or hunter doesn't get up in someone else's face and then we have a disaster on our hands. But something did trouble him, a nagging feeling that caused him to shiver, it made him feel uncomfortable and Dante's attention was caught by chuckle coming form right in front of him, then he noticed the slight pain in his lips and cussed under his breath. Most of the women who came to see him had caught him biting his lip and thought it meant something else but its way of thinking.

"Sorry, what can I do for you today?" he said with a brush of his hair and a smile. Dante then tried to distract himself from this feeling if dread by dealing with the woman in front of him, she was obliviously her for him not really interested in jars of spices or pouches of roots. She was human so maybe she knew about the "things" he sold on the side or maybe she was just here to talk to him, only time would tell. But he had a feeling tonight was going to be bad and it caused him to break face for a moment and sigh, Dante could only hope that his madam set her booth up tonight or at least attended this year.

---

Even with the clouds out and threatening to quite literally rain on the parade, it seemed the people would not be deterred and were out in force. Mostly normal humans such as herself, but behind the darkened lenses of her aviators, Genevieve spotted more than one known supernatural. She let them have their day in the sun though, and those few who recognized the huntress merely noted her presence before quickly going about their business. It had gone round once or twice by now that she was notoriously… Forgiving of those who didn't set out to cause trouble. The vampire owner of the Indo bar in particular was fond of remarking on how terrible of a hunter she was.

Yet for all that, she was still a hunter. She still had the skills and tools to strike down the supernatural wherever it may fester. Just a few days ago she reminded some werewolves of that fact. They had been fighting among themselves, ripping each other apart in the forest right behind her home. For that mistake one of them paid with their life. The others managed to escape into the woods but not without injury. Only two really mattered to her though, the large brawler of a werewolf that had obviously started the skirmish, and the white one. If it wasn't a foul monster, and she didn't have a deathly fear of them, she might find it beautiful. At least until a silver bullet went through it and painted it's fur an ugly crimson.

That was what truly ended the battle, the tactical application of silver. While they could have all surely turned on her and ended her life right there, she had instilled in them the very same fear that she had of them. This time she had won out, proving herself the more viable threat and using her confidence as a weapon to make them rethink such a tactic. She knew she was lucky though, and the thought nagged at her continuously on her walk home that night, until she managed to pass out as usual. Damn this town and all the wolves in it. The vamps left her well enough alone, and most managed to stay under the radar, same for the witches. Werewolves though, it wasn't enough that she had her own reasons for despising them all, but they always seemed to be causing some kind of trouble.

Speaking of, she put eyes on a boy who seemed to be acting a bit twitchy. Younger, had a look of discomfort about him and was trying to avoid bringing attention to himself. Unfortunately for him, she knew how much that worked against someone even under normal circumstances. It was one of the first things she learned in special activities, and what they drilled her on the most. Never act like you're not supposed to be somewhere, like you don't want someone to see you. Confidence is the most powerful weapon a spy can have, and it can deflect suspicious eyes far better than any other infiltration technique.

Genevieve detached herself from the leaning position against the side of the stand, she didn't even know which one it was, there were dozens. Wearing plain clothes made her blend easily into the crowds, and her confident measured steps placed her behind the boy without gaining immediate attention. From there it was just a matter of glancing around at the stalls as if she actually had intentions of purchasing their wares. He was just five meters ahead, still looking out of place as he stepped closer to the stand for a local jeweler. Ugh, just a petty thief.

Not even a good one either, she had spotted the not very subtle swipe of the peridot rings from between eight people and across the street. Once more he was on the move, if he was smart to get off the street and a clean getaway. Such was what she was hoping for, and was where she would take him down. Honestly, when she agreed to work private security for the city she hadn't actually expected to do more than stand next to some stalls and pretend to be interested while watching people. She did end up starving just as she knew she would. Damn fairs and all of their fried food. A drink and something incredibly unhealthy would do her some good, but first the thief.

Much to her surprise, he turned down the way and between two stalls, putting him in the next street over and towards the exit of the square. That made everything easier for her, and she preferred things easy. Genevieve put a little more hustle in her step, passing by a few vampires who were out quite early for their kind, and a rather scruffy looking man talking to a younger boy. None of them mattered, she was on the hunt now. One hand rested on the concealed holster at her hip, the other she used to gently make a path through people. There he was.

She made her move, putting some power into the balls of her feet as she rounded the corner behind the storefronts, and colliding with him quite heavily. They both went to the ground in the shade of the backways, him hitting face-first against the pavement with a pained gasp, and her using him to cushion her own landing.

"Be silent and still, and you might walk away without cuffs."

No one ever cooperated. Ever. He struggled anyways, though she was pinning him to the ground with one hand, and frisking him with the other. The questing hand found what she was looking for in the pocket of his jacket, a pair of rings and several other items from other stalls.

"H-hey! Those are mine, I paid for them!" Her hand came around the back of his head with the flat of her palm, cutting off whatever retort he had next for her.

"I watched you pocket the rings, not very well either. Besides, if you bought them, the why do all of them still have price tags attached?"

That made him go quiet. It was policy for the shops to remove tags from merchandise or put a red mark through them when purchased. Sure, it was easy enough for someone to just rip the tags off themselves, but that required a little more thought than it seemed this hoodlum was capable of.

"These people all work hard to make things like what you stole, think about that next time you feel it might be a good idea to steal. Now get lost, and if I catch you again I'm breaking your legs."

In a single move she was back on her feet, leaning against a stand and watching him get to his with a bit more effort. He turned and glared down at her, something she hadn't realized when she was tackling him to the ground. There was a decent enough size difference between the two, and it seemed he realized that as well for a moment until the outline of her pistol was made evident. That was enough to deter him, and send him on his way. Damn, that had almost moved in a direction very different from easy.

With that bit of her job done, she made her rounds of the square, returning each of the items with the thanks of their makers. Few had even noticed the tussle, most too involved in the celebration to notice anything other than their own happiness. Something she was keen to get to for herself in a way, heading up to the security booth and checking in for the day. She had been there since set up, and was in dire need of food, a drink and just not being here in general. Too many people in too small a place, and that was something she absolutely preferred not to be involved in.

It was distracting in its own way though, and without a hard focus to set her mind on she slowly drifted as she walked through the crowds. Perhaps she would linger for another hour or so, maybe even glance over the shops for their product this time, instead of potential thieves. A few minutes passed and she didn't even notice, just absent-mindedly wandering. Fried food was everywhere of course, and it was calling her with a fierce temptation. A smirk threatened to show itself on her lips as she thought that at least she was armed to fight it off. Instead she found the stall for the local delicatessen, getting herself a light sandwich to at least try and eat somewhat healthy for once.

She allowed herself to relax a little, taking in her surroundings as she sat at a picnic table in the square, placed there for the convenience of those partaking in the food stalls. Craftsmen from all over town had come here for Founder's Day, selling their wares and showing off what Salem had to offer for tourists and locals alike. Trinkets of all kinds adorned many, everything from carpentry to taxidermy(thankfully limited that one). A short breeze brought the smell of scented candles to her, a mixture of apple cinnamon for the approaching holidays and the last of their summer flavors. One in particular stood out, a somewhat fruity one that reminded her of-

"Hey Vi!"

"What?!"

"What about Tahiti? It's a magical place!"

Genevieve got up with a start, her eyes searching for ways out even as the memory played itself out in her head. The smell of tropical beaches turned swiftly to that of arid mountains and cordite. She managed to find herself a place out of the way and away from other people so she could center herself, taking in deep breaths and quietly counting backwards from a hundred until her heartbeat stabilized. In just that scant moment she had went from calm to somewhat panicked, though she kept it hidden well enough that no one seemed to have noticed. Perks of a large crowd and more interesting things to look at.

"Damn it. Why now?"

She hadn't thought of those times in quite a while, and almost thought herself over it all. The steel of a pressed tag was cold against her chest, two of them dangling from a light chain. Her own dog tags, and those of the last person to truly be close to her. Something had changed in her life to make her look back on a part of her life she tried to look past. Her instincts were telling her that she had made a mistake somewhere, that she needed to cut it out. A growing sensation of weakness formed, and she couldn't shake the feeling. What she needed right now was a distraction, and anything would do. Perhaps taking one of these vampires aside and instilling the fear of Hunters into them would correct her mood? No, it was far too public and they could just make a scene out of it.

Blaine Moore happened to move past her line of sight at just that moment. Though for all she wanted to seek out what had brought her low in that moment, that this new "friend" might be the source didn't even come to mind. She was odd enough, a bit of a strangeness to her that Genevieve couldn't quite place. It had nagged on her ever since their first encounter in the bar, and perhaps it was that curiosity that led her to reach out. Friends wasn't really something that she specialized in, but the carpenter had been understanding and kept enough of a distance to keep her comfortable, but still make her presence known.

It was incredibly odd for her, and she wasn't sure why she had bothered to keep this connection, much less allow it to fester and grow. Nor was she quite sure why she chose to leave her relatively isolated spot out of the crowds, and start walking towards the woman. Genevieve walked with a bit of an impatient lean, but she was on the hunt and it never occurred to her to call out while on approach. Instead she subconsciously wove her way subtly through the crowds and padded all the way up to the side of Blaine before speaking.

"Didn't think this was your kind of event, Blaine." She spoke softly, as there was no need of it for how close she had gotten. Sometimes it was a good thing she didn't care for people, as with her remarkable ability to blend with a crowd and silent step, she could get herself into a lot of trouble sneaking up on people.

---

---

"Don't forget that, too, suga." Antoinette chimed towards a teenage girl as she was helping the other members of Antoinette's coven set up her booth. She let out a small chuckle as she waited by the door, eyes watching them closely then called out towards them. "I'll be on the square momentarily. I got to stop by the shop for a few items." The girls and boys nodded their heads towards her as she was about to close the door but called out towards them again. "And don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Once she stated that towards them, she closed the door with a soft slam then turned around to glance around her coven home. It was Founder's Day for the town of Salem and she could not be happier about it. Of course, she had no choice but to be so because she was kind of well known around the community now. After she gathered a few things and placed her purse on her arm, she exited her residence while she placed shades over her eyes. It might've been partly cloudy but she still felt the need to wear, despite what anyone else thinks.

While she walked towards her Voodoo shop, which wasn't that far anyway, Antoinette could not help but listen to the people that murmured about today's festivities. It was something that really brought the community together for a day, night or two. She honestly could not wait to see what the booth looks like whenever it is set up. Speaking of booths, in her mind she wondered to herself where Dante was and where he went. She'd have to make a visit to the square later to see if he was there.

Antoinette made it to the shop now and the hustle and bustle was very much ongoing for them now. After she gasp and placed her shades upon her head, she went behind the counter to greet her employees, also coven members then turned to face the counter as she started to help out. After a few more people, the line dispersed and she let out a soft laugh while turning towards Michelle. "Hey there, darling. How you been?" Madam Antoinette asked her with a hug then rested her hands upon the girl's shoulders as she waited for a response.

"Madam Antoinette, that shipment you requested is here." A male muttered from the back where the stockroom was as she eyed him then went back towards Michelle, who was just about to answer her question. "Hold that thought, dear. I'll be right back." She mentioned with a smile as she followed Antwan, another member of her coven towards the stockroom now with a little bit of excited springing off of her. The box remained unopened as she dragged her fingers across the top of it with a smile then looked towards Antwan. "Bring me the box cutter, honey."

With the nod of his head, he went over and did what he was told to do. Antoinette eyed him as he came back with the utensil that she asked for as she used it to cut open the box. "Couldn't you have just used magic to open the box." Antwan asked as she raised her brow towards him and she did not have a happy look upon her face. "My magic doesn't work that way, honey because even if it did, I still wouldn't use it. Want hunters to come and kill what we've built here? Hm?" Antoinette snipped towards the young voodoo warlock now as he shook his head. "You're dismissed." She told him with the wave of her hand as Antwan nodded and left the stockroom as she opened the box fully now and unveiled a new shipment of Voodoo Dolls.

'Perfect.' She thought to herself then grabbed one and lifted it up in the air. These Voodoo Dolls were going to be rather unique and with the full moon coming up, she was going to put them to excellent use. It was a plan that she kept primarily to herself because she was the only one strong enough to use the magic for these dolls. Antoinette laughed a little bit evilly to herself as she made sure no one was around before she placed the doll back inside of the box and pushed it behind a shelf. While she clapped her hands together, she decided that it was time to visit Washington Square and see what everyone was planning this year. "All right my little angels, going to the square to get a glimpse on things. Need me? Call me."

Antoinette informed them as she offered them all waves while she exited the building now. Whenever she reached the square, the supernatural feeling was high up in the air. She placed her shades back over her eyes as she looked at the already set up booths then eyed hers as her coven members were almost done with it. With a smile, she looked over towards another booth and noticed that it was Dante standing behind it. She walked over towards his booth and tapped her fingernails along the surface with a smirk.

"Dante, Dante, Dante." She said as she started to circle around him now before she went back in front of his booth and placed her purse upon it. "How have you been, sugar?" Antoinette's voice chimed as the woman who was there before her sort of nudged Antoinette while she muttered. "Excuse me but I do believe I was here first." Antoinette eyed the woman up and down then smirked as she couldn't help herself while she muttered. "Careful now, darling. You do not want to know what I can do to you." Antoinette responded as she shook her finger in the woman's face now.

"Oh, please, make my day, lady." The woman said as Antoinette turned towards Dante with a smirk and her coven members eyed the display, as well. Antoinette could really make this woman twist and turn with a spell but for now, she was going to let it go. "Whenever you are done here, Dante, be sure to let me know." She said with a smile then eyed the woman with a scowling look. "The dead will rise on your soul, my dear. I can guarantee you that." With those words spoken, she walked over towards her coven members as she applauded them. "The booth is coming along nicely. Keep up the good work." She told them while watching them continue to work. "I am surprise you didn't squash that lady." One of her coven members said as Antoinette turned towards them and rubbed her hand against her cheek. "Oh, I gave her a small preview of what's coming towards her but do not worry about Madam Antoinette. She can handle herself."

After Antoinette spoke those words, her eyes peered back over towards Dante's booth then back towards her members as they were finishing up the booth.

---

That time of the year again; Founders Day.

One of Vivienne's favorite times. It was a day, that most in Salem enjoyed. The community got together, to celebrate. Mortal, Supernaturals alike. Everyone seemed to put aside their differences for that event. At times, it seemed like it was rehearsed. Putting on the 'fake' smiles and 'pleasantries' with your enemies, and people you disliked for the day. Then when the vents were over...you were back, to the 'same old same old' rivalries, mishaps, arguments and what not.
Not that it really bothered Vivienne. There were quite a few people, that she'd rather not exchange pleasantries with all the time. Being Cold and Bitter; it was what most people knew about her personality. Only those, that got to know the 'real' her...saw a different side to her. Which was rare. But she was not all, that people made her out to be. And those, that knew her more than anyone..were the people she felt no need to hide from. Not be hidden, beneath the cold and bitterness.

But she usually, was rather very pleasant during the celebrations. She had always felt, happy during the Founders Day. It was odd, to see her sulking during such an Important event. During that time, she on occasion enjoyed a flirtatious encounter, with someone who'd catch her eye.

With Washington Square filling up; Vivienne caught a sight of a few familiar faces. Including Young William. He might have been a Werewolf; but her grand-mother knew the young boy. She had made him the necklace he wore, before the Full Moon. He was quite a nice guy actually; very excitable and sweet. Then she noticed the elder Werewolf, Devin. He always looked bit scruffy, but managed to pass it off as attractive, nonetheless. Mostly, he was always alone...or out of sight. Never bothering anyone. But Vivienne couldn't help but stiffen slightly, when she caught sight of Dante and Madam Laveau. Members of the Voodoo Coven. Her enemies. If there was anyone Vivienne disliked the most. It was the Voodoo Coven. It was not just a big dislike. It was also fear.

But being whom she was; Vivienne would not admit defeat and fear easily. Especially around them. No one, knew her deepest fears..besides her grand-mother.

Her grand-mother was actually by her side. The pair had a stall going in the Square. Vivienne owned her own Wicca Store. Or in the eyes of the mortal public. A pawn Shop. On the table, in front of them. There were various charms, protections charms and runes, trinkets and antiques that could be found in her shop. But with the amount of people out and about, it was a perfect opportunity to sell things to the public, as well as believers and practitioners of magic.

As she finished setting things up. Vivienne felt a shiver down her spine. Something felt odd...wrong all of a sudden. "Gran, what's going on?" She whispered, to the elder woman by her side.

"I am not sure yet....Just act normal, my dear. Don't be suspicious." The elder witch, whispered to her Grand-daughter. It seemed, like the elder of the two knew something was going on. But they did not want to attract, unwanted attention.

Vivienne nodded. 'Right normal.' she told herself. As a few people passed the stall, Vivienne smiled warmly towards them, offering them to look through what she and her gran had on offer.

Blaine was walking slowly on the outskirts of the festivities that had engulfed Washington Square. There were people, pavilions, booths. She passed near the arts and crafts booth of Linda Hayward, the proprietor of the shop where Blaine sold her smaller carvings. Linda caught sight of her and motioned for Blaine to approach.

"Hey, Blaine." She greeted. "Didn't expect to see you here. I was under the impression that you moody artist types avoided events like this." She winked at Blaine to lessen the blow of her barb. It was the usual banter between them. Linda had been the curator of a big art gallery in Boston before she'd decided to retire in Salem and run her own small shop. So she knew all too well how to handle temperamental artists.

Blaine grinned. "Oh, you know how we artists are, Linda. You never know what fancy's gonna strike us."

"Ha! Truer words, my friend. Truer words." She answered grinning and went on to tend to a customer who was eyeing one of Blaine's carvings of a small woodland fairy.

The Alpha Were took the opportunity to slip away and distance herself as best she could from the festivities without standing out as someone trying specifically to avoid the event. All the while she was walking seemingly aimlessly through the throng of people, she was alert and attentive to her surroundings. She'd pinpointed the location of her wolves. She'd even made it a point to make her presence known to them. She'd passed by the booth where William and his boss were busy servicing clients. She nodded to the young man as a way of encouragement, while also using her telepathic bond with her pack to contact all present at the Square to telegraph her strength to them. She hoped it would help calm her pack-mates, even if she, herself, felt the heavy weight of this oppressive spell or incantation or whatever that was placed upon the grounds of the festivities.

Still, she didn't allow her own anxiety to reach the other Weres. Instead she tried to focus her thoughts on something else. She allowed herself to remember the happy times back in New Orleans with her aunt and Loup Garou's pack. The Mardi Gras festivities. The crowds, the joyous energy that accompanied the celebrations. And the food. Oh, man, the food! If there was anything Blaine missed from her old life in New Orleans, besides her aunt and Clea, it was the food. Even with her aversion to seafood, the Louisiana Creole cuisine still had enough to offer a foodie like her. Blaine loved to enjoy food to the fullest. She enjoyed cooking and eating the fruits of her labor as much as she enjoyed eating scrumptious meals in restaurants and pubs. Each cook was different and endowed the dishes they prepared with their unique character and temperament. But most of all, Blaine enjoyed sharing her love of food with similar-minded enthusiasts. Eating alone could never compare to a meal shared in pleasant company.

As Blaine was wondering around through the mob of celebrating people, she caught a whiff of a scent that had her hackles raising so fast and abrupt she struggled to get herself under control as to not telegraph unwillingly to her wolves the signal for danger and send them on the prowl for an enemy. She pulled out of the sea of people into an alley and leaned heavily on the side of a building. That scent. She knew that smell! She'd sniffed it on the Weres that had attacked her in the forest a couple of days ago. The implications of her catching that scent here, now, with almost all of Salem celebrating Founder's Day. It was a troubling thought. And with the full moon encroaching on them. This was not a good sign!

Blaine still didn't know why those wolves behaved the way they did. Wild and frenzied and full of blood-lust. However the other supernaturals, and the Hunters especially, might think them a savage and brutish race, the Weres were a proud people. With their social order and hierarchy and codes of conduct. True, they were predators at their core. But they were not murderers. They hunted for food like any other animal, but they did not hunt for sport. That was a human invention. And in that regard, humans were way worse than Weres. Blaine thought back, way back, on the day she was turned. And that same smell had imprinted on the little girl's memory from the crazed Were that had attacked her and her family.

Her travels throughout Ireland to discover the true nature of the attack had proven almost completely fruitless, save for the fact that she'd discovered about the Were not being in control of his or her faculties. From what she'd gathered the attacker had probably been cursed or hexed to act like a mindless beast tearing into flesh and bone. Those few nights ago when Blaine'd caught that same scent in the forest after her run in with Genevieve at the Indo, she'd known it immediately as the same one from that fateful day when she'd become what she was now. Her turning had not been of her choosing, and even if she'd made the most of it, it was by the virtue of her father's sacrifice that she'd survived the attack to even have the opportunity to turn. By all rights she should have died with her family that day. But since she was spared she'd vowed to discover the truth behind the attack. And help restore the reputation of the Weres.

As soon as Blaine had gotten a hold of herself, she emerged from the alley with the intent to follow the scent. Instead her nose caught a whiff of another unforgettable aroma that had her hearth aflutter and her Were senses reeling. A soft, familiar voice spoke in her ear and Blaine was helpless to prevent her body from reacting. It was only through sheer strength of will that she managed to prevent her canines from elongating, unfortunately she was not able to stop her eyes from glowing Were blue as she turned to look at the person that haunted her thoughts and dreams almost constantly. She blinked a few times in fast succession to mimic surprise but also to camouflage as best she could the momentary glow of her eyes' partial shift.

Heart pounding she still could not contain her grin upon meeting Genevieve. She was positive she looked like a complete fool, smiling from ear to ear like that, but she almost didn't care.

"Well, aren't you the stealthy one, Mademoiselle Alleron! Not afraid to receive a surprised smack in the face, sneaking up on people like that?" Blaine's eyes shone with pure mirth, the Were glow from a moment ago was gone. Her Creole accent becoming more pronounced upon saying Genevieve's name. "You are correct though." Blaine answered. "I'm not usually one for crowds and big events. But even with not being a Salem native I've lived here long enough to feel at least obliged to honor the Founder's Day celebrations." Blaine lowered her head and looked at Genevieve conspiratorially. "Plus, some of the food they sell during the festivities is to die for." The Alpha whispered her declaration, her animal magnetism making the statement sound almost seductive, delivered in that low tone of voice.

Blaine straightened and asked, all innocence. "And what's your excuse?" Her blue eyes still twinkling with mirth.

---

Perhaps fortunately for Katalina, and unfortunately for himself, William hadn't actually been sniffing around for anyone familiar. He'd rather see the sights with just that - sight. He wasn't intentionally trying to track anyone down, so scents tended to mingle together and he didn't even think to check. Though the feeling of unease never left his person, he still tried to enjoy the festival as much as he can. After all, that was Volber's intent. Or at least, William hoped that was the case and not just the older werewolf just really needing a helping hand. The guy may not express himself well, but he's really nice so hopefully that was the case.

After walking around, he finally arrived back at the food cart. Volber had been lounging outside with a cigarette stick between his fingers. He had closed up the food truck for a while since he was also on break. It wasn't like there was an influx of customers either since they were all filled with food from their truck or from the others. The owner didn't look especially worried about losing income so it's safe to say that it wouldn't really matter if they closed down now or not. They noticed Blaine walk by and waved at her.

It put him at ease to know that their Alpha was now there with them.

"Had fun kid?" Volber asked before he took a long drag from his cigarette and let out a puff of smoke, looking at William with uninterested eyes. There were things Volber was known for - niceness, helpfulness, intimidating and the likes. However, he really wasn't good at showing any of these - except for anything that has to do with intimidation since that came on without much effort.

William shrugged. "As much as I can enjoy parties, I guess." Without anyone to hang out with and only the overbearing sounds of the festival to keep him company, he actually did find it difficult to enjoy himself. While there were some booth games that he highly enjoyed since it really tested his senses and his perception, the others were just bad for him. The other food had assaulted his nose as well and while it was usually appetizing, it mingled with the scents of sweaty bystanders and garbage which lessened the want to try out the food - though he still did at one point. He tried to block his nose as much as possible during that time, and even now.

Before Volber could continue, Devin had approached the pair. The older werewolf looked at him and then gestured for them to proceed. "We're on break anyway. Take the kid." He replied nonchalantly before going back to smoking. William was tempted to reprimand him about using the cigarettes considering how damaging they could be to humans, but more often than not, it didn't matter much to werewolves such as themselves. They were built on stronger stuff than the humans, who could smoke for a lifetime before feeling the adverse effects of it.

He then walked with Devin and then asked, "What's the problem Dev?" He then crossed his arms as he listened to his teacher ask. The French accent was rather distracting but he had gotten used to it. After some time of hearing it over and over again, it had been rather easy to understand what he was saying despite the accent. What he asked was rather troubling, and William did try to forget about it since he wanted to at least have some form of fun this evening - despite all the sounds pounding down on his eardrums and the smell invading his nose. But it would seem that he cannot escape the fact that there was something wrong right now.

William slowly nodded, rubbing his arm with his right hand. "Well, yeah. Me and Volber felt it when we got to Washington square." He replied. He then looked away for a moment and then continued, "Volber told me to just lie low for now, and see what happens." He then linked his hands together behind his back. The brown haired male was now becoming more and more aware of his surroundings - picking off scents that he knew and those that he didn't. Beyond the scents of food and normal humans, he could smell other supernaturals around. Was that Katalina? How could he have missed her? Such a shame. He could smell Blaine too, somewhere around there. It made him think about why he didn't approach her earlier. Then there was his witch friend, Vivienne, along with her grandmother. He should probably greet her later.

But then came what he didn't like about being the uncontrollable increase in awareness of his surroundings that he had been mentally trying to hold back as per training. Everything that was present now came into his senses with a much more aggressive touch. Assaulting him with the vast amount of scents that mingled well with each other was not good for him.

He then looked back at Devin, placing his headphones back and then covered his nose with an arm. He could definitely wait this out. From what he felt, it would only last around two minutes or so - and that would be perfectly fine. He hated going like this - it felt like it would be a beacon to hunters that he was something different. William coughed and then said, "There's definitely something wrong here. Blaine's here though. Shouldn't we... you know, report to her or something? It may be potentially dangerous for a ll of us." He was pretty sure that if they, the werewolves, could feel it - then the other supernaturals could as well.

---

The strange glow to the woman's eyes didn't go entirely unnoticed, though the haze of a full day's work had been wearing on her. She had been on her feet for hours, most of it standing around and pretending to be interested in something or another, and so her normally intensely keen awareness was dulled. It looked entirely for a moment like the ethereal glow of a transformed werewolf, and in the back of her mind she could already feel a creeping paralyzation start before it was gone. Genevieve blinked a few times, wondering if she was just seeing things, watching the woman for a moment before filing it away to think on later. She had initiated contact, so it would be rather uncouth of her to break away just because she felt a bit off.

"That's implying of course that you could land such a hit." A light tease, if a bit awkward. Conversation was not one of her many skills, and it had shown in their previous few interactions. She tried to keep things quick and short, anything that required more than a moment's thought or attention had invariably led to her stumbling over herself. Unless of course, she was in one of those very particular moods that required an extended chewing out. Blaine didn't deserve such a conversation though, not yet at least.

At the rate they were going, it might be a long time yet. Genevieve wondered on that, on why she seemed to tolerate this person more so than others. It was quite clear at times that there was a little something more to her, but she never was sure of it, and she didn't want to pry. Neither of them did. She had been rather sparse with the details of her life, enough that being acquaintances warranted, but no more. They shared a military background, one green and the other blue water. Genevieve didn't fully trust her to the point to discuss the extended history she had there, but maybe in time.

"My excuse was being hired by the city as private security. They needed a few plain clothes to keep an eye out for trouble." Luckily there had been rather little of that, except for the one hoodlum. With how close much of the community was, such things were generally relegated to outsiders. "Been around since sun-up with the people setting everything up. Was on my way out when I noticed you walking by, thought I would say hello."

A thought that she still wasn't sure on, if she was being honest with herself. This woman was in many ways like herself it seemed, but also very different. Her smile came easy and she appeared to be able to find joy out of things she was uncomfortable with. Not so for Genevieve, who was visibly irritated with the crowd. It wasn't just because of the multitude of people though, she had seen more than one known vampire, and a couple wolves of the local pack. They had been showing signs of discomfort, likely because of whatever spell was on the square.

She had felt it as well, but it was more like a soft background noise instead of whatever it might have been for those supernaturals. Likely because of what kind of magic it was. At least she was sure it was magic of some kind. Only one other time did she experience something like this, two years ago when a foreign witch had come through town on her way up north. Her work had been on rituals and blessings to keep other supernaturals away, as well as what she called people "with bad intentions". That one had never been clear, but she didn't really bother asking too many questions and just told the witch to get out of town as soon as she could.

Those kind of people brought only trouble with them, as it seemed that not only were they hunted by the Hunters, but also by her own kind. Her thoughts were drifting though, and she reigned them in as soon as she noticed, meeting Blaine's eyes with her own and allowing the barest hint of a smirk to grace her lips.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stick around, though might have to hit up one of the food stalls first. Been a long day on my feet, and with little to eat."

---

As soon as Dante heard his name in that southern drawl he smiled. One of the few women in his life that he still respected had just made an appearance. Madam Laveau was like a mom to him, well she was to everyone in the coven, but he felt special sometimes. She took him in when he needed a place to belong and he was grateful to her and for her. Laveau was a good woman and cared for all those under her, aside from the fact the she recognized his skill with plants/herbs and illusions, and in return we gave her loyalty, watched her back, and made sure those who threatened our "mother" were taken care of. His family, grandmother especially, were not to happy to know about who Dante had enlisted with. Sure his mother and grandmother were witches, but in order to stay neutral they did not practice and Laveau was not their favorite person. Dante respected her and he did not care if he grandmother hated him for not choosing family, in his eyes the only thing family ever did was kill his only happiness in life and force him to come back, force him to see the face of his former life walking around with a new family and kids. Madam Laveau offered him not only family, but a way to deal with the pain and he would be forever grateful to her.

Dante chuckled at the interaction going on in front of him, the lady really did not want to mess with his madam, things never ended well for people who did. The common thing about voodoo witches is people underestimate them, most think that because we can't instantly light things on fire, or fly a knife across the room then we mus be weaker. But Dante always thought about it like this, if you wanted to scar some one would you prefer a large scar that may hurt in the moment but would fade away over time, or would you prefer a small on that grew, in not only pain but size, and never went away. He liked what he was and did not want to hide, no Dante wanted to practice and be of use to his people.

After Madam Laveau left he turned to the stunned lady with a smirk, that knowing smirk that old her that she needs to just leave and she did. He waited a bit more before going to her booth, talking to a few men and women about the gardens, getting some donations and selling some medicines then when his coworker showed up and he was relieved of duty and could now go do what he wanted. Dante grabbed his jacket and tuned to Sally, she was a pretty brunette who usually worked these things with him.

"Going over to the witch doctors? Make sure they don't put any hexes on you and I am still waiting on my doll Dante, I really want one they are so cute." She said with a humorous tone and then grew serious about "her" doll. She did not know about the supernatural but she did know Dante and Laveau were friends and he frequented her establishment. Sally has been asking for a voodoo doll for a while know Dante was an idiot and told her he would get her one, but he kept putting it off.

"Ha, I am sure you would know if they put a hex on me, but I'll be sure to watch my back, and I told you I was work on the doll thing. Oh crap! Look at the time gotta go, see you Sally." Dante said all this causally without looking at her as he got his coat on and grabbed his phone, then looked as non-existent watch and made a quick escape towards Laveau's booth. He looked around as he walked through the crowd and saw the different booths and stands from the local stores and some bigger companies. The night was still young but it looked to be going well, but there was still that feeling of dread nagging at the back of his mind, kind of telling him not to get his hopes up.

When he arrived at the booth he smiled and waved to everyone. Some responded others worked, then he turned to Madam Laveau and smiled. "Sorry about the lateness, had to do that for work." He said as he ran a hand through his hair. Dante honestly felt bad, he wanted to just say "fuck work" but he needed the job so he could continue to live on his own, plus his job at the gardens gave the entire coven the best access to any herbs they needed and when ever they needed, Dante usually left his work keys with Madam Laveau when he got off or on his days off anyways. "I do have to ask you a question; is something off in the air to you? Maybe I am just weird, but I fell like someone is hanging a cloud over my head." He said with a worried smile and then raked is hair again. Dante had to not be the only one not feeling it, and she was sure to have the answer. Dante awaited her answer while helping set things up at Madam Laveau's booth.

---

Having gotten and chugged a much stronger drink than she had before, Katalina returned to aimlessly walking around. The drink barely even spreading a warmth through her like it used to, a feeling she missed that now took a lot longer to reach. It did help to take the edge off her shifting cramps, for now at least. Based off of the scent, Katalina could now also pick out her Alpha in the vicinity and if she ran into Blaine... well she knew Blaine would see through her and would be able to tell that Kat needed to shift, if she didn't already have a vague idea. William was another pack member who also seemed to know when she needed to shift and on occasion so could any other pack member.

The pack. Of course Katalina followed the rules and was respectful to those of higher ranking, most of the time, but if it was up to her, she would not be in a pack. Then again if it was really up to her, Katalina would not be a werewolf to begin with. It wasn't up to her though, she ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and her life changed forever. When it did, there was a whole new world opened up to her, one that she would forever shield her sister from. Kat's sister was the only driving force in all of the things that have happened and continues to be every day.

Speaking of her sister, Kat's phone began to vibrate in her jacket's pocket. Pulling it out she saw her sister's name on the screen along with a silly picture of her. A small smile fell across Katalina's face as she swiped to answer and brought the phone to her ear, "Hey Patient Zero."

'Kat... I told you not to call me that..' Calliope groaned to her older sister over the phone, causing Katalina to let out a soft laugh.

"Whatever you say Miss Sicky, I'm not the one who got sick." Kat joked as she imagined her sister's glare she would be receiving right now.

'You know if you didn't ask me to call you, I would hang up right now.' The younger sister informed the older girl, reminding Katalina that she had asked her sister to call her at some point.

"I guess I did, didn't I?" The elder sister chuckled, "So how are you holding up Callie? Feeling any better than earlier?"

"I'm feeling a bit better, the medicine Rachel gave me has helped. Plus all the soup and movies you brought by too." Calli answered honestly, her older sister nodding. Shortly after her sister answered, she heard a voice yelling in the background that she knew was Rachel's. The woman who ran the orphanage. "Looks like it's time for more medicine... I will talk to you later Kat. Love you."

"Love you too little one. Take care of yourself and don't give Rachel too much trouble." Katalina joked. "But seriously Callie, I love you. Do take care of yourself, I will stop by in the morning." The were listened as the line went dead and slid her phone back into her pocket, the smile on her face fading once the call was completely over.

Katalina's mind was held up by thoughts of her sister, happy that she was sounding better and feeling better. It was only moments later that she was knocked out of her thoughts by someone bumping into her. Kat unintentionally let out a low, soft growl upon being bumped into. Her irritation spiking within the moment until she took a deep breath to help reign herself in, afraid that someone within her pack would have either heard her or felt her spike irritation.

The golden-haired girl turned her head and glanced at the blonde who had run into her as the blonde apologized out of necessity. Kat whipped her head back forward and took a step to walk when she heard the girl's voice behind her, asking her why she looked familiar. Annoyed she fully turned around and crossed her arms over her chest and blankly stared at the girl.

Kat took in the blonde's appearance, looking her up and down quickly she noted that this girl could have possibly been one of her many hookups but after taking a small sniff of the air when the wind was blowing the girl's scent her way... she knew it to be untrue at that point. Vampires were the only ones Kat didn't bother with when it came to hooking up. That left only one possibility for why the girl recognized Katalina.

"I work at Club Black Cat. You probably recognize me from there." She told the blonde as she turned on her heel and looked over her shoulder at the vampire. "Hope that is all you need cause I'm leaving." With that Kat walked off, taking deep slow breaths as she still felt irritated and was contemplating going and finding William so he could go with her while she shifted. She may get annoyed by the boy but he made sure she didn't hurt anyone when she shifted so she was thankful for that.

---

---

---

---

Ambrosia's eyes gazed around the square in which people roamed from booth to booth, trying to take advantage of deals or to support the local businesses, but nothing was out of ordinary besides Ambrosia's discomfort spawned by the combination of the sunlight and the holy boon that enchants the square. Without any suspicious activity to be seen, Ambrosia got up from the bench and straightened out her dress, "Let's roam the square and play it off, then we'll make an earlier leave."

"Are you sure, Mrs. Sanguis?" Mr. Edwards questioned.

Ambrosia nodded, taking his arm before they began to roam around, her eyes still darting from person to person. She couldn't help but feel anxious by the unpleasant feeling that the enchanted field brought, but moreover, the unknown purpose for the enchantment made all feelings of unease come alive. Every other second it was as if the world was spinning for Ambrosia, bringing fatigue and exhaustion to the table of discomfort. Shaking her head to try to cast her building concerns away, she stopped at the petting booth and brought out a genuine smile at the sight of all the adorable puppies. Attempting to distract her mind from the growing pain, Ambrosia approached one of the volunteers. "May I pet one of the dogs?" she spoke as her eyes met with the blue-eyed, red-haired girl whom was adorned with their signature dog ears.

Before any response, Ambrosia turned to the various dogs that gathered to look at Ambrosia, each one of them growling and giving an occasional bark with territorial manners. It was clear that the dogs sensed her dark presence that brought hostility and unease to the atmosphere. Without paying much attention to any response the girl would give, she gave a simple smile before walking away from the booth, Mr. Edwards still interlocking arms with her. She spoke to Mr. Edwards after going a short distance away, "Perhaps this enchantment is making my presence more apparent. We should take our leave now before things become worse."

They made their way past the gathering crowd of people to set up chairs in preparation to watch the fireworks, Ambrosia wincing and shaking her head every now and then to try to overcome the piercing pain that grew stronger and stronger with each step. Once they made their way to the perimeter of the field, they were stopped by a girl's sudden scream that echoed through the open air. It was long and sustained, increasingly louder as the screaming girl came running towards the large crowd of people in hopes of some sort of protection. It was only moments before the constant chattering of people dimmed to properly observe the strange event. It took awhile for Ambrosia to gather herself from the distracting pain to look around and bring her attention to the girl that made her way through the crowd, only to fall at the feet of Ambrosia and Mr. Edwards. In this instance, it was not the assumed event of a drunken girl being an absolute idiot, but rather a girl fleeing for her life from a rabid wolf that made itself known in the growing crowd.

The temperament of the wolf suggested that it could've strayed from the forest, but why would it come so far into civilization just to attack a girl that must've been running for quite some time? Ambrosia eyed the brown-colored wolf, the glow in it's eyes hinting at it's supernatural identity, but it was tinted with a black haze that clouded over it's glowing eyes. Shocked at the event, many people just watched before a chain of screams began to fill the air. Ambrosia hesitated as she watched the wolf gnaw at the helpless girl's calf before reacting. With a swift motion, she reached for her concealed pistol and shot the wolf right in it's shoulder to free the girl from it's harsh bite. The girl crawled her way towards Ambrosia as they all watched the wolf bark loudly, though it didn't approach. It stopped at the edge of the square, following the perimeter to meet a new prey as people scattered about. It wasn't long before a band of wolves followed behind this wolf, causing people to run about to try and seek protection somewhere away from this rabid attack. The pack of wolves that disbanded to seek out helpless victims to attack could've been easily counted up towards a dozen, or maybe more.

"We're going to get out of here -- take the girl with us," Ambrosia told Mr. Edwards, coldly, as she turned to him.

Mr. Edwards didn't think twice to follow her command, picking the girl up to carry her bridal style. She looked at them in a panic with tears falling from her big brown eyes, only to stain her face with black mascara, "Please take me to the hospital!"

Ambrosia gazed into the injured girl's eyes, narrowing her own eyes as she focused, "You'll be fine." The girl went unconscious within a matter of seconds as they stood within the grounds of the enchantment. The streets were nearly cleared of people, cars turning away from the square to get away from the sudden scene of confusion and bloodshed. There were many victims that lined the streets, nearly all of them bearing several bite marks and wounds that left them in a mess of blood and guts. It didn't take long before people crowded within the square and the perimeter of the enchantment was made apparent.

Ambrosia began to brainstorm, speaking aloud to Mr. Edwards, "They won't enter the square. It must be the enchantment that's keeping them away." With a wince, she looked at the werewolves that infiltrated the streets before continuing, "I can't last much longer in this, we need to go. Hopefully there's a hunter or three that isn't afraid to fight so they can buy us some time."

Ambrosia lead the way through the crowding people with a fast-paced walk, keeping one pistol in hand in case she would need protection, though she kept her second pistol that contained silver bullets stowed away to save for a more appropriate time. While passing through people within the square, she awaited a proper exit that offered a discreet opening to properly get around the various wolves that kept the people cramped and afraid within the square. Ambrosia halted at the sight of two individuals, both giving off a rather strong aroma, the mix between the two suggesting strength and danger, but Ambrosia, casting away any signs of danger that resonated from the pair, saw it as an opportunity for formidable protectors. The first attempt at compelling seemed as if she was taking a wooden stick to an iron wall, presumably due to the enchantment that greatly reduced Ambrosia's power, but there was a much stronger leading factor. Ambrosia eyed the woman of asian descent -- this particular target to compel was offering an effortless defense that really provided such a rigorous mind battle. Ambrosia let go of the attempt after several long seconds, without trying to perform any further attempts on the dark-haired, blue-eyed woman that stood beside her. This event helped to resurface Ambrosia's anxious feelings, assuming a defensive stance in case she was, now, dealing with opponents similar to the wolves that were attacking the square.

Worried that they might identify her vampiric presence, this strange moment of shock was soon interrupted by an older man that stood on the lifted stage in the center of the square, booming a deep, 'Hello', into the microphone that caught the attention of nearly every individual within the square. He bore a big, heavy cross around his neck with a bible in his raised-hand. His thick, grey hair was styled and his black suit suggested that he was a priest. Ambrosia, living a long life within Salem, Massachusetts, couldn't recognize his face at all, despite the fact that she wasn't the type to attend church on a weekly basis. Though there were no real comparisons in stature beside him, it was clear that he was tall, broad, and strong, regardless of any physical traits that hinted at his older age.

"Fellow citizens of Salem, Massachusetts," his English accent was as loud and clear as his deep-toned voice that echoed within the open air, "What you are witnessing at this very moment is what threatens our beloved sanctuary, our home, and our society. For too long, we have lived behind a curtain of darkness in which leaves us surrounded by rumors, lies, and false hope for a safe future. This is only the beginning of a madness that has yet to reach your very doorstep." The sounds of police sirens seemed to overlap his adjourned speech before he continued, "Come see me at St. James Parish if you seek answers -- and join me in a quick testament tomorrow night at eight o'clock -- pm."

With that, he was gone from the stage in a matter of seconds and lost within the crowd of people. Gunshots were echoing within the air as colors of blue and red flashed through the dimming afternoon. The night was being welcomed by shock, death, and confusion. Everything began to tie together for Ambrosia -- the enchantment, the attack, and the man's speech. Was this a demonstration that would welcome in a chain of events to oust the supernatural realm? This very moment caused a chill to run up Ambrosia's spine, becoming fearful of what lies in the future. Was this to rid of the low-profile that the supernaturals successfully kept in an attempt to finally bring upon a war to lead in genocide?

---

---

Devin felt something wash over him. Like an inner calm or inner strength. It was coming from Blaine. Devin wasn't sure, if the other members of the pack felt anything...but if they did. It was their Alpha's way of trying to calm them down in this crisis. It didn't seem to do much for Devin at the moment. His mind was still swimming with endless thoughts; debates about what was going on.

The uneasy feeling, sticking with him. "So it's not just me, that felt it." Devin muttered; almost to himself. But no doubt, William heard. As the Pack's Beta told him he felt the oddness around Washington Square too. What was it? Magic? Dark Magic? Listening to the younger Werewolf, Devin nodded. "I guess you're right...it wouldn't do well, for us to cause an uproar about it." But deep down; he couldn't help but wonder how long everyone would be capable of acting normal. Especially all the Supernaturals in the city. But if there were any hunters around; them acting oddly...would attract attention. That was the last thing, anyone needed here.

It felt the spell was more oppressive,more harmful the closer you were inside of the Square. Almost; like it was trying to lure something...someone out. "Maybe you should find Kat? Warn her. If this is something that effects us all, she might want to be warned. In case she's confused and doesn't know what's going on." The elder wolf suggested. As William suggested, Devin report to their Alpha. The elder of the two wolves nodded. "You're right...I just hope; whatever it is. That it wears of quick." Devin spoke, trying to be optimistic. But there wasn't much room for Optimism in this situation.

If this was something very harmful-dangerous. They could all be doomed.

Glancing around through the thickness of the crowd. Devin finally spotted Blaine. She was talking to another female. Must have been her friend. As he walked over, he smiled. A brief, but somewhat warm smile. It was mostly aimed towards Blaine. Since he knew her; and felt comfortable enough around his Alpha. "Good Evening Ladies, I hope I am not disturbing." Glancing at the paler of the two women; he was looking at Genevieve. "I need to borrow Blaine for a few moments....It'll be quick." he promised. Not wanting to keep Blaine occupied for long...if his Alpha was in an important conversation.

Before Devin could even talk to Blaine in private; the screams seemed to echo through the entire Washington Square. He whipped his head around; in slight Alarm. And curiosity. Instead of the usual drunk, causing a scene. It was a girl...he could smell the blood. Followed by the appearance of Wolves...not just one. But it seemed to be another Pack. Judging from the colors of their fur. They were not someone Devin had recognized. Must have been an outside Pack. Or something like that.

Everything else after that, seemed almost like a blur. The night's downfall and chaos ensued quicker than a storm. The speech seemed to struck Devin. It almost seemed like it was organized...almost. Devin was still trying to spot; where the man had disappeared...but he was lost within the crowd and the chaos that followed. The screams, the gunshots...people running; trying to hide from what was happening.

Now what to do? Still act normal? Devin thought to himself. How could anyone possibly, act normal after this. "Maybe we should get William and Kat, out of here." Devin whispered over to Blaine. Safety...they all needed to get to safety. Staying in the Square, had proved to be dangerous...more dangerous, than he first anticipated when he felt the spell wash over it. Not to mention, innocent lives being lost.

Blaine was ecstatic. There was simply something about being in the company of Genevieve that made her happy like she'd never been. True, the two of them were no more then good acquaintances at this point, but she felt a connection there that warmed her heart and placated her soul. And it wasn't the familial bond she felt for her pack mates. To her they were children, brothers and sisters rather than anything else. This, this was different. Stronger. More rewarding and filling. And then, of course, there was the healthy, or unhealthy, depending on your point of view, dose of wishful thinking.

Blaine grinned at Genevieve's tease about how she wouldn't be able to land a hit on her. Even delivered with a smidgen of awkwardness, the intent behind the words was sound. And Blaine's wolf yearned to answer the challenge. She was Alpha, she did not back down. "Well..." She almost purred, or growled, in her case. "There is only one way to really find out." She flashed Genevieve a fool toothed grin. "You, me, a sparring mat." Blaine chuckled.

Inwardly she pondered her bold, even risque, attitude around Genevieve. She was not one to openly seek out communication or interaction with others. She wasn't a complete hermit or recluse, but she did prefer her solitude. But she felt the strangest of pulls towards this woman. As if like they were two magnets with opposite polar charges. However they struggled and fought this thing, they ended up inevitably pulled to one another. It was clear by this point that neither of them was comfortable with social interactions. And even more so uncomfortable with close interpersonal communication. And yet, here they both stood, among this mass of people, like two islands in the see pushed by the currents towards one another.

Blaine peered at Genevieve, her inner elation at the presence of the other woman still vivid within her. "Well, if you've done your duty and have been working hard, as I'm sure, since morning without a bite to eat, what say you we peruse the many culinary delights this festival has to offer. We can find something decadent to indulge in and a more private place to enjoy it at." The Alpha bit the side of her lip, dreading what she'd just said, realizing it could totally be misunderstood as a flirtatious proposition. She hadn't meant it that way! Or had she. Somewhere, deep down inside. "I mean, since neither of us is much of a people's person." Blaine added quickly to save face, turning a little pink.

Before either of them could react to Blaine inevitably putting both her feet in her mouth Devin approached the two women requesting a minute of her time. He pulled his Alpha a few steps away, but not before the ex rescue diver could glimpse something akin to irritation on Genevieve's delicate Asian features. Well, well, well. Blaine mused. Is this what I think it is? Or is it just my bloody wishful thinking again? She filed the thoughts away for later analysis, as Devin began voicing his and William's concerns. He hadn't even said a word when all hell seemingly broke loose within the square. There were screams of horror and pain and Blaine's aggression rose to dangerous levels. Her wolf clawed to emerge, but she gripped the urge with an iron fist. If she lost control, her pack mates were soon to follow. As Alpha it was her duty to always be the calmness among a storm.

Blaine put a reassuring hand on Devin's shoulder. She closed her eyes and concentrated until she could feel clearly the life energy of all her wolves within the vicinity. Her features darkened when she could just as easily discern the signatures of outside Weres within the square. "My wolves." She telegraphed her thoughts to William and old Volber. "A foreign threat encroaches on our territory. They expose us to the world in the worst of lights. Stand fast and calm. Do whatever you can to help. Do not shift! And above all, stay safe. William, Volber, I'm sending Devin to you. Find Kat. Stay together, do not separate! Help people! Keep each other safe.I will deal with this threat on my end."

Blaine severed the link. She looked at Devin. "GO!" She twisted him in the direction of William and Volber and as he left, turned and was at Genevieve's side in two long strides. But before she could open her mouth to say something, a man and a woman appeared. The man carrying an injured girl in his arms. And the woman... The woman put all of Blaine's senses on high alert. However Blaine tried to keep calm, her animal instincts were screaming in warning, her aggression was boiling within her veins at the thought of outside wolves attacking her town at a time like this. She clenched her fists as she sensed the onslaught of her partial shift. She could not afford to expose herself right now. She would never do anything to jeopardize her frail connection with Genevieve.

---

When Devin mentioned that he should go over and find Katalina, the werewolf who was with the pack but was never really close to them, William wanted to slap himself. Right. At a time like this, he should have looked out for her. Even if she had been a werewolf for a long time now, she hasn't come into terms with it. Hence, these kinds of situations might have confused her or something - or at least be put off by this. He nodded at him and then said, "Yeah, I'll go look for her." He was about to go but then stopped and looked back at Devin. "I hope so too Dev." From the weight of the atmosphere around them, William had been getting the feeling that it might not be 'just nothing'. He shook his head and then headed over to Volber.

"I'm gonna go look for Katalina. Track me down if you need anything alright?" He told the older werewolf and he let out a grunt of agreement. Volber hadn't been all that worried, but he was getting a bit antsy as well. However, he still decided to keep close to the food truck and see what transpires next. He wasn't known for going off without direct orders from the Alpha. He was old, albeit stronger than most, so he didn't really like pushing himself unless it was absolutely needed. Opening the food truck again in these conditions wouldn't be ideal, so he kept to his seat and continued to smoke.

William separated from Volber and then inhaled - this time actually attempting to find someone. Different scents led to different places - and he found Katalina soon after as he managed to segregate the scents. Blaine and Devin were at the opposite direction from Katalina. He was rather glad that they were going to convene for this - as the worry in his stomach was beginning to grow. As he followed Katalina's scent, he caught a tinge of another - it was something familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It was the scent of a werewolf, multiple even but there were somewhere far off into the distance but was closing in scarily fast.

Then it happened.

He was relatively far from the event, but close enough to hear the screams of pain - even without his heightened senses. Fear gripped his heart as the stench of blood began permeating from the area. More werewolves began to pop up and were now slaughtering anyone who was unfortunate enough to be there. William knew they were werewolves because of the scent - and the glow in their eyes. He faced one of them, growling as it approached. William wondered who they were - as they obviously weren't part of their pack. Someone from the outside.

William gripped a nearby chair and then slammed it against the werewolf as it lunged forward - the impact sending it skidding down the road. And then William was gone. He can't fight in these conditions - not yet at least. That was when he heard Blaine's telegraph to them. So what Devin assigned to him is his real objective huh? Fine by him. He supposed Volber would catch up soon. The guy was a freaking beast. The fact that they couldn't shift was a downside, but he could manage. Spotting Katalina among the crowd, he quickly grabbed hold of her arm. "Kat! There you are! Stick with us, Alpha's orders. We need to stay safe and-" He was cut off by a young boy crying to the side, being cornered by one of the wolves. Something stirred in William as he saw the werewolf ready to pounce.

Before he could react, however, Volber emerged and then slammed the werewolf down onto the ground. Using his abnormal strength as a werewolf, he managed to throw the werewolf to the side. Neither was sure if the werewolf was even remotely injured from that, but it did the trick of buying them time. William pulled Katalina as he approached Volber. "Good, you found the girl. We should probably get to a safer and less chaotic area. For her sake." He said, gesturing towards Katalina who wasn't exactly training with them in terms of fighting.

William nodded but then motioned for them to wait. He knelt down in front of the young boy. "Come with us for a while. We'll protect you and then we'll go find your parents." He said with reassurance in his voice. It was hard to keep up a facade when the screams of people and the stench of blood was beating down upon one's senses, but William was able to do it. The young boy nodded, still wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt and then clenched his fist on Katalina's shirt.

"Right, let's go. Alpha's orders were to help." Volber said before punching his right hand into his open left palm. "Then we'll go help." They could find a relatively less chaotic place while helping the people out after all. They kept their eyes on the lookout for Devin. It would definitely help to have him around as well. William was worried about Blaine though, as she claimed she would deal with the threat alone. Strong, she might be, but being overpowered still was a possibility. With numbers on the enemy's side, there was a great disadvantage to it. There were few stray werewolves causing more mayhem, but William knew that there was a concentration near the Square - near her.

"Where are the hunters when you need them..." He muttered as they proceeded forward.