---

---

---

---

”Some of it is ritualistic, candles are often used as representation for things. Herbs, bones, plants, are often requirements for spells to work properly. And yes, we hold hands. Just start the spell and I'll do the rest,” Cassi tells Nero, clearly picking up on the fact that Nero knew close to nothing about their power.

Cassiopeia stared at Nero's hands, silently cursing Kimiko for getting herself in trouble. She grabs Nero's hands and holds them tightly. ”When you're ready,” she said.

---

---

---

---

Nero holds Cassi’s hands back just as tight, nodding along to what she’s said, before closing their eyes briefly. When their eyes reopen, they’re pure white.

---

---

---

---

Nic watches anxiously as the two hold hands again, hovering nearby. He blinks in surprise when Nero’s eyes turn pure white. “So when they said white-eyed demon, they meant literally.” Nic whispers, more to himself than anyone.

---

---

---

---

---

---

Cassiopeia shuts their eyes before Nero's change. She doesn't want to see it or visualize that she's working with the demon who ordered the slaughter of her entire family. Instead, she chants Kiki's name and opens a path for Nero to draw on their power.

---

---

---

---

Caden watched anxiously while Nero and Cass combined their powers. He's seen Cassi do this plenty of times, has even given her some of his power before, but this is different.

Avery is watching, holding his breath, and praying that this works. It's almost been eight hours now since Kiki disappeared.

---

---

---

---

Nero can’t see the room anymore, as soon as Cassi starts chanting, the demon’s vision looks almost like they’re traveling through a long tube. They fly through Chicago on an invisible road of some sort, soon in an area of abandoned buildings. They zip through a window on the top floor and see it crawling with mostly burly men and a handful of women. In a dented cage sits a curled up Kiki, her hands bound, and her hair… pure white? Kiki looks up as if they can see Nero, startling them out of the spell.

They let go of Cassi’s hands and go looking for a map. “You said you found the general area?” They ask the sorceress before finding the map. From the weird bird’s eye view they had, Nero is able to follow the path from the vision and points at a building. “Kiki’s on the top floor of this one.”

---

---

---

---

---

---

Cassiopeia doesn't see anything Nero does, she just feels a pull on her power while the two work together. And then nothing. Nero pulls away from Cassi and goes to the map half folded on the table.

Cassi moves away and goes to stand with Nic, gripping his hand like he's her life source. She watches Nero bustle about and find the location Kiki is in.

Cassi breathed out, glad it worked. Avery jumped up, grabbed the map, and circled the building. ”Let's go,” he says and makes a beeline for the door.

Everything moves quickly after that and Cass looks at Nic. ”I'll keep you posted. Keep yourself busy, but stay close. Depending on Kiki's condition, we'll come here and you can look her over.” Cass reaches up and kisses Nic deeply before she leaves.

---

---

---

---

Caden reaches out and wraps an arm around Nero when they find Kiki. ”Thank you,” he says for them all and kisses Nero's. He looks back and thanks Nic for breakfast before leading Nero to the door.

”Are you feeling okay? Did you see Kiki?” Caden asks this in hushed tones to avoid Avery overhearing.

---

---

---

---

Nic squeezes Cass’s hand back, nearly brimming with pride for her in that moment. He nods along to Cass’ words, kissing her back with fervor when she presses her lips to his. “I’m proud of you for doing that.” He whispers to her, looking into her eyes before letting her leave. He starts gathering dishes for clean up as the others leave, nodding at Caden when he thanks him.

---

---

---

---

Nero nods. “I think I’m okay - that’s the smoothest an ability has ever gone for me.” They say softly to Caden as they exit Cassi’s house. “I saw Kiki - she looks mostly unharmed but… they have her in a dog cage or something and… her hair is white.” Nero looks up at Caden with concern before they kiss his hand and head for the front seat.

---

---

---

---

That was weird… Kiki could have sworn someone was just looking at her from the ceiling just moments ago, but when she looked, nothing was there. She takes a deep breath and takes in her surroundings again, once again looking to see if there’s anything useful she could use to get out. It’s hopeless as long as Terrance has her star ball anyway. She chews on her bottom lip, trying to think of what to do if the others don’t find her when she hisses in pain. She’d forgotten her lip was cut.

Along with her mostly white hair, Kiki sports a number of bruises and cuts now. A large bruise is on the back of her neck, already purple from how the werewolves had carried her out of Caden’s forest. Whatever they bound her wrists with has been cutting into her skin - certainly not helped when Levi kicked the cage earlier. Her bottom lip had only just stopped bleeding before she made it start all over again. She also sports another quickly-turned-purple bruise where Levi had backhanded her and some minor cuts and scratches from who knows what.

If Caden doesn’t kill them all, my da definitely will. She thinks to herself as her stomach growls. How she wishes she had eaten something when she had gone for a run last night…

---

---

---

---

---

---

Caden helps Nero into the front seat, his grip tightens on Nero briefly when they reveal the conditions of Kimiko's capture. He glanced across to the driver seat where Avery sat, studying the map, and waiting to drive.

"Did you see the wolves? What they were doing maybe?" Caden asked Nero. Behind him, he felt the breeze of Cassi walking by and sliding into the backseat. He glanced behind Nero, seeing Cassi buckle herself in and stare out the window.

---

---

---

---

Nero nods, creasing their brow as they close their eyes to try and remember. “Die meisten von ihnen standen nur herum und taten nichts, aber einige saßen an Laptops und Telefonen.” Nero opens their eyes to buckle in and look at Caden.

“But I only saw the top floor that had Kiki, I don’t know if there’s more of them doing other things.” They tell their mate with a sort of grimace, feeling bad that they didn’t have more information to share.

---

---

---

---

---

---

Caden kissed Nero softly before pulling back. "You did brilliantly," he assured them before getting into the back with Cassiopeia.

Avery handed Nero the map with instructions on to tell them where to turn. Avery had the map pretty well memorized but he didn't want to take risks. He peeled away from Cassi's house and raced down the street.

---

---

---

---

The SUV felt cramped to Cassiopeia. She cracked her back window open a bit to help her breathe better. Nero may have helped them but it seemed like to high of a price to pay. Now Caden sat beside her, looking over at her every few seconds.

"Cass..."

"Caden don't even start. I am here for Kiki. That's it. I'm not ready to talk to you. I don't want to talk to you, and I don't know when I'll want to talk if ever. Just drop it."

Cassiopeia heard Caden fidget in his seat, clearly having something he wanted to say, but not was not the time. Cassi had to concentrate. She didn't need her own emotions clouding her judgement when Kiki's life was on line. If Caden was right and Nero's vision any indication, they were trying to sell Kiki right now.

---

---

---

---

Nero tries to focus on the map in their hands and not the tension in the back seat but fidgets in their seat. They’re glad Cassi had agreed to help them with finding Kiki, even surprised that they were allowed into her home today. “Next left.” They mumble to Avery as they start getting closer.

“Do we have a plan for once we get there? Or are we going in, ‘guns blazing’.” Nero finally asks as they use air quotes, growing too anxious from the silence in the backseat.

---

---

---

---

---

---

”Claws out and guns blazing sounds like a great plan to me,” Avery declared, taking the corner sharply.

Caden frowned at Avery. ”They're already going to be on edge and we definitely won't be getting out of there without a fight, but I would like to de-escalate the situation if I can while getting as much information out of Levi before we restrain him.”

Avery snarls in annoyance.

”Bran wants Levi alive, Avery. He's sending Charles. You know he will handle it the way he needs to, but we need to save face and give them the opportunity.”

"If you can distract the wolves, I can get Kiki out," Cassi chimed in.

---

---

---

---

Nero frowns as well, thinking about what they had seen. “Kiki’s not completely helpless… and I didn’t see a lock on the-“ Nero doesn’t want to rile Avery up any more than he already is. “I just mean, I didn’t see any locks or anything. So, what’s keeping her there?” Kiki’s a clever fox, although hot-headed, she could have possibly tried to escape, right?

---

---

---

---

---

---

"Actually, I think she might be. Kiki is small and fast. If she was in her fox form when the wolves ambushed her, she should have been able to escape. The only reason why she might not have been able to could have been because they got a hold of her star, her essence sort of."

Cassiopeia lets loose a string of impressive curse words. "Then we have to try and find that as well," she said.

Avery pushed his foot on the gas pedal and the SUV flew through an intersection. Caden caught the flashing of a red light camera and sighed. Avery was normally a good driver. Maybe Costa would wave the speeding tickets.

"Yes. We will need to retrieve that first if we want any hope in getting Kiki out of there and alive."

---

---

---

---

Nero shifts in their seat. “Right up ahead.” Nero tells Avery, not wanting him to accidentally pass it. They close their eyes again to try and remember the vision. “The limp-dick one, greasy brown bear and hair with lots of tattoos? If that’s Terrance, he was sitting right by her. If he’s the instigator in all of this, maybe he has it - the essence or whatever.” Nero makes a little mental note to start learning about more species and their quirks after this.

---

---

---

---

---

---

Avery slows down as they approach the building, shutting everything off a few feet from the building. They coast to a stop and Avery sets the vehicle in park. He examines the building with a practiced eye, searching for all possible entrances and exits.

He growled at the mention of Terrance. ”Fucking prick. Should have done more than broke his nose,” Avery stated.

”I could restrain him and get the star ball.”

”No. I want a fair fight.”

”If Kiki's essence is damaged, she could be killed, Avery. Are you sure you can get him to give it up without damaging it?”

Avery shifts in his seat, pulling his shirt off and tosses it onto the dashboard. ”Yes,” he said before getting out of the car.

Cassi and Caden exchange looks before getting out of the vehicle. Caden opens up Nero's door and leads them to the boot of the SUV. He opens it and lifts the carpet to reveal an arsenal of weapons. He opens a box and pulls out the silver knives. Caden takes it upon himself to slip the knives into Nero's secret pockets.

”Try and leave most of the killing for Avery and I. Maiming is fine, make sure no one escapes. And don't kill Levi or Terrance. Avery wants Terry and Bran wants Levi alive,” Caden reminds Nero again, but it's also a reminder for Caden not to tear every wolf apart.

---

---

---

---

Cassiopeia watches Caden with Nero, listening to the conversation and something inside her breaks. Caden looked at her like that once, but not really. The intensity and passion was different. Cassi knew Caden would burn the world for her, but the way Caden looks at Nero makes her think Caden would go to Hell and back for them. That he would burn the world and remake it their image. It's intense and all consuming. Cassi forces herself to look away and watches Avery as he takes off his shoes and socks.

”Are you shifting now or before?”

---

---

---

---

Nero nods, peering up at Caden and he stashes knives on them. It made them smile that he’d already figured out where their secret pockets were. “Don’t let them hurt you and I won’t kill them.” Nero chirps, feeling their adrenaline start to kick in a little. I can do this. They tell themselves, hoping that no stray spells or knives from Cassi would hit them.

“You ready?” They ask Caden once they feel all their weapons are securely placed.

---

---

---

---

---

---

"Ready." Caden takes Nero's hand after closing up the SUV, and joins the others. He looks over Avery and hears Cassi's question.

"After. I can help him shift faster, but I want you on two feet for as long as we can have you," Caden said, noting Avery's eyes were already shifting back to yellow. "Alright, let's go say hello, shall we?"

Caden led the way inside with Nero's hand in his, forcing Nero to walk beside Caden. Cassiopeia walked in the middle with Avery last.

Avery was on edge, constantly looking around. He counted three wolves right away near the entrance. They were hiding, but they were hard to miss. Further in, there were ten wolves milling about. A TV was on and a few were watching that, some on computers like Nero said, and Levi stood in the middle, watching the group walk in.

Avery glared at him before shifting his attention to take in the room. In the far right corner, there sat a cage with a white-haired woman, and Terrance grinning maniacally next to the cage. They were tossing a ball up and down in the air. Avery let out an animalistic growl that echoed around the abandoned building.

"Levi. I'd like to say I'm disappointed, but I was expecting this. Are you really that hard up for money that you need to participate in human trafficking?"

---

---

---

---

Cassiopeia could feel the warding in the building as soon as they walked in. They had definitely attempted to block this place from her vision. She could also feel her powers slightly dampened from whatever spellwork they used. Caden had never mentioned the pack having a witch on retainer, but they must have known someone. Someone who was powerful enough to restrain Cassi's powers. Thankfully, the sorcerer had many tricks up her sleeves.

---

---

---

---

“Not really human trafficking if she’s kitsune now, is it?” Terrances calls over from his seat by Kiki. Nero tries to look closer at Kiki but the stinky werewolf moves to effectively block the little fox from our view.

Nero’s hands twitch, itching to throw a knife just to scare him, maybe cut his cheek a little. “Arschloch.” The demon mutters, face twisted in disgust and contempt for the wolf… Well for all of them really. If Caden didn’t have a hold on their hand, they might have already attacked Terry out of pure spite.

---

---

---

---

---

---

“Oh look, your Prince Charming is here.” Terry says snidely to Kimiko. She looks up in time to see Caden, Nero, Cassi, and Avery walk in.

“Oh, thank the go-“ Terrance stuffs a dirty piece of cloth into her mouth before she can say anything else and she gags from both the taste and smell. His big frame blocks her field of vision and she tries to peer around him. She needs to tell the others about her star ball.

Kiki hears the wolf try and argue his way out of this being ‘human trafficking’ on the technicality that she’s kitsune. He flashes her a winking smirk when he says it, like he’s the most clever thing to walk the earth. She lets out a huff of air through her nose, the only thing keeping her from lighting little fires everywhere is the fact that this pile of shit has a hold over her right now.

---

---

---

---

---

---

”Terrance, you piece of shit. Can you really not get a woman to look at you without having to kidnap her?” Every word Avery speaks is curt. Anger ripples over his body, only intensifying when Terry shoves a rag in Kimiko's mouth and blocks her from their view. Avery shifts his weight so he's facing Terry head on and stares him down, the full weight of being an alpha behind his gaze. Wolves less superior can never hold an alphas gaze and Avery wants to remind Terrence how little he means. Even if he is Levi's second.

”I've contacted Bran, Levi. Let her go and we'll let him know you cooperated.”

Levi glared at Caden, not breaking the staring contest. “I don't care. Bran needs to know what he allowed into our territory. Kitsune are powerful and also dangerous. She's not a part of the treaty.”

---

---

---

---

Terrance rolls his eyes at Avery, only able to look at him for so long before his wolf caved in. He looks over at Levi instead, feigning a lack of concern of Avery. “Not to mention, extremely rare. You should see some of the bids we’ve already gotten for her.” He holds up Kiki’s star ball in plain view of everyone and kisses it before tucking it away in a jacket pocket.

“And they haven’t even seen the great body that comes with the package.” He turns his gaze back to Avery to smirk widely at him, eyebrow raised in a silent challenge. Kiki glares a hole into the back of his head.

---

---