[center][img=http://i.imgur.com/V9AIQ2M.png][/center] Veti's brow knit curiously as she wiped the tears from her face with the backs of her hands, still smiling and now lifted to her feet, able to catch a breath though she was still firmly encircled by Max's arms. Or at least... Well, it [i]seemed[/i] very like Max and yet... There were the smallest differences she could see, feel beneath her hands. That scent of her lover, that unmistakable, irreplaceable musk - all was the same as ever, blessedly warm and amber-rich, yet somehow... [i]More.[/i] Something golden, lighter, and it shone through in everything about him, now that she could actually see him head to toe. The muscles beneath her hands felt more lithe, less corded and thick yet still quite strong - more than strong enough to lift her easily from the ground thrown her to, as if she weighed no more than a tiny babe. Taller than she, yes, but she could meet that the gaze of his dark brown eyes far easier now, eyes that seemed... [i]Faded?[/i] No, not faded, simply [i]lighter[/i] somehow, a ring of pale blue about the dark irises she was sure hadn't been there before. Veti reached to touch the face she'd only seen in her very best dreams for nearly a year now, the tips of her fingers running tenderly along his jaw line, twining a tendril of his hair between thumb and forefinger. Hadn't his hair once been a deep, midnight black... Curlier? The werewolf gazed in silent awe at that tendril of hair, a soft wave of golden brown in her hand. But she knew him, her love. She could feel him, sense him, breathe his scent and his essence - he was himself, her Max. Perhaps more himself than he had ever been in this life or the next, and the way he looked at her now? Her heart thrilled in her chest, her breaths coming faster. She could feel the hardness of him pressing against her... God above... Wrong place, wrong time for all these delicious thoughts running through her head. The werewolf grinned and shook herself head to toe, sapphire eyes wide with laughter, the crimson-lipped smile about ready to split her face. One hand slipped slowly downward as she stood to her tiptoes, the other hand wrapping about the back of his neck, pulling him close to whisper in his ear. The tip of her tongue ran tantalizing and slow along the tender edge of his lobe. [i]"Later, love... So much to catch up on, but not here - "[/i] Veti's eyes opened wide, startled, as she stepped back a pace. What she'd wrapped her hand around was most [i]certainly[/i] long and hard - but what she [i]hadn't[/i] expected was the crossbar with the thick ring perched atop that had absolutely no correlation to her lover's anatomy whatsoever. "OH! Well... [i]damn![/i] Holy shit, Max!" Veti burst out in raucous laughter, lifting up the Ankh in her own hand now, stunned, tickled beyond all measure. Of course, [i]of course[/i] this would be the answer, the way back and - Maria Brink's voice screamed from inside her leather jacket, startling the werewolf all over again as she leapt from Max's grip, her free hand slipping into one of the inner pockets. [i]"Blood blood blood, pump mud through my veins, Shut your dirty, dirty mouth, I'm not that easy."[/i] Today it seemed unlikely she'd ever cease being shocked, stunned, surprised - but at least she wasn't immobile. Veti tucked the Ankh under one arm as she plucked the smartphone from her jacket, staring incredulously at the caller ID, at a number she couldn't immediately place at all. [i]"Blood blood blood, pump mud through my veins, I'm a dirty, dirty girl, I want it fil- "[/i] "Yeah, this is Veti." The words were more question than statement really, but she was still reeling with the realization somehow she'd gotten cell phone reception and service in the legendary Vaults - five bars at that! Veti grinned up at Max with a wink - hell, he just had to understand, there was no way she could refuse taking [i]this[/i] call, no matter the monstrous roaming charges. The werewolf nodded meaningfully toward where her lover's own gaze had gone last, toward Nestor and Semyon, then pointing to the flask the demonspawn had dropped. To Semyon's question, Veti could only catch his eye with a smile, point to the shape of the Ankh still tucked under her arm, to Max, and give him a grin and a silent thumbs up. "This is... Wait... [i]Seriously?[/i] Cornelius!? London Office Cornelius?" Veti remained incredulous, but she was chuckling nonetheless at the response she got. The werewolf glanced up at Adam who, she felt strangely sure, just might enjoy the company of the rubber ducky Anima - but not [i]nearly[/i] so much as someone else she knew. Veti strode to Daisy and Artie, again an enormous ebony dog-like, and sat down easily, cross-legged and wedging herself right up close to the pouting Reaper, whether she liked it or not. Holding the phone just a little further from her ear, she leaned against the hellhound, holding the speaker near his ear too so he might hear the voice on the other end. "Atticus is there in London, Henry and Mr. Hoyle... What about Siya? Siya's all right, yes?" She didn't let the breath go from her lips until she heard the response to that all important question on the other end. Veti sighed softly, a weight she hadn't even realized was there shed from her chest. "Good... Right... HA! Did you just say 'shit' Cornelius? Really?" "All right, all right I know that wasn't the point of course, but yes... " "Yes... Understood... " The werewolf couldn't resist whispering softly to Artie, scratching him neatly under those thick jowls. [i]"It's Cornelius! Oh yes he is, you good boy, yes he is! Your most favorite squeaky toy [b]ever![/b] And he's got a potty mouth, oh my goodness yes he does... " [/i] "You tell Atticus for me, Cornelius: we've got an Ankh, and a beautiful, brilliant dead man brought back to life. Everyone is... " Her eyes traveled over their group, searching for words as truthful as she could make them without worrying their boss unnecessarily. "Everyone's mostly whole, definitely still breathing, and we'll be in London ASAP."