[IC] Of Life, Love, and Death

[ravenhuffle]

The house was a decent size, but one three werewolves, two vampires, and a human all crammed into the hallway, it did not feel as big. Avina managed to work her way through the crowd to stand beside Brice and Jessie. It was strange to not be running. When Avina pictured finding Devin again, she imagined them running for their lives not going to the next town over. However, she trusted Devin and if he felt safe here then she would stay. She settled herself against the wall while Devin continued to search the house. If this was supposed to be safe, then why was he being paranoid?

Jessie same and settled herself in front of Avina, using her legs as a pillow. While there were plenty of places to sit, Avina did not take one of them. There was too much going on around her for her to relax enough to sit. So instead she stood there and watched the bantering back and forth between Logan and Devin. It was obvious that they knew each other fairly well. Logan, within his right, was questioning what they were all doing there. Avina couldn’t blame the human because if she was right about what this place was then Devin would only come here if something was wrong.

Logan was in the middle of telling Devin to quit being a Grandfather when Brice grabbed ahold of her hand. “We need to talk.” He whispered in her ear as he dragged her away from everyone else and into the kitchen. Jessie fell a little bit when Avina moved but just scooted back to lean against the wall. Avina followed Brice into the kitchen without a sound but as soon as he shut the door the turned towards him and crossed her arms.

“What the heck?” she growled. Brice gestured to the kitchen. “This place! What are we doing here, Avina? Staying here is a death sentence! Its like a deathtrap for us. We willingly walked into our own prison!” Brice growled. Avina looked around, not fully understanding. “You are being paranoid because you don’t trust Devin!” Avina growled. Brice stormed past her towards the back door. “We can’t touch any of the locks.” He informed her as he grabbed the first lock

Instantly, Avina’s nose was filled with the smell of burning flesh and she could hear his skin sizzling. “Brice!” She took a step towards him just as he let go of the lock and cursed. “This is my point!” He held out his hand to her, all the skin had been melted away. “Look around you, Avina.” She did as she was told, and started to notice all of the iron around the house. The locks on the door, the bars on the window. There was no way to get out. By the time she looked back at Brice he was within inches of her, “Knowing that there is no way out, do you still have complete trust in someone you only meet three nights ago?” He spat.

Avina stared up at him but no words would come. Her wolf stirred inside of her, not liking the feeling of being trapped. Even after a few deep, calming breaths, the wolf still stirred uneasily. “We can’t stay here.” Brice said. Avina closed her eyes and blocked him out. Think of something positive she told herself. “If we can’t get out, the Marrok cannot get in.” She opened her eyes with a smile. Brice rolled his eyes. “We are safe from our own kind. But not from vampires.” He moved past her to rejoin the group. Avina stood there trying to take some deep breaths to calm herself down.

While Avina was gone, Jessie continued to watch the interaction between Logan and Devin with a small smile. “I get it! You had a family when you were human, and Logan is your decent. Is that why you are being so protective?” She held up a finger “Wait…. If he is your descendant then won’t your pack come after him first to find you?” She asked

“What happened?!” Jessie jumped up and walked up to Brice as he joined them in the hallway and livingroom. “Iron.” Brice said in a toneless voice. “My hand will heal at a human rate.” Jessie looked horrified. “Why did you touch iron?” she asked. “To prove a point.” Brice growled, his yellow eyes flashing towards Devin. “You have trapped us.” He growled taking a step towards him.

[Love Dove]

Devin was too distracted by Logan to notice that Avina had left the room, he was basically fighting in a human way with his grandson. When the wolf changeling spoke, Devin looked over at her, and realized that she had left. He looked around for a moment before looking back at the girl and nodding that it was the reason he was so protective over Logan. Logan and his sister were the last two humans left in his family, therefore he had to protect the bloodline. “I can be sure because my Elder does not know that he is alive. She believes my creator killed all of my family.” Devin answered her, his voice was soft as Logan took the key from around his neck and put it in Devin’s hand.

Around the time Logan started to step away, Avina and her male pack member returned to the living room hallway. Smelling the burnt flesh Devin’s turned to look at the two confused, pressing his back against the wall so no one could get behind him. The changeling jumped up going over to the male and asking what happened to him. When he said something about iron Devin rolled his eyes sighing.

“What does iron have to do with anything? Vampires aren’t harmed by iron.” Logan said completely confused by what was going on, he knew all of the things that harmed vampires, such was his job as watcher. Iron wasn’t one of them. Devin looked at him and shook his head. “They aren’t vam…” He started to explain before he was cut off by being excused of trapping the werewolves there. Opening his mouth to respond to being excused, he saw the step took towards him then the yellow eyes.

Quickly he pushed away from the wall, eyes turning black and taking a step towards Brice himself. Even if this wolf was with Avina, Devin sure wouldn’t allow him to attack without putting a fight, he was second in command, he was used to changelings and others fighting for that place. “I am not trapping you here. The iron is for Logan’s safety from your kind. There are even wood ashes in the window frames to keep out vampires other than me.” He responded, voice going gravely and dripping with hatred. He pointed above each the windows that had an eye craved into the wood, to keep out witches. Devin had built this house and all of the others to keep his family safe, not for werewolves to stay in. He wouldn’t even be staying in the top half himself. “You will excuse me if I didn’t plan on you touching the iron. Moron!”

Logan frowned watching the fight that seemed like it was about to happen before sighing and going into the room across from Devin, making sure to keep his arms to the side and move slowly so he didn’t seem a threat. Quickly he looked through the drawers looking for a first-aid kit that he kept around here somewhere, not that he was the neatest person. Meanwhile Devin kept his stance firmly, pushed away from the wall slightly crouching ready to defend himself, and his back towards the direction that Logan was in the room behind him.

He looked over at Avina slightly hurt that she would think he wished to trap her or her pack here. After all she wasn’t the only person he worked strongly to protect. “Our way out of the house is through the hidden doors in the basement, to the fields behind. Avina if your……pack member doesn’t like being in the houses I built. He can sleep outside in the woods with the other animals for all I care.” He said angrily, before his glare returned to Brice. The other reason Devin brought them here with him in the first place was because Avina had wanted him, he didn’t care in the lest for her male member, though he wouldn’t throw out the female. And though his words were harsh, it was only out of the anger he felt.

Around then was when Logan returned a large first-aid under his one arm, an ice pack and bottle of alcohol in his other hand. Dropping them loudly on the coffee table in front of him, and turning to the people he had invited into his home with crossed arms. “Once you two lads are done fighting in My home. Which is sooo kind of you by the way! Here’s something to clean yourselves up with.” He said loudly before flopping down on his couch with Violet who was watching quietly with a soft smile because she knew that wasn't needed, if she was than her Elder would clearly tell her.

[ravenhuffle]

Jessie watched the two males fighting for a few moments. What was with men and proving their dominance, anyway? Then it dawned on her. In a weird way she could see a new pack forming before her eyes. She didn’t know much about vampires and their ranks, but it was clear from Devin’s reaction that there was a rank. Both Devin and Brice were used to being second in command, having only to listen to one other leader. This spark growing between the two of them was more a fight for dominance in a new pack then it was a dislike of each other.

Brice puffed out his chest, trying to seem bigger and stronger than he really was. “Living outside would be a better alternative to staying trapped in here with a dirty blood sucker.” He growled. Avina took that time to step into the danger zone between to two males. She glanced at Brice then turned her back to him to face Devin. “It’s okay.” She told him softly. “We are just all a little scared, here. All of this is new to us, and none of us know how to act.” She reached out and lightly put her hand on his wrist. “Show me this door that leads to the field.” She told, but also commanded him.

Jessie crossed her arms as Avina and Devin slipped past her. As they disappeared down the stairs it occurred to her that it was not just dominance that made Brice feel threatened, it was Avina’s heart. She looked over at Brice only to catch a flicker of pain and longing in his eyes. He was in love with Avina! Poor guy. Avina’s heart was long gone. Jessie walked up to Brice about to offer to help him clean his hand when he gave her a soft growl of warning. She put her hands in the air then walked away towards the rest of the group. She joined Logan on the couch with a sigh. It was an interesting pack she saw forming in the house, but maybe it would turn out just fine. “Do you have anything to eat?” She asked Logan with a smile only to quickly add “Like popcorn or something?” It wasn’t like she wanted to give off the impression that she wanted to eat him or something.

Once outside, Avina took a deep breath of the cool night air. Maybe it was wrong to have asked Devin to protect her, or allowed Brice to join her in leaving the pack. Not that it matter now, it was too late to leave. She turned back to Devin and put her hands on her hips. “Now that you nice and angry again, lets get this fighting over with. I cannot let you go back inside until you’re not angry anymore.” She closed her eyes and called her wolf forward. Her fingernails hardened and turned to claws, making her hands curl, her jaw stretched and her teeth sharpened. Alphas that are centuries older than her had not learned to master their change like she could. Avina allowed her body to start shifting, but then stopped it in order to hold onto her claws, teeth, and her human form.

Her eyes were yellow when she looked back up at him. “Let’s go.” She told him as she slipped to one knee and one hand on the ground. The position she held almost looked like a runners stance, but her free hand was held straight out to the side and her teeth were bared towards him.

[Love Dove]

Devin rolled his eyes as Brice puffed his chest out trying to look bigger. He didn’t look bigger to him, he looked like one of those birds that puffed its chest out. Devin didn’t need to make himself look bigger and tougher, if Brice wanted to fight him, looking bigger wouldn’t matter. “Than go flea bag, I would rather not have to smell you anyway!” He hissed back as Avina moved stepped in front of him, his eyes shifted down to look at her. What was she doing?! He was fixing to fight this wolf! She really shouldn’t have put herself there. Of course when he realized that she did this because he wouldn’t attack her, it only started to make him angrier at her.

When she turned to him, his eyes narrowed slightly pressing his teeth together. Her soft tone somehow seemed to calm him, taking out a calming breath his eyes lighted slightly as his body relaxed. In its way it was a little annoying that she had since an effect on him, that such a soft tone could calm him so much. It wasn’t a good thing in his mind. The warmth of her hand on his wrist wiped the reason it could be a bad from his mind. At her command to see the doors, Devin took her hand and starting to pull her softly past Brice with not even thinking about. As the passed he looked at Brice fighting the want to smirk at him, Devin had won this fight in his mind.

Taking the key he unlocked the door to the basement, as soon as the door open the strong smell of garlic made him cough turning his head to the side. He always forgot to stop breathing when he opened the basement door. Holding his breath he continued into the room about the size of a small storage room the garlic was used to mask his smell; vampires would be forced to stop breathing and any other creature that could smell him, they would only smell garlic. Feeling along the wall until he found what he was looking for, pushing on the wall a little, and when the hidden doorway opened, they were in another part of the house. There were three bedrooms and a large living room, all furnished, the basement was actually twice the size as the actual house.

“This is where we will be staying during the day, the garlic will cut off our tracks.” He said reaching up and pulling the string to turn on the light. Moving to the one corner of the living room he pulled a set of steps down, then pushing the hidden doors they opened up to the outside in the field behind the house.

Logan watched the fight of who was the bigger and badder of Devin and the other man. It was really foolish to him in truth, Logan didn’t care about ranks and the alpha. Logan was just Logan, he didn’t really belong anywhere at least until it had booze, if there was booze he was all for being there. When Avina stepped between the two men, Logan almost said something to stop her, though the reaction from Devin stopped him. Of course the really hot ones, they always went off the dead people, weirdoes. It still didn’t stop him from watching her walk away. His attention went to Jessie as she sat beside him and asked about food, when she asked his wide eyes shifted to look at her. It was a strange thing for a guest of Devin’s to ask. When she added something about popcorn, he relaxed smiling back at her. “I’m not sure lass, my sister used to do the shopping. We can go see though.” He answered honestly before standing up and making his way into the kitchen. He started searching through the cabinets and the fringe, sighing he smiled looking over at her. “What’s mine is ours lass. It isn’t often I have Devin’s friends ask for actual food.” He said laughing nervously.

As everyone else left Violet was left alone with the scary man, who was just fighting with her Elder and kept basically calling her a dirty blood sucker, by calling Devin one. She stared at him quietly for a few moments, before looking around the room she was sitting in, basically to look at anything but him. Oh she really hated how quiet it was now. Violet looked back at him, and then his hand. “I…I” She stuttered softly voice betraying her by showing how afraid of the man in front her, she was right now. “I was nurse before um. If…if you need help with your hand.” She offered softly before looking away from him again.

Devin followed Avina outside watching her take deep breathes of the cool air. He opened his mouth to bring up the fact he could have taken Brice, when she turned and said she wanted to fight him. Devin’s lips turned up into a wide smile, as he readied himself. As he watched her transform, a shiver went down his spine, never having seen something like that before in his life. At the word ‘lets’ he quickly attacked her first for once going behind her and tackling her to the ground from behind.

[ravenhuffle]

Avina waited for him to unlock the door. While she was waiting, she looked around for the source of the smell. There are not very many scents that could block her sense of smell, but there was enough garlic in the room to keep her from smelling Devin and he was right in front of her. “I would definitely agree with you. This will hide our smell. But what about the trail we left to this house? Or the sent we are leaving up stairs?” she asked as she followed him out of the house. She took a deep breath of the fresh, and less garlic dominate, smell. In the morning, her nose was so going to hurt, but at least she would be alive!

Once the smell of garlic was more or less out of her nose, she turned to Devin and challenged him to a fight. After all, he was the one that insisted that they had to fight in order to mend things between them. She forced herself to transform and then stop in the middle of it. It was painful, but she was used to it. She told him she was ready then next thing she knew she was flat on her face with him on top. She wasn’t sure if his sudden move made her mad or made her want to laugh. Either way she knew she couldn’t stay on the ground.

Pulling her hands out from under her, she put them on the ground near her shoulders and shoved herself up, throwing him off in the process. She turned to face him while slowly backing up. She was putting herself closer to the house to keep him from getting behind her again. He was faster than she had thought he would be. She hardly even saw him move before he had her on the ground, but if the way she shoved him off her back was an proof then she was stronger. Therefore she knew she was going to have to be smart in this battle to get the upperhand, which means she is going to have to anticipate him moves before he makes them and cover herself at all times.

Brice looked down at the little vampire as she came up to him. Part of him wanted to be angry with her, after all she was a vampire too. However, he knew he couldn’t be mad at her. She did not choose this life, she didn’t ask to be a vampire. With a sigh he held out his hand for her to see. “If you are not afraid of a big bad wolf, that is.” He said with a small smile. The skin still sizzled, bleed, and oozed a white liquid. It was painful, but he was good at ignoring pain. “It has been so long since I have seen a womb for an extended period of time.” He remarked with interest.

Jessie put her hands on her knees and pushed herself up to follow Logan to the kitchen. “You have such an interesting accent.” she said as they walked into the kitchen. She started opening random cabinets trying to figure out what all there was to eat. “Don’t you ever get bored of having to stay in one place?” she asked as she shut a pair of doors. It dawn on her that he had said something about a sister. “Wait, didn’t you say you had a sister? Where is she?” She stopped her search and turned towards Logan.

[Love Dove]

The smell of garlic was of course strong, it was the only thing strong enough to not only too make a vampire unable to breathe, but also block out even a humans scent. Devin looked back at Avina would she agreed with him, and asked about their trail and the house. “Well as for scent in the house, well we can just leave the door open when we are upstairs. As for our trail, we will cover it with garlic as well. How long been your Elder will come looking for you? Cadence foolishly won’t want to believe I ran again until I don’t return tonight.” He answered her thoughtfully, if it needed to be done tonight than he could do did before morning. However if it could wait until morning, than Logan could do it as garlic didn’t bother him as much.

Avina turned to him and challenged him to a fight; Devin smiled and readied himself as she shifted. Even though Avina didn’t show it, he could tell the stopping her change hurt her. And it made him wonder why she didn’t finish the change. But still when she said that she was ready, Devin quickly attacked her from behind. Sitting on her back, he rubbed his cold fingertips over her warm neck slowly not really thinking about it, before she pushed him off. The werewolf was very clearly stronger than him, but she was slower and it still gave him an edge over her. He smirked cockily, tilting his head to the side as he stood up and watched her back away from him slowly.

“Oh come on lass. I thought you were an Elder, I know you can fight stop being so soft with me. It’s no fun that way, Avina.” He said watching her, his tone eerily calm and almost annoyed that she wasn’t fighting him back. She would have to actually fight him, if she wanted things to be settled with them. His eyes quickly looked around him, trying to find another way to attack her. By backing up so he couldn’t attack her from the back, she left her sides open. He moved slowly to the left before running at her, though in the middle of running he switched sides, to attack her from the right side instead. He went to grab her arm and throw her into a tree as he had their first fight.

Violet wasn’t angry at this wolf really, he was only following his Elder as she was, still she kept from looking up at him, even as he looked down at her. When he held his hand out to her, Violet couldn’t help but flinch just barely enough for the man to see. At his words about being the big bad wolf, she looked up at him, light brown eyes meeting his brown ones, before she laughed softly and shyly looked away at his hand. Her family had been a very traditional one, which believed in arranged marriage. So she didn’t spend time around men, other than her husband who she had been married to for only a month. Of course the inmate feeling of drinking from someone was worse for her than Devin because she was new. It wasn’t the fact he was a werewolf that made her scared, but that he was a man she didn’t know. “Do you usually heal faster than humans than?” She asked finding what he said interesting, she didn’t know anything about werewolves, and she barely even knew much about what she was. She quickly took ahold of his arm softly, more out of habit; she wasn’t quite used to her body reacting as soon as she thought to do something.

“S…sorry!” She said looking up at him wide eyed, before looking back at his hand. It wasn’t until she actually touched his arm that she actually realized that her body was freezing cold and his felt almost on fire. “You’re so hot! I…I mean your body is very hot….I….I mean your skin is.” Violet stuttered before looking up at him utterly embarrassed about how it sounded like she was flirting with him. She let go of his hand and looked around for the watcher before sighing and looking up at him. “We need to cool down your body to stop it from sizzling, and I can’t do it with my cold skin because you are bleeding and well….” Her eyes turned a deep crimson red at the very thought of rushing sweet candy like blood. “…having your blood touching me isn’t a good idea, luckily I’m not allowed to bite anyone without Devin and can’t smell it. We need cold water, let’s find a bathroom.” She told him softly, at the blink of an eye she was to the first door opening it to find Logan’s room. Frowning she closed the door and peeked around the corner at him. “Are you coming, big bad wolf?” She asked with a small smile almost like she thought that was his name.

Logan laughed smiling at Jessie as she said something about his accent that was a way he usually picked up women, by letting slip more than usual. I didn’t even notice I let it slip out. Thanks lass.” He said cheerfully. He sat at the table watching her open random cabinets; he thought about pointing out that he had already looked in them. But why ruin the pretty sight? “I also take care of the other houses in the states for Devin. It can be a wee bit boring, but I find ways to enjoy myself. I was actually about go to a club, when you all showed up.” He answered her smirking a bit, in truth the whole group was actually lucky, without having to watch over anyone, Logan was never home. Either out at a club or when some woman he picked up in a bar and went home with.

“Yeah, she went back to Ireland. We switch back and forth every four years, part of living in hiding. If you are around in a year you’ll get to meet Haven lass.” He answered before laughing softly, after so long it was just mean to sit here watching her search in the same place he had, knowing there was no food but in the fridge. “Maybe you should check the fridge lass, there wasn’t any food up there when I checked. Though it was fun watching you climb up to look and all.” He finally said and winked at her, of course he couldn’t help but flirt with her a bit, it came natural to him. “Also if you told me your name, I’d stop called you lass so much.” He added.

[ravenhuffle]

The garlic stung her nose and kept most of her other senses from working as well. Perhaps a smell can truly block out all senses. Avina watched Devin’s back as he was unlocking the door, she wanted to reach out and run her fingers over his muscle, and her arm lifted as if on its own accord. For a moment her fingertips hovered half an inch from his body before her hand dropped back to her side. After all she had not gained his trust back yet. “My elder, the Marrok, is the leader of the leaders. He is my alpha. In the way that I can control the pack, and in the way I can make them do anything I say, in the same way he can do to me. If he finds us, he could order me to kill you and I would or I would die trying.” She took a deep breath and ran it through her hair. “He is on his way now. He should arrive sometime around dawn, but he will stop by my pack first, and then sniff me out.” Though she tried to stop it, the fear crept into her voice. She took a steadying breath and ran her hand over her face. If the Marrok found them, she had no doubt he would make her kill Devin. Just the thought of it made her chest ache in a way it had not in centuries.

With a sigh, Avina got ready to fight him out in the field. This fight would be a good way to blow off some steam. As the fight started, he pinned her to the ground but she quickly threw him off her back even though the touch of his cool fingers sent shivers down her spine. Back on her feet, with her back to the house, she tried to anticipate his moves but he changed his direction three times before he reached her. Her back slammed into the tree and she slid to the ground with a whimper, she could feel a few bones knitting back into place already. However, his taunting turned her whimper into a growl. She was an alpha, and it was time to let her Wolf take control completely. Avina knew that her Wolf would not hurt Devin, she could completely let go and would not have to worry about his safety. It was a wonderful feeling of being able to let go completely.

Quickly, Avina stood up and gave into her formation completely. It is your turn, sister. Let us show him our strength. Avina gave her control completely over to her wolf that she usually kept so tied down. She Wolf shook her body, shaking of the change and let out a growl that was expressed joy more than it warning. It felt good to be released. Wolf looked at her opponent with black, calculating eyes. He was faster, but she was stronger. Her eye sight would do her no good, she was going to have to rely on her instincts and intuition. With a wolfish smile, she hunch low to the ground and her tail wagged. Muscles coiled then sprung as She Wolf launched towards the vampire, her jaw aimed for his neck.

[Love Dove]

Even though she didn’t touch him as he unlocked the door, Devin could still feel the heat coming off of her overheated hand. He had the time to expect the touch, and ready himself to not be as jumpy this time. When the warm disappeared he turned his head a little to peek at her over his shoulder, in case she had been trying to get his attention, before looking back to unlock the door. Her words about her Marrok, made him frown deeply, if his heart was beating it likely would have hurt. The realization that she would be ordered to actually kill him hadn’t made its way into his mind just yet. As it was he was just trying to figure out a way to keep her safe. As she finished talking, he let out a sigh and shook his head. “Well lets just hope it doesn’t come to that, and we move quick enough, Lass. Because I died once already, and I’m not really looking forward it again.” He said with a small laugh, though it was laced with a bit of sadness. Devin’s words meant two different things. First that he didn’t believe if she was ordered to kill him that he could take her. Secondly though he would fight her, he didn’t think he could kill Avina even if not given a choice.

Once they made it through the basement and out into the field, their fight began. Devin attacked her twice, once from behind and once from the side. After throwing her against the tree, he couldn't help but taunt her a little. He knew fill well that she was stronger than this, that she was taking it easy on him. Devin wanted a real fight, being easy on him wouldn't solve anything. When her whimper turned to a growl, he stopped moving and smiled watching her excitedly. He had made her mad, meaning she would give him a real fight.

Even though he had seen a little bit of the change before, when she did it again it sent shivers down his spine. With vampires the change happened only once, it was permanent. The idea of going through it more then once would drive him crazy. As the wolfs eyes met his, Devin smirked a little, both excitement and cockiness showing on his face as he stood there. Bringing his hand up to tell her to come after him, almost challenging her to come get him. Despite how strong she might be, she was slow and as she launched towards him to grab his neck, he quickly jumped out of the way a landed on the other side of her. Tackling her again, his hand rubbed down her side quickly but softly as he made a tickling sound with his tongue. "Sorry Lass, you're just to slow to catch me" Devin whispered in her ear cockily before jumping away into the trees.

[ravenhuffle]

Truly, she hoped that they could out run the Marrok. Saddened, Avina looked down at the floor. If he found her with Devin, she would be forced to kill him. Avina would rather take her own life, rip her own heart out of her chest, than kill him. This connection she had with this vampire was unlike anything she had ever experienced or heard of before. With ease, he was able to tear down her walls that she had spent centuries building, but it was more than physical or emotional. It was unexplainable. “Let us hope so.” She whispered more to herself then to him.

Avina put everything she felt into her wolf. Her fear, her confusion, her attraction, and her anger all filled the beast until the She Wolf was near a full outrage. Once again, they missed and Devin pinned them to the ground. Instead of feeling fear or anger, excitement ran down their body as his hand gently stroked their fur. Turning their head, they nipped at his hand just hard enough to break skin. Then he was off of them and they scrambled to their feet and looked around the meadow only to see nothing. Up. Avina whispered. They looked up at the tree and narrowed their eyes.

Avina and She Wolf were going have to be cleaver as well as strong. They took two steps forward and let their paw buckle under their weight. While the leg was still tender and healing, it was not pain they could not handle. However, they had a feeling that if they acted injured then Devin would come running to their rescue. After all, he had expressed his desire to protect them before. Their nose hit the dirt hard and a rock caught the side of their face, cutting the skin under the fur as they allowed the whole weight of their body to fall forward towards the ground. Dirt lifted around their body as it landed, and they made sure to keep their injured leg tucked at an awkward angle. A voluntary, high pitched wine came from their mouth as they closed their eyes tightly. Their ears stayed alert, listening for any movement while blood pooled around their face.

[Love Dove]

Devin chucked a little pulling his hand away from her fur after she nipped his hand breaking the skin, it healed quickly as he whispered in her ear and jumped away into the trees. He wasn’t trying to get away from her, if anything he was curious. What would she do? Her wolf body wasn’t going to be able to climb up this tree and get to him. She was too big, the branches would snap under her weight. Hidden in the breaches, he watched down from above through the leaves as Avina stood up and looked around the meadow for him. When she finally realized he was up in the trees, he fought the urge to smile bit at her narrowed eyes. He wasn’t as easy to trick, or catches as she seemed to think he was.

Avina’s leg buckled under her weight a little and he frowned staying up in the tree. He was sure that her leg was fine just a moment ago when she tried to launch at him. She was clearly trying to trick him, did she really think that acting hurt would make him come down? It wasn’t until her body fell forward and she let out the high pitched wine that he moved down lower, the leaves rattling a bit as he moved. Devin hung down from the tree to get a better look at her, only for the smell of her blood to fill his senses.

“Avina?” His worried voice cut through the silence, and when Avina didn’t look up when he said her name, he hopped down from the tree the rest of the way, the ground making noise only as he jumped down onto it. Letting his guard drop, he moved close enough to crouch down beside her, putting his hand on her back, to see the blood pool he had thought coming from her leg was actually coming from her face. “You okay?” He whispered.

[ravenhuffle]

Avina and She Wolf closed their eyes as they listened to Devin come down the tree. At first he hesitated, but the smell of their blood must have caught his attention. Silently, they thanked the rock for being just in the right place. Soon enough Devin was kneeling behind them calling their names with a worries tone. Another whimper came from their mouth as they slowly turned their head to face the vampire. As soon as they had one eye on him, they struck.

The werewolf clamped onto his arm that was stretched out. Their teeth sank the whole way through the flesh, muscle, and bone until their jaw was clamped shut and locked. With a growl of victory, Avina and She Wolf stood up and slung Devin into a nearby tree in one smooth movement, their jaw never letting go of his arm. The sound of a solid body against a solid object filled the clearing. Together, they pulled the vampire away from the tree a little way only to get enough momentum to throw him against the tree once again.

Avina closed her eyes for a moment and tried to pull her wolf back under her control. She Wolf growled and shook her head, throwing Devin around in the process, but relented her control and became silent before Avina forced her back into submission. Avina let go of Devin’s arm and stood over him. Her red eyes glared down at him while her jaw remained open near his neck. With a deep intake, Avina called upon her packs power to fuel her alpha status. As her the pack power grew, her eyes turned black. A deep growl rested in her chest as she pushed her dominance onto Devin. To a werewolf, a fight was only won when one of the fighters was able to dominate the other in battle as well as will power.

[Love Dove]

Devin was tricked, smelling blood he had come down from his tree worried that she was actually hurt. Though as he realized the blood was only coming from her nose, she whimpered once again, turning to look back at him. Unfortunately even he wasn't quick enough to jerk away, before she grabbed ahold of his arm biting all the way through the muscle and bone. The pain was excruciating and nothing like he was used to, and even he wasn't able to stop from crying out a little. He was used to being throw and sometimes bitten, but not to this extreme.

Devin's hands went to the werewolf's mouth as she growled at him, trying to pull his arm out of her locked jaw. Only to be thrown against the soild bark of the same tree he had just come down from. He didn't notice the sound echoing through the clearing. All he noticed was the sound and feeling of not only the bones in his back breaking, but of the bones in his arm breaking, the skin being ripped more as his arm bent. Slowly he let his body slide down the trunk, bones starting to pop back in place. Only for the wolf to pull him away, and throw him against once more and breaking the bones again, his arm was now broken in two places as it couldn't heal and was starting to go numb. There was no doubt that if he were still alive, he would be dead by now.

His bones didn't even have time to heal, before she started shaking him. "Enough." He whispered pain in his voice hoping that she would just take the win or at least let go of his arm. Dropping to the ground he gripped his arm even as Avina stood over him, the numbness going away as the bones started mending. His eyes stayed closed as he laid there, even as Avina's jaw stayed open near his throat, simply because he knew she would not kill him. It wasn't until she growled and a strange feeling washed over him that he opened his black eyes looking up at her.

He wasn't sure what she was trying to do to him. But it wasn't a welcomed feeling, almost as if he felt suddenly weaker, it felt like every ounce of control was being taken away from him. He had only heard of this feeling from the others, being dominated, he had never felt it himself. He never wanted to either, hissing loudly, he lifted his unbroken arm and tried pushing on her chest to get her off. "Avina stop." He said angrily his tone turning gravelly as it had been the first time they met.

Slowly as she continued his eyes started to fade first to their normal gray, until finally turning to white. His hand stopped trying to push her away and he let out a quiet whimper, his breathing turning to normal. Avina might have won the fight, but in doing so she also happened upon one of Devin's fears. Even as Avina let him up, Devin laid there for a moment, still trying to wrap his mind around being made submit. "What did you do?" He spoke his voice eerily calm still lying on the ground, it was a rhetorical question though, and he quickly got up despite the pain not giving her a chance to answer it, rather she had changed back or not. “You shouldn’t have done that! It isn’t…I haven’t ever….” He started the fear in his voice showing before he stopped rubbing his hand down his face. She clearly didn’t know just how wrong what she had just done was, but that didn't change the fact right now he just felt like screaming at her. “I…need to go block our scent, I’ll be back before daylight.” He finished, his tone guarded before turning at leaving her. Devin just needed to get away from her for a few moments, in order to clear his mind now clouded by her.

[ravenhuffle]

As Avina let go of Devin’s arm, she knew she had really hurt him, she could see the pain written all over his face. While shad had heard him calling her name and begging her to stop, She Wolf would not have been satisfied until she was positive they had won. Yet, Avina knew she could not blame her wolf completely because the wolf was the one in charge when she had him pinned on the ground. Even then, he asked her stop but she didn’t not until his eyes turned white and he gave up completely. Once his eyes turned white she let him up and took a few steps back.

As soon as she stepped away he started asking her what she had done. His voice was so calm, she could practically feel the venom dripping from his words. Then he was up and moving away from her, still clearly upset and…. Hurt. Avina laid down and put her head between her paws and wined. She did not mean to hurt him! Devin turned to leave causing Avina to stand up quickly and take a few steps towards him only to watch him disappear. She whimpered again loudly trying to get him to come back. For a few minutes she just stood there, waiting for him to come back but he didn’t.

Avina’s legs all popped out of place, each joint pulled away from each other, and her bones, muscles, and skin began to stretch and grow. The pain of the change was worse than normal since her body was still getting over being thrown into trees. But she hardly noticed it, her mind preoccupied by what had gone wrong. When she finished changing, she just sat there in the middle of the field with her head in hands. What had she done wrong?

She had thrown him against the tree, twice and shook him. Though to be fair, he had chunked her at a tree three times now. No, it couldn’t be the fight itself. Avina growled, grabbed a small rock and chucked it at the house with all the strength she had. Kiel caught the rock then let his drop just as quickly.

“Ouch.” He mumbled, shaking his hand. Avina glared at him as he moved closer to her. “I come in peace.” He said softly as he knelt in front of her. “I brought you clothing. Vampires are not comfortable with us running around in our natural bodies.” He said handing her a pile of clothing.

Avina took it without a word and quickly dressed herself. “What do you want, Keil?” She asked in an annoyed tone.

Keil stood up and crossed his arms. “I wanted to see if you were okay. We all felt the pull of the magic.” His voice was too gentle and caring.

“I am fine.” Avina turned her back to him only to feel his hand on her arm pulling her around to face him. For a moment she looked up at him before he pulled her into a hug. Even though she did not return the hug, Keil held her tightly and stroked her hair placing a few kisses on the top of her head. Eventually he pushed her away by the shoulders to look directly in her eyes. “Tell me what happened.”

Avina looked to the ground for a moment then pulled away from Keil’s hands to pace. While she was telling him what happened it felt as if she was reliving every moment of the fight. She combed over every detail she could remember as she walked back and forth, her mind fully in the fight once again. She stopped when she got to the end. “I made him submit.” She said in a whisper.

“Vampires are not like us.” Keil pushed off the tree he had been leaning against and walked up to his Alpha. He took her face in his hand and ran his thumbs across her cheeks. “He will never be like you. He will never understand you. Devin is independent, cocky, and only cares about himself. Avina, open your eyes to what is around you! Devin could never love you.” Keil leaned down with the intent to kiss Avina.

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was fooling herself with her feeling towards Devin. What if she was the only one who truly felt their connection? Keil broke her out of her thoughts when he went to kiss her. “No!” She yelled at him. Her hands landed on his chest as she shoved him away from her.

“Even if Devin does not care for me. I will never see you that way!” Avina told him as a tear slid down her cheek.

[Love Dove]

As Devin yelled angry at Avina, upset about she had done, and frighten that she was actually able to make him submit, his eyes watched Avina put her head between her paws. As she whined, he let his hand rub down his face gaining control of himself again. Even though she didn't know what she had done, it didn't simply change the fact of what she had done. To vampires submission was a form of actual punishment. Gaining control again, his guard going back up as well. He told her that he was going to working on blocking their sent. Devin heard her taken steps towards him and held out his hand to tell her to stay before disappearing. He didn't miss the loud whine she let out after him, but it didn't make him come back. Going through the trap door to the basement, he grabbed ahold of some garlic and headed back towards town.

He just needed a moment to himself, a moment to clear his mind which she had clouded. He had been aware that Avina was a elder to her kind. That she had the ability to make others submit, it still didn't make sense to him, Devin wasn't her kind. He could hold his against her, how had she done it. More importantly, why. Why did it have to be Avina that made him submit for the first time?! What happened wasn't solely her fault, Devin had been the one to that insisted on the fight. The one that acted stupidly and got hurt. He knew this, but still, why did it have the woman he actually cared for?

Getting to town was much quicker for just him, without having to worry about Violet, or making sure the slow werewolves were keeping up with him it only took about twenty minutes. Even if he wasn't as good at digging as the wolves were, he dug deeply placing the garlic bulbs in the wholes before burring them and moving on. Though he almost missed the other sense, farther in the woods beside them, if it hadn't been for the fact he was trying to keep the bulbs from being a straight path, he would have. It was the sent of another wolf, one he didn't know, it must have been following them. How could he have been so stupid? How could he not have noticed it before! Without any thought about why this wolf was following or who he was, Devin turned and headed back to the house.

"Avina, open your eyes to what is around you! Devin could never love you.”

The male clearly hadn't seen him in the mouth of the clearly by the house yet. Devin didn't know who the man was, or where he had gotten the idea that he didn't love Avina from. It simply wasn't the truth though! He left his clan on a whim for her. He brought her and part of her pack to one of the few places he felt safest. They were clearly together and Devin did...love Avina. Something he truly hadn't realized until it was put into question and he could tell Avina was about to cry from the thought he didn't care for her.

It wasn't until the man leaded down to kiss Avina that he made his presence known. When she pushed Kiel away crying, he wouldn't have time to react before Devin got ahold of him, not enough stopping from his run before throwing Kiel against the tree he had been leaning against. Avina was his wolf, he would not just let someone come and kiss the woman that was his! To try feeding her lies and steal her away from him!

Despite how fast he had been when fighting Avina, in truth he was faster, only having been giving her a chance to catch him. As soon as the males body hit the tree truck Devin had grabbed a hold of him again, before there was time for the echo to fill the field, Devin threw him across the field against the side of the cabin. Instead of picking the werewolf from the wall and throwing him again, Devin's fist smashed into his face a couple of times, the vampire sunk his fangs deep into Kiel's skin of his arms as he tried to protect himself.

Finally Devin stopped punching the man only to lift him by the throat, his grip tight. "I don't know who the hell you are! But Avina is my wolf!" He yelled loudly not even caring if Avina was this mans alpha. His grip continued to only tighten as he held the man in the air, he fully intended to kill his man. After all if he was a vampire as well it would be expected. The other thing that stopped him was Avina, making him stop.

His glaze went to Avina, if she had thought he was upset before. Devin's glaze never left her face as he slowly, for him anyway, loosened his hold on Kiel. He moved quickly were he was right in front her. "Avina, who is this? Why did he follow us here?!" Devin said gesturing to Kiel. "More importantly why is the son of a bitch kissing you?! Are you two together? Because if that's what's going on here, then Lass clearly I'm mistaken on what we..." His hands quickly gestured between himself and Avina. "Are even doing here!" He finished off quietly although he started off yelling at her, his tone more jealous than it was angry by this point. Though of course he had a reason to be jealous, Avina was beautiful, smart, and actually interesting, it had been years since he had found someone like that.

[ravenhuffle]

Avina’s heart was breaking. She had never felt this kind of pain since Keil had first left her to become a werewolf. Had she really allowed someone to touch her heart in a way she had sworn she would never allow again? Even worse, she had thought that he had returned the feelings. But, maybe Keil was right, maybe Devin did not feel that way. There was look of triumph in Keil’s eyes as Avina pushed him away, he had won he had pushed Avina away from Devin.

Before he could hit the ground, he disappeared. Every alarm sounded in Avina’s body as her head snapped up only to see Devin grab Keil and throw him against another tree. The sound of Keil hitting the tree reached her ears only after he hit the second tree. She had never seen anyone move so fast. She could not even see Devin as he moved through the clearing, and that terrified her more than she cared to admit. Truly Avina barley kept up with what was happening until Devin came to a stop, holding Keil by the throat. Keil had both of his hands wrapped around Devin’s arm trying to pull himself up to relive the pressure on his throat as well as trying to pull away. His eyes glowed a sick yellow and his jaw was starting to pop out of place. A small smile twitched at the corners of her mouth when Devin called her his wolf. Maybe there was hope, even just a little.

“Stop, Keil” Avina ordered, her voice deeper than normal, as she wiped a tear from her cheek. Keith growled at her as he continued to shift. Avina gently put her hand on Devin’s upper arm, making sure to look him in the eye the whole time she was getting close to touch him. As soon as her hand came to rest, her other shot out and grabbed the back of Keil’s neck, her fully extended claws dug into his skin.

“Keil.” She whispered. Yellow eyes darted to hers in fright. “Stop changing, stop fighting. Give up.” She told him in the same whisper. Keil stared at her for a long moment before he just went limp and his eyes dull. Avina looked down at the ground as she removed her hand from both Devin and Keil. She did not demand that Devin let Keil go, she knew better than to ask him to do such a thing that at the moment.

“Devin…” She started as she ran her hand over her face. She refused to allow any more tears to fall from her eyes. She had no idea where to start, so she turned her back and started to walk away slowly. A few feet away she turned back towards him even though she refused to look him in the eyes. There was so much to say, and so many feelings were stirring in her heart. From the pain of him walking away and the accusations that Keil had thrown around to the hope sparking deep down at the sound of jealousy in his words.

“His name is Keil… but you know that by now.” She groaned and ran her hands through her hair as she leaned back against a tree so that she was only half facing Devin. “He was my fiancé when I was human. He left me to become a werewolf.”

“I was hoping you would follow me, Avina!” Keil cut her off.

Avina’s head snapped to the side as she glared at Keil. “So that is the reason you left me a note to just forget about you? And when I walked for days through ice and snow for you, you told me to leave that you did not want me! That is why when you bit me, you expected me to die because women do not survive the change! And when all was said and done, you stood by as the pack rapped me! Hell, you even joined in sometimes! I am so positive that you loved me.” Avina yelled at him and by the time she was done, she was standing inches away from him. “Give me one reason. Just one reason I should not kill you.”

Keil kept a steady eye contact with his alpha, clearly trying to be brave despite his whole body shaking. “Be-be-because… You still need a pack, and you know you can control me. You left your pack, and even an Alpha needs a pack and the more members in your pack the stronger you are.” Keil’s voice got stronger as he talked and he ended with a smirk because he knew he was right.

Another tear slid down her cheek but she angrily wiped away the drop of water that portrayed her feelings. Finally she turned to Devin and truly looked him in the eyes. “We have not been together since I was a human.” She said in a soft voice. She was trying to hide her heart breaking as took a deep breath and a step back. Every inch of her wanted to reach up and touch his cold skin, to feel the heat escape her skin as she ran her hand over the skin of his cheek. But she didn’t. It was clear by now that he had overheard what Keil had told her, or at least most of it, and he had clearly seen Keil’s attempt to kiss her.

“What we are doing here, Devin, is up to you. I left my pack. I gave up most of my power as an alpha. I came to you because I could not stand the idea of never being able see you again. I have felt this intense connection with you that scares the hell out of me, and what scares me more is that you might not feel the same way! So many times now, you have walked away from me and I do not even understand why.” Avina’s voice was defeated and her words came out hardly above a whisper. She wiped another tear away.

“So tell me, Devin. What are we doing here?”

[Love Dove]

Even as the mans arms went around his arm, Devin didn't loosen his grip, only squeezing the mans throat. The fact he started to turn into a wolf didn't frighten Devin, clearly this man was a weakling and Devin had no doubt that he could take him as a wolf all the same. If anything it just pissed him off a little more as he yelled that Avina was his wolf. Beside him, Avina ordered this Kiel to stop and the man growled at Avina, Devin let out a hiss pulling Kiel away from the wall before slamming his body back into it.

Devin watched Avina closely as she came close to him, placing her hand on his arm. The heat from her touch seeping through the sleeve of his shirt warming his cold arm. His attention was more on her now than on Kiel, as made him stop fighting, Kiel going limp in his hold. Devin didn't let go right away when Avina walked away, and if this had been years ago, he wouldn't have at all. He would have squeezed Kiel's neck until his weak little head popped off. Despite Devin's want to do so, he let the wolf drop to the ground as Avina walked away from him.

The fact that Avina had had a fiancé was news to him, even if they hadn't known each other long, it was annoying him to find out this way. Avina already knowing about Devin's wife and what had happened.

Although she had told him about her first pack, the things she had left out. The rape and the fact it had been her fiancé that had caused her so much pain. It bothered him worse then the first bit of the story she had told, and he stood quickly watching the exchange between the two of them. He let out a groan of disgust at the answer that Kiel gave. He couldn't believe Avina was believing this shit, he should have popped Kiel's head when he had the chance.

There was a sigh of relief when she said they had not been together since she was human. Not that it would have mattered were they still together, because in the long it probably wouldn't have. No matter what Devin would have fought for her, and clearly he would win if he had to. When Avina took a step back from him after and started talking though, he couldn't help the look of pain that slipped through. It was painful to know that Avina actually believed he didn't care for her. She might have been forced to leave and came to him, but he had chosen to follow.

When it came his time he was quiet for a moment. Sharing how he felt was uncomfortable for him, it made him seem weak and even showing how he felt was hard when it was just him and Avina. It was not making it easier that Kiel was there either. "Avina, I choose to follow you, I had nothing forcing me to do so. I put my life on the line just for the fear of losing you. The fact that you might not be an elder? That truly means less to me than you seem to think, it is just a title to me. I don't know what makes you feel that I don't feel the same connection with you take I have since you grabbed my hand and placed it on your heart, so I could see you had only one heartbeat. I do care deeply for you, which honestly scares the shit out of me that you would even think for a moment that I don't."He said his eyes fading to their normal soft gray color as he reached up, his finger wiping another tear from her cheek without really even thinking about it before removing his hand.

"I am not sure how many times you see me as simply walking away from you. I honestly do that to people without even thinking about it. If you are talking about before, I needed to gain control again, submission is a form of punishment to my kind, one I had never felt before." He admitted closing his eyes for a moment his pride hurting a bit more at even the subject being brought up again. "If you are talking about something else, tell me I assure you that I have a reason for doing it. Because I would never be able to walk away from your warmth if there no reason for it." He finished moving forward the step she had moved from him as he did.

[ravenhuffle]

It was clear that Avina had truly hurt Devin, but on the same hand she was tired of him walking away from her rather than talking to. It was as if after their first kiss, everything had gone downhill. He looked hurt and betrayed when her pack came up behind her and it seemed like she could do nothing right since then. Even now, Devin glanced between her and Keil as if once again she had done something wrong. Avina looked over at Keil where he sat leaning against the brick building holding his throat. She Wolf demanded his life, but Avina could not bring herself to kill him. She was not one to murder in cold blood.

Devin pulled her attention back to him when he started talking. If he was listening, he would have felt her heart speed up as he confessed his feelings. He was right, even though he was not sure if he could trust her, he still led her to his safe house. He had chosen her. When he mentioned the time she had put his hand over her heart, it made her smile and reach out to his hand to put it on her heart again, her own hand resting on top of his. “There is still only one heartbeat, and it beats for you now.” She whispered as he used his free hand to wipe her tear away. “I’m sorry.”

Her heart skipped a beat and her mouth fell open. It all made sense to her now, the way he walked away with a wild look in his eyes. She had never thought that making him submit would hurt him. It was natural for her to make her wolves to submit to end a fight. “I never meant to hurt you. Making a wolf submit is a way of ending a fight for werewolves, it proves our strength and dominance.”

Devin took a step closer to her, making her tilt her head up to look at him. “What about last night when you walked away because my pack showed up?” She asked softly even as she leaned him to his cold embrace. “You know what, it doesn’t even matter. I hope you know I never meant to hurt you in any way.” She started to lift up onto her toes and tilted her head with the intent to kiss him.

“Avina!!” Jessie’s high pitched call cause Avina to pull away from Devin and cover her ears with a slight growl.

“Avina, you are going to want to see this.” Brice said in a low tone but panic was still evident in his voice. Avina looked up at Devin as she pulled her hands from her ears.

“He is going to make you kill him. You should have listened to me and walked away from this monster.” Keil said as he scrambled into the open back door.

“Get inside.” Avina pushed Devin towards the house as she looked behind her. The sun was starting to peek over the trees but they were will in the shade of the trees, but it was the white and gray speckled wolf with shining red eyes that made her heart skip a beat. “Go! Go! Go!” Avina pushed Devin harder and ran after him to the safety of the house. Avina turned to shut the door behind her but paused for just a moment when she saw that the Marrok had not moved. He was playing with them.

“Avina!” Jessie squealed again. Avina slammed the door shut and ran upstairs to see what had her pack members all distressed. Jessie stood by the window near the door looking at something on the ground. Avina pulled her out of the way and looked at the ground to see bulbs of garlic placed in a peculiar pattern on the ground by the door. “What does that have to do with anything? More importantly, how did he find us? No one knew where we went.” Avina asked in a slight panic.

Brice grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “Breath. It does not matter how he found us Avina, we have to deal with the fact that he has.”

Avina pulled away from his hands and took a steading breath, she was panicking and she needed to pull herself together. “We are sure that the doors will keep his out?” She asked when she opened her eyes to look for Devin.

[Love Dove]

Devin could hear her heartbeat faster though for once such a sound didn't make him hungry. Instead it made him open up more and forget for a moment that Kiel was around them as well. He saw the smile on her face as he brought up when he first felt their connection. A soft smile spread on his lips as Avina took a hold of his hand and placed it on her chest again.

The beat of her heart even with it beating faster due to what he said, was smoothing chancing him to calm despite the feeling of anger and hurt he still felt slightly. Though was anger had never been towards Avina in the first place. It was at himself for being weak and not having the control not to have walk away, at the little weakling trying to steal Avina away from him, and at the fact they were here because he got hungry and drank from her. But not at Avina.

When she told him that her heartbeat was only for him, Devin smiled his other hand going to her face and wiping away tear that ran down her cheek.

Devin sighed slightly looking away a bit, it was a sensitive subject, being dominated. Not just to him but to his race as well. "I know that you didn't know what you were going Avina. I'm not hurt or angry at you. I am angry at myself for letting it happen. It is a way to prove strength and dominance, but not a good one." He said before looking back at her before taking a step closer.

Devin thought a moment when she brought up him walking away last night. Honestly he had forgotten about chasing Rachel, it was not as important as the other things in his mind. "That wasn't as much about your pack..." He started before she cut him off as she leaned against him warming his body with her embrace his arms wrapping around her and stealing what of her warmth he could. "I know lass, I never might to hurt you by walking away." He said leaning down a bit to reach her lips before Jessie's screaming interrupted them.

Devin's eyes looked up in time to see the fact that not only was the sun raising but the white wolf that stood not far from the house watching them. Devin's body tensed eyes turning black as he watched the wolf. He heard Brice's voice but in truth it was faded and blurred over the calm that took over his mind. The only thing that caught his attention was Avian pushing him telling him to go.

Violet stood inside holding the back door open to make sure Devin was still able to come in. She hissed a little at Kiel her eyes black and bloodshot as he ran to the door hearing what was said about Devin. "I guess you are hiding with us monsters then? How funny mutt." She said moving out of the way so he could get inside.

Devin quickly got inside and Violet moved away from the door as Avina came inside. While Avina was looking out of the door Devin's hand took ahold of Violet's arm and she followed him out of the room. "What are we doing? Why are we taking in a new mutt?" She asked as she followed him through the house and down to the hidden cellar.

"We are making sure that they can not get in through here. And that has yet to be talked about." Devin answered handing her a heavy iron sheet before taking another himself quickly the two bolted the sheets to the door some the wolves couldn't get in through.

"You know we could have walked away from this, this wasn't your problem." She said as they headed back upstairs getting a glare from Devin.

"Where is Logan?" He asked changing the subject before Violet caused him to hurt her.

"He said he was going to the safe room?" She said in a confused tone. Devin nodded breathing a sign of relief, the safe room was created by Logan's grandfather to keep anything even other humans out until the person inside came out.

As Violet started up the stairs to join the others Devin stopped in his tracks his eyes darkening as he stood in front of the door. The strong smell of garlic catching his attention. He had been the one to plant garlic at the edge of the woods, but clearly it didn't have the same effect of werewolves as his kind. Something Avina mustn't have thought to tell him.

Panic finally started to hit him, he was supposed to be protecting Avina! Instead of doing that he might have lead the person she was running right them. He had failed, he had failed, the words repeated over and over again in his mind as Violet slowly walked back down the stairs.

"Devin?" She said slowly her voice picking not only the panic from herself but from her elder. Taking a rough hurtful breathe Violet moved to the couch her breathes shallow and wheezy her head in her hands.

[ravenhuffle]

“Better be stuck with the likes of you than out there with him.” Keil said as he pushed his way through the door.

Avina heard the concern and anger in Violets tone, but her eyes remained on the wolf in the clearing until the door was shut. By the time she had turned around, Violet and Devin had gone down stairs and she did not have time to respond. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Keil take a seat on the couch, but she really did not give him the time of day as she moved towards the door to look at what made Jessie scream in a panic. On the ground bulbs of garlic were lined up in an unfamiliar pattern that she could not make sense of. Why would the Marrok bother with creating a symbol in front of the door? His presence was warning enough.

It took her a moment to regain control of herself and the panic that was fighting its way into her system. She did not want to face the Marrok, no one wanted to face the Marrok, and she was positive that he was going to want her to kill Devin. Avina took a deep breath and pushed the panic attack down, this was not the time to deal with it. The sound of Violet’s panicked voice calling out Devin’s name made her turn her head away from the door. She pushed past Brian and ran to the stairs only to see Devin with a look of panic in his eyes. Quickly she made her way down the steps until she was standing in front of him.

“Look at me.” She whispered as she cupped his face in her hands. “We are safe in here. Devin, we are safe. It is okay.” She leaned up and pressed her lips against his in a light kiss.

“Really though, you are not.” Jessie said from where she was standing still facing the door. Brian, who was standing at the top of the stairs turned to look at Jessie. He took a step forward, getting ready to calm her down as well only to see her running a finger over the door leaving a blood trail.

“What are you doing Jessie?” Brian asked in a reserved tone as if he wasn’t sure he really wanted to know. Avina gave Devin a look of confusion then made her way back upstairs to stand beside Brian. Even Keil was standing up and backing away.

“A spell.” Jessie said simply though her voice was off in a way that Avina could not quite put her finger on.

“What spell?” Keil managed to ask in a shaky voice.

“One that shows my true form.” Jessie turned around and smiled at them. “It is time you know who I am.” Behind her the symbol she had drawn in her blood was the same one that the garlics had been placed in.

“Are you working with the Marrok?” Avina asked taking a step forward. How the hell didn’t she know that Jessie was working with the Marrok? A strong and sickly sweet smell pierced her nose making her shake her head.

“That smell, my dearest Avina, is my magic. You will get used to it, I promise.” Jessie said with a sweet smile. “I am so surprised none of you figured out who I am yet. Especially you Avina, I would think you had put the pieces together by now.” Jessie turned back around and put her hand on the symbol only to look back over her shoulder. “Oh, and Devin, do not beat yourself up over the garlic. The Marrok would have found us regardless, he could find me anywhere. But I do have to thank you, you gave me the earth element I needed for this spell.” Jessie turned back to the door and began chanting in a language Avina did not know.

Avina looked over at Devin and grabbed his hand tightly. She had no idea what the hell was going on. Jessie’s head flew back so roughly that Avina though she had broken her neck but then she was engulfed in a bright light that made Avina turn her head away. Shen she looked back, it was no longer Jessie standing at the door rather it was a red-headed woman. The woman that took Jessie’s place turned around as she ran her fingers through her hair as she turned around. “Much better!”

“You are the Marrok’s mate!” Brian said in disbelief.

[Love Dove]

He had failed, he had failed to keep his wife alive, he had failed at having control as a youngling, he had filed to keep away from Avina which could have kept her from having to leave her pack. And now once he had failed, failed to keep the woman he had a connection with after so long safe. He barely heard Violet say his name as she walked down the stairs, he looked over at her from the corner of his eye as she struggled to breathe, yet another thing he had failed at, being a sire. These were the words that played over and over again in his panicked head as the garlic from outside blocked all of his sense of smell to the point he had to stop breathing. I failed, I failed. This was the reason Devin was the reason he was never meant to be a leader. When truly panicked he could only think of himself as foolish, and weak, and a failure even if the problem was not his doing.

He didn’t hear Avina come down the stairs over his own thoughts nor even notice her coming up to him, until she moved to stand between him and the door. His face had been blank and guarded, though of course she had been about to see the panic in his eyes through the mask. He started to flinch away slightly as she lifted her arms, only to stop himself, so she could cup his face in her hands.

Right they were safe in here, they were safe. There was iron on the doors to keep the wolves out. There was ash at the windows, and under the carpet, on the step to keep vampires out. The eyes craved above the doors and windows would keep hags or witches from forcing their way in. And Logan was locked away safe. They were safe! He let his eyes close taking a deep breath before returning the kiss which Avina was placing on his lips. Violet stopping her painful breathing behind him, as he opened his eyes to once more looking at Avina his eyes no longer black but staying a dark gray. Devin was actually starting to calm down and think straight again before Jessie spoke from upstairs.

At first he didn't move from where he stood by the door to go upstairs, it wasn't until he heard the word spell his eyes darkened. Moving to the bottom of the stairs he let out a loud hiss which reached the top at the time he did standing next to Avina. He had missed the smell of blood until he moved away from the door. Now he could see it and smell it, not that he knew the symbol was outside made with garlic.

When Avina took a step forward as the smell of her magic hit him, it was almost as sickly sweet as the other vampires smelt to him only ten times stronger. His hand reached out to take ahold of Avina’s arm pulling her back towards him as Jessie spoke of her magic. “Be careful Avina.” He said darkly his black eyes not leaving Jessie, or whoever was standing in front of them. Did these wolves not know anything?! No Avina seemed almost as confused as the others were, did they not know about hags? He had thought werewolves were around before the witches made vampires, why it the world would they not know about witches?

Jessie saying his name made Devin look back over at the witch frowning. That hadn’t been the reason he had planted the garlic to help her, and her thanks didn’t make him feel any better! Instead it made him feel worse. “Shut up, hag. That was not my intent.” He hissed at her angrily, for the first time there was a woman in front of him that he would have be willing to kill. As Avina grabbed his hand he looked back down at her frowning, a clearly angry look still on his face. How could she not know what was going on? She was older than him. His hand returned the grip of hers before pulling her behind him. He knew a lot about witches, he hated them, but knew a lot about them and the farther he could get Avina from her the better. His eyes ran over the red head now in front of them for a moment, before she turned around. Devin looked over at Brice as he talked about the woman being the Marrok’s mate, a look of confusion flashed on his face, why would a witch being mating with wolves. “How the hell did you get in my home filthy hag?! The eyes should have kept you and your witchcraft out.”