No Place Like Home

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Nix had to jump to see the top of the cabinets and its contents, and she was getting really, really annoyed with doing so. Sevanni be damned, she had to have a way to see what the hell this kitchen held for her to eat. There had to be SOMETHING in here that didn't require culinary skills higher than a ten year olds.... So, she turned to the table and pulled out one of the chairs, picking it up and setting it down in front of the counter. She climbed up onto the chair and began rummaging. Sevanni had gotten food, but a lot of it she couldn't cook. She snarled slightly. She would have to ask Sevanni if he would let her go out to the store and get some food that was within her capabilities to fix.

After a few minutes of rummaging, she found the one food that was every cooking-challenged persons dream come true: Ramen. "Hell yeah. The vampire actually got something good!" She pulled out a packet of chicken ramen and jumped down off the chair, taking it and putting it right back where it belonged, a kind of childish smile on her face. He had told her not to sit in the chairs improperly... He said nothing about standing in them. And well, she didn't see a damn stepping ladder anywhere, so she used the chair. She could have climbed up on the counters and looked that way, but she was too afraid that Sevanni would sneak up on her and cause her to fall.

She grabbed a small pot and filled it with water before putting it on the stove to boil. While she was waiting on the water to get hot, she leaned against the counter and looked out the kitchen window at the grounds surrounding them. There was lots of open space, plenty of room for her to run... Perhaps after she ate something she would go out for a run, slip into the mind of her wolf and just let go... Perhaps that would ease the ache in her chest, if she could just let go of all emotions for awhile. She was doing a damn good job keeping control of her emotions since she had shown up... Which, admittedly, wasn't that long ago. She hadn't broken down about leaving the pack--again--and more importantly Damien behind in Paris. If she were to see any of them, they would have to come to her. That was all there was to it. Sure, she could leave as she chose, but she had to be back at least every day or night... She couldn't be gone for several days, and that would be what was required to go to Paris and see those she cared about... And now here she was, back in New York... The place she had run from so many years ago... The place where she had met Tarus... This state held far too many memories for her, and she had to close that door... Memory lane was not open today. She couldn't afford to break down, especially not now... Maybe when she went to sleep, long after the sun had come up and she was positive that Sevanni wouldn't disturb her... She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her break down, however. She wouldn't.

She heard a sizzle and whirled around, cussing lowly as she quickly turned down the heat on the eye, since the water was bubbling over. She opened the packet and dumped the noodles into the boiling water, taking the flavoring packet and setting it off to the side. She went looking for a bowl and a fork. She began idly stirring the noodles, and when five minutes was up, poured out most of the water, dumped the seasoning into the pot, and stirred it around. Smiling as she caught the scent of the wonderful ramen, she poured it into the bowl, cleaned the pot, and walked over to the table, sitting down Indian style in the chair. She wrapped a large amount of ramen onto the fork and began eating, slurping the noodles.

As she ate, a lot of things ran through her head. As much as she tried to shove the thoughts aside, she couldn't, and so reluctantly, she began to process them. When Sevanni had her pinned against the desk, why hadn't she fought back? She could have, she didn't need her arms to fight back... And there had been nothing to keep her from shifting and taking a chunk out of him... Though she doubted that the fact that she was pregnant would have stopped him from giving her one hellacious beating... Through, so long as he went no where near her stomach... The child could survive, couldn't it? She wasn't sure she wanted to take that chance... But if he were to do it again... Would she be able to stop herself from lashing out? She honestly couldn't answer that question... And her heart hadn't been pounding in her ears just from fear... There had been adrenaline there, excitement. She groaned, closing her eyes. Was she as attracted to the fear of their little dance as Sevanni had said? Was she that enthralled by danger? She tried to deny it to herself... But even to herself it didn't sound convincing... And wasn't it easier to fool yourself into believing something than it was to fool someone else? If she couldn't even make herself believe it... How was she going to convince Sevanni? What if he actually tried something again... And he caught a flash of excitement? She didn't even want to think about that right now.

It was much easier being a wolf... She could handle being a wolf, there were no emotions, no problems... Just animals instinct. Everything was much simpler. Yes, a run was exactly what she needed today. Something to get her mind off of all this. Something that she could use as a buffer. She hadn't even known that bit of information about herself, her fascination and attraction to danger, until Sevanni had pointed it out... The truth had hit her in the face like a slap, and it stung. What was wrong with her? Why would any sane person be so completely enthralled with the danger that Sevanni seemed to wear like a second skin? It was like playing with fire... If you messed with Sevanni, you were going to get burned... And she had not only been burned, but caught up in the whole damn inferno... And here she was, running back into the flames again... Then again, she wasn't completely sane, was she? She had never really been, not since the night of her sixteenth birthday.... And the last two years had been chipping away at the sanity that she had worked so hard to build... Perhaps that was what was wrong with her... Would her child be like her? Oh god... She hoped not. Maybe she could talk Sevanni into allowing her to send the child back to her father and godmother... This wouldn't be a place to raise a child anyway... But would he let her? And, a even better question... Could she do it? The one thing she had always wanted was a child... And she had a feeling that this one was going to be her one and only... Could she give her child over to the father and her best friend? She couldn't honestly answer that question right now, either.

When she looked back down into her bowl, she was shocked to see that it was empty... She had been eating while thinking, and there for hadn't even noticed it... Sometimes, she could get so deep into thought that she would do things automatically, but she wasn't paying any attention at all to her surroundings. Kat and scolded her so many times she couldn't even begin to remember the amount about doing things like that, especially when she was out at night, away from the pack. Had told her that it would be nothing for a vampire to come up on her and get the easy advantage over her. But had that been what Nix was trying to do all along? She had thrown herself into so many unnecessary fights... Had killed so many vampires... And they hadn't' even approached her. She sought them out. She would go alone, and mostly unarmed. Sometimes she was lucky if she had so much as a lighter on her. Had she been looking for that thrill? That danger that she had found embodied in Sevanni Black? The thought made her sick with herself.

She washed her bowl and fork before going back up to her room. She left the door open, since she couldn't' very well open the door without thumbs. And because she wasn't sure how Sevanni would react to her shifting in his house and walking through it, she would be as quiet as possible. The last thing she needed was for him to bellow at her for 'shedding' in his house... When she knew damn good and well that she didn't shed.

So, she pulled off the clothes that she had just changed into and shifted into a wolf after laying the clothes on the bed neatly. She stretched out, muscles rippling under her solid white fur before she padded out as silently as she could. The only noise she made was her claws clicking on the hard wood floor. She had left one of the downstairs windows open on purpose, so that she could slip in and out through there. She glanced at Sevanni's drawing room door, her ears tilted toward it to listen if Sevanni was coming out. She didn't hear anything, though that really meant nothing, but she continued to the window anyway, slowly climbing out the window, making sure not to knock anything over.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

The smell in the air shifted to what appeared to be some items that one would wash their hair with or clean their body. It hit him later on after he heard feet moving down the hall past the door to the drawing room. A smirk mused his thinking and another page was turned by a single digit. Making the slip sound of paper moving from one side to the other. The paper slightly thicker than normal, typed words with side scratches of handwriting. It was a crime in his eyes to have such things written on. He loved his books almost as much as he loved his heads.

So the weremutt was hungry? He should have made it a point to at least have something made for her. Maybe order something from someone who was willing to deliver so far out. The scent of chicken, or some sort of chicken like substance filled the air soon after another page turn. A small grunt filled his throat before he finally slapped the book on his desk and picked up the phone.

Fingers dialed a couple numbers rather quickly, only to get Hyde on the other line. "Did you find anything?" He spoke to him with curiosity. He had sent Hyde out after he and Ali made contact in the city. Hyde was suppose to be looking for someone at that time, but the plan had changed since then and now his concern was finding the little vampire bitch and getting her. She was on his list, but not the next one to die.

"Her time isn't up yet. When you find her, keep her in your sights. Don't kill her, and don't let her know your watching her." He could hear Hyde on the other line filled with slight disappointment. Rose was one of Hyde's little catch of the day, which turned into weeks, months and years. If he couldn't catch one little vampire, what else couldn't he do?

Then again, Rose was a sneaky bitch. Especially with Hyde.

The phone was hung up after the lack of goodbye's, Sevanni spinning out of his chair to stand and put the book back in it's place. He could catch up on it once he had his hand on the other reply. Not all things were in one simple book. You had to know which book to look into, and which book it connected to. It seemed hard, but he had a system.

Hands moved to the hem of the sweater he bore on his upper body, lifting it over his head to just have a white t-shirt lay claim to himself. It was rather warm, and since he didn't quite have a thirst for warmth, the cold would settle in just lovely.

Letting the sweater rest on a nearby chair. Cracking his knuckles with gathered hands. Tipping his head side to side and cracking it before his back blades rounded into a semi-circle and cracked some things that were tight back there. Once he was loose, he could feel himself lose the slight tension he had held all that time.

By the door was a light switch, and just as he was about to turn it off he head padding down the hall. His eyes closed. Lids covering brown orbs that turned to a fading gray. Listening. Waiting. It was the scent of dog and he didn't like it. Not one damn bit. That's what made those lids flash open and his hand to move over the doorknob after the shadow paws hit the door. He took in a breath once the shadow moved away, turning the light off with his left hand while opening the door with the other. Peeking his head out right to left, to see the back end of a wolf exit the window.

Without thought he moved out, closing the door behind him. Moving toward the window just in time to see Nixie take off. He knew she would return, so there was no fear there.

He had seen the shifting of a weremutt before, which made him curious as to why she had done so within the domicile instead of outside. Maybe he would buy her a leash and take her for a walk while she wore a collar with her name inscribed. He chortled to himself more than anything at the thought.

The kitchen was nearby and he went inside, at least she was clean and tidied up some. To the fridge he made his way, opening the door and reaching in to the crisper box. Pulling it out all the way to reveal a little compartment. Opening the secret door and pulling out a small thick plastic bag and setting it on the island. A glass was pulled a moment later after closing the door and putting back the crisper, the tube placed in between teeth before filling the glass with the thick dark red substance. It seemed black if one didn't look so closely to see the red. Swirls inside of it like a whirly bloody ocean. If only he could swim in it.

The fridge door had provided some light, as did the light of the moon shining through the window, and before he made his way out into the back of the house, Sevanni had locked the doors and windows. Closing them up so she would only be able to pass him before gaining entry into the house. He could make her feel a little shame before heading back in. If she was smart she would have taken her clothes with her.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Nix shoved off with her back paws and took off at a run for the woods, moving as fast as she could. She was small, even in wolf form, but that was okay. That made her faster than most other wolves. One minute she would be standing still, and the next minute you couldn't see anything other than a fluffy white ball of fur. She loved running, both in human form and her wolf form... But she felt more free in her wolf form... Even when she had been forced to wear Sevanni's collar, the weight of it always there with her, when she had shifted, it was like it wasn't there.

She slipped deeper into the mind of her wolf, giving the animal more control the further she got away from the house, and the deeper into the woods she got. She opened her senses to catch everything around her, even the smallest of details. It was starting to get warm, and the animals were having their young. Two baby squirrels were playing on a tree limb just below her reach, and she could hear the anger mother as she got too close to their home. She wasn't in the mood to hunt though, death was not something that she wanted to deal with right now. So instead, she just ran.

A rabbit caught her attention and she shifted postion, her claws digging into the dirt to help her remain upright as she made the abrupt change in positions, giving chase to the rabbit. She barked out a laugh as the rabbit began running in zigzags, trying to be rid of her, or trip her up. She kept her pace steady so that she was always just behind the rabbit, not quite close enough to close her jaws on it, but too close for the fluffy brown bunnie's comfort. The rabbit then disappeared into its burrow. She spent a second digging, but then quickly lost interrest.

She didn't know how long she was gone for, and didn't care. She hadn't been paying attention to anything other than running, losing herself in the woods around her and her instincts. She didn't want to think like a human for awhile, she wanted to just have the simplicity of the wolf. The moon was much higher than it had been when she left, and her legs were shaking slightly as she trotted back to the house. She was panting hard and her tongue hung out for a moment as she tried to catch some air, her sides expanding as her lungs filled with air. One of the good things about being a lycan, is that when you shifted back into human form, all the dirt is no longer there, nor the sweat. Sure, the fatigue is still there, but nothing else. Unless of course, the lycan was injured... In which case it would be there no matter what form they took.

As she padded up to the window that she had jumped out of, she noticed that it was closed and locked... She huffed, sitting on her back haunches, knowing damn good and well why the window was closed. Sevanni must have caught her scent, and either recognized it as her wolf scent, or had seen her jumping out the window... Either way, it didn't matter. He had seen her, and that was all there was to it. She padded around the house, looking for an entrance. She was NOT going to shift into human form out here, and be naked until she could get inside. Absolutely was not.

She didn't find any, so she resigned herself to going to the back door. When she turned the corner, she saw Sevanni in the back, apparently waiting on her. She stopped a few feet from him and sat down, barking at him quietly. She wanted in, and she made that much obvious. She looked from him to the door, wagging her tail once and whining quietly, asking him to open the door.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

Sevanni had taken refuge in one of the seats by the garden table. Letting the stem of the glass be held between thumb and index finger. The temperature of his body was different than that of the glass. Changing it would surely have ruined his divulgeance in it. Letting the thickness of it settle over his tongue and swish in his mouth like a glass of fine wine. Whoever said blood was thicker than water had it right.

There was a sliver of blood left. He remembered looking down on some naughty kitten a while back because she had done the same thing. While he stayed in exile, it was something he had to take a custom to. Because he hadn't fed for quite some time, and didn't want to hurt Nixie the way he had wished, the glass would do for now. Until he had someone to feed from. It would do.

There was scruffing across the lawn and when he turned his head he could see her make her way over. All the windows and doors locked? Can't get in? He hid the smile inside of him that seemed so close to the surface.

She took a seat in front of him, casually he sat there as if he hadn't a clue what was wrong. Finally he had pushed the glass aside over the glass top. The glass to glass making a slight tinkering sound before he leaned in with forearms on his thighs. Looking at her as if he were her master and she the dog.

"What's the matter? Can't get in the house?" A noise to be made and he could shake his head side to side and chortle. "Is that what you want? Because to be honest with you Nixie......I don't understand barks and squeels." He was a damn asshole for it, but it was the way it was.

"Now.....Unless animal's have leaned how to talk, I don't think I'll be able to help you. You see, it's such a beautiful night out, and I only just sat down but a few moments ago." Sarcasm. Truth, but still sarcasm and he knew she would bubble inside. the question was. How could she shift and be pregnant? Mutts were so confusing at times. He would have to revisit his little scientist before her child was born. Now the question posed in his head made him want to go sooner.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

The first thing that he did to piss her off was look at her like she was nothing more than a common dog. The next thing was him acting like he didn't know damn good and well what she wanted. Even a blind idiot could figure that out... And Sevanni wasn't blind. The idiot part, however... That was debatable.

She snarled, the fur on the back of her neck bristling slightly, her muzzle scrunching slightly as she bared her teeth at him. She knew what he was doing. He wouldn't get up and let her in until she shifted, he was making that very clear. Her golden eyes watched him silently as she thought about her options. She could sit here until daylight, or she could just get it over with and shift.

She huffed, sitting back even further, digging her claws into the dirt in annoyance. She didn't feel like sitting out here for the rest of the night. Damnit, she was tired and she wanted her bed. She wanted to test it out and see how comfy it was... Not to mention, she wanted a place that she could freely break down... Though not until the sun rose. She wouldn't' show a hint of the emotion she was feeling about having to leave everything Paris held for her.

With a final huff, she began shifting back to her human form. Within less than a minute, she went from a fluffy white wolf to her human self, although completely naked. She hadn't brought her clothes with her because she hadn't thought she needed them, since she would be able to just jump right back in the window and head back up to her room... She hadn't' been expecting Sevanni to lock her out! Her eyes were the last to change, shifting from gold to moss green as she pulled her legs up to her chest, glaring at him slightly as her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Happy? I'm too damn tired to play stubborn, I just spent the last couple of hours running my ass off. Now, can I get at least a towel or something? Or should I walk around bare-ass?" It wasn't that she wasn't' used to being naked around people, hell, she'd been stark naked in front of the pack plenty of times at the end of a full moon when they were forced to shift... But she just didn't want to walk around naked in front of him. Especially after what had happened earlier on.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

It was just a kick. Sevanni liked knowing that sometime she would have to submit to the normalcy of things. He didn't own her, therefor he didn't own a dog and should not have to succumb to actually communicating with one. If he wanted to run a kennel, he would have bought a license.

His head had turned when he realized that part of her was changing. Eyes averting toward the base of the glass he had previously been sipping on. Hearing certain things that he shouldn't have heard but had because he was simply nearby.

There was the color of her flesh visible to his perphrial vision, thought he had seen nothing that was god given. At least he could give her the slight comfort of being kept secret. Besides, he wasn't a pervert. If he had wanted to see Nixie naked, he would have made that happen in the drawing room, or when he had owned her right out. That just wasn't his style.

"Happy? I'm too damn tired to play stubborn, I just spent the last couple of hours running my ass off. Now, can I get at least a towel or something? Or should I walk around bare-ass?" The thought was worth thinking about some more, but no, he had to be a man about things. Nix had never seen Sevanni's generous side. Or even the side that was less severe from when he had been around her.

He didn't come back to play the villain or be Mr. Nice guy. He was biding his time before his actual departure. Apparently he needed permission to die, and he wasn't quite fond of that idea. Leave it to the higher power, and your screwed.

With her words came a slight huff. A soft expulsion of air before he sat forward, lifting his shirt off and tossing it to her before standing up and taking the glass in his hand. Oh how corny it was, but he wasn't the one naked, and she wasn't putting her jiblets anywhere near his kitchen towel's.

His feet led him in front of the door, sliding it open so he could re-enter the kitchen and take responsibility for his dirty glass. "Wipe your feet before you come in hmmmm?" He said with slight mockery. He was going to say paws but decided against it. The night was growing too funny for words and later he would probably catch himself smile at certain moments.

The soap rinsed freely from the glass and he sat it on a drying towel. It was better than putting them in disgusting strainers that always became filled with muck. He used the flat cast metal racks and for his delicate ware, he would place them on a towel, and dry them spotless with another. Just something he had learned from the help around him since his childhood. It past through with the times, and if it worked, it worked.

After drying the glass, he hung it on it's little perch, not being able to chuckle a bit. If Nixie slammed one more fucking door he was going to put it on the list of things to do to her. Slam her into a door. Soon to be checked.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

She was glad that he turned his head, because during the change she hadn't been able to cover anything. She had been asked several times by people who weren't lycans, both vampire and human, how they didn't go through extreme amounts of pain during the shift. She could see how they would think that it was painful... And yes, while the first time it would be... After that, it didn't hurt at all.. It was just as natural as changing clothes. She didn't know about the hows or whys... She just knew that it didn't.

She took his shirt gratefully, slipping it on without showing anything as she stood up, following him toward the door. She hadn't really expected him to give her so much as a tea towel, none the less his own shirt... He would probably burn it later though, having had a mutt inside it. She sniffed slightly, wrinkling her nose at the odd scent of vampire and lycan mixing together. She had never really noticed the mixing scents with Tarus... But she did now. It wasn't bad, exactly... Just different.

Wipe your feet before you come in hmmmm? Nix bristled slightly, but kept her mouth shut as she walked into the house, keeping a good distance away from him. She closed the door behind her after making it quite obvious that she had wiped her feet, and was not happy about the remark.

She slipped past him and quickly went up to her room again to put on some of her clothes. She sighed contently as she settled her long sleeved black shirt over her skin, fiddling with the sleeves for a minute so that the lacy part covered her hands, putting on her holey jeans as well. She ran her fingers through her hair which had become slightly wavy since she had washed it before putting on her black and gray stripped socks, and walking back downstairs to get something to drink.

She saw he was still in the kitchen, and she began rummaging in the fridge for something to drink. She settled for a bottle of water, having absolutely no Dr. Pepper in there. She leaned against the counter and took a long drink before looking over at Sevanni. "I'll need to go to the store. You have absolutely nothing here that's within my capabilities to cook other than Ramen." She was still bristled about him forcing her to change, deliberately locking her out of the house to make her concede at least that much.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

"I'll need to go to the store. You have absolutely nothing here that's within my capabilities to cook other than Ramen." Stated after moments of rummaging and grabbing herself a drink. He didn't care what she did, so long as she wasn't completely trying to ruffle his feathers.

If a woman was too stressed in her first trimester, it meant that they could lose that child, and he wasn't sure if he should push that limit or not. Best keep hold of the deal in all aspects. No harm, no foul.

Ramen? What the hell was Ramen and why was it in his house? No. Sevanni knew what Ramen was. He had an exquisite pallette for taste and smells. Ramen was one of those things that people had because they knew their food supply would eventually run low before they got their next check, or one of those come home late quick eat meals in less than five minutes.

Sevanni knew people. He knew important people in the world that others would only dream about. Hence the complimentary apartment in Trump Towers, and how his taste in the house suited his needs, a couple more not to be named.

"Can't cook Nixie?" He said quite seriously. There was no harshness or sarcasm in his voice. Just a question. He had finished wiping the counter free from spots of water that might have managed to wander in various places before tossing it into a small receptacle made specifically for linens.

He turned as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small little stack with a money clip attached to it. A small card was lifted and he handed it to her. It was all black, and shiny, but it had his Initials dead center. SV with the V overlapping the S. The back had the normal swipe sensor and all she needed to do was swipe it and that was all. No signature, no password. A single swipe. At least he could account for his fundings this way and pass it on to his accountant in Germany. A small feeble man who worked from home. One of those people who never left the house but lived richly. Shut ins. That's what mortals called them.

"I'll need the receipt for my books. Get whatever you need." He said rather tiredly but as a matter of factly. "There is a key for you on the front hall table. My room is off limits during the day." The sun would rise soon and Sevanni would have to leave the rest of the house as there were no barring security over the doors or windows yet. He would have to make a call before retiring. More than anything, he was surely going to leave the kitchen and take a nice hot scalding shower and watch some re-runs.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Can't cook Nixie? He asked, and she was surprised at what she didn't hear. There was no taunting, no sneer, nothing. Just a simply question asked out of curiosity... She smiled, shaking her head and her blond hair fell loosely over her shoulders. "Caleb, my pack brother, once told me that anything I cooked wouldn't even be fit to feed to wild animals... Said it would be considered animal cruelty and he didn't want to go to jail." She said, laughing once. "Every time Kat caught me in the kitchen cooking anything more difficult than a hamburger, she would boot me out, throw away whatever it was I was cooking, and cook whatever I wanted. Just so that I wouldn't be in the kitchen." She rolled her eyes slightly, thinking that the rest of them were over exaggerating... Though in truth, they weren't. She was a horrible cook, and if anything she cooked was consumed by a living thing... That living thing would have a stomach ache from hell within thirty minutes. She couldn't even stomach her own cooking.

She stared at the card he had given her, cocking a eyebrow at him. That was it? No questions, no demands? Nothing? She was having a hard time connecting the fact that this Sevanni was the same Sevanni who had made her life hell for so damn long. Sure, he had been a bit of a asshole a few times... But that was nothing compared to what he usually was like... At least with her. He hadn't hurt her in any sort of way, other than mentally, and that was really because of herself. Finding out that she was as excited by danger hadn't set well with her.

"Alright." She said, acknowledging that she had heard what he said as she pulled her wallet out of her pocket and slid the credit card into it. She wouldn't spend his money on useless things, like a lot of people would... She couldn't stand girls who as soon as they got a credit card in their hand and free reign, would just spend as much as they pleased. No, she would get what she needed and only what she needed. She and Sevanni may not like each other very much, but she had enough respect to not blow his money. "Thanks..." She said, taking another drink of her water.

She stifled a yawn, rubbing her temples gently, her long blond hair falling to cover her face from view. "Wouldn't happen to have any aspirin, huh?" For a second, her voice showed exactly how mentally beaten down she felt at the moment. She was too tired to keep up her defenses more than was strictly necessary, and all she wanted to do was just lay down in her bed and try to sleep. She didn't want to think about what had happened tonight, what she had realized... She just wanted to be numb... Maybe she would take a quick trip out and buy liquor... Lots and lots of liquor. She sighed silently, if only she could. But no, she was pregnant. She knew some women still drank when they were pregnant, but she wouldn't. She had quit smoking as well, once she had found out... But still... Liquor would be nice right now. Just drink herself into a stupor and then fall asleep... Oh well. Once Sevanni went off to do... Whatever it was that he did before the sun came up, she would call a taxi service and have them take her to the store... Since she had no car, she would have to take a cab everywhere.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

He could have stopped her from talking but he understood that when you missed the ones you loved, you tended to talk about them in front of those who were not them because you missed them. There were so many words he could have said in the like about those he missed, but he kept his mouth closed about such things. Ears would hear and run and tell others. Or they would know you spoke because of the mention of their name. He didn't even tell Hyde so much as a word. They never spoke about it, and probably never would.

So he let her go on about it with disinterest, the mention of Caleb had brought him into a world of laughter. How high and mighty he tried to seem. Like a leader that had no place in that ruined mall. Sevanni would have liked to get his hands on him. Strangle him some and bring his breaths to a halt.

"Wouldn't happen to have any aspirin, huh?" She asked after he had smirked to her thank you. He let out a breath before a single syllable left those lips. "Through there on the left, there is a small room with supplies." Which was rather vague. Actually there was a room, but it was a room within a room that filled the gap beneath the stairs and the other side of the living room. There was a half bath with a door that led into a room filled with all sorts of medical supplies. If he had to retreat he could at least grab some of the important stuff.

If the house was burned it would have probably been the only room standing. Which made it perfect for stowing away if that happened and the sun was out. "Asprin is bad for you. Try something in the cabinet marked H." Which was partly true. With humans', they tended to consume more Asprin than they should have. Growing accustom to other sorts of relievers. With him it was the Asprin mixture in their blood that made him not enjoy a good meal. And since she was pregnant, that was not a good thing to tamper with.

So in the cabinet he held safe natural capsules that she could take. See. If he had wanted to harm her baby, he would have let her take the Asprin. He was more concerned with her blood. "Since your with child, it would be best to try something different." He began after raising a pointing finger to follow him. Walking down the hall, opening the door only to walk through the half bath and into the room he indicated. The only button inside had been a panic button. Once inside, there was no one coming in.

He turned on the light. Flicking the switch and moving over to his right to the cabinet marked H. Opening it and deciding what would be best. "Yes...that will do." The prized physician choosing a small white bottle with a green label across it. Small words read Asyprole. Taking it in his hand and opening the cap. He took out one, passing it to her. "It's organic. It will relieve any pain your having, and still be safe for that." He motioned to her stomach, still unhappy with the entire situation.

Capping the bottle back up and passing it to her. "I have more. You can use this if you'd like." Or she could read the ingredients for lack of trust. And why would she trust him? He was a vampire wasn't he? No. She could trust him because he always kept his word. He didn't go whispering in the shadows of the light, and he sure as hell didn't lie and not keep his word. But he could test someone in the unknown to find out just how sneaky they were. Sevanni wasn't dumb, and neither was she.

---

Note: (The name of the medicine is completely off my head. If it is an actual name of medicine, it is coincidental.)

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Asprin is bad for you. Try something in the cabinet marked H. Nix had to keep from snarling, settling for an annoyed huff instead. No alcohol, and no asprin... No fucking wonder Katra walked around glaring at everybody ever since she got pregnant... Kat did say that she would regret telling her that she looked like a penguin... And now, Nix would look like one too. Since your with child, it would be best to try something different. She looked up from her hand just in time to see him move a finger at her, telling her to follow, before walking in the direction of the room he had just been talking about.

It's organic. It will relieve any pain your having, and still be safe for that. She quirked an eyebrow at him as he motioned to her stomach, but there wasn't really anything she could say... What would she say? She didn't know what the baby was, so she couldn't bitch at Sevanni calling her child such things as 'that' or 'it'. So, she kept her mouth shut and took the pill he was handing her. She stared at it, raking her free hand through her long blond hair. She knew that Sevanni kept his word, and he had promised not to hurt the baby... But instincts demanded that she didn't trust him with this. She may have been seeing a different side of Sevanni lately, and she would have to look deeper into that later, find out where that part had come from... But she couldn't stop her intitial reaction to not trust anyone when it came to pills... But especially Sevanni.

She took the pill bottle that he handed her, pocketing it. "Thanks." She said, poping the pill into her mouth and appearing to dry swallow. She had just placed it under her tongue, however, planning to read the bottle when she was away from Sevanni. If it had been just her she was worried about, she would have no problems taking the pill... But then again, she wasn't worried about what happened to her. She was worried about the health of her baby, however. She knew how to hide pills in her mouth, when she was younger, her parents would make her take depression pills. She didn't like them, so she had just gotten very good at appearing to have swallowed a pill. Even if she had to lift her tongue, no one would see it.

She turned around and walked back into the kitchen, looking for a phone book. Once she found one, along with the taxi number, she pulled out her new cellphone and called them, telling them where she was and where she needed to go. She rolled her eyes at the price, which was completely outrageous... But oh well, she wasn't paying for it, and since she didn't have her vehicle here, it was her only choice in the matter. She wondered briefly if Sevanni would allow her to open up a tattoo studio in New York for her to work at during the day... It would give her something to do and her own money coming in. She would ask him about that later.

Phoenix had gotten her new phone before she left Paris... she knew that if she kept that same phone, with the same phone number, that she would have to listen to messages from Kat and Damien... and she didnt' want to face those right now. She still had her old one activated, so she could call her voicemail later and listen... Her own personal torture. Sevanni could beat her body... But she was the one who was going to brutally beat her heart.

She grabbed the key from where Sevanni said it would be and pocketed it. Her own personal form of torture would have to wait. She still had to go to the store and get something that she could cook without killing herself or anyone else who dared try to eat it. So, she would put it on hold until she was back here, curled up in her bed, and with Sevanni in his little hidey-hole that he had to go into during the day. She didn't know where that place was, and she had no desire to know. All she had to do now was wait on that damn cabby. Stupid, slow cab driver. What the hell was he doing?! If it was Caleb... Caleb won't be coming for you anymore, so just stop thinking about it. Twice they came for you, twice you escaped... And now you're back again. No more. She chastised herself, not wanting to think about any of them right now.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

It was only right for Nix to be wary of his intentions. After all, he had been the one to try and take her down on numerous occasions. What she failed to realize was that Sevanni was a man of his word. In every sense of it, he didn't lie, and he always held his end of a bargain. Sure he was slick and would leave loopholes in his process so he would still have the upper hand. Everyone knew this. Well; those that knew him well enough. Nixie had been no different. She was his number one target for quite some time, even above James at some point in time, until now.

Ahhh, to think of James on such a night. He could go after James himself after tracking him down. He was a bold kid, but so easily he could be taken down. Sevanni just needed to find that right time to take him by storm, and it most certainly wouldn't be an underhanded task.

A nod was given to her thanks and of course she would head out. There was no reason why she couldn't have taken his car, but if she wanted to be as far away from him and the things he held, there was no sense on trapping her like that. She would come to realize that he truly did have her best interest at heart. Which was why he was about to make that very important call.

The door to his room he had locked, and he moved over to the nightstand to pick up his phone. Resting his ass on the edge of the bed and dialed in a coded number. There was a voice on the other line and since Nixie was no longer in the house, he could freely talk about it.

"I'll need you to let Tarus go." The man sounded confused. "Huh? Let him go?" Sevanni sneered. Did he not understand what the fuck he had just said? "Yes...let...him...go..." The man on the other end sighed. "Yes Mr. Black." Of course Sevanni had prevented him from hanging up. "Make sure he get's cleaned up nice, and he's given new clothes. I want him to look his best. Then I want him brought to New York and have him delivered her at sundown tomorrow."

The actions would have to be made soon because the sun would rise and then set and there was nothing that could stop that from happening. At least he had all his fingers in tact. The ring however, well, if Nixie still had it, then that wouldn't be a problem to mull over.

There was a click, the phone moved back to it's place. Shaden would be in New York soon and he would have to make his plans to go to the club a bit sooner than he had hoped.

For now the drapes were shut, the door locked. The very thought of their little reunion made him excited, and then Nixie would get what she wanted all along, whilst Sevanni got what he wanted.

There would be changes. Oh so many wonderful changes, and the best was yet to come.

For now he would wait the day out in rest. Have no worry of anything coming to mess him up. Destroy him. If the sun hit him again, he wondered what would happen this time. Damn the demons and gods for keeping him here. They too would pay.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

Sunrise piqued around this season at about five-thirty. The north was so different from the south where the sun rose a little after six-fifteen. The sun set around seven-forty-five, it was already seven on the dot. There were no windows to widen his horizon on this morning, Emiste was already prowling about downstairs with her weapons and toys of various interests. He was so happy his Emiste was back, but happy that he had his Nixie and his round of blood dolls. Ixi would have to stay eventually if he so chose to take her in as one of them.

Emiste would be apart of him. That was for certain. Nixie, it was without a doubt she was going to have to change. Rid her of the fowlness that was her mutt side. If ever a prize to be had, Nixie was it. Something that could have been designed by the egg master himself and be kept sacred at the Franklin Mint. No. She belonged to him through and through because he willed it. Yearned for it. Ached for Nixie to be apart of his hold. Now, it was something more.

Many would believe it was so soon for Sevanni to be around the ones he is around simply because of his whole loss for everything he had once had. Not that it was far different, oh no. He could survive well beyond his means. Family money wasn't a big issue. Ezra had tore through most of his before his change into....well...what he was.

Jeremiah held more than anyone because of their mother. It was a simple line of succession passed down through blood lines as so long as they lived. Sevanni.....Sevanni had the tri-pod watching out for him. They always had. (See reveal thread for more info)

They had delivered to him the location of his beloved Emi. Then, with something given back to them, Nixie. A single piece of parchment that was scribbled out a location. Word was given, and here in his house she was. Prowling about. Having to withstand the life that was his. Not that anyone should feel so unlucky. Hell, he was a powerful man. Sexy in his way to many of the women he met, even as old as he was, he could gather up anyone without so much as a glamour. He had money, homes and cars, a dead heart of course, but that didn't mean the man without breath couldn't love. He had before, and he would do it again. But...that was the thing of it.....With who and why, and....would it last? Would they allow him to have love?

They had taken him away from his most recent. The one before that, and of course Sindel was by her own action. But the Tri-pod, they owned him because he was apart of them. One of the first. The child in their eyes that they felt the need to corrupt his life to suit their own.

They saw him grow weak with her. His last. Giving his all into her rather than focus on the mission at hand. It sickened them to no avail, but alas, here he was in yet another home, with two females under his roof.

One of course was always roaming the streets, her little blond locks aching to be pulled. Another, the saucy red head that he desperately yearned to have with him in the house. That time would come soon enough, but today, tonight....tonight was a good night, he could feel it already. The rise in the air that put him at ease while staying on alert. The tension that sparked outside of that door.

His eyes laid shut, hearing the twitter of sprinkling rain, it was starting. Sad really. He always heard the rain and thought. Not about anything in particular, but he thought. About life, randomness and of course, Damian. As much as he despised him, he missed him all the same.

The burgundy sheets were so finely spread underneath him with only his body to cause a few wrinkles. The comforter was rolled to the bottom in such a perfect form. Pillows, perfectly fluffed as he laid there in dark gray boxers with white and lighter gray designs. He kept a white t-shirt on. Had plenty of those in stock, and of course, no socks to hide skin of bare feet. It was comfortable time after all. Even if the house were to burn, he wouldn't care. He was comfortable. For now....

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

She didn't like being put on a time schedule. Oh no, not one little fucking bit. She was Phoenix McKenzie! She never took orders, especially not from some god damned vampire! And yet... She would. She was pregnant, and she wasn't about to do anything to piss off the wrong person... Sevanni may have promised not to hurt the child... But Emiste, that fucking whoreish leech, had made no such promises. That's why she had left yesterday, it had come to close to being a fight between her and Emiste.

She just couldn't stand that vampire bitch! She loved the way Sevanni treated her, the more pain Sevanni put on her, the more she liked it. It was disgusting, even for a vampire. She was supposed to have been back before the sun came up, but she was running late... Not that she was trying very hard to get there on time.

It had been almost two weeks since she'd moved in with Sevanni, and barely a week since he brought Emi back into the picture. Well, good, they fucking deserved each other. Emi was always taunting her, trying to get a rise out of her... Not that it was all that hard, pregnancy hormones and all. Plus, she was never known for her cool temper, either.

But it was going to be different this time. Last night was to be the last night that Sevanni Black would rise. She had spent all night planning it, and a smile pulled at her lips as she thought of her plans. Once she was done with Sevanni, she would go after Emiste. Both of them would be eliminated before the sun set.

She ran her fingers through her long blond hair as she pulled up into the drive way. She had taken one of Sevanni's cars this time. The other night she had simply went off and ran through the woods, the night that Sevanni had brought Emi back. Ever since then, she'd been staying out of that damn house as much as possible.

She parked the car and got out, fingering the foot long dagger that she carried in her right hand. This would be her instrument to kill Sevanni, along with the zippo lighter she carried in her pocket. She would light both of them up like a fire cracker on the Fourth of July. They would both be locked away, sleeping snugly to wait on the sun to go down and the moon to rise. Only, there would be no more nights for either of them. She had had her fill of the both of them... And Emi was the one who had pushed her to this.

She walked silently into the house and up the stairs, heading straight to the room he spent his days in. She didn't worry about anyone seeing her, there was no one else. She walked into Sevanni's room, the dagger held out in front of her, almost as if she expected him to wake up. Which, of course, he hadn't. Running her fingers through her hair one more time to shake what little bit of water had gotten on her off, she walked quietly towards his bed where he lay sleeping. She would only get one shot at this, if he woke up and caught her, that would be all she wrote.

Her moss green eyes scanned over his body silently as she crawled onto the bed, pulling out the lighter from her pocket. She flicked the lid open, preparing to light it. She wasn't stupid enough to think that stabbing him would kill him, but it would give her enough satisfaction, and enough time to light the lighter while he was still distracted, to do it anyway. She'd barely made a dent in the bed as she climbed over towards him, raising the blade above his head, planning on shoving it in his head. "Let's see how you look with a hole in your head..." She whispered, so low she herself could barely hear her words, before lighting the lighter and slamming the dagger down with all the speed and strength that came along with being a lycan.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

There was Mercy who sat with David Forsythe in the garden of tranquility. That was what they called it then. Pure blue water that filled one of the earth's gaps. Bare feet had cuddled up to his as her dress remained hiked up to thighs and his trousers had been rolled up enough to previously let the water rise up to calves to cool of skin. He watched as he sat next to Ella. The two had been laughing up a storm while knowing Mercy and David could hear them as their smiles and blushing had confirmed their own little jokes.

There was no making fun, it was just telling little tales that they knew each other would love. The moon was set low in the distance. You could see it just inches above the mountain skyline. The place of position had been their own little gathering hole in the early fifties. Mortals had their lovers lookout and make out lane, in the days where Sevanni had been laid back and relaxed, care free and rather recklace, he would enjoy their gatherings here with those who were in his little nook of friends.

Everything had been so better back then. It was like living free in the seventies and dancing like a flower child. The fifties, many things had been pure back then, more so than it was now. Occasionally he enjoyed dreams like these. Flash back memories that occured when he closed his eyes into resting.

For three months they had made him dream. Made him remember. If Sevanni had the nerve to truly face the music, he would have gone to the Tri-pod themselves to get the answers he wanted. Like why they did this to him. Made him what he was now and why the voice in his head was gone, only to be replaced by something other than his own concious to do things he would normally do.

It was his fault that he had let Annabella go. Not his to decide, but it was done and she had to come back. If all went accordingly, he could sit back and watch as the traitor mutt died just like the others. His number one victim had yet to be found which meant Hyde was not doing his job. Already Sevanni had suspected him of being insuboardinate. Some sort of hated traitor that had yet to confess his actions for treason. He'd kill him just as quick, in front of everyone just to make an example. He could throw a nice little party and invite everyone he had come in contact with. Show them what happened to those who went against him. Sevanni was sure Rose would enjoy that.

There were others that could do the job to get her, James, and Rose. Different ways of hurting him and them alike. Big deal. It was a kids game that he was growing tired of, which was why no true action had been forced out into the open until recently. He could easily have Annabella taken out of the mathematical equation.

For the past two days Sevanni had been rather irritable with the house. Emiste was doing her own thing with slight slick disregard of the rules of the house. Of course he would accept that she had high respect for him and would do anything to see him happy, but because he was highly predjudice against werewolves, he let it slide by with her teasing Nixie.

He was going to have a talk with her about it to finalize the situation. Regardless of how funny it was, Sevanni didn't want Nixie to be stressed out and have something happen to the baby. It would be a rise against his word and he couldn't have that.

As soon as Ella grabbed Sevanni's face, she had eyes wide and looking deep into his while lips murmered out blank words that were cloudy and unclear. Behind her the sun kicked up and he had finally heard those words before the rays could reach his skin. "Sevanni........" That's when it went blank. After he heard her call his name with a shouting madness, before hands had grabbed hold of his face and turned him to face her. "Wake Up!" A cold beading sweat was rising over skin as he felt his skin start to swell with heat.



He felt weight above him before lids flashed open for eyes to view a blade there above as blond dampened locks shone in his eyes for a strange cause. With a loud grunt arms pushed up for hands to grab at wrists and turn her onto the bed so her back would hit the mattress. Making sure not to push his weight on her body bot restrain arms like so and legs with strong bearing legs.

You could tell he was pissed off, full of shock, but not completely surprised that she would committ such an act upon him. They were destined to try an assasination constantly, but that would soon end. She was close to ridding her host of that accidental abomination she claimed as her child.

Sevanni would always claim that thing as an accident. She was to be with Tarus by his own upcoming choice which was why he had released him. If Sevanni could not convince her of other certain....pieces of information, then he had to make something else happen, and that had ruined it all. She shouldn't have been with that guy, but it showed him that she had pushed her belief of Tarus's death to the limit. Sevanni always did like the games he himself played. A replica thumb with a replica ring. Brilliant in all aspects. He was very good at things like that.

"What's wrong with you!" Shouted out through clenched teeth loudly in her face. Knocking her wrist against the post so the lighter would fall, the other arm swiftly tacking the blade and tossing it behind him to the opposing side of the room and swiftly pinning her wrist back.

He pushed down, the weight on her hands, she wouldn't move. She couldn't. Shift her body sure, but no blocks would be given. "Have you lost your fucking mind." He spoke as if he had breathed it out which he hadn't, A slow blink to the realization as he looked at her and those troublesome eyes.

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