Be Prepared [Kodiak & Tristan]

[* Acid Varun]

Acid lit the end of his cigarette, the crimson and orange colored cherry at the end glowing as he inhaled the toxins into his body. Damn. He would never get tired of just how great that felt, how amazing it tasted to have all of that nicotine and smoke filling his lungs. Who cared if it was bad for him? It wasn't like he was a normal human being.

Hell...he was a fucking werewolf. What shit did he give about his health? It wouldn't be killing him anytime soon, that's for damn sure.

He looked at his watch and quirked a brow, his crimson and dark brown eye glowing as he pushed the indigo light to see the time. Well, it would soon be time for Kodiak to show up for their meeting. He'd sent word to Tristan a while back, letting him know that he needed to meet up with him. After all, Acid was his master, in a sense, since he was the one who turned him into the werewolf he was today.

Word on the grapevine was that Tristan was now an Alpha of a pack because his mate, some Katra Shade or other, was the Alphess since the former leaders had passed on. This would make things a little complicated, seeing as how Acid had recruited Tristan to be his soldier. The one of many he would need to destroy the vampires...those filthy vermin.

Looking around, he thought the place was fitting enough. A graveyard. Yes. This was perfect indeed. Rolling his shoulders a bit, he stuffed the lighter and pack of smokes into his pocket before swinging his black blazer over his shoulder and leaned against a tree. He'd paid his respects to all the fallen in the grave. It was a small one and without much attention given to it. Nonetheless, it would be a place they could all meet in private and get the business they needed to get done and without prying eyes.

Acid knew things would be complicated for a while...but Tristan had a duty to fulfill...even if he was tied to another pack.

[*Kodiak Sangras]

Kodiak looked up at the sky as he walked around the edge of the graveyard. Soon he would enter the gates and meet up with Acid. He hadn't spoken to his friend for nearly a month, he'd been sent on a mission to find out what was going on with the BNC since the 'war' ended. He had found out some interesting things, but that information could wait until later. He had also been given another mission by Acid, which hadn't really been as hard as he had expected. Acid had ordered him to hunt down Tristan's whereabouts. Kodiak hadn't approached the younger wolf, had in fact steered clear of the entire pack's territory. The last thing he needed was one of the members finding him and thinking that Kodi was trespassing. He didn't need to start a fight between the Bane and the pack Tristan was co-leader of because he had whipped some cocky lycan's ass for getting in his space.

He was making sure that no one was around, watching out for Acid, as always. He was loyal to the end, and he would be damned if a enemy would come along and catch Acid off guard. If he had to die to protect his friend, then so be it. Acid was more important than he was anyway, more essential. He was using every one of the senses that he could use in order to ferret out any type of danger, and yet he found nothing. That was good. He didn't really think anyone would bother them in the old graveyard, but still... You could never be too safe.

Making his final round of the graveyard, he slipped into the gates and began following Acid's scent into the graveyard. He pulled a pack of Marlboro Menthol's from his jean pocket and his zippo lighter, lighting a cigarette. He inhaled deeply, sighing silently as the smoke entered his lungs, the wonderful taste of the menthol invading his senses.

He spotted Acid down a few rows of headstones and slightly to his left. He turned and walked casually up to him, exhaling so that a billow of smoke streamed past his lips. He hooked his left thumb into his blue jeans pocket and nodded towards his best friend. "Alright Mr. Gloom and Doom, are you expecting anyone else?" He asked, running his hand through his sandy blond hair after making a reference to Acid's meeting place of choice.

[*Tristan Maguire]

Tristan growled slightly as he made his way towards the graveyard Acid had told him to meet him at. If Kat found out that he had left Paris, he was going to be in soooo much shit. A pregnant, pissed off Alphess was NOT something he enjoyed dealing with... Especially when that anger was focused on him. And she was the only one who could cow him the way she did.. Anyone else bitch at him like she could sometimes when the pregnancy hormones were too much for her to bare, he would have knocked them on their ass. But he couldn't do that to her, wouldn't do that to her. So, he sat back and took the rant that he knew would blow over soon enough... But he didn't think she would be so easily calmed down if she found out this. He had told her some stories about the man who had bit him, the man who saw him through his first full moon... And if she knew that he would be leaving to speak to him, for whatever reason, without her, she would skin him alive and not think twice about it.

He didn't know what Acid had contacted him for, what Acid wanted from him... But he knew he would do it... He might talk back a bit, but he wouldn't disobey the man who had introduced him to this world. He owed a lot of things to Acid Varun, even if he would never admit it to him. He was wearing his typical white t-shirt, blue jeans, and leather jacket, a half smoked Marlboro red between his right index and middle finger.

He took another hit off of his cigarette as he walked into the graveyard, catching the scent of both Kodiak and Acid... Hmm... Interesting, he hadn't really expected Kodiak to be here... Though he didn't know why. From what he had gathered, where you see one, you usually see the other not far away... Unless Acid sent Kodiak on some mission or other. He was weary of the other lycan, but that was just his nature.

Taking one more hit, he tossed the cigarette down and stepped on it, extinguishing the ember, exhaling through his nose so that he looked a bit like one of those ridiculous cartoons where someone would get so mad that steam would roll out of their nose and ears.

He walked cautiously, making sure that he was upwind from Kodiak, so the other wolf could catch his scent. He didn't know if Kodiak knew he was coming or not, and he didn't want to startle him. If there was one thing he realized quickly about the other male, it was that surprising him around Acid was never a good idea, he would attack first and ask questions later if there was the slightest threat to Acid.

"Long time, Acid... I'd thought you'd dropped off the face of the map." He said, nodding in greeting, his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, slouching slightly, he nodded to Kodiak as well. "What's with the sudden appearance?"

[* Acid Varun]

Acid knew that Kodiak was close. So when he smelled his best friend's scent entering the graveyard mere moments before he'd shown himself, he didn't act surprised. Kodiak was his shadow. He'd been trained as such by the Bane's former leader, Deunan, and Kodiak was a damn good shadow. Be it on him, or on anyone else. He didn't have to worry about if a mission would get carried out if he had Kodiak on the job.

At hearing Kodi's teasing remark, Acid smirked, his crimson eye practically glowing against the light of the half moon above them. "You didn't think I asked you to come out here to a place like this because I missed your sorry mug," he said, glancing sidelong at Kodi as his smirk broadened. "I know you love me and all, but I have more respect for you than to ask you out to a dirty old graveyard."

Just as he was preparing himself for a witty comeback from his friend, his eyes moved to see that another one decided to join the fray. The one he'd been waiting on all this time. Well now, seeing how this would make things a little less complicated, Acid pushed himself gently off the tree and draped his jacket over a nearby headstone as Tristan approached both him and Kodiak.

Seeing Kodiak tense up only a bit, Acid reached out and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. His Beta sighed quietly, his muscles relaxing once he realized that it was just the boy he'd been searching out prior to this. He apparently had not realized that Tristan was to be their guest of honor for this evening and Acid had wanted it to remain that way.

Acid swiveled his cigarette to the side of his mouth, shoving his hands into his pockets as the smirk remained poised on his face, his eyes looking downward to gaze at Tristan knowingly. The younger male's response to their presence was well warranted and he could only guess that the young male he'd turned was all too curious as to why he'd been summoned in the dead of night and away from his new pack's homeland. "It's time, Tristan," he said, his brows raising upward as he finished the smoke in his mouth and let it drop to the ground, grinding the cherry out with the heel of his shoe. "I see you, yourself, have been busy as well. While I've been gathering strength, you've gotten yourself hitched, hm?" Acid looked at Kodiak, the silent conversation between the two of them passing as he widened his red eye at his friend in knowing speech before moving to look back at Tristan. "I hope you haven't forgotten that your loyalties lie with me, Tristan."

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[*Kodiak Sangras]

Kodiak smirked at his friends smart ass comment, placing his hand over his heart in a fluttery fashion, feigning hurt. "Are you saying you didn't miss me?" He smirked at Acid's last comment, white teeth flashing in the dim light of the half moon. "See, I knew you cared more about me than that." He loved these moments, when it was just him and Acid, and Acid would joke with him like they used to. It was times like this when he caught a glimpse of the lycan he had first become friends with. Acid only seemed to really let his guard down when it was just the two of them, though, and became a jokester.

The sound of a leaf crunching under foot caught his attention, and he tensed, turning towards whoever was coming towards them, ready to attack at any second. The scent was lycan, but that really didn't mean anything to him, it didn't matter. Human, lycan, or vampire, if they posed even the slightest threat, he would remove them from the equation. He felt Acid's hand on his shoulder, keeping him in place. It took him a minute to realize who it was, and when he did, he immediately relaxed, though his curiosity kicked in immediately. It was the kid, the one Acid had turned, the one Acid had sent him looking for. Tristan Maguire. But, what was he doing here? His icy blue eyes glanced from Acid to Tristan, wondering if Acid was finally gonna make the younger lycan pitch in with the up coming attack on the entire vampire race at large.

His suspicions were confirmed when Acid began to speak to Tristan. Kodiak simply took a long drag from his cigarette and waited on Tristan's response. Would he honor his commitment to the Bane, or turn his back on them? If so, there would be a fight. Acid hadn't bit him for no reason, he had been recruited. It wasn't their fault the kid went and got himself caught up in another pack.

For now, he would sit back and do what he did best, observe and stand guard. He didn't know this kid that well, so he wouldn't really be doing much talking. The only person who he really opened up around was Acid, and vice-versa. Kodiak had stuck with Acid through some of the worst hardships a man could face in his life, and he would continue to stand by him. They knew each other almost as well as they knew themselves, if not better at times.

[*Tristan Maguire]

Tristan's light blue eyes took in Kodiak's body posture, watched his muscles clench every so slightly, in a way that wouldn't have been noticeable had he not known what to look for. He couldn't really say he blamed the older male, Tristan didn't fully trust Kodiak either. Simply because he hadn't spent any time with Kodi. He didn't question his loyalty to Acid, but that in no way meant he didn't believe Kodiak would attack him at the first little sign of trouble.

He raised his chin slightly when Acid began speaking directly to him, his eyes watching the powerful male in front of him who had made him what he is today. If not for Acid, he would probably still be living in the top of that run down shop, getting his money by hustling and playing dice on the street corner. Still wishing for some way to kill vampires, and yet completely ignorant to the existence of lycans. Acid had given him a way to avenge his family, and he would repay him in any way Acid saw fit. "What exactly is it you are wanting me to do?"

He smiled slightly, nodding at Acid's comment about him getting hitched while Acid was gathering his strength. "Married and a soon to be father." His voice held all the pride in the world. He was excited about the prospect of being a father, and it showed plainly. He loved kids, and he would make sure his two would never want for anything. Kat would pop any day now, and he would then be the father of a baby girl and a baby boy. "Kat would rip me apart if she knew I was here. She told me if you ever contacted me again, she wanted to come with me. For obvious reasons, I can't allow that." It was nothing against Acid, he was just very territorial over his woman, especially with her being so very pregnant. She always seemed to get into trouble whenever she stepped out of the pack house. That was why she was currently on house arrest by order of the entire pack.

"I've not forgotten where my loyalties lie. I have... almost... an entire pack that would be willing to join in the fight, should you need them. Most of the pack aren't the most vampire friendly." The reason he said 'most' was because there was two that had a soft spot for vampires. Nix and James, but Nix wasn't around anymore, having been taken by Sevanni Black and shipped off to New York, hidden away in his lair. However, she was Kat's best friend, and still part of the pack. And James... Well, James only allowed one vampire to live, his girlfriend... what was her name... Litte... Litte something-or-other.

[* Acid Varun]

Acid rolled his eyes at Kodiak's little comment. He would wrestle with him later about this matter. Now was not the time.

He knew that Kodiak trusted Tristan as much as Tristan trusted Kodiak: none. The two were territorial in their own rights; Kodi protecting Acid and Tristan protecting his own skin. But in the end, he knew that Tristan could not deny that his birth to the lycan realm was all thanks to him. If not for Acid, he would have still just been that pitiful young boy he'd spied from the cafe playing dice on the corner with no ends to meet up with his desire to destroy the vampires he hated so much. Their hatred for that putrid race was all that linked them together...at first...

Acid had to leave shortly after Tristan's first transformation. He didn't want the boy thinking he'd abandoned him and he most certainly wasn't going to let the boy transform by himself. He was already confused and didn't know what to make of the situation. The last thing Acid needed from a loyal follower was one that felt like he'd been betrayed in the end.

When it appeared that his two subordinates were not going to fight it out between the other, Tristan began to speak once more. So, he was going to be a father was he? Well, that didn't exactly help matters now did it? At the mention of having a kid, Acid looked sidelong at Kodiak and watched his friend's blue eyes searching his own brown and crimson one.

Instead of addressing the matter at hand, he let the boy continue speaking further. He didn't like the sound of a female being so pushy. If she knew of Acid, then she needed to just stay in her place, pregnant or not. Acid would not fight with a female whose hormones were completely out of whack. It just wasn't kosher with him.

However, Acid kept those thoughts to himself and, instead, said, "I'll meet her in time, without a doubt." Again, Tristan continued and Acid was pleased to hear that the boy did not forget that his loyalties lie with him. He would hate to have to rip the boy apart here and now, not after he'd worked so hard to get him on his side. But at the mention of not his entire pack, but part of his pack, being on unfriendly terms with vampires, his smirk disappeared and was instantly replaced with a frown. "You know where I stand on this, Tristan," he said evenly, his rich baritone voice hinting toward his anger. His brown and crimson eye narrowed darkly at the boy, but not out of anger at him, but at what he'd been told. "Any werewolf who claims to love those filthy, disgusting creatures doesn't deserve to be called one of us." Pausing, his smirk returned, but it was dark and frightening this time and he could feel Kodiak's gaze upon his visage. "And you know I won't hesitate to kill them, whether they are a part of your pack or not."

And the scary part of all of this was that Tristan, too, was very well aware of his words. To not be would have made him a fool and he would not be associated with such foolery.

[*Kodiak Sangras]

Kodiak's eyebrows rose ever so slightly as Tristan explained about his wife, being as bossy as she was. When Tristan mentioned that he was a father-to-be, his blue eyes immediately went to Acid's face, searching his reaction. For a moment, Kodiak didn't see the scene in front of him... No, he saw Acid's children, children who he loved as if they had been his own. Children who had been butchered, all because of their whore of a mother... He shook his head quickly, clearing the image from his mind. The last thing he needed right now was to be revisiting THOSE particular memories.

His upper lip curled in a silent snarl when Tristan mentioned the fact that some of his pack weren't entirely anti-leech. He knew Acid's reaction even before his friend said anything, and he wasn't disappointed. As much as he hated the corpses, his hatred didn't run nearly as deep as Acid's... He didn't think anyone hated them as much as Acid did, and he had good reason to.

"I thought your pack was supposed to be nearly as anti-vampire as the Bane? If that's true, then shouldn't those members move from Paris to Hollywood? I heard there was a pack there who was friendly towards the leeches." His nose wrinkled in disgust, wondering how exactly any lycan could be friendly towards them... Not to mention actually LOVE them. The thought was just sick... A Sin against Nature.

The wind picked up slightly and Kodiak turned towards it slightly, allowing it to blow his hair back away from his face, keeping him from having to fight with the one lock of hair that was always giving him a hard time. He was always fighting with that one single lock of hair, trying to keep it out of his face... It never did any good though, and sometimes he wondered why he even tried... He had contemplated cutting his hair short and be done with it, but a mental image of how horrible he would look had stopped him from making that mistake.

[*Tristan Maguire]

I'll meet her in time, without a doubt. Tristan visibly cringed at that idea. "I'm not entire sure I would want you to. She's very... opinionated. She wouldn't be able to stop herself from saying whatever is on her mind." And she wouldn't. If Kat didn't like him, she would make that fact well known, and be damned with the consequences. The last thing he needed was to be in a fight with either Kat or Acid... Neither of those would end well for him.

He saw Acid's eyes narrow when he spoke of having most of a pack who would go into the war with Acid and the Bane should he request it. "The pack is family to Kat, she grew up with them. I don't like it anymore than you do, believe me. But I'm bound by my commitment to her to keep myself under control. One of them, Phoenix, is being held in New York by a vampire... But she's doing that for her own reasons. She thinks she's protecting the rest of the pack by sacrificing herself. And James... James is just as complicated, if not more so, than Phoenix."

His icy blue eyes turned to look at Kodiak, his eyes scanning over the male quickly before meeting his eyes as well. "No one in my pack is exactly friendly towards vampires. James only has one exception, his girlfriend. And he never, EVER, brings her around the pack house. He doesn't even come in smelling like her. And Phoenix, she has issues. Plain and simple. Either way, she belongs with Kat's pack. She may have a soft spot for a few select vampires, but for the most part, she hates them. She thinks those leeches she cares about are flukes. Vampires with a soul. Ridiculous, but there's not really much I can do about that. But enough about that." He said, turning his attention back to Acid. "You brought me here for a reason."

He hadn't seen Acid since after his first full moon. Acid had stayed around long enough to make sure that he had gotten through his first transformation alright, and to explain to him what he had become. Before meeting Acid, Tristan had known of vampires, but not of lycans. And after his first meeting with Acid, the older male had left him bewildered and confused. Acid had bit him on that night, after making sure that Tristan wanted to learn how to hunt and kill the creatures he hated so much. Tristan didn't see him again until right before night fell on the next full moon, meeting him at the spot Acid had told him to be. Tristan had spent that first month before his transformation watching his body change, and not knowing what in the hell was happening to him. When he went to Acid, both he and Kodiak explained what was going on, and helped him through that first night. He hadn't heard a word from Acid since.

Thinking about that night nearly made him smile. He had been such a smart ass... And he still was, given the right circumstances. Even now that he knew what Acid was, knew that Acid was the more powerful male, he would still mouth off. That was his nature though. Nothing would be able to make him stop mouthing off, nothing. Not even Acid's power... Though, he was careful not to push Acid TOO far now.

[* Acid Varun]

The leader of The Bane merely quirked a brow as Tristan spoke of him not exactly wanting to meet his mate. "Well, regardless of her mouth, so long as she's respectful of me, then you have nothing to fear."

Acid only let his eyes move when he heard Kodiak speak up finally. He knew that his friend's hatred for vampires stemmed merely from his own. Kodi had no real reason to hate them to pieces the way that Acid did. It was merely because Kodiak was like a brother to him, his best friend, did the younger male and shadow say such words with such sincerity.

Sometimes...Acid felt so bad for dragging Kodiak along like he had. He could have been living some other life and had a family of his own by now. But instead, he was tagging along as Acid's Beta, his subordinate, and doing his bidding without even a blink from his eyes or a hesitation in his step. The male with the dirty blonde hair was truly a man amongst male-wolves. Acid would be forever grateful...forever in debt to Kodiak.

The next words out of Tristan's mouth caused Acid's brow to twitch. That...was not what he wanted to hear from Tristan, the one he'd created and made into a lycan. If it was one thing he would not tolerate from the younger male was any semblance of betrayal...in any form.

But hearing that there was a wolf in his ranks who was dating a vampire...a filthy leech who fed on the blood of others to keep their disgusting, rotting corpse alive was just...sickening. It didn't matter if he didn't smell like them or bring them into the fold. The point was that there was one among them. A trash loving piece of dog flesh...yes, they were dogs in Acid's eyes.

A infected dogs needed to be put down.

"You brought me here for a reason."

Acid's eyes cut to glare at Tristan. "Tristan. Don't make me kill you," he said shortly as he ran a hand through his bangs once more - letting the palm of his hand rest against the back of his neck. "I brought you here to remind you that we're going to be launching a war soon. Or did you forget about my plans during your absence?" Acid Varun turned away from Tristan and took a couple of steps away, the rustling of the dead leaves crunching under his shoes and echoed away in the night. Pausing, he turned his head so that only his profile was in view - the crimson eye in plain sight. "I know you've been busy living your life while I've been gone, but whether you realize it or not, Tristan Maguire, you made a commitment to me when you agreed to become what you are now." He turned his body fully to face Tristan, both hands in his pockets now as his eyes narrowed further. "You are my subordinate, Tristan. If your mate can't handle this fact and that you are in this war that I'm waging, then too bad. You should have thought about that before getting hitched."

Tristan, he knew that he was a good kid. But Acid was disappointed with him. He'd gotten more people than necessary mixed up in this mess because he thought that just because Acid had disappeared that things were over. They were far from over...far from it.

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[*Kodiak Sangras]

I'm not entire sure I would want you to. She's very... opinionated. She wouldn't be able to stop herself from saying whatever is on her mind. Kodi's eyes darted to Tristan's face, taking in the younger wolf's features. He would keep his woman from saying anything disrespectful if he wanted to keep a fight from breaking out. And the younger male looked like he was very well aware of this fact. That was good. At least he wasn't a fool.

Or so he thought... When Tristan said that one of the members of his pack was romantically involved with a leech, the hairs on the back of his neck rose in response, a low rumble coming from his throat. He knew what Acid's response to that would be before he even said it. True, he didn't have near as much reason to hate vampires as his best friend, but that didn't make a difference. He had loved Acid's children more than anything, and their deaths haunted his memories as well. He was under the impression that Tristan held the same hatred for the blood sucking animated corpses as Acid and he did. If that were true, then how the hell could he tolerate such a thing going on in his pack?

As Acid spoke, he could hear the bite in his best friend and Alpha's words, and he nodded in agreement. Tristan had made a mistake getting involved with this pack. It made things more complicated. He was already involved with a pack, and he should have not forgotten that. The boy should have thought better about his decisions... And, because he hadn't, the resulting consequences would be on him.

The blond wolf stood there, a silent sentry, and listened. Not only to the conversation going on between the two other wolves, but also to the surroundings, still watching Acid's back. He was always watching after his friend, though he didn't mind. In fact, he was glad that Acid had allowed him to come along with him as his Beta. He knew no one else could do this job as well as he could. No one else was as devoted to Acid as he was, so how could they? To anyone else, doing what Kodi does would have been nothing more than a job. That's not how he saw it. It was a obligation... But not quite. He wanted to do this, he wanted to make sure that nothing happened to Acid. Acid had already had so much go wrong in his life, and Kodi wanted to make sure that things went as smoothly as possible from now on. He didn't mind being Acid's shadow, always on alert, blending into the background. It was what he was good at. He was quiet, though he would speak up should he feel the need, but he would jump right into the midst of a brawl for someone he cared about, though there was very, very few of those.

[*Tristan Maguire]

Well, regardless of her mouth, so long as she's respectful of me, then you have nothing to fear. Tristan lowered his head so that he wouldn't have to look Acid in the eyes, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets, balling them up into fists. A piece of his blond hair fell into his face, covering one eye. Tristan didn't even bother with brushing it away, simply jerked his head to one side so that he could see out of his right eye properly. "That's exactly what I'm afraid she won't do..." He muttered quietly.

He realized, only too late, how his words would have sounded to Acid when he spoke of James. His head snapped up to see Acid glaring at him. The wolf in him immediatley wanted to bare his neck in a lupine show of submission to Acid, his Alpha, his maker. But he kept himself from doing that, and instead unballed his fists and raised his hands out in front of him, palms out towards Acid in a universal sign of surrender.

"Look, that came out wrong... About James... But there's nothing I can do about that situation. It's Katra's pack, not mine. I only have the position of Alpha because we're together. That's the only reason. I have no say so. I don't go anywhere near James, but I'm not allowed to hurt him. Trust me, I've wanted to kill him. Many times. But I can't bring myself to hurt Kat like that." He growled in irritation, running his fingers through his blond hair quickly, unable to phrase it so that Acid wouldn't get pissed.

Tristan. Don't make me kill you. I brought you here to remind you that we're going to be launching a war soon. Or did you forget about my plans during your absence? I know you've been busy living your life while I've been gone, but whether you realize it or not, Tristan Maguire, you made a commitment to me when you agreed to become what you are now. You are my subordinate, Tristan. If your mate can't handle this fact and that you are in this war that I'm waging, then too bad. You should have thought about that before getting hitched.

Tristan winced, taking a automatic half step back before stopping himself and remaining perfectly still, looking up to meet Acid's gaze, staring into his crimson eye. It took a tremendous amount of effort not to shake with that stare boreing into him, stareing him down.

"I haven't forgotten... And Kat will get over it, eventually." Maybe. "I know exactly where my loyalties lie, Acid. You made me what I am, you offered me a chance to kill the blood suckers like I wanted, and I took it. At the time, I may not have known fully what I was asking, but I'm glad you did. I won't turn my back on this. I know fully what I'm involved in, and I'm not turning away from that. Kat will either understand, or she won't."

[* Acid Varun]

"Look, that came out wrong... About James... But there's nothing I can do about that situation. It's Katra's pack, not mine. I only have the position of Alpha because we're together. That's the only reason. I have no say so. I don't go anywhere near James, but I'm not allowed to hurt him. Trust me, I've wanted to kill him. Many times. But I can't bring myself to hurt Kat like that."

Acid snorted. Well, that was certainly something he hadn't expected to hear. Perhaps his long absence had been a mistake on his part. He had been hoping the absence would allow the boy to gather up his skills and hone them for the upcoming battle he would wage on those filthy blood suckers. But alas, all he heard was disappointing excuse after disappointing excuse. Was he going to have to rip Tristan a new one?

Sighing, he let his eyes move to look at Kodi. He was ever alert and on guard in case something happened. Silently he placed his hand on Kodi's lower back, feeling the muscles relax under his fingers. There was no need to be so tense physically. All Acid needed was for those ears and eyes to be keen and alert, as well as his nose. If anything got past Kodi - which he very well doubted it would - Acid could take care of the rest.

His crimson and brown eyes moved back to look at Tristan as the boy continued. "I haven't forgotten... And Kat will get over it, eventually." Acid just didn't quite believe that statement, but humored him nonetheless. "I know exactly where my loyalties lie, Acid. You made me what I am, you offered me a chance to kill the blood suckers like I wanted, and I took it. At the time, I may not have known fully what I was asking, but I'm glad you did. I won't turn my back on this. I know fully what I'm involved in, and I'm not turning away from that. Kat will either understand, or she won't."

Acid smirked, feeling his fangs elongating slightly. "Good," he said, cracking his knuckles a bit. "That's what I want to hear. Now then, Kodi?" He turned to look at his Beta and smirked, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "That bonfire invitation...could you head over there with Kanna for me? I have to head back to Germany to take care of the guys there at the base. I know Kanna's got her hands full with both of us gone and she could use the break." His eyes moved to look back at Tristan. "Tell that mate of yours, Kat, that you are taking a trip. You're coming with me to our base, though she doesn't have to know all those details. If she wishes to attend the bonfire, we'll meet up with her and everyone else after I've settled things back at HQ." He quirked a brow, his eyes narrowing slightly before he pulled out another cigarette and lit it. "Any objections?"

[*Kodiak Sangras]

Look, that came out wrong... About James... But there's nothing I can do about that situation. It's Katra's pack, not mine. I only have the position of Alpha because we're together. That's the only reason. I have no say so. I don't go anywhere near James, but I'm not allowed to hurt him. Trust me, I've wanted to kill him. Many times. But I can't bring myself to hurt Kat like that. Kodiak rolled his eyes, pushing away from the headstone that he had been leaning against, and pulled out a cigarette. He blew the smoke straight at the kid, to get his attention. "Boy, you might as well just stop right there. Own up to the fact that you got yourself into this mess, and leave it at that. You'll have to find your own way out of it. Acid has other things to do than babysit you. You should have trusted the fact that your Alpha would call on you when you were needed, and kept yourself out of complications like this. Since you didn't, that's your own problem."

Kodiak felt Acid's fingers against his lower back, silently calming him. He hadn't realized that he had been so tense. It wasn't so much because of the fact that he expected an attack, it was actually getting a little too close to dawn for something like that, and if it was just a single vampire, they weren't generally stupid enough to attack if there was more than one opponent, especially not three strong, healthy werewolves. But the kid, that was what was putting him on edge. Tristan made him want to just grab him up by his jacket and show the boy a proper ass beating to whip him into shape.

I know exactly where my loyalties lie, Acid. You made me what I am, you offered me a chance to kill the blood suckers like I wanted, and I took it. At the time, I may not have known fully what I was asking, but I'm glad you did. I won't turn my back on this. I know fully what I'm involved in, and I'm not turning away from that. Kat will either understand, or she won't.

Well, finally the boy said something that didn't make him want to snap at him. He usually wasn't so irritable, and he usually took things a lot better than Acid did, or at least more calmly, but for some reason he had been snappy all day, and this kid didn't help matters any. Normally, he would have been a little amused at the boy, trying to make excuses, each one digging him a hole bigger than the last. But there was whispers of things within the vampire community that had crossed Kodi's ears that had him worried.

Good, That's what I want to hear. Now then, Kodi? Kodiak was pulled from his thoughts by Acid, and he turned to face him, quirking an eyebrow in question. That bonfire invitation...could you head over there with Kanna for me? I have to head back to Germany to take care of the guys there at the base. I know Kanna's got her hands full with both of us gone and she could use the break. Kodiak smirked, his icy blue eyes dancing with amusement for a moment. He knew too well that Kanna wouldn't like that idea, she hated leaving Germany, and he also knew that, should Acid suggest to her face that she need a break, she would have a fit. Sometimes Kodiak had to wonder if the female did a better job at keeping the pack members in line than he or Acid did. But he just nodded, keeping his thoughts on that matter to himself. "Sure, no problem."

Kodiak waited as Acid turned to Tristan, informing him that the boy was going to Germany to finally see the Bane, to get acquainted with the other pack members. When Acid asked if there was any questions, he saw the boy shake his head no, and then Kodiak opened his mouth to tell Acid of what he had heard. He didn't really mind the boy hearing. If Acid deemed it was okay to take him to HQ, then the boy might as well be in on what Kodiak had to say.

"Acid, there's something I have to tell you before you take off again..." He paused, running his right hand through his hair, causing parts of it to stick up in a messy look that made him look very much like he just crawled out of bed. "There's rumors going around that there is a vampire working on a way to turn lycans back into humans... I don't know if there is any truth to it or not, but if you like, after the Bonfire, I can look into it. I just wanted to get your input on it before I did anything."

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[*Tristan Maguire]

Boy, you might as well just stop right there. Own up to the fact that you got yourself into this mess, and leave it at that. You'll have to find your own way out of it. Acid has other things to do than babysit you. You should have trusted the fact that your Alpha would call on you when you were needed, and kept yourself out of complications like this. Since you didn't, that's your own problem.

Tristan bristled at the older male's words, a retort forming in his mind, but he kept his lips sealed, determined to not piss Acid off any more than he already had. And plus, he had to admit, as much as he didn't want to, that Kodiak, in a way, had a point. He still didn't appreciate him talking down to him like he was a worthless child. He hadn't just been twiddling his thumbs while Acid was gone, dammit to hell! He had taken down as many vampires as he passed, honing his skills, learning how to kill them quickly and efficiently, though at first he had been clumsy.

After Tristan said what he did about knowing where his loyalties lie, however, both Kodiak and Acid both looked calmer, more pleased. Good, That's what I want to hear. Tristan listened as Acid asked Kodiak if he minded going to the Bonfire they were having for the lycan community at large for Halloween with some female named Kanna. He was relieved at Acid's response to his statement, glad to have his Alpha off his ass... for now.

Tell that mate of yours, Kat, that you are taking a trip. You're coming with me to our base, though she doesn't have to know all those details. If she wishes to attend the bonfire, we'll meet up with her and everyone else after I've settled things back at HQ. Any objections?

Tristan shook his head automatically, letting Acid know that he had no objections. He would have been a fool to tell Acid that he couldn't do it. Katra would just have to find a way to get her mind around this, to get over it. But he knew that she wouldn't be happy with him for quite awhile. However, despite the thought looming over him of his wife's displeasure at this idea, he was excited as well. He was finally being taken to see the Bane. So far, he had only met two members of the Bane, and that was the two members standing before him... It was strange to belong to a pack, and to only know two of the members. And now Acid was taking him there so that he could become familiar with the Bane and the inner workings. Of course he was excited.

Kodiak spoke up again, hesitating slightly before continuing with what he had to say to Acid. There's rumors going around that there is a vampire working on a way to turn lycans back into humans... I don't know if there is any truth to it or not, but if you like, after the Bonfire, I can look into it. I just wanted to get your input on it before I did anything. Tristan's brows furrowed. This news on its own was disturbing enough... Even if it was just a rumor and nothing more... But what if it was fact? A shudder ran through the blond lycan. It wasn't right, that the vampires would be able to come up with something like that. That vampires might be able to have that kind of leverage over the werewolf race. It made him hate them all the more, and his eyes flashed golden for just a moment as his wolf came to the surface at just the thought. If they did have something like that, no lycan would be safe... It had to be destroyed... Assuming that it wasn't just a rumor, of course.