FEAR [open]

[Sephira]

It's a thief in the night to come and grab you
It can creep up inside you and consume you
A disease of the mind it can control you
It's too close for comfort

Sephira paced the dark chamber, her emerald eyes narrowed in anger. The severe emotion caused the black pupils at the center of her irises to narrow to reptilian slits and her skin to glisten with the sheen of iridescent scales.
The long silken gown she wore was a deep red; the color of blood, and it whipped angrily behind her as the sound of her heeled feet made a sharp staccato beat on the stone floor.

“Worthless!” The sorceress shrieked as she hurled the looking glass across the room, which landed in an explosion of tinkling shards of glass across the ground. The image she had seen within it was nothing short of maddening.
To think, hundred of dragons which -she- had brought into this world by way of her own handmaidens; creatures she had spared from death to create her army, and they had forsaken her for the ancient shifter which had been hunting her for centuries.

It was almost enough to send her over the edge. Almost.

The witch was sound in mind enough to know she had to keep her wits if she was going to accomplish what she had been working toward all this time. Sephira was not going to give up so easily. The human world was hers for the taking, and now that she had the means to breach the realm without having to pass through the legitimate portals, it would be as easy as eating candied baby fingers.

The raven haired witch slithered over to the magnificent cabinet which contained all her most precious relics; dark and powerful things that held magic far beyond human imagination. Her pale hand went inside a drawer and pulled out a great crystal shard which burned red with malice. The crystal splinter had once been part of a much larger gem, The Crystal of Wonder, which had harnesses the forces of nature as well as the light of the two suns of the Other Realm. When the dark and light Fae had begun a war among themselves, the malice which had enveloped the kingdom cracked the precious stone, allowing the witch to steal a piece of it.

Fear had never realized how truly valuable it would be until she used the shard to tear a rip in the veil between the two worlds, allowing entrance into a realm that had previously been forbidden to her kind.

Fingering the glowing ruby shard, Sephira turned slowly at the sound of light, apprehensive footfalls on the floor behind her. A demon with twisted horns as well as a twisted body cowered at her confrontation. He bent low, nearly touching the floor with his leathery forehead. “You’re Darkness.” The creature whispered in a raspy, daunted voice. “I regret that I must be the one to tell you of a great conspiracy…”

“Don’t bother.” Fear scowled and flung her hand out towards the demon, which was immediately consumed in a blazing emerald fire. “I haven’t time for old news…”

The creature writhed in pain, screaming for mercy, but the witch had no compassion in her expression as she strode past, leaving the being to whither in the flames. She had no time to waste. She had to find the dragon shifter Aodhagán and kill him before he ruined her plans.

------------------------------------------------------

It was easy enough to pass through her world to this one, and Sephira stepped through the rip she had created now wearing a much more current version of the ruby gown she had worn in the Other World. It was short and had a plunging neckline which left nothing to the imagination. Her shoes were red to match her ensemble; with steel spike heels that were sharp as knives at the points. Her raven hair was left loose in curls that rolled down her back nearly touching the cleft of her rear end. It shone like onyx under the moon’s white glow, and moved with the sway of her brazen stride.

The streets were alive with activity; a Friday night with endless possibilities. Humans with nine-to-five jobs had been looking forward to this night all week, and lack of inhibition fairly radiated off their kind like a thick, electric miasma.

The sorceress strolled down the street like she owned it; bodies turning to stare even as their partners slapped them angrily across flushed cheeks. Oh yes. This was her town. Perhaps this was where she would order her first castle built once the world was under her palm.

The excited energy radiating from the -House of Blues- was enough to draw her in like a magnet. Already there was a crowd gathered inside which spilled out to the front of the building; the mass eagerly awaiting the arrival of the celebrated band which was set to go on any minute.

Fear pushed through the pierced and tattooed crowd, casting a disdainful look at an attractive male with an unfortunate hairdo; it reached toward the sky in a trio of multicolored spikes which did nothing to frame his cherubic face. He turned to face her and smiled haughtily, grabbing her around the waist and thrusting his groin into her.
Oh what a mistake that was.

The witch returned the smirk, wrapping her arms around him as well. Her fingertips rested at his bare back; the nails lengthening into sharpened talons which ripped the pliable skin as she drew them around to his front.
Immediately the humans eyes grew wide in pain and confusion; but the sorceress leaned in to whisper a simple incantation into his ear which would wipe his short term memory; and so he stumbled away not even realizing the skin of his back was falling away to reveal the muscle underneath.

Sephira smiled broadly and brought the fingers to her mouth, inhaling deeply as she licked away the blood from her pale hands. The humans were so easy. Puppets, really.
She wondered if she would find the perfect feast tonight, here in this very place.
The thought of tasting flesh sent a shiver down her spine as Fear sidled up to the bar, raising a dark brow at the tender, who nearly fell over his own feet in order to take her order.
“Bloody Mary, no Mary.” She told him in amusement, and let her head fall back on her neck as a chortle bubbled out of her throat.

[Walker de Bouff]

The bar was the pirate’s favorite place. He clung to the counter like it was his lifeline, flagging the bartender down every so often for another shot of rum. The bartender seemed to be worried about this pirate though. He came in with a drunken swagger, so after a few shots he cut him off.

The bartender shook his head. “There’s no more rum, buddy. You should get a ride home.”

“NO MORE RUM?!” The pirate’s words slurred out of his raunchy alcohol breath.

The bartender was far too interested in the pretty face to deal with the pirate. “Listen buddy, you’ve had too much to drink. I’m cutting you off.”

The pirate got this pitiful look on his face, completely skating around what the bartender said. “But…why is all the rum gone?”

Behind him came a bouncer, about to extricate the pirate from the bar. He lunged and shot a hand out to Walker’s neck, but luck always be on this pirate’s side. He ducked down to pick up a coin, which inevitably caused the bouncer’s belly to slam against the bar and slide right over, landing on his side.

A second later the pirate sat up, holding this coin between his fingers, completely oblivious to the bouncer. Walker stood and looked over at the pretty woman dressed in red. She was one beautiful wench. He kissed the coin and winked at her. A big smile crossed his face, displaying his mouth full of silver and gold plated teeth. Then he wobbled towards the exit while shoving the coin in his pocket and singing “Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum”.

He stepped out into the hot air outside the bar. His feet hit the pavement, and he stumbled towards a parked car a little too quickly. What he needed was his compass to lead him out of here.

He reached beneath his jacket to grab his compass, which was clipped to the belt that was cinched around his waist. Upon first glance someone wouldn’t notice the pistol shoved behind the belt. His jacket did well by covering it all.

Staring down intensely at his compass he glanced up the street then spun quickly to look the other way. “That a way then,” he announced to nobody in particular. He shoved the compass back beneath his jacket.

The door to the bar opened behind him, but he didn’t turn to look. He was too busy stroking the twin braided goatee beneath his chin, thinking of God knows what before he started his journey anew.

[Murdoc Riango]

Hey victim, should I black your eyes again?
Hey victim,
You were the one who put the stick in my hand
I am the ism, my hate's a prism
Let's jut kill everyone and let your God sort them out

[/i]


There was just something about a sunset that never failed to make him sigh in complete contentment. Forget the glistening colors, the hush that fell over the land as that glowing orb slowly fell over high peaks, and the way the earth just lit up as each ray of light floated down onto its hardened surface; it was the smell that captured his heart.
The smell of a blissful ending; of the chance for a new beginning. And oh, how nicely it fit in with the overall aroma of freedom.

…Or, in his case, yet another fuckin’ night to add to a completely irritating existance. Frikken-A.

“Hey, buddy, move it!” A voice yelled from somewhere behind him, followed by the loud honk of a car horn. Ah, the lovely sound of civilization. And he’d thought he’d missed it, living in a dimension of murderers. “Move it, or I’m gonna run you down!”

Turning his head to look at the owner of the very large truck currently pointing itself at his body- standing in the middle of the road as it was so that its owner could watch the sun set behind high buildings until it reached the softness of its cloudy bed- he could only shake his head sadly. As the truck inched itself forward, he took a few steps toward the sidewalk opposite him, slipping his hands into the pockets of his slacks and watched as the vehicle slowly trudged down the almost completely empty road.

Well, it was good to know that times may have changed since his incarceration in Hell, but the people hadn't. They were still weak, annoying little bugs. Huzzah.

Standing taller than your average bear, the man- dressed in a simple white suit, the shirt half unbuttoned to reveal evidence of nasty scars and tattoos that littered a dark chest- stood out against the dark colors and skimpy wear of his fellow pedestrians. Skull trimmed black hair melted in with the surrounding shadows, and he reached a hand up to rub at his bearded chin, looking up at the sky as an airplane flew passed by with a pair of incandescent brown eyes.

Who would have thought that a civilization born out of bloodshed, cannibalism, dirt and distrust could build such cities? Such structures that stood so tall, they could blot out the sun itself? It just never ceased to amaze him; the sheer ingenuity of a race of people who were seemingly born to kill.

People, he was quite happy to note, that were exactly like him.

Pausing to buy a pack of cigarettes- he’d quickly picked up the habit after his release; the nicotine doing all kinds of nice things to inherent tenseness- from one of the many corner stalls, he made his way slowly to a building full of thumping music, needing the crowd, the grind, the energy.

It was the ending of a new day, and the introduction to a new round. Would he use it wisely, as the philosopher would ask? Would he help the sick, feed the hungry and give charity to the poor?

…Or would he do exactly what he was doing now: lighting up a cigarette and sauntering into the busy nightclub, absently wondering if he let loose with the magic now, would the local supernatural 5-0 - oh yes, he did like the current slang- lock him away as securely as his ancestors had?

It was really anyone’s guess.

So, with a smirk on his face and his eyes on the shiney bottles of liquor at the bar, he made his way through the crowd of grinding bodies. Oh, the smell of sex on the air; it was intoxicatingly smooth. Perhaps he'd take one of these decrepit souls waiting for extinction and release that natural ache pent up for centuries.

He was a man out of prison, after all. Sex, booze and Armageddeon: nothing could compare.

[/center]

[Sephira]

Put on your brake lights
You're in the city of wonder
Ain't gon' play nice
Watch out you might just go under
Better think twice
Your train of thought will be altered
So if you must falter be wise

Of course the bartender assumed that Sephira was being facetious; he gave her a charming grin along with the long/tall glass of crimson liquid garnished with a celery stick. The raven haired sorceress smirked and rolled her emerald eyes, removing the offending vegetable and tossing it flippantly over her shoulder before taking a lady-like swallow of the cocktail.
When she heard an ‘Ow! My eye!’ she smiled, glad the celery had been good for something.

With a resigned sigh Fear swiveled around in her stool to face the dance floor, crossing her legs slowly in pure BASIC INSTINCT style and catching the attention of several male and female party-goers. Once again a bubbling laughter escaped her and echoed loudly despite the excessively earsplitting music blaring over the loud speakers. Humans were -so- amusing. That point was driven home when her attention was diverted to an enigmatic creature in long dreads and a braided beard that smelled sweet and spicy and was obviously ignorant of the fact that the barman was refusing to serve him.

The scene that followed was something straight out of a comedy. Fear was more a fan of blood and gore slasher films, but still, this human put a wide true grin on the witch’s pale face.

When the male decided to swagger outside instead of take up argument with the bartender, Fear swallowed the rest of her Bloody Mary and stood, raising a hand to get the man behind the bar’s attention.
While waiting impatiently for him to finish pouring a finger of some clear and noxious liquor into another customer’s glass, her gem-green gaze drifted over to the end of the counter and was caught in the luminescent russet orbs of a man that was nothing if not deliciously intriguing. Blatant viciousness emitted from him; a tangible aura of anarchy that the sorceress could taste rich and luscious on the back of her tongue. She blinked, taken aback by the soul that seemed to radiate a murderous nature as potent as hers. Who was this creature?

But the bartender appeared before her to distract her consideration and she smiled coldly and lifted a long white finger. “I need that bottle of rum.” She told him gesturing to the top shelf variety that was ten times as expensive as the rot gut the comedian had been served before.
The tender obliged without dispute and the sorceress put her wintery hand against his smiling cheek, leaning forward to kiss his full lips just before whispering an incantation that would wipe his memory of her.

Fairly gliding away from the crowded bar, she passed the compelling male from before, reaching to lightly sweep a fingernail across his chest as she went by. Fear’s eyes were full of amusement and curiosity and she offered him a thin smile before becoming lost in the sea of bodies.

Outside Sephira followed the smell of spices to the stranger that hadn’t made it very far.
“Excuse me. I think you may have dropped this back there.” She said as smooth as silk, pulling a shiny gold piece from her cleavage and holding it out to him. “It looks old. It would be such a shame if someone found it and never realized its value. You look like the type of man that knows his treasure from just another dirty old coin.”

The hand clutching the top shelf bottle of rum was held deliberately at her middle. It was shamefully simple, she knew, but it was certainly worth it for a taste of his sweet, piquant flesh.

[Walker de Bouff]

The decadent voice from behind had the dishonest pirate turn towards the woman in the red dress. His brown eyes went wide with delight as the woman pulled a coin from her bosom. “Did I now?” He questioned the woman. He leaned in close to her and gave her a toothy grin, displaying all of his teeth, which some were gold plated.

He plucked the coin from the woman’s hand and turned it between his fingers, inspecting this coin intently. “Oh yes,” he mumbled, “That I do know me treasure.” Spinning the coin between each finger, he looked at her again. “Where you be finding a treasure such as this? Do you know of some hidden treasure that I might be interested in?” He shoved the coin into his pocket and leaned in towards the woman. His eyes beheld the bottle of rum. “You be having rum?” He asked.

This tantalizing pale woman had the pirate’s interest peaked. Her skin looked so smooth. He stepped in towards her, closing that tiny gap between them. “I know what a woman wants and needs. If you let me have that bottle of rum..” His hand came up to the woman’s shoulder, brushing a gentle hand over it and down her smooth arm. A sly grin came over his face, thinking of what a beautiful wench this one was. A prize, definitely that one was.

He quickly spun away from her as the door opened yet again behind them. It caused him to stumble slightly to look at the man, which he was staring at with a wide-eyed expression, until he remembered the woman had the bottle of rum. He spun back towards her and swayed closer to her form. “Now, about that rum?” He slid his fingers over hers that were enveloped around the bottle, hoping to tug it away from her.

[Murdoc Riango]

This is a theme to a fake revolution
A battle won and lost with confusion
This is a theme to a fake revolution
Make no mistake there is no solution

We are the kings of misery
Born and raised with no ability
Good luck sucker is the battle cry
Finally a purpose, a reason to die




What fools these mortals be. The words practically flew into his head as he watched the party-seekers mile about the room. Didn’t they have any idea how finite their lives were? How often they were in danger of going into that big, bad beyond that awaited them all?

Perhaps he should open their eyes; the thought floated to the forefront of his mind and a smile broke out over his face. Just one little incantation, five little words in his native tongue, and he could kill them all.

Slowly.
Fiery.
Painfully.

But that would be counterproductive, wouldn’t it? His goal wasn’t to kill a few and get those goody-two-shoes eyes on him and his business. After Gods knew how many years spent in Hell, he was not about to get caught so easily. He had a job to finish, after all, and he would not be stopped until it was completed. Only then, could he rest. Only then, could he stop using magic that had his veins singing addiction.

Only after he killed them all, could he be in peace. Only after he destroyed the world, and the future that it would inevitably bring.
If not for him.

The bartender approached carefully, obviously appreciating the counter between them. Murdoc couldn’t help but smile, the expression making the poor human sweat. What fools.

“Can I get you something, sir?”

Oh, just your head on a platter. he thought with yet another wolfish smile. But no, that wouldn’t do. He couldn’t read the labels on the bottles behind the bar if the human died. “Give me that nice bottle there,” He pointed at a black label with a strange looking bird on the front.

A few minutes and some stammering later, he was leaning his sideways on the bar with his bottle in his hand- he practically threw the tiny glass back at the human when he set it down in front of him- and turning back to the show. There were beautiful women everywhere, what luck! He watched the crowd, leering, choosing.

But none of those silly, ignorant women compared to the pale beauty down the bar. He could just smell that sweet scent of death on her and his eyes narrowed in blatant curiosity. She was talking to the bartender, who looked as if he were quickly regretting his choice of profession, and the warlock’s interest peaked. Who was she and why did she seem so deadly?

Wonderfully, beautifully deadly. Oh yes, his blood did heat.

And if curiosity had been raised when he noticed her dangerous aura, it practically made a hole in the top of his head when she kissed the bartender. Forget the obvious show of teasing sensuality; if the fissure of power that made reality sizzle was anything to go by, he was looking at a powerful spellcaster. Intrigued, he leaned forward in his seat.

Few people could master spells with such…nonchalance. Back in Atlantis’ heyday, even battle sorcerers, trained for the stress of casting multiple spells one after the other seemed to deflate with each casting. But this woman? She took that small human’s memories as easy as she drew breath. Fascinating.

He took a pull of his liquor, eyes narrowing as she approached. He kept still, half expecting a confrontation of some kind, thanks to the world he’d called home for the past…Gods, for a long, long time. Everything was a fight in the prison dimension he’d been sentenced to. Even to breathe was to kill another for the necessary breath. When her approach resulted in nothing but the scratch of her nails and a tight little smile, however, he was pleasantly surprised.

Surprised, intrigued and in no way ready to let her leave so easily. Damn, even after all this time, he still had to work on those impulses of his.

After a minute, Murdoc rose, trailing the pale beauty with his bottle still clutched in his hand. He passed those danger loving little girls with promises in their eyes. Ignored wandering hands, gyrating bodies; everything he’d previously been looking for not ten minutes earlier. Just one glance, one surge of power and one subtle challenge, and he was hooked.

He always did have a rampant curiosity. Oh well; he would just do what he did best if she disappointed him.

She wouldn’t be the first to perish in his quest for peace, after all.

Leaning sideways against the alley door, the warlock watched the exchange between the witch and…the pirate? Gold capped teeth, slurred speech, confident air; Gods, he was getting nostalgic just looking at the bearded man. Taking a pull from his bottle, he did his best to curb the urge to strike.

He always got a bit angry when he thought of home. Calm, Murdoc, he told himself. Be calm and enjoy the show…while it lasted.

[Sephira]

Your minds in disturbia
It's like the darkness is light
Disturbia, am I scaring you tonight?
Disturbia, ain't used to what you like
Disturbia, disturbia

Fear watched the bearded man with a cool detachment; her jade eyes moving down the length of him as her scarlet colored tongue snaked across her lower lip. The human was thin and skin so sun tanned it seemed leather in some places, but there was a spot just above his hip that she imagined was firm but soft, and the cannibal witch envisioned that part of him would be delicious.

“Like I said, I found it on the floor back there, just under some big thug’s boot. Nasty boot too. Sticky and smelly…” She blinked those gem-green eyes innocently and wiped the imaginary yuck from her hand on her dress in hopes that the act would get her some skin quicker if she played the victim. Men in this realm, like all realms, did enjoy the female victims, didn’t they?

And then he stepped closer, pasting on a charming smile as his rough hand ran the length of her shoulder. Fear could guess exactly what he was propositioning her for, with the way his eyes sparkled as hungrily for her curves as they had for the coin and the liquor. Though it annoyed her to have to play into the suggestions, she let a little chuckle escape her and let her face drop coyly to the ground.

“Do you really know what we want?” She lifted her gaze, impiety shining within it though the man was already so drunk she doubted he would notice. Her hand came up to brush her long raven locks off her shoulder and then she tilted the bottle up to her copious lips, taking a feminine pull before dabbing the moisture from her pout with two dainty fingers.

She held out the bottle to tease him a bit, sloshing the amber liquid from side to side. “And if the flesh is what I want, would you give me a taste of it in trade for the magic juice?” A slow calculating grin had spread over her pale face, but her lilting tone still held a forced blamelessness.

It was then the pirates attention was diverted and she trailed his hazy gaze to find the intriguing male from inside watching with intense eyes.
Her mouth parted just a bit as her own green orbs traveled down his potent form, even more commanding as the dim light of the street lantern illuminated him like a dark angel.

What she wouldn’t give for a taste of that as well. Oh, what a veritable buffet of humans! This nice was growing more fascinating by the minute.

The sorceress hand tightened on the bottle as his fingers grasped to pull it away, and with a panic she did not truly feel she sent a pleading expression back to the watching man.
“What are you doing?” She faked terrified shock as she looked back at the pirate. If she could get the watching male to come to her rescue, perhaps she wouldn’t have to get her nails dirty. “You’re robbing me? Oh. Help. Someone. Help…”

This was too easy.

[Walker de Bouff]

“Nasty boot, eh?” The pirate drawled out, leaning in towards the woman. She smelled delicious. He wouldn’t mind having a go at this one. He was so close to her that he could almost taste her.

He watched her throat move as she took a pull of the rum. It was so tantalizing. He brought his fist to his mouth and bit into it, making a pained face. She was so rich. When she brought the bottle away he quickly dropped his hand, not wanting her to see the look on his face. “I’ve been around long enough to know what everyone wants. There be three things; sex, money, and power,” he counted them off, holding up a finger for each.

The pirate jerked his head back and peered into the woman’s eyes as she asked if he would trade flesh for a taste of the amber liquid. “What be you? Some sort of cannibal?” He asked then looked behind him to see the man she cast a quick glance at. He immediately went on the defensive upon seeing him.

His hand was still on the bottle, which he was about to relinquish his hold of when she started to act as though he was stealing the bottle of rum from her. The moment she started to yell help he moved his hands back and brought them flippantly to the air. “What game ye be playin’ at?” He waved a hand wildly to the air while the other came down on his hip.

He quickly noted that this was a mistake. The woman was trying to gain something from this interaction. He took a few swaggering steps back, bringing the male into his sight as well. They made one wrong move and this pirate was going to bolt like nobody’s business.

Luck always seemed to be on his side, so if they came at him he would hope that would get him out of this sticky situation. He hated to leave that bottle of rum though. His eyes looked on it quite painfully. Oh well, he would need to find some elsewhere. As well as a wench that didn’t want to eat his flesh. He made a disgusted face as he thought about it. He should have guessed a beauty like that was pure evil.

These two seemed just like the two that Cooper had mentioned he would eat. The pirate thought he might need to contact that man, give him a heads up on some good candidates.

“What be that?!” He pointed behind the two and if they turned to look he bolted in the opposite direction with his hands flailing in the air quite comically.

[Murdoc Riango]

Well, wasn’t this…situation definitely different from how he’d pictured tonight’s events. He’d imagined some rock music, a soft body, some blood letting and mayhem…but a hauntingly beautiful witch and a retarded pirate? Definitely hadn’t been on the roster of people he was excited to meet. Raising a brow, Murdoc brought his bottle to his lips for a gulp of the burning liquid, growling as it scorched its way to his belly.

Oh yes, that bar definitely had some grad A liquor. He’d have to return there later and steal some for himself, he thought absently, while watching the other two strangers. Some angry part of himself had made him follow the woman out of the club, wanting a taste of that porcelain skin- once an inmate, always an inmate- and Hells if he wasn’t regretting his decision.

She wanted him to save her from…what? From the drunken pirate? As if she couldn’t take care of him herself…and if she couldn’t, he really didn’t want anything to do with her. He’d sensed all that wonderful power back in the bar, and that- along with those succulent…eyes- had caught his interest as none had done in a very long time. But now, if she truly needed a savior from the silly little man with the dreadlocks…

Ah, there it was; the teasing light to those neon eyes. What a relief! He hadn’t wanted to kill the both of them, and now he had a reason to stay his hand.

Falling into the little roleplay, Murdoc took a step toward the dreadlocked man, tilting his head as a nasty little snarl came onto his face. Ah, he did love it when his foes started quivering in fear…damn, or was he just quivering in rum withdrawal? This damn new world of theirs was so irritating sometimes.

When the pirate decided to scream at something behind him, Murdoc did indeed look back…only to get a good eyeful of the pansy ass little man running away with his arms flailing. Good Gods, how he had made it to his present age…

”Well, that was disappointing,” He said, turning back to the woman, a brow raised mockingly. ”The entertainment’s run away. I guess that means you’ll have to find someone else for me to beat on for you, hmm?”

[Lillie Galleau]

There was nothing like an afternoon outing with a handsome man and a sense of excitement. The air around them practically buzzed with happiness, and Lillie felt almost charged with the emotion. Whatever fears that she’d had before, when the news had just been broken, seemed to have disappeared somewhere, as if in fear of her mate’s utter joy. There were some other things lurking in the back of her mind; the nagging feeling that something important was going on around them…around her. That annoying sense of déjà vu was everywhere lately; every time she saw him smile, heard that throaty laugh of his, or watched him sleep, it was as if she had been there before. Not to mention seeing a shaggier version of himself superimposed onto the original when he’d kissed her belly.

She really had no idea what was going on, and truthfully, she didn’t care! She was going to have a baby! THEY were going to have a baby! And where nerves still rattled around in her chest, all she had to do was take one little look at Kyle’s face, and she felt centered once again. Holy guac, he was beaming like crazy, she thought with a little snicker. Was it just a guy thing; that little chest puff that went on when they found out that their Super Sperm had touched down and made life?

Either way, she felt so ridiculously happy. A bit nauseous, yes, and very guilty that she hadn’t told her family and friends just yet, definitely…but God, she was so, so happy.

She was having a baby with the man of her dreams! She was getting married! She’d actually slept like the dead for a few hours after they’d made love in the shower, without dreams! HOLY GUAC, SHE WAS SO HAPPY!

And she was probably cutting off circulation to her poor dragon’s arm. Ducking her head with a wince, she forced herself to stop hugging the ever living heck out of Kyle’s arm, and concentrate on not tripping over her own feet. Gah, being so close to him, she couldn’t help but remember their little tryst on the stairs. Her cheeks heated as she glanced up at those chiseled lips, recalling how he’d looked and felt, and how she’d tasted on his tongue…

Whoof, okay, cue some covert face-fanning. The night air around them was cool, but given the fact that being within a ten mile radius of the warrior was enough to make her light up like a Roman candle, she didn’t feel it. After resting up for a few hours, Kyle had declared that it was time for another night out on the town, to celebrate the baby. Lillie knew that they should stop at The Pit and the local hotel, where her brothers were staying, but for now, she was content to walk alongside her fiancé- gah, she just couldn’t get over it! Fiance! Marriage! EXCITEMENT- as the sun set behind them.

Resting her head on his arm, she grinned up at him. ”I hope you’ll be able to stomach my family again, when we break the news,” She said jokingly, giving his arm a little squeeze. ”You have no idea what the guys are going to do once they find out they’re going to be uncles. I don’t think the plantation is going to be big enough for all the toys they’re gonna buy! Oh, and speaking of which; we need to think about where to live. I could always sell the townhouse, but then the commute from your place to the Gallery would be a pain, especially since I don’t own a car…”

Babbling happily, as she was want to do when under extreme emotion, Lillie couldn’t help but beam at everything around them. Lamp posts, mail boxes, confused pedestrians; no one was spared the ‘oh my God, I’m going to die from happiness’ smile that seemed to be stuck to her face. Absently, she noticed a few figures standing in an alleyway that they were passing, and she frowned as a chill of caution slid through her.

[Sephira]

Faded pictures on the wall
It's like they talking to me
Disconnecting on calls
The phone don't even ring
I gotta get out or figure this shit out
It's too close for comfort...


Fear had already had enough of this game. When the blundering pirate proceeded to scream like a girl and take off running into the night, the witch sighed dramatically; wishing humans had the bravado they’d had in days of yore.
Tapping her dagger like stiletto in annoyance, she gave the fiercely handsome man a droll glare at his comment, and then shook her raven colored head.

“No. That man has made me loose my appetite and that simply will not do. You can have what’s left of him after -I- beat him to a pulp.”
With that Sephira raised an arm, palm facing the heavens, and began to utter a spell that produced a glowing ball of green flame to rest in her hand.
With a pitch that would make any major league baseball player proud, she flung the fireball, sending it to land in the path of the fleeing male.

A cackle that betrayed her pretty visage bubbled up from the witch’s throat and Fear arched a brow, wondering if she could get him to dance for her if she landed the flames at just the right place at his feet.
Another ball of emerald fire appeared and she tossed this one just as easily to come to rest next to his boot.
“Dance for me!” the sorceress chimed in wicked amusement, and her gem-green eyes sparkled just like that fire.

This could have easily gone on all night, or until the pirate gave up or died, but the witch’s devious glare lit on something even more remarkable.

She recognized the dragon shifter as soon as she saw him.
He had that same rugged appeal, a fierce azure gaze, steady gait, and practically radiated power. What amazed her however, was something she’d never seen on him before; a glowing smile.
He had his arm wound around a female that fairly sparkled with happiness, and the blissful picture they drew made her want to vomit.

Instinctively the sorceress balled her fist with the urge to toss a nasty spell at the woman to rain acid down on their happy little parade, but the impulse was quickly replaced with the imagery of causing him even more pain; forcing him to watch his mate suffer through a long, drawn out death instead.

“Trouble approaches.” Sephira turned toward the potent male that was seething with raw, malevolent command. Her vicious gaze traveled down his perfect, rippling frame; her tongue snaking across blood red lips as they lifted back up to the magnificent eyes that glittered with the same malice that shone in hers.
“It comes in the form of a dragon shifter with a human on his arm…” She gestured toward the couple and couldn’t help the disgusted sneer that screwed up her pale face.

“If he had his way he would imprison all that appose the good and light.” Her soft hand reached for the shard which was practically searing the skin where it rested. “Help me snuff out -his- light and we will remain free to spread our own brand of darkness.”

[Kyle Aodhagán †]

Kyle could barely contain the happiness that surged within him like a white hot current of electricity.If not for the tawny skin that was stretched over his broad bones, surely he would burst like a super nova; raining warmth and joy down on them in flickers of gold and glowing silver.

The woman on his arm was an extension of his peace and bliss; the child growing in her belly like a corporal manifestation of his love and devotion.
For the first time in centuries the dragon felt as if the circle of his existence was complete; the ache and emptiness that had made a home in his soul was a mere whisper of a memory.

The dragon couldn’t help but let loose a chuckle at her worry for the reaction from her siblings. Though all tough and proud men, the shifter was confident that such news would bring them almost as much joy as it had him.
How could it not?
Lillie was happy beyond measure. That was as plain as the light that radiated in her sky blue eyes and that wonderful, wonderful smile.

“I am sure they will be as proud of you as I am." He reassured her, bringing the woman deeper into his side so he could leave a whispery kiss against her soft russet crown.
“If they are not, well then they are fools and I will be happy to show them the error of their ways.” These words were spoken with a playful smile that belied the meaningless threat.

“If need be I will ask Pat for your hand in marriage on bended knees before we share the news of our blessing. That man is so full of arrogance there is no way he could deny me that request. Once we have his sanction and he is floating on a cloud of self-importance, we will let him in on our little secret.”

Kyle couldn’t help himself. He stopped their slow pace to kneel before her as he had earlier, pressing his forehead against her taunt belly.
“Do you hear that my little secret?” he murmured as if the babe was already listening. "I mean to make sure your mother is an honorable married woman before you are born into this world.”
His glittering azure gaze lifted to meet Lillie’s, and they were full of youthful light and impishness.

Kyle stood and resumed walking with her hand in hand, pondering the quandary of where they would live. “I am not so attached to the plantation that I would deny you a home closer to your work and family. I will build you one there if I must.”

The serene moment was brought to an unfortunate end as a male with swinging dreadlocks ran toward them from the dimly light street, and a ball of jade flame landed near them to illuminate the night.
Grasping Lillie’s palm tighter, the shifter pulled her protectively behind him, his other hand raised to give the fleeing male pause.
“What is the meaning of this?” He demanded of the pirate in a concerned, but wary tone. “Are you alright?”

But his gaze had already been drawn to the source of the green glow, and a cackling laughter that he recognized even after all this time.
“No…” he whispered and found himself steeled to the spot. “Sephira…”

(( I hope its enough for y’all to reply to. I didn’t want to go over board without giving Walkermahlove a chance to respond to everything.))

[Walker de Bouff]

The pirate was makin' it out of this place like a jack rabbit on skates! He was sooo out of this joint, until a blast of green fire landed in front of him. It brought him to a screeching halt. His arms circled comically as he used them to keep his balance.

It was then he saw the large man in front of him with some woman. "HALP!" He yelled out before turning to see the evil, tantalizing woman throw another ball of flame at his feet. He jumped, bringing one foot up with a yelp. Oh, he would dance for her alright.

The lids of his brown eyes lowered as he glared down the alleyway at these two hateful creatures. "You be leavin' me outta this, ye here?" He tried to put on his macho bravado, but decided against it. He was no warrior. He was just a pirate, a pirate that was still looking to find some bountiful treasure.

His hand came down onto his hat and he turned, darting quickly in an awkward looking run to go behind the woman that was hiding behind the huge man. Yes, this was perfect protection from the two ugly's staring them all down like they were the next course in their meal.

And now that he was standing behind two people his courage went up a notch or two. Pulling out his pistol, he leaned around the two figures and pointed it at Sephira and Murdoc while yelling out to them. "Ye think ye got me now, eh!?" He barked with laughter, thinking he was oh so safe behind two people. If he only knew.

He eyed the beautiful woman that was shielding him, not even noticing that she was pregnant. His hand with the pistol was still pointed around Kyle at the two figures, not that he could even see them as he looked over this woman. He leaned in and grinned, flashing off his teeth that were mismatched due to some being made of silver or gold. "Well, ain't ye a sight for sore eyes," he tipped his hat at her while she probably got a big whiff of the alcohol on his breath.

The man really needed to get his priorities straight. He didn't even seem to notice that he was flirting with the big man's girl. "How 'bout you and me lose these ugly's?" He wiggled his eyebrows and made a gesture with his head to a hotel down the street.

[Lillie Galleau]

Well, hadn’t this one surpassed the realm of ‘interesting,’ and coasted right into ‘fascinating?’ Murdoc couldn’t help but take a step forward, watching the green ball of fire erupt from the woman’s hand and surge toward the fleeing pirate. Had she uttered a spell? Was the magic so embedded in her, as with other supernaturals that he’d encountered here? The urge to take her by the throat and shake the answers out of her made a sweet fire burn through his veins, and he reveled in it.

Was it wrong to be instantly aroused by the thought of learning her power? Or with that dark laugh that burst from her as she attempted to fry the retreating bug? It probably was, but he just couldn’t help himself.

He’d been locked up for a long, long time, in a world inhabited by monsters, after all. Nothing was more seductive to him than power, nowadays.

When she spoke, his eyes lingered on her lips momentarily, before darting to the man she’d mentioned. The dragon shifter…no, the man from his waking vision! The warlock scowled as he recognized the other’s face, as well as the face of his woman. Those small, frail features had looked at him with such fear, such mistrust, that he’d actually felt a pang of remorse in his belly; an emotion that he hadn’t felt in centuries. He’d actually wanted to reach out to her, to touch that soft cheek and remind himself what goodness really felt like…

But then, he’d caught sight of the bulge of her belly, and the anger returned. Only he knew what was to come, and if more children were able to be born into this damned world—

Murdoc’s attention snapped back to reality as that hated word left the witch’s lips. ‘Imprison?’ Confinement? Punishment, jailed, locked up forever where no one could hear him scream…oh yes, he certainly knew of such things. And the shifter, who was looking at the woman beside him with such horror on his face…he was righteous enough to lock them up. He would not be imprisoned again! Not again!

”I will kill anyone to be free,” He murmured, more to himself than the seductress beside him. Without another word, he focused his mind and began to mutter the words of a spell in his native tongue, the Atlantean words rolling off of it. Like at the beach, his arms and hands began to glow a neon green.



Back on the street, before the world proceeded to make a right turn into Crazy Town, Lillie had decided that her husband-to-be was the kindest man on the planet. She hugged his side, standing on her tip toes to place a chaste kiss on the side of his neck and rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling her cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt. God, she loved him so much; loved the life that they had made, and the one they had yet to make. A sense of rightness, of peace had descended on her, and for the first time in her life, she felt completely whole.

Had she been waiting for him, her warrior, to come along? Had he always been the one who would fill that little hole inside her soul? With a smile that threatened to light up the street around him, she knew that he was all of the above.

He was perfect, he was hers…and no one would ever hurt him again. Ever.

She laughed as Kyle described her brother to the ‘t,’ and how he would react to the news of their marriage. Nudging him with her shoulder, she picked her head up to shake her head at him. ”You’re so bad! They are going to be insanely happy about being uncles, though. I think we may need a separate room to hold all of the gifts we’re going to get.”

Wrinkling her nose with another laugh, she stopped when he suddenly turned. Her heart melted in her chest as he knelt and murmured to their baby, her hands coming up to cup the back of his head. When he looked up at her, she couldn’t help but bend down and place a kiss on his forehead.

How had she ever lived without this man?

Swinging their entwined hands playfully, she opened her mouth to continue their conversation about living arrangements, but never got the chance. Instinctively, she took a step toward the dreadlocked man, and squeaked in surprise when Kyle jerked her behind him. What was going on NOW, darnnit? Were the Halloween rejects doing muggings, now?

She gasped when the bright green flames engulfed the sidewalk, fisting her hand in the shifter’s shirt. Protectively, her hand swooped down to cover her belly. Kyle stood stiff in front of her, and she gasped again when that hated name burst from his lips in a strangled whisper. Sephira? There? No!

Her eyes flew to the beautiful woman in the alleyway, and the man that stood beside her, widening when she recognized his face. The man from her dream? What was he doing there? And…WITH the witch!

Before she got a chance to do anything but gasp and stare, however, that strange, dreadlocked man ran behind her. Looking at him over her shoulder, she couldn’t help the incredulous expression from going onto her face. Was he…hitting on her? Now? And…whoohoo, light a match; his breath was lethal!

”Oh, just stand there and be quiet,” She said, before her head whipped back around to peer at the two in the alleyway. The big man from her dream looked like he was firing some kind of power up, and she gripped Kyle’s arm hard.



((HEHE, sorry that I posted too quick, Walker! Random brain farts are always love. XD I'm just repositioning things and adding on a reply for choo.))

[Sephira]

Sephira’s anger was a tangible thing. It crackled around her like a live wire, electrifying the air and causing a caustic ring in the ears of those unfortunate souls that dared to steal a glimpse at the scene. Her skin took on a rough, scaly texture; the black pupils her wide emerald eyes contracting into a reptile like slit that made her visage more sinister than beautiful. She was nothing short of a vile monster and her temper was a thing of absolute horror.

Gaze narrowed hatefully on the couple and the retreating pirate, the sorceress pulled the powerful crystal shard from where it had been hidden and tightened her palm around it. Crimson sprang from her pale hand where the sharp edge dug into her skin, and it seemed to make the shard smolder with even more potency.
If this was the night she was to kill the dragon she had so long feared and hated, then it would be done with pizzazz, not just a simple every-day slaying or spell.

Eyes darting to the fearsome male that had piqued her interest, Fear’s eyes grew larger as she watched him utter a chant, and suddenly his outstretched limbs radiated with a bright, powerful magic. Her lips curved up into a wicked smile, impressed at the sheer power that had been hidden within that scrumptious frame. Oh yes. This was going to be a night of blood and savagery. She could already taste it on the back of her tongue and It. Was. Delicious.

“Let us begin the slaughter, then.” She said to him and then focused her attentions back on the trio. Extending the hand with the shard, she pointed the pointed tip at them, and it was trembling from pure exhilaration.

“The impression of safety you feel right now is short lived.” Fear yelled at the pirate and arched an eyebrow at Kyle. “He has never been able to protect the ones he means to. In fact, I believed he has caused their deaths…”

Her smiling eyes went to Lil’s pale blue ones, and for a split second her face grew covetous. “I will pull that babe from your womb as I did the last one he spawned, and it will taste so. good.”

With a quick motion of her hand, the shard was pulled down through the air as if scoring something solid, and immediately the atmosphere opened to release a faction of monsters that had been waiting on the other side.

The dragons pushed through the fissure, breathing fire down upon the civilian street to light up the night in hues of ruby and orange. Leathery wings made a rhythm like a nightmarish lullaby as they closed in on the trio huddled in the alley beyond. Some flew else where, starting a war that the humans had not been prepared for.