Revalations {Banning, Vincent, Kaera, ?}

[Kaera Fenrisulfr Vuldanshe]

{continued from Business Meetings Are Good for the Soul }



Vincent:

Entertaining...yeah, that's EXACTLY how he wanted a tour of his beloved facility described. Oh, the insults that he was recieving for a monster such as herself...really, it was a miracle that he hadn't told her where to stick all of that 'I'm better than you' attitude. But, above all else, Vincent Montegue was a gentleman, and gentlemen did not tell beautiful young ladies that they were bitchier than his ex-wives.

Not that he didn't think it. Multiple times.

As the shifter stood, the businessman moved over to her chair, sliding it out behind her. The woman was right not to trust him, and a smile flitted across his lips briefly as she called her secretary. Was the wolf curious? Intrigued, by getting a tour of the coveted Montegue Research Labs? The building, located just outside of the city- and spread like a spider web underneath New Orleans- was guarded by more soldiers and security personell than the White House, and it was on the tip of every Senator's tongue to ask about the secretive base. Kaera would be one of twenty people in the world, whom he'd permitted to tour the facility. Only himself and his staff were allowed inside...and even they were closely watched and monitored.

There just wasn't any room for such maudlin things as 'trust' or 'professional courtesy.' Everyone could be bought, in one way or another, and with his experiences in the world? He was better off pretending that everyone was a potential threat.

With a nonchalant air, he led the woman to the street, relaying instructions to her driver. They would follow him as his chauffeur drove them over to the lab; his attempt at allowing the woman some comfort of mind. He wasn't about to highjack her and stick her on a gurney for study, after all! She could leave as voluntarily as his subjects--er, patients.

The drive to the center was uneventful. He checked his messages and email, making notes to return various calls from his European branch- the poor sobs were still freaking about his donations to various charitable funds, he thought with a sigh- and in no time, they had reached the barbed, electricity laden fence of his facility. Ah, she was beautiful, wasn't she? Sterile, cold and sporting some of the most advanced technology known to man underneath those brick skirts. Beautiful...and dangerous, he thought with a smirk.

Once through the gates, he informed the soldiers standing at the ready to allow the car behind him to follow. In a slow procession, with drivers following a strict, chalked out path- go beyond and get hit by certain...boobytraps that his munitions branch had cooked up- and in no time, they had reached the front door.

With the low crack of old bones, Vincent unfolded himself from the limo, nodding his head at the aid that stumbled over to his side. Motioning for Kaera to follow, he entered the building and was immediately greeted with the familiar brightness of white walls. Everything was painted in the same color; the floors, ceilings, walls and windows. With a muttered 'thank you,' he accepted the pristine white lab coat and shrugged it over his clothes.

"This is the waiting area," He said, once the shifter was safely inside. It was a small room, meant for security checks and debriefing. Motioning toward the far wall, he sauntered over and set his hand on a small indentation there. With a few beeps and whooshes, twin glass panes swung open, revealing a white elevator beyond. With yet another swipe of his palm and a press of a button, they were transported down to the research lab.

"The main labs are located over fifty meters underground," He informed his guest, keeping his eyes on the flashing lights through the windows. "I hope that you aren't claustrophobic. If you do end up having a problem, let me or one of the researchers know. We have another exit that's a bit faster than this one, though it requires a decompression period." With an almost comically normal 'ding,' the elevator stopped and the white panes opened once again, revealing a hallway teaming with white-suited scientists. Each wall sported a window that showed one or two patients lounging in bed, or answering questions from their doctors.

Motioning for her to proceed him, he slid his hands into his pockets.

"These are the patient rooms. All of our volunteers," He emphasized the word with a sharp glance her way. "Are allowed all the comforts of home; internet, television, and telephone usage. Our researchers come in daily to question them and perform various tests, as you see here." With a tilt of his head, he motioned toward one of the windows. An elderly woman was seated inside, calmly stroking a house cat as she spoke to a white-clad woman sitting across from her.

"That's Velma DeRico," He said after a minute. He knew every single one of the speci--that is, patients, in his facility, and the old woman was no different. "She came to us after she nearly burned her grandson to death. A late budding pyrokenetic. We're trying to understand why it never manifested in her early years, and help her control it now."

Another window showed a teenage boy tossing a baseball against a wall. Seeing the two of them, he sat up and waved, a bright smile on his face. Returning it, Vincent waved back. "Tomas Gonzalez. He was bitten by a Were last year and disembowled his stepmother. It took us almost all that time to bring him back to the world, and now we're trying to find a cure...or, at least, a way to curb his appetites when the moon is full." Once passed, he turned to face her once again.

"Still think of us as monsters, Ms. Fenrisulfr?" He asked mildly, his back to another patient window. "We aren't performing any kind of illegal experiments. We merely want to help people."



Banning:

Voices...he was hearing voices again. They were low, fuzzy, as if coming through water, and he couldn't understand what they said. Where was he? Why did he ache so? Slowly, he pushed himself to his elbows, squinting against the bright whiteness of the floor beneath him. He'd tumbled out of the bed again, he thought with a sigh. The people who had taken him from the road had put him in this little room 'to help,' they said. But all they'd done was ask him questions and poke him with needles. He didn't like the needles.

So he hurt them. He had to protect himself; to protect the WOMAN. He grit his teeth as fangs pushed against his lips, her face coming to his mind. He couldn't find her name...but he knew it was important. He had to get to her...but the people in white wouldn't let him.

He groaned as he pushed himself to his knees, squinting his eyes against the light. Everything was painted white, and it hurt his eyes. He tasted something foul in his mouth and winced, scrubbing his hand over the rough stubble of his jaw. Gods, he ACHED...everywhere, constantly. It was as if someone had taken a bat and beaten him with it, especially at his ribs.

Pleased to have an excuse to rid himself of the scratchy material of his shirt, he flung it aside, gingerly touching the discolored bruise that marred his ribs, over the stark black markings. Where had they come from? He squinted again, staring at them. They spanned his chest and curled around his sides to his back...but he couldn't remember what they were; what they meant. Just that they were important.

He had bled for them.

Slowly, carefully, using the bed for support, he stood. Immediately, the world around him spun and he fell to his knees again with a groan. The woman's face floated before his eyes, smiling this time, instead of screaming, and he smiled back.

That was when he realized that he was facing the window. She was HERE.



Kaera:

Kaera allowed herself to be whisked along on the ride to the labs even as she adaptly read every expression that crossed Montegues face. He was obviously perturbed by her audacity to question him but really? What had he truly expected? That his little method of operation would never be found out? That no one would ever question the disappearance of several supernaturals that had come into known contact with his lackeys? Honestly, for a smart man, he sure was missing some key elements.

However, like the wise woman she was, the youngest Fenrisulfr sibling kept all these thoughts hidden behind a cool facade as the car moved along and then finally turned into a facility that resembled more of a prison than a scientific lab. Soon after, they exited the car and entered the buildings were they went through security and into the main area. Vincent talked as they went and every now and then they paused outside glass windows that housed "patients".

All in all, the petite blond was forced to admit that what Montegue was doing, on the surface at least, was worthy. The people he showed her and the charts he went over were of supernaturals in dire need of helping hands. However, she couldn't still the feeling of growing unease as they moved further and further into the compound like facility. As they drew near the end of one hall, she felt a chill go down her spine and felt her eyes lift to gaze through the window of the last room on the right. As she did so, disbelief and shock spun through her soul as her own name in the old language practically slapped her in the face.

By All that was holy.... THAT WAS HER HUSBAND IN THAT STERILE CELL...

Just then, the handsome blond man tried to climb from the bed and fell to his knees with a groan. When his face came up, their eyes locked and Kaera found herself reaching for him. When her fingers came up against cold glass, white hot rage swept through her and a savage snarl crawled from her throat as she whipped around to glare at Vincent Montegue.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!" she growled in a voice that spoke of the she wolf fighting for release. "THAT WOLF IN THERE IS MY HUSBAND! YOU WILL RELEASE HIM AT ONCE OR BY ALL THAT I HOLD DEAR I WILL TEAR THIS PLACE DOWN AROUND YOUR EARS."

Gathering herself for battle, Kaere wasn't even aware of the shift in her eyes as her sapphire irises started to gleam.

"OPEN THAT DOOR!!! NOW!"


Banning:

She was here! SHE WAS HERE! Ignoring the pain in his side and the shaking in his legs, he threw himself at the window, meeting her fingertips with his. The glass was seperating them, but it felt like so much more. Had he come to this crossroads before? Able to see her, but never to touch? With a roar, he pounded his fists against the glass until his skin cracked and bled; a demand that turned into a frenzy as the man in the suit came closer to her.

'No one touches her!' he howled in his mind, mouth forming the words in a language different from the one he'd heard around the compound. He felt something happening; something shifting in his mind, like a door being open. Such rage, such fire, such a CRAVING for blood! He needed to kill them all, for putting that look of anger on her face! She was his! No one touched her, no one angered her! LET HIM OUT!

The shatter-proof glass cracked and groaned under his fists, and he felt the bones in his hands snap. He ignored it, eyes drinking in that beautiful, haunting face. He knew her, he knew he did...but he couldn't remember. Gods, why couldn't he remember?


Vincent:

The look of surprise was good, Vincent thought to himself with an inner smirk. She was seeing exactly what he wanted her to see; patients in need, and doctors helping. And he did indeed want to help them; it was the humane thing to do. Get monsters off of the streets, show them how to play nice with his kind...and take blood samples for his own purposes while they slept off the tranquilizers he'd declared they should always be on. All he wanted to do was to help the human race make sure it didn't get trampled by beings twice as strong. This was THEIR world, not Kaera's. Humans over monsters; that was his motto.

And everything had been going so smoothly, until they'd reached the last patient room. Inwardly, he cursed as he whirled around, needing to see what sparked such a reaction in his guest. He cursed under his breath, making a note to fire the men who had situated the new specimen with the others. This one had been increasingly volatile, ever since he'd been brought in. Only potent tranqs had saved some of his researchers from being pummeled to death, and Vincent practically salivated at the thought of cutting him open. Seeing how those muscles...ticked.

But he wasn't supposed to be in general population, where such things could occur! The patient was obviously upset by Kaera's presence...and with those fateful words, all the blood in his face proceeded to drain elsewhere.

"Husband?" He repeated, an incredulous note to his voice. From the information he'd gathered about the Fenrisulfr Clan, none of the siblings were attached in any way. The younger brother, Brom, had a revolving door of women, but he'd never heard of any of them being MARRIED.

"That's impossible," He said, confusion thickening his voice. "This man was found half dead in the street two weeks ago. We were keeping him here until he healed and learned how to control his wolf!" At the murderous look in her eyes, he took a step back, only to jerk forward as the wall behind him vibrated. What...no, these walls were too strong for him to be...GOD, he was! He was breaking through! With every vibration, the patients in accompanying cells began to panic, and screams lit the hall.

"If I open that door, he'll kill us all!" Vincent snarled back, moving away so that he could face both Kaera and the man behind the glass. "He's already taken four of my researchers. Let me call for a tranq, and we'll figure all of this out. Michelle!"


Kaera


Fury, shock and desperation hit Kaera in waves. Her skin prickled with the need to shift into wolf form but she forced herself to stay human. Behind her, Banning hit the mirror time and time again until blood streaked the surface. The need to sooth him filled her even as the feeling of being a cornered animal arose. Vincent was suddenly turning away from her and talking about some sort of tranq. In that moment, Kaera snapped.

Reaching into her soul, she tapped into the vast reserve of arcane magic that shifters were born with and blasted it at the glass separating her from the huge blond man on the other side. Even as the glass shattered and crumbled into a fine, powder like dust, she darted forward to catch her husband as he suddenly pitched forward. The moment they touched, everything else ceased to exist. The blaring of the alarms and the frightened shouts of the lab personal shifted to nothing as Kaera held her long dead mate in her arms for the first time in 1000 years.

"Banning.. Oh My God.. I knew it was you! I knew it but you weren't there when I woke up.... Ty and I both looked for you .. Oh my god.... I HIT YOU WITH MY FREAKING CAR!!!"

Sounds from behind her had her lowering him to the ground and stepping in front of him protectively. Although she barely came to Montegue's shoulder in height, her eyes snapped with deadly intent if he made one move with the syringe he had ordered.

Reaching into her pocket, she fingered her phone and hit speed dial on it. As the alarms and bells rang loud enough to cover up the sound of a deep voice answering on the other end, Kaera glared at the man responsible for holding her mate captive.
"Your men never even gave my mate a chance to say no. The day they "found" him, he was hit by a car... My car... I searched for him as soon as I woke up from crashing into a tree to try to avoid him and he was gone.... Ty found traces of chemicals left behind from someone who tried to cover up the fact they picked a wounded something up.... "

Again, the anger flare so fast that she had a hard time containing her wolf in her human form. Every instinct in her wanted to go for his throat but that wouldn't do. She would just be proving herself the animal he assumed she was and she'd lived among mortals long enough to know that brute strength never solved anything.

"I'm taking my husband out of here and if you even think about stopping me..... I will make all those awful little nightmares of yours about my kind seem like childs play. The whole reason he's been uncontrollable is because you can not separate a wolf from their mate. It literally drives them insane. By taking him, you've done more damage than you could ever do good and you should be grateful that I'm not calling Wulf and Brom right now. I might be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt when it comes to whether you knew about this yourself or not.. but my brothers will not be."

[Brom Fenrisulfr]

{Meanwhile, back at the Den}

Ty, Caleb... I added you both to this cause I figured that talking business... they would be there or coming.. If you don't like it.. I can change it out!!

Brom, Wulf, Ty and Erik were all settled into the huge leather chairs in the study. Having called the meeting, Wulf was waiting for Caleb to arrive or call in before going over the information that had been coming in regarding the were's activity in the area. His face was set in a deep scowl while the others tossed out insults like candy. Ty and Brom were going at it like a couple of teenage jocks and Erik was shaking his head in amusement. Every once in awhile the two combatants would toss something at him and he'd arch a brow in cool disdain.

Oh Yeah, freaking family meetings were so much fun.

Rubbing his eyes, Wulf leaned back in a chair just as the sound of Brom's cell phone went off. Instantly recognizing the Celtic lullaby as the tune the younger brother had assigned to their baby sister, the huge shifter felt a smile shift over his face. Ah, Kaera, the fairest of the all. The one they would all die to protect and the one who had them all wrapped around her tiny little finger. The gods help any fool who threatened her with harm because he would be reaping a whirlwind like he'd never dreamed of.

Broms hand flipped the cellphone on with a gentle greeting.

"Mo dheirfiúracha (Sister Mine)"

Then, as quick as a blink, the atmosphere in the room dropped by twenty degrees. Broms expression went from gentle to vicious in a matter of seconds and as he pulled the cell from his ear and hit speaker phone, they all understood why. Kaera's voice rang out as she talked to someone and the fury in her tone had them all on full alert. As they listened, astonishment flickered over all their faces and then bafflement passed between their gazes.

What in the name of the gods was going on?? More importantly, where the HELL was their sister at?

[Kaera Fenrisulfr Vuldanshe]

Vincent:

Good God, the woman was powerful. As the alarms began to wail and security personel file into the hallway, Vincent could do nothing but stare at the woman in front of him. He'd comitted the worst mortal sin for a businessman; he'd underestimated an opponent. And now, there he was, staring at the ruined expanse of his patient ward, and staring at a pissed off shifter and her equally pissed off mate. Something told him that it was shere luck that Kaera's husband was seemingly too weak to stand. Two such beings together and facing off with him...the results would have been catestrophic.

Not that he didn't have some wildcards up his sleeve, he noted with a sense of relief. As Kaera and her mate glared in his direction, various soldiers and other gifted employees took up defensive stances around them. All ammunition was loaded with a mixture of silver and toxic blood, and with the witches charging up their death-spells, he did feel a bit better about the whole situation.

Now, if only his conscience wasn't chattering so insesantly. Holding his hands up, palms out, he gestured for his men to stand down. The alarm was still blaring, but he ignored the noise, focusing on the shifters before him.

"I assure you, Ms. Fenrisulfr, he was not taken against his will," He said slowly, carefully choosing his words. "My men found a wounded, naked man in the middle of a road. They did not report to me about your being in the car that hit him. They thought it necessary to bring him here, where he could heal, instead of having civilians take him to a hospital. We weren't sure if he was a shifter or a Were; in the latter's case, his waking up in a foreign environment would have been dangerous to hospital staff. We meant no harm; we just wanted to help him. He was free to leave whenever he wished, but he wasn't lucid and didn't seem to understand what we were saying. I feared that there could have been some brain trauma."

Or that there was something else playing inside the shifter's body. He had heat signatures and reacted to stimuli much unlike other shifters and Weres he'd met over the years. There was something different about the man, the animal, and he'd been so looking forward to finding out what. But that wasn't meant to be, given both of their looks. Damn, he did so love a good medical mystery.

"You're free to leave, just as everyone else is," He said firmly, motioning for his men to lower their weapons. They did so reluctantly, especially when her 'mate' began to growl in tones more animal than human. With a severe swipe of his hand, he silently demanded that they clear a path, and the employees did so reluctantly. "You have no idea how sorry I am for this, Kaera. I had no idea that he was your husband..."



Banning:

Her voice was heavenly and her touch so soft, so gentle. Memories scratched at the surface of his mind, but he couldn't seem to grasp their thready fingers fast enough. He saw images, smelled the scent of dense pine forests, felt snow and dirt under his knees...but nothing made sense. It was all jumbled in his head, as thought had been when the humans poked him with liquid filled needles. But none of that mattered now; SHE was here. She was safe, seeing him, touching him. He didn't know why it felt so important that she knew he was there, but it was. With a little growly purr in the back of his throat, he turned his face into her palm, nuzzling the softness. She smelled familiar, safe, and he felt himself relaxing as she spoke to him, lowering him to the ground. The rage behind his eyes had lurked back a bit as he gazed up at her, lips parting in a smile.

A smile that quickly disappeared beneath a snarl as the man in the suit began to speak. He couldn't understand what he was saying, just as he couldn't understand the words his woman was saying so frantically. It was as if they were speaking a foreign language, the words garbled and unintelligable. His brows came together as he fought to piece together those sentences, but it was no use. Body language would be enough.

The contrite way the suited man moved was enough to make him stay where he was, but the anger remained, reacting to the stiff, irritated way his woman was standing. Her protectiveness brought a fierce smile to his face and, with a pained grunt, he pushed himself to his feet. He was barefoot and bare chested, much unlike the uniformed soldiers twitching in nervousness around them, but somehow, he knew that he could kill them all. He WANTED to kill them all, if only for making the angel speak so angrily.

But then, a path seemed to part, a doorway appearing at the end of the hall. He remembered doorways like that; he'd been wheeled through them when the men had brought him off the street. Doorways also lead to those white rooms, with tables and needles. Immediately, he stiffened, shoving the angel behind him with a snarl. The soldiers around them brought their weapons up, tensing, but a bark from the suited man had them forcing their guns back down.



Kaera:

OH, how she wished she could leap the distance and tear a few of those idiots apart. The beast within her snarled its displeasure as they raised weapons against them but her human side remained in control. The reassurance that her phone was on speaker in her pocket gave her a lifeline that she hung on to for dear life even as Vincent motioned his goons to stand down. "I don't know how your men could have failed to notice a wrecked vehicle not fifty feet from where my mate was thrown. I find it strange that no one reported the accident to the police or even checked to see if there were any other survivors if they were so concerned. If that is not normal practice for your workers then I suggest you look into their activities and weed out the ones who aren't following your strickest protocol." she snarled back at the darkhaired man while trying to turn down her emotions. She could feel Banning shifting restlessly beside her and knew that he was gauging her reactions to those around them. It wouldn't do to have him try to take them all on and her mate was in a weakened state already.

As Vincent went on to apologize and motion others aside, Kaera mentally noted every face in the vicinity and coolly lifted her chin at them. Banning jostled her and shifted to put her behind him. He was so obviously trying to shield her so she put a soothing hand on his skin and whispered his name in the old language. Grateful for her brothers habit of speaking in the tongue while at home, she was easily able to phrase comforting words as they began to moved by the gathered workers.


Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the cell and lifted it up so that Montegue could see it. As she did so, she spoke in clear tones. "Brom, I need a car to come and pick me up. Banning and I are just leaving Mr. Montegue's hospitality and my mate is to weak to trace. Could you please see to it that someone picks us up?" The cool, clipped words that rang back over the speaker were not Broms but that of her oldest brother. "Brom and Ty are already on their way. They will meet you outside and escort you home. Tell Montegue that I would like to have a word with him when he has a moment."

Knowing the other man had heard the words, Kaera said her goodbyes and then clicked the phone off. Now that the shock and initial fury were wearing off, her soul concern turned to getting her beloved out of harms way and home where she could take care of him.

"As .... interesting as this meeting as been.... I'm sure you'll understand if we see ourselves out. My brothers will be awaiting us and will see us to safety." she said with a quietness that was different than her earlier rage but no less dangerous. "Vincent, I'm sure you are wanting to look into exactly what happened to cause this misunderstanding... We will leave you to it...."

Then, with inborn grace, the shewolf hurried with her mate down the hall and through the series of passages that lead to the outer world. Her wolf instincts guided her back the way she'd come and she kept a hand on her mate the whole time.

It was with a heavy dose of relief though that she meet the bright sunlight, though, and even more relief when she spied Ty and Brom waiting. THANK GOD FOR BROTHERS.



Banning:

Ah...finally, words that he understood. She'd whispered something familiar to him, a name? His name? Either way, he felt himself relaxing, the burning anger behind his eyes slowly disappating, as the soldiers lowered their weapons. The suited man said something else, and the angel replied in turn. Her voice was clipped and cool, and he didn't like the answering look of anger on the man's face. The only thing that stopped him from lunging forward again was that the expression was directed at two men standing off to the side. Two men who, at the moment, were shifting very nervously. In a voice as cold and collected as hers, the human replied, body language practically screaming 'this will not happen again.' He was confused; what wouldn't happen again? He didn't like not understanding what was going on, as it would make it harder to protect his woman...but he didn't have time to do anything but glare, as he was propelled forward.


His legs protested the movement, as well as the rest of his body. Gods, he ached...a dull throbbing started at the base of his skull, and his jaw was sore from being clenched for so long. But he ignored it all, hanging onto the need to see his angel free from the white walled place. She needed to be away from all of those weaponed men, somewhere safe, secure...home. He frowned at the word, his jaw working as he fought to hold onto the image that followed. Cabin...sweet cold...laughter as he carried her across the threshold...and it was gone. A frustrated growl emerged, but he had no time to dwell.

It seemed like such a short time walking through those unfamiliar halls, until they reached the wide world beyond. He hissed in surprise as sunlight filtered down, stinging his eyes, and he brought a hand up to shield them. Gods, how long had he been down in that hole? His flesh practically drank up the warm rays, and after a minute of squinting, he closed his eyes, basking in the heat of the sun. Ah, much better. He could feel the sun on his face, the cool wind on his skin; much, much better.

And then his eyes had to roam across the asphalt, thus bringing any sense of calm he had crashing into oblivion. The sight of the one male approaching them had a pang of familiarity to him, but he didn't dwell on the feeling. Unknown beings were approaching his angel. She must be protected. With a growl low in his throat, he faced the two men, lips pulled back in a snarl and eyes slowly bleeding red. He would rip them apart for her, keep her safe. It was an incessant wail in the back of his head; keep her safe, keep her safe. Had he failed to do so before? Gods, he didn't know, and the uncertainty was killing him.



Ty:

'SHIT, WHAT THE FUCK' was about the only intelligable thought that was running through his mind, as he stared at the growling mofo standing in front of Kaera. When Brom had turned so mottled red after answering his phone, the skinwalker knew that something was up, and immediately went for his gear. With Wulf snarling into the phone as they left, the two had sped off to Montegue Research, each ready for war.

How DARE someone make the younger sibling unhappy! He was almost ecstatic that the tattooed gorilla was making things so easy, standing there like he was ready to attack. Bring in on, he thought with a snarl of his own, clenching his fists. Was this schmuck the reason why Kae had called? He hadn't heard the conversation himself, but given the looks on the shifters' faces, something bad was going down. So, if Mr. Tats was the guy causing all the trouble, Ty would be more than happy to take it out in flesh.

Nobody messed with his family, gods dammit. Not even punks who looked like they were shielding his sister from them. How fucked up was that?



Kaera:

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. No sooner than Kaera had relaxed then Banning seemed to register the presence of the two other men and go into battle mode again. Wanting to rub her now aching head, the petite blond spoke hurriedly even as Brom's shell shocked expression registered and Ty's footsteps carried him closer.

"Tóg bog é mo mhúirnín bán (Take it easy now, my darling) Eistigi liom (Listen to me)" she said in what she hoped was a low, soothing tone while shooting Ty a warning glance. "Tá mé anseo le (I am here)"

Wondering how on earth to proceed, she shot an look towards Brom and was relieved when her brother started forward. He looked like he was seeing a ghost and.. In a way.. he was. Banning had been lost to them all for so long that seeing him alive and in fairly good health was astonishing. Expecially when they'd all seen his savaged body and watched it burn on the pyre. Just that memory made her hold on to him tighter and press her body closer. There was no way in HELL she was letting anyone or anything take him from her again.

"My love, be at ease...Brom and Ty are here to help us." she continued in the old tongue. "They will take us home where we can sort this out. Your suffering from some pretty bad trauma and I want to get you to safety. Then I can take care of you."

Raising her hand, she laid it upon his cheek and drew his gaze to hers. "Trust me, mate of my heart. Please... Trust me. I would never let any harm come to you again but we do have to get out of here."


Brom:

When the hell had the world turned upside down and he lost his every loving mind? Brom could not believe what he was seeing but seeing it he was. The huge blond warrior that stood so fiercely in front of his sister was marked with the same tribal tattoos that he and Wulf both wore and as the man shifted and turned a bit, a section of symbols enscribed there screamed out his identity.

'Sweet Mother of Jesus' he thought to himself even as he moved forward cautiously. It really was Banning Valdanshe. Kaera hadn't been losing it. He'd know the man anywhere and he himself had helped put those markings on the man's skin the day he'd taken his sister to mate. It seemed that the impossible HAD happened. The dude had somehow come back from the grave and ended up in Montegue's laboratories. What in the name of the gods was going on around here?

Glancing sideways at Ty, Brom held out his arm to stop him from charging forward. Banning looked like he was on his last legs but he knew the celt well enough to know he'd rip through them both if he sensed that his mate was in any sort of danger.


"Easy brother..... " he drawled, unsure if he was talking to Ty, Banning or even his own damned self. "Banning Valdanshe... Is this how you greet an old friend? With growls and snarls? Damn, my brother...You didn't use to be so inhospitable? Let us leave this place and find us a good pint of ale before we talk"



Banning:

Oh, those words...Gods, he understood those words. Finally, something that made sense; that he could accept. Immediately as she began talking, his attention drifted from the men- one seemed eager for a fight, and the other completely surprised- and to the lilting voice beside him. Ah, the cadence was so soothing. It was as if he were being healed from the inside out.

It felt so natural to slide his arm around her waist, anchoring her closer. Tilting his head down, he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with her scent. So familiar and so right; the only thing standing still in this strange world he was standing in. She was his rock in the harbor, and he kept close to her. As her hand came to his cheek, he let his eyes drift closed, swaying slightly where he stood. He nuzzled her palm, pressing a small kiss in its center, and watched her with a smile. Yeah, he was at ease, as long as she was there. A suspicious look crossed onto his face as his eyes flickered back to the males in question, but he forced himself to calm. Slowly, the red that bled into his eyes faded away, leaving him with an exhaustion that had him gritting his teeth against the urge to fall.

The familiar man began to talk, and he practically hung onto the words. They were as familiar as the ones that the angel was saying, and he couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief. A sigh that turned quickly into a sharp inhale of breath, his entire body snapping straight with attention as a name...his name...sounded in the air between them.

Banning Vuldanshe; a face popped up in his mind, laughing as he gazed at his beloved, his mate. Sounds of screaming were close on its heels and he felt himself swaying again, only dimly hearing the growling stranger bark a garbled warning. Probably telling the other male to catch him, because he couldn't seem to remain upright. There was too much to remember, too many names, voices, sights, smells...his mind balked at them, doing its best to shut it out. With a grunt, he hit the ground on his knees, one hand pressed to his now throbbing eyes. As darkness swirled around them, he looked up at the angel, a name suddenly on his tongue.

"Kaera," He whispered, drinking in the sight of her face. And then, with a groan, he fell into the shadowed pit that awaited him.



Ty:

"Motherfu--" Finishing the curse with a snarl, Ty lunged forward as the tattooed man proceeded to topple forward. He had no fucking clue what was going on, but he trusted both Brom and Kaera to have a clue. From the look on his brother-in-arm's face, as well as the devoted expression on Kaera's, this guy meant something to them. And the name...holy shit, Banning Vuldanshe was the name of the little blond's mate. Talk about surprise, surprise.

"Christ, this guy's heavy," He grumbled, immediately looking contrite as he caught the younger Fenrisulfr's expression. "Christ...he's fine, Kae. Let's get him loaded up before Montegue sends someone out to watch us. Brom, you wanna lend a hand and stop gawking? Fucker's heavier than you are, which says a lot."

Gods and demons, was this really the legendary Banning? He'd heard stories, remembered the utter lost look on Kaera's face when she described him. They'd been so close, so in love, that she'd almost died herself when he'd passed. He remembered all those nights spent rocking her as she cried- and her doing the same for him- loosing her grief before it ate her alive. And now, after all these centuries...hot damn. Either this guy was a real good look-alike, or someone was getting a second chance.

It took them all a bit of maneuvering to load the warrior into Brom's truck, and with a particularly happy hand movement at the soldiers at the gate, Ty practically put a hole through the accelerator in his need to get back to the Den. Wulf was going to shit a brick when he saw their new guest...not that Brom and Kae looked like they'd already gone through the same ordeal. He weaved through traffic, thanking the Gods that there weren't any cops out, and in no time, they were unloading their unconcious cargo and setting him in the female's bed.

"You called him Banning Vuldanshe," He said to Brom, lowering his voice. He didn't want to upset Kaera anymore than she was already. "How the hell is that possible? You all said he'd been killed centuries ago."

Kaera:

Oh that touch. The sensation of his lips against her skin. How long had she been dreaming of the impossible, knowing it would never happen again? Then to be suddenly granted the miracle of him here with her.. It was more than her poor mind could take in at the moment. All she truly knew is that this was her mate and she would die before she let anything or anyone ever take him from her again. Heaven help any fool who tried for they would have to kill her and that was no easy feat. His brilliant blue eyes were the only thing that held her grounded even now and as she stared up in them, she was dazzled all over again by the beauty she saw there.

His was an old soul but one of the purest she'd even encountered. There was no darkness, no taint of wickedness. Just the stead fast pillar of strength, honor and uncorrupted power. In short, he was the very same man she'd fallen in love with as a young child and only grown to love more as she'd aged into womanhood.

How could a woman resist a man who put her above everything else in his life and loved her with a passion that had left its mark even after a millennium? Even now, as his gaze shifted to the two men approaching, he was struggling to protect her to the best of his ability although she could feel he weakening quickly. As he sway and began to crumple, she let out a very unlike her scream but was instantly reassured by Brom and Ty's presence. Catching her mate up between them, the two shifters got him into the vehicle and Kaera climbed in after him. Ty's words made her glance back at the lab and there was a look of fierce determination in her eyes as she plannied out the next meeting between Montegue and herself.

Then, turning her full attention back to her mate, she laid his head in his lap and gently brushed at the tousled blond curls that hung over his face. Worry and fear lined her expression as Ty threw the truck into gear and they sped home. Vaguely she heard the sound of voices around them but she couldn't focus on anything but the wonder of having Banning back and the fear of losing him again after just having found him.



Brom:

Holy fucking shit. That was the only phrase that rotated around Broms brain even as some of the tension seemed to leave Bannings body at his words. Still reeling from the shock, the huge wolf didn't at first register his old friend going down and it was only Ty's words that kicked his ass in gear as he jumped forward and helped maneuver the huge blond into the back of his four door truck. Damn, wasn't he just all tickled pink that he's decided to buy this damned thing instead of the sleek sports car he'd been admiring. Thank the gods for small favors, he thought as they stuffed Banning into the back seat with Kaera and then he found himself in the passenger seat for the drive back to the den.

A glance back over the seat reassured him he hadn't been seeing things and the worry on his sister's face freaking made him wanna rip something apart. He wanted to demand the full story from her but common sense told him that would be a useless job. Kaera's attention was focused completely on her man and no amount of shouting or bullying was going to get him what he wanted. Hell, it would probably get him bitchslapped or worse. His delicate little sibling looked like she could happily kill anything that got between her and the man on the back seat and Brom decided he liked this good looking mug just the way it was, thanks.

"Holy fuck..." he hissed out before turning to look at Ty when he heard the shifter's words. "By the gods if I know! Hell if I wasn't worrying that Kaera's grief hadn't finally sent her over the edge.. When she told us that she'd seen Banning in the road, Wulf and I both thought she was just imagining things... That she'd probalby hit a dog and attributed Bannings face to him.... Don't I just feel like a fucking jackass now...Sweet mother of Mary... Wulf is going to flip out..."

Running his hand through his dark hair, Brom growled. Banning was alive and he was in the back seat of his truck. Would wonders never cease? Brom had seen alot of things in his day but the dead rising to walk around in living breathing bodies wasnt' one of them. At least not in the same form they'd been when they'd died over a thousand years ago. It boggled even HIS mind. Holy bloody hell. This was one bomb he wasn't looking forward to dropping on his older brother. Oh yeah, it was going to be a party and a half.

As the distanced passed back to the den, everyone ignored the beep of their cells. The chime itself signaled Wulf's attempt to contact them but this wasn't something any of them really thought they could explain over the phone. Wulf wouldn't probably believe them anyways. He'd just have to see it with his own eyes. When Ty finally pulled through the locking gates and down the long driveway that was lined by trees to the house, the old shifter was standing on the steps awaiting them. Taking a deep breath, Brom waited for the vehicle to stop and then got out of the truck. When Wulf started to demand answers, he held up a a hand.

In response, he simply opened the back door of the Hummer and let the scene speak for itself. Wulf's shell shocked expression rivaled his own.

[Kaera Fenrisulfr Vuldanshe]

{Continued in Second Chances }