Sway (private)

Continued from An awkward situation

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
You know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
- Misc Artists

The orange flame lit Ellis' creamy complexion, turning her green eyes a sick pale crimson color. It did not make her beautiful. It did not make her irresistible. It was frozen moments in time that the naked eye caught but dismissed as a trick of light. Ellis looked into the reflection of her rear passenger side car window and saw that frozen moment and it made her smile.

It took a lot of skill and talent to play being bad like it was a gift. This part of her, the side that envied happiness, but sought to destroy it at the same time, was beginning to annoy her. Not so much that it was something she was going to stop doing, but more that being bad was getting old. Still, it was a damn site more fun than being good. With that thought, Ellis flipped the lighter in her hand and snapped the lid shut. She tucked the silver lighter into her jacket while inhaling deeply on her cigarette.

Standing in the parking lot behind Babylon, after having opted to park her own car, she took a moment to check her surroundings. She felt a whisper of Simon near, passing just on the edge of her perception. If it had been anyone else, she could not have been able to tell who or what it was, but with their bonding it was if he were wearing a neon sign. Kind of made up for all the years he was able to sneak up on her, despite her ancient abilities. The bonding had its advantages, not many, but one or two.

Pushing away from her car, she left it unlocked and the windows open. She did not give its safety a second thought. If anyone was stupid enough to steal it, they were stupid enough to die. Ellis listened to the clickety clack of her black heels as she walked to the private entrance of Babylon, not bothering to blend. Simon tripped into her perception range just as he appeared at her left side, as silent as you please.

She gave him a cursory glance, noting his cashmere blend, Armani notched collar jacket. It was gray with zippered pockets and it matched perfectly with his darker gray asymmetrical tab waisted pants. Ellis looked down at her black double breasted Gucci jacket with matching skinny jeans and over the knee, tasseled boots and smiled. They matched beautifully...and if people didn't think they were back together again, she wasn't sure what else they'd have to do except fuck in the streets.

Ellis blushed at the thought and as their auras tangled together, she noticed him give her a sharp look and a hooded smile.

'Alright, alright.' Simon held the entrance door open for her and they entered with little fanfare. 'So are you sure you want to do this? All things considered, they did try to kill us...twice? Shit I've lost count. You sure you want to meet them?'

Simon felt their bonded auras come together and entwine itself into one. His meetings with her left something like fingerprints on his soul. This was neither a pleasurable thing nor a violation; he just wasn't sure what to make of his new relationship with Ellis. Nothing with her ever ended well. Ever. So for the moment he accepted the bond for what it was, a slight advantage, and figured he'd at least know when she was trying to plunge that knife into his back.

They walked down the dark hallway from the private entrance of Babylon into the curtained off private areas for indecent pleasures. There were random dark figures moving in and out of the shadows, but Simon was fairly certain that they were not vampires. Babylon was neutral territory and Marthinus' choice in where their meeting was to take place. He was hesitant, but he trusted Marthinus, despite whatever supernatural blood ran in his veins now.

'I trust him.' That was all he offered and she'd have to accept it. Marthinus could have let them both die but didn't. What was the worse that could happen now?

He shuddered at his thought as they were directed off the main hallway to a private room. A striking woman with an extremely tightly wound bun pushed back the curtain for them without making eye contact. She followed closely behind them until they reached another door, then she stepped forward and opened the door for them.

Simon and Ellis stood for a moment looking into the dark room from several feet back. He could see a dark, wine colored sectional and a pair of male legs crossed casually. His perception picked up figures surrounding them and more than one figure in the room, but his ability did not afford him the luxury of knowing if the figures posed a threat. Suddenly the figure leaned forward and Marthinus gave them a warm smile. Slipping his hands into his pockets, his great grandson stood to greet them. A wince of pain crossed Marthinus face, Simon noted, and silently he spoke to Ellis.

['Ladies first?'.]

Ellis snorted softly, putting her cigarette out on the floor with the toe of her boot . [ 'What, afraid of a fate worse than death?']

['No, just death.']

She glared at him and took a step forward. Simon made no move to hide his smile.

'Do they actually work?'

Hammerthynn stood in the shadows, leaning casually back against the wall. The door to their private booth was on his right and the room itself had a large, red colored sectional. He was not unfamiliar with the private rooms in Babylon, having used one of them back during the opening night, still he was uncomfortable with who they were there to meet.

Marthinus looked up at him from his perch on the sectional. He had been rubbing the crown of his bald head slowly with the fingers of both hands. He pulled back his hand and looked at the burn scars on the middle fingers of both hands.

'Everyone's noticed them, Marthinus.' He sneered and looked down at the ground. 'I can smell the silver rings in your pockets.'

Marthinus ran his thumb over the burn scars on his middle fingers. Even though he should not have been, he was still surprised that Hammerthynn noticed. That man could smell silver from a mile away, how could he not smell the silver rings in his pants. Marthinus gave his head a final rub and sat back, enveloping himself in the softness of the sectional.

'Yes, they do work.' He crossed his legs and unfocused his eyes, staring at nothing. 'A dual purpose, I suppose. A means to an end and a reminder.'

They were there that evening to discuss a truce between his old world and his new one. The Pipers were officially being called off pursuing Ellis and Simon and Hammerthynn was being forced to extend the olive branch. Marthinus was fairly certain Hammer would rather eat the branch, instead. This was the result of some unpleasant business several weeks ago, unpleasant that it ended in the deaths of an entire squad of Pipers, most of which were done by a Piper. It was quite literally self defense on Ellis' part, Marthinus thought with a chuckle. Therefore the Alpha was demanding the truce and they were there to offer it.

'Does it take a long time to hold it in? This...rage?'

Hammerthynn blinked slowly at Marthinus question, which was his way at scoffing at the term.

'You call it rage, but it's not about hate, Marthinus. We're not as barbaric as you think.' Marthinus began to protest, but Hammer held his hand up, calming the man down. 'You couldn't insult me, even if you tried. It's not about rage, it's about hope. Hope that a a transgression done generations ago will finally be avenged. We're not as narrow minded as our enemies think we are.'

'Hope that you'll vanquish your enemies isn't narrow minded? Saying it with a smile, figuratively speaking of course, doesn't make an insult sound any better.'

Marthinus shook his head slowly as he leaned back into the plush seat of the sectional. 'I can't even begin to understand what I feel around them. I've never felt such an overwhelming conflict of emotions; something akin to intense hate, shame, but oddly enough, regret.'

The secrecy surrounding the actual 'transgression' had bordered on ridiculous, as far as Marthinus was concerned. No one would give him a straight answer, not the Pipers, not the Commander, especially not Hammerthynn.

'What did she do, for Christ sakes!'

Ellis felt the presence behind her without even having to look. It was tall, huge, and unmistakably familiar. She flashed a smile to Marthinus who rose politely. His hands slipped into his pockets and a noticeable wince crossed his face before he pulled them back out. The soft sizzle was immediately recognizable.

Simon entered behind her and turned toward the darkness by the door. It took everything not to tense with fear as she slowly turned and faced the presence.

Iov Hammerthynn stepped out of the shadows and practically parted the air. He was tall, well over Simon's six feet, four inches, and outweighed him by at least seventy five pounds. Hammerthynn was old, powerful, and the scar where his left eye had been was painfully vengeful.

'Mr. Hammerthynn,' Ellis drawled with her Scottish brogue, thick and teasing. 'A pleasure, sir.'

To deny that she wasn't nervous would be a ridiculous lie, but she had lived too long to have not developed the ability to hide it. Reaching slowly into her pocket, Ellis pulled out her pack of cigarettes and lighter. Hammerthynn's lone eye flicked from her face to the shiny object. Ellis tapped out a cigarette and inserted it into her mouth, letting it hang casually. What she did next was what she'd call perfect and stupid at the same time.

'Light a girl up, will ya, love?'

Ellis gave him a wink and tossed the silver lighter toward Hammerthynn who caught it in left hand. The lighter wasn't just silver toned, but pure silver. Hammerthynn caught the lighter in his bear like hand and covered it completely, the sizzling of flesh loud and the smell pungent. His hand shook slightly with the pain, but his face never once broke its emotionless glare.

Oh boy, she thought.

Hammerthynn opened his hand and flicked open the lighter, running his thumb along the wheel to ingite the flame. He took another step forward and blocked the light in the room, casting a dark shadow on Ellis. She looked at him with unashamed awe. She studied the wrinkles on his face, the soft crows feet that did not betray his age. She guessed maybe...fifty? A very fit fifty? He lifted the flame in her face and lit her cigarette that she had already forgotten about. Ellis leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his face.

The room was silent as Ellis ran the tip of her cigarette through the orange flame. The loud snap of her lighter did make her jump, despite trying to maintain her facade of control. Hammerthynn closed his hand around the lighter a final time, letting it slowly burn the inside of his hand until he opened it again. He offered it back in the flat of his hand, his expression had never once faltered. Ellis looked down at it for a moment and then back up into his solitary eye. She reached out and hesitantly took it out of his hand.

'Well then.' Marthinus broke the silence making everyone, but Hammerthynn, jump.

The smell of Hammerthynn's burning flesh was sickening. Simon had no doubt that the pain was indescribable, despite the stoic expression on the werewolf's face. How could either one of them forget what ever they had done to his kind? Simon's own turmoil paled in comparison to such infinite disdain. The silence was defeaning. This meeting would likely not be a day he would easily forget.

'Well then.'

Simon jumped at Marthinus' voice. They had been mesmerized by Hammerthynn's display of self control and Simon had completely forgotten about his great grandson being in the room. He had missed Marthinus' slipping the rings on, (he had immediately noticed the figure in the darkness and could not look away), but he noticed the silver rings on his hands as he held them up.

'I don't understand why you feel now what he does toward us. Was it something passed in the turning?'

Hammerthynn narrowed his eye slightly at Marthinus as he broke the tension in the air. The uncomfortable awkwardness, and likely the fear they were feeling was lost on him. The female wanted a show, so he gave her one. The silver burns would leave its scars in his hand, but it was nothing that concerned Hammerthynn. At Simon's question he lowered his burned hand and sniffed down his nose.

'We do not turn our people, it is a gift.' Hammerthynn rolled his shoulders and continued. 'It is an 'implanted memory' passed from one werewolf to another, going back multiple generations. They may invoke emotions in given situations, and in some cases déjà vu and in our case, the moment in time that our kind met your woman. But I'm not here to educate you on the birds and bees of our kind, Huntington, so if there are no further questions?'

There were times that Hammer was unaware of how rude his explanations really were, but even if he did, he would not care. People could either accept what he was saying and benefit from it, or they could fluff their feathers and pout about social graces. Hammer did not have time for the latter, and by the look on Huntington's face, his point had been made and understood. The male stayed quiet, but slowly shifted into an agressive stance.

At least the fool was smart enough to pick battles he actually had a chance at winning.

((ooc - explanation of 'implanted memories' taken from physiology)

Marthinus paled at the sight of Ellis' silver lighter and held his breath as Hammerthynn did the unspeakable and held it in his hand. The sizzling made his stomach tighten as the smell of Hammer's burning flesh wafted toward him. He could not imagine the pain, even with such a small item, the silver on bare skin would have been excruciating to him, but not to Hammer who held it in with nary a flinch or blink of an eye. If Marthinus wasn't afraid of Hammerthynn before, he certainly was now. Even Ellis looked at him with awe that was slightly tainted with fear as she took her lighter back, almost snatching it after she cautiously searched his face.

Next, Marthinus' paled expression turned just a hair from terrified when Hammerthynn answered Simon's question. The situation was progressing from a business meeting to an all out fight, and Marthinus took a slow and cautioned step toward the men. Raising his hands slowly, he tried to defuse the situation.

'Gentleman,' he said as he watched Simon's posture tense, 'I think we should proceed with this meeting with as little animosity as possible. Why don't we sit...'

Marthinus stopped mid sentence as Simon took a step forward and cut him off. What happened next was a blur.

Simon stared down Hammerthynn with the full force of his untempered aggression and slanted view of the werewolf population. The behemoth of a man had almost two inches and about seventy five pounds on Simon, but he did not have the thousand plus years of experience. Hammerthynn was an animal, afterall, so Simon treated him accordingly.

'I have lots of questions,' Simon said slowly and with a simper of a smile as he cut Marthinus off, 'as well as doubts, as to why you called this meeting. We're here as a favor to Marthinus, so if you don't mind, why don't you take a seat and I'll ask the waitress to get you a bone?'

Hammerthynn closed the distance and Simon obliged him with the tip of his glock pointed directly at the werewolf's good eye. Simon felt Ellis' aura swell and flicked his eyes in her direction.

Ellis was pointing her gun, somehow discreetly hidden within the thin folds of her outfit, at Hammerthynn's temple. With narrowed eyes on an otherwise expressionless face, Ellis pulled back the hammer of her Super .38, letting the click resonate in the room.

['Silver?'] He asked her. Her reply was to look back at him and smile.

Another click resonated up his spine and he didn't have to look to know that it was Marthinus. The look on Hammer's face seemed to crack and Simon watched, from exactly one inch away, the werewolf smile.

There was a silver tipped bullet in that chamber. Hammer could smell it. Still, he let a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth as Marthinus blurred the line between family and loyalty. For as young, (or old, however you wanted to look at it) as he was, his recent training in the new life of a werewolf was finally kicking in. Hammer could see the tip of Marthinus' gun pointing at Duban's left temple, and whether she was a vampire or not, if he pulled that trigger - it would hurt.

Hammer shook his head. 'Make your move, Huntington. You might kill me, but your woman won't be walking out of here. Not with her head.'

He saw Marthinus mouth open to speak, but with one look from his solitary eye, his pup closed it again. Despite the Mexican stand off, they were there on business from the Alpha. Still, Hammer could not resist tempting the vampire.

'You can choose to listen or blow my head off. The choice is yours, but I suggest you make your decision soon. Wouldn't want Marthinus startled by the wait staff opening the door...bringing me my bone.'

'Yes, yes, I know.'

Robert nodded with an annoyed look as the kitchen manager huffed and puffed about the clientele waiting on the tray he was holding.

'Eric. I know, just let me go already.'

The manager took off his Chef hat and wiped at his forehead. Robert, being a little newer than the Chef would have preferred, did not quite understand the importance of the situation as he backed out of the kitchen and took the serving hallway down to the private rooms.

Robert balanced his tray of vintage red wine with one hand and pulled at the collar of his starched white shirt that was opened at the chest and tucked into perfectly tailored black slacks. He exhaled as he stepped into the hallway belonging to the Steyn party. Steyn as in Marthinus Steyn, Retired CEO of Duibne Industries. There were no guards standing outside the room, an odd detail considering the level of importance Steyn represented. Robert shook his head and with a soft grunt, knocked twice on the door and stepped inside.

'Wh-? Wait!'

This was the best Robert could come up with as he stepped into the room that was filled with serious weaponry.

Instantly Robert recognized the party with Steyn, who was uncharacteristically pointing a large gun at a dark haired woman who appeared to be...

'Oh shit.'

Ellis Duban turned a green eye at him and her rigid face softened and she smiled. Steyn's gun was pointed at the back of her head, but she didn't seem too concerned about it. In her right hand was another gun that was pointed into the face of a one eyed man he did not immediately recognize, but in the weeks to follow would be able to pick out of a news broadcast regarding Stafford Enterprises.

Robert then noticed another gun that was attached to a long arm that was further attached to Simon Huntington, another figure head of DI. All but Miss Duban was looking at their target, and Robert then realized that she was as well.

Standing on her right side, the large one eyed gentleman was to his right, then moving to the left was Huntington, Duban, then Steyn. Robert dropped his eyes at a clicking sound and noticed that Miss Duban had the gun in her left hand trained on him, with a perfect shot from the hip.

'Oh, Jesus,' Robert murmured as he felt his arms turn to jelly, dropping his tray and the bottle of red wine.

Without even needing to move, the one eyed man reached out with his long arm and caught the bottle of wine, leaving Robert's tray to clatter to the ground.

'I...wine...eat?'

'Oh you're here for our order? Lovely!' Robert pulled his eyes away from the bottle of wine in the large man's hand and back to Miss Duban.

Robert uttered a few syllables that might have been words and then shrugged.

'Could I get a pina colada?'

Robert blinked and then nodded. 'Sh...sure.'

'Guys? Anything?' Miss Duban turned her head back at Steyn who blinked slowly and shook his head. 'Simon? Iov? How about a nice ale?'

'I'm good. Thank you.' The one she called Iov said and lifted the bottom of the wine bottle toward Robert. He reached out slowly and snatched it out the man's hand. Stooping quickly he gathered up the tray and placed the bottle back in the center. Robert reached behind him and fumbled for the door.

'Mr. Huntington?'

'No, thank you,' he replied quietly, his eyes still steady on his target.

'Oh?' Robert turned back to Miss Duban as she spoke. 'Could we get some of those jalapeno poppers? Oh and something with asparagus?'

'Of course, Miss Duban,' Robert replied as his hand found the door knob and opened the door just large enough to squeeze out.

Falling into the hallway, Robert leaned against the hallway and tried to fight the inevitable hyperventilation his body was starting to exhibit. He reached down and patted his crotch area, thankful that he did not wet his pants, but the need to urinate was unbelievable.

'Jesus...asparagus?' Straightening up, Robert quickly returned to the kitchen.

Simon's stare never wavered during the entire exchange with the waiter. Neither did Hammerthynn's, for that matter. They were at what was fondly referred to as a stalemate and for all the gun waving and testosterone that room contained, Simon had to admit to himself that his male ego might be getting the better of him.

Slowly Simon moved his thumb back and pressed the hammer of his weapon, squeezing it back in place. With his free hand, he reached under his right arm and touched Ellis' wrist. He could see the question on her face out of the corner of his eye. Simon let the gun roll on his trigger finger, letting the heavy butt of the gun swing back and hang. Ellis immediately straightened and holstered her gun. Turning his head, but still maintaining his eye contact with Hammerthynn, he heard Marthinus do the same.

Ellis walked in between he and Hammerthynn, giving his hand a gently tug toward the curved couch against the wall in the decent sized private room. Without breaking the stare until he had fully turned away, Simon lowered himself onto the couch and made himself comfortable next to Ellis. He crossed his leg, placing his ankle on his knee, and put his arm along the couch behind Ellis. With a tired sigh Simon spoke.

'We're listening.'

Marthinus rubbed the top of his bald head slowly with the pads of his fingertips. As both Simon and Ellis settled onto the curved couch in the room, Marthinus waited for Hammerthynn to sit, but the large Russian did not move a muscle. If it was possible, which Marthinus did not think it would be, Hammer stood as stoic as an ancient rock. Unnerved, unmoving, and impenetrable against the folly of man, weather, and the world. Hell, he didn't even blink.

'You are undoubtedly aware of the blood feud between the vampires and our...the werewolves.'

Now that particular possessive adjective was a crucial one, so flubbing it caused a thin sheet of sweat to spread across his entire body. The uncomfortable feeling was compounded by the fact that, in the corner of his eye, he felt Hammerthynn turn his statue rigid head and fully look at him. Simon, much to his credit, did not flinch. Marthinus continued, hoping to lose himself in the heady feeling of speech giving that he always loved.

'The blood hate is not shared with the rest of the pack, the Kadzait. It is, in fact, a hereditary memory passed between the Hammerthynns and a close supportive family. The hate for you both has been passed for generations, but not just by blood, but by bite.'

He felt the explanation was necessary, not only to give Simon and Ellis an insight as to what he himself had immersed himself in, but to try and calm his nerves. Hammerthynn turned his attention back to Simon and Ellis, much to Marthinus' relief.

'Hence the repeated attempts on your lives.' Marthinus shrugged. 'It's in their nature to hate you.'

It surprised Ellis as she passed in between Hammerthynn and Simon, that when she tugged at Simon's hands, she felt the warmth of his fingers curl back in response to hers. She meant it as a disarming gesture, but for a moment she felt their shared aura pulse uncomfortably...comfortable.

As they sat on the couch, Simon's arm draped behind her back, forcing her to do her best to relax and not let her body tense at his closeness. He seemed oblivious to what she was feeling; his demeanor cautious and just a hair from pissed off, but he still managed to relax his limbs as Marthinus began his speech. She was just starting to relax her spine when Marthinus stammered over the nature of the hate and his attachment to it. Nothing but her eyes moved and they opened in surprise. 'Fuck,' she thought to herself. Still, Marthinus continued.

'The blood hate is not shared with the rest of the pack, the Kadzait. It is, in fact, a hereditary memory passed between the Hammerthynns and a close supportive family. The hate for you both has been passed for generations, but not just by blood, but by bite.'

Again she was perplexed by the amount of hate not just one single individual could possess, but two entire families, generation after generation. A hate carried by many, but born of one.

Man, how cool was that?

'Hence the repeated attempts on your lives.' Marthinus finished. 'It's in their nature to hate you.'

'The Pipers, you mean. Right?'

Ellis looked at Hammerthynn who only narrowed his one good eye and snorted softly like a bull. She shook her head and gave Hammerthynn a sad smile.

'You know, I still don't know what it was I actually did.' Something occurred to her just then. 'Do you even know? Is the memory yours to recall, even after all this time?'

It hadn't occurred to Hammerthynn that Marthinus would feel uncomfortable being present during this particular discussion with the woman and her pet. Hammer had accepted Marthinus into the fold as another Kadzait, another brother in the pack, but apparently the old man was still grappling with the consequences of his choice.

Life, and death, did that do you, he figured.

As Marthinus picked up his speech, explaining flawlessly the nature of the blood hate, he was proud of him, despite the fact that he held onto his old life. And it was a tenuous hold, at best, but one Marthinus just could not sever. In time...maybe.

'The Pipers, you mean. Right?'

Hammer narrowed his eye at the woman. Was it Marthinus who revealed the family's reconnaissance team's name? No, it was probably Michaels. Hammer could not hide the disgust on his face as he thought of the fallen pack brother. Fallen had such a double meaning in that context. A stray thought he would consider later, but for that moment he gathered up the thought and filed it away.

'You know, I still don't know what it was I actually did. Do you even know? Is the memory yours to recall, even after all this time?'

Hammerthynn leaned his head to the right, cracking the bones loudly. 'No. That's not how it works. It's a...feeling, a gathering of emotion...' Hammer struggled trying to explain. 'No, it is not a memory we can recall, only a notion - no stronger than a notion - a deep seeded, bred clarity of a particular person, thing, or location. I may not know what exactly it was that you did, only that it was substantial enough to form a blood memory around the event.'

'So you don't know...' Ellis started.

'I do know. With a certainty that is as tangible as your presence here in front of me. I know.'

Simon found, if he concentrated hard enough, that he could temporarily hide his temperament from his shared bond with Ellis. He focused in on what Hammerthynn was saying, and as he mentally held his breath, he immediately felt Ellis' confusion. It was similar to all his abilities - if distracted or concentrating on one, the others were delayed, but he had one ability that Ellis did not possess, and for this he was grateful.

Subterfuge.

His proximity was making her nervous, and to compound this he laid his arm across the back of the couch. Simon concentrated hard as Marthinus spoke, not letting any emotion, other than tempered anger, seep into his expression or aura.

'You are undoubtedly aware of the blood feud between the vampires and our...the werewolves.'

Ellis noticeably flinched at Marthinus hesitation, but Simon let the pang of regret pass over him like water. Ironically, keeping his feelings from Ellis was at the forefront of his mind instead of Marthinus unintentional betrayal. Simon reflected momentarily on his skewed priorities as Hammerthynn and Ellis began to speak to one another.

'So you don't know...' Ellis started.

'I do know. With a certainty that is as tangible as your presence here in front of me. I know.'

'No you dont,' Simon said. Hammerthynn's missing eye twitched with irritation he couldn't hide. 'If you did, you'd say it. If she did,' Simon nodded toward Ellis without looking at her, 'she'd admit it. And believe me, she'd revel in it.'

Ellis shrugged and smiled.

'But no one in this room seems to know what it was, and don't you think that's curious?'

Hammerthynn shook his head slowly, permitting himself a look of utter disdain as he reached up with his injured hand and scratched at his thinly shaved beard.

'You know absolutely nothing of honor, do you? You vampires kill indiscriminately and flaunt your abilities. Living in the lap of luxury in front of everyone and humans love you for it. You're a sexual fantasy wrapped in beauty and you take it, all of it, for granted.'

Hammer's eye caught the thin wisp of Ellis' forgotten cigarette on the ground next to him. She had let it drop and it laid carelessly forgotten on the plush, red carpet. Slowly he bent over and picked up the discarded cigarette, looking at it with an insincere smile.

'You live your thousands of years, wrecking havoc on the world, and you treat mankind as carelessly as garbage.' Hammer lifted the cigarette in his hand, and with his other, he reached up and licked his index finger and thumb. He snuffed out the smoldering tip and tossed the cigarette into a trash can in the corner.

'How is it that your species has existed this long?' Hammer wiped his hands clean, rubbing them together slowly. 'You wouldn't understand anything about us, Mr. Huntington. Curiosity isn't what kept us alive, under the boots of your vampires. It's tradition, family, honor, and unwavering dedication to right that wrong that was done to us by your kind, so many centuries ago. So what if you or I do not remember what the transgression was? Betrayal never fades.'

With a slow breath, Hammerthynn struggled to reign in his temper. He could feel the anger in him raging, beckoning the wolf in him to tear the two vampires apart, but that wasn't why he was there.

'The reason why we are here,' Hammer paused, disgusted with the situation. 'We're here to notify you of my brethrens withdrawal. We're offering a truce.'

'What? That's it? Game over?' Ellis looked at Simon with a grin. 'Wow that was easy. Didn't think y'all would give up that easily.'

Simon nudged her with his elbow and mimicked signing papers.

'Oh yeah, so can we call where you sign the surrender papers?'

Marthinus reached up with his right hand and covered his eyes with an exasperated sigh. Simon and Ellis continued with their act as Hammerthynn slowly blinked his solitary eye, growing angrier with each jocular jab.

'Let me explain,' Marthinus stepped forward, but Hammerthynn cut him off.

Oh dear God, he thought and stepped forward to stop a quickly moving Hammerthynn from losing any self control he may have had left. Marthinus did his best to calm the situation without having to hit Hammer over the head to keep him from eating everyone in the room.

'This is an act of good faith on the pack's part. An order handed down from the Alpha.'

'Alpha?' Simon asked.

'This pack...our pack...is called the Kadzait and from what I understand, Simon, you've met the leader. Aidan Xephier. This blood feud has been put on hold indefinitely, and the Pipers ordered to stand down, but you don't seem to understand something.'

Marthinus knew they did not. As far as Ellis and Simon were concerned, the only werewolves in the city were their pack. He knew very little of the other pack, the Vyusher R'asa and it wasn't his place to explain it to them, but he had to try.

'In the vampire nation, there are clans and houses within the clans. Leaders. Elders. Werewolves by nature are not solitary entities, but have enormous family packs, and within those packs there are leaders. My point is...'

'We are not alone.'

Hammerthynn finished Marthinus sentence with a very cold, very unemotional voice that was, if possible, laced with just a hint of laughter.

Hammerthynn enjoyed watching the smiles fade off the vampires faces. The realization that they were stupid enough to think that the werewolves had not inundated Nachton, swelling the city with their numbers, was a delicious reward to an otherwise distasteful task.

'There'll be no transgression from my pack. You have my word on it. But the others?' Hammer took a step back and opened the door out of the private room. He just could not help but chuckle as he stepped out, leaving them with this.

'Yeah, good luck on that.'

And he gently closed the door behind him.


((OOC Hammer out))

Marthinus watched Hammer leaving with his deep, grumbling laugh echoing in the hallway before he closed the door. It was the first time he had known Hammer, over a year, that he's heard the man laugh and it scared him a little. With a roll of his shoulders he looked back at Simon and Ellis.

'Vyusher R'asa.'

'Is that all you can tell us?' Simon asked with a distracted nod.

Shaking his head, Marthinus shrugged. 'That's all I know. They're not as free flowing with information as you'd think a pack of wolves would be.' He raised his eyebrows and snorted softly. Even if he did know more, Simon had to know that he was limited in what he could tell him. Know and respect it. He must have because he stood slowly and reached out with his hand, offering it.

The sizzle of his silver rings reminded him that he was pushing his time near them. Still, he extended his hand and shook Simon's. With a nod, Marthinus exited the private room, following Hammer.

(OOC Marthinus out))

'Meh.'

Ellis muttered under her breath as Marthinus left them in the private room. Her face twisted into a disgruntled sneer as she pushed her lips out and tried to figure out what was bothering her. Simon slumped back onto the couch next to her, much in the same mood.

Sitting forward, Ellis rested her elbows on her knees and considered the obvious.

'We are in some shit.'

Simon chewed on his lip as he rested his head back and stared up at the ceiling. His concentration on holding back feelings through their shared aura had been on the forefront of his mind up until Hammerthynn's surprise bit of information. Now as he lazily ran the tips of his fingers along the pleats of his front pants pockets, he relaxed.

'I don't know what to think now. We did something horrible enough for generations of werewolves to remember, yet they can't tell us what it is, and not because they don't want us to know. They just...don't know. Now they're declaring a truce while letting us know that they're not the only pack in town.'

He rolled his head side to side, confused by what he just said. He felt the same confusion reach out from Ellis as she turned to look at him.

'I wonder how much Anantya knows.' Simon rolled his head to the right and looked at Ellis who was glaring at him. 'What?'

'How are you doing that?'

'Doing what?'

Ellis turned fully toward Simon and pointed at him angrily. 'That. That!'

Simon made a face and lifted his head off the back of the couch. He looked down at his shirt and finally down to his shoes.

'You can hold it in, can't you?'

Suddenly Simon smiled. He laid his head back down on the couch and gave her a look that made her stomach flutter and her blood pressure rise to volcanic levels. Part of her knew why it was upsetting her, but the other part was refusing to listen and just chalking up Simon's ability to hide things from her as standard procedure. She ignored the fact that it brought up disagreeable feelings of his betrayal; how him trying to murder her was something she never saw coming.

With a huff she turned away from him and crossed her arms and legs.

Her aura pulsed angrily at him, like tentacles whipping out from her core. She couldn't hide how she was feeling; she lacked the ability and the patience. Simon looked at her with a satisfied grin as Ellis turned away, making a noise that was akin to a cat hissing.

He grinned openly, smiling a toothy grin. 'What does it matter?'

'It doesn't,' she said with her back still to him.

Simon leaned forward, enjoying seeing her riled up. He could feel her aura begin to mix her annoyance with confusion, which was leading straight to anger. Still, he could not help himself. He nudged her gently with his shoulder, causing her to turn her head sharply. No doubt his close proximity startling her.

'Yes. I can tell it doesn't bother you in the least.'

Immediately Ellis shot forward and tried to put as much distance between them as possible. He reached out quickly and snagged her arm, preventing her from getting more than an arms length away, and looking back, it was probably the fact that he started to laugh at her reaction that precipitated what came next.

Ellis felt the jerk of her arm and just about lost her shit.

In the time that she had been back in Nachton, resurrected - as it were, Simon had manhandled her to the point of bruises. Not once, not twice, but on several occasions. In the time that she's known him, he had never once laid a rough hand on her, at least not one that wasn't invited. He grabbed her hard enough to pull the skin on her underarm, causing a biting pain and what would be referred to as a knee jerk reaction.

Within a second of him grabbing her, Ellis had her silver super .38 out and pointed at Simon's forehead. Despite being half in his lap, much to her dismay, and her arm still in his clutches, she touched the cold steel against his skin.

Simon's eyes fluttered for a moment and then crossed to look down the barrel of the gun.

'I don't like it when you grab me. Simon.'

He wasn't expecting this type of response, but he wasn't surprised. More importantly, he wasn't worried about having the tip of a .38 pressing against his forehead, or looking down the barrel of a gun. Having been in the situation multiple times with Ellis, he was fairly certain she was bluffing. Simon looked past the gun and up into Ellis' very calm, expressionless face.

'This feels vaguely familiar.' Ellis continued to stare at him, her grip on the gun unwavering. 'Why don't you put the gun away, E. We both know you're not going to use it.'

Ellis moved her thumb and pulled back on the hammer.

'I...,' Simon took a deep breath and slowly released his grip on her arm, but his hand still hovered close to her body, as did his other which he brought up slowly.

He had pulled Ellis back almost into his arms and her right knee was on the couch with him, in between his legs. She could have easily nailed him in the tenders, but she decided to get a little heavy handed. Her eyes narrowed as she pushed away from him, with her gun still pointed at his head. The intensity of their aura pulsated with her anger.

'I seemed to recall you liking it a little rough...'

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence, which probably was a good thing considering the great lengths he was going through to antagonize her. To signify that she was done listening, Ellis fired off a round a foot away from his ear, into the couch behind him. It took everything not to flinch.

With a slow blink, Simon lowered his hands onto his lap and leaned back against the couch. With a roll of her eyes, Ellis turned and tucked the gun away. Muttering under her breath, Simon felt the annoyance in their shared aura flare to desire as she exited out of the room.

Simon counted slowly to ten.

He stared at the door as he reflected on what he should do after he finished counting. With a deep sigh he tried to decide just what, exactly, he planned to do with Ellis. Should he continue appearing around town, side by side with the woman he tried to kill, the devil in the blue Prada? Should he continue strengthening his bond, making him look like an idiot, as well as a hypocrite? Should he walk out the door and go to her? She was all he had ever known, and had loved for so long. Yes, there was Carol, but that love burned out as quickly as it was bright. Simon slowly blinked, and looked at the door.

He had his hand on her car door within two seconds of that last thought.

Ellis didn't, or wouldn't, turn to face him. She just looked off to her left, down at his left hand that was gently pushing the car door closed.

'Do you want to know why I hide what I feel, Ellis?'

She began to answer, 'I know why', in a small voice, but he cut her off.

'No, I don't think you do,' he said slowly and close to her ear. 'I don't think you ever knew.'

Simon could see Ellis lower her eyes, her face flushing with the pain and embarrassment her aura was sharing.

'Do you remember that first night, by the car?'

She knew exactly what he was talking about; he could feel her desire pulsating.

'Remember what it felt like?' Ellis nodded.

Simon put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him, her green eyes watery with tears, and her nose turning a soft shade of pink. Simon would remember that he was gently squeezing her shoulders when he released his hold on his aura.

It hit her with a force that was unexpected. Letting go and releasing everything he was holding back into their shared bond felt like a painful gasp for breath. Their bond was all encompassing and incredible, and had most certainly grown since its discovery. Simon could not stop wondering what his life, their life, would have been like if they had always been bonded, but for that to happen, she would have had to love him as much as he loved her. This thought alone pained him to no end, and as it reflected in his aura, he saw Ellis react to it by covering her mouth with her hands and sobbing. Leaning in close, Simon whispered softly in her ear.

'This is how I loved you, Ellis. This is how I have always loved you, but I don't think you ever loved me half as much.' Her body wracked with deep, painful sobs, but he continued. 'Maybe you did, before you turned me. I wonder sometimes if you didn't look at me as something tainted, but useful after that. When that nagging doubt started, so did the hate and this is how I felt.'

Simon gathered up as much bitterness and regret as he could, lord knows he had plenty over the fifteen hundred plus years. The adoring, self sacrificing love disappeared from their aura and was replaced by something dark and ugly. Adoration was replaced by disdain. Worship by seething hate. Ellis' hands slowly dropped as she looked down and grimaced.

'For years, Ellis. As much as I loved you, I hated you. I keep asking myself though, if you had known how I felt, would it had made a difference? Not just for you, but for me. For all the mental armor I managed to build around me, watching you die filled me with as much relief as it did guilt.'

He began to concentrate again, reeling in the emotions when suddenly Ellis reached out and grabbed his jacket. What she said next changed everything.

Ellis had never felt anything like it; the warmth of his love filled their shared aura and reached deep down into her soul. It was...beyond words. It tore her apart with guilt and regret and she just couldn't stop crying. How stupid she had been, how totally blind, reckless, arrogant, and undeserving. Simon whispered so softly in her ear, detailing the love she ignored and then the hate she deserved.

This wasn't how it was suppose to happen. From the day she turned, each day had been planned, coordinated, plotted, and schemed. She went from being her father's property, her creator's whore, to one of the most hated, most feared vampires in existence. She had always considered the fear she inspired to be worth everything else, including Simon's love. She had always assumed he'd be there and she had no clue of what she had done to him over all these years. He said he was relieved when he killed her.

She was furious. Wasn't she? Why wasn't she feeling her anger in their aura? Regret was a horrible and ugly thing and it was all hers. Then slowly, as if a door was closing, Simon began to pull back from their aura and it left her empty. He was there, but...checked out, on autopilot. Their bond had grown a hundred fold since its creation and he was pulling away again and it frightened the hell out of her. She reached out and grabbed him, stopping him from pulling completely back and she did something that surprised even her.

She begged.

'Simon please, please don't.' Her voice cracked again, the lump in her throat threatening to choke her. Grabbing onto his jacket, she pressed her face into his chest and begged. His hands hovered over her shoulders, the missing warmth felt like cold icicles on her skin.

'Let's leave here. Leave Nachton and go far away. Just you and me. Just us...please.'

'What...what did you say?' Simon's gasped.

Looking up into his face, she saw the shock and surprise in his beautifully warm hazel eyes. He could ask anything of her, she'd stop breathing if he asked. Pride was doing its damnedest to stop the words that were fighting to come out of her. Her mind began to spin - nothing she was feeling was even remotely familiar to her - begging, pleading for his love. Was this a nightmare, the stark reality of loss? Is this what other people felt? If so, she never wanted to lose that feeling, ever.

'Just please don't...stop loving me.'

There. She said it. She was fairly certain that she was indeed living some nightmare where she throws every self respecting ounce of her out the window and succumb to what she always thought made everyone else so weak. Is this what love was, this debilitating? This...glorious?

Love, regret, whatever it was called, she had finally gave into this fucked up ride. She could feel her tears drying on her cheek, the saltiness of them on her lips. Suddenly Simon's hands moved up into her hair. The warmth of his fingers sending tingles down her spine and finally, after he had killed her over two years ago, saved her a hundred times since then, annoyed the hell out of her, and broken a pair of her Prada shoes...he kissed her.

Caution. Determination. His honor bound duty to do the right thing. All these things were thrown out the window as Simon put his hands into her black hair and kissed her. Hard. He balled his fists, tangling his fingers in her hair, as he crushed her lips against his. She was begging, pleading for him to love her, something he thought he’d never get the chance to hear her say. With everything in him, Simon released the gathered up emotion into their shared aura and he felt it burn as intense as it was blinding. The overwhelming intensity of their aura made his knees buckle, and he pressed Ellis against her car. Her body had reacted first with surprise, but recovered quickly with unrestrained, haphazard want.

Ellis pulled tightly on his jacket with one hand and reached up and encircled his neck with her other. Their kiss was debilitating as they craved each other’s lips. Cupping her face, Simon bit her bottom lip and tugged at it none too gently as he pulled back to look at her. As they paused, he ran his thumbs over her swollen lips and looked into her watery green eyes.

Maybe this was his problem, he wondered. All these years he compared her to the woman she was, the woman he had fallen in love with a thousand times over. He worshipped her from the moment he first saw her, felt her smoldering eyes on him, touched her soft, sable black hair. But he remembered, all at once he looked at her again and she was gone. Somehow everything didn’t look the same anymore, the city, their love, his reflection in the mirror. He spent his life blaming her, letting his regret rot him to the core, yet those nights he made love to her, her breath one with his, it seemed worth it , remembering how he thought she loved him.

Looking at her now, knowing and feeling what was in her heart, it made that moment different from all the others. Slowly they leaned into each other and they kissed so deeply that he felt lost, and he was ok with that. None of what happened mattered anymore, only right then. Right then he had her in his arms and he felt her love for him as deeply and profoundly as he loved her.

They stood there like that, kissing slowly for god knew how long. Five minutes, an hour, he had lost track of time with her. Like the night of their discovered bond, the world faded away and it was only them in a world with no time, no clan, and no werewolves…just them. Finally they disengaged, their lips swollen and pink, and they pressed their foreheads together.

‘We should probably stop making out in the parking lot,’ he said lazily, his voice thick and full of need. Ellis snorted softly, and then they laughed quietly together. ‘Where are you staying now?’

He was almost as surprised by her answer, as he was that she actually told him.

'I built a lair underneath the Opera house. The entrance is through the sewer gate behind the property.'

Ellis blinked. Did she just tell him where she was staying, how to get there, and the fucking pass code?

'The password is your name, actually, in digits'

Oh no wait, now she did. Mentally kicking herself for a moment, she shook her head and then looked back at him. At six foot four, even when she was in heels, he still looked down at her and she absolutely loved it. He would put his chin down and look at her with knitted eyebrows. She sighed deeply as he looked at her like that now, only this time with a small grin.

Shit, she'd give him her social security number, her account number in Switzerland, and a puppy if he asked right then. Simon lifted his arm and checked his watch. Ellis pulled at his wrist, turning it toward her as she read it upside down. How long had they been standing in the parking lot?

'Wow it's almost dawn already?'

Simon took a deep breath and let it out slowly - even something as simple as him breathing turned her on, she noticed. She wondered if he realized what she had just realized. Maybe, but she knew he felt what she did and that was all that really mattered. She smiled as she felt his arms encircle her waist and pull her close, but was dismayed when she felt his hand move to her car door handle and opened it.

'Big meeting in the morning, boss?'

This time he laughed as he swung her car door open for her. He didn't want to leave the snug place pressed up against her, but everything happened for a reason, whether he wanted them to or not, but he could control when they happened...for the most part.

'No, no big meeting. I'm just,' Simon shrugged slowly, smile still in place, 'taking my time, is all.'

Ellis looked at him, her eyes narrowed, but her small smile, happy. She slid into the front seat of her car and pulled her long legs in. With a soft push, Simon closed her car door.

'You going to be 'round?'

Ellis shrugged and reached for the keys in her ignition.

'Meh. I 'spose.'

Her car roared to life as Simon bent down and rested the bottom of his forearms on the open car window. They looked at each other for a moment, smug smiles in place. She could see him considering kissing her again, and she wondered maybe if she'd try it herself. In the end she did something unexpected, even for her.

'That kiss? That was want. This though?' Ellis leaned forward and pressed her forehead gently against his, closing her eyes, and rubbing her nose against his. The scent of his skin was intoxicating and their lips did brush briefly against each other. 'That's need. I'll be seeing you.'

((Ellis and Simon out))

Continued in Flashing Lights