SWNOVELS Chapter 85: Two funerals!
Saturday sprung upon them faster then they all wanted it to. Dax was standing in the bathroom staring at her reflection in the mirror. This was wrong, it felt like a step backwards. Her hair was neatly covering her ears the way she used to wear it. And she was in the process of putting her contacts in to hide her eyes. She didn’t like it, Nyx didn’t like it and would release angry growls and grumbles in her head. Stupid bitch, cover your ears and take those contacts out. We could just pop her eyes out! Nyx, it’ll be fine. It’s only temporary, just for today! When we get back those things go in the garbage! Yes they do! They should have gone in the garbage a long time ago! I know! I know you’re afraid. I can feel it! It’ll be fine! We’re not alone! Not anymore! Not ever again! Never again! I have my name! Yes you do! Say it Dax, please say it! Nyx! Yes her wolf finally had a name, it popped out last night, when she decided she wanted to talk to Ky again. She wasn’t as shocked when they woke up naked in the morning this time, she started off naked wrapped in a sheet. Kane on the other hand was when he found love bites all over him.
“I look like a leopard!” He stated when he stood beside her and looked at himself in the mirror. Dax offered a bit of a laugh, it was hard to find anything funny this morning. She had one contact in and was having a hard time putting the second in. She didn’t want to cover herself up, to go back to hiding who she really was.
“Maybe I can just say I forgot, or I couldn’t with only one arm” She said.
“I don’t like it either!” He stood behind her wrapping her in his embrace.
“It feels like a step backwards, it feels wrong. This makes me feel broken” She couldn’t take her eyes off the right side of her face. Her body was battered and bruised but hiding herself made her feel more broken than any of that.
“I know baby! I wish you didn’t have to wear them either.” He let her go enough for her to get the second contact in, then she couldn’t look at herself anymore.
“It’s just the church, the funeral and the reception” He reminded her.
“Two funerals!” She stated as she lifted her gaze back to the mirror,
“Two funerals?” He asked, looking at her through the reflection in the glass.
“Say goodbye, because you’ll never see this girl….again” even with the contacts in it couldn’t hide the glow of amethyst in her eyes.
“She won’t be missed” Kane said back to her, as azure blue shone in his.
Heads turned as Dax walked through the pack house on the way to the garage, Kane held her hand giving it a squeeze, he could feel her anxiety as the whole situation grew. No one was prepared for the shock of seeing her and it was safe to say no one was happy about her appearance. They didn’t like that their Luna was being forced to hide who she was. When she stepped into the garage, Damon took one look at her and started shaking his head.
“Think you’re a little early for Halloween. I don’t know who you’re supposed to be but I don’t like it.” He said. Carter didn’t want to look at her, but at the same time couldn’t take his eyes off her either. To say he was displeased with the way she looked would be an understatement. Milo let it be known that he really wasn’t happy with this.
“Oh sweetie! Are you ok?” Lydia had seen her before she stopped hiding herself, in fact only three have ever seen her like this, and even Johnny was having a hard time with it.
“I’m sorry darling” He pulled her in for a hug.
“I’m ok. Really it’s fine. It’s just for today and then this will never happen again.” She replied. It was then that Marco rounded the corner, his eyes widened when he saw her.
“No! Portali fuori, portali fuori subito. Non mi piace, falla sua tornare com’era, non mi a. (No! Take them out, take them out now. I don’t like it, make her go back to the way she was, I don’t like it.)” His reaction by far was the worst of them all.
“She can’t Marco!” Kenneth replied, trying to get him to settle down.
“No Kenneth, dille di portare fuori. Dove sono le sue orecchie da Kenneth? Dove sono loro? Rimettila indietro. Rimettila com’era. Era perfetta così com’era, ora rimettila a posto. (No Kenneth, tell her to take out. Where are her Kenneth ears? Where are they? Put her back. Put her back the way she was. She was perfect the way she was, now put her back.)” Marco continued, he would not be calmed down. He didn’t like it, he didn’t like it at all.
“Marco, that’s enough. Mi ascolti con attenzione!” Kenneth placed both hands on the side of his head forcing him to look at him.
“She can’t, she has to do this and you freaking out is not helping right now. Calmati amico mio, ok calm down.” Marco nodded his head, when Kenneth released him he straightened his tie and his jacket and looked at her again.
“Scusa tesoro, ma non mi piace. Non è giusto, non sei tu. (I don’t like it. It’s not right, it’s not you)” Dax nodded in agreement.
“I know Marco!” She spoke.
Kane brought her to the front of the truck and opened the door for her. Helping her in, he pressed his lips to hers.
“Promise me something!” Kane said to her as he lifted her chin so she was looking into his eyes.
“What?” She asked,
“If Marco says it’s time to go, listen to him, please do not argue” She scrunched her face in confusion at what he said. “It’s important. I don’t want to be the one that has to let you out of the trunk” she still didn’t understand, but she nodded her head.
“Pronto tesoro? (Ready darling?)” Marco asked, she again nodded and breathed in deep. She clenched her fist tightly in her lap, she did not want to go, she did not want to be dressed the way she was, she was not ready.
“Just breathe, just breathe, and don’t push her in the grave.” Kane said, he trailed his thumb across her cheek. He didn’t want her to go, he didn’t want her to be dressed like that, he didn’t want her hidden.
“I can’t promise Marco wont” She replied sitting in the passenger seat. He kissed her again and closed the door. They watched Marco get in the driver seat, he looked her over one more time and shook his head. Nope he made it very clear he was not happy about this at all.
“Well that boy sure made his feelings known” Damon remarked,
“Yup!” Was all Johnny could say.
“You owe me $20” Damon held out his hand to Johnny
“You two made a bet?” Kane asked, though he wasn’t sure why he was shocked anymore.
“I bet that it would be Carter who lost his shit over her appearance” Johnny replied. Carter just looked at Johnny a clear as day what the fuck look on his face.
“Sorry Carter, but only three of us have ever seen her like that, and I knew it would be shocking for some. So it was either you or Marco.” Johnny explained,
“Next time bet on the crazy one” Carter commented, causing both Damon and Kane to laugh, Kenneth had to turn away, but his shoulders still shook.
“Give the boy a rank!” Johnny replied, shaking his head.
“Kenneth and Carter, you need to get into position at the cemetery, Damon and Johnny, we’re leaving for the house in an hour,” Kane declared. Kenneth and Carter climbed into another truck and headed toward town.
It was 10:20 when Johnny dropped Kane and Damon in the alley behind the Morganson house. They did a few tours of the neighbourhood before they even approached the house, but it seemed most people were attending the funeral.
“Looks like the coast is clear,” Damon said as he opened the gate to the backyard. Doing a quick check again they entered and moved quickly to the backdoor.
“Just be quick about it” Kane replied,
“It’s been awhile since I’ve done this” Damon grumbled,
“Your sister would have been in the damn house already,” Kane grumbled back.
“Are you fucking shitting me right now? You’re such an asshole!” Damon shot back,
“Just saying!” Kane shrugged as he leaned against the side of the house.
“Fuck, forgive me for not honing my burglar skills and don’t you use my sister to break into shit” Damon huffed back.
“Are you boys in the house yet?” Johnny called through the link.
“No, Damon’s a little rusty” Kane replied,
“His sister would have us in the house already” Johnny spouted back, laughing
“Fuck you Johnny!” Damon again huffed through the link.
“There, fuck we’re in” Damon said as he opened the door. Kane could only laugh. One more look around and they entered the house.
“We’re in Johnny, keep your eyes peeled” Kane said,
“Will do!” Johnny replied,
“Don’t fuck off to the car this time!” Damon quipped,
“Fuck you Damon!” Johnny huffed,
“Glass houses Johnny baby!” Damon replied laughing,
“Don’t fucking call me that” Johnny hissed,
“Kiss kiss Johnny baby!” Damon teased,
“I fucking hate you!” Johnny stated,
“You fucking love me!” Damon replied,
“Are you two idiots finished?” Kane asked, trying to hide his amusement at their behaviour.
The house was eerily quiet, aside from the hum of the fridge there were no other noises. It felt off to them, an unseen presence could be felt in the house even though they knew no one was home. Fighting the shiver threatening to run down their spines, they looked around the main floor of the house, Dax and Marco weren’t kidding. The house was right out of a magazine. Everything had its place, and everything was in its place. It was immaculate, not a speck of dust could be seen anywhere. The cleanliness of this home reminded Kane of the first time he was in her loft at the warehouse. A dark thought entered his mind, and the wheels in his head began to turn. What if Mrs. Morganson was in on it? How does the bitch know Carl? Good question! Mrs. Morganson wanted her for Donny after all, at least she did until the incident on the sidewalk, the night he killed Carl. The shudder he felt ripped through him at the thought of this being beaten into his mate’s head by these people, only further angered the hell beast in his head. This is bullshit! All of them deserve to die! Ky growled, and he couldn’t agree more. What if it was all of them? What if the bastard and the bitch were in it together? No Ky, the bitch didn’t want her dead, she wanted her for her son. Kent wanted her dead because Carl wanted her dead. How does the son fit into all of this? I don’t know! What if he’s Looney toons? That was a lot to think about.
“Mrs. Morganson’s a fucking robot!” Damon said as they looked over the living room, pulling Kane from his thoughts.
“Be careful of what you touch. Make sure it goes back where you found it. Something tells me she would know if it was out of place.” Kane said before Damon picked up a picture. He just nodded and they went about their search. Kane moved to the top floor leaving Damon on the first to look around. He looked over the master bedroom carefully fighting the urge at shuddering as he went through the neatly folded clothes in the drawers.
“Don’t forget to check the underwear drawers! People hide all kinds of shit in there” Damon called through the link
“By all means knock yourself out” Kane called back,
“You’re on the top floor” Fuck! Ky howled in his head as he went to open the top drawer of Mrs. Morganson’s dresser. You can always picture its mate’s panties! No, I will not do that! Kane snapped fighting back the revulsion of going through another woman’s panty drawer.
He didn’t find much, a few photos and legal documents he took photos of. Kent’s top drawer uncovered an empty 9mm gun case and a box of ammo missing enough to fill a 6 round clip and have one in the chamber. Well that’s nice! Maybe he was gonna shoot the bitch! Ky suggested. I don’t think this gun was intended for Mrs. Morganson! You think he was gonna…. That is exactly what I think! Bastard deserves to die all over again, even more painful than Carl! Ky snarled in his head.
“Keep an eye out for a gun safe, there’s an empty case in the drawer” Kane spoke to Damon
“What kind of gun?” Came his reply,
“9mm. A box of ammo missing enough to fill a 6 round clip and have one in the chamber.”
“Well that’s fun!” The note of anger in his voice told Kane he was thinking the same thing.
“Yup!” Remind me when we get home Ky to hold her and never let go!
Kane moved to the closet, took a bunch more photos of other documents he uncovered. Birth certificates, marriage licences, and other types of documents. He didn’t bother going over the documents closely, they could do that back at the house. He wanted to find as much as possible before they had to leave. He moved down the hall to the next room, when he opened the door he took in the destruction of the room. Dax said that Donny was taking Kent’s death seriously. Mrs. Morganson said he would break out laughing for no reason and then get really angry.
“Johnny, does Donny have his own place?” Kane asked,
“Uh, yeah I believe he does, why?” Johnny couldn’t be certain
“I am standing in a room right now that looks like Ky went through it” Hey asshole, that’s not nice! I’ve seen you on a bad day! I’ve seen you too!
“What are you thinking?” Johnny asked, a little more concerned,
“I don’t know yet, Dax said Donny took Kent’s death hard, but she also said they didn’t appear to have a good relationship” The wheels in Kane’s head continued turning.
“There was also the comment Kent made when he gave up his seat” Johnny was picking up on what Kane was thinking,
“Wanna fill a brother in” Damon interjected,
“Kent said Donny was a fucking idiot, if they didn’t have a good relationship then why is he taking Kent’s death so hard?” Kane asked.
“You don’t think….do you?” Johnny asked,
“We gotta see that boy’s place!” Damon replied first.
Taking photos of the destruction in the room, he still searched it though he didn’t figure he’d find anything. Finishing his search upstairs he came back down to the main floor.
“Feisty pants was right. She’s hiding people in these photos. Kent knew Carl and so did Mrs. Morganson” Damon held up one of the framed photos for Kane to see, Carl was folded out of the picture. A sick feeling washed over him as the thoughts he had before came swimming back into his head. “There’s a couple more just like it. Each with Carl folded out.” He added.
“So Kent was White. Two down, two to go, and a bitch on the side.” Kane replied as he looked at the photo.
“You think she was in on it?” Damon asked,
“I don’t know what to think right now. When I was first introduced to her, she kept trying to set Dax up with Donny. It stopped the day I killed Carl when she had the altercation with Dax on the sidewalk.” Kane replied,
“You think Donny might be Looney toons?” Damon looked around at the photos some more.
“Or the twin. Remember what was said in the office? The twin showed up in place of the other boy a dozen times. So who’s to say that’s the real Donny?” Kane asked in return.
“If Donny is a twin that makes him the other boy in the photo. And Mrs. Morganson the woman.” Damon responded looking around again, the wheels in his head started turning more as he was beginning to understand. “And if he is, then where the fucks the real Donny?” Damon asked,
“My bet….dead in a box somewhere” Kane replied, his frustration growing more and more. “This is all just creating more questions and we’re still no closer to figuring out the third trial” Kane had to resist the urge to hit something. If this was the pack house he would just unleash his anger, but it wasn’t and putting his fist through one of the walls would be a huge telltale sign that someone had been in the house.
“Maybe we are. Magnus tried to kill Carl, if he succeeded he would have taken her. That’s the event that never got to happen. The big fight to the death scene. Where the winner gets the girl! There’s still two of them, and she’s still stuck in the middle.” Damon said.
“We need to find out for sure if Donny and Mrs. Morganson knew Carl, and we need to find out fast” Kane replied,
“We haven’t checked the basement yet, maybe there’s something down there” Damon suggested. Making sure he put the photo back after he took a picture of it they moved through the rest of the house till they hit the basement.
Turning on the light that barely illuminated the stairs they headed down only to stop dead at the bottom.
“Holy fuck! That’s a lot of boxes” Damon quipped as he looked around. It was crammed full of boxes, how much shit did they need. Starting at one end they looked through box after box. Ornaments, Christmas decorations, souvenirs from various trips. House decor, empty picture frames, they threw nothing out, just boxed it up and put it in the basement. Being very careful how they moved and where they moved to avoid knocking anything, the space was not organized for men their size.
“This is insane, this will take forever” Damon stated as they looked around them. He opened another box only to jump back and push the box away from himself.
“No fucking demon box” he yelped, Kane caught the box before it hit the ground glaring at him.
“The fuck Damon!” He snapped.
“It’s a box of fucking dead eyed dolls. She has a box of fucking dolls.” Damon backed away from the box only to hit another stack of boxes knocking the top one off.
“Calm the fuck down” Kane snapped,
“You boys are about to get company, Donny’s back” Johnny called through the link.
Kane carefully and quietly slid the box back towards Damon who shook his head vigorously trying to move away from it letting loose a string of whimpers. He had nowhere to go at the moment. Kane held his finger to his lips to keep Damon quiet. They heard Donny’s footsteps above their heads as he moved through the house. With how hard he was walking he didn’t appear to be in a good mood.
“Go back to the house and get this, the fuck do I look like a bitch boy. You’re the idiot that fucking forgot it, not me. You go fucking get it. No, be the good boy, play the part, this will be done soon.” Not in a good mood was an understatement Donny sounded pissed.
“I just wanted to sit next to her. No, the family sits at the front, stupid bitch. She is family, she’s my family, and you’re keeping her from me. They’re all keeping her from me.”
“What the fuck?” Damon mouthed, Kane just shrugged. A glass shattered above them and they heard more cursing and rustling above their heads.
“Reign Damon in!” Johnny warned,
“What? Why?” Then he heard it faint but moving towards the house.
Damon’s eyes shot wide open and Kane knew he heard it too. He started shaking trying to keep control of Titan, muffled whimpers released as the siren got closer to them. Kane shook his head telling Damon not to do it. The closer the siren got to the house the more Damon shook, he was losing control. If he didn’t do something the howl that was threatening to come out would give them away. Moving with speed Kane clamped his hand down on Damon’s mouth before the whimpers he was releasing could turn into howls. The footsteps above their head stopped, and they waited, both hoping they would keep going right back out the front door. Both hoping he didn’t hear Damon, and he got what he was sent for. Both hoped Kane got to him in time and Damon didn’t give them away. They stood in the basement like that for what seemed like ages. Waiting, waiting for the siren to pass, waiting for Donny to leave, waiting for Johnny to give them the all clear, waiting for the eerie silence to fall back over the house.
Damon listening to the floor boards, Kane never took his eyes from the direction of the basement door. When they heard the heavy footfalls again, they were moving in the direction of the basement. Silently cursing as quietly as they could they moved back into the shadows, and waited. Donny had stopped at the basement door, seconds ticked by feeling like minutes. When he retreated from the door, both men breathed a sigh of relief. They weren’t out of danger yet, not until Johnny gave them the all clear.
“Are we having fun yet?” Came Johnny through the link,
“Truck loads!” Kane replied,
“It’s not my fault, I didn’t call the firetruck” Damon defended himself,
“Next time you’re the look out” Kane was still looking towards the basement door, on the off chance that Donny came back and decided he did want to check the basement.
“Is he gone?” Damon asked Johnny, ignoring Kane’s comment
“Just getting in his car now” Johnny replied,
“Fuck! What’s taking him so long?” Kane was in no mood for this, he wanted to finish the search and get the hell out of the creepy house.
“Looks like he’s having quite the conversation with himself” Johnny remarked.
“Can you hear what he’s saying?” Kane asked,
“No, to much noise and I’m not close enough, he’s pulling out now” Johnny returned, “You’re all clear, hurry up and get out of there”
“Go watch the stairs” Kane ordered Damon,
“What?” Damon looked at him,
“Or do you want to open more dead eyed doll boxes?” Kane asked,
“I’ll go watch the stairs,” Damon replied, agreeing and moving towards the stairs. Kane picked up the box that fell off the top of a stack and started putting the items back in it, when something caught his eye.
The memorial service had ended and they were making their way to the cemetery. Dax and Marco stayed at the back behind everyone else keeping their heads down to hide the grins on their faces.
“Tesoro, Non posso credere che ti sei addormentato (I can’t believe you fell asleep)” Marco whispered. Dax had spent the last 45 minutes of the memorial service in Marco’s arms sleeping. He did his best to make it look like he was consoling her, but he was also fighting the urge to laugh.
“I’m sorry.” She whispered back, slightly embarrassed. She didn’t mean to fall asleep, but the monotone preacher made it hard to keep her eyes open. “I hope I didn’t snore”
“No, hai il sonno molto tranquillo. Se non ti fossi accasciato contro di me non me ne sarei accorto. (No, you’re a very quiet sleeper. If you hadn’t slumped against me I wouldn’t have noticed.)” He replied.
When the service ended he used his body to shield her from the others and waited till they were the last ones in the church before he woke her up.
“I’m so sorry Marco. I’ll try not to fall asleep at the cemetery” She said, biting back the laughter that was trying to bubble out.
“Sarebbe per il meglio (That would be for the best)” It was a joke and though it was funny the closer they got to the cemetery the more Marco’s hands started to shake, this was where he needed her comfort. Dax took his hand in hers and laced their fingers together. She squeezed to give him reassurance, strength and courage.
“I got you Marco. We just have to make it to the last row of chairs. Ok? Focus on the last row of chairs.” She whispered. He nodded, his eyes would drift to a tombstone and she’d squeeze his hand to snap them back to the last row of chairs.
****
He had watched her and her bodyguard enter the church. They were directed towards the back pews where they could sit. He wanted to sit back there with her, give her his support, his attention, be her shoulder to cry on. He was told no, families sit at the front. His anger flared at this, Kent wasn’t his family, Kent was a traitor, Kent deserved what he got, he deserved to die. Now this bitch was keeping her away from him, she would get hers as well. Once for how she made his angel’s life miserable and twice for how she treated him. But he needed to take care of Magnus first, he was a bigger threat, his angel would never be safe as long as Magnus was hunting her. So once more he could behave himself, be the good boy, the good son. Listen to mommy dearest. Didn’t stop him from looking back at her though as often as he could.
When he saw her curled up in her bodyguard’s arms, anger again flared up in him. Anger and jealousy, that should be him consoling her. Those should be his arms around her, him providing the comfort. He clenched his hands tightly into fists and thought of his angel. Her beautiful face, her voice, her laugh. He needed to be calm, and she always calmed him down. Focused again on the preacher and his monotone voice, he couldn’t help but wonder how many people actually found faith listening to him drone on. With the memorial done, he was about to head back towards her and give his comfort, when the evil bitch from hell caught him. She forgot something at the house and he needed to go get it. His eyes widened. No, no, no, no! He thought. He needed to comfort his angel, she needed him. When Erin ordered him to go get it, he almost lost it in the church and snapped her neck right there in front of everyone, but he caught sight of his angel. No he couldn’t do that, she would be left on her own, with no one to defend her. He stormed out of the church, biting back the curses the whole way to his car.
****
Marco was breathing harder the closer they got to the chairs, she had his hand in a death squeeze. This was the farthest he’s gotten into a cemetery since he didn’t know when. He didn’t know what it was about tombstones he didn’t like. They just freaked him out, always have, for as long as he could remember. His pace would slow and he would start to pull back a little, and when squeezing his hand was no longer working she wrapped her arms around his waist. He clung to her, using her embrace to help him stay calm.
“Those two chairs Marco, right there. Do you see them?” Marco nodded, “We just have to make it to those chairs” He nodded again. Mere feet away from them, Marco pushed himself forward but when one of the chairs was right next to a tombstone he just about lost it. She sat down beside it first and pulled him into the chair beside her. Taking his hand again in hers, she held it tight.
“Just breathe Marco, just breathe. Don’t look at it, it’s just a slab of stone, nothing at all.” She said, he only nodded.
“Just breathe, Marco, focus on something else” Kenneth spoke to him through the link.
“Facile da dire per te! Non sei seduto accanto a loro. Fottuta lapide! (Easy for you to say! You are not sitting next to them. Fuckin ’tombstone!)” Marco snapped back.
Kenneth had watched them walk into the cemetery, Carter and he had decided that Carter would be on the look out for others and Kenneth would watch Marco and Dax. He knew more of Marco’s personality and would be able to gauge better on whether Marco was about to lose control. He needed to get in touch with his Luna, or Marco was going to lose it in the middle of the cemetery. She wasn’t a member of the pack yet so the link would not work, he prayed she had the ringer on her phone off.
K: Hello Luna!
D: Hi Kenneth!
K: You’re doing good, but you need to keep Marco calm and thinking about something else other than where he is
D: How do I do that?
K: Play a game, get him talking, anything
D: Ok, I’ll figure it out.
“Wanna play a game?” She whispered to Marco,
“Gioco? (Game?)” Marco asked back, he wasn’t sure how appropriate that was, but then realized Kenneth must have said something to her. “What….game?”
“Um....I spy?....it’s the only game I really know. They might get a little upset if we started playing poker during the funeral.” She replied, trying to not laugh. Marco too had to bite back his grin.
“Che ne dici di 1000 modi per morire? (How about 1000 ways to die?)” He suggested. Kenneth never let him play the game. He only got to play it when they were in Ottawa signing a Peace Treaty with Black Shadow Pack. He met two brothers there, if Kenneth knew half the things they did, he never would have let him go.
“I don’t know how to play!” She said, trying to keep her voice low so as to not draw attention to them.
“Semplice, scegli una persona ed escogita modi macabri per ucciderla, più brutale è meglio è. La vittoria più brutale! (It simple, pick a person and come up with grisly ways to kill them, the more brutal the better. Most brutal wins!)” Marco explained. She thought about that for a second sounded simple enough and it would keep Marco’s mind off being in a cemetery surrounded by tombstones.
“Who are we killing?” She asked,
“Mrs. Morganson?” Marco suggested hiding his smile behind his hand.
“Ok!” She too looked down and hid her smile. Serve her right, she was the reason they were both there.
She wasn’t very imaginative in coming up with ways to kill Mrs. Morganson, they varied from shooting her to running her over with a car.
“No tesoro, pensare violento e macabro. (Think violent and grisly)” Marco said to her,
“I’m sorry Marco, I’m not very good at this game” She replied, kinda feeling bad. She was supposed to be keeping him focused on anything other than the cemetery and she wasn’t doing a very good job.
“Va tutto bene tesoro, non stare male. Basta essere creativi (It’s ok tesoro, don’t feel bad. Just get creative)” Marco encouraged her.
“Ok, creative….oh, oh, oh. The farm machine that pulls the crops. The thrasher….thresher….the combine harvester. It runs her over and it would be gruesome” She replied, sneaking a peak at him.
“Creativi tesoro! Legatela e fatela affogare a secco! (Strap her down and dry drown her)” Marco returned,
“Is that where they stick the rag over their face and pour water on it?” She asked, Marco gave a slight nod of his head. “Um….ooo fed to pigs, they’ll eat anything”
“Perfetto! Trascinato dietro un camion (Dragged behind a truck)” Marco fired back,
“Ouch! That would be a serious road rash. Boiled alive!” Marco fought the laugh at her comment.
“Zuppa schifosa! Sepolto vivo! (Gross soup! Buried alive!)” This time she fought the laugh.
“Liquified!” She returned,
“Cippatrice per legno (Wood chipper)” Marco fired back,
“Molten glass. It would melt her skin as it poured down her body” She said.
“Orribile! Credo che tu vinca, tesoro! (Horrible! I believe you win, darling!)” Marco said,
“That was fun. Wanna play again?” She asked. Maybe if they played this in the church she wouldn’t have fallen asleep.
“Chi stiamo uccidendo questa volta? (Who are we killing this time?)” Marco asked,
“Mrs. Morganson!” She replied.
His phone vibrating in his coat pocket, Kenneth quietly moved farther into the woods alerting Carter to what was going on before he answered it.
“Ciao?” He said quietly, as he continued to listen to Luna and Marco play the game.
“How’s it going?” Kane asked from the other end,
“It was a little shaky but she got him to the chairs. I don’t know what she said to him, but as long as he doesn’t look at the tombstones he seems to be fine.” Kenneth replied.
“So Marco is doing well then?” Kenneth could hear something in Kane’s voice, he wasn’t entirely sure but it sounded like disappointment.
“They are at a funeral sitting in a cemetery full of tombstones, and to keep Marco occupied they are playing 1000 ways to die, with Mrs. Morganson as the target. It is terrifying. There is a reason Marco is not allowed to play this game, and if you heard some of her ways you wouldn’t allow her to play either.” Kenneth replied, only to hear Kane laughing on the other end.
“Glad you find this funny….they have played two rounds, winning one each and are working on their third. Pray to the Goddess they don’t ever get the chance to take Mrs. Morganson out. I think I even saw Carter turn green at one point” Kenneth commented,
“Any sign of Magnus yet?” Kane asked when he stopped laughing.
“No, Carter is on the watch out for crashers, we decided it would be better. He’s the better tracker and I know more about Marco and his ways.” Kenneth replied.
“Movement in the woods!” Came Carter’s voice in his head
“I have to go, Carter caught something in the woods, I’ll let you know, when he finds it.” Kenneth disconnected and made his way back to his position, to keep watch on Marco and Dax as Carter went in search of whatever it was.
“Nitrogeno liquido (Liquid nitrogen)” Marco fired off as they continued their third round of 1000 ways to die with Mrs. Morganson. They were paying attention as best they could to the funeral as well.
“I’m getting hungry” Dax declared,
“Anche a me! Ci sarà del cibo alla reception, ne sono sicuro (Me too! There’ll be food at the reception I’m sure)” Marco replied,
“I don’t think so, that bastard tried to kill me at least three times, I ain’t trusting anything they serve” she said bluntly. Marco bit back his laughter, he couldn’t blame her, he wouldn’t trust it either.
“Forse quella di Glenda allora? (Maybe Glenda’s then?)” He suggested,
“Yeah maybe! Piranhas!” She countered his move
“Piranhas?” Marco asked,
“Yeah, I watched a documentary on them. Though they rarely eat live things, they can strip the flesh off a human in under 5 minutes.” She answered,
“Buono a sapersi! Imbalsamato vivo! (Good to know! Embalmed alive!)” Marco responded.
“Eww gross! Frequency! There’s a specific frequency that if you stick someone in a metal room and let the sound bounce off the walls, it’ll cause the eyes to pop, the brain to rattle and turn to mush and pour from their ears.” Marco stared at her, wide eyed. “I read it somewhere” She added when she caught his gaze.
“Impressionante! Non credo di poterlo battere. Vinci ancora tesoro (I don’t think I can beat that. You win again tesoro)” Marco replied,
“Wanna play again?” She asked,
“No….time.” Marco answered as he looked around at the people gathering their things getting ready to leave the cemetery. They continued to sit there with their heads bowed in respect as Mrs. Morganson and Donny left the cemetery ahead of everyone.
“Vorrei uscire dal cimitero adesso (I would like to get out of the cemetery now)” Marco said,
“Ok!” Standing they slowly fell in line with the other mourners on their way to Town Hall for the reception.
Kane, Damon and Johnny made it to the diner and were going over what they uncovered at the Morganson house. Filling Johnny in as they went.
“He has a gun in his sock drawer?” Johnny asked,
“Had, we didn’t find the gun just the case,” Kane corrected him.
“Fuck!” Johnny breathed out,
“My thoughts exactly brother” Damon remarked.
“Carl was folded out of the photos. So both of them knew Carl. The question we want answered is, which one knew him first? If Kent did, then Mrs. Morganson only knew him through their marriage.” Kane continued, as he went through more of the photos on his phone.
“But you don’t think that’s the case?” Johnny asked more than stated.
“It’s speculation at best but….we think Donny is either Looney toons, or Looney toons is pretending to be Donny, and the real Donny is dead in a box somewhere. The bitch might be the woman in the photo” Damon said.
“It’s not speculation anymore. Mrs. Morganson knew him first. She’s his sister” Kane showed them what he found when he was cleaning up the spilled contents of the box. On his phone was proof that Mrs. Morganson had another baby. A birth certificate bearing the name Evan Whitekar, a card from Carl telling his sister congratulations on the birth of her twins and a photo of them.
“Why is this one pushed away from the other one?” Damon asked as he looked at the photo.
“Maria Whitekar said she knew the day Magnus was born that something was wrong with him. She said a mother always knows when there is something wrong with their child. Maybe Mrs. Morganson knew something was wrong with one of them.” Johnny guessed.
“Maybe! If she did, then she pushed one of them away, while she fussed over the other one. That would cause animosity between the two. Which supports the idea that one is dead in a box somewhere.” Damon added. Kane was sitting there lost in thought.
“Hey, hey….Kane!” Johnny called to him “Don’t space out on us, what are you thinking?”
“What am I thinking? What am I thinking? I am thinking that right now my mate is in a cemetery with this nut job. I am thinking this could take a sideways turn real fast. If he was neglected by his mother then he probably has a serious grudge against her and wouldn’t think twice about snapping her neck if she stood in the way of him getting what he wants. I am thinking that the only protection she has is a wacko, who I am praying to the Moon Goddess and Fate right now forgets why they are there and shoves her in the trunk and comes home.” Both Damon and Johnny just stared at him.
“You know she would be pissed if he did that right?” Damon asked,
“I can handle pissed. I will happily let her out of the trunk, I will happily let her kick the crap out of me and punch me in the throat if it meant she was safe. Because I am pretty damn certain I would tear this town apart if something happened to her.” He replied.
“Hey, you don’t just touch a girl. What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you stupid?” A grin broke out on Johnny’s face as both he and Kane recognized the voice. Turning their attention in the direction of the interruption, sure enough there was the little spitfire known as Ember. THWACK! THWACK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!
“Who the fuck is that little spitfire?” Damon asked, as they continued to watch her beat the man with the napkin dispenser.
“That’s Ember Sheppard!” Johnny answered, trying not to laugh.
“She’s trying to meet new people” Kane added,
“I don’t think it’s working out for her,” Damon countered.
“She just hasn’t met the right people. Go help her Johnny!” Kane replied,
“Go help her Johnny? Fuck no! You go help her! I ain’t going anywhere near her. That’s the second person I saw her kick the crap out of, because they touched her.” Johnny looked at Kane wide eyed.
“Second person?” Damon asked,
“She bounced Justine’s head off a display case at the jewellery store yesterday, twice after she pushed her. She doesn’t like to be touched” Kane answered,
“Why?” Damon asked,
“I don’t know, but I think it has something to do with why she’s favouring her right shoulder,” Kane replied.
“What’s going on out here?” Glenda asked, coming out of the kitchen just as Ember had put the napkin dispenser back on its table.
“Umm….he fell?” She answered, lifting her hands up.
“He fell?” Glenda asked as she looked at the man on the floor.
“Yup!” Ember nodded enthusiastically to emphasize her point.
“Must have been some fall,” Glenda replied, trying to keep a straight face. Ember looked down at the man at her feet then back up to Glenda.
“It was crazy!” She agreed.
“What will you have, sugar?” Glenda asked, losing her battle and cracking a grin.
“Two burgers, both with fries, a chocolate and vanilla milkshake and a coke please.” Ember replied, her smile lighting up her face.
“You take a seat right there and I’ll be right back with your order” Glenda motioned to one of the stools for her to sit at.
“Thank you!” She replied, taking a seat.
“And….try not to help anymore people fall” The glint in Glenda’s eyes shone even more at the girl sitting on the stool at the end of the counter.
“Ok!” She looked down again at the man on the floor.
“Hello Ember, how’s meeting people going for you?” Kane asked, trying not to laugh at the groaning man on the floor.
“I think it’s going pretty good” She said, her bright smile flashing on her face when she saw Johnny and Kane sitting in the booth.
“How many have you hit so far?” Kane asked, he could hear Johnny laughing in the booth.
“Um….today?....Three!” She replied with a grin.
“Including him?” Kane arched an eyebrow at her.
“Four!” She corrected herself. “You don’t just touch a girl, so I don’t think that one should count,” she added, defending herself.
“It counts” Kane replied,
“Damn it!” Ember huffed, but never stopped smiling,
“You’re not worried about the ramifications of your actions?” Kane asked her.
“No!” Her reply was simple and rather shocking to him. Most people would be.
“No?” Johnny asked,
“Hi Johnny!” She greeted him,
“Hello darling! Why are you not worried about getting in trouble for that?” Johnny asked, motioning towards the man.
“I’m a little girl, who would possibly believe I could do that to a big boy” She stated matter of factly.
“I like this girl, Damon!” Damon cut in as he introduced himself. Her eyes snapped in the direction of Damon’s voice.
“Ember” she replied,
“Well Ember, that was pretty impressive….for a little girl” Damon said back to her. “But I think you caused a wound to open on your neck,” he added.
“Crap! Big stupid headed beasty thing. I was visiting a cousin in Harper’s Ferry a week ago and something bit me in the woods.” She said, touching her neck.
“Something bit you?” Johnny asked, sharing a look with Kane.
“Yeah! Damn thing, came flying outta the dark and clamped down on my neck. I smacked it twice with a big ass rock to make it let go.” She said,
“May I see it?” Kane asked, getting up from his seat. She pulled down the side of her shirt to show him the bite on her neck.
“Well Ember, I think you were bit by a wolf!” Kane said after he looked at her neck. Again sharing another look with Johnny.
“A wolf? That thing had a big fat head like this” She showed him the size of the head. “I didn’t think they could get that big”
“Must be a special kind!” Damon said as he exited the booth and went to get Glenda’s first aid kit. Couldn’t have the little spitfire running around town bleeding everywhere.
“A stupid one” Kane said,
“What are you doing?” She pulled away from Damon.
“Relax, I ain’t gonna touch you. I don’t feel like ending up like the guy on the ground, but that needs to be taken care of so hold still.” Damon replied as he dabbed at her neck, keeping very careful that he didn’t come in contact with her skin.
“Ow! That burns.” she hissed, pulling away from him.
“Would you hold still?” Damon ordered,
“You’re bossy!” Ember again huffed as she turned back to face him. Johnny and Kane were fighting back their laughter.
“His sister says the same thing” Johnny commented,
“You shut up!” Damon grumbled at Johnny going back to cleaning up her neck.
“You have a sister?” She asked Damon, as she sat on the stool waiting for him to get done.
“Yeah I do” Damon replied,
“That’s cool, I don’t have any siblings….at least none that I know of. I have a lot of cousins though.” She said,
“Were you adopted?” Johnny asked, thinking that could be the only reason she wouldn’t know if she had siblings out there. Maybe that’s what she was looking for.
“No, my mom and dad left me with an uncle when I was three or four.” She answered, the three men all looked at each other.
“Left you? They never came back for you?” Damon asked,
“Nope! I bounced around from one family member to another until I landed with my uncle Theo when I was 15. Stayed with him till I was 18 and then I took off in search of something.” That didn’t sit right with any of them. Damon didn’t know what was worse, not having a family, or having a family that didn’t want you and just passed you along to the next one.
“Anybody ever tell you, you act like an overprotective big brother?” She asked Damon.
“I get that a lot. Now hold still, almost done.” Damon replied, as he tried to put the bandaid on her neck without touching her. He was lost in thought when his finger slightly grazed her and he felt her shudder.
“Shit! I’m sorry, it was an accident, trying to patch someone up, without touching them is a little harder than it looks.” Her fists clenched in her lap and she was fighting back the urge to hit him. Using any tool she could think of to control the aggression she was starting to feel about it. She didn’t want to hit Damon, she really didn’t, he was being nice to her, but she could feel herself starting to lose control.
“Where did you get that scar from?” Kane asked, pointing to something on her arm. It looked like teeth marks, not just any teeth marks, cat teeth marks. He was trying to draw her attention so Damon could finish up.
“That one? I got bit by a girl with sharp pointy teeth and kitty cat ears.” Ember said looking at the scar.
“Pointy teeth and kitty cat ears?” Johnny asked as he too looked at the scar.
“Yeah, damndest thing. They were black with white dots on the back and she was wearing a spotty tail like a leopard or something. I was like ok, but they work on her, she look good in them. Hell she was gorgeous, had the bluest hair I’ve ever seen and lilac eyes.” Ember replied, Johnny had to cover his laugh. The last person she said was gorgeous was Dax and she’d switch teams if Dax hit on her.
“Why did she bite you?” Damon asked,
“Think I scared her. It was like three years ago or something, and I was driving past this diner and saw some big dudes trying to shove this little girl into the back of their truck. She’s not little, but she’s little. Taller than me but not by much. I’m 4’11 and a half and she was like an inch or so taller. Anyway I pull over and was like she don’t wanna go with you. And one of them said stay out of it. I can’t stay out of it, you’re trying to shove someone in the back of a truck and she clearly don’t wanna be shoved there. The other big dummy say what you gonna do about it little girl? Little girl….little girl, that’s a little condescending. I might be little and I might be a girl but you don’t get to call me a little girl.” Ember huffed, this had clearly gotten her mind off Damon touching her.
“What did you do, darling?” Johnny asked,
“I hit ’em with kindness.” She stated triumphantly,
“You hit him with kindness?” Kane looked at her, confusion crossing his face
“I hit ’em with a bat I keep in my jeep for protection. I named it kindness” she clarified as she looked up at him. Damon snatched his hand back quickly at the movement.
“You keep a bat named kindness in your jeep for protection?” Johnny asked,
“Look at me, I’m a little girl. I need something for protection when I’m going up against big dudes five times my size.” Ember looked at Johnny bewildered,
“Why did she bite you then?” Johnny asked,
“I tried to get her to come with me and she thought I was trying to shove her in my jeep. So she bit me. I told her no I was her friend, and friends don’t bite friends. I was trying to get her to safety. If I could get her to the train station, there’s a secret code women can use when they’re in trouble and they take care of her. Get her to a safe haven.” Ember said, “I don’t think she could talk, she had scars on her throat, but she understood real good, she shove a picture in my face and seemed pretty insistent that where she wanted to go and she got in my jeep.”
“Where did she want to go?” Kane asked,
“Um….some national forest in Colorado I think….uh….White Rock, White Rapid, White Lake? I don’t remember something with White in the name though.” She replied
“White River?” Kane asked, Ember nodded
“Isn’t that a free zone?” Johnny asked,
“Yeah, it is,” Kane replied.
“I gave her my number, and my bracelet and told her to find a way to get in touch with me but she never did. I haven’t heard from her. What’s a free zone?” Ember asked, looking back and forth between Kane and Johnny.
“The girl you saved was going to be sold as a slave. If she could make it to a free zone, no one could touch her.” Kane explained without really giving too much away.
“I’ll look into it” Johnny said, he glanced at Ember, this little girl had no idea what she did.
“So what are you doing tomorrow?” Johnny asked,
“I’m leaving town tomorrow. I got a cousin in New Haven I’m gonna stay with for a couple days.” She replied,
“Didn’t find what you were looking for?” Johnny asked another question.
“Not yet!” She sounded a little disappointed by that, but quickly shrugged it off.
“I thought you were heading west towards the mountains?” Kane asked,
“I am but I want to see Salem first. Then I have an aunt in Ontario I’m gonna visit. And I’m gonna go west across Canada. Did you know they have a giant nickel and a whole town filled with statues of geese? That’s crazy. And there’s a giant easter egg and a dinosaur” She spoke excitedly of her trip.
“What are you looking for?” Damon asked,
“Don’t know, but I’ll know it when I find it.” Ember answered. Damon just nodded, he packed up the first aid kit as Glenda came out of the kitchen with her order.
“Here you go sugar. Now you stay out of trouble” she said as she handed it over.
“Yes ma’am I’ll try. Thank you!” She said paying for her order.
“You’re all patched up. Thanks for not laying me out like that guy” Damon said,
“Thanks. It was nice meeting you guys” Ember moved towards the door.
“Good luck in your search, hope you find what you’re looking for” Johnny called after her.
“I hope so too. Maybe I’ll see you around, who knows I might end up this way again. Thanks again” With that she walked out of the diner heading back towards the jewellery shop.
“Was she bit by a werecat?” Damon asked,
“Yeah she was” Kane replied,
“Didn’t think there was too many of them left,
“There’s not, it’s why the council put all national forests as free zones. The werecats flock to them. Hopefully Ember’s little friend made it.” Johnny said,
“Put word out to the other packs. Someone tried to mark that girl without her consent. Her bodies rejecting it and until its out of her system, she won’t like being touched by anyone” Kane said,
“You think it was her mate?” Johnny asked,
“I don’t know, but if it was, they’re a fucking moron. Even with it out of her system she’ll continue to reject their touch, they bit the wrong side. Put a call into the rest of the Howler’s, have our people watch out for her. Who do we know in Canada?” Kane asked,
“Alpha Steve, his brother Kennedy and Alpha Eric. I’d say Black Shadow as well, but good luck trying to find them” Johnny replied,
“Call them as well, let them know a little spitfire is heading their way, she is to be protected but make them aware that she is not to be touched.” Kane ordered,
“You boys are fussing over a little girl who seems to be quite capable of taking care of herself” Glenda commented as she wiped down the counters.
“There’s something about that girl” Kane replied,
“Feels like one of us but she’s not, or not yet anyway” Damon added, Johnny just nodded. They all felt the immediate pull towards her, like they do towards family.
“Well you guys were rummaging in the house. I had Dodger pull Donny’s address and look into his background a little bit” Johnny said when they sat back in their booth.
“And?” Kane asked,
“The guys clean, not even a fucking parking ticket” Johnny replied.
“What about the address?” Damon inquired,
“Here’s the best part, it’s a cabin on the outskirts of town. We can hit it on the way back to the pack house.” Johnny replied,
“Then let’s get back to the house. Have Carter and Kenneth meet Dax and Marco here.” Kane said, getting up from the table again.
“You think they’re going to come here?” Damon asked.
“It’s a guarantee she won’t eat anything at the reception. She doesn’t trust the family not to try something. Marco is not going to want to deal with her hungry, they’ll end up here.” Kane replied, causing Johnny to laugh.
“No one wants to deal with hungry feisty pants, including the crazy ones.” Johnny choked out.