Just a pinch (Lola, Lou)

[Lovely]

Name: Lola Ninovan Aliases: Lo Age: 33 Species: werewolf Position/Occupation: Restaurant Owner Location: New York likeness used: Kate Walsh

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PIC HERE Name: Luther Maddox Aliases: Lou, Ox DOB: Species: human Position/Occupation: warlock Location: New York likeness used: Viggo Mortensen

[Lovely]

February 27th, 2009
3:30pm


"Yes...and sometimes you have to shut the whole world out just to shut out one person in particular." She said with a sad smile, glad that he seemed to understand at least some of what had drawn her to the city. "It's easy to be anonymous here...easy to blend in."

"Can't say as I ever felt the need to hide from one person but.. I do understand the need to shut out the world in order to shut out the pain." His eyes seemed to grow dark, like the color of storms.

A moment later a tall beautiful red head walked out to set another glass of wine in front of Lynch. She didn't say anything but ran her fingers over his cheek and collected the dishes from dessert. "Would you like more water, Serenity?" She turned her gaze on the woman at the table, her eyes rolling over her, she had a deeply protective vibe but not as clearly hostile as Logan had been. "Or perhaps something a little stronger?"

Maybe this was the infamous Lola? Serenity wasn't sure, but it was clear this woman wasn't nearly as hostile as the other had been. "Ah...maybe some wine?" She hazarded, not usually one to drink with lunch but hey why not? "I'm not particular, so whatever you recommend would be fine. Maybe something red?"

"I'll be right back with that." Lola gave a faint smile, it wasn't forced but was guarded the way a person who has been hurt deeply would. She carried the dishes away, a subtle sway to her graceful strides as she went out back.

Lynch reached for his glass, taking a deep sip and sighing out with a small smile, he seemed to relax a little though was still drawn by his memories and thoughts that Serenity has stirred up. She'd probably sense the deep ache that he otherwise kept hidden, his expressions somber but not to the depths of what she'd feel from him.

Lola returned with a glass for Serenity and the difference between what was in her glass, which was plain wine, and what was in Lynch's was a bit more noticable. "There you are. I hope you enjoy it." She smiles faintly again and nodded to Lynch before disappearing into the back again.

[Lovely]

Feb 27, 2009
8:45 p.m.

No one was likely to come in demanding tea or herbs at the last minute, at least not this time of year. Most folks stayed inside after dark, even moreso if they were regular customers and had been watching the recent flow of events. He'd turned the sign in the window to read 'closed' already although the lights were still on as he swept up inside.

When Lola needed something, there was nothing that would stop her from getting it, usually. The closed sign didn't seem to phase her as she walked up to the door and pulled it open, she was surprised to find it unlocked. It opened easily and the little chime above it rang out her pressence as she stepped into the shop. Her heels made hardly a sound on the tile floor, she wore no coat despite the winter chill in the outside air, just a button down over the criss cross halter and slim skirt.

He heard the bell and stepped up from the back, putting the broom out of the way. Color him delighted to have a customer, especially a pleasantly underdressed one. He cleared his throat and his thoughts, waving in front of himself as if he swatted a fly away or was moving a cloud of dust from his way. "Closing up in a few minutes. How can I help you?"

She produced a slip of paper, held between two fingers and stepped toward the man who came from the back. His scent made her smile faintly as she brought him the list, spices, herbs, and the like which Pete needed or had requested for the kitchen. "I need these.. if you'd be so kind." It was probably good that she'd eaten, the shopkeeper looked delicious.

He looked at her curiously, getting the sense she was shopping for more than her list required with the look she gave him. He took the list and grinned as he read it. "Interesting recipe already. My compliments to your chef," he said, holding the list up himself as he started toward the back room. "These aren't common herbs and you aren't a common customer - or a regular one. New in town?"

"Not exactly new, no.. just haven't been in here before." She wandered near the entrance to the backroom but didn't follow him in, too much temptation in that. "I'll relay your compliments to my chef.. he does so like recieving them." She chuckled softly, thinking of the handsome man who tended her kitchen.

"Well let's see what we have.. oh," he turned, realizing she was at the door of the back room behind him and he didn't need to shout. She startled him a little though he noticed she had on heels and even on the tile she moved almost silently. He held up a jar of dark colored flower buds and then another with something that looked like dry moss. "Not new but not here before? My head is spinning already trying to figure out how I was lucky to know not to lock the door early tonight."

"Aw, well maybe fate was smiling on me tonight. I would have been awfully disappointed if I had gotten here and you were already closed." Her day had been unpleasant enough and she was actually glad to do this in an easy way.. or at least a less messy one. She took in a deep breath and sighed, his scent was richly mixed with the herbs. "Damn you smell good." She murmured, running her hand up and over the back of her neck.

"Excuse me?" He was certain he'd heard her, but the intention and reaction caught him off guard. He was just a humble shop keeper, after all.. with a strange past and possibly a bright future given her comments. "Rosemary and hops," he chuckled, wondering how that mixed into the aroma she found pleasant. Normally the combination made his eyes water, but maybe she didn't mean the herbs at all. He looked back at the shelf and sighed, pulling down another jar that was empty except for the dusty remnants of the leaves that had been in it. "Special order.. it's not in yet. I hate to send you home without getting what you want."

Her eyes locked on him, had he heard her? That was careless of her, she'd have to pay better attention to her own actions. "Wouldn't be the first time in my life I went home without getting what I wanted... how long is the wait?" She licked her lips, letting her hand slowly shift down her front and then rest at her side as she continued to watch the shop keeper.

He watched her hand in motion and stood there a moment, stunned though appearing to think about the order. "I ... ordered them last Monday. The delivery's late, probably due to the fires. It's a desert bloom, comes in from California. Might be tomorrow, might not come at all."

Her head tipped to the side slightly and she nodded, perhaps there was something she could do about that... If there was any to be found the friends she had would find it. "I hadn't thought of that.. it's so unfortunate for that squabble to effect your order." She shifted in the doorway seeming torn between stepping into the back room with him and remaining where she was. She wasn't worried about going into an area that was probably employees only but rather what she might do to him if she crossed that invisible line. "I also have a few other things I would like to get." She pulled another small slip of paper from her pocket, the ingredients for a spell she was thinking of casting.

He looked closer at this list once she called the supposed wildfires a 'squabble' indicating she knew it was more than just random damage. He read the list again then looked back at her and her state of dress and apparent distress of indecision about something. "This is a very specific list. Have you ever had this before?"

Her eyebrow arched up slightly as he questioned her and her jaw worked against itself for a moment before she finally shook her head lightly. "No.. I haven't ever tried it before." She admitted as her own eyes moved slowly over him, head to toe and back again.

He chuckled, feeling almost like her fingers had walked over his skin and back, stopping somewhere in the middle. "Not sure you need something this strong," he said, giving her list back. "Have you thought of just asking him for a drink instead?"

"I'm sure I do." She chuckled, shaking her head and not really sounding amused. "He's not interested in me... which worked fine until.. very recently." She shrugged, looking down at the list he'd handed back.

"Stupid man... or blind," he said in full honesty. "It's only a temporary fix, anyway. If he doesn't have some level of true feelings, that won't change it any more than a bottle of scotch would, although no hangover with this.. and he'd be able to keep going like a russian ox for about a week before .. I shut up and not embarrass a paying customer. Goat weed.. it um... keeps...," he made a meager hand gesture indicating that the potion might not make things real, only really satisfying for her and her friend until it wore off.

She folded her arms and shrugged again. "I'm not interested in... the effects of goat weed.. on him.. in all honesty if there is anyway to omit that ingredient.. and effect, I'd rather not have him all.. going like a russian ox." She gestured toward him and the area he'd indicated, making a face at the thought of Lynch being that way toward her. A second glance at the shopkeeper might tell him she was thinking of him in that context and it appealed to her much more.

He gave her another strange look with a smile of curiosity, "So... it's a gift but not something for yourself? Very generous, and potentially very dangerous. Again, if he has true feelings, all it does is ... besides our ox friend... is drop his inhibitions along with his shorts. Sure you don't want to stick with Scotch? It's easier to gift wrap," he chuckled, holding out his hand for her. "My name's Lou. I feel I should at least be on a first name basis with you if we're going to talk about this sort of thing so openly."

"I don't plan to have any myself.. but it's.." She looked away and shook her head slightly, her jaw working in frustration. "I'm Lola." She spoke quietly, her foot balanced on one of her heels and slowly twisting back and forth. "I don't want him to love me or be a total... animal. I simply need him to feel more interested in me for a short time.. so he'll lose interest in someone else or she'll lose interest in him.. either way. Do you have something that will work for that?"

The curiosity was getting the better of him and he leaned on the counter. "I might. How about you tell me more. I'd hate to recommend the wrong thing for the wrong reason and drive away a new customer. It seems urgent enough that you came all the way down here just before closing. Let me lock up out front and you can tell me more? Can I get you some tea? It's a pretty cold night out," he pointed out, wondering whether she was cold considering the winter weather and she had no coat.

She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, both of her hands coming up to rub the tension out of the back of her neck or at least attempt to. "Fine.. sure.. that's very considerate of you." Her eyes flowed over him again and she started to pace a little while he went about locking up. "I'm not cold.. but if you'd like tea.. I'd have some with you."

He was quick with closing the blinds and securing the door in the small shop, turning the chairs up on the small bistro tables on his way back. He shut off the front row of lights, but kept the ones in back and over the front counter on. "I didn't need to sweep anyone out the door, so we're all set. I'd love it if you joined me in a cup," he said, pulling out the mugs and tempting her with an actual bottle of scotch he pulled out from under the counter wtih the cleaning supplies. "First aid kit, honest," he grinned, setting it aside and getting a jar of hand-filled tea bags from the same cupboard. "Special blend for special occassions... or nights I'm here with my students or doing inventory."

"Special blend?" She asked, curiously as she came over to stand near the counter, she almost smiled but her troubles seemed to keep it from being too bright. "Students?" She was more curious now, peering at the man behind the counter as he shuffled around gathering what he needed.

"A preferred mix that keeps the mind calm and clear and the rest of the body energized for hours," he explained, pulling out a bag for the antique and well-loved porcelain teapot he rinsed and filled from the hot tap on the bottled water dispenser. "A little bit sweet, but I have some raw honey if you like yours sweeter. Oh, my students. I teach about herbs and their use, if you're interested."

"I'm sure it's fine the way it is, I'm actually not that big on sweets." She replied, watching him as he got the teapot filled. "I thank you for the offer but I don't think being your student is a very wise idea." She picked up one of the tea bags and lightly passed it under her nose, she put it back, satisfied over the scent of it.

He turned with that same curious smile as before, although a little disappointed. "It's not boring. Really," he defended, setting the lid on the tea to steep and leaning against the counter again, facing her and noting her approval of his mixture. "Why wouldn't it be 'wise'? You have an aptitude for it.. and a nose for it, it seems."

She chuckled softly and shook her head, if he only knew what she had a nose for... "I didn't mean that it would be boring. I think I'm a bit old to be your student.. and I don't play very well with others.. I'd likely be a disruption.." Or cause one, or get pissed and eat one of his students.. lots of things that could be disasterous.

"Never too old to learn more of what you already know a little about. It's... not your average course," he said quietly, a little closer to almost whisper although they were the only two in the shop. He pinched a stray piece of leaf from his apron and held in between his fingers. It sparked and dissipated into a small spiral of smoke.

"Point taken but I don't think you'd feel the same if it was at the cost of your other students' safety. Please understand I can't put them or myself at risk that way." She leaned over the counter a little and lowered her voice. "I'm not your average woman."

He shrugged and folded his arms. "Eh, they're pretty tough, but I understand, and you're right. Hardly average," he said with a raise of his eyebrow, then glancing back at the tea he turned to finish serving. "I offer private study for some of my above average students, if you're interested."

She shook her head again and sighed, looking down at the counter top for a long moment. "Are you always this stubborn with strangers?" She asked quietly, trying not to let her temper flare up as he pressed.

[Lovely]

"Usually worse, but I thought I'd give you a break since you're a guest. But enough about me," he said, shaking his head, offering her one of the cups with an apology in the grin. "It was a sad attempt to ask if you wouldn't mind coming back some time when you're not having trouble with your ox."

She stared at him silently for a few moments without saying anything, her jaw working in a tight circle. "He's not my ox.. " She almost growled the words out, lowering her eyes to the counter. "Perhaps we can get onto the part where you give me what I need and I can be on my way." She hadn't drank from her cup yet, setting it on the counter and gently stroking her fingers along the handle. "Why would you want me to come back?"

"Because something made me start closing up early so we could have this conversation?" He shrugged a little again, watching her fidget with the cup. "And it's not going at all like I would have liked," he said with a twist of his head, hoping to shake out the awkwardness. "If I said I'd like to talk with you more... than just about potions and recipes... would you consider it at least?"

She was considering it nearly as soon as he asked but she wasn't sure it was wise. "I'm not sure it's a good idea.. it could be hazardous to your health." She turned the cup but didn't pick it up, her tongue played over her lips. "..and it might make me a hypocrite.."

He took a sip of his calming tea, gesturing with the cup. "Who says you aren't already? That's why I needed this, because I'm certainly not thinking clearly. Would you like to start over from 'hi my name is Lou'?"

"That didn't make any sense to me." She admitted, chancing a glance up at his face. "Why would you say I'm already a hypocrite?" She wondered and glanced down at her cup again. What did he mean by he wasn't thinking clearly?

"Not that part, I meant the being hazardous to my health. I haven't had a pretty stranger in my back room in a long time," he admitted with a wink, taking another sip.

"Ohh. I see.. I think you might be more right than you realize about that." She picked up her cup, seeming hesitant to drink it. "Do you want to sit? You've probably been on your feet awhile and I'm keeping you on them for longer." Her thumb brushed over the side of her mug. "It's been a long time since I've.. been a pretty stranger to anyone."

Even the ox? There was much to this story that he didn't understand but the timing and the feeling from the reading couldn't have been far off from this, this had to be the turn of events he'd been expecting... at least hoping for. "Kind of you," he nodded, grabbing the tea pot and gesturing to the front where the tables were. "We can sit out there if you like."

"Kind of me?" It seemed like half of that sentence was missing and she nodded to sitting down, she had offered since she didn't want to make him more uncomfortable or put him out more than she already had. "Sure, if that's where you'll be most comfortable.. I'm already inconvienencing you as it is."

[Lovely]

"I'm not inconvenienced, just out of practice," he sighed. Comfortable was something he wasn't, but for a lot of reasons recently. He had to admit the company alone was helping, but only to a degree. "For now, the tables up front are fine. A place to set this down before I drop it."

"That makes two of us who are out of practice...." She followed him to the front and the tables, letting him choose where they were going to sit. "If you're that tired.. perhaps we should make this quick so you can go on with your night and get some rest."

He gave her another strange look. "Oh I'm not tired. Pretty much the opposite and I almost forgot I was holding it, that's all. Distracted," he said softly, stepping up beside her to set the cup and pot down and pull a chair back down for her first.

"I'm more of a night person myself.." She set her own cup down and smiled as he pulled the chair down for her. "Thank you." She folded gracefully into the seat and crossed her long legs. She finally took a small sip from her mug and set it back down, she didn't want to appear rude but was worried about relaxing and losing control.

"You're most welcome. So, mind if I ask a little more about this situation so I can help you combat it the best way? I didn't make it very strong. Is it alright?" He started, sitting beside her as she took a sip.

"It's fine.. it's actually very good, I just don't think it's wise for me to.. relax too much." She looked at him with a distant smile, she'd been hurt very deeply and sometimes when she let her guard down it showed. "Anyway.. go ahead, ask me what you need to."

He grinned, pleased that she found it likeable. "Alright. What I gather is that you're stuck. Rather than play on natural desires, this man.. the ox.. is supposed to like you but not to the point of actually liking you?" It sounded strange to put it that way, but she was trying to draw him, though only to a point. "I've never seen a situation... or met a woman who needed potion to be a tease before. You really don't need to the potion, believe me."

"Perhaps I wasn't clear.. I have no interst in teasing him.." Her jaw tightened again and she stared down at her mug. "I don't want him to think I'm trying to.. that I'm inviting.. that sort of attention. I merely need him to be more interested in me temporarily.. or at least uninterested in someone else long enough for the girl to go on her merry little way."

"Why invite disaster? He's a friend, right? Why not put a little bit of deterrent on the girl instead of damaging what you have by risking him thinking that, or him finding out that you cast something on him? Have you tried to just talk to him and maybe talk him out of seeing this girl?"

"I can't talk to him.. about this. He is a friend.. but he's also.. the one in charge of ... our family... we have an arrangement." She sighed again and looked up at Lou. "Perhaps something to deter her would be better."

[Lovely]

He made a face that said he agreed she was in a difficult situation. The way she hesitated saying it was family after stating the man was a friend confused him a little. Maybe it was a sort of commune. He made another face as he worked through his confusion silently and came up with a couple suggestions. "I would recommend something one of my students devised, called 'skunk lather', a sort of soap that works in reverse. The city bus is of course an option, either putting her on it, or under it. I'm joking. Getting to either of them to administer a potion is going to draw suspicion on you. You might have to resort to old fashioned magic, the real kind. Now, where you're going to find a true magician at this hour...," he paused with a slight grin, taking another sip of his drink.

She didn't seem as amused as he was, in fact the more he went on the more somber she became, staring down at the table with a sad expression on her face. "I was more or less looking for something I could slip in her food or drink... or his.. It's.. I don't know. It's not that I don't want him to be happy.. I just don't want to.. be pushed out of my home." She rubbed her fingers against her temples and sighed heavily. "I definitely don't want to sit there and watch the two of them get all.. lovey dovey.. and I certainly don't want to live with any of his brothers. I love them but.. they drive me crazy.. and I don't know any true magicians. If I knew any I wouldn't be here trying to get herbs and pouring out how pathetic I am to a stranger."

"You sure you don't know any magicians? I might be able to hook you up. I'm pretty sure he's not going to think you're pathetic, either. I mean I don't, I can honestly say he wouldn't. I am a little confused about one thing. A resourceful woman... why stay in that situation? Is he ... is he forcing you to stay?" He was nearly afraid to ask seeing her jaw set.

She listened and her head slowly turned to bring her gaze to Lou. "You don't think I'm pathetic?" She kind of chuckled, her eyes searching his face and wondering what he did think of her after she'd told him these things. "Not forced in the sense that I think you're implying." Lola shook her head about being forced to stay. "It's just that we've been.. together as we are.. companions.. for a long time.. and I'm not sure I know any other way to be.. at least not a good one.. The... man.." She nearly spit the word out. ".. I was with before living with Lynch, forced me to stay.."

"Lynch... ?" He looked her over a little more carefully a moment and nodded. Some things began to make a little more sense. The man and his circle weren't unknown although they were a secretive bunch... perhaps not quite so secretive now. "I think I have a better idea now. I know a little about him, if he's the Lynch I think you mean. Big city, it could be a lot of people, but not many who come in here could be talking about someone else. Mind coming to the back room again?"

She was surprised and then again not surprised that this man knew of Lynch, but how much did he know? "It depends on what's in the back room."

He shrugged again, putting his cup down to stand up and offer her his hand. "Someone I think you should meet to help you with your situation."

"So that's it? That's all you need to know? His name and you're going to take me out back and introduce me to someone who will help me? It suddenly seems far too easy." She didn't get up or take his, hand she regarded him warily and shook her head slightly.

He turned his hand to lean on the table in front of her. "That magician? He just needed a little more convincing to know the ingredients he really needed. He'll want to know, though... is that girl a wolf, too?"

She stared straight ahead for a moment, her jaw once again clenching before she slowly turned her face to look him in the eye. "No.. she's not."

"Then he's doing a disservice to you and his brothers, isn't he? More reason to deter the girl... as you said 'for now'. Do you have anything of his with you?"

"You're not one of us, you don't really have any cause to say he's doing us a disservice and that isn't what this is about. To say that she is unworthy simply because she is not one of us is to say that we all are unworthy. I wasn't always what I am now. I was never given a choice in the matter and I don't judge her because she's human and I'm not anymore."

[Lovely]

He sighed, his lips pursing back the frustration. First she didn't want the man to pay attention to this girl and now she was defending her. He picked up his cup and the pot to take to the back. "Then your true reason for the potion will ensure that it doesn't work, not if it's not for his wellbeing or a better outcome for his family, but only because you don't want to be uncomfortable. I could suggest a few more things, but I think it's truly not my help you need. I'll just go make the mixture you came for."

"Then why make it and ask me all the questions if you're just going to tell me it wont work anyway and you won't offer the other suggestions you have?? His well being is just fine and so is mine when were left alone.. Don't you dare... " The mug in her hands cracked under the pressure of her grip, a large piece of it gouged her hand. She took a deep breath and seemed upset that she'd broken the cup and made a mess. "I'm sorry." She said softly, reaching to gather up the pieces.

He heard the cup break and paused, looking to the floor a moment. "Leave the pieces on the table and come back here," he said softly, starting off again to the back room. He wasn't unconcerned that she'd been cut, but wasn't going to get in arm's reach of an injured wolf who could take care of the wound better and faster than he could. "Don't I dare... what? Tell you what you already know?"

"Judge me." She finished and corrected softly what she'd meant to say to him, the pieces of broken mug made a soft tinkling noise as she set them on the table and stood up to follow him. Her own actions and mild loss of her temper had seemingly scolded her into a more cooperative state. She was licking her hand as she walked up beside him, keeping her eyes lowered to avoid meeting his gaze.

"I'm sorry about your hand," he said gently, bringing the tea pot to the back counter to pour out in the sink. He set his cup with it to tend to later. "I'm also sorry you feel I was making a judgement. I wasn't really, more of an observation. He keeps you where he wants you, though, which I think, and this is just another observation, is really the part that makes you angry. If you could step outside his.. pack, is it?...where would you go first?"

"Nowhere." She replied quietly with a slight shake of her head. "You have it.. wrong.. it's complicated and I'm not sure I can explain it. Yes he's my alpha and he's in charge but.. I'm not angry about that or about staying with him.."

Lou's grin went crooked and he shook his head. "Maybe I should stick to reading tea leaves and cards. I'm not very good figuring out people. I want to help you, Lola. I'm not doing a very good job of that, either. Complicated... It must be. I do want to show you something, though. You haven't seen the whole shop."

"It's not your fault I'm so screwed up.. I used to be... different." She said quietly, looking down at her hand and running her thumb over the mark that was now healing. "Honestly.. I'm not sure I can be helped. When I first set out tonight I was so sure, so focused. I knew exactly what I wanted and why. Then I get in here and it all unravelled and.. I don't know what it is I even want anymore. I didn't even know I still had all this anger inside me.. sure being what I am does make my temper a little touchy and all but.. it doesn't matter and I don't even know why I'm telling you any of this."

The grin started up the other side now. "Because your sense tells you that you can? Maybe not a wolf sense, but something that tells you I really do want to help? Because... something happened when you came in my shop and it all unravelled? And that maybe I want to help it unravel a little more.. in a way?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, that clears it all up for me." Lola flexed her hand to feel the sensation of the knitting flesh as it was stretched in the movement. "Though.." The moment to focus actually did make things a little clearer and her gaze went back to Lou. ".. no.. that can't be it." She seemed to be talking to herself as her eyes moved over the man, toe to top, her gaze almost awed at whatever idea she had in her head.

"Hm? Which part of 'no'? The part about me helping the situation you came to fix or the part about something unravelling?" He went back to the cupboard to put the tea and whiskey away then opened another cupboard he reached back into. A low sound, almost imperceptible rumbled a moment and the slightest draft whispered across the floor.

"What?" She asked him confused, and not understanding what he meant by what he said since her thoughts had been about being attracted to him. "I don't think there was a which. There was just a thought I had. Well at least I know you're not a mind reader or at least not a good one." She took a step back at the noise and the breeze, eyeing him and the area, she really didn't know him and perhaps he was playing on the trust she seemed to have for him despite knowing it wasn't wise to trust someone she didn't know. She took another step back, thinking now more about how he kept urging her to go into the back.. he was likely trying to set a trap and being a magician she had reason to worry about him being able to seriously harm her.

He wondered if she was naturally jumpy or if her wolfen traits spurred that on around people. "If I was, I'd know what has you spooked. You can stay out here if you want to. I was going back there... for a book, that's all. It's just not the sort of book I keep out for the regular customers to thumb through, especially the ones who have to move their lips when they read."

"I'm not spooked." She defended with a slight tilt of her chin. "Being smart and cautious around someone you know nothing about doesn't make you spooked. I just realized that I was .. being too easy. I know nothing about you yet for some unknown reason I felt the urge to tell you things... I'd prefer if we both stayed out here."

He pointed to the back where she would see the peek of light from the crack of sliding panel he'd opened. "No tricks. I'm not putting on a show and I'm not going anywhere but in there for a book. It's a fairly extensive library if you're interested in other potions ... someday. I wanted to give you some options for your situation, but if you want me to stay here... I might, um.. have to jump ahead to the suggestion I was saving for last."

"Didn't I just tell you a few minutes ago I wasn't sure what it was I wanted... to do about the situation?.. Besides you already told me the potion or spell wouldn't work because of the reasons I had for doing it. It seems a little pointless to pursue something that won't work anyway." She shrugged and stayed where she was, not allowing him to tempt her into the back. "You can give me options out here, I'm fairly sure you don't need a book to simply make suggestions or have a conversation."

"You told me a few minutes ago that something couldn't be what you thought it might be... which tells me you have an answer. Maybe you're just not asking the right question - or not asking it about the right thing.. or person, maybe? No, I'm not a mind reader when I'm like this. I can be for a small period of time if that's what you think you need, though." He motioned this time that he would be right back and stepped toward the case that had shifted a little, revealing a panel door to an expansive and mustily odored room beyond with hints of smokey residue from years of candles and singed herbs. "If you won't come with me and look around, then wait here and I'll bring it to you."

Lola folded her arms and tilted her chin slightly, it was a bit obvious she could dish the sass out but wasn't used to getting it dished back.. well other than Pete but this man wasn't Pete. That might have been part of the issue, she didn't feel this level of attraction to Pete but could it be that simple.. she was attracted to the shopkeeper, that was the answer? "I just don't think that it can be as simple as..." She shook her head and motioned him to go back to his little room. "We can discuss it when you come back."

"Two plus two," he answered, vanishing into the dark beyond the door. "When two plus two is more than you think you can do at once, you simplify to one plus one. Make sense of that first," he said, emerging quickly again with a heavy, hand-bound tome filled with fine onion-skin sheets, brilliantly illuminated with rich colors as rich and clear as the finest stained glass. He held the book open to a page written in something clearly not the King's English. He tapped the page and nodded, looking back at her with the same uneven smile. "You're looking at too much at once. You need to simplify. Fewer ingredients, fewer people... one...plus... one. Haha!"

As soon as the words two plus two were spoken by him she was shaking her head and whispering to herself that she was thinking more of one on one only to have him utter something quite similar to her thought. She growled softly but it wasn't one warning of a violent attack, it was frustration and trying to deny her desire as Lou went on about one plus one and all she could think of was tackling him to the floor and showing him what one plus one equalled. The book was beautiful but she didn't really look at it, studying him more than the colorful pages. "What do you think I should be looking at?"

"Your answer. You arrived at a conclusion of some sort, but you're looking at too many other things. Just concentrate on the answer in your mind. Oh, and hold this," he said, turning the book for her to grasp hold of herself. "Think of the answer and nothing else. I want to read you something while you do that."

She started to protest that she didn't know the answer yet and that what she was thinking of couldn't possibly be it. He kept insisting she knew but was looking at the wrong pieces or too many - which were the wrong pieces? She sighed and reached to hold the book for him, making an effort to do as he asked and listen to him since she had come seeking his help. "Alright.." She took a deep breath and her gaze drifted over his face.

He began to recite the words on the page, the intonation being slow and somber though it began to take on a melody and rhythm of its own after a few phrases. His gaze locked with hers as he spoke and in her thoughts, the extraneous information, the doubts, the other factors that confused her would fall away, gradually leaving one thing alone in the spotlight of her attention. The book began to resonnate under her touch and he lifted his hand to rest over hers. He then began the translation as his fingers pressed hers down onto the volume gently. "What is sought is revealed," he summed up in a whisper.

She was quiet for a long time, obviously struggling with her thoughts and even her words as the supposed answer was revealed as the very thing she thought it couldn't be. "Now what?.. If that really is the answer.. I have no idea what to do with it or how it helps anything.."

"Do you accept the answer you were given? Do you know what it is, at least? Remember, I'm not a mind reader... though I wish I was right now. You're perplexed, I can see that. No...not exactly perplexed," he said, studying her expression and her hesitation. He lifted his fingers off hers and began to step around her. "Does it frighten you?"

"I know what it is.. and on it's own I know it's true but as the solution to the problem.. I don't know.. maybe that's why I have trouble accepting it because I don't know what to do with it or how it will help anything.." She glanced down at the book and closed it, moving to set it down as he moved around her, she wasn't going to stand there holding it. "And yes, it frightens me."

As she set the book down, he stayed close, testing a brush of his hand on her arm. "What frightens you about it?" He wasn't sure what she saw or thought, but the way she guarded her words made him curious. "It's not dangerous, is it?"

"Feeling... feeling anything more than I allowed myself to before walking through your door frightens me.." Her voice wavered and her breath caught as his hand brushed down her arm. Pete touched her all the time, not afraid to goose her or wrap his arm around her, or kiss her cheek.. but it never gave her the chills this simple touch did. "It could be.. very.. very.. dangerous. Someone could get hurt.. without my intending them to.."

"So... it's a person, not a thing, then? Am I going to be stuck playing 20 questions? What makes you think she.. or he... will get hurt? What by?" He listened now as her breath caught. He grasped her arm gently and stood beside her, half-way hugging her as he whispered.

"He.." She confirmed it was a person with a slight nod and her gaze drifted to his hand on her arm, she wanted him to touch so much more than that. "..could get hurt by me.. he's not like me.. if I'm not very, very careful.. I could even kill him and that's not what I want at all... mmm not at all." She breathed the words out, visibly trying to control herself, she could smell him, feel the warmth of his body behind her, she could nearly taste him he was so close.

"What if he's far stronger than you fear? He might be able to make himself stronger or shield himself somehow. Worth considering, isn't it?" He made note of how she spoke now, afraid of herself. "Or maybe he could help you... to be careful, I mean."

"Worth considering.. yes. I just.. I haven't... since I've been like this.. The one that turned me.. he killed my husband.. so easily.. it was like paper tearing.. there was nothing I could do to stop it.. he tossed me like a rag doll.. " She looked down at her own hands, curling them a little. "I'd never forgive myself if I accidently hurt.. someone I .. cared for.. or could."

Lou grinned. "But... this man... he knows what you are and what's happened.. or could, right? Trust him to protect you both," he suggested, running his hand down to her wrist and curling protectively around her. "I think, and this again is just an observation, that he might know how to handle a wolf."

"He knows.. seems to know quite a bit about what I am.. Trust isn't something that comes easily for me.. but with him it's different.." Her hand shifted so her fingers could grasp his, trying to lace gently so that she didn't accidently break bones. "I find myself confiding in him , things I haven't spoken of to anyone.. I don't understand it.. I've never felt this way.. nearly instinctual for me to be close to him." Her head shook a little and at the same time she tried to pull Lou closer.

[Lovely]

March 8, 2009
8pm
Lola's Place

The restaurant was a bit hard to find for anyone who wasn't like the woman who ran it, but that was how she wanted it. Lola catered to a certain kind of customer and anyone who wasn't like them wouldn't really get the full effect of the food and drink offered in her place. Everyone on staff was of the same family as she came from and all were hand picked to work here.

Lola was especially fond of her head chef and his flair for creating masterpieces with even the most foul of ingredients, he was very talented and Lo adored him. She knew some of the others wondered at why they weren't a couple but he was like a brother to her and despite the animal in her she had no desire to 'do' her brother. She was in the doorway to the back area, looking out at the shadowed booths and tables when someone came through the front entrance. One like them with a female who wasn't, she knew the scent of the male and sighed. "Jake's here." She spoke quietly over her shoulder to her staff before slicing through the shadows to greet Jake and his guest and lead them to a 'tucked away booth' at his request.

Pete looked up as his knife slid down into the cutting board a little sharper than usual. Hearing Lola sigh with such subtle contempt set his teeth on edge. They could keep him from coming in, but a paying customer was a paying customer and although Pete had little nice to say about him, Jake usually fawned on the talents of the staff, particularly the specialties of the house. There was something strange in the air with the man tonight beyond Lola's breathy complaint - a spice, an unfamiliar herb, something new and intriguing that drew Pete away from the counter to watch Lola with the man and his guest du jour. He nearly filled the frame of the door he leaned against, half in the shadows where he watched, wringing the towel over his hands to lessen the scent of onions that interferred with enjoying this new arrival's perfume. He hadn't seen her before and knowing Jake, that was what made the arrangment perfect. She was likely new to town.. or was she? Perhaps down on her luck? Perhaps running from some other affair that had gone wrong, in search of a white knight? He hoped so, finding himself grinning a little though dismayed Jake had her attention for the moment.

Annia smiled politely at first but within moments the politeness faded and a true warmth beamed out at the woman who greeted them, Lola seemed like the kind of woman she could be good friends with. Annia didn't have many friends, she hadn't been in town long, having come here for work and she spent much of her time immersed in that. She and Jake had met at a party a week before and though surprised when he called, she'd happily accepted his invitation tonight. She was expecting dinner and dancing but Jake had something different in mind.

Lola led the couple to a semi secluded booth which brought them closer to where Pete stood though they didn't directly cross his path. He would likely be able to pick up the scent of the girl quite well from where she was seated. Lola left the couple to look over the menu and headed back to get them a bottle of wine, making a slight face at Pete as she passed him, one that showed just how much she didn't like Jake.

Pete turned to follow her back into the kitchen, taking a quick look back over his shoulder before leaving the doorway completely. He didn't seem the slightest bit shy about making his observations. His long stride had him on Lola's heels quickly. "Did you get her name? Who is she?" He asked as if the girl were an old friend.

"Did I..?" Lola stopped walking and turned with a smile and an arched brow. "Yes as a matter of fact I did.. seems like a sweet girl.. no idea why she'd be with Jake. So.. how much is it worth to you?" She teased Pete with a slight chuckle and reached to tap his nose with her finger tip.

"I'll bite you," he warned with a crooked grin, snapping at her finger with no intent to actually grab it. "It's worth you having a week off, no questions asked."

Lola laughed softly and put her hand on her hip. "I couldn't possibly take a week off.. who knows what sort of trouble you'd get into in that time." She was teasing and considering the offer and what she'd like to do with that kind of free time.. his name was Lou. "Hmm alright.. but just because I like it when you bite me. Her name is Annia.. and he wants her in his stew.. see you in a week." She spun on her heel as if she'd walk out but instead of heading for the exit, Lola headed for the wine she'd originally been going to get.

The woman in question, Annia, was seated across from Jake with a warm smile and no idea at all about what he planned for her. Sure he'd come on strong right off and she'd shot him down just as strongly but it seemed they had gotten past that mishap and were having a pleasant time. She just didn't want to rush and honestly wasn't sure she was all that into him though she didn't mention the second part to Jake. He'd still wanted to take her out and had seemed to get over the awkward moment, it made her give him another chance and here they sat, chatting and waiting for wine.

Pete reached out for Lola's shoulder as she seemed she would really leave, but pulled back and chuckled, returning to his chopping for the moment. The orders wouldn't wait... except Jake's. He wasn't interested in filling the man's plate or his belly tonight if it meant harming the creature he was with. Pete had a much better suggestion and was distracted with it, knicking his thumb for the first time in years, making the specialty of the house just that much more special for the moment as he added the vegetables to the pot regardless. A choice curse was hissed out loud enough for most with their keen hearing to pick-up as clearly as normal patrons might hear the shattering of a dish beyond the door.

Lola heard the curse but couldn't come to find out what it was about right away as she was at Jake's table pouring wine for him and his deligtful date. Lola didn't get why he'd rather put her in a pot than enjoy her comapny but then again Lola didn't claim to understand any men. As she made her way back into the kitchen a few minutes later her nose picked up the scent and she pouted slightly. "Aww hun, it smells delightful.. you're making me hungry." She sighed and came up to let Pete know what Jake and his date had ordered. The girl wanted a salad with her meal and Lola went to the rack to get a certain special herb they used for these kind of orders. It had an interesting effect on people, first they'd feel the need to use the restroom and within a few minutes they'd pass out. Annia would be directed to the bathroom and instead she'd find herself stepping into a small cage in the back area where she'd likely pass out before fully realizing what happened. Lola set the jar on the counter and glanced at Pete wondering what he was thinking.. he seemed distracted.

"Put it away," Pete said quietly, staring at the jar. "Not this time and not her." He wasn't even sure he'd voiced his thoughts for a moment, realizing suddenly that Lola had teased him about the injury. He looked at the blood on his thumb and pouted, holding it out to her like a wounded child.

Lola's head tipped to the side, her gaze taking Pete in and her demeanor curious as she reached for his hand. "What do you suggest we do.. " She paused to lap over his wound with a tender motion as if kissing it all better for him. ".. with her.." She lifted her gaze to try to meet his now. "..and about him?" Jake wasn't part of their pack, but was local enough that he came in and was known by them, you could call him a regular even if they didn't care for him much. He was of their kind and the girl was not, though Lola couldn't really fault Annia for that as she had once been just like her. "If he doesn't intend to turn her, which obviously he doesn't.. then he'll just kill her himself if we don't.."

Pete's grin grew slowly from the pout as his head shook. He hooked his finger under her chin once her lapping over his wound was done. "I won't let him. And there are always hungry customers besides him."

Lola stepped closer to Pete, looking into his eyes for a long moment before she reached to clasp her hand gently around the jar. "Whatever you're going to do.. you'd better do it quickly. It won't take him long to realize she's not on his menu tonight." If he didn't realize it when Lola returned with the salad he'd likely realize it when his date was still alert and perky after eating it.

[Lovely]

March 30th, 2009
3:45am


With the speed he kept the car at, it didn't take them long to get to Lynch's place, though during the ride Pierce hoped she would get sick as she looked a bit queasy. He pulled the car into the small parking garage and into his spot, his hand rubbing over his face as he cut the engine and pulled the keys from the ignition. "Hey.." He realized then as he turned to the girl to let her know they needed to get out of the car, that he had never even bothered to ask her name. ".. hey.. ah.. what's your name?" He asked quietly, trying not to disturb her overly much.

It took a few moments for her to realize that he was talking to her, which was a testament to how out of it she really was. His question was kind of funny, when you thought about it. He knew what she was, what she was changing into...but not her name. Irony? Maybe.

"Nola." She spoke without trying to sit up or even uncurl much, most of her form concealed under the coat he'd given her. "What's yours?"

He nodded to the name she'd given him and to be polite, he told her his. "Pierce.. it's nice to meet you, though I'm sure at the moment you don't feel the same." Considering the circumstances she was very calm, he kind of expected hysterical and he was very glad that wasn't the case. "Okay Nola.. listen, I have to get you upstairs. I'll carry you if I need to.. but you have to work with me okay? I know it hurts and moving is probably not something you want to do right now. Just hold onto that jacket and I'll come around and get you. It will be over soon." He spoke in a surprisingly gentle and soothing tone, well it surprised him anyhow, he reached over to brush her hair away from her face. "The jacket will help with the others, you'll smell a little bit like me and a little less like him."

"I think you'll have to carry me." Her voice was quiet, with an underlying tremor to it if your ears were sensitive enough, which of course his were. She just hoped 'it will be over soon' wasn't as ominous as it sounded.

Her eyes shifted to look up at him when he brushed her hair back, and she attempted a smile, though it ended up more as a wince. "Do you know? Who he is, I mean." Her hands clenched around the jacket and there was a soft tearing sound as her sharpening nails pushed through the material.

"I think I want to kill him." The last was said almost in a conversational tone, as if she was discussing whether to buy blue curtains or white ones.

"We don't know who he is.. exactly. We know him by his scent but he's not one of us and he doesn't belong to any of the other packs around here. He's just some random wolf who wandered into our territory and doesn't seem to care to play by our rules. So you'll have to get in line on the killing him.. the whole city wants to kill him. Well the ones like us anyway." He kind of grinned as he spoke of doing away with the other wolf, as if he would get some serious satisfaction out of doing so. Without saying anything more he got out of the car and came around to her side, her door was opening almost before his finished closing.

"Fast." She murmured, watching as her door opened and he scooped her up off the seat as if she weighed no more than a child. "Am I in trouble? For what he did?"

He nodded as she commented on him being fast, she would soon learn that it was a natural part of what she was now. He grunted a little as he lifted her from the seat, it was an awkward angle and she was a full grown woman, not that she was heavy - just larger than what he usually pulled out of his car. Once he had her up in his arms it was like she weighed nothing to him and he started off toward the elevator, he waited until they were inside and heading up before he answered her question. "I'm not the Alpha of this pack.. so it's not my call as to what will happen with you or whether or not you're in trouble. Lynch is usually pretty reasonable.. mostly.."

Nola simply nodded, clinging as close to him as she could while they rode up in the elevator. The motion of it made her wince.

"I think...you should maybe get me to a bathroom." Her voice was soft, as if she was afraid of hurting her head if she spoke louder. "My stomach..."

"I suggest you swallow it down if it tries to come up. You won't make a good first impression with vomit and the bathroom isn't very close." They had to get up to the floor where Lynch resided and then from there.. it would just be better if she didn't throw up. Pierce sighed and waited impatiently for the elevator to stop so he had some chance of getting her somehwere she could be sick if she really had to be.

"First impression." She repeated the words, the gravity of the situation finally sinking in, and nodded. "I think...I need to be on my feet." She still felt terribly weak and shaky, but she didn't want to be carried into a meeting that might determine the course, not to mention duration, of the rest of her life. "Might help the stomach too."

"Your chances are better with Lynch and the others if you stay right where you are for now. I'm sorry about your stomach but there is less chance they'll make a move for you if I'm holding you and more chance they'll believe you had nothing to do with what he's been doing." He was honest with her but wondered to himself afterward why he was being so nice to her and trying to help her beyond just what he was 'supposed' to do. The elevator slowed and he waited for her reply but hoped she wouldn't insist on some show of bravado to try to prove something.

"Okay. You're the expert." It was a very feeble attempt at a joke, but it showed that she was at least aware of what was going on. Inwardly she was glad that he wasn't going to put her down. She liked it in his arms, where she felt protected. It was nice, after the horror she'd been through. So she didn't try to struggle or put up a protest as he carried her out of the elevator. Hopefully they were almost there. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep it together.

"Yeah.. expert.." There had only been one other situation similar to this in their territory and that had been when Lola was turned, but there were some big differences in the two situations. The most important being the male who turned Lola was one of their own.. of course eventually Lynch had killed him but before that happened Lola had been accepted as one of them. He wasn't sure if Lynch would be so accepting of Nola, he wouldn't tell her that and would hope for the best on her behalf. "Almost there." He tried to soothe her a little as he carried her down the hall and into a room that held several members of their pack, both male and female. Several were not in attendance but Pierce was aware of why they were not there, he brought Nola to a couch as the others watched him.

Lynch growled and glared at both the girl and his brother as Pierce carried her to the couch. "You brought his b*tch here?" He snapped having already tested the air and found the foul scent of the one they hunted.

"No." Pierce snapped back, surprised by how offended he was that Lynch implied Nola belonged to the other wolf. The b*tch part didn't bother him as it wasn't always an insult when they refered to their females. "His victim.. her name is Nola."

Nola couldn't help flinching at the growl, as much because it reminded her of her attacker as from actually being intimidated by Lynch himself. She burrowed further into the borrowed jacket, wishing she could stand up for herself and yet understanding that it wouldn't be a good idea to do so. If they thought she was just a victim in this, someone helpless, she might have the slightest chance of survival.

There was also something in her, something instinctive, that responded to the way Pierce was protecting her. She looked up at him, and then at Lynch, but when she found the latter looking back at her, she dropped her eyes and curled up a bit more, still shivering.

"You know it's name?" Lynch scoffed as if Nola was a thing, not a person. It wasn't her fault he was so pissed off but the one that attacked her, she was the closest Lynch could get to him so he somewhat took the anger out on her.

Pierce set Nola on the couch so he could get toe to toe with his brother, he was not the alpha of the pack but he was one of the two beta males which meant he had some rank. "Her name." Pierce corrected but kept his voice low, respectful as he tried to divert Lynch's rage, but he almost smiled as Lola came up behind Lynch. "She's going through the change.. from the looks of things and what little she's been able to tell me.. he's been letting her suffer." His eyes flicked briefly to Lola, knowing that would hit a nerve with her and also remind Lynch of what had been done to her.

Lola took in a sharp breath at Pierce's reminder, she smoothed her hand over Lynch's tightly coiled arm and kissed his shoulder before moving toward the couch to check on the girl. Lola moved carefully and knelt down by the sofa, trying to smile a little for Nola and keep it more warm than worried. "Hi Nola.. my name is Lola. I'm Pierce's.. sister.. is it alright if I take a look?" She gestured toward the coat that was draped over the other girl.

"Nola and Lola." She said the words softly, oddly amused...maybe she was just too out of it to realize that joking right now wasn't the best idea. The slight chuckle made her wince, though, and it took her a moment to get her breath back before she nodded.

"It's alright." She would have moved the coat herself, except that she was struggling to keep control of both her wits and her stomach at the moment. She did manage to shift her left arm enough that Lola would see the bite marks there, and once she moved the coat the ones on the girl's neck would be evident as well.

Lola chuckled softly as the girl said their names and seemed amused by the similarities. She watched Nola as she struggled with herself and then gave to 'ok' for Lola to check on her. She managed not to gasp at the extent of the damage, it was fairly clear the one who attacked her hadn't intended for her to live. "It's not so bad.. " She lied, it was pretty bad but with the change setting in Nola would be fine, though badly scarred if someone didn't correct the damage before the change was complete. Lola knew about this first hand, as Lynch had insisted on taking care of her after her former keeper had done similar damage to her form. She tried to ignore Lynch and Pierce as they quietly bickered over the girl and what should be done with her, she gently peeled the blood soaked shirt away from the wounds to see them better. She was kind in her examination, somewhat motherly, as if looking over a scraped knee that she might kiss better.

"Liar." Nola's voice held no animosity, though. She appreciated that the other woman was trying to make her feel better, even if she knew it wasn't the truth. Having the cloth pulled away from the wound was enough to send her newfound claws digging into the couch as she closed her eyes, clenching her jaw against the pain. She didn't make a noise, though, which showed she was a lot tougher than she looked even if more than one tear did streak down her face.

"How about.. could be worse? Will you believe that one?" Lola chuckled again and let go of the shirt after getting a good look at the damage, Nola was still in alot of pain which meant they still had time... if Lynch decided to help her. "Excuse me just a moment." She let the girl be and moved over to join in the discussion with Lynch and Pierce, adding in her observations about the girl.

Their voices remained low and some of the debate took place in growls and grunts rather than words. Finally Lynch ended it all with a snapped words. "FINE!" He stalked off for a moment to cool down and Lola followed as Pierce moved over to crouch down next to Nola.

"He's made a decision." Pierce began, watching Nola carefully as he explained. "It will be over soon.. the choice of how is up to you. We can end it all now and you can go on to the next life or whatever you believe in.. or you can become part of our family. He's willing to give you the same 'chance' that Lola was given. The thing with that is it will be pretty painful.. right now all you have is your attackers venom in you.. so when the change is done you'll smell more like him, feel more loyal to him.. you'll be his family. Lynch is willing to make you part of ours.. but it means getting bitten again.. several times to infect you with enough of us for it to.. sort of cancel out his."

Nola listened silently as Pierce outlined her options for her. It was a testament to just how much pain she was already in that she actually considered the first part of his offer. In the end, though, she was too much of a survivor to give up that easily. She couldn't just let that monster win, and beyond that she simply didn't want to die.

"I don't want to die." Her voice was quiet and it shook, but somehow it was still strong as well. "And I don't want to be his. So I guess I've made my choice." She closed her eyes, biting her lip hard enough to make it bleed as another tremor ran through her.

"I never had a family before."

Pierce took Nola's hand in his and smiled a little as his other hand brushed over the top of hers. "Well you'll have one now." He glanced to Chloe and Logan who were actual sisters, not just within their pack but by birth, they were the mates of two of his brothers. They sat together and then stood together to walk over and perch themselves near the couch to be ready. Chloe smiled a little at Nola but both she and her sister seemed distant at the moment. Pierce understood why and he voiced it so Nola might understand too. "No word yet from Gan or Con?" Both girls shook their head and looked away, trying not to allow their worry to be too obvious.

Lynch and Lola's hearing was sharp enough to know Nola's answer before they came back into the room, Lola had a pillow and some towels along with a t shirt and sweats that belonged to Lynch for Nola to change into once they were done.

Lynch had what looked to be a mouth piece which he brought to Nola and held out to her. "It might help to bite down on this."

Nola held onto Pierce's hand, not willing to let go yet. She was somewhat oblivious to their conversation about two people who weren't there, the names meaning nothing to her, at least not yet. Her eyes flickered to Lynch and Lola as they re-entered the room and finally focused on the mouth piece he held out towards her. That was definitely not a good sign, but then she already knew how much it hurt to be bitten by one of them...this would be far, far worse.

Nodding, she reached out with her free hand to take the mouth piece, though she was shaking so much that she only got it halfway to her mouth before she fumbled it and it fell from her hand.

Lynch reached over Nola to pick up the mouth piece and place it back in her hand, he exchanged a glance with his brother as he moved behind the girl. His hand rested gently against the back of her neck in preparation for the expected flailing and jerking. What they were about to put her through was going to hurt like nothing she'd ever imagined before. It only took one bite's worth of venom to cause the change, to be bitten once and survive was torture, to be bitten six times going to feel like a level of hell at least for a little while. He was ready and he looked across to Pierce, to make sure he was as well.

Pierce let go of Nola's hand and grabbed her wrist to guide her to grip at his shoulder. "Lynch is the alpha so his bite will be the first and greatest." He explained so she would be aware of what was going on but also to keep her focused on him and perhaps a little distracted from the wolves that now circled her, waiting to sink their teeth into her.

Nola took the mouthpiece and put it in her mouth, biting down to keep it in place. Her eyes stayed on Pierce as he moved her hand to his shoulder. She had a million questions about what this would mean, whether she was likely to survive or not, and other things...but she knew they didn't have any time for that. All she could do was focus on Pierce and trust that he would get her through this. It was odd, but this was the second time in barely an hour that she'd put her life in his hands.

She couldn't speak with the mouth guard in so she simply nodded, fixing her gaze to his to show that she understood. This would be bad, and she had no doubt she'd end up struggling and trying to escape, but for the moment she was doing her best to be brave.

Lola set the clothes aside and moved behind the sisters, if Nola survived this she'd likely come to see Lola as an older sister or mother type as she was the caretaker of the pack - soothing, healing, consoling, and guiding her pack brothers and sisters. She was not Lynch's mate but was the alpha female of their pack, she helped Lynch to keep the others in line in similar ways to how Pierce and Taidgh did but also in her own feminine ways. One of Lola's hands rested on each girl's shoulder as she watched the boys with Nola.

There was a deep growl and Lynch's fingers tightened on Nola's neck, with a bit of a snarl he ripped into her shoulder, the bite deep and harsh as her original bite had been, in fact he re-opened much of the original wounds. Once they were finished and the healing began they'd be able to repair the damage so she would not scar, the way the other one had left her, she would have been heavily scarred.

Nola would have screamed if she hadn't had the mouth guard in. Instead the sound was muffled as her feet kicked out, her body thrashing in an involuntary reaction to the pain and invasive feeling of the bite. Her eyes, which had been locked on Pierce's, closed but as of yet there weren't any tears. There would be, that much was certain.

Lynch's teeth sank in deeply and he growled a little louder, letting his venom drip into her and also holding her in place as he waved the sisters forward. As they cam in closer to join in biting Nola, Pierce moved back a little to allow them room. Two more sets of harsh teeth began ripping into Nola and Lynch still held her with his hand and the immense strength of his clenched jaw.

Nola's body was beginning to lose the fight against the venom and slowly her struggles stilled, until she was simply laying there, her eyes open but not seeming to see what was in front of her as tears slipped down her cheeks. That and the occasional tremor that ran through her body were all that showed she was still alive.

Lynch held the girl even though she'd stopped struggling, once the sisters had taken their bites, he shooed them away and beckoned Lola and Pierce in to do thier part in this. He only released his grip on Nola once Lola and Pierce had bitten her, as they took over to begin healing her, he shifted back to kneel beside the couch. His eyes faintly glowed red and his mouth and chin were smeared with blood.

Pierce hovered over Nola, his tongue gently cleansing the raw and ragged wounds as Lola took the mouth piece from her mouth and worked at removing the shreds of her shirt. Lola's tongue also lapped the girl's wounds, they were healing her to give her a better chance at surviving, unlike the one who'd originally attacked her and who had left her to bleed and suffer.

Serenity was usually a pretty sound sleeper, but the sounds from the other room were enough to wake even her. At first it was just voices, people talking, and she contemplated going back to sleep again. That, or just waiting for Lynch to come back to bed.

It was the scuffling sounds that made her change her mind. Something was going on out there, and she was too curious to simply let it go. Rising from the bed, she grabbed the closest item at hand, which happened to be Lynch's bathrobe. It was quite oversized on her but comfy, and she belted it as she shuffled out of the room, pushing her sleep-rumpled hair out of her face.

"Lynch?" She called his name softly, stepping into the room...and stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening as they took in the girl on the couch, the people swarmed around her, their mouths on her, the blood around Lynch's mouth where he knelt a short distance away...and the glowing red of his eyes.

Those lightly glowing eyes shifted to gaze at the woman who had said his name, he looked calm but at the same time dangerous and deadly. "Serenity." He spoke her name in a soft voice as he slowly rose and wiped his face on the sleeve of his shirt, he'd gotten so used to her pressense here that he'd mostly forgotten she was sleeping in the other room. "I'm sorry if we woke you." He spoke as if it were nothing more than loud voices of friends which had woken her, he came toward where she stood, moving slowly as if trying not to startle her.

The sisters moved in a fluid and quick motion, leaping over the couch toward the door to ensure if Serenity tried to run, she wouldn't make it out, no one would hear her screaming if she chose to do so.

How could this be the man she'd been dating? And yet when he spoke, his voice was the same, it still sent a small shiver down her spine even in this situation. Her hands were clasping the robe as if to keep it shut, and when he came closer she took a step back, wide eyes darting towards the sisters who were now blocking the door and then to the girl on the couch, and finally back to Lynch. Their expression was a combination of fear and confusion, as well as hope that he could somehow explain all of this.

"I don't understand."

"When we first met I told you there were places I went to that you didn't want to go to.. this is one of them." She had stepped back and he came closer but stopped short of where she stood. "I also told you I was the head of my family.." He gestured to those gathered there and to the air for those who were not present. "With that position comes many responsibilities.. keeping us safe, keeping others from knowing about our secret. The girl was attacked.. Pierce brought her here... and she has chosen to join our family. We're trying to help her."

"Help her." Dammit, she wasn't the type to process something like this before like two cups of coffee, minimum. Her gaze shifted again to the girl on the couch, and just like he'd said, it did seem as if they were helping. She saw one wound that was definitely healed when Pierce was done with it, though her mind rebelled against that even being possible.

"You said...keeping others from knowing." She swallowed, staying in place now as she looked up at Lynch, holding her ground. "So what happens now?"

"Yes.. we protect ourselves and others by.. not existing to the world. What we do now.. is get you a cup of coffee. It's early and I know how you are before your coffee." He smiled a little and gestured toward the kitchen, his other hand lifting toward her arm as if wanting to wrap around her as he normally would. "We need to finish dealing with her before we move on to the next issue.. since there is no pressing danger at the moment.. with you knowing."

His comment about the coffee made her smile, as if somehow it reminded her that in spite of this, he was still him. He'd told her he had secrets, so how could she be mad at finding out what one of them was? It was just difficult to process, that was all.

"Right, coffee." She nodded, stepping forward so that the arm he held out could wrap around her the way he would usually do. "And then you can explain the rest of this to me."

The sisters stood where they were until Lynch and Serenity moved into the kitchen, once thier alpha and the girl were in the other room Logan and Chloe walked calmly to sit on another couch in the livingroom. Should Serenity decide to run, they'd be at the door in an instant, again.

Lynch gently wrapped his arm around Serenity, leaning as he often did to kiss her temple as he guided her into the kitchen so she could sit down while he got the coffee started. He didn't say much as he moved around, he didn't seem overly tense either though he glanced toward Serenity several times. "I'm sure you have questions or will.. You can ask them."

"Not as many questions as you might think." Serenity said softly, her gaze actually a bit guilty as she watched him from her seat at the table. "You know how I don't like to talk about my ex. Well, it's not just because of how badly everything went." Yeah, that was a mild way to talk about being abused and then stalked.

"If I'm right about all this...it's because he was like you. You're a wolf, aren't you?" She bit her lower lip, waiting for his answer.

In the other room, Nola shifted slightly, her eyes widening and her back arching up off the couch. She was mostly healed, at least as much as could be done, and apparently the extra venom had done its work. There was the sound of tearing cloth as claws sprang from her quickly shifting hands and feet and tore through the couch cushions. Her mouth stretched wide, and the fangs that had already erupted began growing further as the bones of her face contorted.

The shift was fully upon her now, and this time she wasn't able to hold back the scream as she changed.

Now there was visible tension in Lynch's shoulders, his eyes narrowed, jaw clenched as he stared at the wall in front of him. "You're another wolf's mate?" He nearly growled the words out and the mug that was in his hand crumbled as if it were made of paper. He didn't even turn as the scream peeled out in the other room, his chest heaved with heavy breaths as he tried to remain calm.

The four in the other room were all on thier feet instantly as Nola suddenly shifted.. this was not good and rarely happened in the change. Most battled it out a retained human form.. changing to wolf form later after the transformation was fully completed. Even Lola who had gone through the same re-biting had not gone wild admidst this part of the process. Pierce had the tranq gun out of the drawer and fired off three shots at Nola. "Lynch is not going to like this." He whispered quietly, mostly to himself though the others could hear him.

"No." Serenity's voice was firm as she shook her head, though she'd jumped at the sound of the cup crumbling. "You can't be somebody's mate if they keep the truth about who and what they really are from you, and you can't be their mate if they enjoy causing you pain, if they just want to hurt you..." Tears sprang to her eyes as she watched him. "That man has ruined everything else in my life, Lynch. Everything. Please don't tell me you're going to let him ruin this too."

Nola collapsed onto the couch again, the tranqs interacting with her rapidly changing blood chemistry to stall the change, at least for now. Her hands reverted fully, as did her feet, claws and teeth retracting completely for the first time since Pierce had met her. She wimpered, shifting onto her side and curling up in a ball, her whole body trembling.

"Just because he was a jerk and you walked away from him, doesn't change that you're his mate. Wolves mate for life Serenity.. There is no.. breaking up.. once the choice is made.. There is a code among my kind - till death do us part is not a vow we make in church, it's a way of life.." He squeezed the shards in his hand until they dug into his palm and the blood started to drip down. "I planned to.. ask you.. "

Serenity felt something in her heart tear then, as she found out the man she was in love with loved her back...and that he wouldn't have her simply because of a mistake she'd made.

"I wish he was dead, but he's not. He never will be...he'll always be there, making sure the rest of my life is just as much torture as being with him was." Tears spilled down her cheeks and she pushed to her feet, knocking her chair over and nearly tripping over it as she hurried out of the kitchen. She had to get to the bedroom, get dressed, and get out of here.

Lynch didn't say he wouldn't be with her, he hadn't gotten to the point of explaining how they could fix things before she'd assumed and then run off. It was disheartening that he'd tried to explain the situation and she wouldn't even stay in the room to discuss it. He was trying not to go too fast with telling her things as it was alot to take in and understand.. he'd either done something wrong or she didn't care enough to even talk about what was going on. Maybe she was that hurt by finding out he was a wolf as her ex had been. He went to the sink and opened his hand, slowly pulling the pieces of the mug out of his palm.

Serenity pulled her small overnight bag out from under the bed and started tossing things into it. After a few items, though, it began to sank in just how much of her stuff was here. Hadn't she spent more nights in his bed than in her own, the past few weeks? She stared down at the bag, the sleeve of a sweatshirt hanging over the side of it, and her jaw clenched. Her features attained a new, more determined set and she turned around, leaving the bedroom and heading back towards the kitchen.

She stood in the doorway for a few moments, watching him at the sink, her arms crossed over her chest almost defensively, though the hurt she was afraid of wasn't a physical one. The man she was watching had her heart, and she was terribly afraid he was about to break it...but she wouldn't go down without a fight. Tears still slid down her cheeks, but they had slowed, and she no longer bothered brushing them away.

"Here...let me help." Unable to meet his gaze, afraid of what she would see there, she crossed the room and reached out for his hand, concerned for the first time when she saw the amount of blood on his hand and in the sink.

"How are you going to help me when you're crying.. can you even see?" He asked, ever logical but with a hint of concern in it as he reached up to brush her cheek with his uninjured hand. "Don't worry about this.. my own fault for getting angry." He sighed softly and let his hand drop away from her face.

Nola's sudden violent change to wolf form and then back again was not only shocking but it served to shred the rest of her clothes. Lola and Pierce worked to gently remove the ribbons and get her into the clean soft sweats and t-shirt Lola had brought out for her. The changes she was going through internally would be uncomfortable enough, at least they could do is attempt to make her a little more comfortable in this regard.

"It's not your fault...none of it is. You can't change who you are, Lynch." Serenity shook her head, reaching out to catch his hand when it dropped away. "I don't know what all of this means, you being...what he was, but I'm not going to give up that easily. I care about you too much to let this ruin everything, even if it scares the hell out of me."

Nola wasn't much help as Pierce and Lola helped her into the other clothes. Her strength was fading and the drugs they'd hit her with were beginning to take effect. She shifted slightly on the couch, looking up at Pierce.

"If I fall asleep, will you stay?" She managed, her speech slightly slurred with exhaustion. She was scared, nothing staying the same, not even her own body, and Pierce was like a life preserver in all that chaos.

"Yeah that's for sure.. I was born this.." He felt her hand catch his and his fingers curled around hers gently, his eyes looked sad - kind of like a puppy's. "I'm sorry that you're scared. I wanted to tell you.. show you but not like this.. I guess I was trying to figure how to do it gently, though I'm not sure there is anyway to reveal something like this without it being traumatic." He sighed and his gaze went to his hand, some of the cuts were starting to seal themselves. "It doesn't ruin things.. I hope.. it just complicates them. You can't have two mates. My wife died years ago and though Lola has been my companion for all of that time and the closest we have to an alpha female, I never took her as my mate."

Pierce was surprised that Nola was even conscious after three tranq darts and he found himself smiling down at her as she asked him to stay. He would have anyway as it was part of his duty as a Beta but she didn't need to be told that, what she needed to hear was a simple.. "Yes. I'll stay.. just try to relax, it'll be easier if you just go to sleep. When you wake up again it will be all done."

"I don't want two mates. I only want you, Lynch." Serenity sighed softly, shaking her head. The sound of voices in the other room made her glance towards the doorway. "When I realized what was going on, that you were making her part of your family, that you'd bitten her and that she'll always have a part of you running through her veins..."

She reached out, touching a drop of blood on his now-healed thumb with her middle finger and then turning her hand palm up to look at it. "She's your blood now, and I was jealous of that...I am jealous of that." Her eyes flickered up to meet his from beneath thick lashes. "I'm not scared of what you are, Lynch. I'm scared of what he was, but you've already shown me that you're different."

Nola wanted to say thank you, to Pierce and to the others, but the tranqs were doing their work. Her eyelids slipped closed, and a few moments later she relaxed entirely into sleep, one hand sliding off the couch to thump softly against the floor, arm dangling.