Family

[Lovely]

September 10, 2007


She appeared out of the darkness, stepping toward Marc with an arched eyebrow. "So.. Marc.. you don't mind if I call you Marc do you?" She paced slowly, smirking a little. "I feel like I know you.. Your dad talked about you so much.."

"Let me get this straight... you.. and... no, no.... must be a mistake."

Pauses and turns partway to give him a look "What does that mean.. no no.. what am I.. a dog?"

"Nunuhnuhnuhn... as in I don't believe you. My dad? If anyone's a dog." *chuckles* "... was... If you're looking for 'daddy', 'daddy' won't be around anytime soon...like never."

"I know." She giggled like an excited child on christmas. "He's burning... by the way he says hello... in his own way."

He gave her a look and took a thicker breath... ash and tar met his senses along with the sharp tang of agony and misery. It made his head spin enough to turn away... "What in the hell? What are you?"

"You hit it right on the mark honey.. I am hell.. hell is mine.. and daddy was a bad bad puppy. You know not all dogs go to heaven." She giggled again, taking a step closer to him. "Awww don't be shy. We have alot in common.. You're very warm.. and I'm hot. Wouldn't be so bad would it.. don't tell me you don't like what you see."

"It's not what I see, it's what I smell," he seethed, turning a sharper glare at her. Whatever she was, he didn't care for it. "He was bad enough, apparently if you happen to know Hell is where he belongs."

"ooo someone has a little resentment built up.. aww.. I'll give him an extra twist in his torture for you." She winked and took a step away from him. "There.. see .. I can be nice.. -ish. Your father didn't mind my smell. I think he was too busy drooling over my power and maybe my breasts. They're nice aren't they?" She ran her hands over her front, chuckling softly.

"If you were even remotely human I might agree, but I find them and you revolting. What do you want?"

"Oh that's not nice.. and you don't want to make me angry.. daddy's not the only thing I can burn. I rather think you prefer your little b*tch less charcoaly." Her eyes flashed in swirls of fire as she warned him. "..and here I came to offer my condolences about your father.. we're family after all and you have to be rude."

"I was born rude... you did say you've met my father, didn't you?" He offered the challenge and the truth. If she was what she stated, what reason did he have to be other than himself? "I am my father's son. We just differ when it comes to... women, I assume is what you claim to be?"

She chuckled and started to circle slowly again. "I am of the female variety.. got all the parts and they work quite well.. thanks." She paused and grinned. "I think I like you.. and it's good that I like you. We might even bond.. like the uppity child and the wicked step-mother."

"You may as well stand still. I'm not running away, am I?" He watched her cautiously, ready to dart if she lunged, but the sooty smell told him enough to be wary of magicks. He didn't care to have his fur or his anything else set on fire or worse. "I will agree on 'wicked'. I can smell that all over you and its rather putrid unless you like that sort of thing. I don't. Couldn't stand it on him, either. It makes me cranky and unpredictable. I'll take 'uppity' as a compliment, whether you meant it that way or not and I will ask you again. What... do you want?"

[Lovely]

"Well aren't you just not wicked enough. You leave a bitter taste in my mouth.. but your father was an idiot and well he got chopped up into pieces. So I guess you're it now. Damn I have the worst luck with power hungry men lately. He was a fool to go for that girl you know.. absolutely f*cking stupid!" She shook her head and sighed, moving back around to the front of him. "Alright.. fine. I'm here because those were supposed to be with your father, but he's not coming back.. so they're yours now." She pointed past his shoulder to where five figures emerged from the shadows. "You're going to have to teach them what your father isn't here to."

"Teach who... what?" He was reluctant to turn and fall for a prank, but the chill raised his hackles enough to know something was really there that hadn't been. A color of silvery moon and shadow milked over his gaze, adding to the palor of his skin. He could smell his father over all of them and some level of dark he cared not to touch. "No, not as wicked as they are. Who.... why here?"

She snapped her fingers and motioned for them to come around beside her and they did. All silent and curious, watching the wolf man as they passed and grouped together beside the woman. "Who.. Ember the first born.. pretty isn't she? -you'll like her.. she has a sweet soul. I don't know what I was thinking when I did that. Next is Alchemy the first son.. the twins Carrion and Cruelty.. and last but not least is Pyre. Say hello to your big brother kids."

He looked over the lot and what he could see, sense, was a five-fold set of torturously hungry eyes staring at him, strangers with darker intentions than he'd ever dared to think, though he'd had moments. The pale sheen in his eyes darkened in layers as he learned the scents of each she called by name, noting most the similarity between himself and the oldest boy she called Alchemy. His eyes were like mirrors that reflected nothing. "What am I to teach them they don't already know?" He hissed out quietly, as reluctant to accept as he was to deny his apparent duty as kin to the wretched litter.

"Quite simple young man.. I am no wolf and I am not of this world. I can neither teach them their animal tendencies or how to blend and function in this world. Your father.. their father was to teach them all of that. They are half me and half wolf. They have instinct.. already their own little pack and protective of one another. But instinct will only get them so far. They need to be taught the rest. And that my dove falls to you and yours to do. Now that father is gone, you have taken his place and his responsibilities also fall to you."

"And what's to keep them from turning on me?" He smiled wanly. "Why should they trust me or me, them?"

"Because you're family.. and if you take care of them.. they will take care of you. funny thing.. loyalty -even in demons. No one said you'd trust each other right away.. but think of it this way.. better to have them close and on your side then dragging yours through the forest to devour. How do you think even your best would do against five of them.. or more? You see if you accept them to your family you will be accepted to theirs.. which gives you and yours a certain insurance so to speak and it makes me happy enough not to make you and yours our targets."

"You and yours... you've said this before. Me and mine are me and myself," he said, wondering what she knew of the rest of his so-called family and the waste his father had made of most by being careless and head-strong.

"You and yourself? That's all? Hmm my mistake. Sorry." She flipped her hand as if to wave off the misunderstanding. Turning to the 'children' she spoke in a calm even tone. "Forget what I said about the blue eyed hunter. Kill her.. shred her.. devour her unborn and bring the carcass to the palace.. she's killed our brethren and we shall feast upon her screams."

[Lovely]

"You won't and I will kill all five as you watch if you touch a hair on her head or my son's," he said coldly, feeding on the darkness that filled his senses.

She winked to her pups and turned back to Marc with a sweet smile. "See I knew you could be reasonable. I'm not going to debate about who would win this fight.. but I'll point out even if you did.. she and your sons would still be dead. That was my point really. This is a win-win scenario. You and yours are protected from and by them and will do the same for them.. what's so terrible about that? Could be worse.. your father could be teaching them his ways instead of you teaching them yours."

"He taught me everything I know, I just learned it better," he smirked, the cocky manner of his father apparent in his mannerisms. "You passed my test, but do I pass yours? You'd leave them with a wolf and a hunter?"

"Why not? Told you they're half wolf.. and who better to keep them in line.." She chuckled and leaned closer. "I could have left them to the elements as infants.. I can have an endless number of offspring.. but this is so much fun, don't you think?"

"Your version of 'fun' is not one I care to partake in. If they need a leader, then I will be their alpha, their brother, but not their father. I am my father's son, not my father."

"Good because your father was a moron.. but I think we covered that already. You appear to be much wiser -well you have better taste anyway.. and that counts with me." She gave him a wink and glanced back at her children. "I reinstate what I said about the hunter. You heard him.. and you will learn from him." With a sigh she stepped back and gave Marc a nod. "All this not maiming anything is starting to make me cranky. I'll be seeing you."

"If you want something to maim I can send you in the direction of one you'd enjoy ripping apart... save me the trouble of getting my hands dirty... since they've become rather full at the moment." Marcus nearly grinned, but he was still leary of the way she spoke about Ariane and his unborn son.

"I have my entertainment lined up for this evening, but thank you. Perhaps another time?" She smiled, amused and her mood improving with thoughts of her satyr and a delightful evening in front of the fire. The ground around her began to smoulder in a circle that soon lept to flames that licked her as the portal was opened for her to return home.

"If you change your mind, I'm sure the destruction of Justice... might suit your amusement your... lowness," he smirked again, bidding her farewell and stepping back from the gathering and her doorway.

She chuckled -indeed it would.. she'd return to explore that idea later. For now she gone with a wisp of smoke left behind where she'd been standing.