AN: As usual, I would hope that you aren't coming here having not yet read the previous installments in the Oblivion series. If you haven't, I strongly suggest you go and begin at the beginning, in order to properly enjoy this one.

Episode 7 - Full Moon Fever

Chapter 1

Claymore House

Saturday evening, October 27, 6:34pm.

The sun is setting at last, and soon Linda will be taking the pissaladiere out of the oven. I love it when she cooks the food of my native land. What a wonderful combination it is, southern French food with southern French wine. White wine, of course. Red wine with the meat, and the white wine with the fish. Being outside of the old country is no excuse to engage in uncivilized behavior. We are not savages. Fine food and fine drink, but especially wine, is what separates the man from the beast, non?

"Mon cher, dinner is almost ready," said Linda, as if on cue. "Would you like to open the wine? It's a very excellent year, this one."

"But of course," Saix Claymore responded. "What are we having tonight?" he asked, as if he didn't already know.

Linda smiled and opened the oven, revealing the medium-sized pizza-like pie inside. "Another one of your French favorites," she said. "Pissaladiere."

My heart is beating really fast. A little too fast, but that is probably the anticipation talking.

The pie of onions, garlic, olives and anchovies with anchovy puree sat steaming on the counter as Linda cut it into slices and served the slices, leaving behind approximately half for the kids.

It was a delicious meal, as usual, because Linda was already an excellent cook even without the assistance of the high-tech oven.

So why do I feel so wrong? Why do I feel the need to...go berserk on something?

Linda must have noticed that her husband wasn't feeling right, because she looked at him with much concern and asked, "Are you feeling okay? Is the food not to your taste?"

Saix stood up hastily and said, "Excuse-moi. I must use the bathroom." He tore up the stairs.

Must run up there, fast, faster. Mon Dieu, why do I feel so ill? It is like there is a beast rising up out of me. Was it the food?

Of COURSE it was the food! Stupid smelly fish! They smell and taste so unhealthy! I need energy! I need to get out of here and...and...

Coherent thought disappeared entirely as Saix's skin and hair stretched across his face, leaving a nasty X-shaped mark etched across there, centered on the bridge of his nose. His hair was sticking out behind him, behaving almost independently of its owner. His eyes gleamed brightly, wide open and taking in everything possibly in sight all at once, like a canine. As he shut off the lights, the moonlight filtered in through the open window, and he felt it on his arm. It charged him up, energized him. He was lunar-powered, instead of solar-powered like the house was.

Luna Divine, his brain fired off. Soon he started chanting it out loud, in a raspy voice completely unlike his own. "Luna Divine, Luna Divine, Luna Divine..."

Downstairs, Linda received a text from Ansem. "It works?" he was asking.

"Better than it ever did for Ray, if you can believe it," Linda responded.

She could almost see Ansem smirking as he delivered a witty response capable of making Horatio Caine grimace. "Must be the full moon."