Chapter 10

"Ya sure ya don't need to stop and sit in the shade?"

Christian looked at Liam. He would have rolled his eyes but Liam was only being concerned and had every right to that. He and Austin may have a better tolerance to the sun but it still was grating and once Austin got a sunburn that had him peeling like a snake for a couple of days. So Liam's concern was not out of place in this instance. He replied, "I'm good… bloody dog."

"At least you're humorous for a bloodsucker," Liam retorted in a good natured manner. He was used to the back and forth and enjoyed it wholeheartedly. It made life interesting and fun.

It was not unusual for people at the academy to see Liam and Christian go at it like a pair of brothers though they were as different as night and day literally. Working at the academy, they didn't have the prejudices that traditionally existed even though when they first met, they almost came to blows. That was mostly because Liam was more like Austin in that he loved a good joke and people weren't sure whether or not to take him seriously.

Christian had learned early on after an interesting case involving a revenant and they both ended up with injuries. Each was saying the other was worse off and it was like watching a pair of bickering children. They became friends after that and since they always gave insults that were brotherly even though they were the kind that the less enlightened would use, people never gave it a second thought. Of course that changed with the wedding since there were quite a few that didn't like the idea of werewolves being there or witches.

Christian looked on ahead. At least they were heading in the right direction. They were fortunate enough to come across a land marking that indicated where they were. Being the 'professor' he recognized it and Liam made a joke about following his nose. It made the time seem less oppressive since he was worried that his tardiness would be taken the wrong way by Akira and the last thing he ever wanted to do was make her cry and ruin her special day.

"Don't worry bloodsucker. She's not gonna hold it against ya," Liam said guessing correctly what was on his friend's mind. "I'm guessing that Carla's spell worked but she may have overdone it a bit. Ya know me grandmother said that the spell could be perfect but it's the words that can get ya. I'm betting that's what happened and it's one of them proof of devotion things." He gave a shrug of his shoulders as they walked along, kicking at the rocks.

"I think that has been shown times over," Christian pointed out as he rubbed his face. The heat was oppressive. "Why this?"

"No idea but ya know the biggest bouts of emotion do occur just before the wedding. Ya know Carla trusts the emotions more than she does anything else."

"But that doesn't explain why you're here," Christian pointed out.

"I don't get that either," Liam replied with a slightly confused look. It was rather strange that he was out there if it was one of those presenting the opportunity kind of thing. He then offered, "And maybe it has something to do with the fact that Carla always gets the vibe that we just don't get along."

"Gotta keep up with tradition I suppose."

"Ya certainly are with them old biddies that say I stink like a dog."

"You do smell like a dog," Christian countered. A ghost of a grin touched his lips.

Liam feigned hurt and overemphasized by putting a hand over his heart. He gave a pouting look at Christian and replied, "You wound me. Here I was thinking that we defied convention and became friends. We pledged to be friends no matter what the rest of the world says."

Christian couldn't help but laugh at that. He knew that Liam was laughing even though he was assuming dramatic positions as he gave his speech about being friends. "And now you're making it sound like a soap opera."

"Heavy forbid," Liam replied like he was going to faint. His Irish lilt just made it all the more funny since it was a heavy accent and even though he had lived in the states a few years or so, it never lightened. It was just as heavy as the day he got off the boat here in the new world. "To be labeled with the same simpering fools who make getting a paper cut a tragedy… such awful thoughts."

"Stop stupid mutt otherwise I'll put a leash on you."

"Oh you'd like that wouldn't ya," Liam leered with a suggestive raising of his brow. "The princess threatened me with the same thing though she added in the collar and obedience training. You got anything to add?"

"Only that I'll put up an electric doggy fence."

"Ooo I like that. You can be rather kinky ya know," Liam replied as he leaned on his friend suggestively. He looked around as if trying to hide something and then leaned in conspiratorially, "And that thing with the teeth you can do… that is rather…"

Liam was interrupted when Christian gave him a punch across the shoulders. It was hard enough to hurt a normal human but it was a playful one for them. Liam grinned like a devil knowing that he hit a soft spot as he said, "Aww and here I was thinking you wanted to play."

"Oh I know how to play," Christian replied as he gave a grin. "If you're a bad puppy you get the doghouse."

"Such dirty talk. Makes me wonder if you do that with the princess," Liam teased.

It was probably not a good idea but it couldn't be helped as the two launched into a scuffle match. Most would have seen it as childish and in all respects it was but it was something that they did on a regular basis but mostly when they were sparring. Austin was just as bad and when it was a three for all… it was a different story. The nice thing to say was that they never accrued serious injuries and the fights were insightful to the trainees.

As it were, Christian chose to engage on a slope and Liam decided to dodge. Both ended up falling and they started rolling in a tangle of limbs and dirt. They didn't even bother to fight since they were both trying to stop or at least slow their rate of descent. They succeeded after Liam dug his leg in and made a gouge. It wasn't the best idea since something hit it and it hurt like hell.

They ended up at the bottom of the slope covered in red dirt and sporting a couple of minor abrasions. Liam could feel the twist in his leg but it wasn't that bad. He sat up and noticed Christian's arms. "Damn you sure bring a new meaning to the word sun dried."

Christian looked down at his arms. The forearms had pink burns that indicated really bad sunburn. "And I thought lobsters looked ugly."

Liam shook his head and pulled off his over shirt and tore off some strips. He dusted the burns off carefully and then covered them. They would have to be treated later but at least the bandages would protect them from getting worse and they had abrasions from the fall. "They taste better than your ass." He clicked his tongue and joked, "I guess this means that we won't have our usual roughhousing?"

"Oh it's on," Christian replied as she dusted the rest of his person off while Liam finished. "Besides that's foreplay."

Liam chuckled. Most people thought it strange that they would use dirty terms in reference to their roughhousing that was teaching material for the trainees. Liam knew that Akira thought it a little wild and she hinted that the more conservative members of the families wouldn't understand. They all agreed that it was a good idea to not even go there when discussing, if they discussed, what they did at the academy.

Now was a different story as Liam replied, "And we know foreplay makes for a great movie."

Christian chuckled as he made to get up. The sun was unbearable and he knew that he was probably going to get sunburned on his face. Liam did what he could for his arms. The sooner they got back the sooner his burns would get treated. Taking his own shirt, he put it over his head and shoulders and muttered, "I look like Palpatine."

"Actually you're prettier than he is and you got a girl that has moon eyes for ya," Liam countered as he looked around. Their impromptu wrestling in the dirt almost threw them off but they were still in the right direction. "Actually that look is like one of the assassins in the old stories like Aliyah."

Christian made a slight sound and replied, "Aliyah was like Mata Hari with the spying. The assassination… another person I knew a long time ago." He started walking again.

Liam sensed there was history there but reluctance. "Interesting. Then again you always could make comparisons with people in history."

"My subject and don't you go thinking I'm telling the story about the person I know," Christian replied. He gave a mock warning by wagging his finger. "That is a time that was good and bad."

"Alright I get ya. Still ya don't need to keep from me that the aingeal has a history." At the look Christian shot him, Liam smirked and explained, "I did research. I may be the music teacher and a rocker but I know how to do me job when it comes to other things."

"You don't know everything," Christian replied with a slight twist of his head. He looked ahead and scanned the horizon. "There are things that can change perceptions and it takes a strong stomach to accept it. It never mattered to Akira."

"Heck of a woman then," Liam replied as he got what was being implied. "We all have things that are not the squeaky clean type. It's the way it is in this business. The aingeal has a world heavy load mate and none of us will understand… except maybe the goradh." Liam then began humming the tune to World Heavy Load.

Christian looked at Liam and was about to say something when he stopped. Something wasn't right. He put his hand out to stop Liam. It was unnecessary but it was out of habit since he had trainees that didn't always have the ability to hear what normal humans couldn't pick up. "Hey. Do you hear that?"

Liam paused and looked around. He moved his head and looked around. "It's quiet."

Christian nodded in agreement. It was quiet in general since they were in the middle of desert but even that had its usual noises. This was different. It was unnerving and felt similar to getting into a fight but it wasn't quite like that either. Then it came, the rumbling sound and they turned towards it and Liam couldn't help but say, "You got to be shitting me."

Running was never a problem for well adapted werewolves and vampires. On Liam's end, he seemed to enjoy it more since he did have fun when he went full on wolf and he was a huge bugger when he did. However this fun was not for fun as the two turned and started running towards their destination.

It was a herd of horses, wild ones from the looks of it and probably the strangest sight since they were pretty much in desert. Liam shouted, "Now I know we landed in crazy. Horses? Ya kidding me?"

Christian was thinking the same thing but just ran. "I don't think so."

The pair ran as the herd caught up with them. They were all running in the same direction so that helped a bit. If they had been trying to go against it, they could have faced problems such as being trampled to death. That was still a distinct possibility in their case since they were jostled on occasion by a shoulder or body.

"I don't know about you but this is not what I signed up for." Christian managed to keep his breath steady as he ran.

"Me neither but it's the job mate," Liam replied. It was tempting to go all wolf but didn't since that would probably spook the herd even more. He glanced over and noticed that his friend was stumbling a bit. They had to do something otherwise they would end up pounded six feet under and he could just imagine the ruckus on that. He had an idea and called over, "Hey, you still ride?"

Christian gave a frown and replied, "What?"

"Don't ya still do that grand champion pony prancing thing you do or was it like me where we raced?"

Christian got the hint with the dig at his horseback riding skills. It would be a sight better and they could get there faster. He nodded and shouted over the din, "Oh I can race. The tourney held by the Kilkenny family was considered the race to be in."

"Aye. Three time grand champion for me," Liam replied, not being able to resist. Even when their lives were in danger, they still made the effort to make insults and the like. He would have laughed but at that moment he saw Christian get a hard knock and he disappeared into the rising dust and pounding of hooves and shouted, "Chris!"

Christian didn't expect the sudden knock down and hit the dirt. He let the momentum carry his body forward and prayed that he wouldn't get a kick to the head. A body shot was fine and he did get a couple of those. The momentum carried him a ways and he was able to get to a crouching position but he knew he couldn't stay there for too long otherwise he would definitely be trampled.

He looked around and saw the animal that knocked him over. It actually had stopped and looked at him like it wanted to charge. That wasn't surprising since animals tended to be sensitive to the supernatural and often was the good indicator for the hunter on the trail. This was a little unusual but Christian didn't have time to ponder since he got hit from behind again and pushed forward. Time to get a little acrobat like.

The horse that had stared and taunted him had started running again. Christian decided to make a beeline for it. It wasn't too hard to find it and he leapt up from the cloud of dust and landed on the back of the animal. "Got you ya bastard."

The animal whinnied and tried to shake off the vampire but Christian held on, grabbing chunks of mane and holding on with his legs. It was like getting bucked from a wild bronco and the thing was doing in in the middle of a stampede. Like a barnacle, Christian held on even though he was getting hit by the other horses.

At one point he fell off and was dragged along the ground but he held on. It was sort of like the time that he had to take down a Lupei that was pretty much a mad dog. They had the muzzle and harness on it but it broke free. He had been the only one to get close enough to grab a hold of some strapping and it was the ride of his life.

It wasn't too much fun being dragged along the ground and getting scratched by the dirt but there wasn't anything he could do about that. He turned his body over and managed to get his feet down to the ground and push off. He was back on the horse and it still fought him but he said, "Hey, I'm not trying to hurt you. You can stop being a bastard."

The horse stopped resisting and continued to run with the herd. Christian relaxed a little and held on. He was joined by Liam who said, "No that was showboating."

Christian chuckled a bit even though his throat was getting dry from the dust. "That was just letting him know I wasn't going to be a pushover."

"Good, cause I'd hate to scrape you off the ground and deliver you all bloodied to the princess now."

"That's not the worst part though it might be a little late for that." Christian surveyed his person and noted that he had a few more scrapes and bruises and some were letting blood. There was also the issue of the sun burns.

"Yeah but you'll live and that's after we dig you back up."

"And you don't exactly look like a spring chicken yourself."

Liam looked at his person as he held onto the mare that he was riding. He was just as banged up from the rocks and dirt but it was normal for him when he did rough play. That was how he and his brothers rolled and it never fazed him. Plus he knew when to draw the line since serious stuff meant that they would be attacked by their mother or Fiona and there was no order of avoidance when it came to patch up jobs. "Damn straight bloodsucker. I'm ruggedly handsome."

"In a pig's eye."

"You changed preferences?"

"Eat any hearts?"

It went back and forth until the herd slowed down to take a breather. It was just by luck that they came to a watering hole and that was more important than food. Both men moved slowly so as not to startle the herd and went to the water's edge. It was like heaven to drink cool water and it didn't matter that it probably had dirt in it.

Christian took the time to wash off his sunburns and check them. It even helped to cleanse the abrasions slightly. Liam was doing the same with his and humming some bawdy tune in Gaelic. Eventually he pulled out a piece of dried meat and started chewing on it much like a dog would gnaw on rawhide.

"What's that?"

"Rawhide. Better than toothpaste for cleaning teeth."

"Can't do much for your breath." Christian made a gesture to indicate that Liam's breath stank.

Liam chuckled, "Actually it does keep my teeth clean but also gives the jaw a workout. I had my jaw broken when I was a pup and the doc said that if I ever wanted to keep a strong jaw, I needed to give it a workout."

"And what doc was this? The vet?"

"Teej preferred the vet," Liam countered with a grin. It was complete bullshit but it was fun. "Doc Weatherly is like Fi. She set my jaw and the woman knows more about werepeople anatomy than the professors. Werewolves, all species, are her specialty. Had a nice rack."

"Always knew you were a dog." Christian gave a grin. He re-tied the bandages over his burns but left them wet. The cold water helped with the heat.

Liam chuckled as he reached into his pocket and fished out a couple of biscuits. "Here try these."

Christian took one and sniffed it carefully. While they were respected teachers at a prestigious academy, they still had the propensity to prank each other like they were kids. There were a few memorable incidents that would have made Dean Winchester proud as a prank master. One involved having to do with the fact that Liam ended up with tie-dyed fur and regalia that was considered hippie-ish. He didn't doubt that Liam would stop to messing with food even in dire straits so he was being cautious.

The biscuit smelled good. He could pick out natural ingredients and that it was fairly fresh. Not able to detect anything suspicious, Christian took a nibble. It tasted good and nothing bad happened so he took a fairly good bite. "This is good."

"Like it?" Liam was grinning as he sat back.

"Not bad. What brand?"

"Dog biscuit."

The response had been uttered so matter of fact that observers would have laughed especially at the face that Christian was making. He choked and shouted his indignation about being treated like a dog and eating dog food. Liam was laughing and it was a wonder the herd of horses hadn't started running.

Liam tried to calm the vampire down, "Relax Chris. The goradh's older brother likes them too. The aingeal makes them mainly for her hell mutt and pup but they are safe for people."

Christian raised his brow. "Angela made these?"

"Always thought she had a bit of dog in her. She is a fine specimen of an alpha," Liam joked. "Makes me wish the goradh was here and then I could watch him squirm."

"Sam Winchester?"

"Aye. I guess vamps do have a brain even if they are compressed by being buried in dirt. And you think us dogs are dirty." Liam went back to chewing on his rawhide.

Christian finished his biscuit not willing to admit that he found dog food quite good. He figured it was okay since Dean Winchester liked them. Then again Dean was hardly an accurate barometer since he was like a walking garbage disposal but only touched things that were the epitome of unhealthy and that was accompanied with table manners that were worse than a dog. He replied, "All dogs are dirty."

"Yeah and we all go to heaven too," Liam cheeked.

Christian paused a moment and then asked, "And where did you get the idea that Sam was into the Ice Bitch?"

"Whoa that's a turn of phrase."

"Old habit. We have that kind of relationship; an agree to disagree and we can be as snarky as we want about it," Christian clarified, "Whereas you seem to moon over her. I'm surprised you didn't got out on a date the last time you saw her."

"I was on a job and I don't moon over her," Liam clarified. He pointed with his piece of rawhide that bore tooth marks and not all of them human. Some bites had pup teeth marks. "Like I said, she has alpha material and part of our nature is to be drawn to an alpha and in our case it doesn't matter with the species."

"Don't I know it. Akira told me you practically kowtowed in front of her when she gave you favor," Christian replied, "Who'd have thought that a dog would bow to a vamp and a Halfling?"

"I know I'm hopeless but I'm more incline drawn to the aingeal's strengths and faults. The moon eyes are for the goradh's benefit. I laugh because he's blind like you were mate."

"Damn bloody dog," Christian teased, not meaning the insult. "You and Austin never let me live it down now. Do you?"

"Well I have to admit Austin telling me that the aingeal set you both up in an interesting place in Russia and even did it in disguise… how romantic," the Lycan leered good naturedly. "Would take something spectacular to pull it off for the goradh and her."

"Are you trying to take Angela's place in that category?"

"Just saying and I think that's why Carla was trying this. So I guess we better make use of our friends here and get back. By the way why horses out here?"

"They're not normal horses but a special breed. Some say that they are breed from the stallions Thunder of the Sky. I do know that there are the brother horses in Wyoming that are definitely descendants. Maybe they are related. Anyway they are horse but not your usual."

Liam would have said something but he looked off in the direction they were heading. He saw a cloud of dust being kicked up. Something was going on and he nudged the vampire. "You thinking something's up?"

"Let's find out."

A/N: Looks like the wolf and the vamp are having a good time to make the best out of a situation and trying to get back. Mild jokes and pranks I see and more to come on Get Me to the Church...