A/N-I'm baaaccckk! What you're still here? You should be running by now. Evil cackle inserted here...cough, cough, cough...ignore me. Go read, enjoy, and review.
Loss of Faeth.
Kenzi came dancing into the living room of the Club House. "Daddy, Nonni I'm home." she warbled. Carefully extracting the heavy belt from her backpack and setting it on the scarred coffee table. The two older fae came into the living room from the kitchen and were shocked to see the jewel and metal encrusted belt lying haphazardly on the table.
"I'm glad the Deva's were there, but even with them there…geesh…. Their friend was a monster b waiting to happen. The containment spell coming down was about ten times worse than what anyone was expecting. The Ashe not only knows he's gone, but the belt as well. Won't take long before he figures out it was me after it too."
"Why do you say that detenysh?" asked Misha with some concern.
"Dyson was there, waiting. He saw me. He didn't try to stop me, but he saw me." said Kenzi a little sadly, "So when the Ashe starts asking questions, I doubt D-man is gonna lie for yours truly. Especially since we're still kinda on the outs."
Ennoi stepped forward and carefully lifted the belt with the chains dangling down to form an almost skirt of protection. "He may surprise you little one, a wolfs first loyalty is always to his mate, then his pack, then his ruler." The metal varied some looked silver, coppery, gold and black. The gems encrusted in the chains were also varied, some were crystalline, some were cabochons, and some were cut gems. Semi-precious, and precious stones, glinted in the dim light of the Club House. Basically it looked as if it had been cobbled together over several years, and it was very beautiful. It also looked as if it would be very effective as a type of chain mail armor.
"Yeah, that may be Nonni, but so far I don't fall into any of those categories as far as D is concerned." said Kenzi as she fidgeted with the fingerless gloves she wore. The younger fae while drained from the effort, was also still a little high on the adrenaline of accomplishing the two robberies almost back-to-back.
"So what do these pretties do?" asked Kenzi as she threw herself down on the love seat beside Mikhail.
"The Crown of Dreams gives the wear some telepathy with those outside of the pack, control of dreams, and invisibility." said Misha thoughtfully as he rotated the crown slowly in his hands. While he and his mother had a silent conversation with each other, the only external indication being a raised eyebrow here and a wiggle of an eyebrow there.
Ennoi said in an amused way, "Misha always hated the crown because he hated going into other peoples dreams. He felt like a peeping Tom. Among the females though there is also the tendency more towards an oracle effect."
"Oracle?" asked Kenzi, "Like Delphi? As in what I can tell the future or as in I can stand there and recite bad poetry that may have something to do with the future or may just be the bad crab salad we had for dinner last night?"
Both Misha and Ennoi chuckled a little at that before Ennoi said, "No bad poetry little one I promise and yes as in telling the future, but the future isn't set in stone. It's constantly changing. Everything we do as individuals changes things."
"The belt gives strength, agility and helps retain the memory of all the spells and magic you learn, over your life as pack leader. Not that you seem to have a problem in any of those areas." said Ennoi as she gave Misha a nostalgic if exasperated look.
"What?" he said in that tone children always get when they're parents give them that look. "Vy budete smushchat menya seychas eto ne vy?"
"None sense, cub. Would I embarrass you?" said Ennoi as she gently reached over and delicately pinched the cheek of her eldest son with affection and a wicked smile.
Kenzi giggled a little and then she sensed a little ping on some inherent radar she had suddenly developed, "We have company." Just as someone began banging on the door of the shack. The younger fae started to get up with a sigh, already knowing who it was. "No cub," said Ennoi who by this time was in full on grandmother mopde as she headed to the door of the Crack Shack.
The continuous pounding became annoying about the time Ennoi got to the door. She pulled it open with a charming smile which was all the more menacing when directed at the lone wolf cop standing on the stoop, fist still raised to continue pounding on the door. Quickly unclasping his fist and putting both hands behind his back, Dyson said in a sheepish tone, "Yes ma'am, I need to speak to Kenzi, please ma'am." he said very respectfully.
"Of course, Detective Thornwood. Please come in." she said Reaching out she grasped his shoulder gently as she ushered him into the entry hall and closed the door behind him. "Actually you are just in time. Being a fellow Shifter I'm sure you will appreciate this." She said as she led him down the hall to the living area, never taking her hand from his shoulder. A fact that left him feeling as if he a slight live current was going through his body.
"We are celebrating the return of the Shifter Crown Jewels to their rightful place among Shifters." Ennoi continued as she led him into the living area of the Crack Shack.
Sitting there rather majestically on the coffee table were the Crown of Dreams and the Belt of Strength. Misha was sitting on the couch looking at Ennoi and Dyson as they entered the living area. Standing on the far side of the coffee table holding the fabled Sword of Sovereignty was Kenzi in her black leather cat suit. The hood of it pulled back to reveal her carefully braided pony tail pulled over one shoulder.
She looked angry, and beautiful and incredibly for her diminuitive frame incredibly dangerous. Dyson felt his heart do a little flip. He had only ever experienced that with Bo and not nearly this strong. Of course the embarrassing evidence of his body responding to the sight was a little disconcerting as well. Especially in front of what was the equivalent of Kenzi's father and grandmother. Needless to say he was very grateful to his untucked shirt and jacket.
"Kenzi, we need to talk." even Dyson flinched at his choice of words and tone of voice.
"Yes we do. So when should we expect the polizei and the Ashe-holes goons to descend D-man?" said Kenzi drily as she lifted the girdle and then the crown to put back in her kit bag carefully.
Dyson said offended, "I wouldn't know, I haven't been to the cop house since yesterday and I haven't spoken to the Ashe since long before that." he took a breath and asked carefully, "Kenzi what was that explosion? Are you crazy setting off an explosion in the Ashe's compound? Most of the thing in the light fae compound don't mix well with explosives, especially the magic."
"Yeah, the magic." said Kenzi with a derisive little chuckle as she closed up the kit bag, "The magic is what caused the explosion Dyson. Namely the magic containment spell that the Ashe was suing to contain the Deva I freed, after well according to him anyway 253 years of captivity."
"Believe me Kenzi, the Ashe is light fae he wouldn't capture a Deva let alone keep one contained for over two centuries that would be barbaric. Besides I think I would know if there was a Deva in the light fae compound." began Dyson in the same tone he used to use when passing along some long known wisdom of the fae to the former human.
Suddenly he found himself on his back with a very angry Kenzi sitting straddling his waist, her clawed hand wrapped around his throat. A snarl pulled her lips back from her teeth and her eyes were glowing silver as she looked at him in fury, "Don't believe me? Ask Hale your partner, little wolf. He's the one who informed me of it in the first place, apparently he knows less about Deva and what they are than you do. Less than I do and I've only been fae a few weeks. But I am a fae now, so do not condescend to me anymore, I know what a Deva is, wolf." She said rocking forward to apply a little more pressure to his throat as she continued, "I know what a crime it is to catch one, what a crime it is to contain one and control one. So believe me wolf." She said shaking him slightly by the throat, Kenzi released Dyson and stood gracefully as she said vehemently, "I know a Deva, when I see one. I know a containment and control spell when I see one. I know a tortured soul when I see one. I know how to release a centuries old spell trap when I see one."
Kenzi turned away from the wolf who was still lying on the floor. She noticed that her father and grandmother had left the living area, obviously deciding this was a conversation for she and her former what…love interest, fantasy man, Kenzi had been trying to figure that out for days now and was no closer to the answer than when she had started.
Kenzi turned back to the other wolf to find him sitting up facing her, his arm resting on the knee of his bent leg as he studied her. Restless as always Kenzi started pacing.
"What did you take from the compound?" he asked simply.
She paused in her pacing as studied him. This time there was no judgment in his eyes. Really come to think of it there hadn't been any before just the tone of voice he had used had reminded her of how things had been before in their relationship and it had set her off. She studied him a moment longer before saying. "He had the Girdle of Strength in the chamber the Deva was set to guard."
"He had one of the Shifter Regalia in his possession?" the question was more rhetorical and resigned than an actual question but Kenzi simply nodded her head at the Sifter still sitting on the floor. He looked down for a moment and then looked at her piercingly as he said, "I believe you Kenzi, because I believe in you and I always have, whether I've said it or acted like it or not." He stood up then seeming to roll gracefully to his feet, before stepping toward her and grasping her arms gently in his , "The Ashe isn't who I thought he was. I know That, despite what Trick had told me before I still believed him to be an honorable fae, a good leader." He shook his head, as he continued. "He said the taking of Shifters, that period in our history was a dark time and not one he was proud of, he said he was changing things for the better…"
He drew her chin up to gaze into Kenzi's gray eyes and said, "I believe you, not him. I trust you, not them." Kenzi didn't have to ask who them was, she could see it in Dyson's eyes. His next words set that in her heart, "I choose you over them, over anyone else. I love you, Kenzi. I know I still have a long way to go to prove that but I want you to know I will prove it. If it takes the rest of my life, I will prove that I am worthy of you."
With that he lowered his head and kissed her lips delicately. Then began to trace the features of her face with the same delicate touch of his lips. The ice around her heart melts a little at the words and the delicate kisses but there is still a cold little rock in the center of her heart that can't really believe him completely. She wants to but she still remembers that it took her changing to a fae to elicit this confession and she's still not quite sure it would have come if she had somehow stayed human.
A flash of light and a cold breeze separates the pair, Dyson standing between Kenzi and a stunning trio of Devas. None of these Devas were the one that she had released from the Ashe's trap spell. Devas are beautifully formed, blue skinned angels that are basically expressionless, at least when healthy. This trio were all of those things and more. Kenzi was more than a little startled then when Dyson dropped to one knee in front of the winged trio. Arms held out to his sides and head bowed, Dyson looked the perfect supplicant.
The center Deva a male spoke and there was no expression in his voice, just words. "We have come to thank the new Queen of Shifters for releasing our captured brother from the spell which held him." he said, staring at Kenzi.
Kenzi thought about using her usual flippant tone to respond but a) her grandmother would probably skin her, b) she didn't think it would go voer too well with this bunch and c) she knew they were being genuinely grateful and you never knew when it might be good to have an actual bona fide angel on your good side and owing you a favor.
She nodded her head and said, "I'm glad I could help." Then beause she really was curious, "Is he going to be okay?"
The males head rocked back as though he had really not expected the question or he just really wasn't used to having an actual conversation with anyone but his own kind before. On his left side the female Deva said quietly and plainly, "The one you freed will recover, in time. He has been in captivity a long time, the longest of any of our kind who has suffered from this kind of treatment, It will take time for him to recover."
"He will recover though, in time." said the male who had originally spoken.
Kenzi could tell that Dyson wanted to speak and yet also didn't want to draw any attention to himself. "Just so you know I don't think everyone knew what was happening to your kinsman. As a matter of fact I'm sure of it."
There was no mistaking the sudden drop in temperature of the room. Even Kenzi could see that her breath had turned to frost laden mist in the living area. "When we have questioned our brother, the ones who committed this crime and those who knew of it and did nothing will be judged and punished appropriately. You have our gratitude and our protection Shifter Queen for as long as you and your line live."
"As such, I feel we should warn you," said the other male Deva, "The Ashe has sent several of his minions to eliminate you and any one they find with you and retrieve what is rightfully yours and return it to him."
Kenzi looked at Dyson's still bowed head and didn't see him flinch at the words of the Deva but he did tense as though preparing for an attack. The question was, did he intend to defend her or be part of the oncoming attack. Then for the first time in several days, she felt the old Kenzi rise up and sap her in the back of her head. Dyson may have been acting like a douche bag for several weeks but he was still her friend. He would not deliberately set her up, not even for the Ashe.
"Thank you for the warning, they aren't exactly unexpected. I was expecting it would take them a little longer to figure out." said Kenzi thoughtfully, "Guess I underestimated them."
Without looking toward the kitchen Kenzi told her new father and grandmother to send themselves to the Dahl for safety. "You should leave, he captured one of you before. I don't want him to have access to any of you, ever again."
"Thank you, we are taking steps to prevent that from happening. Your protection is gratifying and will be remembered." said all the Deva's in a chorus. Just before they all disappeared at once.
Kenzi backed away from the kneeling Shifter and said quietly, "You should go too."
"No! I won't leave you alone…"
Hating herself for rubbing it in, Kenzi reminded, "You haven't had a problem with it lately, D-man. Why start now?"
This time he did flinch as he rose to his feet. "Kenzi, I have been trying to explain,…"
"Don't bother, you can try to explain later." she said as she drew the power to her. Kenzi had wanted the other wolf to go of his own free will. She'd have to use most of the magic she had left to get him away from the Crack Shack. With a thought she sent him about a block or two away. Then she made her way to the secret hatch that Misha had created when they were working on the house.
There was a small space between the walls that was supposed to be for insulation. Misha had left one space without insulation and it was just big enough for Kenzi to fit into. She could just slide under the floorboards to make her way to the back of the house. Kenzi escaped into the tall grass there, just as the fae police arrived.
Dyson found himself gasping for air, lying on the ground, about a block away from the Clubhouse. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was Kenzi who had put him there, and he also knew that it shouldn't be possible. The Shifters had lost the ability to perform this type of magic, centuries ago. About the time the fae had taken them from their dying packs and put them in servitude.
The legends were still told of course, of the Shifter magic. Before it had been bred out of them, by the Morrigan and the Ashe. Then somehow the fear and distrust of any such magic had been bred into them instead. Dyson was beginning to think now that perhaps that had been implemented by the Morrigan and the Ashe somehow. As a matter of fact he was becoming as sure of it as he was that he didn't know the fae he served as well as he thought he did.
The shouts of, "Police!" and heavy foot steps running had the wolf on his feet and running through backyards with a little Shifter assisted speed toward the Crack Shack. He arrived in time to hear the shouts from inside of "All Clear!" He was careful to hide the rush of relief as he flashed his detective shield at the assault armored pair left near the front of the house.
Making his way into the house he is not overly surprised to see that over half of the assault team are fae planted officers. Nor is he overly surprised to see them begin ripping the place apart. At first he thinks that they are still looking for Kenzi the spritely woman could easily fit in some of the cabinets they were searching. Then he notices the fae cops are also searching boxes, baskets, and drawers that even Kenzi couldn't fit into. This wasn't about her it was about the Regalia, although he had a feeling that Kenzi ran a close second. Especially when one of the cops spooked by a rather large rat, began firing indiscriminately and nearly hit one of his fae counterparts. The fae officer roughly cuffed the rookie upside the head with a growled warning.
His enhanced hearing amped up when he heard his own lieutenant say, "We must of just missed them. Candles still lit, coffees still hot, doesn't look like they took anything. I say we set an unmarked with a couple of detectives about half a block down to sit on this place until they come back." He heard the voice of his boss fading as he walked back outside with whoever he was talking too.
"Filthy humans." said a voice he didn't recognize, "The Ashe gave the order to salt the earth."
.A flash of instinct had Dyson moving towards the voice, he didn't arrive in the bedroom in time to see who was talking. The three candles knocked into the curtains and onto the floor though gave him the insight into what the Ashe had in mind. Flames were already climbing the curtain to the ceiling and spreading across the ratty throw rags on the floor.
Growling in fury, he barely controlled his wolf enough to raise the alarm. "Fire! Everybody out!" He wasn't surprised to see two other rooms in flames on his way to the front of the house. He heard several of the officers yelling for other officers, his lieutenant yelling "What happened? Call the fire department!"
Dyson's cellphone rang just as he hit the sidewalk. He let it ring as he kept walking into the dark. It stopped ringing after a minute. Only to start again in the next instant, but Dyson once again let it ring until he was a couple of blocks away. The third time it started to ring he pulled it out of his pocket.
Gazing at the screen, he opened the phone and said, "Hale, don't come to the Clubhouse. Go to the den, I'll meet you there." He clicked the phone closed and shoved it into his pocket. Wishing he could shift into the wolf instead breaks into a run angled around to throw off anyone who might be following him. He was not foolish enough to lead the proverbial tail back to Kenzi's den.
When he was certain he wasn't being followed he called Hale back and said, "I'm coming in. I don't have a tail but there is a big problem. Hale… they burned down the girls house."
"What?! They who?!" Hale nearly shouted through the cell phone. "Who is they, Dyson?"
"They is us, Hale." said the wolf angrily, "One of the fae cops was sent to burn it down. It was the Ashe, Hale. He sent the cop to burn their house down. Keep them safe, I'll be there in a bit. Call Trick, warn him, tell him to warn Bo. I don't know how much they know, The humans were looking for Kenzi, maybe Bo, maybe both. The fae were looking for the Regalia, unless the girls have gone on a crash diet…to become pixies. Tell Kenzi it's time to wake up the Guardians, one more time around to check for tails and I'll come in." With that he once again snapped his phone closed
This time he found a space between a shed and a garbage bin that was surprisingly clean. Taking his clothes off he folded them neatly and after putting them down neatly he changed into the wolf form. Beginning a run of the perimeter, he decided to do something he didn't usually do. He decided to use his Wanblee blood to the utmost his already heightened wolf senses went into overdrive.
After a thorough check he was convinced that no one had followed him and that no one had tracked any of the other inhabitants of the warehouse. Returning to the pile of clothes he quickly changed back to his human form and put his clothes back on. He left the alley and headed for the warehouse, walking casually so he wouldn't draw attention to himself.
He walked in to find the Shifter King pacing furiously back and forth and although his Russian wasn't very good he understood the tone of voice well enough to know the elder wolf was cursing. Hale was sitting across from the old couch in a chair made of boxes ringing his hands and looking both miserable and angry.
Kenzi and Ennoi were sitting on the couch, the little wolf curled up almost in the lap of the lady goddess, keening and rocking as her adoptive grandmother stroked her long dark hair soothingly. Glowing red eyes looked up as the wolf came closer to the couch and seeing those eyas his knees automatically bent to lower himself to a kneeling position. As a voice he knew only from his spirit dreams said, "Explain wolf."
"The police came and they were looking for the Regalia and Kenzi and Bo possibly as well. The Ashe sent his minions among the police to burn the house down. I heard the minion speak, he said, the Ashe had given the order to salt the earth." Dyson said as he looked directly into the Lady's eyes.
"I see." Dyson watched as her eyes rounded a little more and black marks stretched out around her glowing red eyes. Her teeth sharpened as she continued, "Perhaps it is time the Shifters did separate from their fae brothers. Bad enough when the fae parted into two factions. Bad enough when they enslaved and indentured other fae, now they think to make war on Shifters. I think not." said the goddess in a tone that literally heated the air around her.
Misha said "Dyson Thornwood, the fae who did this. The polizei, what is his name?"
"I did not see his face, nor did I recognize his voice, but I will recognize his scent if we meet again, your Majesty." Dyson spoke honestly and with conviction.
He looked at Kenzi, and when her tear-filled, storm colored eyes met his, he felt his heart lurch a little. He realized that he could almost tell what she was thinking without actually asking her. She knew he had nothing to do with the destruction of her home. She trusted him, she loved him, but she still didn't think he loved her and was afraid of her feelings for him. Though of course she would never tell him that and would never accept his spoken word on the matter. He would have to prove his love which was as it should be.
The younger fae turned her face into her grandmother and away from the fae wolf. Dyson looked down and away, his thoughts now swirling. Yet he felt amazingly calm. Kenzi loved him but she still didn't trust him or his feelings for her. He trusted her and felt his connection to Kenzi solidify. They loved each other, that was all that was the main thing that mattered right now. All of this processing occured in a matter of seconds.
Dyson glanced at the two elder fae in the room, but they both seemed to be wrapped I their own thoughts. His own were interrupted by his partner saying "Any idea who let the Ashe know about who the thief was?"
"No clue." said Dyson, "but I intend to find out."
The group was interrupted in their wonderings by Trick and Bo's arrival. The succubus moved toward her friend on the couch and the two younger fae wrapped their arms around each other and a fresh bout of tears ensued. The Crack Shack had become a haven, a member of their family. It was where they had fought some of their battles, Where they had found and lost loves. Where they had bonded over ice cream and cereal. The Shack wasn't just their home, it was a member of their family.
Then Bo's cell phone rang. She carefully extracted herself from the comforting embrace of her bestie, long enough to check the cell's screen. Seeing Lauren's name the fae flipped open the phone and began to tell her girlfriend what had happened to the Clubhouse when the doctor interrupted. What she said next had the brunette's stopping mid-sentence and all of the color draining from the fae's complexion. Instead of answering the lady doctor, Bo closed the phone and turned back to her friends numbly.
"It was Lauren, she told the Ashe." The young fae woman said huskily as she stared at the phone for several moments. Then in a rage she threw the hapless cell phone at the far wall of the warehouse. Everyone watched as it shattered to a few dozen pieces. "She betrayed us." said the succubus savagely, fists clenched at her sides.