Dyson, Tamsin, Julia, Reed, Erik, and Clio followed Clayton, Elena, and Nick to the Donut Hole while Logan and Jeremy stayed behind at Stonehaven to research any more information on Mutt movements in the area. It was the early evening, and when they pulled up to the Donut Hole, they saw very few people were inside.

"This place is dead." Reed noted.

"We're kinda of a big group to be entering in this place looking for one guy." Julia pointed out.

"Yeah, we should split up." Erik added.

"Good idea." Clayton replied. "Elena and I will go inside. They know us around here."

"Clio, I think you should go in as well since you've actually seen whom we're looking for." Dyson said.

"I should go too." Nick offered." Make it look like we're all out together for the evening."

"The rest of us can keep a loose perimeter outside." Tamsin said. Everyone nodded.

Clayton, Elena, Nick and Clio entered the Donut Hole and sat at a table in the back part of the restaurant so they could observe the comings and goings of patrons.

A waitress approached.

"How's everyone doing here?" The waitress asked.

"Four coffees, please." Clayton answered.

"Want to see any menus?" The waitress asked.

"Not yet." Elena answered. The waitress nodded and was about to leave when Clio stopped her.

"Hey! Do you know a guy by the name of Marcus?" Clio asked.

"He comes in the mornings when he's in town like he did this morning." The waitress answered.

"Does he also come in the evenings?" Elena asked.

"Sometimes. If he's not at the Cours Bar by this time." The waitress answered.

"The Cours Bar?" Clio asked.

"Yep. For Happy Hour." The waitress answered.

"We'll take those coffees." Elena said to the waitress who then nodded, turned and left.

"Cours Bar is a big Mutt hang out." Clayton informed.

"And is quite the scene." Nick added.

"Yes. It is." Came a voice behind them. Clio about choked when she saw who it was.

"Aoife!" Clio said as she shot up out of her chair. Agent Chennai was right behind her. "Agent Chennai!"

"Not 'Your Grand Serene Highness' I suppose?" Aoife countered.

"Apologies, Your Grand Serene Highness." Clio replied.

"What? Who?" Clayton fumbled.

"Relax! I'm just screwing with you. This is clearly not the time nor the place for formalities." Aoife said to Clio.

"Agent? What? Are you here on business for the government?" Nick asked.

"Yes." Agent Chennai replied. "Just not your government."

"Huh?" Nick said bewildered.

"It's good to see you two alive again." Clio replied.

"Alive again? What?" Nick stumbled. Aoife surveyed the table.

"And who are all these lovelies?" Aoife asked.

"This is Clayton, Elena and Nick." Clio introduced.

The waitress came back with the four coffees and set them down on the table then looked at Aoife and Agent Chennai.

"You two need anything?" The waitress asked.

"Got any wine?" Aoife asked.

"We do." The waitress answered.

"You do?" Everyone replied in unison.

"Gotta keep up with the times if we want to stay in business. We serve beer and wine only though. After 3:00 PM. No hard alcohol. Not sure why, but there it is." The waitress answered.

"No thanks. In fact, we need to leave." Clio said as she dug into her pocket for money for the coffees.

"Why? This place is as good as any to talk." Aoife replied. Clio pulled out some money and handed it to the waitress.

"Thank you." Clio said to the waitress. The waitress took the money and then turned and left. Clio then turned back to Aoife as she lifted her phone and sent a text. "The reason why we need to get out of here and regroup somewhere else is that we have quite the entourage outside staking out this place already." She quickly received a response and then motioned everyone to head for the door but then suddenly stopped, looked at Aoife and then narrowed her eyes. "Wait. What are you doing back here?"

"Looking for Rumlar." Aoife replied.

"Oh, we so need to get out of here!" Clio said.

"Whose Rumlar?" Clayton asked.

"An Assassin. And a pretty damn effective one at that." Clio replied then gestured everyone out the front door.

Clio led them outside and down a couple blocks then behind a building where Dyson, Tamsin, Julia, Reed, and Erik waited.

"Your Grand Serene Highness!" Tamsin exclaimed when she saw Aoife and came running up. "What are you doing here?"

"Is she royalty?" Nick asked.

"Seems to be." Elena replied.

"The same as all of you. Putting an end to all of this." Aoife replied.

"Bo would kill me if she knew you were here, putting yourself in danger yet again!" Tamsin said.

"Well, she really doesn't have to know now does she?" Aoife teased.

"She doesn't even know we're here in the first place!" Tamsin replied.

"Secrets upon secrets! Me like! I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." Aoife teased.

"Really?" Tamsin replied.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Elena asked Aoife.

"This is Her Grand Serene Highness Aoife McCorrigan." Dyson introduced.

"So, you are royalty." Nick said.

"Yes, but only recently." Aoife replied.

"Huh?" Nick let out.

"It's the story on the Fae I owe Jeremy after all this is said and done." Dyson replied.

"What? You're not Fae?" Aoife challenged.

"Not by genetic lineage." Clayton answered.

"Clayton, Elena, and Nick are werewolves, but not by genetic lineage." Dyson clarified.

"Like what then? Like Dracula or something?" Aoife asked.

"We already did that joke." Reed commented to several smiles.

"Holy cow!" Aoife said in surprised.

"Lady! Look! I don't expect you to understand but…" Nick started then Aoife twirled on him, her eyes burned bright blue which caused Nick to step back.

"No, it is you who does not understand." Aoife countered. Elena took in a breath at Aoife's transformation, but Clayton stepped forward utterly fascinated.

"What are you?" Clayton asked. Aoife reached over and caressed the left side of his face with her right hand, and that area of his face turned a luminous red.

"What are you doing to him?" Elena lunged forward but Clio quickly gripped her left arm.

"Allowing him to wallow in his fascination." Aoife replied.

"Let's not, shall we?" Dyson said.

"Oh! Alright, fine!" Aoife pouted then let Clayton go. Elena went up to Clayton and examined him.

"What did you do to him?" Elena demanded.

"I'm a..." Aoife started.

"Succubus." Clayton finished.

"Okay. Succubi I have heard about." Elena noted.

"So have I." Nick said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Clayton is also a Professor of Anthropological Studies." Dyson explained.

"Well, Perhaps, when this is all over, I can introduce you to the more intimate side of my nature." Aoife winked at Clayton.

"Help me now." Tamsin sighed.

"What are you doing here, Aoife?" Dyson said.

"Looking for Rumlar." Aoife replied.

"He's here?" Erik asked.

"We think so. Because of Marcus." Aoife answered the surveyed the group. "Now that I've answered your question, answer mine. Why are you here?"

"Because of this Marcus." Tamsin replied.

"How do you know him?" Aoife pressed, but Agent Chennai answered.

"It's because you suspect he knows where the relic is." Agent Chennai answered. Tamsin said nothing. Agent Chennai went and stood in front of Tamsin. "Regent Tamsin, you were given a directive not to pursue the relic, yet you still defied an order of the Presidium."

"As Chief Protector, it is my duty to protect this Plane, from everything and everyone who intends to do it harm." Tamsin replied.

"You were not Chief Protector at the time the order was given. It is clear you have been acting on your own agency since the relic was lost." Agent Chennai said.

"Yet, you also suspected something, and that's why you followed me around the last time I was here, and I damn near got killed in the process, and thought you two were most certainly dead." Clio challenged. "And now you're here - again - with Aoife, searching for one of your fellow Agents who loves nothing more than running around killing people!" Agent Chennai said nothing, so Clio pressed forward. "You're The Queen's personal Agent! You are not here by mistake! Enough with all the cloak and dagger! What the hell is this relic everyone is getting killed over?"

"You know what the relic is. You have born witness to its power." Agent Chennai answered.

"When?" Clio prompted.

"The Anointing." Agent Chennai replied.

"That was the relic?" Reed queried.

"But that's not the same one I pursued." Julia interjected.

"But it is. In part." Agent Chennai replied.

"What else can you tell us?" Clio pressed.

"That is all I can tell you." Agent Chennai replied.

"That's not enough!" Clio shot back.

"That's all you're going to get." Agent Chennai replied evenly. Clio was about to press further when Julia held up her hand and waved.

"As the mere mortal in this group, as much as I want to get to the bottom of the mystery of the relic, we're burning time here. That waitress said this Marcus could be at this Cours Bar now. We need to get a move on." Julia said. Agent Chennai turned to Dyson.

"Viceroy Secundus, you do realize you too will have to answer for Regent Tamsin's disobedience when this is all said and done." Agent Chennai said.

"If and when that time comes." Dyson replied. "Until then, let's finish this."