Many years ago…
Jacob, sore and bloody after another bout of fighting in the catacombs, entered his room and shut the door. He stumbled over to his bed, landing face-first on the mattress. A sharp stabbing pain flared on his stomach, and he inhaled sharply, rolling onto his back. Jacob touched the area, then saw the blood on his fingers. One of the Hundjägers had clawed him in the stomach. They were savage and unrelenting, holding back nothing in a fight. Jacob hated them, all of them, wishing they would just die. But he also hated his father, who never told them to stop or give him a break.
"I hope you die, too," Jacob muttered, his face tight from how much his wounds hurt.
He laid in bed for what felt like hours, too exhausted to do anything but too alert to sleep. As his mind wandered, Jacob found himself thinking of the girl in the cell. He'd bid a hasty retreat after she told him to go away. He couldn't see much, but what he did see, and hear, told him that she was savage and feral.
And yet, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
Jacob had a room, a bed to sleep in every night. She had a cold, dark cell, and by the sound of it, she was chained to the wall. He couldn't imagine living like that; no freedom, no friends to talk to.
"Ugh, what am I thinking?" Jacob asked himself, sitting up. How could he be so desperate? Did he actually want to be friends with the wild thing in the dungeon?
Shaking his head, he laid back and closed his eyes. Unfortunately, no matter how much he tossed and turned, he could not fall asleep. No matter how much he wanted to ignore it, deep down he knew he had no friends in the castle. His father would be the last person on earth he would confide in, and everyone else was either a servant or guard. It wasn't as if the Verrat had therapy sessions or friendly get-togethers.
Growling, Jacob got out of bed, put on a shirt, and walked out.
He remembered the location of the cell from his last visit, as it was not far from the sparring room where he spent most of his time. The iron door was still in place, and thankfully there were no guards nearby. Jacob didn't want to imagine what his father would do if he discovered him doing this.
Standing on his toes, Jacob opened the slat. Just as before, he could see nothing inside, only darkness, but that didn't mean that she wasn't in there.
"Hello?" he called, squinting.
The chains lightly rattled. "Go away," the girl said weakly, her accent thick. Had she eaten anything recently?
"What is your name?" Jacob asked.
Silence.
"Please, I just want to know your name."
"Why do you care?" the girl asked, rattling the chains. "You people already took me from my parents. What does it matter if you know my name?"
Jacob frowned. "I'm…sorry. I didn't know. I just want someone to talk to, that's all. You're the only other person here my age. Plus, I thought you might be lonely in here, all by yourself. Don't you want someone to talk to?"
More silence.
"If I tell you my name, will you tell me yours?" he asked. Again, there was no response, but he decided to go with it anyway. "My name is Jacob."
He waited for her to say something, anything. After a few minutes passed, his expression fell. Maybe it wasn't meant to be; maybe this girl was too afraid, or too angry, of everyone in the castle to ever want to be friends with him. Jacob sighed. How stupid was he? This whole idea had been doomed from the start, and he couldn't see it because he was lonely. Jacob turned to leave, closing the slat.
"Wait!"
He stopped, his heart catching. Re-opening the slat, he looked inside.
"Je m'appelle Louise."
Present Day…
As expected, the police arrived nine minutes later. Jacob and Louise would have disposed of the Schakal's body quietly, but since he'd managed to fire his gun, that option was dashed. There were two of them, at first, a man and a woman. Once they had seen the body and spoken with Jacob and Louise, the man had called in a body over the radio.
Their new house soon swarmed with police and crime scene investigators. Detectives Burkhardt and Griffin, the two men who had spoken with Louise, warning of the robberies in the area, spoke with her and Jacob. They then brought them down to the precinct for questioning.
"So, can you tell us what happened?" Detective Burkhardt asked, sitting at his desk.
Sitting across from him, Jacob held Louise's hand. Her nostrils were flared, and she felt extremely tense. She had tasted Schakal blood, and her species' infamous bloodlust was raging within her. He squeezed her hand, letting her know he was there for her. "I was in the kitchen," Jacob told the detective, "washing dishes. Louise was in the bedroom. We'd been unpacking all day, and were going to turn in for the night. I heard some glass break and saw that man enter through the back door."
"Had you ever seen him before?" Detective Burkhardt asked.
Jacob shook his head.
"I heard the glass break, as well," Louise said, her tone flat as she stared at the floor. "I went to see what was happening, and that's when I saw that man…pointing a gun at Jacob. Ce bâtard!" She bared her teeth, Woging from her anger and bloodthirst.
Jacob squeezed her shoulder, but when he happened to look at the detective, he furrowed his brow. The other man was staring at Louise, his eyes open with mild shock. It was almost as if he could see her Woging. If that were the case, then he was a Wesen, as well. Or, as a second possibility, he was a—
No, it couldn't be. There wasn't a Grimm in Portland. If so, Jacob would have known.
Forcing his attention back to the matter at hand, he said "He turned to look at Louise when he heard her footsteps. I rushed him, and we struggled; that's when he fired the shot. We fought for a minute, and then I stabbed him in the neck with a steak knife I had been washing. We were just about to call the police, but I guess one of our new neighbours did that already."
Detective Burkhardt tore his gaze from Louise. "I see. Now, I understand you're new to Portland."
"Yes," Jacob replied. "My family was from Bristol, originally, and Louise lived in Marseilles. It might seem strange, a Brit and a Frenchwoman together, but somehow we make it work."
Louise offered a faint smile.
"Now, did you—" Detective Burkhardt started to say.
"Jacob," a familiar voice said from behind. The hairs on Jacob's neck stiffened, as he never thought he'd be hearing that voice ever again. He turned around and saw its owner standing a few feet away, dressed in a professional grey suit.
"Hello, Sean," Jacob greeted. "It's been awhile."
"Yes, it has," the tall man agreed.
"Friend of yours, Captain?" the detective asked.
"An old acquaintance." To Jacob, he said "When you're done here, come see me in my office."
"Of course," Jacob said. While he made sure to affect a pleasant tone, inside he was nervous. Living in Portland just became considerably more complicated, and he didn't like to deal with complicated, not when Louise was involved. Sean walked away, stepping into his office, leaving them to resume their conversation. The detective only had a few more questions for them. In the end, he determined that it was a simple matter of self-defence. It helped that Jacob had covered the Schakal's puncture wounds with seemingly random and chaotic stab wounds.
He let them go, and Jacob wasted no time in entering Sean's office. The quicker he could get this done, the better.
"Anything I should be worrying about?" Sean asked from behind his desk, nodding to Detective Burkhardt.
"Just a simple home invasion," Jacob replied, crossing his arms.
"I'm sure," he said dryly.
"How long has it been? Twenty-five years?"
Sean leaned back in his chair. "Twenty-four. Last I'd heard, you two were living in Montreal."
"For about three months, before the Verrat caught up to us." Jacob paced in front of the desk. "After that, we moved to Vancouver. That was almost two years ago."
"So you decided to set down roots," Sean surmised.
"Yes. And we would prefer not to have our lives up-ended by any of your…baggage," Jacob said, staring down at Sean. "I want to give Louise a good home, and hopefully a long life without Hundjägers breaking down our door."
"Well, you have nothing to worry about from me," Sean promised. "So as long as you agree not to cause any trouble, I'll make sure no one in the family knows you're here."
Jacob thought it over. Though his and Louise's association with Sean Renard and his mother had been brief, it had saved their lives once upon a time. He still owed the royal bastard, and they were both invested in staying off the radar. Both men had personal interests that did not concern the Royals or the Verrat.
"Alright. I have your word?"
"You have it," Sean said, flattening his tie. "You've always had my sympathies, Jacob. You and Louise have always been dealt the worst hands in life." He smirked. "I think that's something we have in common."
"Indeed."
"Well, I wish you the best."
Sean stood, and Jacob shook his hand. "Lovely to see you again." He turned and walked out of the office, shutting the door behind him. Louise was standing just outside, in the hall, her agitation clear as crystal.
As Jacob walked over to her, he heard the two detectives talking. "Hey Nick, guess what? Our vic, Jonathan McAllister? He's got a bunch of priors for assault and petty theft. And he lives with his brothers. They've got rap-sheets almost as long as his."
"You're thinking they might be involved in the robberies?" Detective Burkhardt asked his partner.
"I don't know, but it might be worth checking out."
The two men stood, grabbing their jackets as they walked out. Jacob looked at Louise, who had also heard the exchange. They shared nervous looks; Schakal were social creatures, often living in packs. If the brothers of the man who broke into their home ever learned that Jacob and Louise were responsible for his death…
"We need to get to the car," he said quietly, taking Louise's arm. She nodded, and they walked out of the precinct, making sure to keep a fair distance from the two detectives. Louise was still tense, and Jacob could see her skin rippling with the beginning of a Woge. She took several deep breaths, and the ripples calmed. They got into their car, watching the detectives drive away. As Jacob started to follow them, he said "I cannot be sure, but I think that Detective Burkhardt is a Grimm."
"A Grimm?" Louise asked incredulously. Within the privacy of their vehicle, she Woged completely. "If he comes for us, I'll tear his throat out," she said, growling like a tiger.
"If, darling, if," Jacob said as they drove across Portland.
Many years ago…
They came for Louise not long after Jacob saw her.
Her conversation with the boy was brief, and yet it had given her something other than her own grief to focus on. Living within constant darkness, her thoughts and dreams had become darkness, with no light at the end of the tunnel to signal release. All they'd really done is introduce themselves and talked sparingly about their interests.
Neither of them had any lives outside the castle, so discussing activities beyond their respective confinements was an activity that ran dry rather quickly.
Jacob's visit had given her a reason to smile for the first time since she'd been taken. It was not to last, however, as her cell door was thrown open soon after. A pair of Hundjägers entered and unchained her. Free for the first time in what felt like weeks or months, Louise lunged for the nearest Hundjäger. Her desperation and rage caused her to Woge, growing grey fur, black stripes, and two enormous, sharp teeth.
Before she could hurt him in any way, the other Hundjäger jabbed her with a cattle prod. Louise's body screamed with sensation, and she released her grip as she collapsed to the ground, her muscles seizing. In such a state, she could offer no resistance as the two men grabbed her and dragged her away.
They took her through the labyrinthine catacombs, never saying a word to her the whole way. Eventually, they came to a large, open chamber. There were only two entrances, and Hundjägers lined the outside. The two holding Louise threw her into the centre, and she whimpered as she landed hard on the cold stone. Hearing movement, she looked up, through her tear-streaked lashes, and saw another Hundjäger throwing a strange man into the room with her. He quickly stood and tried to leave, but the tip of a cattle prod hovering in front of his face changed his mind.
The man rolled his head, and his skin rippled, growing orange fur with white and black patches. Louise remembered something her mother once said to her; she'd called it…Woging? It was when a Wesen shifted to reveal their true nature, that much she knew. Louise could do it, too, but had only done so under extreme emotional duress.
The strange man was beautiful to look at, but when he turned to look at her, his eyes bore only hatred and mistrust.
Louise slowly stood, withering under that glare. After a few torturous seconds, she turned to flee, but found another cattle prod jammed into her stomach. She shrieked in agony, collapsing onto the ground. With her desperation overcoming her fear, she tried to flee again and again, but each time was shocked back to the ground. After the fifth time, she lost control.
Louise felt the painful sensation, like a wave of needles piercing her flesh, rippling across her body. She felt her hair disappear as her skin grew grey fur with black stripes, and her jaw ached as her teeth elongated into sharp fangs. Two of them grew and grew, until they were as long as her fingers. Louise moaned from the pain, but found her voice to be deeper, with a feral edge to it.
"Oh god no!" the strange man exclaimed, blanching as he watched her change. "Please, please get me out of here! I can't be here! Please! She'll kill me! I'll tell you whatever you want, please! Oh god! No!"
Louise snapped her head in the man's direction, growling without thinking about it. Her senses were enhanced to extraordinary levels, and the man's voice suddenly seemed grating to her ears. She growled in annoyance, the sharp noise giving her a headache. He kept shouting and screaming, begging to be released, and her headache grew.
It became too much.
She roared, wanting the noise to stop so she could have some quiet. Louise pounced on the man, dragging him to the floor. He fought and struggled, hitting her in the face several times, but she barely felt the blows. In her blind fury, Louise only cared about making the annoying thing go away. She bit down on the man's neck, her teeth piercing the flesh as easily as a knife through paper. He screamed, and she bit him again, this time in the back. She bit him again and again, dragging her sharp fangs across his body and spraying blood like a perforated garden hose.
Louise didn't stop once the man had stopped screaming. It was only when she was too exhausted did she stop. Rolling off the man and onto the floor, she felt the wave of stabbing sensation roll back across her body, and she returned to normal. Louise looked over at the man and screamed at seeing his mutilated corpse; there was barely anything recognizable left, as his face and back were too badly shredded.
The Hundjägers all nodded in approval, though Louise barely noticed them. Two of them dragged her back to her cell. This time, she offered no resistance.
They shackled her to the wall, then closed the door. Louise, still covered in blood, hugged her knees against her chest and started crying. She remembered every second of the encounter, from the man's terrified pleas to the guards to his agonized screams to the mutilated state of his body. Everything played over in her mind a thousand times, and she could not stop.
"Louise?"
She looked up, seeing the thin sliver of light through the door slat. "Jacob?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
"What's wrong?"
"I…I did something terrible!" She said. "Something awful. Oh, Jacob, I couldn't help myself. I couldn't stop! Why couldn't I stop?"
"Louise, whatever you did, it was to survive," Jacob assured her. "Everything we do is to survive to see another day, to live a little longer."
"I don't think I want to live longer."
"I want you to! Please, Louise, you have to keep fighting. Keep fighting."
Present day…
Louise growled again. They had been following the two detectives for an hour, and she felt as if she would explode. Every cell in her body was screaming for blood, no matter where it came from. The brothers of the man who had broken into their house, the two detectives, even the random strangers all around them. This sort of feral attitude was quite common among Mauvais Dentes. Her mother had once explained it to her as 'Some were made for living in comfort. We were made for the hunt. We are the alpha predators, the lords of the jungle. Ours is to kill, while theirs is to live in fear of us'.
Finally, after a frustrating pursuit, Louise and Jacob witnessed the detectives pull up to a house in their neighbourhood, only a few streets away. She rolled her head, Woging back into human form. "So, this is where the other Schakals live," Louise said.
"So it would seem," Jacob agreed.
They watched the two men exit their car, walk up the steps, and knock on the front door. A man with a scraggly beard answered, his face twisted in a near-permanent sneer. He spoke with the detectives, and two more men joined him from behind. "Quatres freres," Louise noted, referencing the dead Schakal.
The first brother seemed to become agitated, gesturing wildly as his other brothers stepped closer beside him. Louise figured they were distressed to learn of their sibling's demise, and they didn't seem the type to be calm and reserved in most matters.
Detective Burkhardt patted the air in a placating gesture. He looked into the first brother's eyes, who Woged. The others did the same, and all three said something before slamming their door shut. The two detectives, pursing their lips in frustration, walked back to their car, likely intending to get warrants to search their house.
Once they were out of sight, Jacob said "We'll only have a short time to act, and it's getting dark out."
"Luckily, I hunt best in the dark," Louise said, gathering her hair and tying it into a loose bun.
"I'll be right out here if you need anything." Though Jacob's face was stoically determined, his eyes were full of worry. She loved that he was so devoted. He would do anything, even die, for her, and she knew in the deepest parts of her soul that she would do the same. They were halves of a greater whole; neither could exist without the other.
"Do not worry, mon coeur," she said, leaning over and kissing him. "I was born to hunt the living."
She stepped out of the car. Jacob was right; it was getting dark out. The sun had begun to set when they left the precinct, and now tiny pinpricks of light overhead dotted the ever-growing darkness that shrouded them. Once, darkness was all Louise had ever known, and nothing had terrified her more. Now, as she Woged only her eyes, she knew that the darkness was her ally.
Her glowing silver eyes allowed her to see perfectly in the darkened suburb. Louise crept along the side of the house, her head cocked to the side in an effort to hear what was going on inside.
There were three heartbeats, which meant that the brothers were still inside. They were agitated, arguing amongst each other about what to do about their brother dying. Louise sniffed, cringing. Her heightened senses told her they were drunk, reeking of cheap beer and cigars. Their backyard was a travesty, with most of it covered in dead patches of grass. Silver trash cans, garbage bags, old furniture, and a variety of tools were haphazardly placed all over.
Louise saw an avenue of attack and smiled. Like her ancestors, she lived for the hunt, for the kill, to see the dying light in her prey's eyes as she devoured him. Normally she was able to suppress her killer's instinct, but after the break-in, her hunger had been awoken, and her instincts demanded blood.
She crept over to the trash cans, knocking one to the ground. It made a loud clang as dozens of beer bottles spilled out of it.
The brothers' argument had stopped, indicating they'd heard the noise. Satisfied, Louise Woged. She then reached the roof in a single leap, pressing herself against the shingles as she readied herself to pounce. The back door was thrown open, and one of the brothers sauntered onto the backyard. "Dammit Tom, I told you to clean up the beer!"
"I did clean it up, Bert! Now get back in here. We need to figure out what we're gonna do!"
'Bert' muttered something to himself as he set the trash can. Louise narrowed her eyes, licked her lips, then leapt from her perch. She landed on top of the Schakal, knocking him to the ground. Before he could get up or resist in any way, Louise sank her teeth into his throat, eliciting a pained gurgle. She tasted the sweet copper tint of blood in her mouth and let her instincts guide her as she tore a chunk of flesh from his face. She tore into his flesh like the starving predator she was, eviscerating him and tearing mouthfuls in seconds.
Even as drowned in the bloodthirst as she was, Louise heard the heartbeats and gasps from behind. On her hands and knees, she turned to face the house. The other two brothers were standing in the doorway, their faces blanched at the brutality. They quickly overcame their terror, likely out of drunken stupidity, and Woged, thinking themselves fierce.
Louise growled, then bounded towards the house on all fours. When she was close enough, she launched herself at the nearest brother, crashing through the glass door.
She sated herself quite well on Schakal flesh. It was all over within minutes, and when she'd taken her fill, Louise Woged back into her human form. She panted, her mouth and chin dripping with blood. The house was left in ruins, and she wasted no time in walking out the front door, clothes, face, and hands covered in blood and bits of viscera. Jacob pulled up, and she got in the passenger seat.
Neither of them spoke on the drive home, but the aura between them had changed. Louise no longer felt the searing heat of the bloodthirst within her. She was now at peace, resting her head against the headrest. Though her clothes stuck to her skin from the excess amount of blood, Louise was happy. The threat had been dealt with, and her…appetites filled for the time being. She and Jacob could go back to building a new life together.
He held out a hand as he drove, and she took it, squeezing it gratefully. When they got home, they burned her clothes in the firepit in the backyard. Louise then showered, and they went to bed, holding each other tightly as they drifted off to sleep.
"Those three really seemed pissed, didn't they?" Hank asked. "What did you do to 'em to get them so…riled up?"
Nick shook his head as he drove. "I never did anything to them. But you saw their rap-sheets, right? I'm sure those guys just don't like cops. Plus, their brother was just killed, so it makes sense they'd be on edge." Inwardly, Nick felt nothing but frustration. He couldn't tell Hank, his friend and partner, anything about Grimms or Wesen or anything else 'strange'. Hank had already seen two Wesen fully Woged, once with Monroe and once with Doctor Brinkerhoff, and been on edge ever since.
Nick desperately wanted to tell him about what he had seen, but for the time being, the need to keep everything secret was paramount.
They soon reached the McAllister residence, joined by Sergeant Wu and half a dozen uniforms. Like he and Hank had promised, they'd gotten a warrant to search the brothers' house for any stolen goods. Schakals or no, they couldn't hide forever, and with any luck they'd all be in a holding cell before long.
Nick and Hank walked up the stone steps to the front door. The former pounded on the door and said "Detectives Burkhardt and Griffin; we have a warrant to search your property."
"You thinking they skipped town?" Hank asked.
"No, something just doesn't feel right," Nick replied. His gut told him they were still in the house, but at the same time he was getting a weird feeling, a 'tingling' that often preceded homicides and dead-ends.
"Guys? I think we've got a body," Wu said, pointing to something in the backyard.
Nick and Hank both drew their weapons, and the latter kicked the door in. They entered the house, ready to shoot anything that moved. When they got to the kitchen, they stopped, cringing at the sight that greeted them.
One of the McAllister brothers was slumped against the counter. His clothes were torn to shreds, and large chunks of flesh were missing. Long, straight bite marks criss-crossed his body, while most of the cabinets and counterspace were covered in blood. The kitchen itself was a mess, with a table smashed to pieces and beer cans and chips of wood from the cabinets strewn about the room. "We've got a body!" Nick called.
"Another one here!" one of the uniforms added. Nick and Hank walked into the living room, which was in a similar chaotic state. Another McAllister brother was draped over a chair, the leather shredded by what must have been claws or teeth. He was in a similar state to the other one, looking like he'd been mauled by a bear or a tiger. The television was cracked like a spider's web, indicating something, or someone, had been thrown against it.
"I was right; there's a body out in the backyard," Wu said as he joined them.
"That makes three," Hank said.
Nick frowned as he observed the carnage. All three of the McAllister brothers dead? Since they were Schakals, then they would have been no slouches in a fight. Something obviously more dangerous than them must have gotten the upper hand. While this looked like an animal attack, Nick suspected it was some kind of Wesen.
This case just got more complicated.
Jacob pulled to a stop by the sidewalk. Just as he shut off the engine, his cellphone started ringing. It was an unfamiliar number, but something told him it was important. He answered, and a familiar voice said "You've been busy."
"Hello, Sean," Jacob said.
"You've been in Portland for less than a week, and you've already dropped four bodies. Normally I would take issue with someone causing so much trouble in my city."
"They were a threat, one that we dealt with."
"And how can you be sure that no one will tie you to these murders? There aren't that many Wesen that can leave inch-long puncture marks in their victims."
Jacob scanned the cityscape around him, glancing at each of the passersby. "Even if someone deduces that a Mauvais Dentes killed those men, no one will be able to identify us. Not unless you tell them. But then you'd be spilling your own little secrets at the same time, so I think we're both safe there."
He could hear a slightly exasperated sigh from the other end. "I wouldn't be so over-confident, Jacob. It's a weakness that's brought down more powerful men than us."
"Why? Are you going to sick your pet Grimm on us instead?"
Sean was silent, something he rarely was. Jacob allowed himself a small smirk at managing to surprise the normally collected royal bastard.
"What's wrong? Mauvais Dentes got your tongue?"
"Underestimating this Grimm is exactly the kind of mistake others have made."
"We've killed Grimms before. They are not invincible, you know."
"Be that as it may, if you make a move against him, then all promises between us will disappear. I'm sure you don't want any…undue attention on you and Louise."
Jacob frowned. He felt a slight rippling across his body, but contained it. "Of course not. I will respect your interests, so long as you respect mine. Make sure that neither Louise or myself are implicated, and I promise that we will not kill any Wesen or Kehrseite unless in self-defence."
"A fair offer," Sean said. He was silent for a few moments, acting as if he were thinking it over. They both knew he wasn't, and Jacob let out a sigh at the manipulative display. "Alright. If you two stay under the radar, I'll do what I can to keep you out of the spotlight."
"Thank you, Sean." Jacob hung up, shoving his phone in his jacket pocket.
Getting out of the car, he looked up at the sign hanging over the door. 'De Vries Bookstore' it read in fine, flowing script on a warm green background. The stained-glass exterior depicted two mighty cats, a tiger and a panther, rampant over an opened book with wavy lines on its pages in place of actual words. Jacob opened the door and stepped inside.
The establishment had an antique aura about it, with beautifully carved wooden shelving, Persian carpets, and a majority of titles best considered collector's items. At the front desk, halfway down the right-hand wall, stood a man in a striped shirt with a brown sweater vest, smoking a pipe. He looked past the rims of his round glasses, and Jacob saw recognition.
"Hello, Joris," Jacob greeted, walking over to the counter.
Taking the pipe from his lips, the other man said "Hallo, Mr. Carter. Good to see you." Though he affected a welcoming smile, Joris' eyes conveyed equal parts professional courtesy and healthy distrust; in his eyes, Jacob was just another customer, which he was just fine with. "I must say, I was looking forward to your visit. We don't get many Wesen customers these days."
The reason for that walked into view a half second later.
"Is this him?" Joris' wife, Camila demanded as she joined him. She was beautiful, with dark skin and flowing black hair that she let run down her back. She was also fierce, with green eyes that seemed to bore into Jacob's skull. "How do we know we can trust him? He is a stranger!"
"It's alright, love," Joris soothed. "Jacob is a friend."
"Is he?" Camila countered. Looking back to Jacob, she Woged, tilting her head back. It grew larger as her dark skin gave way to brilliant orange fur decorated with distinctive black stripes. Her green eyes became red and her mouth became filled with sharp fangs, while her fingers sported long, vicious claws. The beautiful Rißfleisch bared her fangs, growling at him.
Jacob inclined his head in respect at the display. He then Woged himself, feeling the great wave wash over him as his head morphed into that of a mighty lion and his thick, chitinous tail sprouted from his spine, emerging from under his jacket. He took a step towards the counter, his tail twitching for emphasis. He growled, his voice much deeper.
Camila took an involuntary half-step back, nervously eying the scorpion stinger Jacob sprouted.
Joris sighed, removing his glasses as he, too, Woged. He jerked his chin, and he grew dull white fur over his skin with black spots. His eyes became amber-coloured, and he grew whiskers on his upper lip while his mouth sported sharp fangs. "If we are all satisfied," he said, his voice noticeably deeper, "can we proceed?"
Jacob nodded, as did Camila. All three of them Woged back to their human forms, looking like three people having a normal conversation.
"I've got a job for you, my friend," Joris told Jacob. "A local private security firm with almost no compunctions has agreed to take you on. I figured with your particular…gifts, that sort of work would suit you. Give you a chance to get out of the house." He handed him a sheet of paper with a series of contact information.
Jacob nodded. "Thank you, Joris. Truly. There are almost none who would help anyone like us. It's gratifying to know Louise and I aren't the only ones."
Joris smiled as Camila wrapped an arm around his waist. "Life does have its mysteries, no?"
"That it does." Jacob reached into his inner jacket pocket, producing a manila envelope that he slid across the counter to the other man.
"Mama?" someone called.
The trio turned to look at a door to a set of stairs that Jacob knew led to the upper level, where Joris and his family lived. A young girl, no younger than ten, stood in the doorway, her black curls framing an adorable face that possessed Joris' eyes and Camila's face.
"I thought we were going to read a story."
"Of course, mi amor," Camila said, walking over to the girl and hoisting her into her arms. The two of them ascended the stairs, leaving Jacob with Joris.
"You have a beautiful family."
Joris smiled. "Ja. Few men are luckier than those who know the love of another, fewer still who know the love of something so precious as their child." He gestured to the bookstore and its contents. "All these books are highly valuable to any collector, their worth in literature and history nigh-comparable. And yet, the thing I most treasure is upstairs in my home, listening to her mother telling stories.'
Jacob nodded. He could relate to what the Pflichttreue was saying; though he had been hunted most of his life, forced from the only home he'd ever known to run across the world in fear for his life, his love for Louise kept him strong. He could sacrifice anything, so long as she was in his life. And yet, after all this time, he could never give Louise the greatest gift of all: motherhood. Fate had somehow seen fit to curse them, along with everything else, with the inability to truly create a family.
"Compared to love such as that, what is a trivial matter like marrying outside one's breed? Should we all be forced within the spheres society creates for us, or should we not pursue that which makes us happy?"
"You are very wise, my friend," Jacob said. "It is a shame that more of us cannot share that opinion." With contact information in hand, he started to make his way to the door. He stopped, then said "Oh, before I forget: can you recommend any local veterinarians?"
Cast List
Joris De Vries: Billy Burke
Camila De Vries: Zoe Saldana
Anna De Vries: Dafne Keen (Laura/X-23 from Logan)
