Hamish was down in the vault hunting down all the literature he could dig up on the creature that had been outside her house stalking her the night before. He'd also been more than comfortable to move into her place temporarily. Meanwhile Vera was looking for a method to regain her powers without Alyssa Drake or the Vade Macome. Priorities, it was clear who was more concerned with what.

Suddenly the door swung open, Vera was about to yell at the next acolyte that came in without so much as a knock. "Could you please step out and try that again. I'm not a councilor so unless this is…" She paused seeing Alejandro standing there about to turn around. "I'm sorry, you're back, again, unannounced." She gave an uncomfortable laugh and closed her book before slipping it into her desk. Reaching up for her hair she played with it nervously. "Is there something wrong?" Now what did the council want?

Alejandro paused a moment looking at her. "Did you do something to your hair? You look lively."

Vera sat back, was he using flattery to dampen the blow of some bad news? "No."

"Well, you look lovely regardless. You have a radiance to you today."

"Just tell me what's wrong." She wasn't in the mood for games today.

"No, that came from a place of honesty. You are rather breathtaking today Grand Magus." He paused a moment. "However I do have bad news as well. Kepler is dead."

"What?" Vera leaned forward seeing a sense of relief on Alejandro's face. "Wait, you thought I had something to do with it?"

"I'm sorry Grand Magus but considering she tried to have you replaced it crossed the council's minds. Seeing your honest reaction however…"

She sounded offended now snapping back at him. "No, Bitsy was my friend. We may not have seen eye to eye but she was still my friend."

"Then I'm sorry I had to inform you of her death."

Standing up she straightened her jacket. "Who killed her?"

"That we don't yet know. However her body was discovered just outside of town in an abandoned farm house."

"Could it have been Praxius? They've made attempts on high ranking members before."

"We will look into that possibility. Though I thought you might like to know her throat was slit. She hadn't been killed by magic or a werewolf for that matter."

Behind her the bookcase opened as Hamish came running out with a book in his hands. "I think I found something…" he looked up just in time to see Alejandro. "Grand Magus." Hamish set the book on her desk. "Skinwalkers."

Vera moved in closer to him looking down at the page he was pointing out. Quickly Alejandro approached as well. "What is this about?"

Hamish looked up at him, "A few nights back a creature came to Vera's home and tried attacking her."

"Another assassination attempt?" He asked looking over to her.

"Perhaps, perhaps not." Hamish responded.

"Regardless the Grand Magus should have someone with her at all time. I'll have someone posted at your home."

"That isn't necessary." She tried to cut him off before he offered. "I've already selected Hamish to act as my protection. Not only is he an excellent practitioner but as I'm sure you have read up on he's also a werewolf." Vera looked back to Hamish. "About these skinwalkers."

Hamish got back into his roll. "As I was saying Grand Magus, skinwalkers are a creature known across multiple cultures. They are quite literally practitioners who use the pelt of an animal to change their forms. Sound familiar?"

"Werewolves."

Hamish nodded his head, "and that is just one type of Skinwalker. Any pelt of any animal can be enchanted. Bears in Siberia, deer in old America by native American shaman, wolves in Europe, even lions in Africa. Every continent has their own form of Skinwalker, apparently even crocodile men in Australia."

Vera furrowed her brow as Alejandro snickered. "Now that is something I would like to see."

"Why didn't we know about these other shifters?" Vera questioned.

Hamish grabbed a scroll out and unrolled it. "Once upon a time we did. Skinwalking was a common practice in magic but eventually it was banned much like Necromancy today. Much like the wolves hides the hides of other shifters were destroyed. It's been though that the knights are currently the only hides remaining from this primal form of magic. Our survival likely linked with our connection to the Blue Rose."

"So this one has somehow survived all this time?" Vera asked looking at the scroll.

"I don't know how it managed but it has."

"Sounds like it's a flimsy plausibility." Alejandro interrupted and took a step back with his arms crossed. "But something was at your home and that much we have to take seriously. I'll inform the rest of the council about this and see what action should be taken further." Hamish didn't like the tone of his voice, almost talking down to him and trying to be superior. What did Vera's health and safety even mean to him? If something happened to her they would just replace her. To him she was irreplaceable. "Regardless Grand Magus I take personal responsibility with keeping you out of harms way. I'll ask to be moved here temporarily from the DC Temple just to keep an eye on you as well as work on Kepler's case."

Alejandro stepped forward taking Vera's hand and kissing the back of it while looking up into her eyes. Letting her go he just nodded to Hamish, sort of like you would to acknowledge a pet before leaving the room. Throwing his arm a little dramatically Hamish closed the door behind him still feeling a little disdain against the guy who was clearly trying to make a move on Vera. "I don't like him."

"I figured." Vera cleared her throat and sat back down.

"But he certainly likes you." Which explained the twinge on anger in Hamish's voice, his eyes still narrowed as he looked at the door.

"So I've noticed." Vera pulled out her own book again and went back to reading it.

"That could become a problem."

"Doubtful." She let out a little sigh and flipped the page.

Hamish turned to look at her, raising his brow. She was responding with short statements, was she upset with him? Vera only used short statements when she was upset with him. "You sound confident about that."

"That's because I don't like him." She started reading the page she was on, her finger moving through the lines of text as she mentally translated it. "Things only get complicated when someone who likes you is the same person you also like. Since I don't like Alejandro he won't be a problem, at least not to me." That last part was a tad bit condescending.

"I'm sorry Vera."

"And that is why Hamish you can be a problem for me, because unlike Alejandro I do like you." She looked up from her book with a little smile.

Hamish scoffed, "Like a protege?" Like she liked Jack because everyone knew Vera gave him special treatment. He had a very dangerous book and yet Vera hadn't sent a man hunt out to drag him back here with it kicking and screaming. It would have been in her best interest to, to clean up the mess but she hadn't.

"Oh, no, a little more than that." She raised a brow and went back to her book, a smile still tugging at her lips. So subtle you could easily miss it. "Would you like dinner tonight?"

"Only if you let me help you cook." He stepped forward towards her desk.

"I mean, would you like to go out for dinner tonight?"

"Oh." Hamish was quiet a moment, a little startled she'd asked him out to dinner. Vera was anything but traditional of course. "I'd love to."

"Good, because I know a lovely little Indian restaurant and I've been dying for curry all day. Let's make it a date but my treat." Hamish smiled at her. "And Hamish, wear something nice."

"Yes Grand Magus."