Kendra in full hiking gear and her heavy pack briskly walked to the post office in town.
"We're cutting is close D-man. I hope they are still open so I can get my box of fresh supplies a day ahead of time," Kendra noted scanning the small town to get her bearing.
Dyson whined and trotted beside her.
"Well you can play with Coco and friends tomorrow when we hit the trail again ok?" Kendra offered. "So glad Mia book a hotel room for us tonight. God I need a shower, and you too."
Dyson whined and pulled his ears back.
"Oh quit it. Jumping in every lake and stream you see doesn't count. And the WORST parts about it is that I had to help you bathe and groom you according to your sexist Dire Wolf life mate rules. You got so much matted hair each time I combed it out and YOU always shook water all over me every time," Kendra admonished.
Dyson panted and sneezed.
"Oh you think that's FUNNY. I think it was YOU that took my one and only bathing suit I hung to dry. It's already bad enough I had to sleep with you naked every night in my cramped tent. Well I guess it is better than sleeping with you naked outside for mosquitoes to eat me alive."
Dyson just loved his life mate. She obeyed the duties of a Dire Wolf life mate to the letter. Getting her naked in the ponds and streams during bath time, that was a bonus. All it took was for him to bury her swim suit their first night together. She wore a conservative 1 piece but she was so muscular and toned, he could not help but to get more of her.
Dyson knew that Kendra was all his since she paid 100 percent attention to him, but every night, he could tell that Kendra resisted the urge to turn her phone on even passing towns with good signal. She was fighting to stay disconnected. He did notice that as time went on, it was easier and easier to stay that way and for once Kendra, only having herself to worry about, found something rare.
PEACE.
As the days passed he could tell her demeanor changed. Before it was FIGHT to the death, but now it was, acceptance and living in the moment.
Harmony.
This journey was good for them both.
Dyson actually got to meet his friends again that he made in his brief outings. Only now, not only did he get to interact with them more, some traveled with him. His consistent friend in was Coco, the escaped Liger from the zoo. It turned out that he picked up her trail a long time ago and was avoiding her since she was 1000 pounds of pure beast from what he heard initially. Bears would be no match for her. At most the same weight, Ligers were more agile and quick and packed a hell of a wallop; definitely no match for a single Dire Wolf. One needed a pack or 2 of Dire Wolves to surround it and take it down. Death to several Dire Wolves was guaranteed in that scenario.
For Dyson however, with his life mate Kendra in the same vicinity, he made sure she took all the right trails since this Liger knew all the majors trails too it seemed. She was staying out of sight and was probably the reason she remained undetected by humans. Unfortunately, with Kendra hunting with him, he needed to keep her a very safe distance away. After some days of this, a meeting was inevitable.
Oddly enough though, by him constantly scouting ahead, he did run across her with help from his fox and wolf friends. Sure he could not talk to them in detail since they were less developed, but when they scampered away or hid like their lives depended on it, he got the clue.
To say their meeting was tense was an understatement. She was above 1000 pounds and she seemed well fed. She had just taken down an elk and was eating. The larger wildlife feared her as it should be. He'd make a good snack and that is why he observed her from far away, but from observing her, she did a move that surprised him, she backed off and offered her kill to him.
She was somehow alerted to his presence. He thought he did a good job of covering his scent and staying camouflaged.
To share a meal with someone that could make you a meal too in milliseconds was a first and from that start, they become friends. He introduced her to Kendra to ensure that Coco knew she was his other half and Kendra after initially almost using her Glock with special ordinance hesitantly accepted. It became almost a normal day where Kendra got to hike with a 100 plus pounds Fae Dire Wolf and 1000 plus pounds of Liger backup nearby. At least he felt a lot better sleeping with Kendra at night since Coco slept in the area too.
"Why can't you be more like Coco? She seems to stay clean all by herself AND she hunts and sleeps alone. Well you hunt with her too, but I just think you're mooching," Kendra chuckled. At least Coco helped Dyson get his meals so she didn't have to hunt or cook as much for him, yet another stipulation in the rules for Life Mates. How archaic. She wondered if anyone did these things at all these days, but she loved Dyson and would do what it took to make him happy.
Kendra found the post man driving away towards her and she flagged him running up to him. Apparently he has just closed the post office.
"Hey! I'm sorry for doing this, but I was wondering if I could get my box from in there?" Kendra motioned to the closed rink dink building.
The man just formally said, "Sorry Ma'am, I closed several minutes ago. You'll have to wait until…."
Dyson sat down next to Kendra and observed the man in his car and he stopped talking like he was trying to put puzzle pieces together and he looked at his windshield and there, under his mirror, hung a patch with the insignia of Captain with the letters 'Shaw' underneath it. He remembered that Mia was not only going to make calendars, but she was contemplating other trinkets, and THIS looked like one of them.
Kendra wondered was wrong with him. Dyson was a little set back but he tiled his head like he noticed something.
"What name do you have the package under?" The lanky red headed post man asked carefully.
"Trail name of: Cerberus," Kendra offered but he kept swapping glances between her and Dyson. She was missing something and it was Dyson who pointed his front paw towards his windshield. She could barely read it, but it was a near exact copy of HER uniform patch. MIA. She made these and he was a fan of her.
"…. I'm not on official police business, but you already know who I am," Kendra smirked batting her eyes to looked as 'Kendra' as she could and posed like she did in the calendar shoot with holding Dyson. She was still a little unkempt so she didn't know if she would pass.
The man was flabbergasted and stuttered, "Y… you're K… Kendra Shaw? CAPTAIN Kendra Marta Shaw of the 69th and 39th Precinct. And your police dog D-man?"
Kendra answered by setting her back pack on the ground and pulling her out police ID and badge. Sure she was inactive, but needed it in case authorities questioned her about her Glock.
He held her badge like he was holding onto a precious sanded castle he wanted preserved. He read it several times and finally, as if pained, gave Kendra's badge back and just said, "I'll see you at the post office and get you your box, Captain."
"Just Kendra," She smiled and waved at him as he turned his car around.
After he left in a hurry to open back up again, Kendra just said to Dyson, "Wow, never knew I could use my fame for this. I gotta thank Mia later, BUT I bet he is calling all his buddies right now that I'm around."
Dyson barked happily.
"YEA better stop that somehow. I'm like Tamsin remember? Antisocial?"
Dyson sneezed. He found it humorous that Kendra was antisocial, Wolves were social in general.
After signing 2 of postman's calendars who went by the name of Terry in exchange for total secrecy as to her current location, even posing for a selfie, Kendra had time to review the finished product.
Needless to say, this was the first time she got to see these 2 calendars and Mia did a damn fine job of making them. They were professional grade and Mia did like the promised, she didn't air brush her as much. Her scars were just there but Terry would not stop talking about how she got specific ones. Bo was correct, to Terry at least, these scars are badges of courage. He was just short of drooling all over her and she could tell Dyson was in the back smirking, probably laughing his ass off.
Kendra upon quick review found that not only was each photo a testament of how strong both Mia and her were, it also elevated them to almost runway models. Mia was the perfect one in terms of her body, but at least Kendra was not just degraded to just being a piece of meat. She'd have to thank her later. In any case she was on her way to the hotel with her care box in hand. Terry offered to give her and Dyson a lift, but the less he knew about her actual location for the night the better just in case he let people know.
It was good to take a shower with real running water. She took it for granted. That week was hell for her. Not only did she have to survive backpacking, she had to care for Dyson too. Lucky for her Mia taught her well. The first couple days were the hardest, but after that, she was ok. She resisted the urge to call it quits. This was for Dyson and she wasn't going to just give up.
Dyson still had the call of the wild so she let him be. After he saw her to her room, he left to be with Coco probably. Kendra didn't stop him since she knew he'd be back in the early AM. Besides, it was a good break to only pamper herself for once.
Kendra shook her head and said to herself drying off in her small hotel room, "He always wants the girls he can't have. Ummmm at least he has good choice in women."
She did take comfort that she was his at the end of the day. She gave him his shots on time without fail in hopes that he would shift back at least before the end of the world came. It was a hope, but she had to be hopeful for it to happen.
Kendra began to lose count of all the women he knew and hung out with.
Bo was very powerful and a goddess in her own right. She was fair and just and stuck to her ethics like super glue.
Coco. A liger but it seemed that even though this Liger wasn't a Fae, it seemed to understand Dyson and her well. Coco may have rudimentary human language and/or body reading abilities. From where, she probably guessed the zoo of all places. There it got to observe all the humans she wanted. As for her power, to take down an Elk with one swat, THAT was power. To sneak up on one, THAT was extreme stealth. D-man got to hunt and play with a friend that was oddly not even remotely close to his species. At least he had his own 'pack.'
Her? She felt a little out of place, Dyson seemed to latch on her since she was the most powerful of them all it seemed. She never really thought of herself that way, but Dyson said so in his last words before he shifted. He loved her of course and fought against the life mate bond he had with Bo. THAT took strength and determination. To take the risk to be his one and only for her short human life span? That took guts and heart to know that he'd be alone the rest of his life long after she was gone. They'd be no more life mates for him.
Kendra, still wrapped in a towel, popped a new battery into her phone which Mia put in her package which helped immensely. Her phone was nearly dead and it got it online fast while she charged her dead one.
Mia? SPEAKING OF. Before the trip, Dyson was getting along with Mia well and there were times when she SWORE Dyson had a thing for her on a lust level. If she was really that close to D-man, she'd be a good choice as well. She was BRILLIANT, smart, and most of all a born leader. She no longer hesitated and made more sound and ethical decisions that her. Mia wasn't a Kendra that laid waste to everyone that wronged her. She had a good balance of force vs. peaceful negotiations. Her relationships high up in the Dire Wolf clan, her reverent respect she already had with humans, and her job to keep peace in the Fae world made her one of the most well connected and respected people around. Most of all, she never forgot her human roots. For Kendra, she was her CLOSE CLOSE companion, maybe lover at least for now and she liked it that way. For Dyson, what was Mia to him? A good friend? A sister? More? On the other hand, what was Dyson to Mia? Was it an 'undefined relationship' just like Mia was to her?
Should she define her relationships now?
Was it even necessary since the end was coming for all the them?
She knew that Mia would tell her if Dyson started to make moves on her but the bigger question again was if she'd allow it and to what extent.
Kendra missed Mia however on the trip. She missed someone to talk to that talked back. Most of all, she just missed her on a deeper level and with the time apart her heart knew someone was missing. It wasn't to say Kendra was unhappy with Dyson, it was to say that she was missed.
Kendra's hair was still a little damp in the towel on her head so she took it off and hung it on the chair and right at she did her phone rang with a request for a video chat.
It was Mia.
The detective smiled broadly, set the phone on its kickstand on the small around table in front of her and fixed her hair quickly crashing into the chair. She still had to muse why she tried to look good for Mia when Mia saw her in her more unkempt states.
Finally after a couple of rings faced the phone and answered it with a wave, "HEY Mia! I just put in a fresh battery from the package you sent me. I was just about to call you."
Mia waved back somewhat formally but her face said it all. Mia missed her too saying, "Hey Kennie, How are you?"
Kendra just chuckled with a grin leaning forwards cradling her head in her hand with her elbows on the table , "I could spend ALL day in the shower. Running water is SUCH a blessing. Hey but I survived right?"
"Yes you did. See nothing you couldn't handle. How was D-man?"
"He loved it. He gallivanted around like he was in heaven. He made forest friends and OH OH! You know that escaped Liger from the zoo, Coco?"
"Yea yea?" Mia leaded forward to her phone anxiously.
"Dyson found her and well, I don't know how he did it, but they are the best of friends. Unbelievable right?" Kendra mentioned anxiously.
"REALLY!"
"No don't worry, Dyson made sure to introduce her to me and I almost crapped in my pants, but, Coco helps Dyson hunt, so less burden on me to hunt with him. You know those pesky life mate rules written like from the stone ages that can't see women as more than home makers," Kendra waved it off.
"Wow, so where is Dyson now?"
"Guess."
"With Coco?"
"Yea, so I get to have a day to myself," Kendra found she sorely missed Mia and needed to talk to her and finally changed tact, "Hey Mia? I missed you."
She could tell Mia missed her tot by her displaying her cutest 'god I'm gonna melt' expression and with restraint Mia admitted, "I….. I thought about you a lot. I missed you too. Did I ever tell you that I love you?"
Kendra cocked her head and replied, "Yes and I love you too Mia." She could tell the Mia was holding back and so was she. Phones didn't quite convey what they needed to convey even with the video chat. There was simply a lack of humanism, touch to be exact. She wanted to hold Mia and Mia looked like from her eyes, that she wanted to rip her clothes off. She quickly followed up, "So when are you coming up to take this towel off me?"
Mia just gushed and turned a little red, Kendra observed and she hit the nail on the head with her blurting out, "Emmm NOW! Crap but I can't. Gotta finish up something here. Oh yea, better salute me when you see me."
"Huh?" Kendra thought, "And why would I do that?"
"I out rank you," Mia smirked like she knew something.
"Oh yea, just because I'm inactive doesn't mean my rank no longer applies. We're both Captains."
"Nope only you. Say HELLO to you new COMMANDER," Mia announced raising her hands into the air like a rave dance party.
Kendra laughed, Mia seemed to be the better dancer than her and was impressed. "OK Commander Tate of the party scene. Congratulations."
"Yea and one of my first orders of business is to do more raids in my now expanded command of human districts. We can talk about it later today, but before that, I need to issue an order to a stuck up Captain formerly of the 69th," Mia smirked manically.
"Oh yea? What would THAT be?" Kendra dared knowing she was talking about her.
"Captain Shaw, I want you to drop your towel on the ground NOW," Mia ordered.
"Yes ma'am," Kendra said quickly reaching behind her to grab the towel she use for her hair. She showcased it to Mia and dropped it on the floor knowing FULL WELL what Mia was asking for.
"Ohhhh Captian," Mia growled, "I meant drop the towel you are wearing."
Kendra just shimmied her towel a little lower to show plenty to cleavage but really showing anything saying, "Drop my towel I 'm wearing. Yes Ma'am"
Mia was getting frustrated and Kendra relished riling her up, "Take off that towel on your body and toss it to the bed. Now Captain."
Kendra feigned ignorance and said innocently, "But Commander, I'm naked under this towel."
"DO IT!" Mia was flustered.
"Yes Ma'am," Kendra barked back pulling off her towel with one hand but covering her breasts with an arm across her chest.
"You… you.. EVIL… I'm gonna charge you with … with insubordination, dereliction of duty…."
"I'm sorry commander, why don't you come here and SHOW me what I need to do," Kendra relayed knowing full well the Mia was about to jump into her truck and break all the speed limits to get to her.
"With with being out of uniform, conduct unfit for an officer. You EVIL.." Mia just kept spitting out exasperated until Kendra revealed a little of her brown on her sunflower which made her loose her place.
"So come over and SHOW me what I am supposed to do as a good Captain. By the way, if you slip your hands past your lightning bolt, I might do the same," Kendra offered.
"Ugggggggggg!" Mia's face contorted in agony but by the neediness riddled all over her face followed by pleasure, she was doing it and wow, she wanted her bad. REALLY bad Kendra mused.
Kendra didn't follow but what she did do was stroke her bare chest for Mia to see, at times rolling her tips.
Kendra then took control, "You want to ravage me don't you?"
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeees!" Mia grunted.
"Have you been faithful to me?" Kendra asked. Not that a no was unacceptable, it was just she wanted Mia to know WHO was driving.
"YES mistress!" Mia squeaked.
Kendra cupped her breast and brought them together impressed that Mia gave into her already, "How many times this week have you gone 'HAND SOLO' thinking of me?"
Mia was so mind wiped just answered quickly, "Once or twice a … a day!"
"Good girl. NO cresting 'til I say so!" Kendra barked knowing Mia was close.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees," Mia granted in sheer agony.
"Now TELL ME what you plan to do when you reach here. ALL OF IT slave!" Kendra asserted.
"Dominate you into submission. Ravage and fuck your brains out like no tomorrow. PLEASE… god I .. I can't hold it!"
Kendra just jeered knowing that she probably didn't have anything else but needed to keep her at peak a little longer, "I said HOLD IT! You haven't told me EVERYTHING. BAD slave!"
"God nooooooooooooooooo. I ….. I can't….. I can't …. No! I'm gonna.. gonna. Nooooo … don't make me mistress! Please!"
This was odd Kendra noted, Mia did have something she was hiding for her. Was this a good or bad thing? This was WRONG, Kendra quickly thought to herself. Mia wasn't hers like Dyson was and she had the right to have her private life be just that, private. She needed to spin this down and fast.
"Mia, listen to me. I love you and I respect you no matter what. Crest for me sweetie," Kendra sincerely proclaimed.
Kendra had no idea what she just said, but for Mia, the use of the word 'sweetie' for the first time brought her to the point to now return. She crested violently beating her dash while a pop up flashed on her phone screen.
It was an incoming video call from her father.
"Shhhhiiit my dad's calling in. Ugggg"
"He can wait. FASTER Mia."
"Uggggggggg….. "
Kendra chuckled as Mia quickly tried to catch her breath and wiped her hand clean.
"I think your dad wants to tell you he just got the the rank of Major Cock Blocker," Kendra teased.
"Yea," Mia fixed her pony tail hurriedly. "I gotta run. See you later today."
"OK Love ya."
"I love you too Kennie."
Mia hung up and immediately answered in hopes that it didn't go to voice mail.
It took her off guard went she saw her father look of urgency combined with worry when he blurted out, "Mia, is everything OK?"
"Yea? Why?" Mia looked at him sideways like he was b weird.
Grizzal took a couple breaths and then asked calming down, "And how are Kendra and Dyson?"
"Ummmmmm," she paused not sure why he wanted to know.
"Just answer it Mia, I mean them no harm."
"Their fine." Mia shrugged, "I just got off the phone with Kendra and Dyson is out with his friend …" She didn't know if she should be telling him about the Liger.
"You mean Coco the Liger?" Grizzal completed.
"Yes. How do you know?"
"We picked up her scent a long time ago and was going to take her down, but a Liger is no lion or tiger, we needed more of the clan and when we did, we found to our surprise Dyson was friends with it… well her."
Mia then asked carefully, "So why not take her down still? She would make a great trophy from your point of view."
"Yes she would BUT if Dyson is friends with it, it means that this Liger probably isn't a threat to us. Why waste lives and resources on a non-threat. Let the humans worry about that," Grizzal said clapping his hands clean of imaginary dust to say that it wasn't his problem.
"Oh"
Grizzal changed tact and asked, "Is it ok if I see you today. I know we parted in a bad way last time and I don't want that to be it."
Mia wanted that very much, but demurred knowing that she had to meet Kendra.
"I'd love to father, but I have other items I need to attend to. Tomorrow evening?" Mia calmly stated.
"I'll be quick," Grizzal asked pushing.
"I sorry, I can't move this," Mia frowned. It wasn't like she could say that she was leaving to see her friend and lover.
Mia was taken off guard when Grizzal just mentioned, "Look I owe Jessica a walk in the park and now is a good day to do it. So I'll just hitch a ride with you to wherever you are going to meet Kendra, and I'll just ride back with the Major."
"Oooooook," Mia didn't know how to take this. How did he know she was going to see Kendra? That was answered a moment later when Grizzal clarified, "You said you just got off the phone with her, which means she's in a town along her hiking route. She probably needs supplies."
Mia then carefully queried, "And you're ok with that assuming that is what I am doing?"
Grizzal just shrugged, "Kendra is a good friend of yours right? Why not? Kendra is still obeying her exile status."
Mia needed to know his angle. Why was he ok with this? "Father? Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Can't I be? I do care about you."
"And what if you run into Kendra? Are you going to welcome her with open arms?"
"I didn't say that, but I can at least be cordial," Grizzal solemnly stated.
"You're getting weird on me dad."
"Well crazier tuff has happened. No, this isn't an ambush ok? You have my word, no harm will come to anyone you care about."
"OK, meet me at the 39th precinct in 30," Mia finally gave in.
"Done. I'll be there."
Girzzal hung up and quickly cancelled all his engagements for the day no matter how urgent then called Jessica who agreed to pick him up wherever Kendra just to happened to be on her trail.
He knew time was of the essence and it was better fix his relationship with his daughter now before it was too late. He also needed to figure out why Kendra was so sure that all perished and what event was she referring to.
Bo crept behind Tamsin outside against a brick will to a house in the suburbs of a middle class neighborhood.
Tamsin used hand signals to Drake and Alex who diverted to the rear.
'Everything is clear front outside,' Kenzi noted via radio.
'Clear in back,' Dimitri added.
Tamsin whispered to Bo, "Are you SURE you want to do this without the 69th?"
Bo shrugged in her professional pants suit with a standard vest under over her blouse, she had her custom Glock drawn and pointed down. "I heard Massimo is here every now and then so we may get lucky."
"It could just be a safe house," Tamsin checked her watch to give Alex and Drake time to circle around back and report in.
Bo just lowered her sunglasses to see Tamsin eye to eye above her rims and said, "Really? Burst my bubble? Can you say something like it could be the biggest drug bust ever?"
"If it is Bo, we need MORE backup," Tamsin clicked and took in Bo's new look with pony tail. You'd never know she was a succubus. She was fully covered and wore the Jane Rizzoli line of clothing it seemed, professional but functional. Boy did she want to rip her clothes off and frack her silly.
'We're in position,' Drake reported. 'Dimitri is also with us.'
Kenzi zipped up next to Bo and nodded with Stalingrad ready to go.
Tamsin took position in front of the main door with only 2 daggers ready. She still had her Glock but it was holstered. The front door looked well built and would normally need a ram of some sort, but not with Tamsin's powers.
'All teams. 3, 2, 1 - GO!' Tamsin kicked the door and it flew off its hinges.
An all out fire right ensued and it looked like they were expected Bo thought because of their reaction time quickly double tapping someone going for their gun on her Valkyrie's flack.
Tamsin avoided the gun fire and threw her dagger at a blur knowing full well that Kenzi didn't have that type of time to approach from that angle yet. The blurt fell on her back with a dagger in his head.
"DASHERS!" Kenzi announced quickly. These were close cousin's to Kitsunes and where just as fast, higher endurance, but more clumsy. See needed ALL her powers but had to make do with what she had. Three were w left, one approaching Bo and one making a break for Alex. Alex's vine barrier was deploying faster than the dasher could compensate for ended up getting ensnarled and trapped with Drake bringing his Glock up to kill it, if it resisted.
Kenzi with her limited Kitsune abilities charged the last Dasher and lunged forward with her AK-47 with bayonet where it was headed and SHOULD be and low and behold she stabbed something while yanking Stalingrad's trigger at the same time.
Bo didn't know who was who now and it looked like Tamsin just killed a dasher. There were 2 blurs left. One as Kenzi and all she could do was take cover as a bullet whizzed by her.
Tamsin covered Bo's flank with her Glock in one hand a dragger in her other when all of a sudden rifle shots were fired with the blurs becoming one.
Finally and eerie silence blanked them, since pinned to the wall at the end of Kenzi's bayonet was a heavy set Dasher dead but bleeding out everywhere from the stab wound and the fact the Kenzi emptied several rounds into him. Kenzi was on all fours in front of the dead Dasher out of breath bringing up a hand so that no one had to worry, "I'm ok … I'm ok! That sucker was faster than .. than any Kitsune I've ever seen…. Faster than… than…"
Tamsin sprang back up first and pulled her to her feet and jeered, "Ran out of similes for once short stack?"
"Faster than your snarky comments that roll off our tongue," Kenzi completed with Bo coming up from behind saying, "WOW that IS fast."
"Ugggg" Tamsin rolled her eyes walking away..
"Go ahead punk, make my day," Drake dared doing his Clint Eastwood imitation to the last dasher alive trapped and restrained in Alex's vines.
Dimitri finally got up from the ground with pliers in hand behind Alex and just said, "Sorry, had to disarm … how you say? Titty Trap? Was set to go off if they got to switch, or if Alex or Drake took another step forward."
"Booby trap Dimitri. BOOBY trap," Kenzi held in a laugh but Tamsin huffed out a laugh and so did Bo.
He shrugged and said in a more pronounced Russian accent, "Is what I said? Da? Anyway, the setup was very simple. So it was a piece of pie…. WAIT.. slice of…. piece of cake to disarm."
Bo just announced to everyone just as Alex and Drake took the suspect away. "No Massimo, but great job everyone and thanks Kenzi for saving our asses."
Tamsin in her normal wit scrunched her face and added, "I didn't get to spray and pray like Rambo? Darn."
"No problem Bo bear!" Kenzi hi fived her.
"Meth lab in garage," Dimitri noted looking out the opened door to the garage.
Tamsin walked over and assessed from the door. It was a Fae operation in a human region and it did look like Massimo's but this wasn't the 'special' drug Massimo was peddling. Just meth. Tamsin just said disappointed walking away putting her arm around Bo, "Call local PD to clean this up."
Bo nodded in agreement being led to their truck which Bo drove.
What bothered Tamsin however was that normally, these operations used low life thugs to guard their product if at all, but this was not only a low class drug, but the guards were trained and expecting them. Also the elaborate trap which Dimitri disarmed? They didn't seem to have any tech outside which gave them a head up but still. Massimo was adapting quickly. Even had this been a normal group of humans, they'd be in trouble. She'd have to tell Mia about this. Maybe intersperse her new half Fae ex-mil guys in with normal police and SWAT.
What she DID have on her mind most of the time however was Bo. She had to give it to her, she dressed professionally without being slutty. She changed her whole wardrobe because of the bet she lost and did so without complaining. This DID have the unintended side effect of Tamsin mentally undressing her all the time whereas before, Bo was easy to image nude with her tight and revealing clothing, NOW it was a challenge and she relished it and did everything in her powers to plunder her. Even more of a challenge was Bo playing hard o get. She did mean business when it came to taking down Massimo and stayed focused more often than not.
Bo stopped the truck in front of a scenic overlook of rolling hills and valleys below on their way back home and pulled out 2 lunch boxes which she packed that morning. She took off her vest which barely still had the erased imprint of 'Tate' on it. This was Mia's older body armor until less than a week ago which Tamsin insisted she wear.
Tamsin smirked and got the picnic blanket from the trunk and set it down. Bo and her were getting in a grove of married life. She was impressed that Bo was making herself learn how to cook for her Valkyrie. Bo botched up several Scandinavian and Valkyrie dishes, but it was a laudable effort. In the end, she helped Bo fix them and Bo turned out to be a decent cook.
It didn't take long to setup and there they sat eating with a modicum about of words because what did they need to say that wasn't expressed in their bond and almost innate ability to read one another beyond that?
They faced one another and finally Bo spoke, "Tamsin, I can't help but to feel guilty when I feed from you."
"Don't worry Bo, there's PLENTY more where that came from. Thanks to you, I'm a fully Valkyrie now," Tamsin clicked scrunching her face.
Bo put her arm around her spouse and just confessed bringing her in close, "I know, but I want it and I don't. Yes Tamsin, I just can't help the fact that you taste so gosh darn good. Too good I can't resist you. It's also so powerful that it can sustain me for days. I have a confession to make Tammy, will you be mad at me?" Bo put on her best puppy dog expression on.
"Emmmmm Are you going to tell me that you haven't been having any feed sessions on the side ever since you fed from me?" Tamsin guessed and shrugged.
"Yea."
"Iiiiiiiii know. I'm just that addictive," Tamsin glowed stroking her own ego.
"Yea, but I swore I'd never feed from you, but just a little chi from you. Gosh you're so powerful that I can just snack and I'd be full for the day. And when you crest, EVEN BETTER. You make anyone else's chi taste bland."
"Oh I know," Tamsin said smugly. "Please feel free to compliment me more."
"I don't want to tango with anyone else since what's the point beyond an emergency feed? You make me exclusive to you and I LOVE it! I love you and you gave me what I've always wanted; to be totally monogamous. This past week I've been floating on clould 9 because it's just us with no one in between. While I don't prefer to wear pants suits, I'm ok with them now that my succubus tendencies are being more than satiated by you and you only."
"OK. This is all sunshine and roses crap which I don't like because this is followed by dark clouds, and rain the next. Just spit it out Bo," Tamsin urged.
"I can't help but to relate this to the premonitions of your fate. You know I'd never suck you dry on purpose right," Bo held her in tightly resting he head on her shoulder.
Tamsin held Bo firmly as well, "I know." What else was she suppose to say? Fate was fate? But rather than have Bo wallow and regret something that had yet to occur Tamsin added, "We can control the here and now. I want to enjoy us Bo, is that ok?"
"Yes my love," Bo said still disappointed at herself for something she did in the probably near future.
Tamsin knew however how to recover the situation and said, "You know what would make this beautiful scene complete?"
Bo lifted her head and pecked Tamsin on the lips, "What?"
Tamsin pouted and put on her best guilty face so that Bo would be goaded to do her bidding and like a moth to a flame Bo insisted by saying, "Come on Tammy, it could be worse because everyone now thinks my sex drive is gone and that I've become an old maid since I married. And the way I dress now seems to reinforce that theory."
Tamsin huffed out a laugh. That was true if someone was looking at them from the outside as a bystander. Bo did stop 'feeding' from EVERYONE ever since Goddess Bo gave her all her powers back and then some.
Tamsin pouted and waited for Bo to literally almost beg to please her. Finally she asked, "This beautiful rustic scenery could only be made better if you pose for me." It that the intended effect of Bo lighting up.
'Mission accomplished,' she said to herself. Bo was not back in the happy zone.
Bo, flattered to no end, jumped at the chance and leapt up and struck a pose but coyly asked, "How do you want me?" She when said using the link only, 'CONFESS Tammy. Be honest, since this is for you.'
Tamsin got up and said walking the short distance to her tuck pulling out an SLR primarily for crime scene photos, "The way you are now is fine." But Tamsin switched to the link, 'Follow by a slow strip tease, then ending with tasteful nudes.'
Bo added using the link and her aura as a guide, 'Gratuitous slutty nudity?'
Tamsin just adjusted the camera and took a couple test shots of Bo and didn't way a thing.
HOWEVER, Tamsin's aura and all indications SCREAMED yes Bo observed and taunted, "Are you going to bring these to work?"
"Yep. You're so photogenic. OF COURSE. I'll even should the whole gang," Tamsin clicked.
'BAD GIRL!'
'Iiiii know.'
'Blow my cover?'
'YES'
'EXPOSE me?'
'Oh heck yea.'
'God Tamtam, you'd compromise my position?!'
'LOTS of compromising positions but I'll tell you what, you can have your badge and arch ring to show how SPECIAL you are to me. Hey and it SOME cover, ok?'
'BAD Valkyrie! But yes Tamsin, please let me yield to you and only you. I love you and let me make you the happiest Valkyrie ever.'
Tamsin just said verbally, "Ok a little to the right and smile?"
"Sure," Bo said stepping to the side.
'I love you too Bo,' Tamsin replied as Bo began to undo her top blouse button.
Bo made sure to gauge Tamsin's aura to see how much of each pose to maintain and it was a big compliment when she found that Tamsin wanted more pictures of her fully clothed just a little sexed up. Tamsin still wanted the other more revealing pictures but it seemed that Tamsin was more interested in capturing her soul instead.
An even bigger surprise came when Tamsin setup of tripod with a remote shutter release and posed with her.
The SLR was now capturing something that Tamsin never wanted to show ANYONE; their love for one another captured in time Bo realized.
Tamsin hated pictures, but love, TRUE LOVE, was something never meant to be hidden. It was meant to be yelled from the tops of the hills and shared with all. She was unafraid of love now and would follow it to whatever end.
Finally Tamsin said, changing memory cards and batteries, "OK Bo, that's all the pictures I need. Thanks."
Bo was stunned, Tamsin didn't want the more risqué pictures and Tamsin's aura confirmed it. Tamsin just 'PLAYED' the former Tamsin that had to be dominant, but in actuality just wanted to capture her. Not as a succubus, not as a nude model, but as a person. Bo just gushed with admiration at what Tamsin was doing and led Tamsin out to the field hand in hand.
Bo then asked with puppy dog eyes, "Can I get some pictures of you, just you please?"
"Of course," Tamsin clicked striking a pose.
Bo setup the camera and shot away. She wanted to capture Tamsin's soul too in several hundred shots.
In the end, after packing up all the gear, Bo stopped Tamsin for folding up the picnic blanket and professed, "I love you Tamsin. May I make love to your beautifully pure soul as my equal?"
Tamsin darted her glance away in embarrassment and immensely flattered at the same time. NO ONE described her that way EVER. Bo was being honest though and with Tamsin nodding and tears welling in her eyes murmured, "I'm the luckiest Valkyrie in the universe."
In a rare turn off even, Bo and Tamsin took their time learning each other curves with all their clothing on but whispered between their hug and kisses that their hearts wanted to say. Sometimes they were affirmations of their love for one another and other times, each confessed what they where they saw each other in the future including their daughter's, totally ignoring fate.
Why? Was it hope?
Not really. It was true love but love is:
A shield
One's power.
One's soul.
Perseverance.
LIFE.
Forgiveness.
Joy.
Eternity.
Oneness.
Bliss.
And Harmony.
BUT most of all, LOVE included but was greater than HOPE and even SEX.
Tamsin and Bo crested at the same time fully clothed much to their own chagrin only grinding on each other when it suddenly swooped over them. It quickly changed to affirmations of how much they desperately loved and needed one another in their heart of hearts.
Only love this powerful could do that with a cathartic release of emotions all melding and being seared into the truth of their being. Thus, proving that polar opposite souls could become one.
For it was fate that they found one another.
It was destiny that they fell in love.
And finally, it was true love that held them together and that true love that needed to see them through the approaching storm.
Grizzal and Mia had a great time just shooting the breeze laughing away in the truck on the way to meet Kendra a couple hours before the sun set.
Mia drove while Grizzal took the passenger seat.
It turned out that Kendra was near a large lake and was a place he visited before with great expansive scenic views. For Grizzal, he didn't want to insert himself into Mia's and Kendra's time but time was apparently something they didn't have. Mia and the whole gang was training hard as if preparing for a war.
Grizzal, now having time to think about Kendra and Mia after the wedding, had several thoughts as to their relationship. His first reaction was to tell Mia to cut all ties with Kendra, but even as his daughter, her knew if it came down to a choice between Kendra and him, she'd probably choose Kendra. Why? They shared a bed, which probably meant they were EXTRA close especially if scents transferred. Also the way Mia talked about Kendra with admiration and looked up to her made him fear the worst, they were involved sexually. Dyson had to know.
For the past week, he just wanted to not think about it and stay away hoping it was a fling since distance would be a good thing for Kendra and him; but he still could not get over the expression of pain scrawled on Mia's face when Kendra agreed to leave into voluntary exile with Dyson. He didn't want her to be in that pain again and that is why is adopted her.
Now that they were ok with each other once more, Mia shifted to talking about sometimes humorous stories about Kendra and how resourceful she was which then shifted to her commitment to Dyson. It also touched on the fact that she was faithfully executing the role and rules of a life mate even though it was no longer obligatory in this day in age.
In this case Grizzal just listened the best he could and no longer forced his will onto her. She was already too strong for her arm to be twisted nor did he want to.
For Mia, this was cathartic. She got all the stuff off her chest that she had been holding back from her father minus her relationship with Kendra which maybe some sort of triangle. She noted that her dad didn't judge her and seemed to want her to be happy which was a relief.
All good things had to come to an end though when Grizzal asked, "You know my view of Kendra and normally I'd throw in several insults about her, but I can't let one event shape her as a person. You see Kendra, all of her, good, bad and ugly, and for you to still be by her side. I just am trying to accept that."
Mia nodded nothing the change in the wind. It was her father's turn to vent.
He then added, "Last week at the wedding, I'm sorry. I was stunned to find out that you and Kendra were …. Together … with I assume Dyson's blessing."
"Yes," Mia meekly answered knowing this was going into 'hot' territory.
"She has the name 'Widow Maker' because of what she did to us at Canal Street and after researching her past, it was fitting. Will you follower her even if it meant your end?" Grizzal asked afraid of the reply.
"I am committed to her father. I'm sorry. Yes I follow her and Bo to whatever end," Mia hated to say.
There was a long pause and Grizzal just spaced out looking out his window and finally said, "I never told you that I was once with an Elf."
Mia glanced at her father wondering about the change of venue, but roll with it adding, "According to all records, you never picked up a life mate."
"Yes because at the time, I was rising quickly in the Dire Wolf ranks and I followed their rules to the letter. I wanted to be the model Elder and wanted so much to be on that council. Heh, I met her, Elena, in the battle field accidentally when we went against the Aswangs and Vampires. It was a bloody battle, but the Elves wanted everyone off their home land and were killing anyone that even passed through it.
The elves knew that the victor would most likely plunder their resources and kingdoms.
She was on the ground bloody fighting for her life about to be bitten by a vampire and I changed him and ran may sliver plated sword thought his heart.
Then I proceeded to go hand to hand with an aswang not far away when 2 of them with wings dropped from the tree line to kill me. I was too far ahead of the front line to be adequately covered and I thought I was dead breaking the neck of the one I was working on but they screeched and hit the ground dead, each with an arrow sticking out of their skulls. I whirred around to see who those arrows it came from, since Dire Wolves don't normally use arrows and it was Elena, the woman I saved. She made a seemly impossible shot. She fired 2 arrows at once at 2 moving targets, with both arrows hitting home.
I nodded and was going to get back to my people when several other elves caught up to her with bows loaded ready to kill me. With a simple hand signal she made them stop and ran up to me and told me that she'd allow us to pass through her territory unharmed IF we promise not to harm or plunder them in return.
She knew my rank and status and I didn't know hers at the time. I agreed since in this messy battle, one needed allies. In this case, while we weren't the allies, they weren't our enemies either. I later found out that Elena tried to make that same deal with the aswangs who didn't even listen to her, and the vampire that did wanted to drink her blood. It was the one that I killed.
At the end, we were barely victorious and I made sure we kept our word even though it was tradition we pillage to celebrate our victories. At the very least the Elves helped with our wounded.
It turned out Elena was the chieftain's oldest daughter. She was supposed to stay behind and protect their homes, but she was a fighter and a keen deal maker. Nothing stopped her.
We fell in love that same night, but our love was forbidden. Both by the Dire Wolf council by the Elves."
"Wow," Mia added in awe. This was a LOVE story, one she had never heard, "But the council allows you to take a mate who isn't a Dire Wolf Shifter."
Grizzal chucked, "NOW yes, back then no."
"So, how did it end?" Mia said, her voice lined with anticipation.
" We had a clandestine relationship for nearly a hundred years, but she needed to marry another with Elf royalty for the sake of her clan. I on the other hand was put in charge of a several garrisons which was a big step up for me. This isn't happily ever after Mia. We parted ways knowing that our hearts would be forever incomplete."
"Oh shit," Mia asserted. "Please tell me it doesn't end there!"
"Well no. The clan Elena married into did a power grab a several years later and killed all the tribal members that had pull on hers. Since Elena's clan was weaker they caved but NOT before she murdered the chieftain and several of his aids as the purge executed. Heh, that chieftain though he could keep Elena around as a passive puppet to quell her side. How wrong he was. He underestimated her cunning and fighting prowess she was widely known for.
"Oh my GOD, WHAT happened after that!" Mia was so into the story she HAD to know. Love conquered all right?
Grizzal with glazed eyes staring forward all of a sudden lost all passion in his speech and droned out, "She was burned at the stake in front of all her people as an example for those who felt like rebelling or leaving. And… and I wasn't there for her and I wasn't there for those she cared about the most, her family and clan. I was so into my own life and assumed she'd always be there. I found out a month later."
"CRAP," Mia pulled over with tear brimming in her eyes. This was probably one of the most tragic love stories she had ever heard. She hugged her father and said grasping for straws to get to a silver lining. "Hey at least, some of her clan still exists right?"
She felt her father shake her head as if in shell shock.
"The remainder took poison less than a week later before they had to move on ….. they were extremely loyal to her….. it.. it wasn't a choice to them. I…. I was the traitor left behind," he finally admitted in raspy tone.
Mia was in tears and blurted out, "NO you aren't! You DID what you needed to do you for the good of the Dire Wolf clan!"
"Yea THAT is what I keep telling myself every year in June. I try to delude myself every year I wasn't responsible for the extinction of an entire clan and loss of my life mate. It doesn't help," Grizzal patted Mia's back.
Mia then put it together wiping away her tears and said returning to her seat, "So that's the isolated place in the forest you go to annually every June for several weeks in solitude?"
"Yea, been doing it for hundreds of years, why stop?" Grizzal noted. "It's all overgrown now but to me it's a mausoleum. There I can feel her and clan. We had good times."
Mia felt really bad or her father but noted that where she was lost in the woods as a young girl was close to the location he went to every June. As a matter of fact, she tried not to think about it, but it WAS around June that he found her according to her adopted parents.
"That is how you were able to find me," Mia asked to confirm.
Grin lightened up a little and said, "Yes, I heard you calling for help, but for some reason couldn't ignore you. I wanted your humans to come get you but then I smelled a pack wolves nearby on the hunt. So I followed their scent to you. You were surrounded but you picked up a stick and bashed one of them over the head and cut the snout of another. You looked just like Elena when you fought and in the way you carried yourself."
Mia now had the full story. Her father was seeking repentance and deliverance for his sins every June. He was almost a solitary wolf it seemed when he first met her, but as years passed, it seemed better. There was a silver lining after all. Mia found she was the embodiment of Elena and the love he had for her transferred to her. That is why even with Fae and Dire Wolf rules, he still chose to be her father. Even when her adoptive parents passed, he was still there. He was looking for restitution for his action but more importantly absolution.
Mia turned to her father and then said solemnly and clearly, "Elena forgives you."
"Thanks," Grizzal nodded. It meant a lot to him but he needed to address an elephant in the room and continued.
"The harsh reality of this all is that dying for something and someone you believe in is far better than living behind some excuses like rules. There're all lies because if you do, you will live a cursed empty life fill with regret, sorrow and pain. Don't repeat my mistake Mia. Humans have shorter life span so CHOOSE to live without regret."
Mia was moved and nodded knowing where this was coming full circle back to.
After a big exhale he confessed, "Your ties with Kendra. I will learn to live with them since any problems I have concerning her are mine and mine alone."
Mia looked down ashamed of herself for not being brave enough to come forward sooner and finally gave up her secret, "I had a crush on Kendra ever since I was on the force. It was even before she met Dyson. I know Dyson is her life mate now and I accept that. I'm more than a den mate and Dyson is ok with my status with her."
"And when he shifts back?" Grizzal pointed out maintaining his poker face. Mia was probably an 'interim solution' for Dyson while he couldn't shift back. In a warped way, it made sense but he needed to verify.
"I… I don't know. A part of me knows I have to leave to protect the sanctity of their relationship, but a part of my now knows there is a hole my heart when I do leave. I'm not sure if it can be filled by another."
Grizzal tried his hardest to suppress his anger, disgust and surprise with this turn of events. It was worse than he thought. She was REALLY REALLY close to Kendra. Mia, his daughter, had given Kendra a part of her heart already. It was now WAY too late to back out now but it was her life and she had to live it. All he could do was let go and that was a bitter pill to swallow.
"I can't suggest a course of action but say what you need to say to Kendra and Dyson, don't live with the 3 've. Should've, Could've, Would've. They eat away and eventually steal your soul."
Mia knew to tread carefully but was amazed at her father's composure. She knew it hurt him, but he was being the bigger person for an enemy that he hated; a genocidal maniac.
"Thanks for being patient with me," Mia hugged her father again.
"The end of the world is coming," Grizzal chuckled.
Mia backed up and asked to get his angle, "Why do you say that?"
"Well let's see, you are training everyone so hard like certain death was coming. You forced yourself into the commander's role. And let's not forget, you're with 'widow…. With Kendra and Dyson is her life mate," He counted them off on his fingers. "Let's expect the worst and hope for the best, shall we?"
Mia just sang the best she could repeating what Arin sang, "It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine."
From this conversation alone Grizzal now knew that Kendra's email to him was authentic and by Mia talking to him about their AD server being down at the 69th, he was able to determine that Kendra set her email to send when her account was disabled or deleted via a backup sysadmin account. If that were the case, she either left the 69th or was dead. When the AD server malfunctioned in this case, it sent that email prematurely. It was good in a way. He got more time with Mia and he knew Kendra wasn't insane. She was introspective and carried the regret and guilt for the canal street slaughter. It was a view of her he didn't see, but Dyson and Mia probably could.
He did want to keep her safe however like any father would and asked her to load several sniper and Sig handgun rounds across her magazines that not only had a brass projectiles to kill the enemy in front of it, but it also served as a tracer which lit up the area and showed the path of the round. MOST importantly however was that he never told her that every time she fired one of these rounds, the casing which fell to the ground would emit a GPS location for him to track. If someone or something was going to take down his daughter, they had another thing coming for them. Someone apparently had the effing balls to take out Dyson, his best friend too. At least Kendra was right about one thing in her email. Her death might be something to rejoice over, but at the same time, if by chance Mia or Dyson survived, would he still rejoice in their pain at Kendra's death?
This was all sorts of FUBAR and because of this; it WAS the freaking end of the world.
A/N: Comment fav and follow.
Sea of Fae will probably happen next chapter.