Temporal Illusion

by phoenix catcher

Harry/OMC. Non-human:Harry. Harry finally has enough of being forced into war and tries to have a normal life only to discover his greatest secret and an entire world hidden under the normal one. But with the new comes both the good and the bad.

8. A Hawk's Wings

Temporal Illusion

Chapter 8; A Hawk's Wings

Harry watched as Rashel and Quinn warily looked around them all. They'd arrived at Las Vegas International in all good time along with Jez Redfern and Morgead Blackthorn and their remaining gang. Jez was back to being a full time Vampire by the looks of her even though Harry hadn't raised the issue with her. Harry and Rashel were seriously outnumbered by the vampires but they were all fighters and it seemed that they'd decided that Harry was someone that needed their protection.

"I still don't understand." Quinn frowned as Harry put his foot on his own holdall before Morgead could throw it into the back of the hire car with Jez' and the gangs'. "What are you planning?"

Harry laughed before passing Morgead an envelope. "Open that once you're in the car and do exactly what it says." Harry ordered him. Morgead frowned but glanced at Jez who shrugged. "Quinn and Rashel are going to drive with me. I figured you'd want your gang to yourself after all this time."

"We can't protect..." Quinn started.

"Your job is to protect me. Not Jez Redfern." Harry pointed out simply.

"Harry..." Quinn frowned. "What are you planning?"

Harry smirked and picked up his holdall. "Don't worry so much, Quinn. You'll start looking as old as you really are."

"And when do you get to look your age?" Quinn sniped back. Harry ducked into the back of the car and watched out of the window as Jez tugged Morgead into the front of the other car and their gang piled in with them. Harry leaned back in the seat as Rashel and Quinn slipped into his own car's front seat.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Rashel asked. Harry just laughed even as they pulled out and Morgead pulled out behind them.

They were just crossing the strip when Quinn swore and craned his head around. Harry glanced behind them even as Quinn looked for a place to turn the car around in the busy street. Harry reached between Rashel and Quinn and put his hand on Quinn's. "Just keep driving, Quinn."

"They turned off from the route. They're supposed to follow us." Quinn snapped.

"I promised Morgead that I'd protect his soulmate. This is the best way to do it." Harry told him gently. "Besides it's all just an act for the Night World."

"Oh dear, they lost their wild power." Rashel muttered almost to herself. "Take the pressure off."

"Exactly." Harry shrugged. "And makes them harder to track down. Just trust me, okay?"

"Fine." Quinn grumbled. "But I'm telling Cameron on you."

Harry laughed happily and sat back in his chair with a smile on his face. Cameron was waiting for him at Thierry's mansion and he couldn't wait to see him. "Not a word to anyone else." He warned and let his eyes shut as he savoured the sensation of knowing that he was going to see Cameron soon. Seeing Cameron meant so many different things to him, all complex and all coming from different lives that he'd lived. Cameron meant something slightly different to each of his past lives. To Harry in this lifetime though he meant family and unconditional love. Something that had been in rather short supply before.

They pulled up to Thierry's mansion almost twenty minutes after crossing the strip and Quinn got out of the car looking rather glum though he didn't glare at Harry knowing what sort of effect that had on him sometimes. Thierry appeared in the open mansion doors with a frown set on his face and Harry took in his perfect appearance and his looks that came from an age long gone. He was an ageless being stuck in the body of a seventeen year old. Already Harry's body was older looking than his.

"Ryn..." Thierry muttered before looking around and reaching out a hand in a vague desire for Harry to follow him. Thierry slipped back inside and Harry followed him in while Quinn and Rashel worried about the car and their bags. Thierry turned on him as soon as they were inside but Harry took a moment to look around at the other people that had followed Thierry out into the foyer. Members of Circle Daybreak, old souls, vampires, witches and werewolves that had all been in the Circle far longer than Harry. "What happened? I thought you were bringing them here?"

"Sorry." Harry shrugged. "They gave us the slip after we left the airport. Turned into the traffic on the Strip and they were gone before we realised."

"You lost the Wild Power!" Harry's eyes turned to take in the Vampire that had spoken. Raven Fairgold. He was about six hundred years old or so and was rather up himself in Harry's opinion. There was always one in a crowd.

"We need to send people out to track them down." Thierry stated calmly. "You'd better come explain yourself, Ryn."

"Thierry..." Harry warned as he moved closer to his brother. There was only an inch between them when Harry turned his head to talk into his ear. "Explain myself, brother?" He whispered calmly. "Remember I'm helping here because I love you, not because anyone is giving me orders. I don't have to do a damn thing anyone tells me to."

Thierry froze up even as people began whispering amongst themselves and he didn't move until Harry took a small step backwards. "Ryn, we needed that Wild Power. We need all four."

"Then we need to worry about finding the others." Harry stated simply.

"We'll convene in two hours after lunch." Thierry announced loudly to their audience. "We must decide what we must do next. But keep this to ourselves, we can't afford the Night World Council to find out we've lost the one that we had."

Harry waited patiently as the foyer cleared and then turned to Thierry. "Where is Cameron?" He asked. Thierry spun on him with an impatient look on his face but it softened as he took in the desperate tone underlying Harry's calm words.

"He's on the south balcony keeping out of the way." Thierry sighed as he deflated.

"Come, little brother." Harry whispered and took Thierry's hand and led him out of the foyer and deeper into the mansion. They were perhaps half way there when Thierry suddenly tugged Harry around. The world blurred at speed before freezing. Harry doubled over as nausea hit him. Moving and then freezing like that on instinct took it out of him. Thierry had tugged him into the main library. Harry extracted himself from Thierry's gentle grip and slumped down into one of the soft armchairs. He got comfortable before he let time flow back to normal. Thierry appeared in the middle of the library looking confused and then spun on Harry with a glare. "Don't take me by surprise like that then." Harry argued.

"You planned this!" Thierry ignored Harry's sarcasm and narrowed his eyes instead as he hissed through his teeth. Harry raised a hand and Thierry moved towards him and sat on the arm of the chair. Harry twisted and leaned into his side with a sigh.

"Of course I planned this, Thierry." Harry whispered quietly. "But right now only they and I know where they are and that'll keep them alive. We have them and as of right now our enemy is underestimating us."

"So is all of our own Circle." Thierry sighed before slumping down next to Harry in the arm chair. "You never used to be this devious."

"I've learnt a little bit since we were kids together." Harry laughed and merely leaned closer into his brother's warm side.

"Are you going to tell me where they are?" Thierry asked. Harry laughed and turned to look straight into Thierry's eyes so that Thierry got the hint. Harry instantly felt something warm and comforting flow into his mind and he focused his own effort onto separating the location out from any of the others memories in his mind so that Thierry didn't have to live in Harry's nightmares. It was far easier to do now that he'd accepted all of his lives.

"Interesting idea." Thierry nodded.

"I'm thinking Cameron and I should take some time away together. I've missed him." Harry told his brother. "Tamarack, Jez and Nicky can come too so that Tamarack can be our protection if you have to worry about that. Ash could do with some time off too I think."

"And you want to vouch for him." Thierry chuckled. "I'm not sure he's ready to face her again."

"I've talked to him so many times about her. I can feel his heart bleeding over it. It's time they dealt with each other." Harry told him resolutely. "Now, where's Cameron?"

Thierry laughed but it wasn't long before Thierry was holding the door that led out onto the balcony open for Harry to proceed him through it. Harry caught sight of Cameron just as the young man turned to look at the door and before Cameron could even say his name Harry was across the room and tucked up against his chest, his face pressed into the side of his neck, savouring Cameron's unique scent and just feeling the solidness of Cameron's body against his own. He realised that his entire body was trembling just slightly but a huge weight lifted from his chest. He'd already known how much he'd missed Cameron but now he realised how much he needed Cameron around.

"Shh..." Cameron whispered into his hair as he tightened his grip around him. Harry let Cameron lift him up slightly and the world spun just a little as Cameron sat himself down in a lounger and set Harry down in his lap. "I'm here, babe."

"Cam..." Harry whispered tucking himself in as closely as he could get away with. He ignored the rest of the world and just focused everything on Cameron's sturdy presence and let everything that he was made of resonate with Cameron's presence.

Before he knew it Cameron was lifting his head and stealing a soft kiss from him. "We should get inside. I think it's going to rain." Cameron told him when they broke from the kiss.

Harry sat up and scooted to the edge of the chair before turning to Cameron with a small smile. "I want to just hide away with you today."

"Not a problem." Cameron smirked and Harry felt himself flush slightly at what Cameron's smirk promised. Cameron stood up and pulled Harry into their bedroom and closed the curtains so nobody could see inside before he crossed to the other side of the room and flipped on the dimed lights and locked the door.

Harry had already pulled off his jacket and shirt before Cameron turned back to him and Cameron shrugged off his own shirt so that when Harry wrapped his arms around him they were skin to skin. Harry felt an overwhelming need and his wings arched out into existence behind him. They stretched until Harry felt the walls and ceiling around him, making the room feel tiny, and then firstly his left wing and then his right wrapped around them, caressing Cameron's naked back and enveloping them in pitch darkness.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next day

Harry lingered at the back of the room. He was seemingly ignoring the rather loud meeting as he stood in an open balcony door with a violin in his hand. His eyes were half shut and his hands moved over the strings as he plucked away at a random tune that came to him as he played. The melody was everything that was Cameron to him but because some of those in the room didn't know about Cameron's real involvement in Circle Daybreak he wasn't present.

Everyone knew that Thierry had taken a public liking to Cameron but that was all in an official capacity and Cameron's father was delighted by the promise of a friendship between his youngest son and the oldest Vampire in existence and was perfectly happy regardless of the fact that the rumours suggested that Thierry was aiding Circle Daybreak. Even with all of that though they couldn't let most know about Harry and Cameron's involvement even if they all knew that Harry was around. As far as most of them knew he was merely an Old Soul that had awakened and found his way to Thierry. Most could only guess at Thierry and Harry's past relationship.

This meeting was being held to try to work out what to do about the missing Wild Power but it really wasn't going to get them anywhere especially since Thierry was only sitting at the end of the room with his hands in his hair while people argued their way through one plan after another.

"Ryn!" Thierry snapped. "Would you please stop that!"

"Don't take it out on me, Thierry." Harry retorted simply from his position just a few feet from Thierry's chair. Thierry was at his side in a split second and his hand closed over Harry's left hand and silenced the violin.

"I can't think." Thierry accused him.

"Nothing new then." Harry smirked before shutting his eyes.

"Don't tempt me into trying your blood, Ryn." Thierry warned though the threat fell flat and they both knew it.

"You really want to find out what inhuman blood will do to you?" Harry spoke too quietly for anyone else to hear before he opened his eyes again and smiled at Thierry.

"We need to send someone to focus on finding her!" One of the Witches demanded behind them. "Harry most likely since he's the one that lost her."

Harry ignored her even though most of the others seemed to agree. Thierry let go of the violin and Harry brought it back up but although he touched the strings he didn't make any music with it. Thierry addressed them though even as he left a hand placed on the small of Harry's back. "Since when did you start thinking you could order Harry to do anything?" Thierry warned dangerously.

"He might be new to this organisation but his goals are the same." The Vampire pointed out. "He also might be old but he's new to the Circle."

"And you think that allows you to give him orders?" Thierry retorted.

Harry twisted and set the violin in its cradle by the piano. "You assume our goals are the same." Harry stated bluntly before slipping through the room. He wanted to go pick up Nicky so they could meet Tamarack and Jez at the airport. Cameron would meet them on the plane along with Ash. It was time to catch up to their wayward Wild Power.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

That evening

Because it was far more private they'd all gotten first class tickets on a smaller airline that serviced the only airport within a hundred miles of their destination. It meant that the three groups who 'didn't' know each other on arrival all actually knew each other. Jez, Tamarack and Nicky travelled together as did Quinn and Rashel and finally Harry, Cameron and Ash were travelling as a group. They struck up conversation together on more than one occasion but ensured that the stewardesses got the impression that they were separate groups.

Harry spent most of his time with his head on Cameron's shoulder and his eyes shut as their minds swirled together. Tamarack and Jez were clearly holding hands the entire trip and by the dazed look in Jez's eyes they were linked too although Tamarack constantly fought the connection to keep an eye on the world around them. Quinn and Rashel avoided holding hands in public because of the distraction and part of Harry felt sorry for them but then remembered that they were both so alike that being fighters wasn't really a bad thing.

They landed in a small airport hub that was used for about a dozen towns in the corner of the desolate state they were visiting and soon they hired three cars and drove off in different directions. They each had their own routes and it wasn't long before they met up and pulled into the town together.

"Turn right here." Ash mumbled unhappily where he was sitting in the back with Harry while Cameron drove. Nobody seemed to trust Harry behind the wheel and besides, he thought Ash needed the company.

"You have no confidence in yourself." Harry pointed out.

"First time we met she kicked me in the shin." Ash complained.

"Technically you were hunting your sisters." Harry laughed.

"Who are also there!" Ash complained. "They're going to kill me."

"You're nicer alive." Harry laughed before popping open his door as the car pulled up into the drive. The other two cars pulled up along the road.

"Harry!" Ash complained and scooted over the seat to follow him out. Cameron killed the engine and followed them out before automatically letting Harry grab his hand and melt into his side. "Are you ever not a pain?"

"I'm sweet and adorable!" Harry argued just as a young woman appeared in the doorway. "Is that...?" He started before shaking his head. "Nope, Vampire."

"Harry!" Tamarack gasped as they caught up. "She can hear you."

"Then she can hear you too." Harry grinned and tugged Cameron up the pathway towards the porch.

"One thing I like about Theirry's house?" Ash asked nobody in particular watching where he was putting his feet. "There's less wood."

"What did wood ever do to you?" Jez asked in amusement getting a light slap from Tamarack.

"Some people have allergies." Ash grumbled. "And this porch attacked me!"

"Bad porch." Harry muttered loud enough for everyone to hear him before stroking the banister as Cameron stopped him a few feet from the young woman. "Hi!" Harry greeted.

"Hi..." She frowned.

"Rowan." Ash greeted. "Where are Kestrel and Jade?"

"Just finishing in the back." Rowan told him.

"And..." Ash swallowed thickly and looked down.

"With them and her brother in the back. Except... well the brother is..." Rowan frowned and looked around, her gaze hitting Quinn and staying there."

"Circumstances have changed dramatically since Quinn and Ash were last here." Harry announced with a more mature tone of voice. "May we come in?"

"I suppose." Rowan nodded. "Probably best for this assembly to be somewhere private."

"True." Harry nodded before walking inside when she stepped out of the way. Cameron followed him and then Ash, Tamarack, Jez, Nicky, Quinn and finally Rashel who shut the door. Rowan led them into a sitting room and Cameron pushed Harry into an armchair and sat on the arm. Harry rolled his eyes at the special treatment. Jez and Nicky sat on the sofa with Tamarack on the arm next to Jez. Quinn, Rashel and Ash stayed standing though Ash gravitated towards Harry for something along the lines of protection. Rowan frowned at the movement but didn't comment.

It wasn't long before two young Vampires tumbled into the room. They both looked to be about sixteen or seventeen but the boy looked a little like a gangly teenager in the way he moved and he tensed up instantly when he spotted the humans on the chairs and moved back towards the door. Three more girls slipped into the room, two Vampires and a human girl of about nineteen. He recognised the human as Mary-Lynette by Ash's descriptions and watched her as she spotted Ash amongst the visitors. Her emotions spiralled for a moment, all clear in her eyes. Surprise, relief, joy, confusion and caution. She was overjoyed to have him close but confused about why he was there and nervous about how to act with him.

"You've brought some interesting people here, Ash." Rowan took the lead.

"Please, there's no need to be cautious around us." Harry spoke up drawing her attention back to him. "Ash has told me all about all of you. Mary-Lynette, you especially."

"And you are?" She asked rather sharply.

"Well Ash you know." Harry glanced at the nervous Vampire in question. "And Quinn. This is Quinn's soulmate, Rashel. Then we have Tamarack and her soulmate Jez. My friend Nicky and finally Cameron."

"Cameron Drache!" Rowan gasped.

"Who?" Mary-Lynette frowned.

"Prince of the Shapeshifters." Rowan frowned and looked at Harry. "And you are what?"

"Very old." Harry snorted.

"Your body is mortal." Rowan shook her head.

"True." Harry nodded. "I'm still older than everyone here combined."

"An Old Soul?" Rowan frowned.

"What's that?" The boy, Mark, asked.

"Very rarely there are human's whose souls are reincarnated through the ages. Sometimes they remember their past lives." Rowan explained to the boy and Mary-Lynette probably too. "You can never assume anything with them. I've never met one before though. Not many have."

"We tend to live somewhere between the human world and the Night World." Harry shrugged. "It's rare to find an Old Soul that hasn't been involved in the Night World at some point in their history so they tend to be aware of it even if they haven't been involved in it in their current life."

"And you?" Mary-Lynette asked. "When did you get involved?"

"In the Night World?" Harry hummed. "At the start I suppose."

"What's that mean?" Mark asked.

"Harry predates the culture we call the Night World." Cameron explained. "Before there were Vampires or Werewolves. He's the oldest..." Harry put a hand on Cameron's knee and he stopped talking.

"I'm the oldest Old Soul that's ever been heard of." Harry finished for him. "And rather a lot older than anything else in the Night World."

"Cool." Mark grinned.

"That doesn't explain why you're here." Rowan pointed out. "Or why you brought Quinn and Ash."

"Actually Quinn has nothing to do with this really." Harry shrugged. "He's my bodyguard."

"The Quinn I know would never guard a human." Rowan frowned. "He'd be killing any that knew about the Night World."

"True." Harry glanced at Quinn's tense face but decided not to out Quinn's history with Alexis. In fact it was the Alexis part of him that made him decide not to joke about it. "But people change."

"It took him over six hundred years." Rowan scoffed.

Harry tensed up and narrowed his eyes at her. "There are worse monsters in this world than Quinn. At least he is trying to atone for his crimes."

"And you know all about the monsters of the world do you?" Mary-Lynette suddenly asked intensely.

"Better than most." Harry shrugged.

"So exactly who are you lot and why are you here?" Rowan asked.

"Ah, well nobody else knows we're here. We're taking a short vacation." Harry grinned. "And Ash needed to deal with some personal issues."

"Harry..." Ash hissed in embarrassment. Harry bowed his head to agree to be silent on that matter. At least until he could talk to the two of them alone.

"Well to put it simply we are sort of part of Circle Daybreak." Harry explained getting shocked looks from the three Lamia. "Well officially only Tamarack, Quinn and Rashel are members."

"Then how..." Rowan started.

"Hang on." May-Lynette interrupted quickly. "What is Circle Daybreak?"

"Hmm..." Harry hummed working out how to explain properly. "You know about the different factions in the Night World?" She nodded and so did Mark. "Well the Witches officially split into two groups, Circle Midnight and Circle Twilight. There really isn't much of a difference between the two. Circle Daybreak was an older circle that used to involve humans too but it was outlawed millennia ago by the Night World Council when they created the two laws."

"Not to tell a human and not to love one?" Mary-Lynette couldn't stop herself from looking at Ash as she spoke.

"Exactly." Harry nodded. "Anyway in more recent centuries some have started Circle Daybreak back up again. It caters to Night World Citizens that don't agree with the laws of the Night World. Officially it still doesn't exist beyond rumours. In more recent years more and more Vampires, Witches, Werewolves and Shapeshifters have been falling in love with humans and the Circle is the only refuge they have."

"Okay, so where do the rest of you come in?" Rowan re-asked her question. "Well Jez is obvious. He's all sappy in love with a Vampire who is part of the Circle."

"Harry!" Jez went bright red and even Tamarack looked embarrassed.

"Cameron and I aren't really part of the Circle." Harry continued. "I am aligned I suppose but I don't answer to them like Tamarack, Quinn or Rashel do."

"Why not?" Kestrel finally demanded.

"Their leader is my brother." Harry told her bluntly. "Or at least he was my clan-brother twenty-odd thousand years ago."

"The rumours are that Lord Thierry is involved in Circle Daybreak." Rowan frowned. "That true and is that who you're talking about?"

Harry nodded. "I grew up with him when he was still a human." He paused before continuing the prolonged introductions. "Cameron and I met in England a short while ago and realised we were soulmates. I awakened my previous lives after meeting him for the first time. A response to his presence I suppose. Both Jez and Nicky are friends of mine from England."

"You brought them into this world?" Rowan sounded shocked.

"Well with Jez he had Tamarack. My getting him involved didn't really add anything." Harry shrugged. "And you have to know Nicky to understand. The chance of Jez and I escaping her clutches is almost laughable to consider."

"Right so you're all part of some secret society of human lovers." Mark teased from his place at the back of the room. "Why are you here in particular?"

"There are dark days coming." Harry sighed. "There are a few extremely gifted individuals that are vital to the continued survival of the world as we understand it. Those individuals are being hunted by the Night World who wouldn't be upset if they were killed in the search. We however, and all of humanity, need them alive, safe and beyond anything else, hidden. We found one of these four individuals in San Francisco recently and without the Circle's knowledge I gave them instructions to disappear and come here."

"We've not noticed anyone." Jade, the youngest of the Lamia, frowned.

"They only left Las Vegas early this morning." Harry smiled. "We flew, they are driving. I imagine they'll arrive tomorrow. I wanted to come early to ensure we were gone before anyone in the Night World Council heard of their disappearance so that we could not conceivably be followed."

"We're not fighters." Rowan frowned. "I mean we could defend ourselves against maybe a single trained fighter but against the Night World Council we wouldn't be able to protect them.

"This individual is capable of accessing her powers." Harry frowned. "And even if she could not she is bringing with her the members of her gang. They are all Vampires, trained how to defend themselves."

"That many Vampires in one place?" Rowan frowned.

"I understand if you have reservations about letting in strangers, Rowan." Harry sighed looking far more like the ancient he was. "Perhaps you can make a decision after you meet them. If you are still nervous about their presence then we can arrange another option. I chose here because I was thinking of Ash at the time. Other suitable places might be found."

Rowan looked around at the others of her family but then just nodded at Harry. "We'll see."

"That's all have the right to ask." Harry nodded before leaning over and dropping a piece of paper onto the table. "We'll be staying out at the motel. If you have need of us then you need only call."

"You're leaving so soon?" Mary-Lynette suddenly asked making Ash jump.

"It's been a long day and as you will most likely understand some of us are only human." Harry grinned and Mary-Lynette laughed. "Perhaps you'd be kind enough to show us to the motel? We need to pick up some supplies and I'm not sure what might still be open at this time."

"Oh, alright. Sure." Mary-Lynette looked surprised.

Harry rose up and nodded to Rowan, Kestrel and Jade. "Ladies. It was a pleasure to meet you. Mark, you too."

Mark grinned happily at being included and Rowan showed them all out. They headed for the cars and Harry offered Mary-Lynette the front seat of their car. "Harry..." Quinn grumbled from just behind him.

"You need to feed, Quinn." Harry countered before he could complain about Harry's blatant plan to ditch his bodyguard again. "I'll meet you and Rashel at the motel. You can even pick our room and search it to your heart's content before I get there. Check for sharp edges and the like."

"Not amusing." Quinn grumbled but nodded and slipped away.

"Quinn!" Harry called after him. "What Rowan said about you..."

"What about it?" Quinn frowned.

"You really have changed you know." Harry smiled at him. "Alexis can't compare you to what you were back then anymore. You don't scare me anymore."

Quinn frowned before a small smile crept onto his face. Harry glanced at the silently watching Rashel who smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you, Alexis." Quinn whispered and slipped back to their car.

Harry slipped into the back seat and smile at Cameron. All three of them had heard the conversation. Cameron pulled them out and once they were on the road Mary-Lynette twisted to look at Harry. "Why did he call you Alexis?"

"I used to go by that name." Harry grinned.

"Why'd you change it?" She frowned.

"I didn't." Harry laughed. "My mother picked my new name."

"Harry, stop playing with her." Ash complained before speaking to Mary-Lynette directly for the first time. "Alexis was born back in the late eighteen hundreds in Boston. Quinn was sent to kill him."

She put on a highly confused look. "Alexis was one of my previous lives." Harry explained and shared a quick look with Cameron. "Quinn killed me. Now I'm Harry."

"Wow." She gasped and locked eyes with Ash for a moment. Harry watched the interaction in silence but eventually had to prompt Mary-Lynette for directions.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

That night

Harry walked out onto the porch of the motel with Cameron behind him. It was a warm enough night that Cameron was just in his jeans with a blanket around him. Harry was dressed the same without the blanket. They walked across to where Ash and Mary-Lynette were sitting together like they had been for the last few hours and the two turned to look at them just as Cameron pulled Harry back into his chest and wrapped the blanket around them both.

"You two talking or fighting?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Talking." Ash told him sharply.

"Down boy." Harry grinned properly before moving closer. He looked at Mary-Lynette with an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry if I seem to have thrown you into this."

"Why did you?" She asked. "Ash and I decided it was for the best if we got our problems sorted out alone first."

"You mean you didn't like how Ash used to act." Harry corrected rather harshly. "You didn't give yourself time to find out everything about Ash. I did."

"He acted like a self-obsessed arrogant prick." She argued.

"I did, Harry." Ash agreed with her even though he'd flushed at what she'd said. And to get a Vampire to flush meant he was really embarrassed.

"You were raised to be a prick, Ash." Harry argued.

"Thanks!" Ash gaped at him in astonishment.

"I've met your grandfather remember?" Harry prompted. "James is lucky. His father didn't care about following the family line."

"James?" Mary-Lynette prompted.

"My cousin." Ash told her quickly.

"Who's your grandfather?" She frowned. "Hunter Redfern?"

"More like my great times a thousand grandfather. I'm not sure anyone really knows how far back. He's the patriarch of the Redfern line. I'm just on the bottom of one of the lines." He sighed.

"So is the girl that's coming here soon. Jezebel." Harry pointed out.

"Is it all really so important?" Mary-Lynette asked.

"Have you told her what is happening?" Harry asked Ash.

"Not yet, I wasn't sure what you wanted her to know." Ash looked down at his lap. "And..." He looked to the side at his Soulmate. "I didn't want her to be scared."

"Mary-Lynette." Harry sighed and leaned back against Cameron when he leaned against the porch pillar nearest to them. The temptation to switch their positions and wrap his wings around them was almost too great to fight. He so desperately wanted his wings open and if it wasn't for Cameron's hold he'd really have to fight to stop it from happening whether he wanted to or not. "My first life was around thirty-thousand years ago." Her eyes shot open wide in surprise but she really still didn't grasp that sort of age. Only another ancient like Thierry or Hunter Redfern could imagine what that sort of lifespan really meant. "There are a few other Soulmates over twenty-thousand years old but only a couple of Vampires are twenty-thousand."

"I think you might get a few grey hairs." Ash teased just like he normally did.

Harry ignored him. "I've been around long enough to have witnessed the patterns. How civilisations rise and fall. The world is a strange thing but it runs in cycles. Approximately every ten thousand years the world..." He paused before deciding on the word. "Reorganises itself. Part of that means that a different kind of being becomes dominant."

"I'm not sure I get it." Mary-Lynette frowned.

"Alright." Harry nodded. "I was first born into a world where Shapeshifters were dominant over the world. They had been for ten thousand years. Nobody really knows what happened before the Shapeshifters ruled. Their leaders were vicious and made themselves Gods over the other Shapeshifters and Humans."

"What happened?" She asked almost eagerly. Ash was enthralled by the conversation as well even though he knew most of it.

"I think the super volcanoes exploded." Harry shrugged and gazed off into the distance as a memory of A'Zia's rose to the fore. It almost seemed like he could feel the heat on his face. Cameron caught a glimpse of the memory across their bond, a massive geyser of fire and molten rock bigger than the state of Texas. "We didn't really understand 'fire mountains' back then but at least we didn't think they were fire gods like the humans did. The other humans I mean." He quickly corrected himself.

"What's a volcano got to do with it?" Mary-Lynette prompted.

"Well, one set off another and then another and so on until basically every volcano on the planet was throwing fire into the air. That's the cycle." Harry explained. "But for the Night World it marked when the Witches and Humans rose up against the Amaru, the Shapeshifters. The entire population was almost completely wiped out but the Witches brought themselves victory."

"So they dominated the next ten thousand years?" She guessed and Harry smiled at her.

"I remember quite a bit of that ten thousand years." Harry nodded. "People lived in caves and small villages in clans. Humans and Witches interacted. There were still shapeshifters around but they stuck together and stayed out of the way of Humanity." A flash of Kinen's life spread through their bond and Cameron gulped when Harry remembered the decision to take his own life with the poison. That only made his mind flicker to Liam's death by his own grenade and Cameron choked and held him tightly.

"Is he alright?" Mary-Lynette frowned.

"Have you allowed the bond to open enough to share thoughts and memories?" Harry asked.

"A few times." Ash told him with an upset look as he realised why Cameron was looking ill.

"Cameron is telepathic anyway so we don't have to be fully emerged in each other to share thoughts, feelings and memories but when he's touching me he can't really stop it." Harry shrugged. "I thought of a couple of my old lives and it's not always pleasant for him."

"It's fine." Cameron denied. Harry twisted his head and engaged Cameron in a kiss to show he knew Cameron was being tough for his sake.

"Anyway." Harry continued. "The Witches dominated for ten thousand years before a Witch called Maya turned herself into the first Vampire. She turned others creating the Vampire race and they fought the humans and witches. That's when the cycle turned again. An Ice Age formed and the Vampires were best able to adapt to the changed climate so they became dominant for that ten thousand years."

"Do you remember that change too?" Mary-Lynette asked.

"I was there." Harry sighed. "I grew up with Maya." Mary-Lynette stared at him in amazement.

"Then the humans right?" Mary-Lynette prompted.

"Exactly." Harry nodded. "Essentially the icecaps melted and the sea-level rose. Most people lived near the coast then and those that managed to escape the change in climate lost everything in the process and as the human population weakened so did the Vampire population. Humans persevered the best because of their technology."

"Technology?" Mary-Lynette laughed. "Back then?"

"Humans created technology as you understand it. Even ten thousand years ago Vampires, Witches and Shapeshifters were just taking technology off of them. Their ability to create technology like weapons gave them an edge and the Night World eventually formed to keep them from discovering them. The Salem Witches trials are an example of when it didn't work and most Night Worlders are scared of that concept."

"Don't ask about them." Cameron whispered. "Please."

Harry made a conscious effort to not picture Lucus' death at the hand of Witches but it was still the Lucus part of him, the child, that embraced Cameron mentally and sent him warm comforting feelings. Cameron shifted slightly and amazingly he held him more like he would a small child. That brought a smile to Harry's lips. Cameron was starting to treat his different personalities different depending on what they were like and he was getting very good at recognising which of Harry's past lives was playing the biggest role.

"So our ten thousand years is up?" She frowned. "What's going to happen to us?"

"We don't really know." Harry shook his head. "They all think that getting these Wild Powers, like Jez Redfern, will stop the cycle from changing like it always has."

"Will it?" Ash and Mary-Lynette were both looking at him shrewdly.

"I doubt it." Harry shrugged. "It doesn't work like that and if it did you'd have to constantly push it back. The Wild Powers will be an instrument to protect. They might not even have to do something, perhaps just be there for people to unite around. Or maybe the search for them itself will be the key."

"The key to what though?" Ash asked. "People keep asking and you always just keep quiet."

"I don't make guesses." Harry shook his head. "All I know is that the cycle will change as I've seen it do three times already and when it has changed the world will be different. What I believe is that should be succeed in finding and protecting these Wild Powers the changed world will be for the better. If we fail then the changed world will be for the worst."

"Then why is anyone fighting you?" Mary-Lynette asked.

"Most of the Night World population is under a hundred years old. Very few are old enough to remember even one of the changes. They believe that because humans are dominant now that they must be dominant the next time." Harry looked down at his lap.

"You feel strongly enough about it to want to fight?" She asked the rather loaded question.

Harry sighed and stood up and Cameron quickly followed him up. "I'm going to keep living lives until there's no parents left to have children. Cameron isn't. I'm not willing to risk losing this one chance I have to be with my Soulmate. I won't do that foolishly."

"How far are you willing to go then?" She frowned.

"I'll find that out when I stop." Harry shrugged and turned to go. He paused and looked back at Ash. "There's nothing saying you can't just stay here.

"There's also nothing saying I can't follow him the other way either." Mary-Lynette declared. Ash flinched at the idea of Mary-Lynette putting herself in such danger but he really didn't have any way to argue with her.

Harry slipped away around the motel with Cameron holding his hand and it wasn't long until they were walking through the trees. "Are you sure this is safe?" Cameron asked.

"I'm not human, Cam." Harry sighed and stopped before turning to hug his boyfriend. They were about a mile from the motel by now. Cameron waited patiently knowing that Harry hadn't finished. "I can't pretend to be all the time. I need..."

"I know." Cameron shifted his arms and trailed his fingertips down Harry's spine knowing what that did to Harry. Harry couldn't have stopped it from happening even if he wanted to and his wings unfurled from his back and stretched out into the air before folding around them. Cameron sniggered. It was like somebody stroking you in a very personal place. That part of Harry's back was probably more erogenous as well.

"How about we make sure for certain that Quinn didn't try to follow you?" Cameron asked before picking Harry up by the waist and shifting enough to make his point. Harry grinned and reached down to open both of their jeans. Harry could fly a little later.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Three hours later

Harry let his eyes fall shut as he savoured the feeling of the air thrumming across his wings. He could feel the pressure his wings created and with just a twitch he could direct that into any direction he wanted. There was only one thing better than this and that was being in Cameron's mind, immersed so completely that their thoughts were laid open to one another. But Cameron could only share this wonder through Harry's memories but through that he'd become more and more attracted to the idea of becoming a bird when he chose his animal.

The only thing stopping Cameron choosing now was that he'd always wanted to be a predator so that his brother could remain the gentle soul he'd always been and still be able to rule with Cameron to protect him from harm. Harry knew he was torn between the two but Harry knew which he'd like Cameron to choose. He knew what it was like to have brothers and what it was like to lose them. If Cameron could protect his brother from harm that would make him so happy.

Harry's eyes opened and he twisted to angle back towards the motel. He'd come out to fly tomorrow night as well since it was so dark that even the Vampires wouldn't be able to tell him apart from a bird once he was high enough. He angled towards the dark garden behind the motel but cut his flight shot just by the trees when he spotted a figure on one of the benches. He dropped to the ground even as the world slammed to a halt. The easiest way to get by them unseen was to simply ignore the physics of the world. He folded his wings around himself rather than pull them in since nobody would spot him anyway before walking across the grass towards the room he shared with Cameron.

He was only ten yards away from the figure before he realised he'd guessed wrong. It was in fact two figures and he stared at them for a moment. They'd been out watching the stars together by his best guess but now Tamarack was gently taking blood from just above Jez's left collar bone where his bare chest allowed her full access. Low enough that if it didn't heal it could be easily hidden.

Harry's hands shook and he shut his eyes tightly to control himself. He'd wondered whether Jez fed Tamarack or if she still hunted for strangers. He knew she hadn't fed from Cameron since Jez and Harry had met Tamarack because Harry couldn't stand the idea of a Vampire drinking from his soulmate. He'd thought he'd be happy knowing that Jez loved her enough to take that step but as he looked upon their frozen forms all he could feel was the pain and suffering he'd always felt. He'd never had his blood taken with permission and he felt the need to protect Jez from her so desperately he could barely breathe.

Just like when Sirius had fallen into darkness Harry let the world resume without realising it. He found himself staring at the way Jez's body trembled under Tamarack's lips, he could see Tamarack's muscles shift as he held him still and swallowed down his blood. He could hear the moan from Jez and he choked out a pained gasp and stumbled back. His legs connected with a bench and he almost tripped back over it as it toppled over.

Tamarack had heard his gasp though and she pulled away quickly and turned hazy eyes to focus on him. Jez couldn't focus on anything else but the lingering sensation of their combined minds but Tamarack saw a threat and forced herself to be alert. "Harry..." She whispered as she spotted him.

Harry choked again at the sight of her fangs and flecked eyes and took another step back with a small pained sob. His wings opened wide and he almost tried to get between Tamarack and Jez but she'd placed herself between her soulmate and the threat.

Harry crumbled to his knees and his wings arced up around him as he hid his face and let the tremors course through his body as he cried. All the people he'd been that had been killed just this way. He felt Ryn's throat torn apart. He felt Nicolas being drained dry as if it was happening all over again.

"Tam, get Cameron." He heard Jez tell Tamarack and he felt hands on his midnight wings and opened them when Jez tried to force them apart. Jez knelt in front of him and slipped his arms around Harry but the blood just visible on Jez's throat made Harry bury his face into Jez's other shoulder and cling to him desperately.

"She was drinking your blood." Harry whispered. "I..."

"Panicked." Jez nodded. "Can you put away your wings?"

"Jez..." Harry sighed.

"I know you feel stronger with them but somebody might see." Jez told him. "I'm here though, you've got me to replace them. Put them away, Harry."

Harry nodded and with a massive effort he stripped himself of the comfort of his wings and pulled them into his back. He shivered at the sudden cold over his back and leaned against Jez. "I'm sorry." Harry whispered.

"We knew how you'd react to it, Harry." Jez whispered. "That's why I didn't come talk about it even though I wanted to."

"You wanted to?" Harry pulled his head back with a frown.

"Of course." Jez told him. "You're my brother, my best friend. You mean everything to me, Harry. I wanted to share with you everything about Tamarack and I."

"I haven't been there for you." Harry hung his head and Jez shifted and pulled Harry into his lap and his head under his chin. Jez sat with his back to the bench to support him better and held Harry tightly.

"You'll always be there for me." Jez told him. "I know you've got too much on your mind right now and I didn't want to add to it. But if there was anything I really wanted to tell you I would have. Just not this."

"It's just..." Harry cried.

"Too many bad memories." Jez nodded. "But I don't have those memories. Tam is always so gentle with me and she never forced me or anything. It feels good to me and I don't like the idea of her feeding from someone else when she can feed from me. It makes me feel..." Jez forced himself to stop.

Harry looked up at him and then dropped his head on Jez's bare shoulder. "Makes you feel needed."

"I know you understand that, Harry." Jez whispered.

Harry looked up at him and knew tears were on his cheeks. "I need you." Harry told him.

Jez smiled. "I know you do. I need you too, Harry. Half the reason I'm here is because I want to be with Tamarack and she wants to be here to protect Cameron like she always has." Jez smiled as he looked up away from Harry and Harry turned to see Tamarack and Cameron standing by his own feet. He dropped his head onto Jez's shoulder as Jez continued. "The other half of the reason is because you and I need each other. You need me and I need you."

Harry nodded into Jez's shoulder but tilted his head when Cameron knelt in front of them both. "You okay, babe?"

Harry groaned but nodded. "He just got a little worked up when he saw Tam feeding from me." Jez told him quietly, making it all sound completely reasonable.

Cameron nodded and Harry looked up at Tamarack. "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't trust you with Jez. It's just..."

Tamarack knelt and lightly stroked both Harry and Jez's hair. "Harry, you've got nothing to apologise for. We know how feeding makes you feel because of your history with it. That's why we're careful not to do it around you. I don't take much, just a little every few days to keep myself from needing anymore."

She looked into Jez's eyes and her eyes glazed just a little. Harry looked at Jez who had that same look and he knew they were talking to one another silently. Jez nodded and looked back at Harry. "If you want we'll stop." Jez told him. Harry flinched but Jez held him tighter. "Harry, you look sick just thinking about her feeding from me. I know it hurts you to consider someone doing to me what Vampires have done to you in the past. Tamarack can feed from someone else if it brings you peace of mind."

"Jere..." Harry whispered, putting his face into his best friend's neck as he used the very rare nickname for him that nobody else could utter and that Harry didn't even use unless either of them had just had a nightmare. He tried to find something to say but so much of himself wanted to make it so Jez didn't let any Vampire feed from him. The logical part told him that Tamarack would never go too far or hurt him but such a large part of him screamed at the very idea and it was overwhelming.

Cameron sighed and leaned in to kiss Harry on the side of the head. His mind merged seamlessly and tried to soothe the edges but he shook slightly for Jez and Tamarack to see as he felt the extreme emotions. He looked back up but kept a hand on Harry's neck to keep the connection. "You can't ask him that." Cameron told his own best friend. "He's too torn. He knows it's stupid to think you'd hurt Jez but Jez is his foundation I suppose you could say. He's Harry's fall back when everything goes wrong, even ignoring me. Jez is the one that's always helped him and most of his mind is screaming at the idea of Jez being hurt. He wants to say he trusts you with Jez and can deal with you feeding from it and he's trying to force out the words."

"But...?" Tamarack prompted.

"He just can't get the words out." Cameron sighed. "And he honestly can't deal with it." Harry looked up at Cameron with a choked sob at having Cameron tell them that. The rest could be excused but Harry simply not being able to deal with it might make Tamarack and Jez begrudge him for it. Harry hid his face in Jez's chest and the others fell into silence.

"Harry?" Jez asked after a moment. "You want me to stay with you tonight?"

Harry flinched because that was exactly what he'd been thinking about. He felt ashamed for it because it was as good as saying he couldn't trust Tamarack alone with Jez. "I get it, Harry." Tamarack told him gently. "If you don't have Jez with you tonight you'll panic about him being hurt. At least if he's there you can reassure yourself."

Harry nodded his head and let Cameron lift him up onto his feet. Harry hugged him tightly and kissed his neck. "You alright?" Harry whispered to him.

"I'm okay." Cameron told him. "I just don't like seeing you this distressed."

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered and Cameron didn't bother arguing with him about apologies. Cameron half carried him back to their room and got him into bed and instead of just Cameron curling up with him he had Jez there too. He found himself curling himself up in Jez's side with Cameron anchoring him from behind and although he knew Tamarack was somewhere in the room as well all he could focus on was the two boys in his bed and how desperately he needed them both to be alright.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry woke up when Cameron touched his mind with his own. He was used to Cameron's mind at the edge of his own when they fell asleep but with sleep they separated automatically. Cameron could always wake him by just gently nudging his attention telepathically. Unless he was in a nightmare though. This time Cameron was worried and even as Harry woke he realised why.

Harry was lying with Jez facing him and Harry was still holding him like a teddy bear. Cameron was spooned behind him and Jez had woken Cameron up with the small noises escaping him and the way his limbs jerked. Harry, because of his recent lack of decent sleep had slept through the first signs of the nightmare but knew he'd have been woken when Jez really slipped into one. Jez didn't cry out or scream in his nightmares because they weren't as violent as Harry's but they made him cry and beg because that's what he'd faced when he was younger.

Harry didn't know the number of times he'd been woken by Jez pleading for help with little whimpers and moans. Tamarack appeared suddenly, ready to wake her soulmate and she was just reaching out to establish a mental link through their bond when Harry shook his head slightly. She frowned and pulled back, trusting Harry. Harry pulled Jez slightly tighter, holding him in his arms and started whispering a gentle song. He'd used to hum nonsense to Jez when he got like this but now he knew a few nice songs from his past and it was nonsense enough to Jez to not pick up and focus on words.

The song was a lullaby from Ryn's childhood. Hecate had used to sing it to him after his own parents had died. He imagined the only other person in the world that might recognise it now would be Thierry. Cameron could hear that he was singing and he knew where the song came from and what it meant through the open bond and Tamarack could hear the words but not recognise them. Jez relaxed at the sound of Harry's soft singing and snuggled deeper into Harry's warmth. Harry heard Tamarack gasp in surprise and settle on the edge of the bed and the motion woke Jez surprisingly well now that he wasn't in a nightmare. Jez was a light sleeper when he was in a normal dream because of the number of times that he'd woken Harry from a nightmare but he was like Harry in a nightmare, hard to wake and horrified when they did.

Harry continued softly singing and Jez pulled back just enough to look up into Harry's eyes from just a few inches away. A tear rolled from his face and Harry leaned in and kissed his cheek before letting Jez lean his head into Harry again and wipe the tear away on Harry's shoulder. It was better for Jez to come out of his nightmare first and then wake up. Harry had learnt that a long time ago.

"I didn't know that would work." Tamarack whispered softly. Jez shifted to lie on his back but pulled Harry with him and up to his side like a teddy, unwilling to let him go just yet. Tamarack leaned down and hugged her soul mate, unaffected by his vulnerability because she, like Harry, knew what had caused it.

"It never worked with Nicky." Harry told Tamarack. "Maybe it's just me?"

"I always forgot to suggest it." Jez shut his eyes for a moment and then slid up and looked at Harry even as Harry shifted to look down at him.

"How many nightmares have you been getting?" Harry demanded.

Jez sighed and turned back into Harry and hugged him as if comforting Harry this time. "Just a few." Jez told him.

"Every night when he's alone." Tamarack betrayed her soul mate getting a wince from Jez. "And a few times with me."

"Whenever Tamarack's not around, you're staying with me and Harry." Cameron declared making Jez jump at the reminder of Harry's boyfriend in the bed as well. Harry reached back and squeezed Cameron's hip gently in gratitude before nodding to agree with him.

"You three need more sleep." Tamarack declared before shifting to kiss her boyfriend goodnight again. "I'll wake you all in a few hours in time for breakfast."

"Yes mum." Cameron chuckled and Harry couldn't help the small laugh especially when Jez smiled at them all before turning to hide against Harry. Harry pulled the duvet right up to their heads knowing that Jez would prefer the isolation in order to get back to sleep after a nightmare. He just about managed to see the flash of Jez's smile when he saw the motion and knew that Harry remembered everything about him.

"Thanks, Harry." Jez whispered.

"Always." Harry told him easily. "Love you."

"Love you too." Jez sighed out. They heard a snort of amusement from Cameron.

"Don't mind the boyfriend and girlfriend then." Cameron chuckled.

"Always." Harry whispered into Cameron's mind knowing that all of his different personalities were echoing in that declaration.

"Love you, Tam." Jez whispered knowing that his Vampire girlfriend would hear the words.

"Quiet brats." Tamarack laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next day

It was midday before the San Francisco gang arrived at the house. All five of them looked rather on the nervous side as they got out of the minivan and slowly moved up the driveway towards the porch to confront the group there, though it was split into two subtle groups itself. Rowan, Kestrel, Jade and Mark stood together with Mary-Lynette and Ash between them and where Harry stood with Cameron, Jez, Nicky and Tamarack. Quinn and Rashel were out checking that the gang definitely hadn't been followed.

Harry moved down the steps to greet them and he shook Jezebel and Morgead's hands. "I'm glad you followed my directions."

"You're the enemy we know." Morgead grunted but a small smile played at his lips.

"I'm sure it has something to do with Hugh singing my graces to Jez whenever he can." Harry smirked at the girl who laughed and nodded.

"I've come to trust Hugh's judgement." She agreed. "Though I don't think he really does credit to how insane you sound most of the time. And vague."

"Interestingly I used to get annoyed at people keeping information from me." Harry grinned. "Now I do it all the time and I find the humour in it."

"Not all of us see that humour, Harry." Nicky announced from behind him. "Are you going to do introductions or not?"

"Bossy." Harry grumbled. "Well I suppose introductions might make everyone relax a little." He glanced over his shoulder at the homeowners and his own friends before turning back to the gang. "Everyone this is Jezebel Redfern, Morgead Blackthorn and their gang from San Francisco." He ignored Jezebel's correction of her name before turning to Rowan's group. "Jezebel, I'm not sure you've met your cousins. This is Rowan, Kestrel, Jade and Ash Redfern and Mark and Mary-Lynette, Jade and Ash's soulmates. Mark's only been a Vampire for a few months now."

"It's good to meet family, Jezebel." Rowan nodded succinctly.

"Jez." Jezebel tried and Harry heard the snort of amusement from his own best friend.

"Lastly my own entourage which is really getting out of hand you all realise?" Harry raised an eyebrow at them.

"That's because too many people know how much trouble you get into when you're left on your own." Cameron answered quickly getting a mock wounded look from him. "Alright! It's because you're too cute."

"Cute?" Harry asked. "Interesting I suppose." He turned back to Jezebel and Morgead. "That's my soulmate I mentioned before. Cameron Drache." The two swallowed nervously and Cameron moved up to stand next to Harry with an arm around him waist though he simply nodded at the gang in greeting knowing that Harry hadn't finished. "And this is Tamarack, member of Circle Daybreak and Cameron's 'body guard'."

"Friend." Cameron explained easily.

"Then Nicky and Jeremy." Harry continued and paused as Jez complained. "Here's a question for both of you. What is it with people whose names can be shortened to Jez? I think Jeremy's a cute name."

"Exactly why I prefer Jez." His best friend glared at him good naturedly.

"Guess what, Jeremy?" Nicky grinned. "You get to be Jeremy for a while."

"Why!" The newly christened 'Jeremy' complained.

"Because it's confusing otherwise." Nicky pointed out.

"Why can't she be Jezebel?" The human complained.

"She has teeth and drinks blood." Nicky told him succinctly.

"My girlfriend does too!" He grinned happily and turned to Tamarack to defend him only to have her raise her arms in surrender.

"Don't make me argue with Nicky." Tamarack laughed. "For a human she can be scary when it comes to her boys."

"Are they always like this?" Morgead asked Harry and Cameron with a shocked look.

"Normally Harry is helping the chaos." Cameron declared.

"Hey!" Harry frowned before relaxing. "I suppose that's true." He turned to Rowan. "May we take this inside?"

"I think that would probably be best." She nodded. "Please come inside." She offered everyone. Harry and Cameron led the way inside and slipped into an armchair in the living room as everyone else filled the room. They had a lot to talk about and not too long to do it.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

A month later

They'd slipped back to Las Vegas in small groups and via different airports so that even if anybody connected them and even realised they were all gone all at once they couldn't have found out where they'd come from. Harry was new to trying to hide in this new world of advanced technology but he was no stranger to hiding his tracks. As far as anyone knew Harry, Jez and Nicky had taken a few days off in way of a break and Tamarack's assistance with the head of the school meant that nobody realised they'd done it without permission.

They'd gone back to the centre without much of a fuss although Michael had been a little wary over why they'd basically vanished without much warning. They had thought to leave Michael a few texts to tell them that they were going but as far as he'd known they were visiting a distant relation of Nicky's in California for a few days for her birthday. To make it up to their new friend Harry invited him round for three meals that week to the point that Michael was starting to feel overwhelmed and told Harry in French to stop trying to apologise.

After returning they'd gotten back to focusing on their work at the Institution. They were in six or seven hours of classes every day as the Institute crammed the entire year's worth of work into six months and Gordon was starting to show the strain. Harry found that the massive amount of information was easily absorbed, he'd had enough practice adjusting recently. Michael, Jez and Nicky were like Harry in that they were naturals with the subject and although tired after classes they really enjoyed themselves and it was normal for the lecturers to have to tell them to stop laughing and having so much fun in their classes. Gordon on the other hand, although he had a decent level of knowledge, didn't have the same ability to effortlessly absorb so much information and actually commit it to memory.

His irritation at falling behind the others was never more obvious than it was to the animals that they dealt with on a daily basis either at the Institute or at nearby zoos when there was something interesting enough to draw them out of the city. He'd been bitten, slashed and hit by just about every species of animal that existed on the planet and most of the animals they dealt with on a regular basis just shunned him.

It was the middle of October and Cameron and Tamarack had visited a grand total of a dozen times when Harry, Jez and Nicky walked into their apartment to find Thierry standing in the middle waiting for Harry. Quinn and Rashel, their neighbours as far as Michael was concerned, were sitting together on the sofa.

"You'd think my bodyguards would text me if I had an intruder wouldn't you?" Harry asked Nicky and Jez before flopping down in the armchair and patted the arm. "Come on boy! Sit!" He told Thierry as if talking to a dog.

Thierry gave him a quelling look but perched on the edge of the chair anyway. Harry shifted and leaned against his side getting endearing looks from Nicky and Jez who offered drinks all around and disappeared over to the kitchen to make them. Thierry settled an arm around him. "Hey, brother." Thierry greeted.

"What did you do wrong?" Harry asked as he looked up at him. Thierry got an outraged look on his face even as Quinn snorted in amusement.

"They lost somebody else." Quinn told him.

"I wouldn't say it like that." Thierry sighed.

"How would you say it then?" Harry asked.

"Aradia took it upon herself to seek somebody out and left before anyone knew what she was doing." Thierry sighed.

"Where'd she go?" Harry frowned. He'd been in contact with the Blind Maiden a few times over the last month but she'd never mentioned anything of the like.

"We heard rumours that the Hidden Kingdom had started interacting with the modern world once again." Thierry sighed.

"What's the Hidden Kingdom?" Jez asked as he and Nicky handed out drinks and settled down into the conversation.

"It's a place cut off from the rest of the United States by a massive mountain range. In past years that was enough to keep them isolated. The locals didn't go near the mountains because people always used to vanish there." Harry explained getting a surprised look from Thierry. "Going by the fact it's not made CNN yet I'd have to say it's protected from Satellite and planes too somehow. Magic probably."

"Clever deduction." Thierry snorted and got a rather ineffectual poke in the side from Harry. "How do you know about it?"

"I used to be a slave there once upon a time." Harry shrugged. "Called myself Kevin."

"You don't look like a Kevin to me." Jez smirked.

"I didn't look like Harry then." 'Kevin' retorted with a smirk of his own. His voice took on a strange accent, older English mixed with a colonial bite. "Jeremy." He teased in way of finishing.

"Mean." Jez grunted after getting over Harry's quick shift of demeanour.

"What's the place like?" Nicky asked.

"It's basically medieval England." Harry, or rather Kevin, informed them all. "A massive castle in the middle of the valley and enough crops and cattle to support the Shapeshifters, werewolves and witches and a little bit for the human slaves. Vampires obviously just fed off the slaves. The forest around it is very dense and the Night Worlders used to hunt in it. Slaves preferable." He shuddered and went quiet staring off into space and Thierry shifted him before he could even realise he was moving. Harry was set down into his lap and he leaned back into Thierry's chest.

"What happened?" Rashel asked.

"I tried to escape." Harry shrugged. "I learnt of the exit from eavesdropping on a couple of Shapeshifters and went for it. I think I even saw the exit before they caught up to me."

Jez and Nicky winced drastically knowing without having to be told what happened to 'Kevin' after he was caught up to.

"Aradia left orders for me to tell you as soon as I got her letter." Thierry sighed. "That was two days ago. I've got men searching the area but they can't find any way into the valley by foot. I'd go myself but I'm expected at the Night World Council meeting soon."

"You want me to go." Harry frowned back at Thierry.

"Nobody else knows their way around that place." Thierry tried. "I'm not putting you at risk. I've got four Shapeshifters willing to go with you. Two Eagles and two Hawks. They're good fighters on the ground. They can protect you."

"They know?" Harry asked.

"They will do if you accept and tell them." Thierry sighed. "They're perfectly loyal Harry. I've raised the four of them since they were children."

"But even if Harry goes how's he going to get in? On foot? They'll be looking out for that and four Shapeshifters won't be able to protect him." Quinn frowned. "Why aren't we talking about Rashel and I going?"

"Because I need you to stay here on this one." Harry sighed before standing up. Cameron was going to be annoyed but Harry had to do this. He'd known since Aradia's premonition that one of the Wild Powers would be found in that place but he'd wanted to avoid going there himself but if Aradia was in trouble then he needed to go find her.

"How do you expect to get in past the lookouts then?" Quinn frowned.

"Fly." Harry sighed. He might as well tell them now.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Two days later

"Boss, you sure about this?" Rodney called over the wind with a nervous expression. "I mean nobody really knows what to expect down there!"

Harry looked down across the valley filled with mist. It was so thick that you couldn't see the forest that he knew grew down there. If it wasn't for the magic permeating the air he knew the trees would have all died off long ago. You couldn't see the other side of the large valley from their position because of the fog but he knew that almost fifteen miles away, about three quarters of the way across the valley, was Black Dawn. The castle that he'd lived in the shadow of for seventeen years but never stepped inside of expect for the kitchens and main hall on special occasions.

"Boss, you alright!" Sylar called and touched his arm. The two Eagle Shapeshifters stood nervously looking at his warring emotions. At least they weren't staring at his wings anymore. It had taken a while for the four Shapeshifters to stop staring in awe. They were the human versions of small birds in awe of a bigger bird. Sylar and Rodney were twins, almost identical in human form and thus in Eagle form. Victor and Seth were cousins through their fathers and all of their family were Hawks of different types. They were off in bird form checking nobody had seen Harry arrive.

"I didn't think I'd have to look at this place again." Harry told them gently but with their Eagle hearing they heard him easily enough.

"When was that?" Sylar asked.

"I don't know." Harry shook his head. "I had no timeline to work on. I do remember being awoken a few times after I died though so it was before the eighteen hundreds."

Sylar's eyes unfocused a bit as he tried to work out what Harry, or rather Kevin, had just said. He'd almost confused them more when he'd introduced himself to them formally when he'd called himself Kevin but right now he really did feel most like Kevin with a little Nicolas mixed in because of the lines that could be drawn between their lives. And of course a little A'Zia because he had his wings open.

A hawk suddenly flew up at them from in front of them and 'Kevin' flinched as the last moments of his life flashed back through him. His wings flared out defensively as A'Zia moved to the forefront in Kevin's sudden absence of control and the poor hawk almost got thrown away in the sudden wind from his wings. His wings flexed as he recognised the hawk as Seth and the bird hit the ground and shifted back into his human form and started shivering straight away at the cold.

The four Shapeshifters were wearing special trousers made from the felt of Shapeshifters and they looked normal enough to be accepted in normal society while allowing them to shift without stripping off. They had t-shirts hidden away nearby along with what Harry had carried for them up the mountain but Harry was carrying what weapons they had around his belt and on his back between his wings. Daggers and short swords for the most part, both wooden and steel. Harry's own was a gift from Thierry, a metal sword with a sharpened wooden sheathe so it could be used for every adversary but in Harry's Samurai style which was his strongest weapon.

"Sorry." Harry muttered at the confused look on Seth's face. "You took me by surprise."

Seth didn't believe him and being a bird Shapeshifter he knew how wings moved when panicked. "What killed you exactly when you were here?" Seth asked with a pointed look.

"A hawk Shapeshifter." Harry stated simply and turned away from their worried looks. He wasn't used to people he'd only just befriended worrying about him. "Did you sense anything?"

"There isn't another soul for miles." Seth nodded.

"We'll spread out along the valley and sweep it." Harry declared. "Stay above the mist until you spot the castle and then stay out of sight. There's no natural wildlife here so keep out of sight."

"None?" Sylar asked in shock. "Wow, that's a little weird."

Without anything more needing to be said Harry angled his wings and leapt from the top of the cliff and out over the steep slope. His wings filled with vital air and his fall quickly turned into a glide. A wide sweep of his midnight wings sent him rocketing across the valley. He stayed high until the others shifted and found him before skimming down to the top of the fog so that a small flicker of his wings would put him down in its protective core. He couldn't scan the valley for life like the four Shapeshifters could so they formed the actual line around Harry and slowly they moved up through the valley.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Twelve hours later

Harry found himself wondering if Aradia had known that he'd be there to witness this or not. They'd searched the valley in the last hours of the night and found nothing so come closer to the city for the night. They'd seen quite a few hawk Shapeshifters since arriving so Seth and Victor were able to fly around the city and find out what was going on without being spotted as anything but another Shapeshifter and it was them that spotted Hunter Redfern talking to a witch about executions in the morning.

Harry had assumed it was important so had taken up position on the side of Black Dawn Castle. A spot he'd used to notice from the ground but had never been close to. He'd had to smile as he slipped around behind the castle from the air and alighted on the wide ledge two thirds of the way up. It wasn't looked out on from any windows and with the black stone and Harry's wings covering his body he faded away to most people's eyesight. He didn't fool himself into thinking that he'd go unnoticed forever but people were more interested in the fact their Prince was tied up ready to be executed.

He spotted Aradia tied up down there as well as a few human slaves although two looked far too self-aware to be normal slaves. But if Black Dawn had opened up to outsiders then it made sense that they had new slaves too. Hunter Redfern was clearly leading proceedings, riling up the crowd and when it happened Harry could have blinked and missed it. There was a sudden scramble as the witch that they'd heard talking to Hunter the night before tried to free something from the Prince's right arm only for Hunter to call for her death. The closest soldier lunged and stopped with his metal spear a foot from the middle of the witch's back.

Harry opened his wings knowing that he could do what he liked now without being spotted. He looked up at the Eagles perched on the top of the castle and the two Hawks floating up by the cloud of mist before he stepped off the edge and used his wings like a parachute in the dead air. He hated 'flying' when he was in the moment because it was always such a disappointment but it had its uses even if getting aloft was tiring.

He landed heavily in the middle of the wooden staging that had been set up and took in Hunter Redfern stoically even as the Nicolas part of him wanted the fighter parts of him to ram his sword and sheathe through his chest. He knew that he should leave that to the Prince though once he was freed. He could always catch up to Hunter later. Rashel and Quinn had almost killed him before but this time Hunter wouldn't get away.

Harry walked across the stage and drew his samurai sword as he went and calling forth everything he knew in the art of wielding such a weapon he put it through the shaft of the spear. Momentum twisted the spear and the two parts split but froze in their minutely different places but the kinetic energy was there, ready for time to allow it to exert it's force. The Witch almost had whatever contraption that was sitting on the Prince's arm off so Harry merely walked around to Aradia and the three humans there. One was obviously a recaptured escapee whereas the other two looked like they'd tried to escape after just being captured.

He cut through their bindings with ease before he spread his wings and boosted himself up onto the top of what had used to be the armoury but now seemed to be the grain store and he sat himself on the edge knowing that with his wings hidden within his body he was small enough to go unnoticed for the few seconds this would take. He couldn't be caught by anyone here even if they spotted him anyway.

Time ran back into full speed and he was taken by surprise once again but how fast things had been going. The first thing he heard was a very loud crack sound as the spear was sent into two pieces. The tip bounced off of the ground and skittered away while the force of the blow tipped the shaft from the Shapeshifter's hands and made the man stumble.

People gasped and called out in surprise but the Witch barely noticed and the bindings fell to the floor. The Prince pushed the witch out of the way and raised his hands at Hunter Redfern and blue lightning exploded from him striking Hunter straight in the chest. A geyser of power so bright it burned at his eyes flooded up into the sky, burning a hole through the mist and to the sunlight high above.

Harry looked back down at the new crater where the staging had been and then at the Prince and the former four captives. One girl had thrown herself onto the Prince in relief regardless of the teeming confusion around them. Half of the nobles had been swallowed by that attack, including some that the Kevin part of him recognised as if he'd only just been a slave here. It didn't help him that those nobles he did recognise were Vampires and hadn't changed at all in that time.

He finally looked at Aradia to see her looking up towards him, a smile on her face as she rubbed at her wrists. He glanced away as his own guard landed softly around him and before he realised what he was doing he'd stroked Sylar on the back of the head.

It didn't take the Prince long to take control of the situation, finding the men he trusted the most to regain order and when Harry and his four guards slipped off of the top of the grain house they were quickly spotted. Five humanoids as they were and armed with the weapons Harry had been carrying around for the five of them.

Soldiers surrounded them and eyed Harry warily since he was human but dressed as an outsider and clearly the object of four Shapeshifters' protective gazes. "We're here to see the Prince." Harry stated simply even as he continued walking. A spear stopped him in his tracks and he merely looked at the Shapeshifter holding it feeling Kinen rising in anger.

"Let them through!" The Prince's regal tones called over the crowd and the guards parted and more or less herded the five of them up towards the crater. At his side stood Aradia who had clearly spoken for them.

"What trouble did you get yourself into this time, Aradia?" Harry called out as if he wasn't human in the middle of a place where the only humans never even had proper names.

"Nothing you couldn't get me out of." Aradia answered with a sweet smile. "Good timing."

"I'd say he's a few moments too late." The Prince frowned over them. He was clearly uncomfortable addressing Harry even though he was holding firmly to a young girl of perhaps sixteen next to him.

"Evidently." Harry smirked. "It's just a good thing that the spear shattered and all their bindings came undone."

"Harry..." Aradia laughed before she could stop herself. "Can I introduce to you Prince Delos Redfern?"

"Of course you can." Harry nodded. "Though I did know his father I believe."

"And who is this?" Delos had clearly had enough. "And how could you have possibly met my father? You're a human."

"Hey..." The girl muttered and got a soft look in apology.

"My name is Harry." Harry bowed his head gently. "I am an Old Soul working with Circle Daybreak which is how I know Aradia."

"I've heard of Old Souls." The Prince frowned. "I was told them as a story. I didn't think they existed."

"If I may, your Highness." The Witch from before stepped up. "It's true that they exist. People just don't like to admit that humans could be older, wiser and know more than us."

"Wise..." Harry grinned. "I like that."

"That doesn't tell me how you knew my father." Delos frowned.

"I used to live here." Harry shrugged. "Maybe a few hundred years ago. Can't say I know for sure. Got my throat slashed by an irate hawk shapeshifter when I found the exit to this delightful little valley."

"Why are you here?" The Prince questioned.

"Aradia left without telling anyone what she was doing except for a letter." Harry rolled his eyes. "Being the only one with knowledge of this place I offered to find her."

"How did you get here?" He frowned.

"All questions today aren't you, Prince Delos?" Harry grinned. "Perhaps we can discuss it later?"

"Yes." Delos nodded simply. "We have something to attend to in the meantime." He muttered glancing at the girl attached to his side. Harry saw the look and the way they tried to maintain skin contact. He'd found his soulmate in this girl right in the middle of all of this. Truly if she didn't exist this might have gone a completely different way.

"Oh." Harry drew their attention again. "My condolences on your late ancestor."

"It's not much of a loss." He grunted.

"Yet you've granted many revenge." Harry pointed out.

"Not a lot of his victims are exactly around to appreciate it." Delos shook his head.

"I am." Harry smirked before turning to offer Aradia his arm to get somewhere more private where she could explain her idiocy.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter