Beyond Impressed:

Serenity started forming a habit of coming to share a drink with Wywatt when time was found. Finding his sorted past was a mixture of life experiences. Youth spent being trained to kill what went bump into the night. Then allowed to attend medical school and intern in the city morgue. He showed a talent for surgical skill and knowledge of supernatural creatures. Only created crime related tools during his early 20s while working at mother's bar. Only made up the personal life he shared with her. She in turn shared her own past with him as drinks with food came. He was quiet with no a word of judgement toward her tales. To stop her when she spoke about a love that fell apart for reasons Serenity never knew.

"Are you talking about a female, albino shapeshifter … who calls herself Lucy?" He asked with an expression of annoyance and disbelief.

"I should be or am I missing something?" Serenity asked, lowering her empty glass.

"Excuse me," He went into the back room for a quick second to pull out a picture he kept of them. Encased in a Silver frame was a smiling face welcoming his closeness. Way he held her as they faced the camera showed a genuine emotion.

"When I was transitioning from my dad's planned path for me to learning to think on my own," He set the frame down, "I would treat severely wounded creatures staying away from the law. One that sought me out had a nasty series of wounds and was on the verge of a fever. "

He went quiet when he began to fiddled with a paring knife in one of his hands. Perfect dexterity he put into basically flipping and spinning the small blade. Lost in memories before placing the knife into the cutting board. Sharp point first with a dull thud that almost made Serenity choke on her drink.

"We grew close as I treated her, sharing our pasts during each interaction until a connection was made. In my own way, I accepted her for who she was and didn't care for the rest," He sighed, "We were happy for a time until numerous factors ended us."

"She left you handcuffed in a hotel room?" Serenity asked.

"Dad being a hunter for one and our joint self- hated we both carried," Wywatt laughed at Serenity's question, "Took me a long time to accept myself."

After refilling their glasses, Serenity shared her connection to the shapeshifter and their break up. Made Wywat laugh before apologizing when she rolled her eyes at him.

"Mail call," Hepzibah came through the front door with their pack of hounds following her, "Hello Dr. Faust."

"Where's Corbeau?" Wywatt asked, noticing he nephew wasn't in tow.

"Visiting that Dullahan run spice shop," She recalled, "He got the hots for the younger one."

"Young love." Serenity toasted to that.

"Give me the mail and go say hello to your aunt." He ordered her.

She placed a stack of mail between him and Serenity with careless thud that loosen a wax sealed envelope. Colorful cardstock and formal penmanship caught two attention. Serenity picked it up to hand over to Wywatt when she noticed the crest in the wax. Ticked off Wywatt when he already knew who sent this to them.

"What I wouldn't do to surgically remove his inflated ego." He mumbled as Elaine joined them.

She was coming from the back door in a hooded capelet of red variety with a covered basket modeled after a handbag. Pale blue, romantic, Multi- layered vintage, palace style, ruffle hem dress. Matching lace shrug with rose pattern and gloves were added. Hair done up in a French twist updo with jeweled barrette that matched her. Brooch her on to keep her capelet closed and earrings and ribbon choker she wore. Earned whistle from Serenity when she removed her hood.

"Thank you Dr. Faust," Elaine laid her basket on the bartop, "You and my brother seem to be enjoying each other's company. Will your detective friend be somewhere?"

"Just me," She sat back in her seat, "I do have a life outside of mystery solving."

Elaine ended up accepting the envelope from her brother with a gloved finger tracing a seam. Opened after she tapped it open to pull out an invite.

"Someone has acquired the original 92 full-page illustrated pictures of Danto Inferno by Sandro Botticelli," Elaine amusingly said, "Wants a chosen few to see them."

"I know someone who would like to see them?" Serenity spoke of Constantine.

"I am allowed to bring guests." Elaine grew excited.

"How about it," Wywatt asked Serenity, "Pull your best frock out and attend with us?"

All that needed to convince Serenity while Konstantin didn't need to be at all in coming with them. Since he now stood before one of the illustrations known as the map of hell. In a state of nostalgia over the details out into the piece as he mind was far away somewhere. Not paying attention to a woman in a Black, Floor Length, Long A-line skirt, Long Evening Dress with center Split. Open toe pumps with a stiletto heel and these pearl button gloves. Hair styled and combed to lay sidewards on a bare shoulder. Ear cuff made of midnight blue and purple sea glass on her exposed ear. Some up eyes and simply glossed lips finished off her appearance.

"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate," She spoke the original phrase, "Give up all hope ye who enter here."

"Hmm," Konstantin acknowledged her, "Not many know the original words."

"Not many took art history and have a copy of the illustrations in her collection," She added, "Dante's Inferno is my favorite poem."

"Really?" Konstantin asked, rather surprised.

"A soul is guided through 9 rings by a poet," She looked back, "The sights."

He ended up finding himself laughing at what she said when he was reminded of his sister. Who would have grown excited at the thought of being a guide to a woman like Elaine.

"I hear the owner of these is an acquaintance of yours," Konstantin recalled what Serenity told him, "Romantic connection?"

"Annoying one," She looked toward the illustration, "I never wanted or TRIED to dissolve, since being a token wife isn't what I want."

Konstantin and she would go on when a strange smell of bitter almond-like entered the air. Followed by people suddenly growing sleepy and dropping to the floor with a quick yawn. Also didn't go unnoticed by Wywatt when he acted quickly for Serenity's sake. When she started to grow droopy where she stood, Almost falling to the ground like a flute, that slipped from her hand and shattered. He caught her half way when she slowly started to lose her strength and grow groggier. He pulled a handkerchief from his inner pocket of his coat and damped it using water from a nearby foundation.

"Little crude, but here," He placed a wrung out piece of cloth to her, "Just breath."

He allowed her to secure it to her face as she found herself able to freely breath without yawning.

"Remind me to thank you when this is over," She felt foolish, "Bottle of the top shelf stuff?"

"for you," He helped her back onto her feet, "I'll give you one from dad's exclusive collection."

When he allowed her straightian herself out he noticed the people around them. Which had him use a whistle technique to find his sister. His eyes lit up when he breathed passed his lips, that Serenity noticed. Had a clicky- clack sound of heels heading toward them. Which reveal themself to be Elaine being escorted by Konstantin.

"Heard your whistle," Elaine had to stop, "Pitch needs work."

"Rather loud and swallow." Konstantin added his two sense.

They were interrupted when the sound of glass being broken came from where Elaine and Konstantin were. Muffled voices yelling for them to be careful followed the noise. Had Elanie about to run off to stop whoever was taking the map of hell. When a set of men dressed in dark clothing with their faces covered stopped her. Who seem to have other illustrations that took from their displays tucked under their arm.

"Hello there girly," Elaine was greeted by one of these men, "Looking for a bit of fun? I can spare a few."

"I would rather lick a toad." She wasn't pleased by his comment.

This angered the man to the point he rudely stated how he was going to correct the minute of hers. Wasn't for a series of haunting whispers of many voices going off in his ear. Stopping on his tracks toward Elaine when Konstantin was seen behind her. When man looked at him the whispers got louder and more intense in their words. Slowly those grey pupils started to take on a more elongated appearance than human eyes. Made the man scream in terror loud enough that others with him were alert.

"You're not human," He shouted at Konstantin, "Get out of my head."

"Rather rude of him." Elaine didn't like his behavior.

Man was grabbed by another guy out of Wywatt's sight range when he was too late to spot him. Handing Serenity off to Konstantin and his sister when he chased after the pair.

8*8

Police found someone(s) had messed with the gallery's air systems with tanks of alter gas hooked up. While an inventory of which illustrations were stolen from their displays. Elaine was some help since she knew each one by heart with the aid of a program. An actual suspect had been caught by Wywatt before he could escape through the back. Being handed to an officer after getting a single blow on Wywatt failed.

"You're crazy for doing that," Serenity wanted to examine him, "Nasty blow he gave you."

"I have gotten worse when trained as a hunter," He informed her, "I'll be fine."

"Wy," Elaine used her special nickname for him, "Do as she says or I'll allow the teens to use more than poisons on the pack."

"Up for that drink?" He offered it to Serenity.

How they ended up back at a familiar establishment with Serenity in Wywatt's bedroom, checking the hit he took to his head. He sat still on his bed with her fingers probing him. Gave her a chance to notice a bookshelf of the latest medical books and guides. A few uncut rocks were littered around the room with a skull or two. Anatomy chart of a changing was next to a roll top desk and artistic lamp. A sealed trunk sank at the end of a messed up bed. Victrola stood on its own stand with a collection of records and magical tomes. Next to a barely left open closet door, that also led to a bathroom.

"How can you not notice this?" Serenity asked about the bump he had, "Half the size of a chicken egg."

"Adrenaline." He breathed.

She just leered at him for a second, not accepting his excuse. Minorly annoyed with his hero stunt while fighting the urge to smack him. Clueless way he stared back at her as he sat on the edge of his own bed. He didn't even blink the whole time he processed her mood.

"Are you two done?" Elaine asked from the doorway, "Since I have a pack of inpatient hounds, a melting ice pack, and a serving tray of cooling tea and food."

Tapping of paws teetering back and forth followed by whining at her feet could be heard. Soulful Retrieval and Xoloitzcuintli stood on one side of her with their tails tucked and ears pulled back. Rhinelander Hodag sat before her just panning too much. Komainu
was the one shifting from paw to paw on the verge of whining. Dire wolf is a completely calm one as she stood on the other side. While her arms were full of a wooden tray holding a gemstone teaset. Plate of chopped fruit and roasted chunks of Deep- Sea Dotted Rainbow fish were present.

"I don't know," Wywatt was the first to speak up, "I think acting without thinking got me in trouble?"

"I blame our father for that." Elaine noticed Serenity's silence.

"Let's give that ice pack a try and he owes me a drink." Serenity couldn't say no.

Hounds filed into the room one by one to a pair of feet sniffing Serenity's trouser leg and shoes clad feet. Elaine ended up place the trey on bed side table while shoving the ice pack onto Wywatt's head. He took over from her Hodag head butted his leg to get his attention. Down he looked to see a clear eyes staring back at him with mouth turned up into a smile.

"They have names?" Serenity asked about the hounds.

" Soulful Retrieval is Lioet, Hodag is Gurt, Dide wolf is Vones, Komainu is Awara, and Xoloitzcuintli is Ike," Wywatt answered her, "Each one was either abandoned or left to me."