Weeping Man in the Fog:
Reports of a strange fog appearing in different parts of the city came rolling in at the police station. When a person stepped into the center they heard someone cry. Gender could never be made out since a person never got a good look. Made it to the ears of certain teens after a visit from Heather.
"Your mother is a judgy prude." Clocca addressed Corbeau.
"You're the one that asked if she had an open marriage." Wyatt reminded her.
"How about you all?" She looked like a certain doctor and detective.
Serenity flatly shook her head and Konstantin was openly disgusted with her offer. Dera made it look like she didn't listen and Goleon just stared at her. Elaine tried not to drop the serving tray full of mini pies she was bringing. Corbeau got elbowed by Hepzibah when they were done feeding the hounds. Elaine's owl sunk his head into his puff out feathers as the cat hissed.
"This is not how I wanted to spend my immortal life," She crumpled up a bar towel, "Eternally Celibate."
"Sorry if we don't share your mindset." Elaine flatley answered her.
She then placed the mini mince meat pleats with vegetables she baked on the bartop. Each one came with a different distorted face she cut into them for fun. Got Corbeau and Hepzibah taking one to share with Uncle's yumbo gumbo. Others got a whole one despite the bowl of gumbo they were also eating.
"At least the food is decent," Clocca tried a forkful of pie from Dera, "What?"
"I may come from a human and a vampire union," Dera informed Clocca, "Doesn't mean I follow my dad's diet."
"Explains you being only one drinking vampire vodka with Arke's blood." Clocca noticed what Dera was drinking.
"Please?" Dera begged Wyatt.
He stared at her as if to remind her of the firm set of rules established to keep a strange order. Among them was that any form of violence wasn't allowed when opened or closed. That meant biting into the neck of an employee or a friend of the bar's owners.
"I'll put away what your sister brought," Dera sighed, "Where do I start?"
Since reconnecting with his twin, Heather ended up visiting on a weekly basis with all kinds of goods. Sometimes she brought a crate or two of fresh produce from her private garden. A few bottles of pine wine and wildflower honey beside a basket of freshly baked bread. Maybe other supplies along with newsprint and treats for their animals.
"Inventory first to see what we can use and store away." He reminds her.
"How about we start reviewing the case?" Elaine asked about the file Heather dropped off.
Corbeau and Hepzibah were in charge of pinning locations on the map they unscrolled. Case reports about weeping man in the cloud were held for the adults. Scattered out in the center of the bartop as Wyatt refilled drinks. Looked over and shared what color pin got placed on different sections.
"Enchanter's Brew," Clocca read the label, "Explains the magical burst sensation across the tongue.
"Are you always this negative?" Konstantin couldn't take another minute of her.
"When you get used to a certain way of life," She put the bottle down, "Kinda."
Wyatt handed Clocca her own fork instead of her further stealing bites from Debra's pie. Pointing her toward a pie Elaine made for her while everyone was busy looking over reports. Didn't make much sense when a common thread of sorts was what was found. Ones that were brave enough to travel through the cloud found themselves missing time. Last memory was them hearing a cry that lured them into cloudis center. Everyone was looking toward Clocca when she actually started eating her own pie.
"For Cronus' sake," She could sense the harshness, "This has nothing to do with me, I go after people from a mix witch heritage"
"Really?" Serenity asked her, "Missing time seems up your alley."
"I am not one to attack random people," She rolled her eyes, "I am a half- blood."
"Explains a lot." Wyatt understands now.
She couldn't take him staring at her like everyone else had been doing with an eye roll. Stabbing her fork into her eaten pie to much force.
"My fog clouds were usually my form of a teleporting," She clarified, "You remember the masquerade I held for you lot."
Serenity smirked at Wyatt about the private night she got to spend with him. Way she looked at him had memories dancing in her head. Ones of her showing him what her version of magic fingers was all about. Elaine lightly propped her self next to Konstantin on bartop. Sharing a pie with him with a light blush coating her cheeks as she recalled.
"What was that place?" Konstantin recalled his appearance during that masquerade.
"One of a few private properties I own," Clocca smirked, "Carry an ancient magic that allows one to be themselves."
8*8
When they were done reviewing the reports and assigning colored pins to the clusters in size when looked over. Most of them are near where two roads overlap with high foot traffic. Least was back alleyways intersected near cross walk paths and bike zones.
"Demonic Deal-Makers?" Half of them spoke of certain type of demon
"What?" Serenity didn't understand.
"Red-eyed Demons of sorts," Goleon explained, "They use the crossroads to make deals with humans for their souls. Results in a ten year span of good fortune for the human until their life ends and their soul is collected."
"One can be summoned," Clocca explained, "By digging a hole in the dead center, a set of crossroads and burying a box containing a picture of a mortal wanting to make a deal, some graveyard dirt, and bones from a black cat."
"Are master manipulators and love to play with people's emotions," Wyatt shared his dislike for them, "Particularly negative emotions such as greed, guilt, and fear."
"Care to chime in?" Elaine looked to Konstantin, "Share which one of the sins control them?"
"Mammon." Konstantin recalled.
This earned him a kiss on his cheek from Elaine's gloss covered lips for at least speaking up. He stopped being bothered By this simple form of affection from her as his mind whirled.
"Maybe other supernatural entities are possibly trying to meet humans?" Konstantin added, "Crossroads are often considered a place where the boundaries between worlds blur."
This was where the problem arose for them on who was causing the problems. Forensic reports that just came in weren't any help to them. From finger marks and DNA of people not in any known criminal database. Chemical tests on a piece of blood stained cloth came out unknown. Piece of black fur that came in a sealed plastic cylinder is what interested Wyatt and Konstantin.
"How trained is your pack?" Konstantin was forming a plan, "Along with everyone else."
What unfolded got Clocca interested in checking the weather for them for the second part of his plan. Meant waiting for the perfect balance of clear skies, light winds, and high humidity to happen. Led to accommodations needing to be made for Konstantin since Dr. Faust was already settled with Wyatt. A guest room was set up for him by Dera on the third floor away from Elaine. Getting the same services he got when in his rented apartment with Mrs. Richards. Granted access to their magical workspace and library among others. Along with being given a spare key on a handcrafted keychain.
"Liking the accommodations?" Serenity asked Konstantin.
"How have you not moved in …yet?" Konstantin was surprised by her co- habitating with Wyatt.
"Still taking things slow," Wyatt was stroking Fenirir's fur, "Our hounds are still getting used to each other and we haven't talked about our future."
"Excuses," Elaine interrupted them, "My brother suffers from Low sperm count, so the chance of having kids is slim to none. Fenier is already friendly with our pack and she sleeps over when not with Konstantin."
On to her shoulder her owl landed with a screech as if he was agreeing with her with wings folded. She happily stroked his feathers when he lined into her bare hand by quieting down.
"Did you ever want children?" Wyatt and Serenity asked each other.
Konstantin looked over at Elaine exiting the lounge when Wyatt and Serenity started to chat. He closed the book he was reading to hurry her out into the hallway with a bout of curiosity. They traveled through the building until they came to the first floor. Where Corbeau and Hepzibah in the middle of practicing instruments. One on the vielle was Corbeau and Hepzibah played a basic flute. All their hounds including Fenirir were happily lying about listening to them play.
"The Devil Comes Back to Georgia?" Konstantin guessed the song.
"One of few," Elaine walked behind her bar, "They also like playing other parody related songs."
"May I listen?" He requested.
"Go ahead," She didn't see the harm, "Tea?"
They shared a light lunch when the teens finished their practice and went on break for a while. Where Konstantin learned they prefer being homeschooled over attending public schools.
8*8
One of the more popular spots had a few fog clouds starting to form, reported by Clocca. Had Wyatt showing up with a worn baseball and unleashed Lioet. Into the center where roads overlapped the baseball was thrown. Bouncing into the dog with Lioet chasing after until he chased something out. Half the
time it was a lost spirit just manifesting in public places. Others were a lingering deal maker demon looking to make more contracts. Handful were essences of a realm or a dimension leaking through a small opening.
"That was a burst." Corbeau looked over his aunt's drawings.
Elaine with pencil in hand sketched out the faces behind the fog clouds. Using Konstantin's or her brother's excellent descriptions as hints. Would be collected and put with a closed case a police officer was to collect later.
"Excepting more excitement?" She asked him.
"Maybe." Corbeau fiddles a sharpen letter opener around in his hand.
"Go get ready since your mom will be here soon." She took a letter opener from him.
Wyatt finished the last of the glasses that needed to be dried. Informing Corbeau to not forget his gift for his brother. Which he took in the form of a covered basket on the bartop as he moved.
"Children ?" Elaine asked him, "Yes or no."
"A definite no," He folds the bar towel, "We don't want any."
"She moving in?" Elaine asked again."
"Konstantin and her are sharing the spare." He shared.
"And Fenrir?" She asked.
She further made her point by taking a homemade dog treat from their jar behind the bar. To the corner of the first floor where the Fenrier laid next to Vones with Ike slumbering nearby. He accepted the treat from her once she was allowed to run her fingers through his fur. Her owl chimed in by flying from his perch to her shoulder to the ground. Hopping toward Fenrir when she stepped, watch the two interact.
"When they don't need us helping with cases," Wyatt teetered his hand, "He'll be here."
"Good." Elaine likes the sound of that.
"Elle?" Wyatt sounded worried, "What of the detective and you?"
"We are taking things slow." She informed him.
He ended up sharing an Ale of Anecdotes by uncorking the bottle before they were to open. Into glasses a strange colored liquid was poured with Dera and Goleon joining.
"Clocca?" Wyatt called to her.
"I am fine with my Guardian Spirits." She drew attention to an aged liquor.
Didn't stop her from cheering to a successful night with her own drink from her seat next to the pet corner. She was reeling from using detection charms over half the city to track fog clouds. Before bringing the glass she borrowed from the bar was brought to her lips. To only be joined by Elaine's owl when he flew onto her table and came to rest near her aged liquor.
"Why haven't you named him?" She asked Elaine.
"He has one, but I don't like using it," Elaine answered, "I don't want to domesticate him."