Re: Breakfast of champions . . . ((Open to one and all.))

by Hidden Jewel Thu Aug 25, 2011 5:11 pm

Kyra was busy listening to what everyone was saying and just sat there for a few moments when Tasha came in. She did her best to remain neutral as she didn't particularly care for Tasha but she was sure the feeling was mutual from the time they got into it a while back. She simply nodded when she was spoken to and nothing more as she was always told if you can't say something nice don't say it at all and right now she wasn't sure what would come out so she chose to stay quiet. Getting up she grabbed her plate and mug taking it to the kitchen so it could be washed. Once she came back out she looked to everyone and spoke.

"If you will excuse me I have somethings I need to be doing."

Not really but she didn't want to be here right now so she headed off to her room to pack or sleep or anything but stay there.

by Devon Marvin Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:19 pm

Devon listened to Gawain and Madeline. He looked off into blank space and bit the inside of his bottom lip as he pondered what they were saying. "He did smell rather ... I mean, he could have been. I did think I saw a hint of green flesh between his sleeve and his glove when he was writing. But I was too busy being awestruck that he was writing without looking at the paper to keep the green as a conscious thought." He refocused his attention to those he was speaking to in the room.

He looked dead straight at Madeline when she said the name Grimlock. He must have been rather amusing in the way that he shouted out his proclimation when Madeline caused his epiphany. "That's it! That's where I heard the manner of speak before. Transformer's cartoons. The ones from like the 1980's back on Earth. The dinobot. Yea, I loved the dinobots and the constructacons. Team work, ya know?" He stopped himself before he went off on a tangent about his favorite cartoon from when he was a young buck coming up.

Devon brought his thought back to the here and now. "Yeah, I never got the guys name. I am heading into this hunt blind. That's why I took the case personally. My ... Associates aren't as detail oriented as I am. I'm afraid one of them would bumble this and I can't have that. How long ago did you meet this Orc Madeline?" Hopefully, knowing that will help him make some progress in this case.

The red-head walked into the room then. He moved his hand like he was scratching his side, and hit the belt loop on his pants with his thumb. His phone vibrated on the bar where he had set it. "Excuse me." He picked up the phone and flipped it open. The way he was facing, he didn't have to move to get her in frame. He snapped the picture and pressed some buttons on his phone. The picture was sent. Now he just had to wait.

He watched her greet Gawain and Madeline and even Kyra, though he sensed some tension from Kyra when the woman had entered. She said hello to Devon before she sat down. He offered up a charming smile and a slight head nod. "Good morning." And that was when his phone went off. "Sometimes I think I should just block texting from my phone for a week." He chuckled as he flipped open the phone and looked at it. "Let's see them survive then."

The picture of the red-head was back. It said her name was Tasha Masterson and the red letters across her picutre read Threat - Minimal. The text below the picture said he would be emailed the file. It seemed odd to him that they had a file on this lady, yet there had been no file on Madeline, Kyra, or that lady Rowan from that night at dinner. He thought to ask them about that later. He closed the phone and set it back down."Sorry about that. Where were we?" He knew that he had been waiting for Madeline to tell him how long she had known the Orc. And if they felt that Tasha wasn't safe to talk in front of, he trusted that they would find a way to redirect the conversation.

Kyra rose to leave the room, using an excuse of things to do. He frowned slightly. "See you later Kyra." A smile offered and a wave of his hand. He thought Kyra was rather nice. He hated to see her go, but he had felt the tension from her when Tasha had walked in. He guessed that there was some history there. He wanted no part of that drama, so he left it alone.

So was it safe to speak in front of Tasha?

by **Madeline Cauthon** Fri Sep 02, 2011 2:27 pm

Madeline smiled up at Tasha when she walked by and ruffled her hair. "Hey Aunt Tasha, good to see ya again." "Truckers coffee coming up."

Maddie grabbed her dads cup from him knowing he would want a refill. She went into the kitchen and refilled her dads and made a fresh cup for Tasha. She walked back out and set Gawain's in front of him and Tasha's in front of her. After which she gently rubbing Tasha's temples in the same manner she did her father and Kyra, using the One Power to heal Tasha's hangover as well. "Dad why didn't you get her something of mine to wear? Tasha washroom is on the first floor, and i'll take care of it no worries."

Madeline waved bye to Kyra as she left.

She smiled when Devon confirmed it was Grimlock he was talking about. "Ummm I would have to say..a little bit over a year ago spring before last to be exact. Look Devon if you want some help with this I would be happy to. Like I said I wanted to help Grimlock before but never got a chance to."

"As far as this Master of his, cant be any worse than any hell demon that I've met."

Madeline now finished healing Tasha's hangover, went and sat back next to her father. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder giving him the please help me puppy dog eyes. So what if she was 24 years old, she was still her daddy's little girl and quite frankly she didn't want to be the only one in the room with a hangover.

by Gawain Wed Sep 14, 2011 5:20 pm

Gawain's hands went to his daughter's temples as he smiled his understanding. However, his brow was knit. This was a hard nut to crack, so to speak....."Okay, so, if we go to Grimlock...I have that guy in my action figure case, for the record....we tip off his master. Unless......." He finished the weave which would alleviate Maddie's headache, and walked over toward Devon.

After a moment of studying the man, Gawain seized the Source, weaving a Mask of Mirrors. Facing Devon was a literal mirror image of himself. "What do ya say I take your next meeting with Grimlock? Maybe I can catch a hint through the scent, or figure out how he's being controlled. Can't lie to ya, though....." Gawain/Devon popped one of Devon's breakfast sausages into his mouth thoughtfully. "It could be one of those blood ritual things. Old things, stuff people tell horror stories about. Speaking as one of the things that go bump in the night, there's some pretty evil shit that can be done through blood. As any vampire worth their teeth will tell you, Cruor est vita , vita est cruor. Blood is life, and life is blood. There's some wicked stuff can be done that way.....anyhoo, if you're willing to work with a savage beast and suchlike." He gave Devon a little prod with his elbow before dropping the Mask of Mirrors and smirked.

by Tasha Masterson Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:40 am

Apparently, Tasha had walked in on something. Which was not at all unusual for her. She hadn't been paying too much attention to what was being said as she had been headed to the Tavern, until her name had been mentioned. Of course that had perked up her feline hearing ears. So whatever it was she had walked in on, she was oblivious to it.

She raised her head when Maddie set the coffee in front of her. She inhaled deeply before she wrapped both hands around it and brought it to her lips for a sip. She leaned her head back and gave a soft moan when Maddie began to weave the pain from her head. Even though she and Gawain were lycan's, they had still managed to tie one on something fierce the night before. That's a whole lot of alcohol.

She chuckled when Maddie told Gawain he should have gotten her some of Maddie's clothes. "This was fine Mads. I used to throw on ..." She closed her eyes slowly for a moment. "This was fine. I'm comfortable." She smiled, but the lack of sparkle in her eyes gave away that it was a forced smile. And in response to being told that Maddie was going to take care of her clothes she simply stated. "I bow to the mistress of the Inn. I'm not going to get in the way." She chuckled and her eyes sparkled a little then.

She pulled her bare feet up into the chair and crossed them in front of her. She was sitting in what some people from Earth called Indian Style. And that was how she remained as she sipped her coffee and listened to everyone speak. It was a good distraction from the things that had been plaguing her mind.

One of which was the scent she couldn't shake. A faint hint of familiarity from her past. She wasn't sure why, but the scent was there. She never remembered a time when simply talking about the source of the scent would cause the scent to fill her nose before. So it was odd to her that it was there now.

The other thing that was plaguing her thoughts was the reason for Kyra's leaving. She remembered getting into it with Kyra a long time ago. But she had gotten over it, hell, she didn't even remember the reason. But obviously, Kyra hadn't gotten over it. She chose to not disclose that information to Kyra's Grandmother. It wasn't necessary to start problems over something so small. She and Kyra just weren't friends. It happened sometimes. Tasha wasn't going to cry over it. They would either fix things someday or they wouldn't.

by Devon Marvin Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:08 am

Devon shook his head when Madeline started to explain to him how long it had been since she had met the Orc. "No, then it's not you. Thankfully. The note I read said that the clown had been looking for the quote pretty lady with powerful magiks for almost fifteen years now. So I think that you're off the hook on this one." And Devon was relieved by that. He had just met these people, but already he was taking a liking to them.

He chuckled when Gawain mentioned having the action figure for the dinobot. "Heh, yeah, I've got a big poster somewhere." But he left it at that. He could have rattled on about details that could perfectly describe the poster. But this wasn't the time. Instead he simply nodded about the fact that they would tip off the guys master if they tried to contact him.

He watched Gawain as he got up to close the distance between them. He was listening intently, but when Gawain took the guise of looking like Devon himself, now that was a trip. He jumped up and moved backwards away from him a step or two. "Whoa, that's just . . . " He left off there with his sentence as he reached out a hand towards Gawain. He had never before seen his own face unless he was looking into a mirror. He didn't touch Gawain, it was more like trying to feel for a force-field of some type.

He wrinkled his brow for a moment. "Blood rituals? Why would you need stuff like that?" He was a little confused by that. What would blood rituals accomplish with trying to find out who this guy was working for? But he chuckled after that. "One of the things that goes bump in the night? I like that. What flavor are you, wolf right? So yeah, I guess there are horror stories about your kind, aren't there? But no, not that I think you to be a savage beast, but I don't mind working with one. Sometimes the monsters are the best help when it comes to catching the other monsters." Not that he thought any of these nice people were monsters exactly. It was just a generalized term.

He flipped open his phone and pulled up the calender. "I have an appointment with him tomorrow to see if he came up with a sketch for me. He said he didn't draw very well, and even worse when he wasn't looking at the paper. We're supposed to talk about his drawing a picture of the type of vehicle he was thinking of getting. That way, we kept up the rouse of his trying to buy a vehicle." It made sense, didn't it?

And for the record, there were all kinds of monsters in the universe.

by Tasha Masterson Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:05 am

Well, wasn't this a welcome distraction? Tasha sat there drinking her coffee and listening to the conversation. And it was helping to keep her from thinking about whatever it was that she did not want to remember from the night before. Or, well, earlier that morning as the case happened to be.

But did Gawain have to go and pull that mirror image thing? She chuckled softly. "Furball, I think it's a little early in the morning for things like that. It's kinda creepy to see you change into someone else that way." She was joking with him of course.

She continued to listen in and try to not think about other things. But when they mentioned things that went bump in the night, it reminded her about what was going on elsewhere. One of the things that went bump in the night was off bumping somewhere else, and Tasha had no idea where. And she was starting to worry. But she wasn't to panicked yet. And besides, her brother had other problems on his hands at the moment. But if she got to the point of panicked, she would definitely let him know. After all, who better to hunt her down and find out what was going on? No one had a stronger bond with her than he did.

She decided to butt into the conversation. "Sorry to butt in, but this guy sounds like a real piece of work. From what little I've heard anyway. Why would someone search for one person for fifteen years and not give up?" Rhetorical question of course. She figured that no one would have a good answer for the question anyway.

Tasha wasn't sure why Gawain was speaking of blood rituals either. But she had a thought. Which in and of itself was a bad thing this morning. "I think he meant that the way the guy was being controlled had to do with a blood ritual. Right?" She could be wrong, and she would admit if she was and apologize for her confusion. "But regardless, there would have to be a way to break this hold don't you think?" Again with the thoughts. It was a good thing that she was no longer hung over.

by **Madeline Cauthon** Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:30 pm

Madeline gave her dad a happy sigh, acknowledging she was no longer hung over. "Really, talking blood rituals first thing in the morning?"

Madeline stood up and looked around. "Anyone need a refill or something else to eat?"

Madeline was trying to focus to see if she sense Connor's movements. While she was lycan like her brother, sister, and father. Maddie had lately noticed her senses seemed to be more in tuned as of late. She wondered if there was a little bit ore of her father in her than she originally thought.

Perhaps she should talk to Gawain about it. But she wouldn't think about it today, she would think about it tomorrow.

by Gawain Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:26 pm

He nodded to Tasha, smiling. "Yes. It sounds like the vither that controls Grimlock used something of the sort. That, or a soul-binding spell. However, nothing you've said, Devon, indicates that he's controlled completely, which is how a soul-binding spell works."

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "A little of the hair of the dire-wolf that bit me, Maddie. I'm way too sober....should have remembered you make trucker coffee." He chuckled, then continued. "Sorry for the freak-out, Devon. Should have warned you about the Mask of Mirrors. Anyway, I cannot think of a better plan just now. We will, however, have to speak together at some length. The image is easy, but I'll have to get your body language and speech patterns down if I'm to fool anyone." His attention was diverted momentarily as he felt someone channeling Sai'din. He didn't say anything, but simply sat still and hoped for the best.

by Devon Marvin Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:05 pm

Devon half chuckled as he listened to the others in the room. There was a hint of nerves to the chuckle. "He might be using old fashioned blackmail or bullying to control the guy too. That was what I was figuring anyway," He had given it some thought before, not enough to have thought of rituals or anything like that. Which meant he was off his game on this one.

He looked over at the red-headed woman. "I don't mind you butting in as you put it I like hearing other opinions when it can help me." Then he looked over to Madeline and smiled. "I'm good, thanks." He was done eating and was going to head back to his room soon anyway.

But before he could do that he looked back at Gawain. "We can meet up later and teach you how to be me if you want. I think it would be good for someone else to get a read on this guy. This whole thing reeks of trouble." Which was another reason why he hadn't trusted it to someone else in his company.

It was starting to look like he had chose the perfect spot to work out of.

by Tasha Masterson Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:51 am

Tasha smiled again. Partly because the guy had said it was ok for her to butt into the conversation, partly because Maddie had asked about food. "Hey Mads, got any of that granola cereal in the kitchen? I could go for a bowl with some ice cold milk poured over it." Maddie would probably remember what cereal Tash was talking about, it had granola and raisins and you could even get it with chocolate chips. It was like trail mix in a bowl, and Tasha loved it, despite her being a carnivore and not an herbivore.

Unfortunately, things were coming back to her thanks to Maddie removing her hangover and the trucker coffee. Crimson flushed her cheeks and she put her head back down on the table to rest against her folded arms once again. She remembered why the scent was burned into her nose now. Someone else had carried that scent. Faintly, but it was still there. And Tash had discovered that in the middle of the night. But that wouldn't have burned it into her nose like this, would it? She was hoping that the revelations of the night before were going to stop there.

So the best way to keep away the revelations was to get distracted from them. Which caused her to pay closer attention to the other goings on in the room. "Blackmail or bullying sounds viable too. Or it could be a spell of some sort. Too bad our little witch is off somewhere in the great unknown." Venis had been freed from her captivity within her Keep, but had fled from there and no one had heard from her since. Other than last night, or early this morning rather. Tasha was taking care of things in her absence. Wait ... Venis had been here? Why had Venis been here?

by **Madeline Cauthon** Sun May 27, 2012 2:25 am

Madeline went into the kitchen and made Tasha her cereal and fixed her dad a not so sobering coffee.
Basically two parts Bailey's Irish Creme and one part coffee. She returned out and gave Tasha her cereal and Gawain his coffee. She was about to sit back down when she heard something in the lobby. "Excuse me a moment."

She arrived in time to see some wanker running out the door. She immedately went behind the counter to see a sealed envelope and the locket her brother gave her gone!

Sighing she picked up the letter and read it. Madeline thought for a minute about just gathering Xavier a care package, but from the way the letter read perhaps she could do more.

Madeline raced to her room, took a shower and dressed in her Aes Sadi dress. After which she packed a bag with a few days worth of clothes, and some more books for her brother. Next she went to Connor's room and left him a note stating she needed to run an errand that would take a few days. She would explain the errand when she got back.

Madeline made her way back down the stairs and picked up the letter and set her bags by the door.

Maddie made her way into the dinning room, she stood in front of her father and placed the letter from Xavier in front of him.. "Dad I need to take off for a few days. I need to speak with Mother, and then head to the Borderlands. Will you be alright here?"

While she already knew the answer to her question, she still wanted to ask. After all thats what a good daughter does.

by Gawain Sat Jun 16, 2012 3:55 am

Gawain took a long sip of the coffee, then smiled despite himself. "It's insane how well you know me, sweetie. Thanks." He shook his head then, looking abashed. "Sorry, dear, to me you'll always be the little crumbsnatcher that liked to play such effective pranks on me. Although, to be honest, I laughed harder than you when you filled a certain female's shoes with that horrid porridge she used to try to feed you." He laughed then, then knitted his brow. "Don'tcha hate it when you get good and drunk, then, when you sober up, you remember everything that happened the previous night-slash-morning all at once? Damn...." He sighed, looking over to Tasha with this sort of holy-crap-that-crap-actually-happened look. They'd talk later, he hoped. Of course, he'd make sure she wasn't too busy with other things before he accosted her.

His attention snapped back to Maddie. "Darlin', what's up? Do you need me to come with? After last night...well, this morning....I couldn't stay away too long, but if there's trouble brewing, you know I'm here for you. Or there for you, as the case may be..and of course I'll be alright here, so long as you keep yourself safe and keep me posted on what's going on, since I'm almost sure you won't be accepting my offer to come with."

He wasn't sure what to do, given the current circumstances. He was quite afraid (yes, a rarity for him) to broach the subject of Gareth's untimely demise with Gareth himself....or with anyone else, for that matter. He was, at that moment, extremely grateful for the Bailey's Maddie put in the coffee. He would, as soon as he and Tasha had a chance to talk, ask her about his favorite fireball-slash-vampire-slash-goddess. But the time for that would come when it needed to do so. After all, the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.

His attention finally went back to Devon. "Sorry, my friend. A lot happened last night and this morning, so hopefully you won't take my preoccupation personally. "I'd be more than happy to meet up later, Devon. You are very correct that the whole thing stinks of trouble. Of course, if I had been named correctly, trouble would have been my middle name. Trust me, I can handle anything thrown my way. Um, that does not include making my wife angry. She's doesn't do the quiet-stewing kind of angry. It's more closely resembling the 'Hulk smash' type of angry." He chuckled a bit, then took another long drink of his coffee, turning his attention back to Maddie. "Please be careful, kiddo. I know you're a grown-up, but you're still my little girl."

After a moment, he turned back to Tasha, a worried and sad look on his face. "When do you think he'll be down, fuzzy and feline?"

by Devon Marvin Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:20 am

Devon was finished with his breakfast. "My compliments to the chef." He gave that charming smile and a wink to Madeline. He listened to what everyone had to say. Even picking up on a few comments here and there. He didn't have much to go on as far as their problem went. So he left it alone. They would fill him in if they wanted to.

A look to Gawain and a smile. "Please, no worries of the preoccupation. I know what it is to have to multitask." And a look to the red head. "What kind of spell? I don't know any that could control a being to this extent." Perhaps it was a combination of two types of control. There was just no way to know for sure until further evidence was obtained.

He rose from his stool and wiped his face with a napkin. He lifted his dishes from the counter and brushed his crumbs into his plate. Then he headed into the kitchen with them. He washed them up by hand and set them upon a towel to dry. Then he came back out into the main bar area. "Oh, sorry I didn't ask. I was just trying to be helpful." He smiled again. "If you guys will excuse me. Gawain, I'll be in my room when you're ready to do what you need to do." He gave a nod to all others in the room and made his exit.

It was time to get to that dossier on the little red haired girl.

by Tasha Masterson Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:54 am

Tasha was quietly eating her cereal and drinking her coffee. She was paying attention, but she was only speaking when she felt she needed to add her two cents. When Maddie said she was leaving, Tasha spoke up. "Be careful kid-o. If you need help, just yell. Apparently, your Aunt is still in control enough to show up when she's needed." Though, at the moment, Tasha didn't remember why they needed her last night.

Tasha reached for her coffee cup and brought it to her mouth. But she paused when the new guy excused himself. "Have a nice day, it was a pleasure meeting you." Always the polite one, even in her haze. The cup continued it's journey to her lips. A sip was taken as Devon left the room.

The cup inched away from her lips and it was almost like life slowed down. Gawain spoke. 'When do you think he'll be down, fuzzy and feline?' And as she swallowed that sip of coffee it was like a chain reaction. She remembered that the guy who carried a hint of the scent was with Maddie, so when Gawain asked his question she started to answer. "How am I supposed to know, he's Maddie's ..." Flashes of Venis, speaking in tongues, someone holding her hand ...

Slowly, she continued to move the cup away from her mouth towards the table. It was just over her bowl of cereal when in her mind she looked up to see who's hand was in hers. And there stood Gareth. And just like that, two things happened at once. The cup slid from her hands, and as it fell. "Oh, Dear God's, what have we done?" And the cup hit the bowl and they both shattered sending milk, cereal, coffee, and glass all over Tasha and the table to run down to the floor.

Tasha drew in a sharp breath as she came back to reality in the blink of an eye. She jumped up from her seat and began to brush herself off. "Shit." She went behind the bar and grabbed up a container for busing tables and some white towels. She returned to the table and began to clean up the mess. She spoke as she cleaned. "What in the hell were we thinking? No, we weren't thinking, we were friggin drunk." She started picking up the pieces of glass.

As she picked up some pieces of glass she would wipe away some of the milk, coffee and cereal. Then more glass. "There's laws. Equivalent and exchange. And just as sure as gravity, supply and demand made that a very expensive exchange." She picked up a piece of glass in her frantic cleaning and it sliced into her finger. "Crap!" She dropped the glass into the container and set the container in the chair. She pinched her finger tip and then stuck it in her mouth to suck the blood from the cut.

She pulled her finger from her mouth and looked at it. She shook it a few times, then sucked on it again. Then she looked at it again, pinched it, and returned to cleaning up the mess. "If your Fireball wasn't so off her damned rocker ... You would think that she would know better. It had to have cost her something fierce. Why would she do that? No, I know why. She's lost her damned mind." She realized how her ranting sounded.

She finished wiping down the table and got down on the floor to clean up the mess. "Don't get me wrong. I'm glad he's back. I've missed him so much. And I'm sure it will be great for Connor to have his dad back. But damnit Gawain, we weren't supposed to do that. And your Fireball just let us do it, or did it for us, or whatever." It didn't even dawn on her that she was referring to Venis as his Fireball. It was almost like when a pair of parents has a child acting up, and one of them passes the child off to the other as theirs, yet claims them when the child is good.

Tasha finished cleaning up the floor. "I let him sleep in. I figured he could use the rest after such a stressful ordeal." She grabbed up the plastic container and took it back behind the bar. She dumped it in the trash. When she came back out she looked at Gawain. She was using a clean towel to dry herself off. She sighed and then looked down at what she was doing. "Did we do the right thing?" She wasn't sure in the sobriety of the morning.

by **Madeline Cauthon** Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:10 pm

Madeline smiled as Devon left the room. "Your quite welcome."

Once he was gone she sat down beside her father and explained to both of them what was going on. "Received word from my brother, it appears his deployment to the Borderlands is taking longer than expected, and made mention of wanting something else to read when he has time. So instead of sending just a care package, I thought I would make the delivery in person and see what I can do to help."

A smirk would appear across her face, and a certain glimmer in her eye. Similar to one Gawain would get before a spar or battle. " Haven't had a decent fight since we faced a certain demon Dad. Anyway I'm going first to the White Tower and see if the Amrylin and ask if she will send a few yellows and a few of my green sisters to help out Xavier. Shouldn't take to long."

She stood up and kissed her father on the forehead while listening to her Aunt Tasha giving her a questioning look for what she said about Venis. before she started to walk out. But before she left Wolf's Head she did want to do one thing first.

Madeline walked into the kitchen and fixed her uncle a plate of grits, eggs the way she remembered he liked it, and some bacon. She placed his plate on a tray, along with a pot of hot coffee, and made his way to Tasha's room.
Using her master key she quietly opened the door and sat the trey down on the beside table. She stood there a moment and watched her uncle sleep. Her heart soared with happiness to have him back. She leaned down and gently kissed him on the cheek, much like she did when he would stay over when she was young. She quietly whispered, "I missed you Uncle Garreth, welcome home."

Maddie smiled and made her way towards the door.

by Gawain Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:29 pm

Gawain, his eyes never leaving Tasha's, tousled his daughter's hair. "Go ahead, darlin'. Kick some ass for me while you're at it." He switched his gaze to Maddie, smiling slightly, then, as she left, looked back to Tasha. He shook his head in something that amounted to disgust, then walked over to her. His eyes could have been steel up until that moment, but for a flicker, they were sad, gentle, and overall the eyes of a man who had simply seen too much....bad.

Faster than a human could possibly even track, his hand whipped back, then crashed into her jaw. Yep, he just slapped the shit out of her. "How dare you ask such a thing? And speak of Venis in that manner to boot?! After all she's done for you...for me? YOU DARE speak another word like that, even question it, and so help me God, Tasha, I will NOT be responsible for my actions. My brother, the man you CLAIMED to love, the man I called brother and had to vithing MURDER is back, and you question it? Have you finally gone around the bend where Gabriel wanted to send you all those years? Well?! ANSWER ME!"

by Tasha Masterson Wed Jul 11, 2012 3:05 am

Tasha smiled at Madeline as she left, she knew her niece would be ok, so would her nephew. She was still toweling off when Gawain suddenly smacked her. Her head was knocked to the side, having not seen it coming, and she was spun half around nearly falling to the floor. The back of her hand went to her mouth as she righted herself to face Gawain again.

When she removed her hand from her mouth, she saw the blood on her hand. She growled and then roared like a big cat would. And while the very inhuman sound was leaving her very human throat, she planted both palms against his chest in a push worthy of her stronger than animal or human strength. She hoped to stumble him backwards away from her and hopefully even on his ass.

Then she began to yell. "Number one ... Do not ever, and I do mean ever, put your hands on me in anger ever again. Do I make myself perfectly clear on that? Because if I don't, I can sure as hell reiterate my point." She stalked towards him slowly. She was angrier than Gawain would have ever seen her before.

There was a growl to her voice as she continued. "Number two ... I do love Gareth. Do not ever presume to question that ever again. If I didn't love him, I would not have said yes to Venis when she asked me if I was sure. I have always, and will always, love him. Got it?" She stopped in her movements when she was within two feet of him.

Her hands were fists at her sides as she continued. "And number three ... Your damned Fireball is off her frickin rocker. When she was trapped at the Keep, going frickin stark raving mad because she couldn't get out and get to you and Dre and Maddie and Kyra, she called upon some dark power to add to her own. She was trying to get strong enough to get out of the Keep. That darkness is taking her over."

She growled again. "She keeps popping in and out of different realms looking for the being that trapped her in the Keep so she could kill it. We can't track her or seem to get her to stay put so we can help her. We have no idea where she is or what she is doing. She has turned off her cell phone and locked her mind from any mental links. She even locked out The Vampire Council."

She hit her fists to her thighs and growled in frustration. "Why in the hell do you think I had to cut you to get her here? She's flippin lost it Gawain. Or is in the process of loosing it. And evidently, she thinks you can somehow save her. Yea, I heard what she told you when she left. And God's help me I hope she's right, because I don't know what will happen if the darkness takes over completely." Tasha was definitely a little worried about that.

She wiped at the blood in the corner of her mouth again. The wound was nearly closed, she was mostly wiping away what had bled while she was talking. "And while I'm at it, do not ever speak that son of a bitch's name around me again. But no, I have not gone around the bend. But how in the hell would you feel if Air died, and you eventually got on with your life, had someone new that you loved, and then all of a sudden she was back from the dead? It's quite the frickin dilemma let me tell you."

She turned her back to him as she continued. "I have never been one for being poyamorous. But here I am, both of the men I love are now alive and well. How in the hell am I supposed to deal with that?" She growled in frustration again as she stood with her back to Gawain. That was a whole lot of trust under the circumstances. But she didn't want him to see the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

by Gawain Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:24 pm

His eyes narrowed, and he bit back the animal in himself, forcing the human to deal with this. "Go hiss at somebody that buys it, pussycat. You come into my home, spouting complete and utter idiocy, and what, I'm supposed to drink the damn kool-aid and go along with it? Maybe Venis has gone barking mad....I wouldn't be surprised, what with all the people she has hanging off her underbelly like a sad-looking bitch with a litter too large for her!" Mad? She had a few things to learn...she better be glad she didn't pull this crap on him sixty years or so ago, back when he was still a little unreasonable.

A moment passed, things grew less red, and a cold look slid over his face. "Don't come here talking about loss to me, child. I've buried two wives, two brothers, and a child. Hell, for all we're allowed to see each other, Airtia and I may as well be eight years back, with me still in hell. If you want to be part of the solution, fine. You may stay. If you continue to be part of the problem, don't let the door hit you. I have a best friend to seek out, and it seems another friend who isn't much of one, not to mention a brother to look after and try to re-acclimate to this world....I'll trust Connor on that one, he's a solid enough kid. Maddie thinks so, and that's good enough for me."

He turned crisply on one booted heel, took a step, then stopped, thoughtful look on his face. "If you or any of your ilk had a brain to fight over among you, you would have known to come to me. We're bound, she and I. She saved my life, I saved hers....this happened enough times that we practically share the same blood. The feeling got worse when she was here.....it started when?" He was, of course, referring to Venis' sickness. No one really wanted to call her crazy in his presence if they valued their hide, and Tasha was getting a one-time free pass because they had a lot of history, not to mention he still, at the moment, considered her a friend. "It must be hard, I know. Too much alcohol and not a lot of sleep does it every time. Guess I shouldn't have slapped you, my bad. Don't think I'm backing down, girl, just admitting that I went overboard with that and the comment about that one guy." He didn't like speaking Gabriel's name either, and in truth, if he had ever caught back up with the asshole, he would have killed him at least four different ways....once simply on general principle, one for Gawain's own race, once for Tasha, and once again because he had heard the fool was seeking to expand, and wanted Gawain as an attraction-slash-fighter. That reminded him for the fourth time in as many days that he had meant to ask Devon if he could look the guy up, help him with some intel. That was, however, something for another time.

"I don't expect anything from you, Tasha, except what you feel is right. If you feel you should leave, I'll explain it to him. Lord knows I have enough to explain to him already, what with the murder and all. That tends to color a relationship, introducing a little murder into it, you know. And for the record, as soon as I am able, I'll be going after Venis. It's gotta be me. Don't ask me to explain, because I can't." He sighed, walking back over toward the bar. After a long moment spent staring at nothing, he reached out and snagged a bottle, noticing that it was one of Maddie's favorites, although she would never admit it. Red liquid, giving off a strong, almost overpowering, scent of cinnamon. What was it, eleven in the morning? "What the hell, it's gotta be after dark somewhere around here. Hey, what're them things, live in the underground, worship giant spider-arsed women things? Whatever, close enough. Want some?"

by Tasha Masterson Thu Jul 19, 2012 3:37 am

Tasha hadn't been around sixty years ago to give him this much grief. She wasn't even around him when she was a kid to give him grief like she did her older sisters. So Gawain was getting off easy, he just didn't know it. "Venis chooses who she has around her. We do not cling to her like that. And I am sorry that she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. We all do what we can to help her carry that weight." There was still a tone of anger in her voice, though no growl, as she continued to stand there with her back to him. She crossed her arms over her stomach. She was too 'blessed' to cross her arms over her chest.

She shook her head and looked down for a moment as he spoke of loss. "You know that I am sorry for your losses. As I am sure you are sorry for mine. And I'm sorry you and Air don't get as much time together as you would like, really I am. But I'm pretty sure that even with all those that you have lost, you would not wish to be in my predicament." She looked back up, but still did not turn around to face him. Her voice was returning to it's usual softness. Her anger was draining away slowly. Though, she had to wonder, when he said a friend who evidently isn't much of one, was he speaking of her? It was a good thing she wasn't furry at the moment.

She heard him turn around and take a step to walk away. She started to turn around, but then he stopped, and so did she. She wasn't quite facing him. But he would see her profile if he turned around to face her again. "It started a few hours before she finally escaped the Keep." And her escape had unknowingly coincided with Gawain and Dre getting rid of Mr. Ugly Face, as Gawain had called him. "And I know you two are bound. That was how I knew how to get her here. Hell, with as many times as you two have fed off of each other to save each other or whatever else it may have been for, I'm surprised you don't both have the exact same blood in your veins. But as far as us having a brain to fight over, think of who we're talking about here. You know she has a billion rules for everything. We have door knocking codes, we have rules about employee shifts, we have rules about taking care of the animals ..." Which reminded her of something, causing her to say shit to herself in her mind. " ... So what makes you think that there are not rules about us coming and bothering you?" Stupid rules if you ask Tasha.

She finished her turn to face him, though now she was facing his back. "And I quote. Do not, and I repeat, do not, go and bother Gawain, Dre, Alex, Kahn, Airtia, Gypzee, Gotha, Eros, or Wally unless it is a life or death situation and you cannot find me. Or anyone else for that matter. There is no reason to bother them over trivial shit. End quote. Now, other than the fact that she's hunting for some uber-powerful being, we don't know if it is life or death. For all we know, she could find the being, hurt it or maybe even kill it, and then come back just fine. So no one came to get you. Do you really think we want to deal with her wrath for breaking her rules?" She shook her head, even though he couldn't see it unless he turned around.

Tasha blinked and looked shocked as Gawain continued. "Apology accepted." She had never expected an apology for him slapping her or for his mentioning that bastards name. But he gave one, and she accepted it. She continued to listen. "I'm not leaving. And I can do my own explaining." She sighed because she knew that there was going to be a lot of it, to both the men she loved. "And I would never ask you to explain why it has to be you. Truth be told, I don't think anyone other than you, and maybe a small list of others, are even up to the task of facing her in her current state. I know I'm not. You saw the way she treated me when she was here. And that was her being nice." Tasha was so not going into battle against Venis. Not like this, hell no.

She watched as he walked over to the bar and stared off into space for a moment. Then she saw him reach over and grab a bottle of ... Was that Aftershock? Tasha grimaced and scratched her forehead. She heard his question and chuckled. "Drow? Better not let Scalybutt hear you say that." She laughed a little. Dre was part Drow. Tasha always wondered, yet never questioned, how two vampires could beget a half Dracon half Drow with a shadow form. And in answer to his other question. "No thank you. I think I've consumed enough alcohol lately. And I'm not really a fan of cinnamon. What I need to do is go get my laundry started and wake up the hot guy that slept next to me this morning. Unless you're going to wake him?" She would let Gawain wake him if he wanted to. It would give her a chance to procrastinate the talk that she would have to have with him. She waited to see what else Gawain might have to say.

by Gawain Tue Jul 31, 2012 10:15 am

He gave her a long study, then shook his head. "Apology accepted, eh? It was a mea culpa, nothing more, nothing less. And since when do you do as you're told, anyway? Referring, of course, to your being told to not come and get me." He smirked lightly, then shrugged. "At any rate, you still, after all these years, sell me short. I still have a lot of stroke in those circles. God, remember? Somehow, it was waiting for me when I came back the last time. Nature abhors a vacuum, and it seems my untimely-yet-repeated-demise created just that. Demise...heh. Gotta be one of the few people in this thrice-accursed world that actually needs to know the plural form of that word. It's demises, by the way. Anyway, I have gained enough experience in dying that I feel I can use it to *not* die. Just for a change of pace, of course."

"Ah, nothing personal against them. Dre is a rare exception to the rule as it pertains to Drow-folk....anyway, I never could get used to a male being the sub. Of course, in a race which sees the female populace practically born with stilettos and whips already issued, it stands to reason." Shrug. He had, of course, wondered that a few times, but with the birth of his twins, one being Caucasian and the other a dusky hue, as if she'd been born Aiel, he just quit trying to figure some things out. Less headaches lie in the accept-it-and-move-on realm.

After a few moments lost in a thought that had suddenly occurred to him, he smiled. "Tash, after everything that's happened, I think it best that you wake him. Unless, of course, you need some time....if you do, I will understand. Whole lot of changing going on, kiddo. Life just got complicated, no?" That made him chuckle again. "Me, talking about something being complicated. Ha!"

by Tasha Masterson Thu Aug 02, 2012 4:29 am

Tasha shrugged her shoulders as Gawain spoke. But she let him finish before she spoke herself. "Mea culpa, I'm sorry, a fine line that one Furball." She chuckled and winked. "And I do what I'm told as far as Fireball's rules when I know that she's as serious as death about them. After all, I don't want it to be my death." She shook her head and smiled. "And I never underestimate you dear, or sell you short for that matter." She knew that Gawain had the one bond that Venis couldn't block off or break. And she knew that Gawain was powerful enough to survive whatever V threw at him. Which was why he was at the top of her list if she felt the need to send someone to find the Fireball. She couldn't help but giggle. "I know the plural. I have to being around this crazy assed family of ours. And you not dieing would be a refreshing change of pace." She shook her head again and chuckled some more.

She snickered about his saying that Dre was the exception. He was more right than he knew. Even in Drow form, Dre was sub to no woman. Tasha knew that better than most. But Tasha never saw that as a bad thing. But it was rather funny when he said that the Drow women were practically born with stilettos and whips already issued.

Tasha tilted her head as he seemed to get lost in thought for a moment. What had caused him to leave for a moment? She might never know, and if it were important for her to know, he'd tell her. But he was back and he wanted her to go wake him. "Alright. I'll wake him. It's ok. I need to get this over with." She wasn't sure if she was going to walk away from this conversation with or without Gary in her life. But it wasn't fair to him to not know the truth. And then she had to go have the conversation with Ha'Ruil, and she risked loosing him too. Complicated was an understatement. She could end up with two men in her life, or she could end up with one man, or she could even end up with no men. "Yea, complicated ..." She lowered her head again for a moment. "Said the king of complications." She chuckled about that.

She walked over to him and rose up on her tip toes. "Love you brother dear. Put a good word in for me with the deities. I'm gunna need someone watching over my shoulder for this one." Her way of asking him to say a prayer for her. She kissed his cheek and then smiled as she went back to standing flat footed. "I won't leave without saying goodbye. Oh, and there's supposed to be a delivery sometime today. Some of Gareth's stuff from the Keep. It was stuff that was in my rooms at the SBR. I called this morning before breakfast and told them to bring his trunks of stuff here for him. Some clothes and things." Then she headed out of the bar. She was going to go start her laundry. And while it was washing, she was going to have the talk with Gary.

by Rowan Fair Fri Aug 03, 2012 2:08 pm

After returning her things to her room, Rowan walked down to the tavern. She heard voices as she approached the door and slowed down a bit. As she crossed the threshold, her ears perked up at the name Dre, but showed no sign of recognition as she slipped quietly to a table, not wanting to disturb the patrons. Looking around, she saw Gawain and another that she did not know.

by Gawain Fri Sep 07, 2012 3:02 pm

Gawain waved to the approaching Rowan, smiling faintly, then set back to trying to puzzle something out. "Huh.....brother back from the dead, daughter and son off Light knows where, other daughter.....well, I don't think she'd speak to me anyway, plus some orcish-looking 'spy' hunting someone that could very well be a member of my family....say, Rowan, you don't happen to have a broadsword on ya, do ya? Just aim at the neck, the head'll come right off. Just sayin', things were a helluva lot simpler when I was dead!" He drained the glass that was sitting on his table, tried for a few more seconds to look serious, then just started laughing in his loud, raucous manner. "Nah, kidding...besides, I'm holding out for when the ferryman starts giving frequent dyer miles!"

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