𝑀𝑂𝑀𝑆 ✰ appointments [5/23]

[mommy shark]

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[mommy shark]

「LOCATION」 osamu's apartment 「COMPANY」 osamu, airi 「MOOD」 shock, contentment 「OUTFIT」it's a work day

“I need to speak to him about this. I can’t ignore what he’s done.”

Somehow, Shugoryuu fully expected the answer he received. It didn’t mean he had to accept it, however, no matter how serious Osamu was regarding the situation.

You’re in no shape to go locate him.” Shugoryuu settled himself back into a chair, wearily looking from the god, to the little girl who now slept in his arms. Despite the assault from Fujimaro, she seemed no worse for wear, for that, he was thankful.

”I won’t rest until I’ve spoken to him.”

Of course he wouldn’t. With a deep sigh, the dragon scrubbed his hand across his chin. Perhaps there was an alternative solution. ”Airi is asleep. We could bring him to you, instead.” The thought left his mouth before he had a chance to think further, and Shu immediately regretted it. Keeping the elder away from Airi should have been at the forefront of his mind - and Osamu was quick to reprimand him for it, sternly rejecting the idea without hesitance.

A knock at the sliding door brought his attention and Shu moved to answer it, half expecting Mizuki herself once again. Instead, he retrieved the towel wrapped ice pack from one of the many employed within the Sohma estate, thanking them before retreating back to the privacy the god’s room offered. For a moment as he looked back on the father and daughter, Shu debated how to best take care of her without waking her. Osamu motioned with a nod to the bed next to him, as if reading the doctor’s mind.

“Here, take her.”

Just as soon as he’d sat, Osamu gently slid the child into Shu’s arms, causing the both of them to hold their breath. She squirmed, but sleep held her tight - the dragon was trapped, ice pack cooling one hand, the other holding the toddler awkwardly. ”W-wait, what? Where are you going?” Shugoryuu hissed in a whisper after the god who’d risen from his bed, setting the ice pack aside to adjust Airi in his arms.

”Out.” The doctor had no chance to argue with Osamu as he slipped out of the room to confront the elder. Grey eyes fell to the girl in his arms, and he let out a frustrated groan. ”I’m going to write ‘against medical advice’ in red on all of his charts.’

With one large hand splayed across her back to prevent her from falling, Shu sat in the silence for a good while, before growing uncomfortable. At first, it was his tie that was too tight around his neck. Easily remedied by loosening it with his free hand. Moments more passed, and while Airi slept soundly curled up in his lap thinking she rested against Osamu, he remained uneasy. Treating his pediatric patients never required more than brief touches - and the knowledge he harbored regarding this one was a weight, heavy on both his head and his heart. With his unoccupied hand, he brushed her bangs aside gently, eyeing the mark on her face once more, before turning his attention to her features. For once in his life, he’d never been so thankful that a child looked like their mother.

[mommy shark]

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[mommy shark]

If you would have asked Nina what her worst case scenario for date night would have been, any answer she could have given wouldn't have held a candle to the reality of the situation. Any bad mood she’d been in over being cockblocked, was initially replaced by fear at the scene that she and Vincent encountered at the beach after Meryn’s call poorly explained the extent of what had happened in the time it’d taken her to give the demon an unforgettable b*****b and break his nose. She was no lykae or demon, with their supernatural sense of smell, but the foreboding aura that enveloped them had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. "Death was here." Green eyes swung around as the demon manhandled her beneath his body, the shock numbing her senses barely covering the sound of bullets as they pierced the silence - and the demon’s body. "Saved me…" Adrenaline and the pent up lust from earlier in the night - in the form of magics - thrummed through her body, palms glowing with the beginning of the seven hells she was about to help the demon put their attackers through. "Wasn’t how this was supposed to go…" Nina had positioned herself to move away from the demon, not realizing his intention to trace, when they were both taken off guard by a garrote yanking him backward - a syringe filled with a foreign liquid emptied into his veins. "No!" The witch’s strangled cry caught in her throat just as Vincent dispatched his attacker, but it was easy to see that whatever it was, it was already affecting him. Just as she went to reach for him, he pulled away. "Don’t go…"

Soldiers clad in black and weaponry surrounded them now, and Vincent still sought to protect her despite the fact that he was clearly in distress. Her brows knit as anger rose, the glow in her palms returned full force. He wanted her to run…

[******** that!"

Nina was on her feet - or rather, the tips of her toes as they skimmed the ground below her - as the first shot rang out, hair ethereal as it floated around her face, the full force of her powers summoned from their depths. Like hell if she was leaving him alone to fight these ********! It was almost insulting that he’d tried! The first human to fire had gone down in a blast of magic, leaving a nice, large gaping hole right where his heart had once been. Another went down by her hand, just as Vincent bellowed, the rage demon in his full glory, spilling blood for her. "For us…" Nina felt a pang in her chest. She was selfish, even cruel, making him chase her. Denying him what was once something she treasured just as much as he still did. "Magnificent demon…can’t lose you, too!"

Just when she’d thought they were almost done fighting, almost safe, she watched as Vincent dropped to vomit. "Poison? Won’t last much longer…" the voice in the back of her mind moved frantically to go to him, but turned to agony as a bullet exploded through her left shoulder in a spray of blood and bone. Nina’s feet touched the ground once again, conserving what she had left, channelling to her palm to fry her assailant’s a** where he stood. "Can’t get to him!" Where did these new ones come from? Did they have an army waiting, just for them? Pain shot through what remained of the nerves in her shoulder, and Nina cried out, clutching the unusable arm. "You’ve been through worse…" Tears streaked her face, and she used the last of her reserves, two more of their enemies going down, but replaced by three more. "Two-steps back…" The next glance she stole at the demon stopped the witch in her tracks. He’d gone down, facing her, empty eyes locked onto her. Above them, lightning clashed with what was a clear night and she turned her face upward - a valkyrie’s screech in the distance? "Sera!" Was she in trouble too? Had they all been targeted? Her good hand clutched the ruined dress she wore, above her heart.

”Eve!”

The ground came rushing at her with a rough shove to her back, and Nina felt two fingers break under the weight as she tried to catch herself. "Can’t stop…" She rolled just in time to avoid a boot coming down to crush her back, but caught the next as it connected with her stomach, leaving her curled into the fetal position and gasping for the air that had just been kicked out. "Stand!" A fresh wave of tears came on as she caught sight of the enemy dragging Vincent’s body away to an armored vehicle. "Where?" She rolled once more, struggling to get to her knees, blood loss making her vision fuzzy. She cried out his name one last time before the butt of a gun caught the back of her head, forehead bouncing off the pavement.

And then, silence.

Nina wasn’t sure how long they’d been trapped in the tiny cell. Or how long they would remain there, waiting on either freedom...or the more likely option, death. Drip...drip… She found solace in the rhythm of the leaky faucet on the nearby sink. Already she’d had one cell mate, and lost the same one only days later. "Didn’t come back…" Two more were thrown in shortly after, and only one remained, currently facing the wall of their cell, seemingly asleep. Wounds had healed, in time. At least, externally. "They don’t stop screaming…" The witch couldn’t remember the last time she slept more than minutes at a time, reliving nightmares she’d once forgotten. "Blood everywhere...so cold…"

"Vincent…" Chest tightening, she clawed at the dress she still wore - though, less caked in blood, as she had nearly scrubbed her own fingernails off to get it out in the sink. "So much blood…" Bile rose in the witch’s throat and she squeezed her eyes shut with the fresh wave of screams, and the constant ache in her chest. She held out hope that the demon lived. He wasn’t beheaded at the scene. Three days into their capture, and the first sight she’d caught of him was his battered body being dragged past her cell. How she had beaten on the glass, until her knuckles were bloodied, fingers rebroken, and her voice hoarse. "How I’ll make them all pay…" She spent her days pulling at the torque around her neck futilely, until gas entered the chamber and her eyes slid shut of their own accord. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Though it was rare, Nina had found herself awake outside of her cell on more than one occasion. The first time, their captors had bound her face to face with... "Linnea!" Hecate, how she’d prayed that everyone else was safe. "Who else…" When the tape was removed from her mouth, Linnea had immediately sobbed her name out, unable to hold back. Nina’s tape came soon after, words meant to soothe the young witchling rolling out, even as the enemy began their game. How does a two-caste witch differ from a three-caste when subjected to torture? They wanted to know so badly, and Nina silently vowed that once she could do so, she would show them by tearing their heads from their bodies. The two witches were subjected to poison drips during the ordeal - who would break first? The burning in Nina’s veins was nothing compared to the pain she felt as she watched Linnea suffer in front of her. "Powerless...kill them all with my bare hands..."

Days passed, before Nina was able to function once again with minimal poison in her system. It was taking longer than usual to heal without her powers amplified, as being stuck in a jail cell with a chance of being tortured or murded was a pretty good killjoy for cockstands or optimism. Gods’ curse whoever had given her lust-based powers. Linnea was nowhere in sight, though once again, the demon had been dragged by, this time mostly coherent, albeit, in rough shape. His gaze trailed back to her, as she once again beat the glass separating them bloody in a feeble attempt to go to him. He appeared dazed, muttering to himself…"Wake up?"

"My fault."

"Breaking…"

Once again, gas clouded her vision, and left her to her nightmares.

“She’s waking.”

“And him?”

“Nothing.”

“Try again.”

The room was white, smelled strongly of bleach. From the chair she was bound in, she could make out figures first, blinking to try and clear things up. “Vincent…” Her voice was hoarse, and she coughed in response. The second time she opened her eyes, she wished she hadn’t. Just feet away, her demon was strapped to his own seat, worse off than she’d seen him before. "Breaking…" Wide eyes swung around to the white-coated staff near them, particularly as one went to do something to him. “Don’t touch him!” She choked out, knuckles white and wrists rubbing raw from trying to pry them out of the cold steel.

“You’re his mate.” It was a statement.

They knew. Of course they’d know.

“He’s been in and out like this. He’s no good, unless he’s in.” A female sat behind a desk nearby stated with possibly the most monotonous voice Nina had ever heard. “Having their ‘mate’ nearby has been recorded to entice even the most stubborn detrus to rouse.” She casually looked from the witch, to Vincent, where several people - guards, she assumed, due to their violence - were now working on waking the demon. Blood marred his skin, and Nina choked - gasped as they struck out at him. Still, the demon did nothing more than mumble the same thing she’d heard before.

“If he won’t rise on his own, then we take a different approach.”

They turned on her instead this time, and Nina steeled herself for the worst. They made it clear that she was to make noise. To scream out. She fought it, madness overtaking an already tortured mind - grinned, after the first few hits. Spat blood at them. ”...will gut you...feed you your cocks...” In response, they broke her left forearm with a heavy blow - enough force to cause her to cry out once, stifled by biting down on her tongue as she looked at bone protruding haphazardly through muscle and broken skin and blood pooling under the arm. A few minutes more saw her other elbow dislocated, and two fingers bent at odd angles with one missing entirely.

“We need him awake." The monotonous woman drawled as she came closer, gloving one hand. ”You will scream, witch.” Nina’s vision became hazy with every moment that passed, lungs burning as she struggled to stay coherent through the pain.

”...get bent...b***h.”

"You mentioned something about gutting?" A wet thud against her breastbone shocked the witch, causing her breath to hitch when the other woman dragged the razor sharp ten blade straight down to her navel. As if her dress wasn't destroyed enough, now it was officially a vest.

It burned, and Nina grit her teeth against it. Until the blade went deeper yet, grinding against the bone it originally hit, and disappearing inch by inch as she worked it downward. "Crazy b***h…" The urge to vomit was overwhelming, especially when a gloved finger stretched the flesh from her chest apart, exposing muscle and bone. Her body shook from the shock, but it was the touch of that gloved hand as it grasped her heart, made it stutter, that finally gave them what they wanted. "What they desired...lusted for..."

Despite the torque suppressing her powers, Nina's scream could have woken the dead. "Doesn't...belong…"

"Nina?" Her demon's voice grated as he came to. But still, he didn't want to see what was clearly in front of him, glazed expression following the witch's blank stare, to where the doc's hand her fingers buried deep within his mates chest. "No, no no...wake up… He thrashed his head, eyes closed once more.

Despite the look of elation on her face, the doc gave another 'massage', leaving Nina so her cries with what little air she could spare as she futilely attempted to pull away. It sounded like her voice, but she couldn't remember begging under her breath that she kill her and get it over with. "How easy it would be, to crush your heart while it beats in my hand." The woman's gaze traced back to the demon who now stared wide-eyed at his mate as if seeing reality once again. The ringing in her ears allowed Nina some respite from the demon bellowing her name, but the wet suction and faint 'pop' of the other woman's hand pulling from her chest cavity left the witch retching in her own lap. She'd played her part, and now they moved to Vincent once again, his rage fueling the poison coating his sharpened horns. Exactly what they wanted...

Nina blacked out shortly after that, and awoke an undefined amount of time later back in her cell, on the floor, crude stitches covering slow-healing wounds. She sobbed against the cold floor, vomit rising once again as she could still feel fingers grasped tightly around her still beating heart. How she wished she could escape like him, to whatever dreams he thought were reality.

Broken…

[mommy shark]

”Tam...Tam!” Her voice screamed for him, echoed through the emptiness that had once been an abundant village. There was nothing but smoke. Blood staining the earth beneath her feet. Bodies, piled in mass graves. The smell was overwhelming, burned her nose, made her eyes water...or maybe that was the tears that streaked her face through her sobs. She spent days matching heads to bodies - and even then, hadn’t found everyone. Lost to the loch, she could only assume. Her half brother’s body was missing completely - leaving a wary hope that perhaps he’d survived.

Blood stained her clothes and skin, her own as well as theirs. Children. Adults. Every single one, brutally beheaded. The scent of their murderers covered the area like a miasma, and though she gagged on it, she forced herself to burn it into her mind. She wouldn’t forget. Wouldn’t forgive. She would pike every last head of the order in retribution.

Her sharp claws dug at the earth, breaking every so often, the visage of her beast wavering as she took to the grueling task of burying her clan. Above her, lightning shot across the sky.

Because of them, she was the only remaining lykae of Langavat.

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Lightning flashed outside the large picture window, and Maura awoke with a start, eyes silver with emotion. The same dream, over and over again, haunted her. Her hands shook as she wiped them over her face, exhaling the breath she’d been holding. All ten claws still sat neatly on her fingers, painted a dark, earthy brown. ”No’ red…” Tossing her blanket off and swinging her legs over the edge of her bed in succession, lightning outside once again illuminated the dark bedroom. Though she’d come to and since settled down since her nightmare, she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that continued to wash over her, making her beast uneasy.

”Somethin’ is no’ right…”

Like a bullet, grief struck hard and fast, bringing the Valkae to her knees as she desperately clawed at her chest, sensitive ears perceiving the screams of her half sisters living not more than a mile away. Her own scream tore through her, amplified by her beast suffering along. Glass shattered, and she cared naught. It was replaceable.

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“You look like shite.” A dark haired smoke demon by the name of Saxa sat contently in her office, drinking straight from one of her better bottles of whiskey. ”Heard ‘bout what happened.” Maura stopped her with a glance. It’d been a painstakingly slow month since the widespread attack. Not only did the order take her second-in-command, a berserker named Bernard, but several others close to them had been both taken...and killed. Among them was a young half-valkyrie who hadn’t hit her immortality yet. ”So young…” Swiping a hand across her mouth, Maura stole the bottle from the other woman, relishing the burn as it tamped down her urge to retch.

”Are they here yet?”

”They’ve been arriving since yesterday morning. I’ve yet to see an absent ally. There’s even a goddamned Furiae…she doesn’t look too tickled to be here though, with the company.” The pointed tip of her ear twitched beneath the cover of her hair. ”A Furiae?” Curiosity, and a desperate desire to avenge Guinevere, had the Valkae itching to get to work.

Below the main floor of Dìoghaltach, the basement had been well converted to a stronghold for the ever-expanding group of anti-order loreans. Bernard had seen to it that it was organized and professional...while the Valkyrie in her took a few liberties to make it comfortable and...chaotic. Behind the south wall, hid a well stocked arsenal of weaponry - mostly acquired from raids on other order facilities, though there were particularly old pieces that graced the walls. The western side of the room had been hollowed out to create a group of cells reminiscent of the cells they’d seen within bygone facilities, and painstakingly set up with the best equipment their money could buy. Centuries worth of blood stained those floors, though they were currently clean. ”Soon.”

As she entered the basement, Maura was greeted by loreans she both recognized, and didn’t. Members of their group that had been off elsewhere attending to other projects had agreed to come back to lend a hand where they currently needed it. Loreans who were allied, many whom she didn’t recognize but welcomed regardless, stood mostly in groups they’d arrived in, chatting amongst themselves. Rowdy bunch… Animosity still brewed between some. After all, the Accession hadn’t passed yet. She demanded they behave themselves upon invitation - but experience deemed that tonight wouldn’t be the first night she would knock heads together due to the lack of listening skills. Near the back of the room, the presence of the Furiae that Saxa had told her about not moments before was unavoidable. ”Alone." Close ally with the Valkyrie, with their queen being part Furiae, the woman in the back was a sight to behold - though not the first she’d seen. Her beast scoffed, hackles rising, and Maura brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

The briefing went over as well as Maura expected. Perhaps with a bit more yelling on her part...but what was a raid without some yelling. An eye had been on the Furiae near the entire time, and Maura found herself flustered with the audacity of the other woman falling asleep. ”Nae respect…” As if her information wasn’t pertinent to what they were about to go in and do. Saxa approached her left side, following her line of sight. ”How long?” Maura growled in response, flexing her fingers. ”The. Whole. Time. She grated, blue flashing over her vision as the beast worked up within her.

”She courts wrath so easily? I daresay her balls are bigger than most here.” Saxa couldn’t help a throaty laugh, hands up in self defense as Maura swung her gaze over to glare at her.

”We have three days - maybe less - before the witches are able tae scry us a location. So much rides on this, demoness. A clawed hand came up to brush her hair over an inconspicuous, silver-colored horn, and Saxa sighed, reaching out to clasp the halfling’s shoulder.

”We’ll get him back. Don’t worry. All of them. And we’ll show the Order why they don’t ******** with us.” The smoke demon’s half grin was reassuring, though Maura found her beast still on edge. ”Ah...duty calls. Will be back!” In a cloud of pale smoke, Saxa disappeared, called away to whatever flavor of the week she was currently attempting. ”Swimbos…” Blue eyes focused back to the Furiae, who seemed to have roused with the noise.

”Furiae.” Her voice grated roughly as she approached. ”I’m happy tae have the allies for this mission - but seems tae me you’d best be suited tae something less arduous if you canna’ stay awake long enough tae take in pertinent information.” Maura’s ire was clear as the silver that flashed beneath the blue visage of the beast in her eyes, scot bleeding through into the perfected english. Already the whispers had started from those who still remained.

”She’s using the accent…we should leave.”

”Is that a Furiae?”

”Oh man, bets on who’s going to win?

Something flashed in the other woman’s eyes that had her hackles back up, wary of how nonchalant she outwardly appeared. Her response only pushed Maura a little further to that line that her beast was just itching to cross. ”Itching to fight...relieve some stress… Her claws curled at the thought. ”Doona need tae explain tae ya how important tis.” The furiae stood and stretched before her. ”Wee lass… Though she stood at least two inches taller, Maura still found herself trying to stand her ground against the Furiae. ”Such power...”

Power to frustrate the ******** out of her at every turn, it seemed. Maura had to take a moment to comprehend what had just happened as the Furiae walked off after not only calling her an amatuer, but disregarding the fact that she’d spoken of anything important at all. Blue colored her vision, and she was sure that lightning flashed the skies outside. Mentally, she slapped herself for allowing the other woman to even walk out. Colorful vocabulary words made up most of the verbal assault Maura released as she made her way out of the basement, intending on going for her office once more. She stopped before the staircase however, scenting the Furiae to the front doors where she’d apparently left. Part of the Valkae felt relieved that she’d gone. Then there was the other part that she quickly quashed before it came completely to fruition - the frustration she felt over not sinking her claws into something.

If Maura had a penny for every time someone new approached her about the Furiae - she’d bury the woman in them. As if babysitting the lot of them hadn’t already worn her thin on top of their raid plans, her half sisters had thought it wise to give the Furiae a ‘home’ right on Dìoghaltach property. Her patience was wearing thin, and the frustration hadn’t waned since the first meeting the woman had swept her aside at, as if she was unimportant.

It was no surprise only a day later, when a witch came flying into her office to deliver news that someone got their a** handed to them. By the Furiae. ”Fer fooks sake! Her claws dug into the palms of her hands as she bolted upright and rushed out. Immortal healing abilities said that the demon ally would more than likely be fine before they were prepared to leave. But that depended on that specific ally still desiring to be an ally. ”Something the Furiae might not be for much longer. Saxa followed close behind her, and Maura knew it was to make sure she didn’t do something she regretted.

Out on the outskirts of the main property, Maura saw that the Furiae sat working her blades - lovingly - as if she hadn’t just broken the neck of a demon moments before. ”Furiae!” As they passed the drill field, Saxa stepped aside to make sure the demon’s body was taken by the other spectators elsewhere to heal. Any spectators who remained didn’t stay for long as Maura b-lined for the Furiae’s residence and lightning flashed above them, a foresight of what was to come. The Furiae escaped into the cabin, bidding her to follow with the same nonchalant attitude she’d already shown before. ”Obstinate female.” Behind her, the door slammed, shaking on its hinges in the aftershock.

”I have a name besides ‘Furiae!’ by the way.” This female really didn’t fear the wrath she courted, did she? The corner of her mouth ticked up as the Furiae - Anna - mocked the accent that cropped up whenever she lost her cool. Maura flexed her claws, and in an instant had them against Anna’s neck as she pinned her to the nearest, unoccupied cabin wall. Anna, then. Doona ken - don’t know - who you think you are, but this is no’ how things are done. No’ here. No’ while I’m in charge.” Maura grated out, the visage of the beast flickering over her as she kept the woman’s gaze with her own. The Furiae didn’t back down, at all to her, and Maura found it even more irritating and…sexy? ”No more o’ this. We need numbers, no’ ta lose more.” Her claws curled as she ran her fingertips lightly across the pale skin of the neck under them, and she fought the desire to lick that very spot. To make the Furiae shiver underneath her touch in another way, since she wouldn’t back down conventionally. ”No’ sure what goes on in tha’ head of yours, but no one is expendable. No’ even you, Anna.”

Though she thought that she was at full attention, Anna moved too fast for Maura to see and had her pinned to the floor in a similar position to what they’d been in before she could comprehend what was happening. Frustration. Claws bit into the flesh around her neck, and left her shaking - and not from fear. Ballsy female... Maura’s hands moved of their own accord, slipping up the exposed skin of the Furiae’s thighs on either side of her, before twisting to her side and forcing her beneath, pinned against the floor. Her breaths were heavy, eyes silvery over their natural blue rather than the blue of the beast, and the only thing on her mind had nothing to do with the maimed demon - but rather with the creature beneath her. With one hand still tight on Anna’s thigh, the other caught the back of her neck and pulled her closer until their breath intermingled. ”Frustrating woman…” The Valkae barely perceived the bite of claws against her upper arm as she closed the distance, tasting the female below.

From outside the cabin, lightning continued it’s assault on the skies, though, not one immortal on the grounds would ask questions about their encounter afterward. Shredded clothing covered the floor of the cabin, among it, pieces of drywall from the unfinished walls, and possibly some of what she suspected was the couch. That the cabin was even still standing was probably a miracle - Maura mentally made a note to make sure someone thoroughly checked the foundation to make sure it was still ok to bear weight. She stretched and moved to sit up, careful of the being beside her in the king sized bed they’d eventually found once they’d finished their night’s activities elsewhere. She’d initially been a bit shocked upon awakening in a foreign bed, but the anxiety that she’d been struggling with was mostly quelled over their impromptu romp.

”You summoned?” With one eyebrow raised curiously as she eyed the scene she’d traced upon, Saxa brought her vision from the Furiae still in bed, to Maura, casually standing around in nothing. Cautiously, she raised her hands, ”No questions here. Be right back.” Maura rolled her eyes, kicking a small piece of drywall at the smoke demoness just as she traced away. It didn’t take long, before she was back with a change of clothes.

”There’s been news this morning from the Coven. We have their coordinates.” With Saxa’s news, Maura stiffened ever so slightly. ”Finally…” Blue eyes fell back to Anna, who’d rolled out of bed herself, going about her own business. ”Useful information, Anna.” Her grin oozed confidence, and the Valkae stretched once more, basking in the afterglow of ‘destressing’. ”Twelve hours. Make sure everyone else knows, Saxa.”

[mommy shark]

Bernard could hardly believe the moment that he set his eyes on the little blonde witch he’d been set up on a blind date with.

”Mine.” The bear-beast within him didn’t just make a statement - it damn near demanded that she was his.

He struggled for a moment, unsure of what to do. ”I have one?” Trying his best to hide the shock on his face, the berserker tried even harder not to make any sudden moves - even if his body desired to pull her close and kiss her until her toes curled. Until the only word whispered on those pink lips was his name...

”Mine.”

”Shut the hell up.”

The little witch was sweet, innocent, more so than a battle hardened warrior like him. Poor girl had no clue what forces she dealt with, and despite his demeanor, he’d done his best to woo her that evening. Dinner was opted out of, in favor of a new movie that she looked like she was just itching to see. Her scent, her close proximity, the darkness of the theater...everything had the bear on edge.

It was when there were the members of the Order who haphazardly filed into the theater with no forewarning, that he realized he’d been on edge for another reason. Bernard was quick to pull Linnea to the floor and cover her from the rapid gunfire. ”Protect!” He apologized to her, leaving the poor girl stunned as he leapt over the now bullet riddled theater seats to tear out the throats of the closest two soldiers. Bernard had never felt this before, except in the throes of battle...and even then, it didn’t compare to the instinct he had, telling him to protect his mate at all costs.

Even then, he’d failed.

They’d taken him down first as he struggled against their tranquilizers, his rage fueling the bear, egging it on. But a poorly timed scream from his witchling had caused him to falter, leaving him open for an assault. He’d been semi-coherent as Linnea had held her own, if only momentarily - left him in awe. His witchling was powerful, and frightened...and he had failed to protect her, as one soldier took her down with a blow to the back of the head.

The first time Bernard woke up, he was on what sounded to be an airplane. The black bag over his head prevented him from seeing, but he could hear everything. The shallow breathing of others who were there with him; loreans, he assumed. Now captives of the order...like him. The radio chatter from the cockpit as it appeared they neared their location. What Maura wouldn’t give to be a fly on these walls…” Testing the restraints that held his wrists behind his back, Bernard attempted once, twice...three times, to free himself. To no avail. ”Gods be damned!” Bernard cursed and thrashed, jostling the being who sat next to him, with no response. ”Linnea…” He had only a moment to think of her, before heavy footfalls caught his attention, the sting of a needle entering his neck extracted a grunt from behind the tape over his mouth - and brought darkness as he was out once again.

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”Kærasti…” A familiar voice called to him gently through the fog. ”Kine…elskede...” He responded in kind. Couldn’t see her. Couldn’t feel her. His chest ached, and he palmed it...and drew away his hand to find blood. His voice became more frantic as he called to the woman who’d once been his wife, before realizing that he was dizzy, and that it was his own blood that covered his palm.

His eyes burned as they opened to a light blazing above him, and Bernard hissed as he realized that it wasn’t the only thing that burned. Below him, his bare chest gave way to blood and bones, his chest cracked for the world to see, and heart still beating in all its immortal glory. ”That’s right… Nearby, a monitor sped up with the stress that he was experiencing, heart rate high and still climbing. The woman who’d had him called here sat behind her desk, typing away at Woden only knew what, before finally noticing that he’d awakened again. ”That might be a new record for you, Berserker.” Bernard couldn’t remember how long they’d been at this. Only that he felt cold, and exposed. ”You mumbled a name before you opened your eyes. Kine. Your mate? Seems we don’t have one here.” Teeth clenched, and he strained against his bindings, pulse speeding as his bear, weak as well, fought to be free. ”Take this female’s head…”

”Did you know, you’re one of the first we’ve had the pleasure of vivisecting for this long? Berserker. Fascinating creature you are…” Under the harsh light, she peered into his chest cavity while donning a new set of gloves. ”Indulge me, why do some of you die as easily as mortals, yet, some - like you - continue to live even once you’ve been expelled by means that should have ended you?” Studying him. They wanted information. Bernard spat blood at her, marring her white lab coat and making her cringe at the sight.

”Ones...that live...kill you.” The color and warmth was fading from his face once again, the pain overwhelming as nerve endings reconnected, sending him into what he guessed was probably cardiac arrest.

”Ah...no matter. Shall we continue?” Bernard wanted to bellow at her, to tear his arms from the table and destroy her and the facility that held him captive. But he slid back into darkness as she began palpating his insides once more, thankful that Kine couldn’t see him like this, would never experience the pain he was.

But she might. ”Linnea… One last thought, before he gave in.

Time was obsolete. The bear bid watch over his broken body as it mended, slowly. Painfully. Bernard was thankful there was no cellmate. In between being vivisected, repeatedly, he’d taken to destroying the room around him. The toilet was gone, capped off after they gassed him and collected the shards shattered everywhere. The bunk bed had been rendered near useless, as he’d destroyed the top bunk in an effort to use the metal to break the glass they watched him through. Once again, he was gassed, left with nothing more than the nearly destroyed mattress. He vowed to gut the room in any way that he could, showing them just what he was capable of.

”She. She watches. Yours.” They’d taken the witchling a number of times, usually after they’d returned him to his cell, wired and stitched from collar to navel. Each time she left - and returned - the bear bid him to wake, forcing him on his feet through the pain. Attack the glass, as if he hadn't already tried and been taken down by gas or shock. ”Yours.” On occasion, she’d meet his longing gaze. ”Only thing keeping me sane…”

”Hurry, Valkae…”

[mommy shark]

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"Louka is talking here, and it's important. Please listen, it's really important. He just wants to help."

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[mommy shark]

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[mommy shark]

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