Lupe was lost.
She lost touch with Thierry. She'd lost touch with Phillip, probably much to his pleasure. She'd lost touch with Daybreak. But it was okay. One day she'd find Hannah's reincarnation, and then she could go back. Everything would be better then. They'd do it next time.
It was better to focus on that one thing than to admit that they'd lost and lost big.
But while many others had gone different ways, using their position and truces to offer more subtle help, Lupe would never be able to stop her instinct to fight for what she believed in, no matter the cost to herself. Werewolves wouldn't have much to gain or lose in this new order, anyway. They were still considered animals, and it pissed her off.
Most things that these Night People did pissed her off. Now that they were in charge, they seemed to think it was okay to abuse humans. Lupe couldn't change the world, but she still took every step to fight against it as she could.
Two lamia got into a car, satisfied and oblivious to being stalked. As they drove off, Lupe ran after them, landing with a loud 'thump' on top of the car. The driver slammed on the break, and she could feel one of them in her mind, trying to figure out what was going on, trying to get her to reveal herself. She jumped down onto the hood of the car and snarled at the two.
Both of them got out and accepted her challenge. They never did learn what the animal's problem was, but werewolves were sometimes useless like that. They were only good as guard dogs, and even then, they weren't the brightest.
Lupe certainly took a great deal of pleasure tearing into one lamia's throat.
But two against one wasn't good odds, and she put up a hell of a fight, but a solid punch to her ribcage sent her flying and unable to get up. She whimpered and snarled, but her muscles refused to cooperate. Battered, bloodied, and bruised, she was just too tired.
"Dumb animal," one lamia snickered, getting back into the car. "C'mon, we're already late."
Lupe whimpered and let out a howl when the car drove away. Fuck her life.
Dalis wasn't sure why he had a birthday...thing. It wasn't really exciting enough to be a party. Most people he knew just gave him the customary 'Happy Birthday' and went about their day. That was good enough for Dalis. At his age, there wasn't really a lot that he wanted.
Except for maybe some sort of normal relationship with his children.
The idea of normal was ludicrous, of course. He could invite them over for a dinner, pretend to have pleasant conversation, but if he tried to push anything normal, it just came off as ridiculous. All of their lives were fucked up, partial thanks to him, and there really wasn't any use to pretend otherwise.
And yet, there he was, inviting his children over to his house for dinner on his birthday anyway.
Part of him didn't expect them to show up. Keller was busy being a princess, and Rashel was off being...whatever it was that she did while Quinn was on the Council. They weren't the type of people who normally were in the area that Dalis lived. It wasn't run down as much as it was in the middle of nowhere. Nevada had a lot of desert, and Dalis was in a place out of the way, his house very near his store, which served home repair needs for the greater area. There wasn't much to do here other than sit on the front porch and think. Or in Dalis' case, smoke and think, which wasn't as good as smoking, thinking and drinking, but he couldn't have everything he wanted.
The cigarette dangled between his lips as he sat on the front porch, waiting for a miracle.
On Monday January 4th, at 12:01 AM, Red Fern was to host the party of the year. All the invitations had been sent to the rich and powerful of the Night People--the Council members, the First House of Shifters, the truly distinguished from the Final Battle. Final was, of course, very epic sounding, but the battle was hardly the end. It was only the beginning of the new world, and the alliance between Red Fern and Iliana, which also meant an alliance between vampires and witches and shapeshifters thanks to her ties, was vital.
And this was an anniversary meant to celebrate that treaty, tenuous as it was at some times.
Adil didn't really want to think about what sort of ridiculousness might happen this year. Some people really couldn't control themselves. But it was important that everyone be safe, and that was still a job often left to him. If nothing else, wards was one thing he did very well at.
Whatever bridge he may or may not be able to make between Iliana and Red Fern, he could at least set up protection for the party. The large ballroom for the event was mostly set in order, but each corner, each decoration, every boundary line had to be okayed by him.
There were worse jobs.
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