If Fate means you to lose, give her a good fight anyhow.

[norn_verdandi]

[Tuesday, March 2nd (Day 276)]
[Basement, Tavern of Hell]
[Late afternoon]

The basement wards are set and they'll keep any of my excess magics below, where they belong.  The Tavern residents might notice something different but that won't be for a few hours yet and by then, I'll already have done what needs to happen.

The rest of town though, they'

Comments

[melania_lowell]

I'm not sure why I keep coming back here. I wonder that every day and, saying my stuff's still here isn't a good enough reason. Then, I remember when I walk in and, take a deep breath and see Thomas smiling behind the bar. Or maybe I just forget.

Fuck it. I can almost taste what Cookie's making in back, and it sounds like something fun's going on up at Iago, Glass, and that Dorian guys place. My stomach growls and I even laugh when I lose at paper, scissors, rock. Again.

Tossing my bag down I give Thomas the finger in reply to his taunting and open the cellar door. I know he's cheating, I just can't figure out how.

What the Fuck? I pause, coughing a little as something powdery drifts up. "Did Iago tap into the kegs down here?" I call back, hearing Thomas laugh in response. I don't want to know what the fuck he was doing down here.

...Wait... Pausing again, I part my lips and take in the air, wincing at the scent of apples. Muscles tense, I grab a bottle by the neck and look around.

Thomas wouldn't send me down here if she... He wouldn't. He knows I don't want to talk to her any more than I have to. Even if she sounds like she's trying to be nice.

I don't see anything but spilled baking soda, but there's still that scent. Sharper than it should be in passing .... but not sharp enough like its right here. I follow the stronger part, wishing I could change right here. Why not?

I almost do it, but I notice a flash of light reflected on metal for a second. Stepping lightly through the powder, (fuck knows what's in there), I pick the knife up, twisting the blade in my hands, "Iago, I seriously don't want to know what you were doing down here," I say, coughing at the now stronger scent. Apples. Only more like vinegar now.

Dropping the knife, I spot the keg Thomas needs. How did I even like this smell?

[norn_verdandi]

She's here.

I smile, listening to her go back and forth with Thomas before coming down the stairs. I think she can smell me and I watch again, eagerly hoping she'll shift before she see me. She doesn't though and I'd sigh but then she'd hear me with those wolf ears of hers.

She's noticed Garm, glinting on the table and picks her up. "Iago, I seriously don't want to know what you were doing down here." If she knew what was good for her, she'd hang onto my weapon but she doesn't and after a moment, she drops it. Bad decision, Lannie.

As she heads towards one of the kegs, I slip out of the shadows, silently moving to block the door. I shake myself, knowing the sound will attract her attention and I smile brightly when she spots me. Answers first, then blood. Yes, I like that plan.

"Hello Lannie." She's frightened. I can smell it and I continue to smile as I say, "You've been avoiding me, little priestess. Why is that?" Garm is between us but I don't reach for the shining blade. She'll need it more than me. Too bad she dropped it.

"I heard about you and Benedict, and that he wounded you. Did you forget that you're a werewolf?" What was she thinking? "And why didn't you shift and kill him? He was asking for it. He deserved it but you let him hurt you anyway. Tell me why."

[melania_lowell]

Just get the keg and get the fuck out. Just get the keg and get ..... a rustling sound. Please be Iago, pleasepleaseplease.

...Fuck.

There she is smiling, all teeth. Thomas, you ASSHOLE! A growl rumbles past my lips and I sniff at her hello. Not fooling me again with that nice act. Fuck that. "You've been avoiding me, little priestess. Why is that?" she asks in that voice that used to sound like wind chimes. Now it sounds like shattered glass.

She's looking at the weapon on the floor. I hope she picks it up so I can kick her in the face and run. I don't get a chance to answer before she asks about him. The thought of him makes my stomach turn and now its my turn to show teeth. "I didn't need to, he did a good enough job all on his own." Why am I even answering her? I didn't let him do anything! "And if he deserved to die, what do you deserve?" I snarl, shifting closer to where the kegs are. She moves and she's eating one. My heart is thundering in my ears but I'm ready this time, holding my ground.

[norn_verdandi]

She looks ready to fight and we'll get to that soon enough, if her expression is anything to go by. "I didn't need to, he did a good enough job all on his own. And if he deserved to die, what do you deserve?"

I smile. "That's not for you to decide, priestess." As for Benedict, "You could have killed him. One shift and a rip, and his throat would have been gone." I know she and Iago fought, Thomas told me, and she bloodied his face too. Why not Benedict? "Why didn't you do it? Were you afraid?" Was she? I hope not because that won't do at all.

[melania_lowell]

"That's not for you to decide, priestess."

"Then who does," I growl. Probably another psycho from her tribe. She continues asking about him, and if she thinks I'm answering to her, she can fuck right off. Besides, she's a goddess, doesn't she already have all the answers?

"Why didn't you do it? Were you afraid?"

Fuck yes I was, but damned if I'll tell her that. "No," I shake my head, feeling the rounded edge of a keg brush my hip. "I knew I could win." Though, a few times I wasn't so sure and I might have killed him if Liam hadn't showed up. If I had known they would kill him anyway, I probably would have right there. I shudder at the thought of how good his blood tasted on my tongue.

At the end of the day, they're all just meat.

That's what our Alpha used to say. I didn't believe it then and I don't now. They have families and children and people they love and are loved by. And some of us did too, we weren't all born this way. "Are we done yet?" I ask, hearing the impatient edge to my voice. "Thomas is expecting me back upstairs." Yeah, Verdi, someone knows I'm down here this time. Someone will hear me if I yell.

Why hasn't he come looking for me yet?

[norn_verdandi]

"Then who does."

Lannie's growling at me and I like it. Not just for the sound but for the anger behind it too. Besides, I don't mind telling her. "Normally, it would be the All-Father, Óðinn, but that's changed."

I smell the fear rolling off her when I ask if she was afraid but instead of admitting it, she lies to me, telling me 'no' instead. I tilt my head as she adds, "I knew I could win." Yes, she definitely could have but she chose not to and I smile again. This is an interesting development and it makes me I think I forgot how young she really is. She's a sweet girl too, if you ignore her trash mouth and that makes me laugh lightly.

I almost laugh again when she says, "Are we done yet? Thomas is expecting me back upstairs."

"No, we're not done yet." I'm blocking the doorway so it's obvious that we're far from done. "Lannie, did you forget what we talked about, a few months ago?" I'm genuinely curious. "We made a deal, you and I, and I've been holding up my end since then." I take a small step towards her, pointing my knife out to her as I continue, "Today is your turn."

She's scared of me and will probably attack, and that's exactly what I want. Gathering starlight and shadow to myself, the excess of powder drifts off and I quietly but not unkindly say, "Take up my weapon, priestess, and prepare yourself. Today you have a duty to perform for me."

[melania_lowell]

"Lannie, did you forget what we talked about, a few months ago?"

She almost gets me with that one, but I'm not falling for it. "Yeah. I got a raise and hired on permanently," I shrug, wanting to hold my ground as she steps closer, but deciding its better to back away instead. Better to get her out of that doorway.

"I'm trying to hold up my end," I say with a snort, waving a hand at the kegs. Yeah, she's held up her end. I get paid, but if she thinks that regular ass kicking's are some sort of bonus, she's seriously fucked in the head. "I open my mouth to say so, but then clamp it shut and sneeze at the powder in the air. What did she just do?!

"Take up my weapon, priestess, and prepare yourself. Today you have a duty to perform for me."

Woah, woah, WOAH! Okay,fuck this shit. I don't even wanna know what she wants. Can't trust anyone. I'm DONE. "I don't want your weapon or your duty," I snap, taking the weapon and throwing my weight against her to shove her away from the door. Her place, her rules, but I don't have to stay.

[norn_verdandi]

"Yeah. I got a raise and hired on permanently," and I'm thoughtful before smiling again. She sounds confused and I shrug, unconcerned. That'll just make it easier for me, less so for her but sometimes, that's how it goes.

Unseen threads gather in one hand's grip and I gently tug, once, then twice. Lannie's talking about her end of the deal and I nod, agreeing with her as I keep an eye on where her hands are. This new working's not ready yet but soon and by then, it'll be too late. She'll never know what hit her.

I inform her of her duty and she tries to deny it, even as she picks up the very weapon I was talking about. I almost laugh, hiding the noise behind my hand as I watch her charge me. Silly puppy. Have you forgotten who I really am?

I stand my ground just long enough for her to make it to me before gliding to the right and catching her shoulder. Shoving her up against the closed door, I hold her in place briefly as I tell her, "You're not getting away that quickly." My fist's in her hair and I yank her back, letting go as I watch her stumble deeper into the basement.

"We're just getting started and you wouldn't want to miss the good parts, would you?" I drop a few strands of her hair from my open hand and I smile, thinking of all that Gaueko showed me. "I just might kill you but I'm hoping for a challenge instead. Do you have it in you, wolfling?"

[melania_lowell]

She laughs and for a second as I rush her, it almost feels like we're.... playing?

I'm not falling for it. I go to hit her, but yip as something hard hits and pushes me instead. There's a ringing in my head as it hits the door. Something catches in my hair and all I can smell is her. Then my vision clears and she's all I see.

"You're not getting away that quickly."

Snarling, I lunge for her throat, missing it as I stumble forward and choke back a yelp at the hair being ripped from my head. I growl thinking about my other pack, that guy in the bar, Benedict, and her. She's no fucking better than any of them. Except, I really do wanna tear out her throat first chance I get.

"I just might kill you but I'm hoping for a challenge instead. Do you have it in you, wolfling?"

I know what she wants. She wants me to attack, like last time. Fuck that. Not dropping my eyes from hers, I give her a toothy grin as I settle down into a crouch. "I do and its mine," I growl. I'm not gonna shift either, especially if that's what she wants.

[norn_verdandi]

Oh, that vicious smile... With teeth like that, she'd make Gaueko proud, a priestess to be reckoned with. It's too bad he can't get past his unfounded disdain of her. Even worse for him, I saw her first.

Her skin's rippling but she doesn't shift and I'm not sure if it's from better control on her part, or something else. Either is fine with me, as long as there's blood, and lots of it.

Ice and fire spiral through my veins, leaving prickled goosebumps of my own as the last of the magic coils, waiting for the right time. Taking a quick step forward, I raise my fist, preparing to punch her in the face.

Cheerfully, I say, "Time to die, Lannie."

[melania_lowell]

She steps closer and raises a fist. Holding back from springing, all I can do is glare up at her, suddenly seeing my breath puff in the air.

Threat with a happy smile as she says, "Time to die, Lannie."

"Quit talking and just do it then," I cry covering my eyes with one hand. It was all a lie, her pretending to be my friend and I'm not gonna keep running all my life. It stops here and now.

"Finish it," I growl... or sob, I'm not sure anymore. She wants me to be angry and I am. I'm scared too, and I don't want to show her any of it. I just want her gone and I want it done.

[norn_verdandi]

"Quit talking and just do it then." She's crying and I almost stop myself ...but I can't. I won't. This is for both of us (formeforme) and in the end she'll thank me, just like Thomas and Iago did. "Finish it."

C'mon Lannie. Show me, show me. Honeyed fire's twirling up from my toes, rising as it uncoils and I can't wait too much longer. Show me, show me, wolfing. I want to taste blood and sweat and pain. I need it. Show me why I chose you and why you chose me too. Give me what the others couldn't.

I smile, dark and sharp, muttering, "Show me, priestess," before quickly lunging at her. "This ends tonight," and I laugh brightly as I begin to brutally attack her.

[melania_lowell]

She wants something, something that's mine. I don't know what it is, but she's not getting it.

I growl as she advances. "Show me, priestess. This ends tonight,"

I can't believe she's falling for it! Her own trick! My fake sobs turn to a laugh and a snarl as she attacks, exposing her neck to my bared teeth. Grasping the handle of her knife I stab upward, not caring where it goes, as long as it goes in as I tear her throat out. Snarling and still gripping the handle of the blade for dear life, I lean back and look up.

Blood drips on my face, more like squirts, and I laugh. "How do you like it?" The look of pain and surprise on her face will be enough if its the last thing I see. Weird. Her blood, a goddess', doesn't taste any different than anyone else's. Maybe a little sweeter, but I don't think taste has much to do with that.

[norn_verdandi]

Lannie takes an opening in my attack and before I know it, she's attacking me. There's a tearing agony and blinding pain in my chest but I can't think of why because I'm suddenly fighting to breathe. My fingers touch my neck, and all I feel is shredded meat and gushing liquid where my throat used to be.

I stare in shock at my red hand, before looking at Lannie and opening my mouth. You actually did it. No words come out, only a bubbling noise and it frustrates me a little but that's not important anymore. Only Garm and Lannie. She laughs at me, but her words are lost in the pounding of my ears and I'm choking!

My chest's burning and Garm's blade slices easily through my meat and oh! it's worse than I thought. Holes in my lung and heart...faltering, and I need to finish the working because it's almost too late. Grasping her chin in one hand, how did that get bloody too, I dip my fingers in my open throat before smearing a symbol on Lannie's forehead.

I lean forward, focusing as best I can and everything's red and black on the outside and green and blue on the inside

...and I kiss her, thrusting my tongue forward, tangling it all with my stardust spell. She deserves the truth. It'll be my last gift to her.

Good girl.

I'm weightless, fading and it's finally stopped hurting. I hope my sisters are waiting for me.

[melania_lowell]

Her mouth opens and her thick wet gurgling matches the same sound of my laughter. I can't stop laughing. I got her. I got her and I didn't run away, she isn't human and she deserved it!

Her throat is still open, dripping blood like rain on my face and head. Why isn't she healing? She said I can't hurt her, not really. I draw back when her hand reaches for my face, I wait for the wounds to heal and my own neck to be snapped, but it doesn't happen. My lips peel back in a snarl, prepared to bite her... now she's kissing me? Why does the place she touched feel so hot and cold at the same time?

My heart is hammering fast and I think it must be her blood, and suddenly there is no was or future. There is only us, here, right now and it doesn't matter what I was once, or what was lost. Its right now that counts and we're dancing in a clearing in the sky. I pull her closer, waiting for her to heal so I can shift and show her what I can do. But her heart beat slows until her lips go soft and slack and there's nothing left but the cold cellar floor....

---ohshit---

Pushing her body off me, sitting up and cradling her now lifeless body against mine. Whimpering, I think I laugh some more, only I think there are some sobs mixed in. "You can't die," I say in a rough voice, "You said so yourself. So quit playing around and wake up!" Not even a smirk or a stir from her so I shake her a little, wincing when her head moves around loosely. "I'm not sorry!" (but I am) "Come back!"

What did she use to heal us? I go searching the shelves for something clear, like water, which could be none of it or several things. Sobbing, I pour anything and everything I find on the open wound that was her throat. Then my sobs turn to whimpers as I shift, and start digging a hole.