“You know something was wrong and still came?” Luca rolled his eyes at the disbelief in the tone before he responded. “Someone made me a promise and even the end of the world will not be stopping us from holding them to it. I’m not inclined to jump to lethal force but after this other means are looking more appealing.” All those stories about beasts and monsters? Those tails of other worlds? They’re True. But the pretty Fairy Tales of glorious adventures and happy endings? Not so true. Some doors should not be opened. Some rivers never crossed. Now the pretty predators are on the hunt. Get free from the hunt before the hunt gets you. In the not-too-distant future humanity finds an alternative solution to warfare. TacWar live simulations of tactical warfare operations anything from maze races too extreme paintball to the last man, to complicated amalgamations of puzzles and combat. Of course the underworld always takes things further blood sports not gone completely. Luca and his friends are offered an out from his underworld s*****y. Terms are simple win a specialised TacWar competition being held by the WIC corporation. WIC’s public persona is strongly opposing the underworld bosses and covered in the glow of large charity operations. However the shiny light just presents more shadows. Even before the first attack comes before the competition starts Luca felt something was off. Even with suspicions mounting the offer was too good to pass up so naturally things go to hell toot sweet. He just didn’t realise hell on earth was on the menu or he would have ordered a different dish. A simple contest turns strange as a series attacks trying to prevent even participation marks the start of a very strange puzzle that has serious ramifications. Then the contest starts at it only gets weirder from the base to the site the pieces they pick up just don’t seem to fit together. When the contest objective leads them to a whole otherworld where fiction is no longer so fictional. He’s very against the creatures from his night-time reading joy trying to eat or otherwise consume him. Now they’re at the table it’s a race to see if they can get out before there all that’s left on the menu. Don’t move, don’t speak, don’t even breathe. So pretty to look at, so lethal in motion, fey. Can’t outrun them, can’t mislead, can only outwit, shifters. Always in sight your heated glow leading the forward. If you bleed its blood in the water and you’re on the menu, Vampires.

“My friends think you poisoned me.” Kayad whispered as he wrapped his arms around Sorrel’s shoulders. “You forget, I’ve seen your ‘sugar’ cabinet. Nothing I have would have any effect on you.” Sorrel returned leaning back to enjoy the simple contact and warmth. “Oh, but you did, the poison of love, but I like it no cure needed.” Kayad chuckled gently and Sorrel shivered slightly at the vibration. Kayad had seen a future without Sorrel, lived through the loss of missing his chance, and with a second run he wouldn’t be making the same mistakes. The plan was simple, get loose of the family roots and spread his leaves in the human city, learn what he needed to fit in and then go out and explore. Well, no path in the forest is ever a straight one. Sorrel was Oleander, a dryad with a fully human form. By the standards of his kin, he was too young to wonder when their kind was one of stillness and time. But Sorrel sort the rush of people, the wonder of the city and the lure of companions. Though when he found what he sort, it was not in the form he expected. Falling into the leadership of a biker gang. Mayhem at school as he learns human stuff and magic stuff while trying not to tip the normies off. Did he mention that somewhere in there he has to put the reins on some stolen seeds before they start eating people. The strangest part was the beast. While Kayad was very much not the plan, who would have thought that beast would be so attractive. Unfortunately, neither his kin nor his classes cover what to do with that. Tags: Honestly can’t people watch what they eat. Bad boys can be pretty. Gender norm conformity is boring. Kayad is possessive, obsessive and maybe a bit paranoid when it comes to people peeping at his flower. Don’t ignore the plants or eventually they’ll eat you. Seriously, don’t ask how Yew was sure that Sorrel’s biology would pass as human male. If you come racing back from a horror future is it really so surprising that you want to make perfection for your partner? Sorrel says that if it gets too serious then you’re doing it wrong. *Cover is a compilation image using web sourced image bases for Dandelions, Oleander and Enfield as search terms*