Devil’s Royalty

Welcome Home

He sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead. Thank the gods she had her ebullition in the hallway. The damage her tantrum could had caused elsewhere could have been monumental. The minions had already gathered and cleaned the area. She would reform in her chambers under lock and key until he returned. All they needed was a jealous phoenix cutting a swath from here to the states. He punched in his key code and the door opened to an brass and steam filled room. A red velvet couch with gold trim waited in the center of the room. He set the crate down and thought for a moment, maybe he should bring some clothes unless he wanted to wear that tiny man's clothes. A few changes should do nicely unless she still had that house. He shook his head it had been atleast hundred years. Just a few outfits then. He turned as Kar appeared infront of him with another note. He took it as the demon disappeared after a quick read he turned to head back to his quarters. Now he knew what to pack. After a few moments a filled duffle bag, his captain's hat, and bomber jacket over his shoulder joined the adventure. He was back in transport room. He picked up the crate and sighed approaching the couch. Stepping onto the platform a glass globe surround him and was already moving. He set the crate down and made himself comfortable for his ride.

I walked barefoot along the lake my high heels in my hands. The waves gently licked at my feet. I stopped for a moment running my hands through my braids loosening them. I pushed my glasses up in my now freed hair. What a horrible day so far. Nikola had returned to lab, angry. The new sentinel passed out and Edna was trying her best to help. Then there was still the fact I had no idea who Dillon, Edna's grandson, was working for. There was a very short list of people who would want to undermine us. Mostly because Nikola or I had killed them. Which i think is what is frightening me more. It meant either we had new player on the field or someone old had slipped up. I tried to reach out to Nikola, all i felt his anger. He ignored my call. I knew the museum hadn't put that stipulation in with the agreement, but i would feel better if Damien were here. I reached one of my adirondack chairs and slipped soundlessly into it. I knew the Anex would be safe without him for a few days. His people would be able to hold the fort. As long as the Battle Axe stayed there. This time i physically tried to call him on his phone. Still nothing. I was starting to get mad. There was no reason to still hold a grudge after all these years. It was the war, we technically had chosen to be on separate sides. I wanted him to fight with us, but Nikola was the one that had offered to infiltrate the other side. No where in the orders though did I see it to tell him to sleep with the enemy. I had forgiven that transgression on his part. I had even saved her life because he asked me to. I growled softly and before i knew it, I was making my way towards the lab. I was in the elevator before i could stop myself. How dare he hate Damien, all he ever did was kiss me. He's the one that slept with that pyschopathic demon bird. The doors chimed open to the lab level. I scented the air, and padded soundlessly towards the containment room. I opened the door and there he was nose buried in a book. He looked up at me and smiled warmly.

"Hello my love, what brings you to the lab. Weren't you going to gather our research so we could show it to the board?" he asked seemingly obvious to my growing anger. I let a soft growl escape my lips my eyes narrowing on him. He wrinkled his brow as he got up. "Why can't i feel your anger? i should feel the heat of your power rushing me. I can't feel you at all. " It was my turn to wrinkle my brow and look at him dumbfounded.

" Then why do i feel hate and disgust from you. I thought you had buried your issues with Damien years ago. Why can i feel them as fresh as the day it happened. " He looked at me like i had sprouted wings.

" Christina what are you talking about. What brought Damien up?" I looked at him.

"Stop playing. You just left me outside furious because he was coming. " I crossed my arms.

"What are you babbling about woman, and why are you acting this way." He came around the desk closing the distance between us. He took my hands.

"Calm down and talk to me." i read his face. He honestly didn't know what i was talking about.

"You really dont know." I pulled my hands away from him. "So you don't care that museum said they wanted him to help in the recovery?" He sat on the corner of his desk looking alitte bewildered.

"You're telling me you've already talked to the museum, and they said yes? " I nodded.

" And we have already had the meeting with Edna and Stephanie." his face dropped as he reached in his pants pocket for it. "It's in your vest pocket." He looked confused as he found it there. He clicked the record button.

" Christina has just informed me that i have been in meetings and interacting with people all day.When in actuality I have only just reached the lab about 15 minutes ago. I still taste the hot chocolate I drank before i left. This must have something to do with the countess needle." He looked at me and said.

" Tell me everything that has happened this morning."

She awoke in a strange yet familiar place. It was a place she often dreamt of. A forest green room with dark almost black wood accents. Along one wall was just a fire place. Two marble stags held the mantel in place on their backs. She stood, trying to steady herself as she moved the fire place. The detail they were able to catch, they looked real. That if she were to touch one she'd be able to feel it's heart beat. The walls weren't just green, they were a wallpaper. Leaves outlined in gold gleam, she had always thought it was just yellow. She ran her hand along the paper she could feel the individual leaves under her hands and they shuttered under hers. She pulled her hand away from the wall. She looked to the other sides of the room. Two of them had the matching wallpaper but the other had green curtains. She moved towards the curtians, running her hands along them, they felt like moss. She scrunch her nose and shook her head again. She pulled open the drapes, revealing a small balcony overlooking the lake.

"It's beautiful isn't it." a voice called from a shadows. She turned and saw Edna sitting in a chair watching her.

"Where am i, and what is really going on? " She crossed her arms. Edna unfazed by her grandstanding answered.

" You are in one of the many guest rooms in the McConnell's home, and as for what is going on. You wanted my job right?" she smirked.

"I wanted to be the leader of the home owners association. I wanted to yell at people for having frog stautes in their yard. This. This place isn't a home, this is a museum. Those people have to be actors. There is no way physically possible those were the McConnells." She was startled as the far door opened. In walked Kar in normal form with two drinks in his hands. He looked at Stephanie and hissed. Edna snickered as the little demon hopped up in her lap. She gave him a doggie treat and rolled over to have his belly rubbed.

"What the hell is that thing!" Stephanie hid herself behind the curtains as Kar got comfortable.

" Thing, no," She picked the demon up as you would a pet and hugged him. " This is Kar, and since he already doesn't like you i would suggest you stop calling him names." The demon narrowed his golden eyes on her and flashed a mouth full of hundreds of sharp little teeth.

" I am only here to help you sentinel, the Mrs says if she doesn't come around i can eat her. " He ran his black forked tongue along his rows of teeth." Edna pet the demon on the head.

" I don't think it will come to that, but thank Christina for the offer." She smiled softly and Kar continued to watch Stephanie. She was curious, but petrified at the same time. Edna watched her. " I see you will need more prodding then." She slipped the demon from her lap and stood in the center of the room. She clicked her cane three times and uttered something under her breath. She dropped to the floor. Stephanie ran to help her. The demon bound from his chair and stood between Edna and her growling.

"No touch. " He hissed. Her back started to ripple and melt away. Her cane grew longer and writhed with a amber colored smoke. She slowly rose standing easily six foot. Her form lilith and thin, raven black hair with just a hint white pooled around her shoulders. She still wore her sweater and pants. It just fit this form much better, less baggy, more sensible business. In her hand an beautiful crafted staff, with an amber colored stone glowing at the very top. She looked at Stephanie,

"I am Ednamina Merlin Griffin, the Umbra of the Coven of Pendragon, Sentinel of Hollownest, Left hand of the Queen, and your great great grandmother. " The little demon bound over to Edna and hopped up on her staff. Stephine's jaw dropped.

" You're what!"

He had pulled his duffle bag up on the couch with him to use as a pillow. His hat had slid down over his eyes. The transport may had been faster but it was certainly more boring. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. It had been 72 years since he had last physically had seen her. Those four years after the war had been the best while they built the ground work of their glorious network. When she had shared her gift with him. The adventures, the finds, thoses memories fueled him. After she had sent him to Siberia, it had broken a little part of him. Though he understood why, it didnt stop the ache. He remembered stepping foot in there after the war, and seeing a fledging Kar standing there with his orders. He smirked as he felt the orb start to slow, he saw the station approaching. Time to put thoughts of his Golden Girl to bed. Damien Wrean, the Right Hand of the Queen, had been summoned home, no time to be sentimental. He reached into his pants pocket to pull his passport, wallet and orders for the London station. Under his license, an old black and white picture her in his arms wearing nothing more then his bomber jacket. He chuckled seeing it for a brief second before the transport stopped. He closed it as the orb opened. A scrawny looking man waited on the platform. Damien smiled warmly as the man approached him. " Hello Watson, ready to check me over. " The small man frowned softly, " So the murmurs are true, you're being called home." as he started to go through the duffle and crate.

"Naw it's a social call, I've been a good boy and can come home for a few days." He looked Damien over.

" Now, Mr. Wrean, you must be forgetting whom you're speaking to. You wearing your bomber jack and captain's hat. Your sporting a five o'clock shadow, your tussled hair. A duffle bag full of khaki everything, long sleeve shirts and an artifact. Your going stateside to deliever this yourself with orders that only you received. Your hoping she lets you stay for more then just a few days. " he raised his eyebrows as he checked his orders. Damien shook his head,

" You're reading far too deep. She asked me to bring the artifact and thats all. You can see my orders. "The little man looked over his glasses.

"Mhmmm. I bet." He crossed his arms. As Damien picked up his duffle. " Whoa where do you think your going." He looked at Watson.

"I was heading to the hanger to finish my journey." Watson smiled

"Well you could take the plane, or you could take the transport to New York. We finally got it up and running." He smiled ear to ear. "I was going to mention it to Christina this morning but the meeting was cut short. " Damien smiled

"I'll take the transport, no questions asked."

I looked at Nikola as i leaned back against one of the counters. I had just finished telling him everything again for the third time.

"You mean to tell me, I didn't act any different from normal. You didn't sense anything, nothing was off." I was starting to lose my temper.

" The same questions aren't going to answer what happened. You showed up in my office with that dumb dagger, it made my mind cloudy and lowered my guard. I didn't like it so i threw it into the wall. Watched you try to get it out. Had Kar take it back down to containment, and then you went to get the woman for the meeting. You took her down the hall of portraits, and got mad when she called you the help. You claimed to have painted one of the paintings and she tried to touch it. Then you joined us on the veranda, completely disinterested in the meeting. Then when i told you Damien would be joining us you left in a huff. Then about fifteen minutes ago i decided to come down here and confront you." He tapped his chin again.

" When we had the containment room built we had it warded against all types of magic right? " I nodded

" Of course, that way it nullified any old magics until we figured it out. You had taken the dagger out thinking it was still inactive right." He stood slowly and shook his head.

" I knew i had actived it, but i don't remember removing from the room. You said it clouded your judgment, and it wiped most of the day for me. What the hell is it. This isn't some sort of trinket of a lover, this is a weapon. One im glad we got our hands on. I think the power of it comes from the stone hidden in side the hilt. " I shrugged and moved towards the dagger.

"How did you open it, we will remove the stone and store it in a warded container. " I reached for the dagger.

" I don't think we should do anything to it Christina." He warned.

"As long as i keep inside the box the effects are nulled." He nodded agreeing and joined me by the box. We managed to get the hilt back open and started to try to remove the jem. I had shifted my hand so we could use my claws as tweezers. After a few seconds of fighting, i had it in my claws. We watched as the three gems incrusted in the hilt returned to the a blue color. I looked at Nikola and motioned for the container. It was only out of the warded box for a second, but it was long enough to shock me. I shook my hand, my beast was mad, she wanted out. I looked at Nikola as i dropped to my knees. "Elemental..." i managed to growl as i dug my claws into the stone floor. My honey colored fur slowly started to wash over my body. I felt my clothes rip and shred on the floor. I wanted to be free, i needed the feel grass underneath my paws. I was up on my legs as i let out a howl. My muscles tensed as i turned towards the door. My mind knew where i wanted to go. I dropped to all fours and started to run. I barely fit up the stairs. I scented the air. Out side was close and it was all i wanted. I could hear Nikola calling to me, trying to get me to calm down but i wasn't listening. I made my way down the hallway. I caught the scent of a stranger in my home and it was ahead of me. She was in the room with the easiest access outside too. I growled softly and picked up my pace. My claws tearing up the rugs and the wood as i moved. I ran full force into the door ahead of me. The wood dared to fight back against me. I slammed into it again and it gave way to my massive form. I was in the room.

"I am your great great grandmother." She gently scratched under the demon's chin before he disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Now sit," she clicked her fingers as Stephanie sat down near her.

"There is no way we are related. You're easily six foot tall, and neither of my parents ever made mention of you." Edna laughed slightly,

"Oh i sure they have you just didn't know it was me.I know its so because that necklace you wear was mine." Stephine touched her necklace.

"This was my grandfather's mother's necklace, she died shortly after the war." She smiled

"I know, my son made a choice and took his family from this way of life. " She stopped mid sentence. "Get behind me now child and dont asked questions or you'll see why you grandfather left." Stephine looked at her.

"I'm not moving im quite comfortable right here. " Edna shrugged

"It's your choice, " she mumbled something quietly under her breath as a shimmering golden shield surrounded her. An unearthly howl filled the room followed by the sound of thunder. Something huge slammed into the door. Stephanie looked at Edna

"What is that." she cried. The door buckled as the creature slammed again. This time the door gave way as a massive bipedal honey colored werewolf stood in the remains. It crouched down to clear the door jam as it slowly walked into the room growling.

"That my dear granddaughter is Christina McConnell in her full glory."