Re: Hunter and The Thief

[questor]

Dante entered the room and looked at the little bundle that Casha held. "Well now look at the new addition to the family." One could see Frenchy trying to peek in. For him this was history in the making. The first True Blood Vampire Baby. He knew, should Anubis feel like it or decide to, he could create others that would be like him and Casha and they would be able to produce children. Could be something else if he elected to do it.

Dante moved to the bed and got a closer look. "Heard the name Gabriel." he grinned and looked at Casha. "Well congradulation 'mommey', you have joined the club." he put an arm about Kat."


"Yes congradulations." came the distance voice from the shadows.

[LadyRaven]

Casha looked up at Dante as he peered at the baby boy. "Arrived in style, huh?" She offered with a small laugh and then sniffed. Her eyes were still red and puffed up from crying. She opened the blanket slightly more so they could see better and she knew Kat was dying to get her hands on him.
"He's gorgeous." The feline offered, but then furrowed her brow, "I would have thought he'd be bigger though. The size you were and all."
Casha laughed quietly, "Most of that was water, I think and afterbirth."
"Ahh." Kat mused, then grinned, "Can I hold him?"

"Later." The doctor said suddenly, "They both need to rest. It's been traumatic enough."
Kat sulked a little and grumbled to herself before conceeding the point, "Fine." She offered.

Casha wrapped Gabriel up again and leaned back a little. A servant was quick to place more pillows and cushions to make them both comfortable before scurrying away again in silence. She laid back further and nestled Gabriel to her front as she turned on her side. He started snuffling at her and pressing his tiny hands to her. "I know what you need." She whispered and carefully pulled the strap of her dress down. Gabriel latched on without any effort at all and began suckling. Chasha couldn't help but think this would be easier than she thought.

At the bottom of the bed, the doctor began herding everyone to the door, even Anubis and smiled softly as he saw Casha settle down to feed her newborn....

[questor]

The Doctor dimmed the lights and closed the door. When the lights went down and the door closed the Shadow Demon emerged from the shadows. "Well now the little one has arrived." he came closer to have a better look. "Interesting." he muttered and then stepped back. "So Casha, you never answered my question from before." He walked over to a large chair and sat down. His features changed, becoming more human looking.

"Ahhh how does this look." he asked Casha. "Been awhile since I took a form like this." Then from the shadows came another form. One of the hell hounds. It looked around and slowly approached the bed sniffing. It cocked its head to one side and then laid down on the floor next to the bed. It growled when it senced someone near the door and then quited down when the person had passed.

[LadyRaven]

At first, Casha took the sudden, if silent in trusion as threatening and quickly gathered the sheets around the baby so she could better protect him. However, that feeling changed to mild annoyance when she discovered who the intruder turned out to be. The presence didn't seem to disturb Gabriel so she didn't make too much of a reaction beyond a small sigh. Interesting indeed. Of course Gabriel was interesting, he was the first borne vampire in millenia! The comment over his question raised an eyebrow. "Of course I didn't answer your question, Demon." She retorted, "I did happen to be in labor, if you hadn't noticed."

Then he moved to a chair, taking on a much more human appearance, but Casha wasn't fooled by the now quite handsome man that sat merely ten feet form her. She knew what laid just under the skin. After a few more minutes, Gabriel finished his meal and she carefully turned him over her knees, slightly on his side, to burb him. It happened easily and she was happy then to let him sleep it off. At the side of the bed, she heard a hellhound growl slightly and slid off the bed, making sure not to stand on it.

As she moved, her skin seemed to glow slightly in the dimmed light, like she held a luminesque nature that the demon would not have seen in many thousands of years. "One man looks much the same as another." She remarked, passing off his camoflage as unimpressive. Her skirts flicked passed the hellhound and it got up to follow her and sniff lovingly at her ankles. She smiled down at it and then dropped the straps over her shoulders. The soiled dress fell about her feet and she stepped out of it, making her way to the wardrobe naked and in full sight of the demon without a care. She didn't turn a light on, it would harm the hound that now was rubbing along her calves tenderly for attention. She gave it with one hand as the other ran the line of fine clothing to find something clean and comfortable. She found what she wanted and slipped into it in silence.

Once back in the bedroom, Casha regarded the demon again. Her first impression was wrong. This man wasn't just quite handsome, he was very handsome. Many would consider him Adonis-like. With one shoulder bare beneath a fine layer of silk that flowed openly around her feet, Casha moved across the bedroom to him. The hound went back to the bed to guard it almost. "Now that I am more myself again, speak your mind." She said as her illuminated skin seemed to shimmer, matching the brilliance of her eyes.

[LadyRaven]

The demon watched her as she got off the bed and shed her soiled garment and put on a clean one. The Hell Hound followed and wanted attention. "It seems you have made an impression on these hounds. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the rug by the bed and the Hell Hound moved back to the spot and laid down, watching Casha. "Well you said you wished you had not killed all of those young hunters. What would you do if you could go back to that time?"

Casha lifted an eyebrow as he snapped his fingers at the already obedient creature. It moved a few inches to the original spot and she shook her head slightly, "That is impossible." She told him, "And even if it were, changing the past does not change intention. Yes, I wish I hadn't killed all those soldiers, but wishing for things doesn't generally end well for those making them.".....

He grinned, and nodded. "Yes mostly for those that are not family. The demons love playing tricks on humans and making their lives miserable, but never family." he looked at her. "Dante is a great nephew many times that, and since he gave you his blood, that makes you more of a cousin, but still family. Its a thing among demons, giving ones blood freely to another to make them part of the family." his smile was charming and looked genuine. "But it is not impossible to go back in time. The shadow world is a strange place and connects to the past, but not for long for a certain time. The time of your rampage is quickly coming to a point where one can not go back. You said you feel bad about taking their lives. Would you give it back to them?"

Casha considered this for a moment, but then shook her head. Her answer was simple. "No."

The demon raised a brow. "You would not change the past so that they might live?"

Casha shook her head again. "It would serve no purpose." She told him, "And we may not have escaped if I'd let them live, so the answer remains no.".....

He shugged his shoulders, "As you wish, but it would serve a purpose per say. You said they were young, not yet true hunters. Trouble is brewing and you might need allies. Seeing what the holyman was and now is, might have had them questioning things, and turning to someone that they looked up to." He folded his hands and left them on his lap.

"That doesn't matter." She said flatly, "The Pope will be dead by dawn, either by walking into the sun with misguided assumtions, or by his closest who follow the doctrine to the letter without question. What happens after that, I no longer care. Anubis has made us public, all of us, so they can't, daren't touch us."....

"Oh it is not them that the trouble is brewing from. Your mate will be getting a visitor here in a day or so." he stood up and began moving back towards the corner of the room which was deep in shadows.

"Why are you not telling him that?" She asked.....

"You are family." he looked over at the bed, "He is family." he smiled as he looked at the little bundle. "I deal with family and not strangers, and I will protect family." he got to the cornner of the room. "So you no longer feel bad about killing those young hunters and don't feel like a monster."

"I will always feel bad for killing them." She said honestly, "But regretting things teaches more than avoiding things. Being a monster?" She almost smiled, "well, I've been one of them all my life, haven't I." She moved to the corner and stood before the demon with her chin up and her arms folded across her chest. "Family isn't just blood, demon." She advised, "Family includes people that are cared for and loved as though they were blood. You should consider this, if only to widen your scope of warning." Then, with a click of her tongue, the hound was up and by her side, nuzzling her hip for attention. She gave it by rubbing his ears and then pointed to the shadow. "Off you go." She said tenderly, "I'll see you again soon."

The demon smiled and chuckled. "I will take that under advisement, but tradition runs deep among the demon world. Anubis is the creature of Cain. The one that killed a demon and drank his blood. To us that is an abomination, something that is not done among our kind. We drink the blood and eat the flesh of humans, but not of each other, without concent. But if he proves himself worthy, I will give him my blood and make him a full part of the family."

"As am I, Demon, a creature of him. Akasha was made by him and I am of her bloodline, so that makes us one in the same." She told him before looking to the sleeping baby on the bed. Without another word, she went over to the ned and climbed in carefully. She put a protective arm over him and settled down to sleep a little. "I'll tell Anubis what you've told me and see what he says on the matter. After that, it's up to you and him.".....

He chuckled, "As you wish." he vanished into the shadow and was almost followed by the Hell Hound. There was a slight noise at the door and it turned growling and approached it as Dante poked his head in. His eyes went wide when he saw the Hell Hound and it moved slowly to the door sniffing the air. When it reached the door it looked up at Dante and raised its head to his hand.

Casha had just about closed her eyes when she heard the hound growl and Dante enter the room. She lifted her head, but didn't get off the bed. She offered a small smile, "It's ok Dante, he won't hurt you." She told him, then clicked her tongue gently, "Go home, big guy." she said to the hound, "He's ok, he won't hurt me, I promise." With a gruff, the hound turned away and jumped back into the shadows. Casha then turned her eyes back to Dante. "One of my many new shared pets with the shadow demon." She said, "You'll be seeing more of them over time, so I'd get used to it. What can I do for you?"

[questor]

Dante swallowed hard as he hesitently patted the Hell Hounds head. When Casha called it back and sent it back into the shadows, he entered the room looing around to see if there were any more of them. "New Pet eh. Don't think the hired help would think of it like that." he said a bit nervously.

When she asked what she could do for him, he said. "We just got a visitor. He managed to get through all the security patrols and was not even seen on any camera. Dark looking fellow, with a bald head, forked gotee beard, a gold ear ring in one ear. Almost reminds me of a character out of a Arabian tales movie, a geni you might say." he moved over to the bed and stood there, "Don't get a good feeling about him. Almost like an instant dislike and an urge to cut his head off. Says he is hear to talk to Anubis. Thought you might want to know.."

Again The Shadow demon emerged from the cornner shadows. "You go ahead and join Anubis. My nephew here and I have some talking to do." Dante jearly jumped out of his skin as the demon emerged from the shadows and spoke. Dante looked at the Demon and then Casha and then back to the Demon. "Nephew?" he asked and the Demon just smiled. He was still in the human form and mothioned for Dante to come to him.

"No need to be frightened, Dante." he said, "I am family and would never hurt you."

[LadyRaven]

Casha sat up carefully at this point and regarded Dante closely. "A Genie?" she asked, "Or do you mean Gjin?" That was very odd indeed. The comment over the new pet made her smile though. "I'm sure Garret will get over it. Besides, the hellhounds can only come here at night; daylight is deadly to them." Her mind went back then to the visitor. Why would a Gjin come here? They rarely got involved in anything that didn't benefit them directly. Or was he Gjin? Perhaps he was another vampire or demon? At that point, the shadow demon returned and frightened Dante half to death.

He wanted to speak to Dante alone. This made her lift an eyebrow. "May I remind you both that you are currently standing in MY bedroom?" She told them firmly, "And I intend going absolutely nowhere unless Anubis needs me. In the meantime, if you wouldn't mind, it's been a very long few days and I need some sleep." She laid back down and cuddled Gabriel up to her chest before closing her eyes and relaxing......

[questor]

Dante looked at the demon in human form and a bit closer. "You have siimalar features to the one down stairs except you have hair and he doesn't." The demon chuckled and took Dante by the arm.

"Yes, he is a demon not a Gjin. You will find out what he is here for before long. Now come. She is right she needs rest and we are in her bedroom." He pulled Dante into the shadows and then into the Shadow world. "This is my home of sorts. Though I can take the light of day, I dislike it and prefer the shadows. More soothing." the demon said.

"You said I am a nephew." Dante said as he pulled free of his grasp. "What do you mean?"

The demon lead Dante to an area that resembled a normal looking room with chairs and tables. He motioned Dante to one and took a seat himself. "Well lets start at the begining, shall we." he said. "A long time ago when human kind had just began to evolve, a gate way between your world and ours was opened, as was one with the Anglics, a hated race and an enemy of ours. How the gate ways were opened....." He shugged his shoulders, "All I know is that they were. A number of us crossed over to this world before the gateways were closed."

"My sister and I came across together and with the others fought the Angelics to claim this world. That did not go well for either side. But that is not relevent to the story. Some time later when mankind had risen itself from being barbaric to a more civilized world, a few thousand years ago, my sister met and I guess fell in love with a mortal human." he shugeed his shoulders again. "It is something that rarely happens. Only a few times has this happened. Anyways she bore the human children and that is where you come in. The blood that runs through your veins is that of my sister. Diluted by time and with human blood, but never the less her blood. I guess from what I have heard in evedropping." he grinned, "You had a run in with a vampire and had his blood mingle with yours. That must have done something to bring forth the change about in you. "

"So you are related to me and I consider you family, as well as your off spring." he chuckled." he got up and touched Quins shoulder, and they were in Dante's and Kats rooms, where the children were. "I see your mate is a decendent of one of Torkra's experiments. He liked to create various races out of animals. " he looked down at the little ones and smiled. "They will have your longevity and I can give Kat that same longevity if you wish."

Downstairs the Demon that had arrived was taken to a room and guards posted around the room until Anubis arrived. "Greetings Anubis. I am a messenger from Asmodeous, King of the Demons. He wishes to offer you his friendship in exchange for your support and help taking over this world."

Anubis looked the demon over and raised a brow at how blunt and to the point he was. "And why would he wish my help?" Anubis asked.

"Because in truth, you have the demon blood in your veins and are much more like us then you are to the humans. Like us you feed upon them. Well their blood anyways. You have gathered to yourself quite an army of vampires and lycans and Asmodeous sees this as a good base of operations when the time comes."

Anubis remembered what the old woman had said. What the future of his son and that of Gabe's would be. "Return to your master and tell him it will take time to decide on this. I am sure he has, like me more then enough time. Tell me how to contact you or him and I will send you my decision."

The demon did not look to pleased at this answer. He had expected Anubis to jump at the chance and offer. But he held his toung. "Very well." he wrote down a phone number and an address, and handed it to Anubis. "Do not take to long. He is not very patiant." the demon rose and walked to the door and was soon gone.

Anubis already knew what his answer was and went upstairs to the bedroom and looked in on the sleeping Casha and Gabriel. He stood at the edge of the bed looking down at them smiling. He had a son, something he had thought would never be. He stripped off his clothing and laid down on the bed next to Casha.

[LadyRaven]

Casha gave a slight sigh as she felt Anubis climb into the bed next to her. Gabriel also seemed to sense this and started snuffling at her. He then started to cry and Casha quickly, but tenderly checked him over. He had soiled the blanket. After a small quiet order to a servant and a few minutes of quiet movement, Casha was back in bed with Gabriel all cleaned up and more appropriately dressed. Then it was feeding time again so Casha let him get on with it while she napped beside her lover. She decided she would ask about the visitor tomorrow so that Anubis could get some sleep. After all, the last few days had been traumatic for him too.......

[questor]

Dante listened to the Shadow Demon and was a bit confused. but said nothing. "So why weren''t my parents long lived and their parents?" ge asjed the demon.

"I am not sure. Perhaps over time the gene pool diluted the blood and it took that of one simalar to Anubis to give it a kickstart." the demon said. "Now where is your mate at. I think she needs to meet the childrens great uncle." he grinned.

Anubis was still awake when Cash rose and changed Gabriels clothing and cleaned him up. When she came back to bed he didn['t say anything, just watched through half closed eyelids. When Casha fell asleep he was not far behind. He slpet till morning when the sun was coming up. He laid there not wanting to disturb either Casha or Gabriel.

[LadyRaven]

Early that morning, Kat entered the nursery to get the kittens up and ready for breakfast. They were growing quickly and she smiled down at them in their collective cradle with pride. "Good morning, my beautiful ones." She cooed. At first, she didn't see Dante in the corner with the shadow demon. The curtains were closed so it was still relatively dark in there. About a minute after Kat had come in, a servant followed with a baby bath filled with warm water and a back pack containing their things. It was this servant that saw Dante and the demon. "Good morning Sir." She offered, but then dropped the bath when she saw the demon. At this, Kat swung around sharply and curled her fingers, bringing out her deadly claws. "What under Herra is going on!?" She demanded as she backed up to the cradle to protect the kittens.......

[questor]

Dante and the Shadow Demon had talked for some time. He finally got his "Uncles" name, Abfret. He found out that the demons were like humans in many ways. The were greedy, and wanted more land. On their homeworld they were constantly at war with each other and the Angelics which seemed to have a permanent gateway between their two worlds. The demons had family clans that they were very adament about. They were also endowed with certain abilities that to humans seemed like magic, but it was the ability to manipulate nature, and energy. That was how Abfret managed to discover the Shadow World. Only he and a few of his family clan were able to enter and travel it.

Dante learned that the demons and anglics were constantly at war with each other and that the Angelics used humans to fight for them in many cases. They made the Demons look like they were the evil ones but in actuallity it was the Anglics that were the evil ones. Where demons wanted land to expand their race, the Anglics wanted to rule over mankind, and had found ways to manipulate mankind without really looking like they had. The war had been costly on both sides and only a few of each now lived. Most had taken human form to blend in with the humans.

When Kat entered the room, both Dante and Abfret turned and watched her. Abfret patted Dante's shoulder and had a big grin on his face. When the servant came in and dropped the bath water, the saw Kat's reaction. Abfret chuckled and said. "Yes a fine mate for you my nephew." He turned back to Kat, and gave a slight bow. "I am Abfret, your young's great Uncle,......... several times removed." he slowly moved forward. "Fear not, I would sooner die then hurt my great nephews and niece."

Dante moved up to Kat and put an arm around her. "It is alright Kat. Seems we both have a bit of demon blood in us. Abfret is family and according to him he protects his family against any that would threaten it."

[LadyRaven]

Kat remained in a protective pose as the demon introduced himself. She wasn't buying the situation at all, more so for the fact that he had been lingering in the nursery. It was only when dante put an arm around her and backed him up that she relaxed somewhat, but she remained between the demon and her babies. The explaination was by and by for her, she'd always known what she was, but she wasn't so sure about him being no threat. "Yeh right." She said cautiously, "I'll believe that when I see it for myself. I'd rather trust Casha, as unhinged as she's been lately, than trust this stranger."

The servant returned a few minutes later with a fresh bath and Kat gathered up the kittens and took them into the bathroom. She didn't shut the door, but she wasn't about to let Abfret in there either. "I think you should take him to Anubis first and see what he says, before he gets to thinking he can just walk in whenever he likes. Or better yet, leave him with Casha and see if she rips him apart." Of course, she didn't know what Casha had done during her shadow walking, nor did she know how well her adopted sister knew the demon. all she did know was that this stranger had been lingering in the nursery with her defensless babies for who knew how long........

[questor]

Dante chuckled at the way Kat was acting. She was very protective of their young. He could not blame her. But he also knew that she would come to trust Abfret. He didn't know what it was but he already did. Perhaps it was in the blood. He watched as the servent came back with the fresh bath stuff and then Kat took the kids to the bathroom. "Well Casha already knows Abfret." he told Kat. "Long story short, she discovered him when she went Shadow walking. Seems they have been talking alot ever sence."

He left Abfret in the other room and joined Kat so he could help bath the little ones. He looked at Kat and wondered if she would accept the blood of Abfret and receive the benifit of a very long life. He was going to have to ask her about that. The little ones giggled and smiled as they were washed. His daughter splashed the water getting Kat wet and smiled. Dante chuckled at that.

[LadyRaven]

Kat took her time bathing the kittens, it relieved her anger a little that Abfret had been in there for so long and she hadn't known. The boys didn't like their bath and soon started fussing and crying over the matter, but when Amy was put in, she started cooing and blowing bubbles while kicking out her legs and curling her tail around in the water. She liked being in the water. Kat smiled and cooed back at her daughter, but otherwise, remained silent......

[questor]

The three boys were definetely mischievious in nature, even at an early age. Once they had been bathed, Dante dried them off and placed them in clean clothes and put them down on a soft rug to play while he was preparing to dry Amy off. The three boys even at this age crawled out of the bathroom at a rapid pace and into the nursry. Here Abfret had sat down in a rocking chair and had been watching Kat and Dante giving the little ones a bath.

The three had noticed the big demon in human form and their couriesity got the better of them. They raced towards Abfret and climbed up his legs into his lap and stared up at him, with big smiles. The demon chuckled good naturely and said. "Well now who do we have here?, I am your great Uncle Abfret." his smile was broad and full of love. Dante looked and placed a hand on Kat's shoulder to try and calm her.

Sencing something was up Amy began to squirm, wanting to be doing what her brother's were doing."

[LadyRaven]

Needless to say, Kat was not impressed at all. While she left Dante to deal wit Amy, she returned to the nursery and cast a suspicious eye over Abfret. She made no secret that she didn't like this happening, her scent reeked of it. The boys also noticed this and carefully clawed their way down Abfret's leg and towards her. She picked them up one by one and then looked at the demon squarely. "You may have age and power over me, Abfret." She told him flatly, "But in this room, I'm Goddess and my rule is absolute. Got it?" She then turned away from him and settled the boys into the nursing chair. She then turned it around so she could feed them privately. With them settled in, she turned her head towards the bathroom. "Whenever Amy's ready, my love." She called, "It's time for her feed.".....

[questor]

The poor little ones felt their mother's anger and crawled off Abfret's lap, and scampered over to their mother. Dante felt sorry for the little guys. Yes Abfret was a demon, but he believed him when he said he would never hurt them. He hoped that Kat would come to trust the old demon. Trust a demon. Now that was something Dante had to wrap his thoughts around. All his life, he had read, been taught, and the like how demons were evil, and spawn of the devil and the like. All of that had went out the window since he had met Casha.

He had learned a lot from her, from Frenchy and Abfret about the world that normal people did not know about. Oh there were those demons that were just like humans, greedy and the like, but there were those like Abfret that took a different path. But Dante did not doubt that Abfret could be a very powerful and fierce demon if he so chose to be. He had not lived for thousands of years by being timid.

Once he was done with Amy, he carried her over to Kat and placed her on her mothers lap. He reached over and caressed Kat's face with a warm smile. He sighed and said, "At least give him a chance. Lay out the ground rules you want. Do it for me." he asked her with a bit of pleading in his voice.

[LadyRaven]

Kat opened her shirt a little more as Dante brought Amy to her and she settled the tiny female to her so she could feed before leaning back. Her eyes then went to Dante and then softened a little. Abfret was family, even though she didn't like the idea of more strangers around. This so called family had sprawled substantially and more and more people were turning up. Normally, she wouldn't have bat an eyelid at the idea, but this wasn't an ordinary kind of family. After a few minutes in thought, she gave in and nodded.

"Ok." She said, "But only because you've asked me." She looked down at her kittens feeding and smiled softly at them, but then it faded, "But he so much as looks at me like lunch, or flashes one claw at my kittens and he's gone, understand?" There was a feeling of personal knowledge about her statement. Her eyes went to the demon and she regarded him cautiously. The bravado was still there and she wouldn't let that falter until she trusted him implicitly. Until then, he'd have to work hard to earn it. A moment later though, the caution had wained slightly and she looked up at Dante again.

"How's Casha doing?" She asked.

***

Further down the hall, Gabe laid on the bed, watching Marla move about the room. He gave a small smile as he memorised her changing shape. It wasn't much of a change, barely noticeable to the passing eye, but he saw it. A tiny, mound shaped bump just below her navel. Inside, he beamed with pride. I've helped make that, he thought proudly, that's my doing growing inside her. His thoughts turned to how she would grow and how she would look. If Casha was anything to go by, or Kat, he reckoned Marla would look amazing. He couldn't wait for the growth to start kicking and squirming about so he could feel it. He imagined pressing his ear to the bump to listen to the heartbeat and movement inside, and sleeping with his hand on it so he could stay close.

Laying further back in the bed, he put his hands behind his head and crossed his legs at the ankles. The doctor would be coming soon with his ultrasound equipment and he'd get a first look at the little miracle. When he'd seen Casha's picture, he'd thought the baby looked more like an alien and he'd laughed about that, but not this time. This little alien was all his and he couldn't wait.

As Marla passed the bed a second time, he reached out and grabbed her by the forearm. He pulled her onto the bed and shuffled down. with a wide grin, he pulled her jeans down slightly and kissed the slight growth just below her bellybutton. "Hey, you little seamonkey." He said to it, "This is your dad talking. You'll be hearing from me quite a bit for a while." He looked up at Marla again and laughed quietly.......

[questor]

Dante smiled as she finally relented to some degree. Their family was growing. Anubis, Casha and Gabriel, Marla and Gabe, Casha's mother and grandfather, Frenchy who seemed to have made himself apart of the family, Kat, himself and their four little ones. Now there was yet another, Abfret. That made Dante think abit. What did happen to Abfret's sister. Her human husband would have died a very long time ago, and then there were the other children he was sure was born to them and their decendents. Where were they. If he had a long life, did they?

When Kat asked how Casha was he grinned. "She is doing fine, as is little Gabriel. Anubis is proud as a peacock. It shows." He imagined it had showed when the four of his was born. "They are resting now and perhaps tommorow we can take ours in to see their cousin." He chuckled. "Since you are claiming Anubis to be your brother."

Marla moved about the room picking up things and putting them where they belonged. She noticed Gabe watching her and shook her head. When he pulled her down to the bed and placed his head to her abdoman she grinned, especially when he heard what he said. "Ok 'daddy', she said in an amused voice. "Perhaps you can help clean the place up, since most of it is your stuff that is laying all over the place."

It was a strange life she now lived. Among those that she had hunted and killed, friends with them, part of the family as it were. Everything she had been taught, and had lived by was now all turned upside down. The lycans and vampires that she had been getting to know over the last year or so, had once been human and then changed. They still had emotions, feelings of love and hate, fear and joy. They were not the monsters that she had been taught to hate and hunt. Oh there were those that thought of themselves as above human kind and one might say were bad. But Anubis did not tolerate it.

Most had families of their own, well the lycans anyways. The vampires for some reason were steriel and could not conseave children. But they did love and they did have husbands and wives. Some of them anyways.

She sighed and gently removed Gabe's head. Then she stood up and got changed into her night clothes that Kat had picked out for her. Sexy looking, see through at places. "Down boy." she said to Gabe as she pulled the covers down on the bed.

[LadyRaven]

For all that day and the night, Casha slept peacefully, waking only long enough to feed and change Gabriel as he needed it. She wasn't unaware of what was going on, she knew exactly everything that was happening, she just chose to stay in bed and bond with Gabriel. Kat's meeting with Abfret had made her smile, but she knew the woman would come around sooner rather than later and by that evening, she had already softened to him. She also heard that Gabe and Marla had settled back into their routine and both were now happy about their pregnancy. Kat had a lot to answer for, but she had shown her heart to be true nevertheless. Anubis' meeting with the new demon had caused her some concern, but not enough that she felt she needed to get involved. Only one other event came and went from her mind and that was her mother and grandfather. Word had been sent to them of what had happened and Gabriel's birth, but as yet, she hadn't seen them. She knew they had arrived that evening but they had been told to wait while she rested and recovered. The ended up spending the night in the guest wing.

Early the next morning, Garret arrived in his lycan form as usual and took up his usual residence at the bottom of the bed. He shifted once to put the TV on, but he kept the volume low so it didn't disturb Casha or Gabriel. He wasn't sure where Anubis was, probably talking with Bernard and the others. Every once in a while, he lifted his head and rested his snout on the bed. His warm eyes scanned every inch of it for movement and lifted his head when he saw it, but otherwise, he remained quiet and watched the TV.

Eventually, Casha finally moved and Garret got a first smell at Gabriel's not so innocent backside. Casha laughed quietly at the small whine of discomfort he gave while she changed the baby, but servants quickly arrived to remove the offending item before it stank out the bedroom. Clean and comfortable again, Casha walked across the room with Gabriel and instead of going back to bed, she eased herself into a large chair by the french doors and cradled Gabriel to her so he could feed. Garret took great notice of this and eased up to her as though a loyal dog and sat down by her feet. At this point, Casha smiled at him and cocked her head to one side. "Garret?" She asked, "Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" He asked back.
"Act like the family pet rather than the proud lycan you actually are."
Garret shook his heckles a little and shuffled his backside slightly to the left so he wasn't sitting on his feet anymore. "I'm your personal guard." He said honestly, "Wherever you are, I am too."
Casha shook her head slightly, "That wasn't what I meant." She told him.
"Then what do you mean?"
Casha began rocking back and forth slightly, discovering that this overstuffed and incredibly comfortable arm chair was actually a rocker. "A guard doesn't come and sit at their employers feet like a loyal pet, Garret. The stand guard and do patrols. A few months ago, for example, when my mother and grandfather turned up. Instead of taking your place with the other guards, you stayed on all fours and sat under my chair. And you follow me around like I've got you on a leash. Why?"
Garret seemed to consider this somewhat as he turned slightly and laid down. "I prefer being this way." He said honestly, "As a man, I'm not much to look at or be around and I'm pretty useless when it comes to being a soldier. The other guys here, they're all built like Stallone or Schwazeneger and they swing it around like it matters. Me, I'm more like the skinny geek they used to drown in the toilets at school. Don't get me wrong, I can hand their asses to them when I have to, but it's not my style. I'm a thinker, not a thumper."
Casha had to laugh slightly at the comment, but she was still curious, "So why did Cain keep you around then?" She asked, "He only kept the soldiers and the strongest that were most loyal. As far as I know, he wouldn't have ever had a use for someone like you."
Garret gruffed on laughter, "Oh, he had plenty of use for me." He chortled, "I was like the camp bitch to keep his soldiers happy. He'd let them beat me up and throw me around to keep them occupied when he didn't have them fighting, I learned early on how to handle myself with his lot. I admit though, I was suprised that Anubis let me stay on when he dismissed so many others."
Casha shrugged a shoulder lightly, "Maybe he saw something more than a simple thumper like the rest." She offered, "But that doesn't explain why you follow me around like a dog."
Garret got back up again and rested his large snout on the arm of the chair as he watched Gabriel feed. "I've always loved dogs and when I was a kid, I wanted to be one, I guess. Now I kinda am, so why not enjoy it? I still do my job and no-one bothers me anymore about it. Besides," He gave a sly grin, "No-one cares much when a dog starts sniffing at your crotch. A full grown guy, well, that's just asking for trouble."
At this, Casha laughed openly and nodded, "Clever." She said, "Very clever."
Garret laughed also, "Like I said, I'm a thinker, not a thumper. Being clever comes with the territory." He stared at Gabriel a little longer and then dropped back down to lay on the floor again.
Casha noticed the staring before Garret moved again and furrowed her brow, but she said nothing and moved Gabriel over to her other breast. Once done and suitably covered, she settled back again. "So it really doesn't bother you, being my lap dog then?"
Garret licked his snout again and snorted slightly, "Nope, not at all. To be honest, I rather enjoy it. I get to do my job without being pounded by the lugs downstairs. And they really don't touch me anymore, not since you went haywire. I actually have a bit of standing with them now. None of them had balls enough to let you feed on them and not a single one of them has been near you on their own since. After what you did to Jake and Byron, you've got their tails between their legs in fear."
Casha looked down with guilt then, "That wasn't intentional, Garret." She said quietly, "And I deeply regret what happened. I feel worse for killing them than I did the hunters. But you don't fear me like they do. Why?"
Garret offered a warm smile, "I've been at your heel since you got here. I know you better than you think, so I've no reason to be afraid of you. Being around you like this, I see way more than they ever will. What you did before wasn't you. This is. Sitting here, relaxing and talking to me like I'm a good friend."
If she hadn't known him better, she might have mistaken Garret's affection for something more than platonic. Something Anubis would have torn him apart for. "You're treading a fine line with that, you know." She said in slight warning.
Garret sat back up and nodded, "The finest line there is." He said, "But no finer than the line Gabe and Dante tread. I've seen the way you are with them and the way they are with you, but I know that's as far as it has ever gone and they know that too. Though, Dante, I think might have crossed the line given the chance."
Casha laughed lightly and nodded, remembering what she had done in the hotel so long ago. "Actually, that was my fault." She admitted, "He wasn't convinced I would be able to seduce Anubis so I kissed him to prove I could."
"How well did that end?" Garret asked.
"He needed another shower afterwards, so I guess I convinced him well enough. And I certainly convinced Anubis, didn't I." She said with a laugh.
Garret laughed also and nodded, "From what I've seen, I'd agree with you there." He got to his fours and stretched out his legs slightly before started wandering around the room. "But anyways, I won't cross that line, so you don't need to worry." He found a comfortable spot on the rug and circled it a few times before he laid down and curled up slightly to watch the TV again.

Casha nodded and sat back in the chair to finish feeding Gabriel. Her eyes turned to the TV and she began watching it as she relaxed. Gabriel fell back to sleep after being burped and Casha felt happy to simply rock and and forth until her grandfather and mother were allowed up to see her......

[questor]

Anubis awoke and let Gabreil and Casha sleep. He went about his daily business to make sure that the underground empire he had created was running soothly. He met breifly with Bernard and with Casha's mother. He had called them to the mansion to let them know of the birth of Gabriel. The old mans face lit up and his chest puffed out as he learned he had a great grandson. he was wanting to see him and Casha but Anubis had to tell him to wait for her to bring the little guy down. That she needed some time with her new son .

Casha's mother was proud and tears of joy filled her eyes and rand down her cheeks when she learned about her grandson. Now she was more insisstant on seeing Casha and Gabriel then Bernard was. Anubis had to grin and chuckle at the sturboness that matched Casha's. When he felt that Casha was a wake and ready, he took her up to their room and peered in. He saw her in the rocker, rocking back and forth slowly with Gabriel in her arms.

There was no holding her mother back, she entered the room and approached. "Oh my sweel darling," she laid a hand gently on Casha's shoulder. She looked down at Gaberial and tears of joy again began streaking down her cheek, "He is beautiful." she told Casha.

Abfret had left for the night saying he would be back in the morning, if it was alright with Kat. That he had something for the four little ones. When he returned, he had four very old gold coi9ns from a time before Rome and Greese. Each had a small hole in them and through the holes were gold chains. These he handed to Kat to show her. On each were engraved with their names. "Something for them to wear when they are older and to perhaps play with or what ever for now."

The one hell hound that seemed to follow him everywhere poked her head out into the room and sniffed the air . The four little tikes were immediately attracted to it and began pulling on her ears and fur to try and pull her more into the room. She looked over at Abfret and Kat with what looked to be pleading eyes, asking for help.

Dante was downstairs throwing some breakfest together so he could take it up to Kat, so the two of them could enjoy the day with their children. He seen Benard there and talked with him. "I know you hunted demons and I gues the Angleics as they are called. Is there any way that I can find out what happened to certain ones, from way back?"

[LadyRaven]

Casha gave a warm smile as she saw her mother come in. The way she pushed past Anubis told her she had been waiting too long. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head over slightly and rubbed her cheek over the back of her mother's hand on her shoulder. He was beautiful, she had said. "That he is." She said in whisper and then looked up at the ageing woman. "Would you like to hold him?" It was a stupid question to ask as she felt the woman literally shove her out of the chair. With a quiet laugh, she handed over the bundle and smiled lovingly at the pair. In the arms of his grandmother, Gabriel felt the change and awoke to find a familiar smile in his line of sight. He gave a slight yawn and brought his tiny hands upto his face before he began staring at Mary as though to ask, who are you? casha moved closer to the bed and then looked back with a smile. "Think you can handle him for a while?" She asked. "I desperately need a shower. Garret here will keep watch." And in response, the lycan got to his fours and offered a panting gruff at Mary, a canine version of a greeting. Casha then disappeared into the bathroom and minutes later, steam began to filter through the slightly ajar door.

Down the hall, Kat lifted an eyebrow at the gifts Abfret had brought for the kittens. They looked old and very expensive; that latter she liked of course. "They look like guardian coins." She said openly, "I've seen them before. You give them to family to ward off evil spirits and protect them from harm." She took them from him, but didn't give them to the kittens. Instead, she hung them from the tops of their cribs. "Junior will probably try and swallow it and Ryan will start swinging it around and I doubt very much Amy will be able to handle the weight yet." In the middle of the floor, Amy had discovered that her tail was not only attached, but had a mind of its own. She began to giggle and reach for it as she rolled around the floor. Kat went to her and put her back into the middle of the rug before propping a few cushions around the still tiny kitten. "They should have their human features in the next few days." She said hopefully, "And we can go see Dante's friends in New York." She didn't know why she was telling the demon all of this, but it seemed she had softened a little more towards him than she thought. When the hellhound peered through the shadow and the boys began pulling on it and playing, Kat began to laugh a little. "Well, the rumours are true then." She said, "They really are just big softies." She went to collect the boys and smiled down at the overwhelmed hellhound. "Now boys, behave yourselves. It's not a toy."

Downstairs, Bernard sipped at a large mug of coffee and was enjoying the morning. He couldn't wait to meet his great grandson, but he was also enjoying the quiet. Dante was good company and he felt at ease with the man, who was probably around the same age as him despite the obvious difference in looks. The conversation had been light and amusing, but the tone changes and Bernard felt almost disappointed. Dante wanted to know what he knew about the demons and how to track what happened to them. He gave a nod and put his mug out for a refill. "Some of them, certainly." He offered. "Our records date back to the very beginning, so it may take some time. Which in particular are you wanting to know about?"

[questor]

As Casha got up and Mary took the little bundle that was Gabriel she began talking softly to the baby. She told him who she was and that they were going to be seeing alot of each other. When Casha made for the bathroom, Mary called out to her "Take your time sweetheart." She was wanting to spend all the time she could with her grandson. It had been a very long time since she had held a baby in her arms. "And your greatgrandfather is waiting to see you too. " she touched Gabreils nose with a finger. "Then there is everyone else here that wants to get a look at you. " She did not care that when he grew up he would need blood to live. He was her grandson and she would love him no matter what he was.

Abfret chuckled at what Kat said the boys would do with their medallions, and he thought that Amy was alot stronger then Kat thought she was. he walked over to the Hellhound and the boys, with Kat. As she extracted the three he slapped the side of his leg and the hellhound emerged fully from the shadow world and moved around to sit at his left side faceing forward, her head touching his hand. "Well she is farily tame for a hellhound. But don't think for a moment that she is not a fierce creature. She can tear a lycan apart and have him for lunch. She is courious about the little ones. They have the famly scent." he patted the hell hounds head.

The boys being boys again made for the hell hound and she laid down on the floor as the three climbed onto her back. Amy not wanting to be left out of it all managed to push the pillows apart enough for her to get out and she bound over to the hellhound and stood right infront of her face. The hellhound nosed her with her snout and Amy giggled. "Plus I think it is the maternal instinct in her as well. " he chuckled.

Downstairs Dante was not sure he should be asking Bernard about a demon. He had no idea that there was one in the mansion and that he himself had demon blood in him. He wondered what Bernard would think of that. After all his granddaughter was now a vampire, her husband a vampire, he was surrounded by lycans and lesser vampires and he had been a member of an order that like the hunters had hunted and killed demons and angelics. "Her name was Kartana, but unlike most of the demons who if I am not mistaken kept to themselves in mating, she took human form and married a human man. I am not sure if those back then would have noticed this and all. But I want to know what happened to her."


Marla rose and took a shower, letting Gabe sleep in a bit. When she was done and dressed, she gave him a shake, "Come on sleep head. Will not do to have the head of security lounging around in bed all day." she chuckled. "Guess I am going to have to take Kat with me to shop for clothes for the baby. She knew Kat and shopping all to well now. But it would be eaiser then she would have thought before. Since the old woman had told Gabe that his son would be fighting along the side of Anubis', she knew she was having a son. That took out all the guess work.

[LadyRaven]

Casha indeed took her time in the shower, making sure to clean her body and hair thoroughly. As she cleaned her hair though, she noticed just how much it had grown over the last year. It went all the way passed her backside now and she smiled with pride about that. She wanted it as long as possible, down to her knees at least. Once she was done, she moved into her weardrobe and picked a soft pink silk gown with a bare back and rope tie neckline. Servants arrived to dry her hair and brush it through for her as seemed her habit these days. While the servants made their magik happen with her hair, she smiled at her mother, still cooing at Gabriel. "Would you like to have breakfast on the patio so you can show him off?" She asked, already knowing the answer before she turned to one servant. "His white suit and cap please." She said and the other woman disappeared quickly to find the clothes for Gabriel's first day downstairs.

Kat sighed as the kittens started playing with the hellhound again, even Amy joining in. She shook her head and smiled, "Fair enough." She conceeded, "But not for too long. I want them in the garden for a while before lunch, get them used to the outside."

Gabe grined when Marla shook him to wake him,b ut the truth was, he'd been awake from when she first got up. "After the week I've had, I'm having the day off." He said with a laugh and pulled her back in the bed, "And I promised Mum I would call her today and arrange her visit. She really wants to meet you and we can tell her about her pending grandbaby." He rubbed her stomach lightly and ten kissed her.

Downstairs, Bernard smiled as he drank his coffee, "Kartana, eh." He said with a knowing grin. "I know plenty about her. She's probably the most famous of all the angels that settled down with us lowly humans. Her husband is most famous around Denmark and Sweden, that sort of area." He drank more of his coffee and then handed the mug back for yet more. "You know the stories too, or you were taught some of them at school. She and her husband had two sons, both Gods of their time. She could create rainbows so her husband and his armies could travel and conquer vast areas. At least until the Romans came along and invaded, but by then, the husband was more than an old man, he was ancient by human terms. Kartana was the sister of Abfret and Nuri. As I recall, Nuri was Cain's first victim, but Anfret seemed to disappear to rule the Shadow Realm." Now Dante would know Casha's eidetic memory was genetic. Bernard grinned at Dante, wondering if the penny had dropped yet.....

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