Saving Graces

I growl, at the trail, the blood is fouled and the trail is not clear as it should be "No he is trying to Live rather then exist, he thrives on his hormones and the rush of battle" the words come out low "to remind himself he is a man despite what he has become"

"You geld the stallion to bring him under reign," Djehuty smiles at the thought, then frowns, "Though I wouldn't expect that man to remain a eunuch."

"Between you throwing balls of intestines and you speculating about testicles, I'm going to need to scrub my brain with soap and sand." I mutter. "Which way now?" Then my eyes widen. "Iron and ice, is that the house I think it is?"

"one that should be burned, pissed on, and burned again" I offer helpfully "No i am not sure to be honest, this isnt an area I like to Frequent"

Djehuty curses and steps back quickly, as if driven by a warding. "Damn him for a fool, and curse his enemies."

"He can't actually have taken him to his house, can he?" The question is mostly rhetorical; nobody can mistake Marty Devor's house."Shit." I hiss. "How are we getting in? Ideas?"

*Liv, what do you know about myself and Tremilee....* I turn to my little coatl and whisper something in her ear. "Got it little lassie?" I smile as I watch the little bugger rush to the house and wait until she sinks her teeth into the man inside. Soon, he is waiting at the doorway. I walk up to him, have a small, silent exchange, before the man beckons for all of us to enter.

I grin. "Not enough, apparently." Once inside, and with a little glamour work to hide us from sight, it's a simple matter of following the shouting. Someone is yelling in a high, hysterical voice. "Is that Marty?" I whisper. Then my memory throws up something. "Wait a moment. Marty Devor is dead. Paper said so. So who..."
Then we're in a sunken lounge area, tiled in black marble. Now we can see the man. Skinny, gaunt, with watery eyes and no chin to speak of, he looks like nothing so much as a ferret on two legs. Well, one leg most of the time; the other is employed in repeatedly kicking the man on the floor. I wince. Ignacy's a mess, all bruises and blood. The boy-he can't be more than twenty-is still screaming, vicious stuff about what he plans to do to Ignacy...and his friends. Damn. He knows about us.
"Kill you! I'll kill you all! You killed my father, I'll kill every last one of you sons of bitches!"
I cock my head, studying him dispassionately. "So," I whisper, "Do we go for him, or just wait for him to have a stroke?"

Groaning, Djehuty steps forward. "I hate to interrupt, but beating such a woman as this can be nothing more then a sin," He smiles and gestures at the young woman, bound on the floor, near unconscious. "Julian destroyed your father, if I'm not mistaken. What would he do with a story like this, I wonder."

*Ignacy! I'll let you spend a night with me if you do exactly as I ask.* I smile, hoping to Gods and Goddesses he answers yes.

The young man pants. "You...you..." he points around the room, at the guards. "Shoot them! Shoot the bastards!"
"Gods," I say, dropping the glamours, "this one's even more annoying than his father." Drawing my blade, I advance, only to watch him cringe. I grin, letting my teeth grow long. "Guess what, sonny jim? You've gotten on my nerves. And people who get on my nerves tend to regret it."
Then I sing. I sing of blindness, of binding, of being helpless beneath a weight you cannot move, of the numbness you feel when your body has been cold for far too long, and I aim the sound like a knife. The rat-faced boy crumples, paralyzed. I lean down, very close, and breathe in his ear. "I know you can hear me, because I left your hearing intact. Now, what I did was just a taste, just temporary, say twenty minutes or so. But, you get on my nerves again, I'll make it permanent. And you better hope to whatever god will have you that it's me who comes after you, because if it's one of the others...well, you'd like it even less. So, there's your warning chum.Lay off my kith. Let us alone, we let you alone. Everybody's happy. If not..." I squeeze his throat, just enough to hear a gasp. "Remember." In the word, I put power, enough so that he will dream of this moment, and never truly be free of it. Then I stand. "Right, let's get..." I blink. "Him?" I shoot a look at Djhuety, who's smiling secretively. "Wow, I guess you meant it about gelding..."

"I think it my best work yet... though I'd rather not let him fondle himself." Djehuty frowns.

I grimace. "Again, an image I never wanted. Come on, let's get out of here before Kaija gets worn out holding all the fools."
Between Kaija and the lads, we manage to get Ms. Ignacy, who isn't much shorter or lighter as a woman, out the door and down the street. For once, we risk fate by calling a taxi, and this time we're lucky; we actually make it home in one piece and relatively unscathed.
Ignacy hits the couch like a ton of bricks when the lads finally drop him.
"Well, that was easier than usual." I say cheerfully, "We're getting good at this."

"I don't trust it, someone is tracking us." I speak aloud. My voice solemn, I pray that one of my companions will hear my warning. Knowing that I am still without a protection talisman, I await the lecture I'll get from Liam. I sigh as I press my hand into his. "Brother-listen and understand. We are being followed."

I glance at Kaija. "You sure kit?"

"Trust her" I say to Liv," my fingers tightening lightly, " she is a good one to not try and sneak up on" my voice is still low and dangerous the events are too fresh and too irritating, that little shit should have bled. I know my bloodlust is near the surface.

"Okay then." I nod, glancing from one to the other. "Well...Djhuety, the Barrow... think it can throw up defenses?"

Patting a wall, Djehuty nods slowly. "And who would want our new fainting flower?" he distractedly waves at Ignacy's prone form. "This house is strong enough to hold the hounds of hell itself at bay."

*YES I'M BLOODY SURE!* I yell in Liv's mind. She may e older than me, but I could hear their thoughts. "Now, can we please go kick some ass...?"

I clap my hands to my ears 'Damn it Kaija, turn down the gods damn volume! Hai mai, I was just checking! Remind me to order you some chill pills." I sigh in relief as the noise abates. "Before we go looking for trouble, Let's get some rest; we'll worry about trouble in the morning. We're all tired and stressed, we all need some sleep and probably food. Spent all damn day tracking that one, didn't we, and we haven't had a bite since breakfast. Come on. Let's all relax while we can." I let just a little power into my words, just a hint. Kaija looks exhausted under her attitude and Liam is far too tightly wound. And not to put too fine a point on it, I'm worn through myself.

I can't help but smile "I like the idea of a proper beat down" I have not been this angry in a long time, and i don't want to keep it in right now. I grin at Kaija and make my way to the door "I will be hungry when i come back in, Kaija you coming?" my jacket gets hung by the door as does the shirt beneath it my spear uncoiling from my arm "Liv, I need this" and Reach for the door

"No. You aren't going anywhere Brother. Do not leave my sight."

I roll my eyes. "Bloody vikings. The pair of them." I mutter to Djhuety in the Hill tongue. "Bloody bloody vikings." Then I realize the language working Djhuety did is still in effect. Thank goodness they're busy staring at one another.

I feel the muscles in my back tense at kaija's words, turning my head to look at her "and why is it that suddenly i am to be a wilting flower when there is still a fight to be had"

I hiss. "You dunce, we won. Let that anger in your head stop simmering, and quit with the guilt! You have no need to be guilty. If you need to work out to take your emotions off the boil, fine, just keep it down. I'm going to bed. I'm worn right through." I glance at Djhuety. "You coming?"

It feels grand to close the door behind us, to find peace and darkness, and the warmth of his arms. It's been a very long day.