Re: Room 103b . . . { ..o.p.e.n.. }

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Oh, we are sure that there was a good story there!   But the twins did bust through and they were not the quietest but they hadn't seen their grandma in well forever!   And the kids seeing the hands being extended out in a welcome the kids moved over and Bas grabbed her hand unless she moved it and Izzy moved past it and hugged her leg unless she stopped her as well.

“We asked mommy if we could see some of daddy's family.”  That was Bas.   And Titania looked towards Airtia.  “We were at the Inn, I bring the kids there every so often in case we chance a run in with any other Cauthon's.”  Or Pip mind you.   “And Oliver said that we were to go to door 103 b....and we had to talk to the door until it got the answer it wanted and it opened and well we were brought here.”  She nodded about that one, and Titania's words were spoken softly as how it all echoed.  

The kids didn't notice that but they did move with her, and Titania did notice the way that she was moving them away from the raised trunk.   Her left brow quirked just so.  “We had no clue about the festival.  Until we arrived.”  And Titania was looking around the room trying to figure it all out.

She gave a shake of her head when she asked if she was hurt.   And the children were fine as well.   But she was watching Airtia something felt..off...more than normal.   “Bas shifts wolf...at will.  No magicks.   Izzy shifts and takes after me so far, I have been working with her, but I haven't seen any abilities that are passed from Xavier's side...”  She hadn't but that didn't mean anything.

Titania looked at the raised trunk then back to Airtia.  “Sarah said that you come here to visit with Epiphany...I had thought I would catch the two of you together when she lead us down here.”  And well...”Is she living in a trunk now?”  Titania wouldn't put it past the girl, she was one that did dance to the drum of a different player.

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

Airtia was steadily leading the children away from the trunk and closer to the way they came. The room itself was not an issue for her, rather it was the trunk. It radiated a holy, spiritual, aura, divine power. There were some people who would feel it right away, and others which may take a while, it all varied on how in-tune a person was to the supernatural.  This trunk was not friendly to those of a darker, or evil persuasion, and though Airtia hid her discomfort well, it would eventually chip away at her resolve.

Not having much knowledge of the type of magic Titania was involved in, and hearing that her grand-daughter had been showing signs, she thought it was safer for them away from the trunk.

"Yer father was shifting at an early age, too." Airtia reminisced, speaking to the children. "What a handful that was."

"Yer father, like the rest o' the Cauthon's, can be hard tae track. But he tis nae here." Airtia said with a nod. Technically she could be considered a Cauthon. "Though, tis good tae hear that ye used the room."  There was a ghost of a sly smile tugging at the corner of Airtia's lips.  She was quite pleased that Oliver had remembered to give out that bit of information.  Usually, something like that would be a gimmick of Epiphany's, but right now the girl was not able to do much of anything. The painted door and the Paper were Airtia's design. This, potentially, made it a lot more dangerous.

Her smile was more apparent as she looked at Titania, though she kept a hand on a shoulder of each child while she spoke. "The Paper took down yer names then? Very good."

Airtia's  hands left the children's shoulders and her fingers lightly scratched each child behind the ear. Consider it an old habit from when her children were young.  Titania had asked her about the trunk, and Airtia was taking a moment to consider the answer.  

"Epiphany tis in the trunk, but as it's prisoner.  Iffen ye consider that tae be 'living' there, then the answer tis yes."

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

It did not go unnoticed that she was leading the children away from the trunk and closer to the entrance that they had come through, after Sarah ran away, though if we are truthful Titania really still could not blame her for that one.   There was something strange about the trunk and it had taken Titania a moment to realize where the power was coming from, though she was a witch, she wasn't a dark witchcraft sort, she was more of a good witchcraft kind of girl, she had yet to really dabble with darkness.   Meaning that all the witchcraft that her daughter, Izzy, was learning was also good and not dark.  

Bas was smiling to his grandma at that one and she nodded to her.  “Mommy says that we can not just shift in public because people will notice.”  Which had Izzy grinning.  “Bas liked to shift in public and mommy had to cover it up a lot.”  She grinned though because she thought it was funny, because if people didn't know about shifters you had to come up with good stories to keep them protected and Titania would protect her kids no matter what.

The kids gave their grandma solemn little nods.  “We didn't think he would be.  It's okay.”  That was Bas, as his little chest puffed out.  “When Uncle John isn't at the house I am the man of the house.”  He said with all the importance that a child would place at that being that his mom was a single mother.  Yes, normally the gimmick such as that would be Epiphany's but that was not the case, this time it was Airtia, and perhaps that should worry Titania.  And maybe it did just a little bit....and while the kids were looking to their grandma, and speaking Titania would slip out her phone.   “Grandma, why are you guys always so hard to find?”  That was Bas, he was curious lately about things, perhaps a bit more than Izzy.  

Titiana took that moment to look to her cell phone but noticed nothing was there, and she thought to ask Damon via a text message.  - Just for my knowledge how long would it take you to perhaps get to the church?-   Yeah he said he knew the place and so he got that text message.

Titania gave a nod of her head though to that question.  “It did.   What does that mean though?”  Yeah she was asking because that could be even creepier.  

The kids were good though and they smiled up to their grandma, she wasn't the warm and fuzzy sort but she was theirs.

She blinked...yes she blinked and took a step backwards.  “The trunk has Epiphany trapped as it's prisoner?   Why?”  Like what sort of trunk is it that it had someone trapped inside of it...and she wasn't sure she should even ask.  “How long has she been in the trunk?”  Yeah she asked.  

[Damon Fauci]

The phone call came and went.  Then the text messages commenced.  Leaning against one of the sturdier walls of a dilapidated barn, Damon dryly stared out over the unkempt field as the alert on his phone went off again, and again, and again. . . Finally the vampire reached for the device.  Not bothering to read any of the messages, he chose instead to send a single piece of advice to the one who was sending them:  Perhaps you should keep your focus on getting here?

Silence.  Finally.  Until a streak of vertical light appeared in the midst of the weeds, growing until it was a suitable doorway from which his companion for the night was heard before she was seen.  “ - following me because you’re creepy.  You’re creepy!”  The emerald-haired fae yelled that a second time through the gateway after she stepped out of it, closing it with a quick motion and a huff.  Then she promptly turned that glare on Damon.  “You know I hate going through the Wyldlands.”

“But Jade, you do it so well. . .”  Her glare was answered with a wolfish grin, and her resulting sulk was answered with a laugh.  The vampire slipped an arm around her, squeezing her shoulder and steering them toward a dirt road.  She was one of the few who got to see Damon just be; for her, he’d long ago dropped the persona of the suave gentleman beast. “It’s the closest means to our destination, I wasn’t trying to torture you.  That said, a simple glamour would’ve hidden you from the eyes of all that’s. . .creepy.  Surely Jamison’s given you that advice by now?”

Jade huffed.  “Shut up, Damon.”  

“Uh huh.”  He made no effort to hide his amusement.  “Either way, a glamour’s necessary now.  No need to draw their attention to what you are.”

“Okay. . .” An easy push of her will, and the glamour rolled over Jade as smoothly as spilled ink.  Her emerald hair now blonde, the slight feline shape to her eyes disappeared, her summer-kissed skin a more subdued hue, and gone was the sheen of bright green and blue fae dust that was littered over it.  There was no hiding the striking beauty that was gifted to all sidhe, nor could she ever hide the inexplicable charisma that seemed to radiate from her, but at least she looked human, pretty much?  Damon had opened a door by mentioning where they were headed, though, and she wouldn’t be Jade if she didn’t jump on it and summarize all those text messages she was pretty sure he didn’t read.  “I don’t like this, Damon.  Out of nowhere I find out you’re here only because you spotted Clark here, and within forty-eight hours you’ve dragged me into a mission which you claim has nothing to do with Epiphany and yet somehow it does because she’s probably there - who is this ally, anyway?  I don’t remember you caring about anyone else here.”

“A talented witch.  You were too busy sulking last time we were in this realm to notice I’d made a friend.”  She glared at him again, he grinned at her again, it was what they did.  “And you brought it, yes?”

Jade sighed.  “Yes…” Reaching into her pocket, she turned the vial over to him.  

“Excellent.  How long?”

“Twelve hours.  It was the only one that was already made.”

"Twelve hours?" His displeasure was obvious, but he pocketed the vial nonetheless.  “Wonderful.  I’ll just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Jade was eyeing him, like really eyeing him super hard, until off her lips popped the words she’d been wanting to say all along.  “And you swear - ”

“You know I can’t stand repeating myself.  I said this was a six, not an eleven.  Let it go.”  The warning look he was giving her was interrupted by the alert of his phone, and his attention turned to responding to Titania’s message.

Jade wasn’t taking the hint.  Well, she kind of felt obligated not to take the hint, more like, because of where they were going and what might happen while they were there.  “But you also said she’s - ”

A menacing growl cut her off. “Jade, let it go.”  If only he were still her sire, the way he said that to her would have literally shut her mouth on the subject without further argument.  There were myriad reasons why he'd gladly allied with the wizard to help free her of the blood, but he did miss that one convenience. “Chances are the lovely witch is fine and this is all just a precaution.  In which case you can use your conveniently timed visit here to check on your sh-t show of a brother, who’s still here and up to god knows what.”  He hit send on the message, and turned his attention back to the road.

Fifteen minutes.  Five, if necessary.  

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

Airtia knew what it was like to raise children without the father around. Perhaps her heart went out, just a little, to Bas upon hearing his comment regarding his father. She gave him a bit of extra attention for a moment and ran her fingers through his hair as she ran through the best way to answer his question.

"Listen tae me, the both o ye." Removing her hands, Airtia looked at both of her grandchildren and pulled a small silver ball from underneath her cloak.  It was only slightly bigger than a marble.  She rolled it between the palms of her hands as she spoke, and the ball became thinner and long, like a thin silver rope.  Airtia was not simply thinning the ball, but she was also weaving threads of Spirit into the now subtle metal.

"There are things in this world that keep us away from the ones we wish tae be close. Sometimes sacrifices 'ave tae be made."  Airtia pulled on the ends of the now silver rope and it split into two pieces. Each half was long enough to wrap around the child's wrist for a bracelet.

She smiled at Titania as she held each half out for the children. "If ye take this, as long as ye are a child I will be able tae find ye iffen y'er in trouble."  They had a choice and didn't have to take it.  Even their mother could take it instead. "Then I may nae be that hard tae contact."

Airtia's hands would stay outstretched, holding the offerings, until the fate of it was decided.  It didn't bother her to hold the pose, in fact, it gave her something to focus on other than the way the trunk was making her feel.  It was a small distraction but she took what she could get.

Then there was the matter of Epiphany. It was one of those things where Airtia was not sure if it was good for the children to hear or not.  She words were slow and meaningful. "Nearly four years ago a man brought this trunk here to the church. He was in pain and told the nuns a story o how he and two o'hers were swallowed by the Light that came from inside that trunk." She started to explain. "He also said there was a girl suspended in a sphere of Light. Sister Mary-Marks says that Epiphany was put in the trunk by the archangel Michael. As tae the reason why. Judgement."  

She nodded back towards the trunk. "There tis a phrase written all 'round the trunk: Darkness shall give way to it."

Airtia knew that Epiphany had been dabbling in darker things and it had finally caught up to her -  just like it had the girls real mother.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Titania was doing pretty well at it if you asked her, the kids had all their limbs, had manners as much as any normal child their age, which was really good seeing she had a child that liked to shift wolf as much as possible and one that was practicing magic already.   And Bas well was feeling it and Titania did her best so that he didn't have any negative feelings.  

The kids both turned to look to their grandma when she took her hands away from them and was speaking to them, twin sets of eyes on her.   And they were watching when she had that and then she well they both were wide eyed of curiosity at that, and the kids would not have any bad thoughts of their grandma at that.  When she spoke of things in the world that kept people away and that sacrifices have to be made they were nodding, and well as she had each of them, the kids both took the ones that she held out.  They had no thoughts that the bracelets could be evil or harm them, they were from their grandma and at times the kids really wanted that connection if you will.

Titania smiled to Airtia curious mind you.  But it was Izzy that spoke up.  “Thank you Grandma.”  Because they liked that tone and well they did take them, and Bas smiled to his grandma.  “Thank you Grandma, I like that.”   Now if one of them pet the bracelet when they were wearing it would that have any effects?   Because one of the children had such a habit of doing that to things.  Liked to touch things to know what they felt like without much thought.  

The trunk didn't seem to bother Titania nor the kids, except the fact that there was someone they knew trapped inside of it!   And the kids were watching the bracelets and seemed to be rather enchanted by playing with them.   Titania was looking between Airtia and the trunk, but she was listening to her, and she thought about it.   “So the man go away from the light, and two others are still inside the trunk too?”  Did she get that right, but she was thinking a good moment.  “So is that her permanent home now?”  Because she could see that I mean Judgments can last for a long long long long time.

She was thinking on that one and she nodded towards her.  Because she could get that the darkness swallowed up Epiphany whom was part angel and ended up where she was.  

Thankfully that all went over the twins heads right now, and Bas smiled to Airtia.  “We can see you again right grandma?  And you won't let the ladies outside keep us here.   We don't  wanna stay here we wanna leave with mommy.”

The words gave Titania pause before she checked her phone.   She would respond to Damon....- No rush.  No real trouble.  But if you could perhaps head this way, and let me know where to meet you because I still don't know this area,  I will owe you one.-   She would indeed owe him one, she could only hope he wouldn't ask for something she couldn't do, but if it was in her power that was a different story.

[Damon Fauci]

Though it was not uncommon for him to acquire a car while he was in Rhy'din, he had elected to leave it behind tonight.  He recalled the church being located in a quiet, remote area, and he was in no mood to draw undue attention to himself.  There were several means of getting from here to there even with Titania and the children in tow, especially now that Jade was here, and all were more attractive options to him when weighed against the echoing sound of a car engine announcing his presence.

Looking down at Titania’s latest message, he grinned.  "And this, dear Jade, is why we always help an ally."  He held up his phone long enough that she would be sure to read the pretty witch’s final words - 'I will owe you one'.  Rest assured, a beast like Damon Fauci didn’t spend such an open-ended promise on anything mundane.

After reading, Jade’s eyes lifted to look at him.  The apprehension clear on her face, and in her voice.  “Yeah, but...she lives here.  You don’t.”  When he said nothing, Jade pressed her lips together and took a slow breath in through her nostrils to steady herself.  “You don’t, Damon. . .”

“I heard you the first time.”  Drolly spoken as he kept his attention on his phone.  His reply to Titania simple:  Good.  Keep it that way.  We’ll be just outside the grounds at the edge of the forest.  He did not specify who he meant by we.  When she and Jade had never met, he saw little need.

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

The silver braided rope was made to be touched, warn, and hopefully they would use them as bracelets as that would be the easiest way to keep it.  Touching it would not do any harm. In fact, the more they chose to engage with the metal the strong Airtia’s connection to them would become. Of course, it didn’t work in reverse. It would be cruel to subject the children to her feelings.

She smiled at the children took the offered gifts and mentally checked a task off in her head. “Course ye can see me again,” she said to Bas. Airtia pointed at the gift he now held. “Be sure tae ‘ave that on ye, preferably touching yer flesh and call for me.” Those were her instructions. “Ye ne’er know how I will show.”

Then she added, “It does nee ‘ave tae be verbal.” That was important to note.  There were times when a person was not able to speak.

As for whether or not the Nuns would keep the children, Airtia only smiled and looked to Titania to address her talk about the trunk.  “I can nae free Epiphany from the trunk. Tis nae her permanent home, but it would take something.. o’her than myself..  tae get her out.”  Already she had ideas on how to get her out.

“I do nae know iffen the o’hers are free, but I know whom I may need fer her release…..”

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

That was a good thing to know!  One should always find things out!  I mean Airtia was the grandma and all but one should make sure they didn't do something they shouldn't be doing, especially with such a gift, and that it wouldn't have adverse effects.   So both of the kids were happy with the bracelets.

Bas beamed a happy cheeky smile to his grandma at that one.   And the twins nodded when she said that and having it on and touching flesh, and call for her.   “Flesh is our skin right?”  And the other one added.  “Do we say grandma or Airtia?”  She almost stumbled over the word Airtia.  

But the kids looked at each other, as if they were trying to figure that out, and then they seemed to get it at the same time and they both smiled.   “Thank you.”   They said together and were looking towards the bracelets.

While they spoke Titania noticed the response of Damon and she responded quickly. -Thank you.   Should be heading that way soon I think.-  Truth on that one, the church and the kids and the ladies outside was a bit...creepy.

But then she looked to Airtia as the kids were a bit preoccupied with the bracelets and how cool they were mind you.   “So she has a premanent home....because of judgement getting passed on her.”  She got that and well that sounded like it wouldn't be to favorful, and yet Airtia had a few ideas on getting the girl out?  That almost sounded dangerous.

But then Titania looked to Airtia.  “You think someone can help release her?  Whom?   I mean it sounds like it's a pretty big thing to be locked in a trunk!”  She was well Airtia said it so it had Titania asking, because who wouldn't when such words were uttered!

[Damon Fauci]

“Dom told me, you know.  That they offered it to you again.”

“Proof that the ones currently called millennials are saints compared to actual millennials.”

They were in the woods next to the church, just as Damon had promised the pretty witch.  Where they were, perched deep in the thick of trees, the church couldn’t be seen; they were too far back even though the branches were barren.  It could be heard, however, at least by the vampire’s gifted ears.  It sounded like a curiously busy day.

“He told me because he’s concerned, Damon. . .”

“Or meddling.  Hoping your pretty face gives you luck with me that he didn’t have.”

They weren’t standing next to a tree, mind you.  They were in a tree.  Rather high, hanging side by side and upside-down from a sturdy limb, their feet hooked cleverly under another branch for balance.  It was an old custom of theirs.  Not in trees until recently, they used to hang out of the St. Louis coven house on a particularly drab nights.  Just haaaangin’ out, was the longstanding punchline.  Because even aristocratic Damon had a sense of humor and a playful side.  Too bad Jade was sucking the fun out of their current situation with her choice of conversation.

“Then let me be lucky and talk to me!”

“We are talking.  Why, I just made words right now.  And now.  And now. . .”

Her exasperated sigh made Damon grin.  Pulling his phone from his pocket, he read Titania’s latest message.  His phone had vibrated to alert him this time - now that they were near the church he had turned off the sound on his device and he had instructed Jade to do the same.  A short reply given:  I’ll be certain to follow my nose.  He knew Titania's scent, so he would be able to pick it up when she headed their way.  

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

Airtia could already feel the silver strands working.  The corners of her lips tugged upwards to a smile as she looked at the two children.  Right now it was probably being aided by how close they were to her but, over time, the connection would grow stronger. This little bit of magic she hadn't used in quite some time and therefore was savoring how well it was working.

This time she caught the motion of Titania typing.  It was small. Quick. But it had been something.

She took her attention off of the young ones and gave it back to the matter at hand. Airtia stepped away from the children and back towards the trunk. She lifted a hand and her fingertips grazed along the edge of the lid. "I'm almost certain that one person can.  Tis only a matter o' locating this... man and 'aving his help."  Her thoughts wandered for a moment.  This man, she saw him that day she arrived in the Inn.  That had been a few weeks ago. However, he had been around.  She could find him again.

The next part of what she needed was more of a want than a need.  This was the first time that Airtia had been faced with the task of trying to pull someone from a Holy structure. If Epiphany had been trapped in one of the layers of Hell it would have been a (relatively) easier task.  Currently, Airtia was not even able to stay long in the presence of the trunk without feeling the effects.  She could imagine what it would do if she were to actually attempt to enter. Though she would if it were a last resort.  Airtia had made a promise to the girl's mother many years ago and she would keep that promise.

"Epiphany's mind has always been blocked tae me, e'en when she was a lil girl," said Airtia as she stepped back from the trunk.  She reached into her side pocket and out a necklace.  It was silver with red stones encased inside. It had an antique look about it.  "The second person ---" She started to hold it up and paused, having a thought.

Airtia's silver eyes narrowed slightly and looked directly at Titania but otherwise, her face was unchanged.  "Who 'ave ye been talking tae?" Her voice held a slight edge, and she took a couple steps from the box. "Who else knows that ye are here?"

[Epiphany]

Meanwhile, in the woods outside the church.....

---

{Tyger}That church was one of the things that  this feline did not like. It wasn't anything personal against the building itself -  though he wasn't a fan of it - more so the one who ran it.  After Sister Mary-Marks had called him a 'Devil Cat' he didn't feel the need to be there anymore.  Sadly… his master didn't feel the same way.  Coming here every day…. Tyger had to wait outside and he spent that outside time in the woods.   He had tried to convince her that coming all the time was bad for her health, but did she listen to him?  No.. she went on 'willy-nilly'  so it as up to him to patrol these grounds and to make sure she didn't destroy the church. Anyway…  

Tyger was perched in one of the trees. He had a good spot and had seen the three people pop in out of thin air.  That door…   So he watch and was getting really bored..until these other people appeared. They were interesting because they seemed to be lurking as well.   Then they hung upside down.  and the cat grinned.  He hopped down off his tree and sauntered over to the base of theirs and looked up.  He sat back on his haunches and cleared his throat.

(Damon) The message to Titania had been sent, but Damon was still preoccupied by his phone.  His senses awaiting one scent in particular, he was paying little attention to the smaller sounds and scents of the woods, created by animals like the one who'd just approached.  His dark eyes scanning a message that he'd just received from his oldest friend.  

"Maybe you should be a dear and tell him to stop nagging me, since the pair of you are apparently such good buddies."  Jade's attention, however...thanks to the fact that Damon has just made her roll her eyes, she caught a glimpse of fur.

The small throat clear prompting her to do a double-take, her green eyes staring at the familiar cat beneath them with a slackjaw that was probably comical considering she was hanging upside-down.  "You - you're unbelievable!" she hissed furiously at Damon.  

Who turned his inky black eyes upon her framed by a raised brow.  "What now?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, her suspicions officially on high.  "You said this wasn't an eleven.  You gave your word."  

Damon looked unphased.  "I did.  Because it's not."  

Jade scoffed, folding her arms across her chest before she changed her mind and swung up to sit upright on the branch.  Glaring down at him.  "Then why is her freakin cat here, Damon."  She pointed at said cat like some 'dun dun dun' music was going to accompany her gesture.  It didn't.  "Don't tell me it's not, she brought it with her to a sleepover."  

It was clearly not expected news, genuine confusion and surprise both flickering across the vampire's features before he looked down at where Jade was pointing.  "Ah.  So it is."  Dark eyes met the cat's expectantly, giving it his attention to see what it had to say for itself.  He was, however, still hanging upside-down.

{Tyger} Tyger swished his tail behind him, letting it wrap around his legs once or twice.  He watched their exchange with amusement.  It was lovely to see how humans-creatures interacted with each other.  His days as one of them may be far, far, far in the past, but watching people gave him some connection to the former life. Tyger lifted his paw and  groomed himself while the two bantered.

Then it stopped and, when the cat looked up, he saw the vampire looking at him.  Oh his smile only grew bigger and he straightened his back.  "I see strange fruit, mew, growing from the tree."  To him that was hilarious and he laughed.  it was a snickering hiss type of sound.  

Tyger looked to the left and then to the right, just making sure that no one else was here with them. "Going to stay out here, mew, till you rot, are you?"

(Damon) At the cat's words Jade scoffed again. Folding her arms across her chest, this time she stayed put and her arms stayed that way.  A lot of disbelieving head shaking was added to the picture.  "If this was really an eleven this whole time, Damon, I swear to god - "

He didn't even let her finish her sentence. Shooting her a warning look, he cleanly cut her off.  "No better place to do your swearing."  A gesture in the direction of the church.  "Drop it or go right ahead."  He wasn't going to argue with her about why they were here, period.  

Once his piece was said to Jade, Damon smoothly unhooked his feet and slipped off his branch, a clean flip landing him right side up by the time he cleanly hit the ground.  Crouched down, resting his arm on one of his knees, not far from his cat.  "When presented with the choice of walking through those gates or not, only dire necessity would drive me to pick the former over the latter."  

It wasn't that Damon had a problem with churches at large.  He didn't.  He had a problem with this church.  For a number of reasons.  At any rate, he felt no need to explain more than that to this cat.  "And you?  I thought churches were full of fat mice."

While it wasn't obvious, Damon was keeping his eyes, ears, and nose alert in terms of the area at large.  For Titania, yes, but also for the approach of anyone.  His desire was to have the cat be the last to sneak up on him tonight.

{Tyger} Tyger backed up a step or two when Damon came down from the tree. He didn't want to be too close and the extra distance would allow him to see the man better. He looked him over, rather openly appraising and judging at the same time.  Tyger didn't like males of any form.  He only tolerated those he had to and right now he was curious as to why this particular one was here.

"Murr… The only fat things in that building, meow, are the nuns." came Tygers reply.  Judging by his remark, they were not anything he was interested in. At least they had common ground in something.  He pawed at the ground idly.

"She's not coming out of there.  Meow.  If that is why you're spying."   Accusing and tossing out a line to see what came back.

(Damon) A slow, wolfish smile curled his lips when the cat backed up.  He was a predator, reactions like that were satisfying to him on a primal level.  As for how the creature was looking him over, not only was he used to it, but he also found such satisfying.  

"Well observed."  A flash of a grin, enough to put his sharpened eyeteeth on brief display, was offered to the cat for its comment about the nuns.  "The idea that the institution itself and the very things it stands for have also been bloated beyond repair. . .well that is an accusation that has been levied upon churches as long as I've been alive." Which at this point was over four hundred years.

The feline's latter comment made Damon lift his brow. "There is a difference between waiting and spying. Regardless, put your apprehensions to bed. I don't intend my presence to disturb Epiphany."  Or, in his mind, her equilibrium.  Which is exactly what her god disturbed as punishment for her cavorting with Damon last time.  And yes, he directed his last sentence up to Jade in the tree as much as he provided it as an answer to the cat.  

He couldn't stand when his motives were questioned.  Especially by Jade, who should know better.  She was, for the moment, remaining silent and simply watching with narrowed eyes. It wasn't Epiphany, it was a her cat (as far as Jade knew anyway), and last time she was around this area she'd learned that keeping her distance from Epiphany or her stuff was pretty much the best way to go.

{Tyger}Tyger kept his eyes on the vampire. Watching him and his  movements and the way he spoke. Out of all the people his masters 'ward' had dealings with, this man was one he found to be interesting and yet aggravating at the same time. The only other one that cat held at the same level was that winged man his master use to hang with.  Tyger sighed and lifted his right paw, turning it and examining his claws the way females do their nails.  He was trying to appear nonchalant as he listened.   However. the cat did cast a glance to the female in the tree.  

She, he liked.  She was female and witty. He'd much rather be talking to her.  Nevertheless, he had this man and therefore…. "Epiphany is…. Oh…"   his head turned back to look at the vampire.. A gleam in his eye as a smile crept across his face.  "Mow… you do not know."  

Oh the joy.  Tyger loved knowing what others did not.

(Damon) Damon found the cat's fishing entertaining. Particularly because it was a feline, so fishing was fitting, even in this case if it was for information. While it shifted its posturing in support of its casual air, Damon remained almost absolutely still in support of his.  Vampires could manage quite an unsettling stillness which rivaled statues, and it took precious little effort to do so.  Statis was not hard to achieve when one's body was technically not living, and while it would make a human uncomfortable, Damon's crouched position didn't bother him in the least.  

"I don't."  Said simply, with a smooth shrug to match, Damon's placid expression answered little when it came to the cat's smile.  'I've put great effort into not even casting a glance in the direction of this realm."

Much less specifically trying to keep tabs on Epiphany.  It should not be assumed that effort was easy.  When it came to the precious few people that Damon cared about, those were the only times that one would ever see him make a decision that might be directly against his desires and interests.  

"And he needs to not. Know any of the whatever, seriously."  That was Jade, of course, piping up from her perch in the tree.  "This tree isn't tall enough to carve all the names of the people who would totally kiss me and shower me with presents if I stuffed his ears full of not able to hear you try and tell him whatever.  Just saying."  From her spot. Because she was still staying up there, for now.  Keeping her and her bad feeling about this whole thing a nice distance away.

{Tyger} Tyger's ears twitched and then fell flat back on his head once he heard Jade speak up.  "You. I like you." A very low purr rolled up from the back of the cats throat.  

He stood up then and took a few steps to the side. He didn't get any closer, but he did move away by likely a foot from this vampire. He didn't trust males and he trusted dead men even less.  Some of them were so hard to read and this male was dangerous and Tyger wouldn't be convinced otherwise. This cat may have his own tricks, but he wasn't that stupid to know that touchy subject never brought reactions.  

He stretched his legs, putting on the airs of a lazy cat to hide how he may have been feeling. Which was cautious. "Yes, let's keep this male, meow away." And Tyger took a step back, masking it by sitting down again.  "Clearly he doesn't want to know.  Meow…."  

Now he was sitting and looking at the vampire and, for a moment, he locked eyes with him.  Silver eyes of this cat gave away his feelings. There was worry and concern, but not for him, that was not showing on his furry face.

(Damon)Jade couldn't help the swell of invigorating energy that swept through her when she was complimented, even if that compliment was just coming from a cat.  It was a faerie thing, and it drew this kind of begrudging smile from her that was - even though it was reluctant - this like super charming and sunny smile that was just lovely to look again.  Because that whole gorgeous and charming thing, that was a faerie thing too.  She'd never been able to shut that off, even when she was a vampire.  

"I wouldn't tell your owner that." Because Jade always thought that Epiphany owned this cat, and Epiphany pretty much hated her.  

Green eyes shifted to Damon, though, watching him watching the movements of the cat.  She knew that vibe from Damon, that stillness.  A predator considering his next move.  There was no hiding her groan at what the cat said.  "Damon, [i]don’t]/i].  If you ask it'll become an eleven.  You know it."  

Once upon a time, the code their tight knit group used to just go from one to ten.  And Jade and the messes she used to get into were the reason that a lot of the codes existed, as an easy way to talk about what kind of mayday was going down.  Eleven wasn't created because of one of her messes, though, it was specifically created because of Damon.  A fact that he hated, and that he'd argued with the group about ad nauseum, but eleven was one of the precious few times that Damon had raged his will on others and failed.  So eleven remained, the number which indicated an Epiphany-related code red.  

So yes, he knew the meaning behind Jade's protests, but he didn't even bother to answer her or even glance in her direction. The vampire kept his attention focused on this shifting, uneasy cat.  "When it comes to what I want or don't want, I always have my reasons."  He didn't confirm or deny that he didn't want to know, however.  He focused on something else entirely.  

"Your behavior suggests that you think something about her current situation requires my attention."  Or assistance.  Either one.  Dark eyes kept on the cat, his gaze intense as he stared into those pools of grey.  "If that's your instinct, follow it.  You're a cat."  So behave like one and follow that instinct, was what he was suggesting.  Damon made no promises about what he would or wouldn't do with any information that was shared.  Because as he'd just said, he had his reasons for everything.

[Epiphany]

{Tyger} The dynamic between Jade and this vampire was something that Tyger would have wanted to study more. Were the circumstances different he would have simply sat back and watched.  Even tailed them out of curiosity to see what would transpire. That was something for another time. Be sure, he filled it away.  

Though he was curious he didn't look at Jade or turn his eyes away at all from this male who - to his mind - was challenging him.  Tyger might have been a bit cowered by this man's presence, but the hard stare was a personal challenge!  And Tyger wasn't going to give. He narrowed his eyes and a rumble of a growl stirred in his chest as he kept eye contact. His tail beat against the ground once and his whiskers twitched. His silver eyes flashed as he worked up what he was going to say. Unlike his master he wasn't bound by any truth telling wards, he could bend as much as he wanted to, but, thinking about his master in there, with Epiphany and how she was always going despite his warnings about her health, irritated the cat enough that he had to do what he thought would best fix the situation.  

“Epiphany is dead." he said flatly.  Emotion drained of his voice.  

(Damon) His brow slowly arched as the cat put feral behaviors on display.  He did not reciprocate.  Partially because Damon's easy, dispassionate charm was a default behavior that he used in the vast majority of his interactions, but also in part because he wasn't seeking to rile the cat up and that was still the case. In different circumstances, the vampire would have found it amusing that even a cat displayed the exact same distemper that the vast majority of males he encountered succumbed to in a matter of minutes when they were in his presence when he was doing nothing at all.  

No time to think about that, however, considering the news the cat had elected to deliver.  "A curious thing for you to have been smiling about."  Simply an observation on Damon's part, delivered in that same even, silken tone that he was so well known for.  That his easy, dispassionate exterior did not break in this moment was a testament to his loyalty to his uncle's teachings, and to just how resolute he was about letting others see nothing of his truths that he did not wish to be revealed.  

"What happened to end her life?"  There was no indication that Damon was inclined to leave based on this news from the cat - Titania was still in the church, and it was her outreach that had brought him to this place today.  

While Damon was inscrutable, Jade was the complete opposite.  “What?!” came from above them.  "Are you freakin - Damon!  Don't ask that, like why would you even ask that it's not like the outcome's going to change based on the - sorry..."  That last bit, the apology, was Jade backing off on her chiding when he lifted his head to give her a silent, pointed look.  

{Tyger}The growl rumbled out and was heard under his words, "Why wouldn't I, mow, smile about that?"  And a smile forced its way on his lips, pulling up at the corners. He made it look slightly easy - until he rolled his eyes and dropped the presence and took on slight aggravation.  This cat was a bundle of shifting emotions when it came to some things. Especially when he had to keep himself still, but he didn't think meandering around would have gotten the same response.  No one takes a cat seriously that can't keep still.  

Tyger tipped up his chin.  "Of all things, mew, you should know about death." stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  

He murred and was silent for a few moments.  "Especially when one is stupid.  Meow.  You die."  Tyger liked Epiphany, he did, who else could he pick on the way he did her?  She was the equivalent of a little sister if the cat were human. He patted a paw on the ground. "If you must know, mow, I don't know how she died.  Meow… Only that she did."  

Then he looked up at Jade in that tree.  "And the body is locked away."  Told that to Jade to perhaps settle her thoughts about Epiphany being easy to get too.  If she were easy to reach then his  master wouldn't have been coming here for as long as she had.

"Mow…  Pity really."  

(Damon) He watched the cat's attempt to save face by shifting its face (no, that irony didn't escape him) with dry appraisal.  Its vexation with him, which seemed to be growing, was strong enough to mingle into its scent.  Tyger tipped up his chin, and Damon chose to respond by taking a slow, noticeable breath was taken in through his nostrils, let out just as slowly and just as notably.  Judging the cat's scent much like the cat had judged him with its eyes earlier.  

"Yes, that's the sort of observation I've come to expect, unfounded as it is from the lips of those who are most eager to speak such things."  Offered with a languid shrug of his shoulders.  Again, it wasn't something he confirmed or denied because let's face it - it was his persona that he'd crafted which had people slapping such statements on him in the first place, and he wore that persona and had perfected such an image for good reason.

A shake of his head followed, as did a small hint of one of his wolfish smirks.  "If stupidity was the only pre-requisite for death this realm would be far more bearable, no?"  

Damon glanced between the cat and Jade, considering the feline's latter words as he finally stood up from his crouch.  "Disappointing, yes."  It was the most revealing word he'd spoken so far on the matter, and a feeling that he was feeling deeply.  "Has there been foul play, that a traditional grave does not serve well enough to house her physical body?"  

Up in the tree, Jade was shaking her head.  Which meant that she was probably also biting her tongue.  Except could she really be biting her tongue, when her phone was out and she was typing furiously.  Soon as she was done, Damon's phone vibrated in his pocket.  
It was her turn to suffer a dry look from him next.  "If you want to say something to me, Jade, say it."  

Her emerald green eyes narrowed, she imagined that she was trying to shoot staring daggers down at him from her spot in the tree, but she was also the one to look away first.  Huffing quietly as she rolled her eyes.  "It's...nevermind.  We can't leave here yet anyway."

{Tyger}Oh..that got a reaction from the vampire and the cat took notice.  It made him smile internally and he thought that maybe.. maybe this was worth his wold afterall.  He leaned in the direction of the church, though it could be taken as him thinking over the question.  "Epiphany is not normal…. meow.. to be held traditionally."  The key word was 'is'. Like she was still alive.  

He was slowly grinding his teeth. It was hard for him to ask for any type of assistance from a male but… His tail swept the ground and he turned his face away from the vampire.  "Listen. Vampire…."  there wasn't any malice in the cats voice at all when he said that. Slight loathing as though it was Damon's fault the cat had to say anything at all.   "As Epiphany would say..  Meow…"  he cleared his throat..  

"Once upon a time, mew..  a male gave a dream pendant to a girl. Meow…This girl kept the ..  trinket." Then he looked over his shoulder to see if the vampire were listening then he looked away again .  "When the girl, mow. left, this trinket was found by … "   he paused then and even frowned..  that growl rising back up in his throat.  "By someone."

That was all he was going to say on who the person was. "This someone, mow, plans to use it, meow, to find you. What for,…"  there was a rolling murr from him as his reply to question. "That someone is there."  He nodded to the church.

(Damon) Contention is what wore on Damon's features, and he nearly rolled his eyes.  "Is it the one who is locked up that is not normal, or is it the ones who felt it necessary to do the locking?"  Clearly he'd contend it was the latter, or he wouldn't have voiced the thought.  

Jade watched him from her perch in the tree, a frown overtaking her sun-kissed radiance.  A soft swoosh of air fluttered behind her, resulting in a lovely and more importantly functional set of green and yellow iridescent wings, and she used them as a glider to swoop lightly down from her perch and land next to him on the ground.  The wings immediately vanishing just as quickly as they'd made an appearance, Jade reached to softly rub Damon's shoulder.  A faint golden light visible in the small area between her hand and his shoulder, she was trying to ease him with her healing touch of gold.  That's what the cat would see what it looked over in their direction.  It would also see that the vampire's dark eyes remained on it, and he was listening.  

"The...usefulness of that pendant was not a machination of my doing.  It's power is Romany, and their camp a rather long way from here."  Damon's suggestion was that it was unlikely that there was a link enough between him and that pendant for it to serve such a purpose.  He put a great deal of effort into never being found unless he wished to be, and was careful when it came to items and so on.  "I am, however, currently standing right here."

{Tyger}Oh… how hard was it for Tyger to not dwell on Jade's wings and keep on with his own purpose.  He didn't remember her being one of the fae.  That was interesting indeed.  Moreso that she was traveling still with this man. Tyger didn't look back and watch them again. He was looking off in the direction of the church.  

Looking away gave him the opportunity to drop his mask.  The cat was sad. And if Damon was still doing his thing of sensing the cat, he may have picked up on it too.  He was sad because, out of everything that he didn't remember of being human, he remembered the pain his master felt when she lost him. He knew she was going through the same thing again and if he could relieve that somehow.  Tyger wrapped his tail around to the front of him. His head even bowed slightly.

"You have the information, mew…  what you do with it, moew… is up to you ."   He shook his head.    

(Damon) Jade looked super fae when she wasn't glamoured like she was now, but even with that part of her appearance cloaked a couple of things had changed that could currently be seen.  She wasn't pale as hell anymore, for one, but the most notable was that she'd finally aged a bit, and instead of being the eternal teen queen she now looked like she was in the latter part of her 20s.  Adulthood, about freakin time.  

Her attention stayed on Damon, she was totally tuned into him and what she was picking up in his airwaves was worrying her.  Not code eleven chaos worrying her, but really concerned about her best friend worried.  

A slow, unnecessary breath exhaled from Damon, the only sign that Jade's healing efforts were making any headway.  Otherwise he was still, a litany of thoughts and emotions churning under his unyielding exterior.  His dark gaze trading between watching the cat, and watching where the cat was watching, as best as he could tell with the beast faced away from him.  "Give me a name.  A physical description.  Something beyond 'someone', which is unforgivably vague considering that 99% of the people in that church are people I would loathe to engage in conversation, and I'm fairly certain that same 99% would love to use my visit as an excuse to bloody their hands in the name of righteousness."

{Tyger}Tyger didn't know if his master and the vampire knew each other. He assumed that if she did then perhaps this whole ordeal would have been over with. Then again.. she was stubborn. However, she didn't really like him tossing her name around either.  But this was a needed circumstance and that is why he decided to say it.  

"It's not a nun, meow, that's for sure,"   Had to get that out the way.  It was comical to even think her a nun.  "Meow… The one looking for you, mew…  Is Airtia Shadoan" Tyger refused to call her Cauthon.  He would never do that.

(Damon) Jade had a pretty awful poker face. So when Airtia's name was spoken, there was no hiding the big old 'does not compute' look that resulted. Damon, however, was a different story - recognition flickered across his features, perhaps a more revealing detail than the single word he chose to speak. "Ah."  Of the woman he did not know much, but he knew enough that to have her name was sufficient in a situation like this.  He also knew her enough that it seeded an unexplained smirk; hearing that Airtia was looking for him, well he wasn't exactly running to place her in the 1% of the people within the church who would not use his visit as a reason to bloody their hands.  

"Damon?"  Jade spoke up quietly, emerald eyes watching him with earnest.  "I know you don't want to hear it, but we're here to help your friend, and I think that maybe we should just keep focused on...well...that."  

The chiding look Damon gave her in return didn't weaken in the least in the face of her earnest.  His reply as unflappable and smooth as ever.  "Yes, that's why we're both here.  And the lot of you will leave here, as none of you are bound to linger."  Jade scoffed, about to protest, but Damon's voice pinged deeply in her mind.  Words not for the cat's ears, but words that Damon knew Jade needed to hear or else she'd never let this issue drop:  Once upon a time, there was a woman so ill that all the others members of her coven were certain she'd never wake from what seemed to be a kind of death.  But because of the one who was never convinced, the one whose eyes she's looking into right now, she lives.  "And she's free," he added with a brief showing of his devilish smile.  Even if it had required a reluctant alliance with her wizard, that she'd been freed of the blood was something Damon was rather proud of.  In any instance, he hoped that reminding Jade of her own dangerous flirtation with death would suffice to silence her.

{Tyger} Now Tyger stood.  He wiped his paws on the ground and  stretched rather languidly, his tail stretching out behind him.  He heard what the two said to each other and he thought - or rather hoped - that things were going into motion.   He also hoped that his master wouldn't chide him for using her name.

The cat looked back to the pair before he started to saunter back off towards the direction he came from in the first place.  "When you see her, meow, leave out who told you."  Maybe he would be able to save himself from any evil looks.  Yes. whether he saw her now, or later, Tyger knew they would eventually met.  

(The end...of this portion....)

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Baz and Izzy were indeed looking at the chains and they were happy to have them and they did place them on.   It was something from their grandma and they were glad for it.  It was nifty that the connection would grow stronger over time so she would know if the kids needed something.  

Well yes, Titania was typing into her phone.   She was in the basement of a creepy church that she had arrived at with nuns and kids and it was a bit much for the girl to take in.  

The kids stayed put playing with the chains that they both had now.   And Titania was watching as Airtia stepped back to the trunk, and she touched it.  And that was rather...creepy...yet touching all at once.  “At least there is hope to get Pip out.”   She nodded her head at that one.   “I don't know too many people really, just those that happen into Starbucks.   But if I can be of assistance.”  There was always that right.

It was good that she was keeping her promise to the girl's mother, that she had made, and she was doing what she could for Epiphany.   It was always a good thing she thought with how things worked out like how Airtia was doing for Pip what her own mother couldn't do.   And well for some reason Airtia going into one of the layers of Hell and having an easier time if you will would not surprise Titania.   I mean the girl was with her son for a while, she got that!

Titania looked towards Airtia at that one.  “Is that normal or a strange thing?”  She thought to ask as she was as she had that necklace and it did have an antique look and she thought about it.  “So two people you think would be able to get her out of the trunk?   Even though she was put there as punishment after judgment by the archangel Michael?”   That's what she got on that one.  “Would that be bringing his wrath down on their heads?”  It was a good question thank you thank you.

Yeah, she had been texting to her Dial A Friend because there was something fishy going on.   And Titania looked at Airtia as those eyes narrowed and she was edging towards the doorway area, she was getting creepy.   “My friend who is waiting outside to take me and the kids home.   You aren't sticking me in that trunk to take Epiphany's place.”   Yeah she was backing up and the kids had already moved to play in the hallway you could hear them and Airtia could 'feel' them probably from those bracelets.   “I had no clue where we were...and this is a bit creepy....a girl must always have an out.”  She was moving but not running, but yeah she was moving, because things were rather...creepy and she had things to do....like raise her babies.

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

If people helped Airtia get Epiphany out, would it bring the wrath of god upon them? All actions held consequences.

“Iffen something were tae befall ye, rest assured that the lil ones would be taken care o’.” That was how Airtia chose to answer the statement on the possibility of Titania being used as a replacement.  And as the young lady retreated, Airtia advanced.  She kept the space between them relative to an average conversation. If Titania were to run, Airtia could catch her.

Two fingers on Airtia’s right hand twitched at her side. It was a very subtle movement but she knew it was a result of the trunk. She had been here a lot longer than she had planned but now was not the time to leave. She switched the pendant to that hand and closed her fingers around it.  That would give her something else to focus upon.

“Who tis waiting for ye?”  Airtia asked. Her voice was hard and level. “Name them.” It had to either be someone local enough who knew how to get to the church, or someone who could track Titania’s whereabouts. In either case Airtia wanted to know who.  

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

That's what Titania figured, if she was being punished, then whoever got her out of punishment from her judgment would most likely get some sort of judgment and punishment as well.  

She cast a look to the twins, who were looking at their bracelets and then back towards Airtia.  “That does not give me the warm fuzzies.”   Yeah, she said it as she was slipping backward at that one.   And can you really blame Titania from retreating from Airtia?  She wasn't exactly running but she wasn't getting the hey let's have tea sometime either vibe.

The trunk didn't bother Titania nor had it really bothered the twins but they were still young and starting out with things.  Now if either of them were to go that route once the boy came into magics, as the girl already was learning more of her mother's ways, it would make some sense.

And when Airtia spoke she looked towards her, and she did not speak at first, and when Airtia was becoming more...hard if you will, which really Titania didn't think it possible because to her Airtia always was hard, but she tried to give her the benefit of the doubt for being there to deliver the twins.   “Damon, he's a friend of mine, and he is a perfect father figure for the twins, seeing their father is off if he is still alive...the twins need a dad.”  Yep, she said that straight faced.   “He said he knew this place when I asked.”   And she would not say the last name, she didn't know what sort of woodoo voodoo that Airtia would try if she had a full name, and really Titania wasn't one to trust her further than she could throw her....and seeing she wasn't touching her...it wasn't very far.

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

“Damon?”

That single word may have saved Titania’s life. For the moment.

It brought a slight change in her demeanor in the form or a quipped brow that lasted only a moment. While Airtia had never personally met the man she knew enough of him through Epiphany. Damon was one of the people Airtia was wanting to find and now he was practically here in the room. And from what Titania said about him being a model for the children, he earned a small notch on her scale of interesting.

Her expression slowly transformed into a smile as she looked towards the children and side stepped quickly past Titania to place herself more in their sight. Airtia would never hurt them, intentionally, at that age. They were members of her bloodline after all. So her smile to them was as genuine as it could be coming from her.  Even her tone had reverted as she spoke to them. “Children, tell me, yer mother tis ‘aving two males as father figures in yer lives?”  She held up two fingers to push her point.

“Yer uncle, John, whom ye a’ready know” Airtia wiggled one of her fingers.  “But ‘ave ye met Damon?” When she said the vampire’s name it came out as ‘DAh-mon”. Like a cat, she was curious if that man was already engrained in the children’s lives.

Airtia looked past the children and to the staircase. Almost as though she were looking at something beyond the stone and mortar. She was shifting around thought processes in her head and fitting them into the proper places that turned out the best solution.

“Iffen ye ‘ave nae, he should be called.” That was directed to Titania. Airtia wrapped the trinket around her wrist and left the pendant to dangle against her palm. Putting further distance between herself and the trunk felt good. Then she ushered her hands towards the exit at the top. “Let’s go up tae greet him.”

[Damon Fauci]

Meanwhile, in the woods, Jade was desperately trying to use their time alone wisely. Which was pretty much like trying to get blood out of a stone.  A way too appropriate metaphor, considering Damon was...Damon.  

So she was already getting frustrated.  Hissing her words at him softly.  “I know you don't want to hear it, but since I'm like...one of two people who can get away with saying things that you don't want to hear and you haven't been answering Dom’s texts all week, that pretty much means it's up to me.”

“To what, Jade?  Persuade me to reconsider my career opportunities?  Convince me to leave Rhy’din?”  Though they were arguably alone, Damon chose to offer Jade the version of himself that he presented to the masses, his words silkily spoken with his infamously cool amusement.  The cat was gone, which meant there was little do besides endure Jade’s relentless needling and wait.  His fault for bringing her here, yes, but the information he’d just received from the feline confirmed that her presence would likely prove useful.  Instead of hanging from a tree, Damon was now leaning against one, arms crossed as he waited for his phone or a change of scents in the air to stir him to action.  “You have breath now, I suggest you save it for something worthwhile.”  

“This is worthwhile, you ass.”  Damon was still, Jade was pacing.  She had to move, her hands especially, to keep herself from texting a code eleven to every single person they knew.  “I’m not leaving Rhy'din until you do.  You know that, right?”

“Doubtful.”  His retort came with a smirk, the one that managed to rile even perfect strangers who didn’t know him from Adam.  “Your wizard won't stand for that.”

That got her to stop pacing.  Long enough that she could shoot him a glare, at least.  “He’d deal with it.  There’s no way I’m leaving you here with her.”

Damon rolled his eyes.  “If you haven’t learned by now that I’m more than capable of -”  

“Why don't you save your breath, Damon,” she interrupted hotly.  "There's nothing you can say besides 'Jade let's go back to Earth' that's going to get me to drop this."

“Really?”  That certainly sounded like a challenge.  Pushing off the tree, as he approached Jade there was a mischievous sparkle glinting in his otherwise bottomless black eyes.  "Do you think so?"

Standing toe to toe with him now, Jade wanted to say yes, but she couldn’t.  Because she knew that look.  It was the look that never lied, because he only ever had that look on his face when he knew he’d already won.  "Damon...what are you hiding?"

He grinned.  That sharp-toothed, wolfishly charming grin.  "The answer to that, mia fata squisito, requires a deal.”

"What?!  That’s dirty, Damon, even for you.”

His answer to her displeasure was a languid shrug.  “Like it or not, Jade, using your fae blood to my advantage by having you thrice swear on this deal with me is the only way to ensure this information will go no farther than your ears.”

“So what you’re saying,” she growled, “is that you don’t trust me.”

Jade was angry, and Damon was entertained.  So it was between them quite regularly.  He dropped his beastly facade to tap his well of sincerity, however, as he placed his hands on each of her shoulders and captured her gaze with his own.  “No...I’m saying that after I tell you this, it will be rightfully impossible for you to not tell anyone.  But I can’t have that happen, not yet.  So are you willing to make the deal or no?”

Jade had breath again, sure, but right now as she stared at him she kind of forgot about that fact until her lungs reminded her.  Partly because he’d ensnared her with his eyes, sure, but really...she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen this kind of earnest from Damon and it was freaking her the hell out.  “Yes?"  She sighed, bracing herself like she was about to take a hit.  "Yes dammit, let’s make a stupid deal.”

"Thank you."  He took a step back and extended his hand.  “In exchange for the secret I'm about to confess to you, thrice swear that you'll never communicate or insinuate any part of this secret to anyone until the day I allow it."

"Which might never happen."  She scoffed.

"Which may never happen," he agreed with that same wolfish grin.  “Thrice swear it, Jade.”

She took a deep breath, shaking her head at herself for being dumb enough to agree to this, but...she had to get him out of here.  She needed to know.  So she took his hand to shake and seal the deal, repeating three times in succession, “I swear I’ll never communicate or insinuate any part of your secret to anyone until the day you allow me to.”

To enter into a deal with a fae was a strange phenomenon, even for a creature as old and worldly as Damon.  He could feel the invisible binding that it created between the two of them, one that would exist until the day he released her from secrecy.  The vampire could also feel the curious magic itching at his tongue, an irritation meant to bid him to fulfill his end of the bargain.

And so he would.  Using their clasped hands to pull her in smoothly to him, Damon bent down to speak softly into her ear.  “I already am the Enforcer, Jade.  And have been in secret, for seven years.”  

“What?!”  She literally pushed him away, just so she could see his face.  Her own painted with flabbergasted shock.  “That’s - that’s - ”  She wanted to say impossible, but she couldn’t.  Because it would be lying.  

He gave her a slight smile, one that had just a hint of chagrin as he finished the sentence for her.  “That’s why I can’t have you whistleblowing on me?  Yes.”

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

It's really funny how things happen because Titania wasn't lying about whom she had been texting, it was the truth.   Sometimes it's all about the friends you keep.

“Yes.”  A nice simple answer right.   Nothing spectacular just a simple word for a simple questioning word.

The change was noted, by Titania the way that she seemed to well change, and the way that she had a new look on her face even if it only lasted a moment.   And she watched as Airtia went towards the children, surely she would not harm the children in a church that already wasn't fond of her type, seeing she was not exactly...good.

The kids, well they were young, but they were also very bright, at least Titania would say as much.  And when Airtia was moving towards them the kids looked towards her, and well yes, they had still sensed something in the air mind you.   And when they said two male father figures, they sort of tilted their heads, as if asking her to explain more.   Because they are kids.  

And then Airtia was speaking of whom, and they both smiled and nodded about Uncle John, “we love Uncle John.”   And then when she said that one, and the way that it was something, the kids looked towards her, and Baz smiled.  “Damon tells the best bedtime stories.”  And Izzy added.  “With accents!”  

Titania had let out a small breath, though, as Airtia was saying that, and she picked up her phone again, texting him like a bit crazy mad.   -Airtia has lost her ever loving mind.  I think my using your name just saved her from trying to put me in a TRUNK.  We are on our way up to meet you now...with her.   And I am sorry.-    Yep, that was the text message...and she nodded to Airtia.   “I let him know we are on our way.”   And Titania was moving towards Airtia and her babies...taking both of her kid's hands unless Airtia did something strange...and was moving to the stairs and towards the exit of the church.

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

It wasn't all that surprising to hear that the vampire told bedtime stories - with accents no less.  What a good way to get in well with the children.  

The smile she was giving them didn't change, she only tucked the information away.  Then Titania had made the call.  "Wonderful." Airtia meant it. That Titania was able to reach him was a great thing.  Still, that did not mean that the man would actual come. She didn't know what was sent off, it could have been a warning for him to stay away.

As Titania came forward Airtia took a small step backward.  She didn't stand in the way of them being reunited and was glad to see the agreeance of getting them out of the basement. Airtia stalled and let them go up ahead of her.  She turned and walked back over to the trunk.

Standing next to it she could feel the Holy power that emanated from within. Even though it pained her she reached out and placed her hand on the lid of the trunk.  "I'm going tae get ye out." She swore it to herself she would, even if she had to make a personal exchange.

Airtia removed her hand and followed after Titania and the kids.  At the top of the staircase was Sarah, she had delivered her earlier goods and was now stationed at the entrance to wait for them.  She had another basket, smaller, hanging from her arm and in was apples and oranges.

"Leaving so soon?" Sarah failed to mask the relief in her voice. She would follow after the group if they were walking.

"They are," Airtia answered back.

"Oh." Her disappointment was glaringly evident, though she tried to cover it up by offering the basket towards the children.  "Fruit? They are fresh!"

Airtia was looking out towards the gate line of the church.  She knew that Tyger was out there somewhere.  Perhaps he would see someone approaching.  "Sarah, ye should tell Sister Mary-Marks that a vampire will be coming to the grounds."

That got the young lady's attention and for a moment had the look of a deer in headlights. "Is it--"

"Go on."  Airtia didn't have time to chat to the girl about the matter.  She knew she girl knew of Damon - in fact, she was pretty sure that the Sisters knew about him too.

Sarah nodded quickly and dashed off.

"Now, Titania, where shall we go?"

[Damon Fauci]

Something was amiss with Damon’s reputation if he was being considered capable of reading bedtime stories.  However, that he was talented when it came to accents was not off the mark.  His grasp of languages was formidable, in fact.  As it was, in order to survive vampires were skilled at adapting to different eras, cultures, and customs.  What Damon did with his days outside of that made honing those particular skills even more critical.

Those skills, in part, were why the Authority had been so keen on making Damon the Enforcer.  While Titania and Airtia were making their way out of the church, Damon was enduring Jade's rather heated response to his news.

"So you mean to tell me that when the New York coven was trying to get me killed for dating the rock star of wizards - "

"That if you'd been found guilty you would've been safe regardless.”  He finished with a nod.  “Because the matter of punishment would’ve been my prerogative."

Jade narrowed her eyes.  "As the Enforcer."

"Yes."

“And you didn’t tell me?!”  She launched at him, smacking him in time with her scolding words.  “When.  You knew!  How terrified-?!”

He made no move to stop her from hitting him.  Instead, he gave her a reproachful look, smoothly interrupting her without raising his voice.  “You mean why didn’t I risk compromising the very advantage that would have saved your life should you have been sentenced?  Hmm, I wonder.”

Jade huffed, folding her arms across her chest.  Logic shmogic - he could fling reason at her all he wanted.  It wouldn’t stop her from stewing in her frustration as she thought back on the whole ordeal.  "And when you were representing me at the trial as my sire. . .they didn’t know?”

Damon didn’t hide his amusement.  “Isn’t that the definition of a secret?  Even within the Authority itself only two people know I hold the post."

She was having one of those moments where her brain literally hurt, there was so much about this secret of his that she didn’t understand.  “But why, Damon?  Why do it in secret?  Why do it at all?  I always thought you - "

“A conversation for another time.”  Said after Damon pulled his phone out of his pocket and read the message that just came through.  Interesting, to say the least, when he drew connections between Titania's words and the information the feline had disclosed.  His message back:  We’ll be at the front gate.  It wasn’t the first time he’d said ‘we,’ but he hadn’t disclosed who was with him and Titania hadn’t asked.  As for her apology, he assumed that she had simply disclosed his presence here.  Hopefully upon seeing him her children wouldn’t think he was. . .well, approachable.  

After pressing send, Damon paused.  Dark eyes slowly scanning the forest until he made his decision.  To send a second text.  This one to Jade, and it simply read, 11.  When she looked up from her phone at him with astonishment, he shrugged and said with a waggish smirk, "Let it never be said that I'm incapable of recognizing the truth of a situation as it evolves."  He knew Jade would be setting things into motion based on that number, and he wouldn’t stop her.  Instead, he gestured in the direction of the front gates.  “Our time has arrived.”

Following behind him, Jade’s eyes were anxious as she stared at his back.  “There’s still time, Damon," she offered softly.  "We can help your witch friend, and just. . .leave.”

“I’m aware.”  Once they were in plain sight, standing just outside the church grounds a respectable distance from the front gate, Damon came to a halt.  As he’d told the cat, only necessity would convince him to set foot on those grounds and it had nothing to do with superstition. Sliding his hands into his pockets, the vampire drew in the fresh air deeply as his inky black eyes watched Titania, two children, and a red-head emerge from the building.  “But I intend to hear what Airtia has to say.”

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Right!  You can picture it right!  Damon sitting on the edge of the bed, the children tucked in all snug with visions of sugar plums dancing around in their heads!

But she nodded to Airtia at that one, she still didn't trust her very much, and could you blame her?  I mean really could you?   It should have been a warning for him to stay away, but it was why she said sorry because she knew that Airtia wanted to speak to her friend, and she felt bad for him.  

Once she was there the kids did take their mom's hand and up they went before Airtia had slipped back and well she expected she would tell Epiphany something, not sure if the girl could hear her through the trunk or not, though.  

When they saw Sarah the kids held onto Titania's hand tighter, and she was well not going to leave her babies.    So she nodded towards Sarah because even as Airtia said they are, she was good with that one.   The children looked up to her when she offered the fruit, and well they smiled.   “Thank you.”  And Baz took an apple and Izzy took an orange.  

She was walking towards the way that they needed to get out of the church.   And Titania looked to Airtia.  “Suppose to meet at the front gate.”  She nodded, at that one, her hands had a good hold on both of the twins, and that was probably for the best.    

Titania looked at the kids.  “Remember when you see Damon behave on your best manners.  Especially if you want the bedtime stories with the accents.”  Yes, she did say that there was nothing wrong with telling her children to behave.

When they stepped she was keeping her eyes on Airtia partially.

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

Sarah had made her way quickly through the yard and towards the shed where the older ladies were preparing food for the festival.  She stopped by one sister in particular - older, with her head and neck fully covered. Only the woman's face etches with lines of age, was seen.

It was Sister Mary-Marks and she stood up even straighter at whatever lines Sarah was relaying. The nun turned her head and found Airtia watching them. A ghost of a nod passed between them then Airtia went back to the task at hand.

"It may surprise ye tae know that the church tis nae far from yer shop." Airtia's tone was conversational to Titania as they walked.  

Neither Sarah or anyone else approached or tried to stop their departure. There was a buzz in the air. Whispers from the Nuns about the visitor. A couple of Sisters casually directed any of the children away from the fences.

Ahead Airtia saw the entrance and she caught sight of two people near the front gate. Male and female.  Obviously, the male was Damon - unless he was more feminine than she had been lead to believe - but she didn't know his companion.  

Airtia's silver eyes stayed on the vampire, even as she kept her pace behind Titania and the children. "The church tis only a few miles or so Southeast o' the Marketplace." It had to be relatively near residential areas.  There was a town further South.

"Least now ye know where ye are." That is what Airtia considered helpful.  She even opened up the front gate when they were near.

Her silver eyes studied the man and she made no attempt to mask it. The face was expressionless and her eyes were cold. Airtia stepped from the gate and stayed her hands at her sides as she waited.

[Damon Fauci]

Here they were, face to face with a silence that was both curious and palpable.  Damon was in no rush to break it, nor did he seem bothered that neither of the women who had apparent need for him had addressed him.  A product of their time together in the church, perhaps?  He chose not to ask.  Instead he was looking beyond them, his dark eyes studying the mood, murmurs, and movement of the nuns on the church grounds.  When the children were nudged to a different area, a slight smirk curled the corner of his lip.  As if he would take any interest in children - once upon a time Epiphany nearly had to twist his arm in the literal sense to get him to have even simple interactions with the children of the church.

There was no malice in the vampire’s expression as he watched, his placid features inscrutable, in fact.  His focus was intense and his study thorough, however.  For if what the feline said about Epiphany was true, Damon imagined that the members of this church believed him to be partially, if not fully, responsible for whatever had transpired whether it was realistic to believe such or no.  They hadn’t exactly held him in high esteem in the first place, after all.

Quite suddenly his attention shifted and he gave Titania an unapologetically wolfish smile.  This included the sight of his two sleek fangs, which he readily put on display whether children were present or no.  “Buonasera, bella strega.  Few can convince me to wait.”  Which was a compliment, in Damon’s world.  It was followed by a fluid gesture to Jade.  “Fortunately, I asked my dear friend to accompany me in case you required greater assistance.  We managed to pass the time.  Didn’t we, Jade?”

Jade was trying to put a lid on shifting her weight anxiously back and forth, her latest fidget coming to an abrupt halt when Damon mentioned her.  “Sure.  We super did.”  Jerk.  Was the word she thought real hard, in case he was poking around at her thoughts.  Even though she was still angry at him for keeping such a massive secret from her, it didn’t dim her radiance.  The faerie of the summer court had this warm, shimmery feel to her, like she was a chip right off the old sun.  Her green eyes looked over the crew that had come out of the church as she said to each, “Hi.”  The children were included in those greetings, they each got one along with an empathetic look for the bag of weirdness they were going through today.

Damon’s attention had turned upon Airtia.  “Buonasera.  Airtia, yes?”  She didn’t receive the same level of scrutiny as the nuns, but he eyes did take their time in putting face to name.  Stance was relaxed, with his hands tucked in his pockets, and Damon got right to the heart of the matter.  “A cat in the woods informed me that Epiphany has perished and that you wished to see me.”  The things one casually said when they were in Rhy’din.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Still can't blame Sarah at all, if Titania could follow her instead of hanging around Airtia, well let's say she would.    But alas that wasn't how it worked, note to self, do not let guys with crazy scary parents knock you up.   Noted!

And Titania looked to Airtia.   “I have never seen this place before, so it must not be any of the ways that I have gone, unless it's one of those invisible unless you look for it places.”  Which she knew was possible it wouldn't be the first time either.  

When Airtia addressed her again she was thinking on that way and it was something and then well.  “At least I do know now.”  because she did.  

Well when they got to the gate Titania was holding her breath, she had apologized to Damon, and well it could be a bit...awkward.  The kids did not mind seeing the fangs I mean they shifted into wolfs so they thought Damon was uber cool, so they say.   And Titiana smiled to him.  “Thank you Damon.”   She was speaking and it was a nice thing and she nodded towards him, when he said he asked his friend there and Titania smiled towards her, anyone to Titania was about better than Airtia who looked like she wanted to body swap T and Pip in the trunk, no thank you.   “Nice to meet you, Jade.”  It was friendly and not suspcious or anything weird thank you.

Izzy was smiling to Damon though, her little smile lit up her whole face.   “Hi!    Thank you for the story the other night!  I hope you come back and read again.”  Which got Baz to enter in his own words...”We really like your voices.”  Yep...and the kids looked at each other and Titania was looking to Damon with I told you sorry in her eyes.

And well Titania and the kids moved closer to Jade more away from Airtia, because the kids loved their grandma but something felt off to them when they were in the church that they weren't sure they liked...a undertone they didn't understand but felt danger for their mom.  She wasn't rushing anyone away just herself away from being in Airtia's immediate area.

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