pte

hick scarf, wrapped around her neck a few times before being tucked under her heaviest jacket, a wool lined cap and her warmest gloves completing the outfit. Her feet were cla

t snowfall was currently turning into slushy piles hiding what seemed like vats of mud under a thin c

nel shirt. The shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and she could see his white undershirt at the open neck of

ypical foyer. Alex made it feel a little less commercial, partially by not installing a front desk for check-ins. Wh

e. The largest was in the center and Ivy guessed it to be at least twelve feet in diameter. It was flanked by the two smaller ones, each of which boasted a six

s when they felt like being sociable, but it served as a place for various invading pack members to gather without feeling like they were intruding on private family space. At the moment, Ivy was surprised to find

on him, I plan to wait for him to return, " Ivy told Russell. "For th

a stubborn and bundled up fire mage b

d the end of the overhang. With a sigh she stepped into the slushy, muddy yard and trudged her way across to where her newly purchased pick-up truck was parked. Water seemed to be ever

olves is allowed to be sensibl

made her way to the main gate. Once there, she climbed out and unlocke

you could never have too many protections. After driving through the gate, Ivy got out again and latched it. The shield spell on the gate was broken into two separate parts, much as the lock on her deadbolt at her old apartment. It was

. The fact that the shield could so easily be disengaged and reengaged let them work on growing accustomed to

nding, no one felt entirely safe. She slid back out of the truck's cab and locked the gate, feeling the expected and familiar power surge. For

e company of others, Jerome was a special case. Ivy was still a little hazy on the details, but knew Jerome and William were once part of a different pack. William was the alpha that led that particular pack. Then something happened. Somehow too many

pack hierarchy, " Ivy said to herself. Not for the first time she w

uncles, Johnathan and Roger, all served together during the Second World War, but had n

time and didn't come back, " Ivy mused as her truck bucked and swayed like a ship i

heir place within their pack, even if she didn't understand it. The military structure was sim

Most mages tended to view themselves as apart from the rest of the world, their homes serving more or less as their own small kingd

Ivy reminded herself as she began scanning the densely planted tree line for the long drive leadin

were sort of holding their breath, waiting to see if the Fae or Vampires planned some sort of attack. Sooner or later, someone would lose their temper causing some so

o, " Ivy sighed and shook her head, easily seeing how things could easily spiral out of control. She was quite frankly surp

the weaker we will be." Ivy may not have liked the Shadow Council and all it stood for, but she understood the need for some sort of central govern

blinker despite being the only car on the road for miles. In her head she pictured the fre

her side, the winter bare branches overhanging the road like skeletal fingers reaching for each other, Jerome's drive was narrower. Here

n spring and summer and had the feeling this road remained cool even in the hot summer sun. The roadbed was even more pitted than the main road and she thought a long time passed since this driv

a vehicle wasn't always viewed as a necessity by most of the shifters she met. "I suppo

square, gabled structure that at a guess had four rooms with a bathroom shoehorned in somewhere unless someone did extensive modifications on the inside at some point. It had the sort of faux stone siding that was

doorbell, she rapped loudly on the wooden door. Flecks of white paint drifted down from the impact of her fist. The door looked like it hadn't b

of the house to the back. She reached it as the back door opened, the springs on the screen door

ed in surprise and Ivy was glad the panel in the screen door hid the lower half of his body. As accustomed to naked shifters as she

me without getting what they came for is slim to none, " Ivy continued. "We can continue this con

ers?" Jerome asked, sounding vaguely amus

r and will have less of a problem standing here than you will without your fur coat. In a

ed. His shoulders s

easier to track down? So if that's the reason

. However, you have caught me in a moment of relative quiet, so I suppose you'd better come in. God knows fire mages never go away when you want them to anyway, " he added

ide. The house was neat and tidy and smelled of lemon scented furniture polish and coffee. The rug showed spots of wear and the furniture looked comfortably worn in, but no

rather out of place in the well-organized space. She stayed in the living room as he receded into the depths of the house, no doub

m rests. The magazine rack was a part of the side table and was likewise full. Ivy smiled at the titles she could see. Jerome appeared to be an eclectic reader; Foreign Affairs, The Sierra Club, The Smithsonian, Pro-Bass Fisherman, Nat

d from, Shifter, Mage, Seer, Fae or Vampire, were notoriously technophobic. When she closed down her post office box and required clients to contact her v

asked. "Suggesting norm technology migh

eration units?" Ivy replied with a laug

ught was probably his favorite chair. She took a seat on the c

. "Paying

eye on things. Given your...backgrou

d the feeling this was his attempt. "You mean due to William and Emily's offspring and their...peculiarities.

olf and mage." He completed the sentence,

ch is why they were hidden, on top of t

a lot and kept his sons out of contention for pack leader. Admittedly, the fact that the wolves of William's line, including William himself, all married strong mages meant that there was plenty of magic in their bl

ust mages must have come

o, " Jerom

pha and a thought occurred. "Because it ended your pack, " she guessed having the feeling that Jerome was more than likely involved with Will

Jerome replied sounding somewh

back of her brain. "But y

ily was split by the Council. All sorts of people started watching the lot of you try

from the church down the street who often played chess with her grandmother. She remembered a younger looking Jerome visiting with him a few times a year while they were

pposed to know that, " he said gruffly, sounding more embarrassed about being caught out rather than angry. "And William's children didn't develop their extra abilities until later.

male. According to Russell in the last five hundred years only three females were recorded as being bor

ct seen him sitting with her grandmother and Father Francis at the ceremony. She was fairly certain he came by the house for cake later as well. As Albert's version of the story had William's children developing th

lf. "I suppose you have questions,

r them without running off, " Ivy answ

air enough, " he conceded. "But I've been f

left your territory because there weren't enough members of your pack to hold it. Was the

t of the veterans she met who saw actual combat during their time of service regardless of the war, tended to be rather hesitant to talk about it. It was as if they put those memories in a box, closed the li

for that part, William or I. We were ...overseas with the war. Albert was with us, as were the Chambers boys, Jonathan and Roger, your great uncles I suppose. A lot of us fought of course, even without the draft wolves tend to sign

of times as though clearing his vision. "People started getting sick and our ranks thinned even more. If there was a pattern, then we couldn't see it. Some thought it was an Influenza outbreak,

ge, " Ivy said w

y Warren. Snotty little fellow, " Jerome recalled with a scrunched up face of distaste. "Still he came. He made it seem

out what the probl

asoline rationing." Jerome shook his head. "Then there was Gerald Watson. He wasn't a bad sort, but I don't think

uite the figure despite the jitters. I escorted him around personally. We'd already lost

to check on a few things so he could be sure of what he was seeing and the proper treatment. He said he'd only heard of something similar, but never seen it firsthand. He was a cau

spoke openly one of us would try some half-baked home remedy and make things worse. When they were done, William looked concerned and though

nny walking beside the road. But I wasn't about to let harm come to him on my watch. We got to the station and I waited with him. I watched him get on the train and t

going on?" Ivy asked, leaning f

with someone who could tell us something. Apparently, Gerald made it back to the city safe and sound. Once there however, he was run ov

g cold all over. She leaned back

, " Jerome

half to herself thinking of the Shadow Counci

Jerome asked

o of the Shadow Council's three favorite ways

ted it was an accident, but I hadn't gone that far with it. Wh

. "It doesn't make much sense. Of cours

sn't make sens

go after William's sons and quite frankly it would make sense to kill me and my siblings as we carry the bloodline. It doesn't make sense to kill everyone

f them die in automotive accidents would look suspicious to someone at some point. You don't have every mem

didn't drive and only ever got into a car when she was dressed for chur

o tell you the family Studebaker ha

thoughtfully. "Someone could have wanted them to look

eaths been ordered and someone unable to stop them decided to make them stand

e with a trunk. He asked me to keep it until it was time to pass it on. It was always intended to give it over to you

" Ivy asked as Jerome

ent later he returned holding a small trunk. It was a flat rectangle about two feet long and maybe ten inches deep

t. Ivy had the feeling he reached the end of his social capacity and was ready to be alone aga

pen?" Ivy asked. "Or d

st usually don'

. "Then once the trunk is in the truck, I'll fast

ed, following her and car

Apparently even though Jerome didn't use it much, he took care of the front door as he did the rest of the h

said. The tone was dismissive, but Ivy saw the edge of his mouth

est neighbor, " Ivy replied. "So don't try and

ed of the truck. Ivy retrieved her drill, box of screws

ld, " Jerome said walking

walked back to the house and Jerome watched as she took

shield, " he said when the

stepped into the house. Ivy closed the door. "Ready?" she asked. He nodded. Ivy shot the

d to, " he said running his hand

him favoring him with the stern look she perfected over

d her. "Especially, if they're after

now, you might be

asked frown

ll the others. The only reason I can even remotely see for them to be targets would be if they knew something, something they might tell others. Something that as pack, you might also know. It could

ating a good fight. After so many years with those he cared about being sniped at f

stopping by like the rest of the pack. If everyone else is raiding my fridge I don't see why you shouldn't join them. When you show up, Russell or one of the others will show you the closet where we keep extra cl

a pack. Suddenly, there's food and clothing, " he huffed

of some sort since shifters and meat go together like bread and butter, so I'll even inflict hot food on yo

as she opened the truck door. "S

closed his front door, Ivy felt the shield activate. She smiled, climbed behind the wheel, fastened her seat belt and turned the key in the