The Netherside Inn

[FaeBites]

Daina threw Tim an annoyed glance, while it touched her that he’d get so involved in her angelic affairs, she couldn’t bear if he got hurt. She shifted slightly; but did not leave when the human gave her the option. He’d be damned if he stood this fight by himself. They’d had each other’s back without fail for all the past few years. She wasn’t going to change that now. Her attention back on the Arch-angel, she was more then relieved to hear he was only playing messenger, containing a sniff of disdain as she looked over his host. Angelics’ and their dramatics. Daina didn’t bother to acknowledge she was similar with her brethren in the retrospect.

The fallen found her anger growing in leaps and bounds the more he spoke, first the damn entry levels trying to glorify themselves with her wings as a trophy before work, driving her from home, and now this… this… buffoon! Warning indeed, anyone who knew the fallen properly would realise she was a messy little tangle, but she championed humanity, and protected it, despite all else. She didn’t fall because she found herself perverted with sin, but because she found heaven wasn’t her piece of cake, even after so many years.

Before the words could bubble over (of course she didn’t move when he ‘dismissed her’ what was with these high and mighty males?) he had gone, leaving the empty mortal dazed and confused. Daina, unusual for her, wasn’t prepared to champion this mortal, the power of his benefactor still sizzling in his blood and aura. “You know what? Fuck this. Fuck them. I’ve never given them one reason to come after me after I made my decisions, but they refuse to let me live a normal life. ‘One unjust thing to a human’ you see, Tim? You see why I didn’t stay? It’s that bullshit 24/7 and then some on overtime, you never catch a break, you never get recognition, when most of the feather dusters are corrupted anyway. I haven’t risen my hand once against a mortal, unless in protection. How many lives have I saved in my term here? And he has the damn audacity to say that to me. If I wasn’t sure I’d get struck by lightening if I tried I’d go right after him and rub his nose in it.”

She glared at Leon, to far gone to really separate the vassal from its commander. Her wings were still outstretched, glossy and vibrating with the fury that darkened her beautiful face. They flapped in irritation, settling twitchingly onto her shoulders. “I need to feel the night.” She growled, stalking away from both mortals and outside. The door had barely thudded behind her before she’d thrown herself into the sky, the rush of the wind lifting her up and carrying her on the high currents. She flew so high she couldn’t see the lights below any further. She flew so high, until even she, with blood designed to run hotter, began to fill the chill. And then she allowed the few bitter tears drag along her cheeks, and drip like raindrops to the world below.

He hadn’t even recognised her. He hadn’t said a word. She’d known his presence before she’d even seen his wings, or the glow of his eyes. Sure, it had been a few years since she fell, and a few years before that when things had been bordering on – intimate. But evidently, from how it all turned out, they hadn’t been compatible. He held the belief she just couldn’t fathom, he stuck to the gods laws like he was the holy avenger. Well… he was that to. But not even a smile? Just that look of utter disgust. No softening at all. Daina couldn’t help but wonder whether he meant it. Whether he could kill her… after all those star filled nights and guardian angel missions.

Then she wiped viciously at her cheeks. Of course he could. He’d do anything he felt his position demanded of him.

She folded her wings on her back, closing her eyes as she began to plummet to the ground below. Feeling the churn of her stomach and the breathless gasp of her wings. She let the last tears evaporate in the onslaught of wind, her shadowed form glimpsed as it fell to peacefully from the heavens. It was tempting; she had to admit, to not save herself. While she hated herself for the darker thought, and while death held no rest for her unclaimed soul, she wondered what it would feel like a second time. But death would pass no judgement tonight, her wings unfurled at the last possible second, and she beat heavily, slowing her decent until she could step onto the grass.

“Stupid fucking angels.” She muttered to herself, but the majority of her anger was gone. She lifted into the air once more, and finding the window of where she would sleep, opened it and stepped inside out of the air. Daina knew Tim would come and find her soon enough, so she merely went to the basin and washed her face, cooling her cheeks and the back of the neck before sitting on the edge of her bed for the night.

 

[ARNeil1832]

"Your at the Netherside Inn" Tim said as Daina stormed out of the room, the door slamming behind her. Arrogant fucking angels, coming onto neutral ground and throwing threats around like they ran the place. Didn't they realize what they were doing? Neutrality was as important as good or evil, and powerful enough to keep them both in check! He and Daina had personally reminded more than a few immortals of that. But never mind that now, poor fellow playing host had no idea what was going on.

"I'm afraid you've had a few to many to drink my friend, come on upstairs we'll find you a place to sleep" Tim put a gentle had on the man's unsteady shoulder. The sensation of angel withdrawing from the body was a lot like feeling drunk, slurred speech, confusion, tendency to stare, and lack of balance were commonplace, especially if the host was unaware that he was sharing a body.

Guiding the stumbling young man to the second floor, Tim directed him into a room.

"Right Lad, we'll sort the details in the morning!" He said closing the door, briskly. The room was done in a ocean theme, and was of course enchanted for added realism... as in real sand, real water complete with waves and warm ocean breeze. The bed was a hammock strung between two palm trees and the mini bar was complete with a variety of tropical liquors and fruits. Maybe it wasn't a great choice for a room? One of the normal ones might have been better... castle tower or vampire mansion. Oh well.

Finally making it up to his floor, Tim stretched slowly, and got ready for bed. He heard Daina come in through the skylight window and splash herself clean. What was wrong with an actual shower? She probably wanted to fume first. Tim finished brushing his teeth and washing his face, rubbing away all the dirt, sweat and blood of the day. Moving back to his room tucked away behind a bookcase he found Daina sitting on his bed looking hopeful. She always tried to steal his king size mattress!

"Sorry darling, but you know how it is guest bed unless your naked" he teased shooing her toward the guest platform. She would have the second bed on the platform next to Brad's up under the skylight. It was only a double but Tim figured she would survive. "The angel's host is hidden away in the tropical theme room, I figure it ought to keep him busy till morning, did Lydia ever catch that monkey? Oh well. He'll be okay if he just goes for the hammock... you okay kiddo? That was 'him' wasn't it?"

 

[Casteel]

Leon had really no idea where he was but he needed to lay down like now. He stumbled to something he thought was the bed then feel down on the soft sand and feel right to sleep. He was having such a weird dream. He knew it was a dream because he was laying on a beach.

He could hear the soft sounds of the ocean and the sand felt so real. Maybe he'll write about it in the morning if he remembered. His eyes drifted open for a moment and he saw thousands of stars. Thousands! he knew he'd never see this many in any city around the world. Must be dreaming but it looked so real.

He saw a bright shooting star fly over head. A sudden wave of guilt and sadness rushed though him making a tear roll down his face. Where was this coming from before he could think more about it he fell back to sleep.

 

[FaeBites]

Daina grinned, mock sighing and moving out of his way. Her lips tightened momentarily at the mention of the host, and she looked away, shaking her head. “I’m fine Tim… and you know I always sleep naked right?” She teased right back, deciding to leave his question unanswered. Too much to go into, too much to remember, better to forget. She yawned and stretched, her little bout of emotion draining her completely. “I’m sorry we got interrupted earlier Tim.” She moved back to him, giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, her always overly warm body pressing against his. “Thankyou for everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She sighed, smiling and moving away.

“Whatever you needed to talk about is gonna have to wait till tomorrow, I’m buggered.” She climbed up to the platform, moving silently as she heard the steady, sleeping breaths of his nephew. Her eyes rested on the mortal for a moment, a hesitation of breath then her wings rippled back beneath her skin, turning into the majestic tattoo once more. The light from the skylight was muted, the cloud cover keeping the moon at bay. She turned her self to the wall, and shimmied out of her clothes. Revealing that she did indeed sleep naked. The angel didn’t seem concerned, even with the two males in immediate vicinity. Her ivory skin glimmered slightly before she slipped between the sheets.

She lay on her stomach, her blood running to high for anything more then a sheet pulled up just over her waist, leaving the cream skin of her back bare. Her arms slid beneath the pillow, cradling her head, the ebony locks sprawled over her back and the sheet. Daina's eyes feel shut, the material dragging against her bare flesh with every positional squirm. It wasn’t long before she fell asleep, her dreams filled with memories and emotions, the good and the bad, and she didn’t stir again that night.

At some point though, her wings rippled back into this dimension, the black feathers draping exotically over the bed, and the only partially covered fallen. The wings extended flawlessly from her shoulder blades, the join visible in her position before the silken black feathers covered the rest. Use to sleeping late, the angelic didn’t even stir as the sun rose, the skylight seeming to illuminating her dreaming form.

 

[Casteel]

Leon slowly woke up to the sound of waves. WAVES! He shoot up to a sitting position. "Where am I?" he said to himself a little shaken. He looked around seeing only sand and the ocean in front of him. He turned around and saw a door. "I must be dreaming" he told himself. He stood up dusting off the sand and slowly walked to the door. He stood there for a moment wondering if he should open it or worse if it was locked. He grabbed the handle and turned it. It wasn't locked.

He slowly opened up the door and looked inside. It was a hallway. He stepped out his hand still on the doorknob. He looked down the hall but couldn't see if there where stairs or not. He looked back at the room. The ocean and sand where still there. Looking back and forth down the hall he finally decided to go down the hall. He slowly closed the door leaving it only a crack open just in case when he saw numbers on the door. "Its a hotel?" he said to himself. He slowly walked down the hall and saw stairs. He let out a sigh of relief and walked down them. Maybe he could find a way out or at least where he was.

 

[ARNeil1832]

"Why Daddy?" her sweet voice drifted on the breeze, pain and distress lay heavy over the child's pleading question as sunshine filtered through the trees. "Where are you going daddy?"

"I...I-" Brad was in the park again sitting on a bench with his Teresa, her tiny hands in his words caught in his throat, his heart felt like lead. His daughters Big brown were eyes soaked with hurt, the short auburn hair her mother was so proud of wet with tears of confusion. "Just to visit Uncle Tim sweetie, I'll be back in-"

"Daddy?" she was suddenly standing a few feet away. Then a few more "But why? Mommy says you don't love her anymore! And thats why we have to go live with Peter... Mommy says Peter is better than you! He's better than you Daddy!"

--------

Brad jerked awake. The sun filtered in through the windows, and he found himself once again in Tim's guest loft. He could hear breathing and knew that the bed next to his was occupied but he was too distracted to look. It was the first night he had actually managed to sleep through in almost two weeks. Break-ups were messy affairs, especially when little ones were involved. Poor Teresa... It was his fault of course. He should have paid more attention to Laura, maybe not worked so much. Rolling over he looked at the bed next to his.

Daina the waitress was fast asleep, her clothes in a puddle next to the bed, a large heap of black feathers on her back. Sitting up and swinging his feet over the edge of the bed he stretched and yawned. Suddenly it occurred to him that people didn't usually sleep under a pile of feathers. Rubbing his eyes he looked again. The piles shifted and stretched a little, oh she had wings. WINGS?!

Brad shook his head, there must've been some kind of party last night, it'd had been pretty early when he had crashed but he remembered seeing some guys in weird jackets. Maybe she had passed out before taking off the wings? He stepped closer to the bed, they sure looked real... but then again so did movie monsters nowadays. Reaching out he gently brushed the wing closest to him. It twitched idly in response, it was warm... almost like it was real. Stroking the feathered limb gently he looked down at Daina's back. The wing was most definitely attached to her skin. Wow. Was all Brad could think, feeling like he probably shouldn't be poking and prodding at her body. Where was Tim? He wanted to talk to his Uncle, the old bastard had some questions to answer! Pulling on his jeans Brad darted down the ladder and stormed into his uncles room seizing the old mans pillow and smacking him in the face with it.

"TIM!" he hissed. "TIM!"

"Wha-" the elderly bartender came awake with an awkward jerk. "What?!"

"Your waitress is naked, she has fucking wings!"

"Ahh come on Brad you woke me up over a tattoo? I know it's hot and all but c'mo-"

"No Tim she has wings, as in feathers and bones"

"Oh... ahh-" Tim was stumped as to how to respond, so instead he called for help. "Daina!"

 

[FaeBites]

The pleasure that ignited along her wing was distracting, causing the unconscious woman to stir slightly, unwilling to leave the depths of her sleep for even such insistent touches. Her wings flickered, her body shuddering at the touch. For a few moments as she swum back up into clarity, it was twenty years earlier, before she’d fallen, and a certain Arch-angels name was on her tongue. Her hearing was more acute then a mortals, so she heard the whispered voice below her before she heard Tims voice. At the note of desperation she was awake instantly, crouched on the platform above them with her wings flared to either side. She seemed wild for a moment, exotic and beautifully threatening with her wings arched out from her evidently naked body.

A quick evaluation of the situation allowed her to see Tim wasn’t in any immediate peril. She straightened, not seeming to notice the fact she was naked as she stretched and yawned. “What? I was sleeping! It better not have been you stroking my wings earlier either, Tim, I thought I’d already bruised you enough for your efforts last time.” Finally, finally something began to sink in; perhaps it was the feel of their eyes on her body, the railing doing little to hide it. Perhaps it was the quiver of attraction Brads hand had stirred against her feathers. Perhaps she just began waking up properly. She glanced between the two of them, then beat her wings lightly, closing them some what sedately onto her shoulders.

“Oh… Right. I need clothes for this explanation.”

She decided, promptly disappearing and getting dressed. The secret more then out in the open now, she didn’t bother with the ladder, her wings sending a scurry of breeze around the room as she joined them. “I told you not to try and keep this from him!” She glared at Tim, seeming self-conscious for the first time… well… perhaps ever. She clucked her tongue in irritation, eyeing uncle and nephew with a gaze darkened with her sudden wake up call, her hair tousled around her head like a ebony halo.

“Okay, lets see, as your uncle seems lost for words I’ll try to explain this to you as simply as possible.” She paused, her head tilting on that delectable angle as she observed Brad. “I am an angel. A fallen one actually. The wings are real, I can fly, and I have some pretty handy magical powers. Tim owns one of the more well known of supernatural grounds in this area, everyone here who looks not entirely human – more then likely isn’t. Vampires, werewolves, nymphs, fairies, necromancers, ogres, etc etc. They all exist, and are part of a big, not always friendly nor happy family, nicknamed Supes.” She frowned at him, running a hand through the lush curls. Tact not exactly one of her strong points in such – awkward – situations. Especially in the morning.

She looked back at Tim, raising an eyebrow. “That should get you started. Please direct all of your questions towards your family member. I’m having a shower as I’m awake.” And, just as easily, the fallen angel prowled away, closing the bathroom door behind her. It was a while before it opened again, then she was revealed amid a flush of steam, her hair in damp ringlets and her wings now the realistic tattoo across her back once more. More awake now, but not entirely a morning person until after breakfast. “Tim, where’d you put that spare change of clothes I leave here?”

 

[ARNeil1832]

Brad turned quickly toward Daina, and got quite an eyeful in the process. The woman was standing her evidently real wings open wide and her body naked for all the world to see. Despite the circumstance Brad had trouble forming a coherent thought outside of: Damn! What a bombshell.


“Oh… Right. I need clothes for this explanation.”

Then she turned away, dressing and leaping down to their level, her wings fluttering casually to slow her descent. What the fuck was in that rum and coke?

“Okay, lets see, as your uncle seems lost for words I’ll try to explain this to you as simply as possible, I am an angel. A fallen one actually. The wings are real, I can fly, and I have some pretty handy magical powers. Tim owns one of the more well known of supernatural grounds in this area, everyone here who looks not entirely human – more then likely isn’t. Vampires, werewolves, nymphs, fairies, necromancers, ogres, etc etc. They all exist, and are part of a big, not always friendly nor happy family, nicknamed Supes.”

Brad turned to Tim trying to look both angry and skeptical though he thought the best he was managing to pull off was confused. The Daina left for the shower and the anger burned through.

"What the fuck is going here?" he demanded. "Is she on crack? Angel's don't exist and the last Vampire I saw was a fifteen year old boy trying to be Edward fucking Cullen"

"Brad, sit down" his uncle replied, a resigned look on his face. "We really need to have it out"

"I'll fucking say!" Brad said tossing himself down on the couch and glaring.

"Our family isn't quite normal"

"No shit really?"

"No shit... really, this place is the reason your dad couldn't stand to stay in Whisker Falls, it's why when you were born, he took you into the city... to 'get away from the freaks' as he put it" Tim paused swallowing hard. "There are a lot of things in this world that have stayed hidden my boy, and plenty of them come here for a drink, or to meet friends, and some like Daina, use it as a place of refuge from something bigger"

"Yeah? And whys that?"

"This Inn is special... It's neutral ground" Tim explained, watching the disbelief start to set in. Brad was well conditioned to think his uncle insane. His father had seen to that much. "A place where outside conflicts have no power, good, evil, right, wrong, it's all inconsequential within these walls no one can touch the people that take refuge here, not Demons or angels, not magic or miracles"

"Do you expect me to believe that?"

Daina emerged from the shower demanding clothes and looking at the two of them speculatively.

"Now why would I tell you that?" Tim asked with a cheeky grin. "To be honest I'd rather you not get dressed"

The look on her face broke his efforts at normalcy like a dry twig. Clearly she was not pleased.

"Under your bed up top, I just washed them last weekend" he answered plainly. Turning back to Brad. "Now yes, I do expect you to believe me, afterall I saw a naked angel this morning didn't you?"

"Ummm..." Brad felt his temper die like a flame doused with dirt. Of course he had who could've missed that! "I think I need a drink" he mumbled and walked away without another word. Dressed in only his jeans he b-lined it for the bar.

"Now Daina, could you have been any less sensitive or would that have offended your feminine sensibilities?" Tim grumbled, taking Brad's seat on the couch. "Now look... I'm ahhh... going away for a bit"

 

[FaeBites]

His cheek answer got little more then a raised eyebrow, and when she finally had what she needed she climbed up the ladder and got dressed. This top was similarly low cut at the back, the reason now evident to all, though this one was a deep blue that matched her gaze. The pair of jeans a light grey with a glittered pattern of a dragon swirling up one thigh. She returned downstairs, towelling her curls dry, her feet as usual, bare.

“LESS sensitive?! That wasn’t my job! You should have told him years ago.” The angelic sniffed, though she began to feel slightly guilty for any unintentional clash for the overwhelmed mortal. She sighed, hanging up her towel. “I’ll talk to him in a bit.” She didn’t bother with makeup, her skin flawless from her heritage. His next statement caught her by surprise. Eyes narrowed unable to help herelf, a swirl of white mist eclipsed the blue of her eyes as she touched her angelics power. It flushed her body like intense pins and needles, but she ignored that. Whatever information she gleaned alarmed her.

“No. No. No. You can’t! He knows nothing! He doesn’t even believe in us!” She fumed, the sense of loss, Tim having stood for everything that was a haven for her over the last years, overwhelming her. She paced before him, her ruby lip pouting in a way that seemed very young for the 100+ old angelic. “You haven’t even told him! He’s got enough issues as it is, and while I admit this is the best place for any lost soul – do you really think he’ll accept it?” Was it unnerving her talking about everything without him saying a word? More then likely. Though Tim had seen plenty weird in his life time.

“I need food before you try to explain this ridiculous idea to me any further.” She knew she was being unfair, she could feel his weariness staining his aura, but she was afraid to see life change without him. She stormed out the door, her bare feet silent against the ground. She found herself bumping into another mortal, a quick look at his face and she reeled. He was even starting to look like the arch-angel Micheal. To early in the morning, definitely to early. She huffed when she realised there was no way to avoid him. “Kitchens this way.” She said, somewhat reluctantly, and moved towards it. A crash of pans, and she was probably more then a little scary to any that didn’t know her, and the smell of bacon and eggs lightened the room.

She filled four plates, giving one to Leon, leaving one for Brad, and handing another to Tim. She sat down and ate with a scowl. “Now. Tell me why.” Only he’d see the softer emotion beneath all her harshness, the unwillingness to lose him, the safety he stood for, the fear of what would come of them all without him.

 

[Casteel]

Leon was about to say "sorry" when he ran into someone but the words never left his mouth. It was a beautiful young women. He would have kept staring at her like an idiot like he was till he saw something on her back catch his eyes. Wings! He followed her in a trance like walk when she directed him to the kitchen.

He was still trying to process the "Wing" thing when she handed him a plate. It took him a second to realized she was serving him breakfast. "Um...Thanks" he said sitting down. He tried to look interested in his plate of food in front of him but he kept glancing up at the girl.

Something inside him felt like he knew this girl but he'd never seen her before. He was sure he'd remember a face like that. But the wings interested him even more. They seemed to be coming out of her back like they where attached "Um...you probly hear this a lot but...um are they real?"

He never got to hear her answer because his eyes flashed to deep blue again. His body giving off a light flow from the Arch-Angels presence. "I need to talk to you tonight. Roof at midnight." He held her gaze for a moment then was gone. Leons eyes turned back to grey and he swayed in his seat a little. He reached for his forehead using his fingers to squeeze the sides. "How much did I drink last night to have such a hangover." He asked himself.

 

[ARNeil1832]

Tim could feel her tap the angelic powers of her bloodline, years amongst the worlds supernatural had made him aware of the telltale signs. She was scanning him, taking a look into his aura and it obviously hurt. While he knew she couldn't see his thoughts, his intentions were another matter and his mixed emotions made him an easy puzzle.

"Dai-" he tried to interject feebly as she stormed about the room. It was no use, he would have to wait until she was ready to listen. There was no point in trying to talk over her. They had of course been through a few of these one sided conversations, and it didn't bother Tim to simply listen. Though it certainly didn't make him feel much better about what he was doing.

When she headed downstairs he followed, trotting down the steps after her and watching as she directed their hapless guest. Poor bastard. When they were finally all in the kitchen, having let her make breakfast in silence she was the first to speak.

“Now. Tell me why.”

She was hurt. It might as well have been written on the walls in her blood. And worse, she was a little scared. Without him she thought the Inn would be vulnerable.

"Because, Brad is my last chance to keep the Inn in the family" Tim said hanging his head. "For four generations this place has been untouched, neutral ground but it can only be passed on once in a lifetime that's how it was set up, only when the inheritor is 23, I don't have any kids Daina and without my blood behind the bar this place will lose it's power..."

 

[FaeBites]

"Um...you probly hear this a lot but...um are they real?"

The question interrupted her sulking. She raised an eyebrow at the host, irritated beyond measure simple because of who he was. She fought back the temptation to snap at him, given as it wasn’t in her nature to be intentionally cruel. She sighed, prepared to ignore him when the shudder of Micheals presence sent her wings fluttering onto her back, she looked at the mortal reluctantly, those dark blue eyes felt like they branded her skin. Her fork stilled in the air, half way to her mouth, and at his words she felt a shiver of… what? Anticipation? Anger? Dread? Go through her.

"I need to talk to you tonight. Roof at midnight."

Then he was gone, and she somehow managed to drag her attention away from the mortal. She had the awaiting mouthful, and took the time to finish it to calm herself. Then she focused on Tim, sighing. A hand ran through the ebony locks, and she looked over him critically. “But why do you have to leave now. You’re still young –kinda – for you mortals! How are you expecting that boy to catch on? He’s having trouble digesting me and I’m the least of his worries in this place!”

She finished her meal and stood, some of the fight draining from her. She washed it quickly, put it away, and rested in the doorway, watching brad try to drink the truth away. Her eyes ran over his partially bare form for a moment, and after another check of his aura, she rubbed her throbbing temples. “Alright, alright. Get him on board and I’ll help all I can.” She grumbled, looking back at the two men over her shoulder.

“But Mr. Oblivious here has to go. And yes, they are real, Leon.” For all her words, she knew she’d be there tonight like Micheal had asked. The knowledge irked her. She felt the insane urge to tell his host everything, just to piss the arch-angel off. Detrimental to both health and emotions, yes, but god would it be satisfying. Her eyes softened as she looked at Tim, knowing he was determined, and there for she’d have to offer all her help to keep this place in his blood line. She’d shudder to think how the supes could rage out of control without the neutral ground giving them all blow out space.

“I’ll be back tonight.” She said, waving a distracted hand, and wandering out through the bar. She walked past Brad, trailing nails softly across his bare back as she went. “You’re not going crazy, in fact, you’re about to become the sanest you’ve ever been in your whole life. Don’t run from it.” Was all the inspiration she could give, then she disappeared outside and into the sun, collapsing her wings into the tattoo to remain slightly more inconspicuous.


OOC: Time skip to tonight? I have werewolves and wood nymphs that want back in the fun! xD

 

[ARNeil1832]

Tim sighed heavily as Daina left, at least she hadn't destroyed anything, he'd half expected her to level the place and leave without a word. Fortunately she seemed content with flying off to simmer.

Brad stumbled in looking perplexed as the door slammed against the outside wall. The fallen angel had most definitely left the building. Damn her dramatics! Her kind were so frustrating sometimes. But she had agreed to stay on and help out which was more than he'd been expecting.

"Take a seat, Daina made you breakfast" Tim said resigned.

"That was nice of her" Brad muttered, sitting down next to the equally confused Leon. Taking a mouthful of the lukewarm food he introduced himself. "Hey, I'm Brad are you fucking crazy too?"

Without another word to anyone the young man finished his food and sat back staring at Tim. His heart shadowed and heavy with the implications of his Uncle's secret. But unfortunately, family was family. And he'd promised to help with the bar. "So... Tim, why don't you try and explain this again a little more thoroughly"

The old man smiled. "You sure?"

Brad grinned in spite of himself "Hell no, but I do need money"

"Works for me"

****
That Night
****
6.30pm

The bar was slowly filling with Friday night regulars, the back up waitress Lydia, an attractive but rather ditzy half elf was making her way around. Taking orders and smiling at every lewd comment.

"Okay so tonight we're hosting a party, we hold them in the basement Daina's working the floor down there, Lydia can handle up here if just barely" Tim explained "Do you want to work the party or watch the bar?"

They were sitting in the kitchen on stools running through the inventory. The normalcy of the task had made it easier to listen to Tim's wild stories. Brad was still pretty reluctant to believe it, but he figured he'd give his uncle a chance. Worst coming to worst he'd make a few buck off the eccentric patrons who thought they were magical beings.

Brad thought it over. "I guess I might as well jump right in... what kind of party?"

"Oh you know just some Necromancers, pretty tame, they'll have strippers, drink some blood and sacrifice a virgin around midnight" Tim answered absently scribbling down a few numbers. The stock for the party had come in that day, and it seemed like everything was there. Downstairs was prepped (thank god for magical rooms!), the showgirls had already arrived and even the caterer had showed up on time. Everything was going according to plan.

"Minus the virgin right?"

A bell chimed in the front as the door opened. A feminine voice called playfully "So were do I stash the sacrifice?"

 

[FaeBites]

The day passed slowly, the fallen went home, glad to find the traces of angels had faded from the wreckage of her front room but a few stray white feathers. She sat on the edge of a torn couch, twirling one of the pure white feathers between her fingers. She missed the purity of the white wings; she missed the rush of completeness whenever she used her angelic gifts – instead of the painful twinge now. She missed things, but wasn’t willing to make amends, such a hypocritical god! Do no evil, Do no sin, and yet he had angels set aside to take the fall of the burden. What did it say of such a god, which set rules he commanded his own followers to break?

Made in his own vision, indeed. She let the feather slip from her fingers, it hit the ground and scattered into particles as though it was too fragile to exist any further. And Micheal! Ah, Micheal… her features twisted bitterly. So steadfast in the belief, even as Daina’s own faltered. The fights they’d had! Heaven had shuddered between them, and she’d known she did not belong there any longer, disturbing the tranquillity. It was like everyone was on AM frequency, and all of a sudden she’d started flying FM. She didn’t understand it herself, just the place swimming with good souls, started to feel like a cage, like the hand clipping her own wings.

And Micheal, well, it wasn’t right to say he’d made his choice. There hadn’t been a choice in it for him.

Daina fumed, wondering why now of all times he had to return and bring the memories of clouds and purity washing through her. Screw him, screw them all. She pushed away the guilt at the newbie angels that had attacked her yesterday. She’d tried to avoid their deaths, but they wouldn’t be reasoned with, nor would they be intimidated. She’d had no choice, though the smell of their blood, so insubstantial and yet more present then any mortal injury, the fallen had nearly come undone.

She spent the day putting her little cottage back together, then flew in widening swoops over the uninhabited forests, sticking to the cloud cover to avoid complications of observation. Her frustrations still lingered beneath her warm skin, but she pushed it to the furthest corner of her mind, promising she’d find someone… something… to help her forget it all tonight. The more dangerous and pain laced the better.

~~

Daina entered through the front door, but successfully avoided both Brad and Tim, seeming to be able to slide into the shadows effortlessly. She was downstairs setting up a few things for the service, mimicking the praise of magical rooms she didn’t realise Tim had done around that time. As the party started, Tim only having to come down once to check she was in position, Daina relaxed. She was in her element, her wings fluttering temptingly on her shoulders, skirting curious or otherwise fingers, chatting with the off stage dangers and joking with the patrons.

She laughingly declined the call to get her up on the strippers’ floor, her wings twitching. Knowing Lydia was pretty hopeless when things got busy the fallen split her time to check on upstairs every now and then. It was habit, and she did seem to have the time management skills to perfect it. Plus, there were certain patrons above ground she was keeping an eye out for. This part of the night was a breeze, it was when everyone started to get drunk and the witching hour approached that stupidity broke out. But between Daina and the magic in the building, she wasn’t that worried.

Daina was upstairs when the female voice announced the sacrifice, she grinned at the expression on Brads face, walking up beside him. “You wouldn’t expect us to not follow tradition right?” She teased him, waving to the ‘Sacrifice’. Neutral ground wouldn’t stand for the slaughter of innocents, nor Daina of course, but Brads expression was just so damn delightful to clear up the confusion.

 

[Bsquad]

The day had passsed without much happening. Andre had set up two fishing trips up towards Saskatchewan to a few isolated lakes he knew, and that were close to a couple of lycans who knew to leave him be. It wa all and all a normal day at the office...except of course for the way his throughts kept drifting back to the forefront of his mind. He knew that the Neitherside was unlike any other place he'd been before...and he couldn't wait to return to there and see if he could enjoy himself again for the first time in a long time. As the day ended he closed out the office, and headed for his truck. It was a late exit, but as night was falling he decided that going home and changing would be too much of a hassle. He turned his truck and headed into the hills towards the Neitherside. The drive was a long one, but as he pulled up in front of the Inn he smiled, that feeling of comfort spreading across him as he stepped out of his truck.

He walked through the main doors, dressed in his jeans, black sweater and his brown vest, his black cowboy boots clicking on the rough floor of the Inn as he entered and made his way across the crowded room, once again noting the streange figures that inhabited the shadowy depths of the main room, the strange forms that were unusual to a normal human eye. But since he was a lycan, things had gone from 'unsual' to being...'odd'. But he wasn't going to dwel on the unusual males and creatures, he was more interested in the two women he'd met the previous evening...Daina that angel and Euca. The thought of Euca intrigued him more than he expected. The angel was gorgeous...those wings alone were enticing, but the other girl, Euca...

Hmm, the thought of her was enough to intrigue him for a reason that he couldn't place his finger on. She had the scent of the wilds about her, the earthy feel of life and survival...of growing things. If he had to make a wager, he'd say that she was more in tune with nature than he could ever hope to be. He smiled with his slgihtly wolfish teeth as he sidled up to the bar and made his order...another Goblin's Fire and looked for the seat that he knew he was probably going to need.

 

[monique_minx]

Eucalytus made her way from the forest as night fell, she had been tending to a small fire that some naughty children had decided to light. Euca was tired, she bathed in a stream and felt the earth nourish her before she finally had the energy to make her way to the Netherside.

Vines and flowers blooming in her wake and following her to the front door with her new found energy. She wandered in and gave Tim a tired smile before she slipped into the nearest empty seat. Her woodland magic always went a little haywire after the earth renewed her, vines began crawling along the walls of the Inn and making their way to nudge her from her stupor.

She was dazed after the amount of strength killing the fire had taken and the earth's power was not quite felt yet. She thanked Lydia as the half elf brought her a barksap beverage immediately and nodded to Tim knowing he'd seen her so tired.

Euca briefly waved to Daina lazily, it was obvious that she'd had a difficult day by how quickly her arm fell and more flowers bloomed from the vines surrounding her. She sipped her drink, it felt revitalizing and her hair sprang to life with all manner of pretty flowers growing on the vines that hung from the wreath on her blonde hair.

Euca looked around, smiling at familiar faces but too tired to go over even when they called to her. Instead she sat quietly, wondering if Daina would be too busy to talk to her this evening as she'd gotten a strange feeling about a pyro in the area with the number of random bushfires growing daily.

 

[Bsquad]

Andre turned slightly, lifting the drink to his lips and taking a sip of the potent beverage. It was strange to have a taste for something so unusual, but drinking it last night had given him a needling desire for it. The burn subsided as he lowered the tankard and the sweet aftertaste grew inside him. He sighed and turned back to the room. His eyes drifted to the few sparesly filled tables, noting the odd shortage of females inside the room. He sighed at that realization and decided that he had come for the ambiance and relaxation instead of looking for a hookup for the evening. There were plenty of bars in town that catered to his desire for companionship. He was about to turn back and face the bar to wait for Daina to appear when he noticed that there was Euca, sitting at a table, the folwers and vines around her waving slightly and coming to bloom. Andre watched the display for a few mintues, savoring the view of the woman in her elegant white silken dress and the green of the vines that encircled her head and mingled with her blonde hair.

Deciding that to sit and gawk would be more rude than anything else...not to mention pointless, he stood up holding his drink and walked across the room towards her, deftly dodging a table with three of his own kind sitting in their wolven forms, and a fourth female snarling at the boisterous activity of her kind. He rounded them and stood at the chair opposite Euca, his hand resting casually on it, and a smile on his face.

"Hello Euca, lovely to see you again. Mind if I join you before some less than scrupulous individual does?" He said with a grin.

 

[ARNeil1832]

Brad smiled at Daina, hoping to god she was teasing, and turned away to recount his inventory for the fourth time. He was nervous to the point of jitters. Tim said something about these guys being Necromancers. Wizards that raised the dead. Brad hoped it was just a bunch of guys play-acting in robes like some weird ass college fraternity. But the evidence (particularly Daina's wings) seemed to suggest otherwise.

As the guests began to make their way downstairs Brad heard the main group enter the building already roaring with laughter and excitement.

"Oi Bartender pour us a round! Vodka for all my robed friends!" One of the man yelled as he sauntered down the stairs. Then he blinked staring at Brad from across the dimly lit room as he started to pour the drinks. "Hey wait a sec, your not Tim"

"No sir, my names Brad I'm Tim's nephew"

"You don't say? that's good! I like a new face! Hey everybody ol' Timmies nephew is serving us tonight! Now maybe we won't get cut off so damn early!"

The crowd of robed men erupted in cheerful hoots of laughter as they made it the bar and took their glasses. The first show girl was starting her set and Brad looked around for Daina, wanting to see a familiar face. Where the hell did she disappear to?

 

[Casteel]

Leon spent most of day in his room. After morning breakfast he tried to leave the Neitherside Inn but every time he tried to leave something would catch his eye or make him forget what he was about to do. So giving up he decided the best thing to do was hide in his room. It wasn't a total bore since he loved the ocean but never lived close enough to visit it whenever he felt. He could have stayed there the rest of the day too but his stomach started to growl. Finally giving in to his hunger he made his way down to the bar.

The place was mostly full with all the tables taken up and only a few stools at the bar which he quickly made his way over to trying not to bump into anyone. He finally made it to a stool and sat down. He quickly scanned the crowd looking for either Tim, Brad or Daina with no luck. Leon noticed that there where a lot of people wearing black robes and wondered if they where some sort of club or something. He quickly turned his gaze to the bar when he noticed he was staring at a few of them and they started looking back at him funny. He wished someone would come and take his order already He could really use a drink right now along with a nice juicy steak.

(occ: sry haven't posted in awhile things came up during the holiday.)

 

[monique_minx]

Euca looked up a little startled by the man's appearance, weakened as she was though; a pixie might've scared her at that moment.

"Hello Euca, lovely to see you again. Mind if I join you before some less than scrupulous individual does?"

Eucalyptus grinned, "And you're not a 'less than scrupulous individual' Sir?"

She giggled and gestured for him to sit on the opposite side of the small table while she took another sip of her drink. Her vines began to creep over the table and she gave a weak smile when he noticed.

"Sorry, they tend to worry about me when I'm not feeling very well."

As she spoke; a vine curled over her fingers and a rose bloomed from it which gave her a reason to smile all over again.

"Thank you..." She whispered to the vine and plucked the flower, smelling deep of it while the vine recoiled.

Her blonde tresses had become a mass of wild flowers and vines, barely any of her hair was visible anymore and her dreamy eyes were glazed over. The vines cracked through the floor and allowed her to dig her bare toes into the dirt beneath the table. The energy from the contact was amazing and her vines withdrew, feeling more secure as she grew stronger.

She glanced at Tim and was glad he was busy, she didn't want him to be angry that her vines had cracked the floor open! She blushed and her attention returned to the wolf before her.

"Sorry, I've been dealing with fires all day, it tends to weaken me...how are you?"

 

[Bsquad]

Andre blinked as the vines grew around Euca as she sat there. She did look weak and tired, he wondered just what had happened to her out in the wilds. He reached out as one of the vines crep across the table and he slowly lifted it up to sniff it. It was strange to hold something growing in his hand as it slowly moved along. He smiled as a small flower burst into life before his eyes. He almost jumped as he heard the loud crack beneath the table and he glanced down. Euca's toes were buried in the ground beneath the floorboards. He smiled and nodded at the sight, some things about the supernatural were more instinctual knowledge to him than anything he'd learned. He knew that somehow, the earth gave her strength.

"It's quite understandable dear lady. I wouldn't want to trouble you if you were too weak to resist my charms." Andre said and slid into the chair across from her, stroking one of the vines as it receeded. He looked at Euca with a curious gaze as he watched her slowly begin to gain strength from her contact with the earth. He remained quiet until the vines drifted back to being an acoutrament rather than an all encompasing cloak. As Euca's energy returned to him, he took a sip of his noxious beverage and waited for the burn to subside before speaking.

"I'm good now that I'm here talking to you Euca. So you're dealing with the brush fires? Any idea who it might be? I'm rather closer to the regular humans than most folk here. It's a crime in their eyes too." Andre said with a smile as he watched the Wood Nymph before him, the white silk dress she wore was so very...very well formed arond her body. He felt his eyes wandering over her but forced himself to look at the woman's eyes. It simply would not do to objectify the woman.

 

[monique_minx]

"I'm good now that I'm here talking to you Euca. So you're dealing with the brush fires? Any idea who it might be? I'm rather closer to the regular humans than most folk here. It's a crime in their eyes too."

Eucalyptus nodded, her strength returning fast and the vines receded almost completely though the ones in her hair remained lengthy and alive. She stretched out and a vine crawled over her breasts, she wrinkled her nose with a grin and gripped it between her fingers.

“Not funny naughty one, go away and bug someone else!” She told the vine and it withdrew, back into her hair and twining around its mates.

She returned her attention to the werewolf before her; she appraised him briefly as she answered his question. “No idea, I was hoping Daina or Tim had heard something, it must be a Pyro” She shrugged, “I can’t think of another explanation because the fires behave so strangely, as though they have minds and my poor greenery can’t keep up”

Her face became saddened as she thought of how much ground she had lost to the fires that day but quickly shook her head, deciding what’s done is done and tomorrow is another day…when I will fight again! She thought to herself determinedly and smiled at Andre.

“But enough talk of fires, I can’t do anything but fight them until the culprit or culprits are caught anyway! What about you dear wolf? What do you do with yourself all day?” She asked, intrigued by him as she was not usually approached by folk from the big city!

She took a sip of her drink, looking around as she wondered where Daina had gotten to this evening; it caused her to pout a little as they’d hardly had time to catch up recently! With Euca battling fires and Daina being chased all over creation by Angels and the like, Eucalyptus gave an inner shrug and supposed this was just how it would be for a while! As she thought it over, one of her vines crept across the floor, her senses went haywire as it came into contact with a man and she cringed. Her vine withdrew and she looked the man over, sniffing him out with her greenery until she pinpointed what he was.

“Arch Angel…” She grumbled under her breath, “No wonder Daina isn’t hanging around, filthy beast comes to terrorize her on neutral ground!”

Her vines trembled under her anger and she sensed something else…but it couldn’t be, she’d never heard Daina speak of him except in passing yet it could be no other…

 

[Bsquad]

Andre grinned at Euca and took a long pull of his drink as he watched her vines slowly creeping about and playing with her hair...and trying to tease at other parts of her body. The sight of a wayward vine teasing at her made him smile. He was about to speak when Euca asked him a question of her own.

"Well, I run a company that takes out groups into the wilderness for hiking, hunting and camping and such. Sometimes I take out a group personally if they're going into a risky area. Makes things easier for the more exotic folk in the forests. I keep the humans away from them." Andre said with a sigh and a galnce around the tavern at all the rather intruging creatures that were surrounding him and Euca. As he answered he smiled and then took a sip of his tankard once more. His eyes looked at Euca and could see hers snap open and grumble angrily.

"Arch Angel?" He muttered and looked around the Tavern. He'd heard of them, but he hadn't seen any. All he knew was that they were bad news. Even if the tavern were neutral ground...sometimes people could ignore the rules if they wanted to. His shoulders shifted as he looked over at one man who seemed rather out of place.

"So I guess this has something to do with Daina?" He asked Euca, leaning low over the table to speak softly to Euca.