Episode 19:
You’ve made my life very complicated

“So how are we doing this?” Alex spoke out while clenching his fists, his ears lifted sharply forward.

“I say we just hit them by surprise. There’s no mistake which ones they are. I could have a bullet in both their heads before they have a chance to shift.” I showed my teeth in a sneer while focusing on the road.

“You haven’t even killed yet Alice, are you going to be okay with that?” Alex prodded me with concern in his voice.

My eyes shifted to red while I chewed on my lower lip. “Normally, I would say no. These guys aren’t mundane though…” I felt heat fill my chest and showed my teeth in a snarl. “Besides… I can’t stop thinking that a kid was involved.”

“We may yet be able to commune with them, they are not rabid, perhaps they are just lost.” Gloria frowned as she spoke the words gently.

“You’re kidding, right?” I shifted my eyes to the dog sitting next to me. “These guys killed a mother and child, you think there’s any redemption from that?”

Gloria frowned and looked away with her one open eye. Alex cleared his throat from between us. “I’m not opposed to trying. If Gloria thinks it’s worth a shot, I have no reason to argue with an angel.”

The retriever smiled at the wolf. “Thank you, Alex. I simply wish to avoid any more death if we can help it.”

“So I’m getting outvoted eh?” I shook my head and sighed. “This is going to be a shit show, but we will do it your way, love.”

“Thank you, I’m sorry, my rabbit.” Gloria put her hand to her chest and offered a silent prayer.

Tracking the two lycanthropes was a simple matter with the celestial’s ritual spell. We followed them to the east side of the city where the crime was more common and the reach of law less secure. It stood to reason they would be in the slummy areas of the town, it's pretty hard to find easy lone targets in the bustling tourist areas.

We parked the car several blocks from their present location and piled out of the little red vehicle. I sighed and put my hands on my hips, looking between the two of them. “So how do we do this?”

“I will approach them and try to speak with them.” Gloria spoke the words as if it would be a simple matter.

I frowned and rolled my eyes. “Cool and what’s plan B when that backfires.”

Gloria fixed me with a frown. “Have you so little faith in me, Alice?”

“My lack of faith is in them, not you.” I fired back, clenching my fists.

“Okay okay… that’s enough. We are losing time arguing.” Alex spoke out above us. We both looked to him as he continued. “Gloria, you approach them, I and Alice will wait nearby out of sight. They will be more receptive to a lone celestial, me and Alice would just put them on edge.”

“That sounds reasonable.” Gloria gave a nod to the wolf while speaking.

“I’m keeping my guns trained on them, they show the slightest hostile intent I’m taking the shots.” I spoke the words matter of fact, drawing my revolvers from my back holsters.

“Understood.” Gloria gave me a nod.

We made our way to an intercept course with them and I clenched my teeth as I caught their silhouettes in the distance. “Hang on… there’s three of them!” I spat out the words and stopped.

“You can already see them?” Gloria frowned at me.

“Crazy vampire senses remember?” I bumped the barrel of my gun to my temple. “This changes things, why are there three?”

“I only see two lycanthropes, the third is most certainly not one.” The celestial nodded her head, as if focusing on her closed left eye. “Yes… though I can feel the power from them, they are not mundane...”

Alex showed his large sharp canines in a snarl. “Alright… it doesn’t change our plans. We will stick to the original idea.”

“Fine… which one isn’t a were-creature?” I squinted as I looked ahead, seeing the trio slowly moving towards us.

“Mmm… the two lycanthropes are walking together.” Gloria nodded, having closed both of her eyes to focus.

“Right...” I sighed out the word and could clearly see the third was following behind them, that made things a little easier.

“Alright Gloria, we’ve got your back.” Alex gave her a grin.

“Yeah… be careful, my angel.” I nodded to her and I and the wolf quickly slipped into the darkness of an adjoining alley.

“What do you think?” Alex spoke in a whisper into my ears while we waited.

“I think you’re both stupid and I should have picked them off by now.” I frowned and sighed. “But I love both of your dumb asses, so here we are.”

The wolf showed me a confident grin. “Don’t worry, I will protect her and you.”

I gave him a long look, then closed my eyes thinking about the situation. I thought about my lovely wolf and my beautiful retriever. We were out of time and I opened my eyes, the irises blood red. I trained a gun on one of the men in the front and the third in the back.

Gloria blinked her left eye open a few times as the trio made their final approach. She stood before them on the sidewalk, her left hand upon her rosary. The two in the front were dressed in ragged torn shirts and jeans, most likely having shifted recently. The third in the back wore a long billowing duster and seemed to be dressed in clean, untattered clothes. The trio were all cats, judging by the ears and tail I would have guessed lynx most likely. I lifted my ears and focused to hear them.

“You pick a bad part of town to go for a walk alone in, sweetie.” The leftmost male in the front spoke out. His skin looked dirty and he had several days of unshaved growth on his face.

“Yeah, what’s a classy looking thing like you doing out here? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?” The second cat spoke the words out playfully. He was a bit larger in build than the other but shared the same complexion and skin tone.

Gloria met their gaze and her eyes shimmered gold. “Lost children, I know of your deeds. I offer you one and only one chance at redemption. Stand down and you may yet be saved from this path you walk!” She thrust her hand out, her will washing out like a wave of energy.

“What the fuck?” The rightmost cat hissed out.

The one in the back looked less surprised and threw his hand out. “She’s a celestial you fools, I told you to keep it to one a night!”

The rightmost cat showed his teeth in a grin. “Fine with me, I’ve always wanted to taste one of those. Offer me redemption after I rape you and tear your throat out!”

My eyes focused in and shifted to a hot white at the cat's words. I squeezed the trigger on both my guns and all hell broke loose from there. I willed my fire through the thaumaturgy and both bullets became ablaze in white flames.

The first bullet found it’s mark slamming into the rightmost lycanthropes head. There was a sickening thump of impact and the cat crumpled to the ground, the fires slowly spreading over his head. The second bullet hit some kind of force before the man in the back, I saw him stagger back a pace from the impact.

The first lycanthrope howled in fury and in the blink of the eye had shifted into a massive hulking form bigger than Alex’s.

“A fucking bear?!” Alex barked out in shock. I heard threads and denim shred as he shifted to his own werewolf form.

“Go to Gloria!” I shouted out to the wolf and fired two more rounds at the cat behind the bear. I didn’t even wait on the chambers in my gun to cycle, the microsecond the bullets had left the chamber I blurred towards the cat.

“He’s a mage!” Gloria shouted out at me, her rapier drawn while she jumped from the bear's massive slam to the ground. The whole tile of sidewalk shifted at the impact, rocks and dirt scattering into the air.

The flaming bullets slammed into the field again and the cat staggered back from the blows once more. I was on top of him instantly, my teeth showing as I fired off two more rounds at a point-blank distance, again he parried them with some sort of invisible screen of power.

Harold had instructed me about mages. I knew they used their willpower to create all kinds of supernatural effects. When I asked him what I should do if I encountered one, he told me simply to keep the pressure up. Keep them using their power until they were too weak to fight back and then they were as powerful as a mundane.

The set of blasts from my fiery shots plainly had winded the cat. He showed his teeth and cut his yellow eyes up to my white ones. He didn’t have the figure of the other two, it was sleeker and more frail-looking. I saw his lips part to speak and I fired off another shot.

He uttered a curse while focusing to deflect the shot. I had begun alternating the bullets, charging one with white fire and the other with red. It seemed to have the effect I wanted, his screen clearly weakening. The final bullets left the chamber of my revolvers and I simply dropped them to the ground knowing I wouldn’t have time to reload them.

My hand moved to my whip and I chanced a glance towards Alex and Gloria. The wolf and bear were locked together mauling at one another with bites and paws. Gloria was practically dancing through their melee, her sword making precision stabs and slashes at the bear. Each touch of the holy silver blade left singed fur and burned flesh in its wake.

The mage had been on a knee panting when I glanced back to the two of them, it had been a mistake to do so. I turned back just in time for him to mutter a word and several blades of air launched towards me. I wasn’t sure if I could deflect them with my whip or not. I decided better to just avoid them.

I darted between the gale of blades easily but the cat was just sending hundreds of them at me. I yelped out as one finally caught my shoulder. I had worn a jacket reinforced with a ballistic weave, but the blade sliced through it like it were paper. I snarled and gripped my shoulder with my left hand, feeling my blood pouring over my fingertips.

“Out of parol tricks, demon?” The cat showed his teeth at me in a victorious grin.

“Ha… just thinking how foolish it was you willingly made me bleed.” I hummed the words mockingly at him. His eyes narrowed and he snarled out another incantation, more blades whirling about me.

I showed my teeth and stepped and hopped away. I grabbed the base of my whip in my left hand, dragging the leather over the blood.

“You can’t dodge forever, I can keep this up for days!” The cat spat the words at me while keeping the onslaught of whirling blades on me.

Another blade tore into my left palm, however, I had positioned for it to do so. I focused and willed the blood forth from the wound. I scattered the blood into a fine mist, each tiny droplet hardened to a point and a wall of fire washed over them before I flung the improvised buckshot at the mage.

His eyes widened and I heard his gasp as I pulled his focus on shielding himself, thousands of tiny razor shards scattering off his shield. When the onslaught passed I stood before him my full flames summoned. I had red and black flames rolling off my arms and legs, an ethereal tail and ears upon my form. I had also willed my flames over the whip, the length of it now flaming in cool white.

“What… what are you?!” The mage screamed the words and summoned more of his wind blades. I lashed out with my whip the white-hot flames slamming into his screen again and again.

The cat couldn’t keep his focus on the blades and returned full attention to his shield. This wasn’t my gun, I wouldn’t run out of lashes. I continued to slam my strikes into his shield again and again. I glanced back while I had the mage on the defensive to check on my wolf and retriever, my eyes widened to see Alex out of his were-form and collapsed in Gloria’s lap. The remains of the other lycanthrope were nearby.

“Alex!” I screamed out then refocused on the mage. My eyes blazed with fury as I lashed against his shield, pushing my will forward. I could feel the mage starting to lose his ground, the shield about to fade.

One of my lashes finally broke through, the flaming whip striking against the mages leg. The strike left a deep gash, the flames rolling over his flesh to cauterize the wound. The cat yowled out in pain and I was on top of him. My bloody left hand seized his throat and I hauled him to the ground with a heavy slam. “Gloria! Is Alex okay?” I screamed the words, showing my teeth at the mage beneath me.

“Ah… I am keeping him stable, but he has deep wounds, I need help...” I heard the words fill my ear and gave the cat a hungry grin.

“You heard her, I need to top off my reserves...” I focused my will but the life force wouldn’t flow.

The cat spat out a laugh, blood erupting from his mouth. “Ha… I’ve decades of training… a demon like you can’t break my will...”

“Touche, pussy cat...” I hummed the words then flashed my teeth. “I can get it in other ways though!”

The cat gave a panicked yelp at the implication as I grabbedhis head to expose his throat. I felt him struggle but it was a futile gesture. My teeth plunged deep into his throat and I drank heavily from him. I fed on him with extreme prejudice and felt his hot blood pour down my throat. It really was so much better hot and fresh.

I felt his will crumble as his life ebbed and the euphoria gripped him. I pulled from him, not finishing the job and lapping at the wound to heal it. I then focused and began to pull his life force from him. Again I drank deeply of him, he had a massive well of it and I would have it all.

The whole process took at most ten seconds and when I finished I stood without a word. I doused my black flames and brought forth pure radiant foxfire. White wisps erupted from my feet with each step I took. I moved to Gloria and saw her flinch from the light I was giving off.

“Sorry my angel...” I spoke the words gently and grabbed her shoulder. The small dog gave a shocked bark as I poured forth the divine energy in me, the power filling her reserves and then some.

Gloria shuddered at the power within her then nodded and began to deftly move her hands over Alex’s wounds. She made soft prayers with each touch of her hands, the injuries closing and scars vanishing.

“So what happened?” I asked gently.

“He and the bear were tearing one another apart. I finally got a decisive strike and ran the bear through. His form faded and Alex then… um...” She shivered before speaking out quietly. “Tore his throat out, t-then ripped him apart...”

“Yeah… they will do that...” I moved a hand to gently stroke the wolf's sandy blonde hair. “He must have been in bad shape after the fight.”

“A-actually… some of those wind blade things got him, neither of us was expecting them.” Gloria frowned as she looked up at me.

“Son of a bitch was aiming for you two as well...” I grit my teeth and clenched my fist, the knuckles popping in my hand.

“Uhm… is the mage dead?” She asked me curiously.

“Nah… I drained him nearly dry, he isn’t getting up.” I continued to stroke at Alex’s hair while I spoke.

I and Gloria both gave a relieved breath when he winced and opened one of his amber eyes. He gave a weak laugh and looked up at both of us. “Woke up on the lap of an angel with a temptress stroking my hair. Did I get lost on the way to heaven or hell?”

Gloria showed her teeth in a grin and shook her head. “You most certainly are not lost, noble wolf.”

I rubbed his ear gently then stood. “Gloria, take care of him, I need to make a call.” The smaller of the dogs gave me a nod.

I stepped back over to the comatose mage and pulled my cell phone out. The call connected on the first ring. “My Lady! Are you okay? Is everything well?” I couldn’t help but smile, hearing my master's concern in his voice.

“We’re fine Master… Alex is a bit banged up, but Gloria is tending to his wounds. We’re all fine.” I spoke the words gently to him.

“Thank the gods...” Elias whispered the words in relief.

“So uh… I’ve got a question my lord. We’ve got a downed mage here. I wrecked him pretty good but he’s not dead. Should I finish him off? Is there some… magic police I call?” I hummed the words curiously.

Elias grew silent and then after a few moments spoke out. “You defeated a mage, Alice?”

“W-well yeah. He was annoying but… anyway what do I do with him? The two lycanthropes are dead.” I paced about picking my empty guns up and putting them back into my holsters.

“I have a contact in the circle, I will send you his information. Call him directly.” Elias spoke the words pointedly to me.

“Sure but… wouldn’t it be better if you called him?” I asked curiously.

The fox on the other end of the line chuckled. “You would think that, but no. They would prefer the most direct path. He would grow annoyed and tell me to get to the point next time. Simply tell them you speak for me, they will hear you out then.”

“Got it. I hesitated before speaking out. Ah… I love you, Master.” I blushed as I spoke the words, feeling I should say so after the night I just had.

There was a long pause on the line before Elias spoke back to me. “Be safe my rabbit, I would be lost without you.”

The line went dead and I looked down at my feet, not sure what I felt in my soul. Perhaps I had indeed stretched my love too thin and that was why he still wouldn’t say it. I shook my head to clear the thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

I called the number he sent me and the line connected after several rings. A shallow raspy voice answered the line with a single word. “Speak.”

I cleared my throat before speaking out politely. “I am Alice Blackpaw, I call under-representation of my lord, Elias Blackpaw.”

A long silence hung upon the line before the voice finally spoke out. “We have no debts owed with house Blackpaw, why do you disturb my studies, vampire?”

I frowned and tried to reign in the snark as best I could. “Look sir mage… I will get to the point since I know you like things direct. I have a mage here, do I kill him or what?”

There was a long pause on the line before the raspy voice spoke out with more interest. “Explain the situation, I will be patient...”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh now you want the details… Fine...” I proceeded to elaborate upon the events of the night and what led to my phone call with him.

“Very interesting… such a capable vampire you are, Alice Blackpaw… Describe the cat to me.” The words sounded like an order and I felt my teeth showing but I obliged the mage and gave him the features of the male before me.

“Ah… you have done us a service then, Mrs. Blackpaw...” I felt my cheeks darken at the ‘Mrs’ part.

“R-right… well, what should I do with him? We should be clearing out soon, I’m sure the mundane authorities are on the way.” I looked over to see Gloria and Alex on their feet. The wolf looked weak and the smaller dog was helping him stand, his arm over her shoulder.

“I will be there momentarily...” The words came out in a raspy hiss, then he spoke out again. “Ah… the celestial and lycanthrope with you, please tell them to step approximately ten feet from their current position. I do not choose where the gates open.”

“Alex, Gloria. Please come here.” I called out to them.

The smaller dog slowly helped walk the larger one towards me and my ear lifted as I heard the mage speak on the phone. “Yes… that will do nicely.”

I heard the call end, then reality where the two had been standing simply split as if someone had drawn large curtains. The man that walked through the rift was tall, as tall as Alex, but with none of the bulk.

The mage wore an immaculate black and purple suit with sharp black shoes that looked freshly polished. His hands wore white gloves but I could just see his wrists peeking from the arms of the suit he wore. His wrists had a faint pattern of green and black scales that seemed to move across his arm.

The scale pattern moved up his throat before fading faintly where his face was. You could still ever so faintly see the traces of the pattern near his cheeks but it wasn’t nearly as obvious. A large hood rested upon the back of his head and down his neck. I don’t mean the kind you wear, I mean a large-scaled cobra hood. The very top of his head was devoid of any hair and tattooed runes and sigils seemed to be covering it.

I couldn’t help but be struck in awe of him. Snake folk were exceptionally rare, especially cobra. It wasn’t uncommon for a mundane to go their entire life and not see one.

The cobra quickly cast his black eyes in a jerk down towards the carnage of the fallen lycanthropes nearby, then to the three of us and the fallen mage. His left hand gripped a large ivory staff as tall as himself and he moved towards us in a graceful lithe walk. “I see Alex has given you some problems.”

The wolf lifted his ears and panted out in a pained voice. “What? How do you know my name, mage?”

He gave the wolf a curious look then gave a nod of understanding. “Apologies for the confusions, warrior of Blackpaw. The cat before you, he shares your name.”

“That was quite an entrance.” I spoke the words in fascination, peering at the curtains of reality drawn, seeing what looked like a library on the other side.

The cobra noted my curiosity and nodded. “Please do not entertain thoughts of stepping through Lady Blackpaw, you would not like the results. The body needs to be… acclimated for that sort of travel.”

I frowned and returned to the group. “So this is Alex, he is a member of my house and this is Gloria.”

“So you are the celestial I sensed… fascinating…” The cobra hissed the words, dragging them out and I could see his tongue show slightly, it was indeed forked. He bowed to the three of us politely. “I am Kazemde, Archmage of the Circle of Shadows.”

Gloria’s ears lifted at the words as she spoke out. “Oh… the circle of mage assassins. T-that’s quite… uhm….”

He showed his teeth to the dog and they looked as sharp and dangerous as I imagined them to be. “No need to mince words, divine knight Gloria. We are not an organization with a respectable reputation. We work in the dark for the good of what must be done.”

“Well, that’s good… can we move this along? I’m feeling faint and I’m sure the mundane police will be here soon...” The wolf spoke the words with a weak growl and I felt Gloria brace, his weight growing heavier upon her.

Kazemde gave the wolf a frown. “Warrior of Blackpaw, I can tend to your wounds here and now, if you allow it.”

“I do not!” He showed his teeth. “I know how you mages work with your favors, I do not wish to be in your debt.”

“The debt is my circles, Warrior Alex. You have apprehended a fugitive and we owe all of you for it. I simply offer to repay you.” Kazemde gave a shrug. “It will not even expend your debt, you may still collect upon it in the future.”

The wolf growled again before speaking out. “I don’t think-”

“Alex, shut up and let him heal you.” I snapped out and moved over to the downed mage. I grabbed the cat up and hoisted him over my shoulder in a fireman's carry.

“Very well...” Alex shook his head and staggered on a foot, threatening to topple over on top of Gloria.

“Stubborn child...” Kazemde hissed the words and moved over to push his gloved hand to Alex’s chest. Even I felt the overwhelming force of his will and lifted my ears as I heard the wolf give a shocked bark.

“W-woah… I...” He stood up and rolled his shoulder, looking down at his hands and arms. “That was fast.”

The cobra gave a nod. “The school of necromancy gets an unfair reputation, but none is better for the wounds of both the living and the dead.”

“Can I just throw this guy into the gate?” I asked while standing before the entrance.

“Certainly, a little more physical trauma is more than deserved.” Kazemde waved a hand casually.

I showed my teeth and gripped the cat by the back of his coat and pants, then proceeded to throw him in. I watched him slam into a nearby desk in a heap and felt a petty satisfaction from it.

“We should go, Alice...” Gloria spoke out to me gently.

“A moment.” Kazemde spoke out to the three of us, moving back before the gate. “My circle owes each of you for this, please remember that we hold our debts to the utmost priority.”

Gloria frowned. “I want nothing, I do not disrespect your circle but I am honor-bound to protect. What will you do with the cat?”

“He will be tried by our laws and summarily executed. Would you like proof of his demise, divine knight?” Kazemde spoke the words respectfully to her.

“I would.” She spoke back to him in a strong tone.

“A thought… We shall hold his tribunal with our council in one day's time. Come enjoy our hospitality and see first hand his fate at the same time.” Kazemde looked to the three of us curiously.

We all shared a glance and I gave a shrug. “Why not?”

“I can think of a dozen reasons why not.” Alex growled the words at me.

“I will not lie, I am curious to see their library… How often do you get to visit upon the Circle of Shadows? Gloria spoke the words with an eager curiosity in her voice.

“Looks like you’re outvoted this time, Alex. You gonna leave us girls to fend for ourselves?” I hummed the words playfully at my wolf.

He sighed and shook his head. “I will accompany you then.”

I looked back to Kazemde and folded my arms over my stomach. “Very well… Do I have your hospitium and word that this is all straight?”

He gave a polite bow before speaking. “I Kazemde Onyxscale give you my word and offer you the hospitium of the Circle of Shadows.”

My ear lifted and I could hear sirens wailing in the distance. “Thank you, Archmage Kazemde. I will reach out to you on the marrow.”

The cobra gave me and the others a polite bow before stepping into the gate behind him. The curtain of reality seemed to close leaving a scene of graffiti upon the side of the old building.

“We gotta move, Alice.” Alex barked the words and I gave him a nod. The wolf took a knee and looked at Gloria. “Hop on my back.”

“W-what? B-but why?” The small dog barked out, her cheeks dark.

“Just do as he says, Angel. We don’t have time!” I spoke the words sharply at her.

“O-oh okay...” She jumped from her feet and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Cool… Hold on tight...” Alex dropped to his palms and shifted into a large wolf. Gloria gave a soft gasp and clung tightly to his furry throat.

I gave him a nod and we both moved at full speed. We cleared several city blocks in a blur of seconds before arriving back at the car. Gloria stumbled from his back and held her head. “Ha… I think… I’m going to throw up...”

“Do it in the car!” I snapped the words and climbed into the driver's seat, turning the engine over. Alex gently scooped the small dog up and slid into the passenger's seat with her on his lap.

I gave him a look and my eyes shifted to red as I shifted the car and peeled out of the small alley we had parked in. One of the police vehicles made a U-turn and came roaring after us. “For fuck sakes… I don’t have time for this...” I spat the words out at the rearview mirror.

“Are we good?” Alex asked me curiously. Gloria gave an excited yip at everything happening and hugged tighter to the wolf. She was now straddling his crotch and looking past him at the back windshield. I could see her large brown tail wagging furiously.

“At least one of us is having fun...” I hummed the words and gave the wolf a cocky grin. “Yeah… we’re good.” I shifted the car and punched it. I had been playing with this girl for several months now and knew exactly what she could do. I almost felt sorry for the mundane police trying to chase me.

The whole chase lasted all of two minutes, they never even got close enough to make out the model of the car before I had given them the slip.

“I never knew you were such a good driver, Alice!” Gloria panted the words, her tail still furiously wagging. I bit my lower lip seeing her hips grinding slightly upon Alex while she stared out the back of the car.

“I never knew you were such an adrenaline junkie, love.” I hummed the words back and showed my teeth to Alex. “You okay over there, my wolf?”

He cut his eyes to my own and I saw the color in his cheeks. “Y-yeah… I’m good.”

Gloria finally realized what she was doing and gave a soft bark before blushing and putting a hand to her cheek. “Ah… I-I’m sorry, let me just-“

She tried to shift off his lap but he moved a hand and held her to him, resting it right on her backside. “There’s not enough room to sit anywhere up here. Just stay put.” The wolf growled the words gently to the smaller dog.

I took a deep breath and could practically smell both the dogs eagerness at this point. “Gloria, I’m going to need to use the parking deck, I can’t park this thing on the street. You mind swapping your car for the day?”

“Mm? Certainly, will you not be returning home this morning?” She asked curiously, her tail wagging and her cheeks dark while Alex rubbed at her backside.

“It’s too hot to be driving this thing any more than I have to, safer to park it and let this blow over.” I spoke the words in a confident tone and showed my teeth in a grin. That was an exaggeration of course, I had full confidence I could get home without a problem. No, I wanted to stay the day with her and I wanted a certain wolf to join us.

#

“I feel grimy and gross after feeding on that cat. I think I want a shower.” I grumbled the words while we stepped into Gloria’s apartment.

“Yeah, I need to wash this blood and sweat off me.” The wolf grumbled and looked to Gloria who also had her fair share of blood on her.

The smaller dog gave a nod. “Yes, let us bathe and I will then wash our garments. I am quite adept at getting blood out of clothing.” She smiled while humming the words with pride.

“Sure but… you and I barely can fit in your shower together, Angel… all of us bathing together?” I spoke the words showing my teeth. I knew she didn’t mean the words how she spoke then, but I couldn’t resist the chance to tease her.

The retriever put her hand to her face and shook her head. “Ah… N-no… I was not saying it like that!”

“You pick on her a lot, Alice.” Alex smiled at me while wagging his tail.

“She likes it.” I cooed the words then grinned at the smaller dog.

“Ah but… a-at any rate! We should all clean up. I am adept at quick showers and it will conserve water, so please allow me to go first.” The small dog wagged her brown tail furiously while she spoke.

I gave a shrug. “Sure, Alex can go next. I’m not worried about cold water, I can just crank up my heart to warm myself.”

“Certainly. Please leave your bloody clothes in the hamper, I shall get them clean.” The small dog bowed to us and quickly slipped into the adjoining bedroom, the bathroom attached to it.

“So I appreciate her offer but...” Alex smiled and looked over himself, his pants ripped apart, his shirt in shreds.

“Just less for her to wash, huh?” I smiled and hopped up on the counter, crossing my legs and looking upon him. “I’m… I’m glad you’re okay, Alex… When I saw you like that...”

“Sorry to worry you, I didn’t expect those blades. The frenzy of battle had me and I was only focused on the bear and protecting Gloria.” He moved over to me and rested a hand on my hip.

I nodded and looked towards the bedroom hearing the shower running. “Alex… regarding Gloria.”

“Yeah?” He asked me gently, his hand squeezing my hip gently.

I offered him a grin. “You know I could have gotten us home tonight...”

He nodded. “I do, what of it?”

“Well, just think on that for a bit.” I hummed the words playfully and hopped from the counter to fetch my small bag of extra clothes.

Alex gave me a long grin before tilting his head curiously. “Hey… did you bring the-”

“The blue silk gown you like on me? I did...” I showed him my sharp canines playfully, “Even have the blue lace panties you like.”

“It’s like you came planned for something, Alice.” He spoke the words with a grin.

“A mere coincidence, nothing more.” I hummed the words then gave him a smile. “She has a matching one you know… we bought them together, same with the panties.”

I saw his ears lift and his tail began to wag quickly. I pursed my lips at the cute display then lifted my ear to hear Gloria step from the bedroom.

“I tried to be quick. There should be lots of hot water left for you sir Alex!” She spoke the words apologetically. Her long golden hair was wrapped in a towel and she wore a fluffy bathrobe over her body. “Oh, I have put a towel out for you as well.”

“Thanks Gloria.” He showed her a grin and picked up his bag, making his way into the bathroom.

Left alone with her, Gloria slipped over to me while I sat upon her counter once more. “Alice um… I’m really glad… glad you and Alex are unharmed.”

“I’m glad you two are safe as well.” I showed her a grin. “Score one for the good guys?”

“Yes! We truly did the work of the divine today.” She barked the words proudly and I saw her move her hand to part her bathrobe slightly, clasping at the small rosary. The shift showed me the faint swell of her breasts and a quick glimpse at her dark areola. She didn’t have the curves of me and Katrina, but she still had a lovely body with perky breasts and a firm tone backside. Where Lorelai was soft to the touch almost everywhere, Gloria was sleek and lean.

She caught me looking upon her, my eyes red with desire. The dog folded her ears and gave me a bashful grin. I watched her shift the robe open a little wider, giving me a glance of her breasts fully. I bit my lower lip and grinned at her display. “Gloria...”

“Yes my love?” She gave me a loving smile, her still damp tail wagging slowly.

“Can you change into something for me?” I hummed the words with a smile.

#

Alex stepped out of the shower and had donned another pair of jeans along with a white t-shirt. It was the kind you would find sold in packs of five on the cheap. The poor dog did go through a lot of shirts and pants.

“Did you leave me any hot water?” I gave him a smile while standing before Gloria. She was still covered in her fluffy bathrobe but I had helped her towel out her golden hair. It hung slightly wet all down her back, the natural curls already starting to form in it.

“I made it quick, yeah.” He spoke the words with a grin, his ears and hair still slightly damp, the sandy blonde of his hair now looking outright brown like his ears.

“Thank you, my wolf.” I shouldered my bag and gently moved a hand to his strong chest before sauntering past him to get my own shower.

The shower was a quick one, I knew I was fighting the clock and sure enough, the water started to lose its heat while I rinsed off. I barely escaped my icy fate and slipped out to towel off. I fluffed the towel aggressively through my dirty blonde hair, trying to quickly dry most of it. I decided a quick run through with my brush would have to do for now. I hummed cheerfully to myself and slipped into the little blue gown and slid on the thin frilly blue panties I knew he and she both enjoyed so.

My eyes were already red when I walked out into the small den. Alex was sitting upon the sofa with his shirt off. Gloria was straddling his lap like she had done in the car, her hips grinding against the heavy obvious bulge in his jeans. She had cast the bathrobe away and now sat upon him in a matching blue silk gown, the presumably wet panties the same color as well. Her fingertips were tangled into his hair and she was gripping it and his ears in tight fists. Her mouth was to his in a hungry kiss while his hands moved to rub at her breasts and hips eagerly.

“Gosh… couldn’t even wait for me guys?” I spoke the words playfully.

Gloria pulled from his mouth but kept her firm grip on his hair. Their tongues parted from one another and she gave me a lust drunk grin. “Ah… sorry, my love. I wanted to check on his wounds and somehow… well, here we are...” She panted the words her brown tail eagerly wagging.

“Uhuh… you two have been chomping at the bit to get your paws on one another all night...” I hummed the word teasingly and lifted my ears. “Well I suppose I can leave you two some privacy.” I lifted my tail and turned to walk back to the bedroom, my nose poked up in the air.

I heard her growl as I turned my back and smiled as I kept walking away. I made a few good strides and touched the handle of the door to the bedroom before I felt her fingers in my hair. The golden-haired dog snatched a fistful of my hair and wrenched me around to face her. I gave a pained gasp that was quickly swallowed up by her mouth as she shoved me against the closed door, her slightly larger body pushing against mine.

Alex whistled as he watched the display. “So that’s the kind of girl you are when you’re in the moment, eh Gloria?” The wolf growled the words in appreciation.

The smaller dog pulled her tongue from my mouth and blinked up at him, her tail wagging furiously. “Ha… I- I don’t mean to be… I just can't help myself...” She spoke the words gently but her grip was resolute on my hair and my scalp ached from it.

The wolf showed his teeth before he moved to grab the door and pull it open, flicking the light on to her bedroom. Her little simple bed she had before was long gone, one of the first things I had done when we started dating was get her a king-size bed she could throw me around on. I seriously did need it, there were a couple of times she got a little too rough and accidentally rolled us off the bed into the floor.

Gloria wagged her tail excitedly and released my hair to grip my hand. She trotted into the bedroom pulling me along. “Ha… so mean to me.” I cooed the words playfully at her, knowing it would get to her.

She frowned and turned to me, her ears folded. “I’m sorry… are you okay Alice?”

I rubbed my head and grinned. “It’s a good thing you’re not dating a mundane, you would kill them!” I spoke the words playfully and flicked my tail.

Gloria whimpered and cast her gaze down from me. “Please don’t be sore at me Alice...”

“You know I’m teasing you, Ang- huff!!” I gasped out as Alex snatched me up from behind, his hands cupping over my breasts as he pulled me back to him.

“Picking on the cute dog… how cruel of you Alice.” He puffed the words into my ear and I squirmed from his rough grip on my chest.

“Ha! W-who’s side are you on anyway?!” I snapped the words out then let out a grunt as he moves his hands down and peeled my blue panties away.

“Hers...” He growled the words and moved onto the bed, dragging me along with him.

“Backstabbing dog… ngh!” I showed my teeth at him, blushing as I felt him pull me into his lap facing away from him. He growled into my ears in challenge and gripped under my knees, spreading my legs, my soaked rabbit folds coming into view as my gown rode up.

He eagerly held me while sitting at the side of the bed. Gloria blushed at the display and quickly moved to me. The dog looked into my eyes then dropped to her knees and shoved her tongue hard up against my folds.

I shuddered and groaned, then let out a shocked yelp when Alex snaked his right hand between my legs to join her. The two dogs both worked my sensitive spot, his fingers rubbing between her eager licks. It didn’t take long to coax me and I shivered and drooped my ears, giving in hard.

“Ha… you always taste so good my rabbit...” Gloria wagged her tail while lapping at my honey.

“She does taste good doesn’t she?” Alex hummed the words, then gave a soft grunt as Gloria gripped my hips and hoisted me.

“Lift her a little higher up for me, Alex.” Gloria sighed the words and the wolf moved with her, lifting me off his crotch. “Ha… perfect...” The golden-haired angel sighed and grabbed at the wolf's jeans and deftly parted them.

The wolf's heavily swollen length sprang forth, sticky and wet with his own eagerness. Gloria’s eyes widened at the view. “Oh… you are a big wolf...” I could hear the eagerness in her voice. The smaller dog quickly shoved her mouth down over the head of his exposed length and I heard the wolf groan out.

He held me against his chest and stomach, my hips squirming while I watched Gloria work his length. The angel didn’t have the massive fangs I did and eagerly pushed several inches into her mouth. Her deep blue eyes blinked up at me as she managed to get about half his length down. She sucked and drooled upon his pulsing shaft before pulling it from her mouth with a sigh. “”You taste so wild, Alex…”

“Your mouth feels great Gloria...” He sighed the words then lifted his ears as the angel rose and put a hand upon his chest.

“Turn her...” She growled the words in a tone I recognized very well. The wolf bit his lower lip and nodded, pulling me around to face him. I gave a haughty and frustrated huff at being jerked around then blinked up at him with a pout on my face.

He gave me an apologetic look then yipped as the angel shoved her hands to his shoulder and pushed him fully down upon his back. Gloria wagged her brown tail while peeling her own set of blue panties away. I saw the fabric soaked through as she laid them upon the bed. “Such an obedient dog...” The angel moaned the words and cut her gaze to mine, her eyes sparkling with gold in them.

“Get on him my rabbit, let me see you take him.” She growled the words and flicked her ears upwards. I saw her bite her lip hard, seeing that cute little dominatrix coming out.

I nodded and rested my hands against Alex’s stomach. I positioned my hips and felt his soaked head push to my entrance. I sat up so she could see clearly and bit my lower lip hard. I pushed the wolf's length up inside me then slowly lowered myself down upon him, inch by inch until I felt his head bump deep into me at my very core.

Gloria shivered at the display then we heard Alex let out a soft moan. She gave me a coy smile and climbed over him, straddling his head. “Ha… if you must use your mouth dog, use it properly.” She sighed the words and pushed her hips down, shoving her soaked folds right against his mouth.

I bit my lip as I heard Alex growl at the display but his hands grabbed her hips and he began to lap and drag his tongue hard against her folds. The smaller dog yipped and moaned in pleasure then reached her hands for me. I moved forward and embraced her, both out mouths pushing together in a frantic kiss.

Our tongues desperately rolled against one another's while our hips ground and jerked, I could easily taste Alex on her tongue and lips as we kissed. I felt myself give in upon my wolf and moaned against my angels mouth. Gloria then shuddered and barked against my own lips in a pleased moan, Alex having no doubt drawn forth her own release.

“Ha! Good dog… such a very good dog...” Gloria moaned the words of praise after parting from my lips then fixed me with a hungry look. “Swap with me, I wish to ride him.”

I sighed at her orders and jerked my hips hard, feeling another release slide through me before I nodded and pulled from his length. I gave a groan at the sensation of being empty but shifted from his lap.

I heard Alex growl in challenge and the smaller dog lifted her ears curiously. “Ha… maybe not such a good d-Urf!” She yelped out as he grabbed her hips and rolled her over onto her stomach. The wolf showed his teeth and shoved his hands into her golden locks and grabbed a fistful of them. Gloria lolled her tongue and I felt my heart race at the display.

“You had your fun… but you’re not dominating me the whole time.” The wolf snarled the words, pulling hard on her hair and eliciting a pained moan from the smaller dog. “Get to your knees, bitch.”

Gloria gave short little nods as best she could through the grip upon her hair and found her knees, raising her hips up and shoving her backside forward. “That’s a good dog...” His eyes cut towards me sharply. “Alice!”

I lifted my ears and gave him a coy grin. “Yes my… Alpha?” I cooed the words playfully.

“Move before her, give her tongue something to do if she insists upon lolling it forward!” He showed his teeth in a wide grin.

“Of course my wolf.” I hummed and slid over the sheets and spread my legs as I moved right before the smaller of the dogs. Gloria blinked up at me, her golden eyes shimmering with tears. Alex jerked hard on her hair and shoved her face forward and the dog moved right to my folds, eagerly and obediently lapping upon me. “Ohhh… she is a good dog...” I sighed the words and moved my hands to rub at her ears while shivering.

Alex moved his free hand up Gloria’s hip then grabbed the base of her tail and jerked it upwards. The small dog moaned out in a shocked yelp. “Tail up when your Alpha is taking you, understand?” He barked the words and gave her hair a tug, pulling her mouth from my folds.

Gloria nodded and perked her brown tail straight up obediently. The wolf snarled his approval and shoved the head of his length up against her slick folds. She bit her lower lip hard and blinked upon my red eyes then gave a throaty moan when he pushed into her.

“Ha… it’s a lot to take in… you will get used to it...” I cooed the words and rubbed her ears as he sunk deep into her. The angel folded her ears and gave a relieved shudder when he finally finished filling her. Her tongue showed again and she began to pant, his hips already going to work and thrusting into her impatiently. I sighed and guided her head back down against my folds. “Get back to it dog.”

Alex shared a hungry grin with me as he thrust into Gloria from behind. I lolled my own tongue and looked upon his amber eyes adoringly. “Ha… you’re such an alpha sometimes...” I shuddered and moaned out happily feeling her draw forth another from me.

“How’s it feel to have the roles reversed my little bitch?” Alex growled the words and jerked on her hair, the dog pulling from my folds with a yelp.

“Ha! Ngh!” She tried to speak, but every time she started to he shoved roughly into her. “Nyah! G-good!” She stammered the words, her nails digging into my thighs while barking out with each push he made into her.

I shoved her head back down and huffed out in commandment. “One more...” The dog nodded and began to suckle and lap as best she could upon me while Alex continued to take her. Several more moments passed of her lapping and moaning, with him thrusting deep into her roughly.

Alex showed grit his teeth and lifted his ears as he gave me a questioning look. I gave him an eager grin and nodded my head several times, biting my lower lip hard. The wolf wrenched at Gloria’s hair and the dog barked out in a moan, tears in her eyes as she blinked up at me.

“Who do you belong to little bitch? Who is your pack leader!” He barked the words in commandment and shoved hard into the smaller dog. Gloria shook her head and moaned out, clenching her teeth. “Answer me!” He snarled and pulled on her hair hard.

The small dog showed her teeth and I saw the resolve set in her eyes. She shoved her ass back hard and pushed back so his grip slacked on her hair. The look in his eyes said she clenched in that way I had felt upon my tongue and fingers in the past. “Alice is!” She looked over her shoulder with a defiant glare.

Alex barked out in shock and I showed my teeth a prideful grin. I felt Gloria flinch a few times, then her ears folded and her tongue lolled heavily. She looked back at me and panted as the wolf filled her. “Ngh...it’s .. a lot...” She panted the words up at me.

I nodded my head. “I bet it is, he’s been eager for you all night...” I hummed the words and rubbed her ears, looking back as Alex ground against her from behind. I watched him jerk his hips a few times and shudder as she claimed the last of what he had. I shivered at the display, it was surreal to see it from another angle instead of feeling it myself.

Gloria gave a contented sigh and she blinked upon me with a drunk grin, her eyes back to a deep blue. I stroked her ears lovingly while Alex just kept both hands on her hips, panting and heaving behind her.

The small dog lifted her ears and I saw a deep blush cross her face. “O-oh… A-Alex? I’m really sorry… I hope I didn’t um, ruin the moment for you?” She drooped her ears as she spoke out to him gently.

The wolf gave a weak laugh and shook his head. “Nah… that was great… and an appropriate finish… we both know the bunny has us wrapped around her little finger.”

I flicked my ears about drunkenly and smiled. “Did you have fun, my angel?” I whispered the words gently while I rubbed at her drooped ears.

“I did… thank you for sharing him with me, can you bring him again?” The golden-haired dog nodded at me and gave me a playful smile

“You heard her Alex, you’ve officially got two girlfriends, congratulations!” I hummed the words teasingly at him.

Gloria barked at the words and blinked. “W-wait… Really? Is that okay?” She looked back at the wolf with a nervous frown.

Alex showed his teeth in a grin. “I mean… I think it’s a little early to say that… still, I like you a lot so far and you seem to like me, Gloria. If you’re interested in me coming to see you when Alice does and she doesn’t mind. I would be honored to see where it takes us.”

The small dog pursed her lips and nodded, then looked back to me with a childish grin. “You have… you’ve made my life very complicated, my rabbit...”

“I’ve been told I do that from time to time.” I hummed the words lovingly and gave her a gentle kiss.

#

I feel my hand upon my chest, my heart beating heavily at the vivid memories of combat and lovemaking. I see you staring upon me curiously and I show my teeth as I take a deep breath. “A question for you, my sweet. I outright murdered the first lycanthrope in defense of my angel. I thought I would feel remorseful to have slain a living creature but I did not. Does that make me truly a monster?”

You seem to mull on the words before parting your lips, but I quickly place my hand upon your mouth to silence you. “Keep the answer inside. It is something to think upon when the time comes.”

One of the house servants calls for me and I stand. “I will tell you more of Kazemde and the circle when next I can spare the time. For now, I must attend to family business, my pet.” I give you an apologetic smile before quickly stepping away.

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