His Obsession

The room was perfect. Calm pastel seascapes were framed and bolted to the muted tan painted walls. Gauzy curtains of white cupped a faux window that overlooked an eternal gentle sunrise. The bed and linens brought all of the random colors of the room together within its soft cottony material.

Even the restrains around Puck’s wrists went with the décor.

In the chair stationed beside the bed, Kyriak rose and fondly smoothed hair back from the slumbering vampire’s face. He chuckled when Puck scrunched up his nose and then resumed his post at the vampire’s side.

There were so many questions Kyriak needed answered. Where have you been? Why did you run from the hospital? We—no I —waited for you to come to us that night. There was so much he had to say. I sent a dozen red roses to your sister’s funeral. They were almost as beautiful as her—and you.

Kyriak smiled faintly as a fury of murderous jealousy lashed out from behind him. His sister lurking in the doorway began sending him image upon bloody image of what she wished to do to Puck. A repeated image of Damia scratching the young man’s eyes out finally made her brother laugh out loud.

Why so venomous?

I hate him. He’s unworthy of your attention, she told him telepathically with a scowl.

Kyriak chuckled, Don’t tell me you’re insecure, dear beloved sister when I have spent my every waking hour for well over a thousand years proving how dedicated to you I am.

I am not jealous! Not of some weak, insane accidental creature like him!

Of course, my love. He purred as he stood and brushed a gentle kiss across Puck’s brow. Damia saw red.

“Scratch his eyes out and geld him!” she hissed aloud and her brother chuckled again.

“Why not join Sin and our ‘honored guests’?” Kyriak suggested directing her wrath elsewhere in case she actually decided to carry out her threat. “I’m certain they will prove to be far more entertaining.”

Damia relented to her brother’s wish for privacy with a harrumph full of distain and sauntered downstairs.

“Fear not, my beautiful one.” Kyriak whispered as his lips descended and captured Puck’s lips in a series of slow gentle kisses. “I won’t allow any harm to come to you.”

“Evil it.” A muffled voice replied.

Kyriak looked up from Puck’s lips and saw semi-alert brown eyes peering back at him through a crescent of dark lashes. The older vampire smiled.

“Made Voices mucky.” Puck mumbled lolling his head to one-side. “…so tired.”

“Then rest.” Kyriak told him. “You have all the time in the world.”

“No.” Puck argued frowning up at the restraints. He tugged on them. “Voices trying to… important things.”

Kyriak sat back down in his chair crossing his legs across one another, “You shouldn’t listen to strange voices.”

Puck lolled his head over toward the older vampire and Kyriak immediately noticed a slight emptiness to the young man’s gaze. As if Puck weren’t really seeing every thing the way it truly was.

“You hurt him.” he told Kyriak solemnly.

“Him?”

“Mikel Durant.”

Kyriak chuckled and Puck flinched when the vampire kissed him again. Their lips brushed against one another as he spoke.

“You are Mikel.”

Kyriak expected a look of horror and sounds of distress. Even for Puck to fall into a dead faint as his other self almost did. He was mildly taken aback when he found the vampire’s gaze went abruptly dead.

“No.” a low even voice slid from Puck’s mouth. “We are not, Kyriak of Ephesus, first vampire and son of the last Atlantian.”

“You certainly are well informed, dearest Puck.” Kyriak replied with a smirk of admiration. “Perhaps it is wise to listen to strange voices.”

“Be warned.” The stronger Voices said through Puck. “We will get loose and we will leave this place.”

“But might you stay just for a little while longer? I have a present for you.”

Puck’s lashes fluttered as control slipped away from the Voices and awareness returned to him. He moaned and Kyriak chuckled at the cute noise.

“A present?” Puck asked breathlessly. “Evil red has present?”

“Yes, a present.” Kyriak purred strangely warmed at the odd nickname the drowsing vampire gave him. “Since it’s rather large we’ll have to go downstairs to it. Would you like for me to carry you?”

“No.”

“The wheelchair then.” Kyriak replied deftly slipping the restraints off from around Puck’s wrists. The younger vampire did not put up any resistance when his elder slid his arms around him and assisted him up from the bed into the wheelchair. Nor did Puck do anything but blearily watch as Kyriak secured the chair’s bindings around him.

“Did you know you have become a reason of immense celebration?” He told Puck as he pushed him outside. “It is not every day that my sister, Sin and I welcome a new member into our little family. The last time we had a new companion join us was Luk shortly before The Battle of Shanghai.”

“Jingle Jiang’le.” Puck sighed as he was maneuvered into a chic elevator. After Kyriak stepped inside with an amused chuckle, the doors slid shut and with scarcely a jolt, the elevator began its descent.

The young vampire peered at the hollow eyed creature staring back at him from the tawny reflective walls. He leaned toward the young boy curiously, mirrored by the golden boy, studying the dark circles beneath his eyes. Puck longed to reach out and touch the sad being, offering it some measure of comfort when he felt the air beside him disturbed. He cut his eyes toward Kyriak and noticed the vampire knelt down beside of him.

“You are more special than you can ever imagine, Puck.” The vampire fondly told him as they both stared at the single reflection across from them. “You are able to walk in the sun. You are one of only two vampires I myself have ever created. You even know things it’s impossible to know.”

“Voices—”

Puck shut up! The Voices screamed through the haziness of his mind.

The boy in the golden mirrors watched Puck with a distant look to his eyes. Before Kyriak could ask for the vampire to continue with what he meant to say, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open revealing the grand hallway outside the blue receiving room.

“We can continue our discussion later.” Kyriak said rising to his feet. He pushed the sluggish vampire out and steered him toward the dining room.

Smooth marble brick floor the color of alabaster. Arches of milky quartz and lilac drapes graced the walls. A banquet table with a lavender table cloth sat on a platform of dark gray marble. Soft light from sunken fixtures high above them illuminated the oddly peaceful room.

But the scene that greeted Puck as he came in went at odds with the surroundings. A lone turkey leg lay on the floor, a large hunk missing. A strange gagging sound came from a concealed corner followed by Sin’s familiar chortle. Pewter goblets spilling a trail of foam and beer littered the floor.

Medina was the first to be revealed, still lying where he fell. His eyes rolled back, blood trickling from his darkened lips in a steady thin stream, a gruesome look of suffering frozen on his face. Jirou laid face down underneath the table in a puddle of vomit and blood. His splayed hands and arms were nearly obscured by tiny silver needles that gradually grew in size marking his body down to his waist. Damia lounged on the table polishing a silver spike which she later pitched through the table and into Jirou’s leg.

Puck made a horrified noise as he saw the final member of the pack. Sin had Chase’s head in his lap and murmured false words of sympathy as the werewolf gagged. His skin was sallow and covered in a thick sheen of sweat. His once neat leather jacket lay in tatters on the floor. His shirt was missing, lost somewhere in the room. Sin’s hand began to wander down towards the clasp to Chase’s pants, a deviant gleam in his eyes.

“Stop it!” Puck screamed thrashing in the chair.

Sin’s head snapped up and glanced at the imprisoned vampire. A cunning smile tugged at his lips. He looked up at Kyriak and watched as he nodded.

Do it.

Sin unsnapped Chase’s pants and leisurely drew his fly down. He savored Puck’s scream of denial and the werewolf’s moan of distress. The vampire placed Chase’s head down onto the floor and moved to his side as Damia watched with a rabid intent gaze.

“Leave him alone!” Puck screamed thrashing wildly enough to rock the chair. Kyriak chuckled and bent down to speak in the vampire’s ear, his hands drifting down toward Puck’s neck.

“But this is your present.” He told him. Puck froze as Kyriak continued, “His pain and the deaths of his pack is our welcome to you.”

Sin’s hand delved into Chase’s pants and caressed all which he found inside. Puck whimpered and turned his face away, clenching his eyes shut. Kyriak’s grip around his neck tightened.

“Don’t let our efforts go to waste.” He hissed as Puck gasped for air. “The silver we placed in their food and drink cost a king’s ransom.”

Puck’s eyes shot open and Kyriak jerked the vampire’s head toward Sin and Chase. His grip loosened and the bound vampire took in a loud gasp of air.

“Watch, my beautiful one.” Kyriak whispered in his ear as Damia slinked down from the table and approached Sin and Chase. “Our touch is not meant for just everybody.”

“Fuck. Off.” Puck growled and renewed his furious thrashing. Both Damia and Sin turned their attentions away from Chase to watch him. “Evil its! Evil its! Goddamn motherfucking—”

Kyriak’s grip once again tightened around Puck’s neck but the vampire would not be denied. Sin chuckled and Damia shook her head in amazement as Puck choked out obscenities at the three of them as he jerked at the restraints.

“Mayhap Puck needs more time to adjust to his new life.” Sin said rising to his feet. “He seems such a delicate little thing.”

“Go to hell!”

“Perhaps you’re right, Sin.” Kyriak relented with a sigh. “I shall depart to take our fragile beauty back to his room.”

“And wash his mouth out with soap while you’re at it, brother.” Damia told him as he left.

“Fuck off, you incestuous bitch!” was Puck’s parting shot.
************************

The room is silent. Shadows lurk along the edges of the calm seascapes. The gossamer curtain gray in the room’s twilight, the eternal sunrise more of a sunset. The soft crisp linens are wrinkled and sweat stained.

A gasp from within the gloom breaks the silence. It is followed by a low chuckle and the shuffle of sheets. Someone bites down on a whimper, twisting helplessly while another licks a long line of bare flesh, tongue dipping into the hollow of his hips.

“Mine.” Sin growled crawling up Puck’s body. He buried his fangs in the young vampire’s neck, moaning in ecstasy as the vampire cried out in pain. “Your intoxicating blood. Your beguiling flesh, it’s mine.”

He began daintily lapping at the quickly healing skin continuing in a reasonable tone, “I found you first, so you should be mine. Mine and mine alone.”

Puck whimpered as Sin suddenly pulled him roughly to him, almost violently dislocating his wrists held securely to the bed.

“But it’s okay.” The elder vampire whispered into his hair. “We can have fun together! Damia can have you from the front and I can have the back. It’ll be fun.”

“No.”

“Yes.” Damia purred sauntering in wearing a thigh high silky black robe. Puck refused to move his eyes from the threat closest to him and jerked when she touched his cheek.

Her critical gaze took in the sight before her. Old and new wounds crisscrossed his nude body. The scar on his hand from when she bit him as a human for biting her tongue. A new line of scratches Sin made into a grid with previous scars Damia herself made. New bite marks marred Puck’s neck identical to ones scattered across the lower half of his torso. She recognized one near his inner thigh and one near his nipple as belonging to her brother. Others near his neck belonged to Luk, as he had a habit of rending flesh as he fed. Her own marks strayed toward her brother’s mark on Puck’s chest.

Damia recalled the gentle way Kyriak kissed the boy’s forehead after he placed his medallion—the one she gave him long ago—around Mikel’s neck that night. It was meant for Kyriak and my brother alone…With a growl, she lashed out with her deadly nails across Puck’s face, savoring his pain filled cry.

“Pitiful.” Damia laughed. “You’re worse than that mongrel Damien.”

Sin licked away the blood on Puck’s face and cheek before inquiring, “How is Chase? He still kicking?”

“Yes.” She snorted. “The fool hardly touched the bounty we laid out for him. But it’s of no matter. It only means he suffers longer in the basement.”

The blue haired vampire pouted, “It’ll take forever to get the dead dog smell out of there.”

“Why are you complaining?” Damia demanded, “You’re not the maid.”

Sin likes to take men down there for a tame bit of sadomasochistic play, the Voices told Puck, crystal clear for the first time in hours.

How is Puppy doing? Puck asked and he heard a group of Voices cheer as others rushed to answer him.

Chase Damien is fairing just as well as yourself.

Did evil its… Puck stumbled over his next words, hurt Puppy?

You mean did Sin continue molesting Chase while you were out? Just a bit. If you mean did he get raped…

The vampire screamed and shook his head violently side to side. Sin jumped off of him in alarm and Damia took an uneasy step backwards. They listened to Puck rant in silence.

“Evil red, evil its, evil red. No~o” Puck cried tears poured down his cheeks. “Not anal assaulted. Not Mikel! Not raped! No red! No no no!”

The Voices seized control and the vampire’s screams froze on his lips. His wide eyes dried of tears. Warmth and tranquility cocooned Puck and his panic died, only then did they speak. Only it wasn’t the typical mass who spoke up but two familiar Voices.

Leader-chan just got felt up, Jirou told Puck.

After you left, Sin and Damia lost interest, Medina added. But Chase needs help else he’ll die. And not in a very bueno way, comprende?

Yes, Puck told the two. But what can Puck do? Evil its are here and—

He heard the recently dead werewolves chuckle ominously. The other Voices whispered amongst themselves and giggled.

Just get mad, Puck-chan Jirou told him. Get real mad.

Remember what they did to us? Medina asked as Damia cautiously crept toward Puck, Sin right behind her.

Remember the smell of our pain? The sight of our suffering? Puck whimpered at Medina’s calculating words. We felt the silver begin eating away at us like acid. It was like our bodies were burning from the inside out. Then our blood started to drown us as we burned.

Wonder if Leader-chan is feeling the same thing? Jirou asked as Damia reached Puck’s bedside and ran a finger along his cheek. The vampire’s temper flared.

“Don’t touch, you fucking bitch!” Puck screamed. The restraints snapped rigidly as the vampire wrench his arm up to knock away her hand. Damia jerked back in alarm. Puck angrily spun on Sin, “You don’t touch Puck either you sadistic, fuckaholic cackpipe cosmonaut!”

All the Voices inside Puck’s head began laughing. He began swapping between insulting Sin and Damia, turning to each as he spoke.

“Damn back-door commando troll!”

“Dumbass brickyard blond!”

“Maybe if you wish real hard you can be a real girl, fat ass!”

“Inbreeding is certainly fucking obvious in your family!”

Damia’s scream was full of wrath and fury as she pulled her hand back with the intent of slicing Puck’s head off. Sin’s embarrassment and rage was so much, he chose not to prevent the female’s revenge.

“You will speak no more filth!” she growled swinging her arm down.

“Damia.” A firm voice snapped. Damia’s deadly arm froze and she calmly turned toward the doorway.

“My dear, what ever has you in such a foul mood?” Kyriak inquired as he sauntered in. He smiled at Sin, “And you as well? I would have hoped you’d enjoy spending time with our sweet little baby vampire.”

“Our sweet little baby vampire has a dirty mouth and a vicious streak.” Sin ground out through his teeth.

“Everything that comes out of his mouth is either filth or insane ramblings.” Damia added distastefully.

“Kiss my ass!” Puck responded.

Kyriak chuckled then suddenly his face filled up the younger vampire’s vision. The intense gaze and speed of the unexpected invasion of his personal space drained the color from Puck’s face.

“Do you really want me to do that?” Kyriak purred, ignoring his sister’s indignant squawk. Trembling Puck shook his head, choking back a frightened cry.

The elder vampire smiled and good-naturedly tapped Puck’s lips in admonition. He drew the covers over the vampire’s body and then turned to the other two in the room.

“I believe Puck has had enough of our attention for today. Let’s allow him time to adjust.” Kyriak’s easy-going smile altered slightly as he added, “It’s been a long time since we three played together.”

Damia’s eyes lit up as Sin looped his arm around Kyriak’s. She threaded an arm around her brother’s and allowed him to lead her and Sin away.

See? Did I not promise I wouldn’t allow any harm to come to you, Puck? Kyriak said inside Puck’s mind. He shuddered watching as the three vampires left and closed the door behind them.

“That is the most sick thing Puck has ever seen.” He said aloud.

Heh, guess you’re not too interested in sex. Medina snorted. Feel kinda sorry for the kid.

Poor leader-chan, Jirou replied with a pout. A few of the Voices giggled.

“You want Puck to save him?”

Yes, both Medina and Jirou said in unison.

“Then quit jacking around and start thinking of ways for Puck to get loose!” he exclaimed. “Puck wants some clothes on too, thank you very much.”

All the Voices laughed.

We’ve been thinking of a way to free you, the Voices, excluding Jirou and Medina, told him. But it requires a bit of—magic.

“Puck doesn’t know any magic.”

We know some, we know a lot of—magic. We can teach you the same way we’ve taught you many other things.

“Okay, teach Puck.”

A new quieter set of Voices began to speak to him quite unlike the regular Voices felt warm inside Puck’s mind. These few Voices were smooth as an icy death, cold as the air surrounding a graveyard and it all seemed familiar to Puck. He sensed there was an inexplicable bond between them but he couldn’t explain how he knew or what this connection was.

Take a deep breath, the new Voices told Puck. Relax your muscles, quiet the restlessness inside of you.

That going to be a problem, Others, the regular Voices told the deceased vampires. With us inside his head like this…

The Others ignored the Voices, Deep breath in, slowly exhale. Re-lax.

Puck took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. He unclenched his fist, felt the tension in his shoulders slacken. He took another cleansing breath and gradually exhaled. Puck pushed away his apprehension, Chase would be fine. His fear, there was no evil its. His anger, nothing was going on, nothing had happened.

Ready for that magic? The Others asked. Puck sensed they weren’t asking him and focused on his breathing.

Ready! The Voices replied and power poured into the fierce command, Into the mists with ye!

An intense wave of chilly air poured throughout Puck’s body. He felt suddenly light, wispy as a cloud and insubstantial as the wind. Puck felt as if he was there and everywhere at once. It was a heady sensation, this godlike consciousness the vampire found himself in. He could still hear the Voices and the Others, both now cheering. But he could also hear through minuscule cracks throughout the room breathing, people moving about and even deeper in the mansion, Chase.

Puppy! The white mist in the room cried and dove underneath the door, streaking through cracks and holes toward his goal.

Five minutes later, a white miasma fell from the ceiling and onto the basement floor. It moved along the ground stealthily with its mind on the unconscious werewolf carelessly tossed in the far corner. A wisp drifted out and gingerly touched Chase’s face.

Return! the Voices commanded and slowly Puck took shape.

Mist morphed into bare feet, pale flesh toned legs and thighs, scarred torso and arms. The wisp on Chase’s deathly cool face transformed in a hand and fingers tangling in matted copper hair.

“Chase.” Puck whimpered. “Please don’t be dead.”

He’s alive, the Voices told him and the vampire let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.

Pick’im up and get outta there, Jirou told him. Leader-chan needs—

Puck doesn’t have the strength to pick Chase up, the other Voices informed him. He doesn’t eat enough.

He hates the stuff! A few other Voices helpfully added.

Puck whimpered and curled up with Chase in his lap while the deceased werewolf began swearing in Japanese.

What kind of vampire doesn’t drink —?

The other Voices drowned out his last words to prevent another one of Puck’s panic attacks concerning the word.

I know you won’t like doing this, Medina told the vampire. But you need to use those fangs you have and drink from Chase.

Puck whined and began rocking himself, listening to Jirou begin rapidly shouting at Medina in astounded and rather angry sounding Japanese.

I know this brings back bad memories, Medina said calmly. I know this will be very hard for you to do. But you have to do it.

“Puck doesn’t want to hurt Puppy.” He cried. “It’s his fault that him and you an’—”

You’re a very caring individual Puck-chan, Jirou said fondly. Even after all the crap we put you through…Listen I don’t blame you for what happened. Medina doesn’t either.

All that matters is Chase and we need you to drink from him, Medina told Puck. We need your help to save him. Jirou and I can’t move on unless we know Chase is safe.

“T-to help those wronged and b-bring peace—to those who have been left behind.” Puck whispered, his voice gaining strength with every word of his vow. He ceased rocking and drew Chase up higher in his lap. Puck drew encouragement from the werewolf’s quiet whimper.

You can get the strength you need to carry Chase and some of the silver in his system will be removed, Medina said. Vampire bites don’t hurt unless the vampire wants it to.

Puck nervously drew Chase closer and rested the werewolf’s exposed neck to his lips, feeling his fangs extend in his mouth.

“Puck doesn’t want to hurt his Puppy.” He whispered and latched onto Chase’s neck.

The blood flooding into his mouth initially brought about his gag reflex. Dark memories of ghastly delights, the taste of pennies dipped in syrup, the sound of perverse pleasure occurring around him, that he was a prisoner of.

But then Puck felt a feathery pressure against his cheek and the memories of that night slipped away. The scent of pine replaced the scent of death. Sickly sweet pennies melted away and changed into a unique mix of coffee, Guinness marinated steak and Cheetos. Demonic laughter and Mikel’s screams faded while Chase’s gasps of pleasure filled the gap.

When he swallowed, Puck could feel power humming in every cell in his body. Chase no longer rested heavily in his lap. In fact, Puck was holding him still to prevent the werewolf from squirming against him. Chase was no match in his weakened state against Puck’s new abundant strength.

Puck licked the wound closed without prompting from the Voices. He smiled brushing Chase’s hand away when the werewolf tried urging him back for another bite. But Puck did not give in, swinging Chase up in his arms and stood.

Promise you’ll take care of Chase for us? Jirou asked.

“Puck will help Puppy.”

Gracias, Medina told him. One last favor?

“Whatcha need?” Puck asked as he scanned the room for an exit. He found a door leading upstairs but was aware of someone just outside with his new enhanced sense of smell.

Sin dumped Medina and my bodies in our van parked out front, Jirou informed him. It would make my obaasan’s and niisan’s grieving much easier if—

“If they had a body to bury?” Puck asked.

It’s custom for us to be cremated and scattered across the territory the Goddess gifted us with…, Jirou replied. But you get the idea.

“Can Puck use your van?”

Hell yeah, Medina told the vampire.

“Sweet.” Puck exclaimed coming to a conclusion, “Okay Voices, the only way Puppy an’ Puck are getting out is with some magic.”

Here’s hoping it works, a few Voices muttered as another wave cried, Into the mists with ye!
************************

Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train. Sometimes like with the fog that poured up from the basement and floated into the ventilation system, the light at the end of the tunnel was merely a sign they were finally outside.

Warm sunlight glittered through the rainbow mist slothfully drifting through the grate. The pristine green grass heard the vapor yawn and was abruptly crushed by the sudden appearance of Puck and Chase.

“Puck keeps forgetting sunshine make him sleepy.” He told the man in his arms and the Voices in his head. Chase was beyond caring having slipped into unconsciousness long before his misty transformation. The Voices just laughed and talked between themselves.

“Wonder where Puck is?”

The South lawn, The Voices answered. Ten yards away from Sin’s lavender rose garden, nine yards away from the hot tub and five yards from where Medina’s van is presently parked.

“Is there anyone around?”

One security guard is patrolling the area but the topiary you are behind is hiding you from his sight.

Looking up at the molded shrub, Puck smirked at the irony a wolf was poised to prevent its injured kinsman’s escape from being exposed.

The guard is coming your way, The Voices informed him as Puck gently laid Chase down upon the grass. Remember that move we taught you?

Puck nodded grimly as the guard came into view. Before the man could sound the alarm, the vampire swung his knee into his gut and slammed his elbow into the spot where his neck met his skull. The lifeless body fell to the ground silently.

Now you have clothes, the Voices gleefully announced as Puck bent over the man and relieved him of his uniform.

The navy blue polyester blend slacks coupled with a tan short sleeved shirt chafed against new and old wounds and the guard had feet smaller than Puck. But by the time the vampire tucked his white hair beneath the dead man’s baseball cap and scooped Chase up, those annoyances became secondary.

Another guard is at the van, tell him that Sergeant Lawrence sent you to dispose of the mutts—and use that term.

Puck yawned, “Sarge Larry…dump mutts. Gotcha.”

Try to sound professional, Puck.

“Got sent up by Sergeant Lawrence to dump this mutt along with the others.” The vampire replied in a surprisingly serious tone. The Voices cheered and somehow managed to clap as Puck marched over toward the van.

“Hey whatcha got there, man?” the obvious newbie asked.

Puck ignored the man, sliding open the van door and unceremoniously dumped Chase on top of his dead friends. He tried not to feel too guilty for roughing up the injured werewolf. But Puck knew if he didn’t play the role to its fullest, getting tossed around and desecrating Chase’s pack would be the least of their worries.

“Got sent up by Sergeant Lawrence to dump this mutt along with the others.” Puck groaned rolling his shoulders.

The guard peered into the van and said, “That one’s still breathin’”

“You wanna wait for the fur ball to keel over or do you want to chuck’em all, go home and get some sleep?” the vampire said with a yawn as he slammed the door shut.

The guard clapped him on the shoulder, “I’ll get the gate.”

Puck hid the triumphant smirk on his face by getting into the van and watched as the guard jog off toward the front gate. The vampire followed a moment later, expertly driving the vehicle despite having no known memory of learning how to drive.

After the gate was open, the rest of Chase and Puck’s getaway went off without a hitch. Once out of sight, the vampire tore off and tossed the too tight shoes out the window. Next he crawled in the back and pulled the werewolf into the front with him, buckling him in the passenger seat.

Puck steered into the parking lot of the August Jalapeño with a sigh of relief, pulling the huge van alongside Felissia’s Chevy near the door. He leapt out the moment the car stopped, ran to the other side of the vehicle and pulled Chase out, almost forgetting to unbuckle him. Puck ran straight for his room, ignoring Felissia’s questions and demands by kicking the door close in her face. He had more important things to do than listen to the woman pounding on his door. The vampire deposited the werewolf on top of his bed and began working.

Use lipoic acid, or maybe get some mesylate salt of deferoamine… some of the medically inclined Voices suggested.

“Puck has no fucking clue what you said!” he screamed rummaging through his herb shelves for anything he could use. “Miss Felissia said lavender is like the Swiss army knife of herbs.”

To your right is some barley you can roast, Jirou told him. My obaasan said it cleanses the blood of impurities.

Puck bit his lip hard to prevent himself from screaming over the word blood and set the lavender and barley on his work bench. He didn’t have time to spare freaking out. He had to use his new surge of energy on Chase.

“Puck?” Felissia asked cracking the door open. “Are you all right down there?”

“Puck busy! Go away!” he snapped. “No, wait! Boil Puck some water!”

“What for?” she asked as Puck began stripping his lavender plant.

“Teas! Lots and lots of teas!”

As Felissia left to boil water, she heard him mutter, “Now how the hell does Puck roast this barley.”

In the kitchen as she pulled down the largest pot she owned, filled it with water and left it to boil on the stove, Felissia also brought down a pre packaged box of roasted barley teabags. She wasn’t the least bit surprised when Puck came barreling in a moment later and stole the entire box straight from her hands.

Down in the basement upon the advice of a random voice, Puck took a few leaves off his tiny lime tree to use to reduce Chase’s fever. He tore apart his mint plant as well, placing a few large sprigs in the werewolf’s mouth for him to suck on.

When Felissia opened the door to the basement, Puck was there instantly snatching up the large pot and nearly kicked the door close on her again. As he carried down the hot water, the woman followed him down with small bags and boxes of every tea leaf imaginable and a box full of cleaned out Mason jars. Puck deposited the steamy pot on the floor, took the box of jars from Felissia and began portioning out his gathered herbs.

“What happened?” Felissia kept her tone casual and calm despite the turmoil she was feeling inside. Puck vanishes without a word for hours and comes home wearing clothes he didn’t have on before that smell like death? And Chase… What happened to him? He looks like death warmed over!

“Can Puck put something in the deep freezer? He doesn’t want them to rot”

“Sure, need any help?” she answered without any hesitation.

“Brew barley tea, Puck will give it to Puppy when he’s done outside.”

“And what are you going to do outside.” Felissia asked as the young man stood at the foot of the cellar stairs.

“Puck is going to get Medina and Jirou. Their families will need them for the funeral.” Then he jogged upstairs, kicking the door shut behind him.