Havermouth, A few days after the stormCap on or cap off? Lyric wondered as she gripped the ball-point pen in her fist. She stood on the other side of the plastic strips, tracking the movements of the man mopping the floors, waiting for her moment. Cap on she decided.She took a deep breath. She had killed Chris and Lee, she told herself sternly. She could do this. The man on the other side of the plastic strips was not a good man. He had participated in the torture of the red-haired woman, and probably others before her and then gone on to whistle merrily as he cleaned up her blood. He deserved to die.When his back was to the plastic strips, she leaped through them, wrapping her legs around his waist, and arm around his shoulders, and stabbed the pen, pointed lid first, into his neck. She hit his jawbone, and he screamed. The mop struck the ground, released from his hands as he raised them, clawing at her in an effort to defend himself. She tried again, and this time the pen sank in

Havermouth, A few days after the storm“Lyric,” Niarthen said softly. “We should do as he says.”“No,” she protested, her stomach churning with dread. “You saw what they do to people, Niarthen. I won’t let them do that to you.”“They will shoot,” Toby told her. “Please. Trust me, Lyric. This is for the best.”“How?” She demanded. “How is this for the best, Toby? These people are monsters. They torture other people. How is this the best for any of us?”“As long as we live, there is hope,” Niarthen decided and reached for the doorhandle. “As long as we live, mia persuma inillium, the chance exists to once again escape. And next time,” his eyes narrowed at Toby, and Toby swallowed hard. “We will kill this one if he again interferes.”Niarthen opened the door and stepped out of the car slowly.“Shit,” Lyric hastened to put the safety on the gun and left it on the seat as she got out. “Don’t hurt him,” she called out in protest as Niarthen was surrounded, forced down onto the ground, and h

Havermouth, A few days after the stormAs soon as the soldier was gone, Lyric threw her arms around Niarthen and buried her face into his chest. He wrapped himself around her, burying his face into her hair, and held her for a long moment before starting to stroke his hands up and down her back soothingly. “What has happened, mia persuma inillium?” He murmured. “What has upset you?”Lyric closed her eyes. The feel of his solid body against her, the warmth of him, and the scent of his skin centered her and renewed her purpose. She shook her head. “I am fine,” she lied and eased away from the embrace.He caught her chin between his fingers, searching her eyes with his own, until he was reassured and nodded releasing her. “I am sorry that they did not set you free,” he said. “Now we must find our way out together.”“Yes,” with renewed determination, Lyric began to search the cage for weaknesses. “We will get out of here,” she told him over her shoulder as she moved to the front of the ca

Havermouth, A few days after the stormHalfway down the bank, Niarthen fell, and the boat slid down through the undergrowth towards the water at an alarming speed. Lyric and the red-haired woman dove after it, the bushes tearing at their skin and clothing. It nosed into the water, but they dragged it back.Niarthen caught up and took the weight. “Quickly, get in,” he said through his teeth.Lyric and the red-haired woman didn’t argue, half falling into the rowboat. Niarthen followed, collapsing against Lyric as the boat slid the rest of the way into the water, jolting them around inside of it. “Are you okay, Niarthen?” Lyric asked in concern, leaning forward over him. The rowboat was dragged by the current towards the center of the river, and the red-haired woman fought to control the paddles as the water pulled at them. The metal side of the boat was stained with Niarthen’s blood. “Let me look…”“No time,” Niarthen replied grimly through his teeth, pushing away, and reaching for th

Havermouth, Present Time, 1.5 weeks after Retaking Havermouth From the Van Helsings“Fuck, Heath,” Rhett’s muttered complaint was half-hearted and followed by a smothered moan. “Oh…” The mattress moved as he rolled onto his back complaint with Heath’s seduction. Aislen felt the blankets lift, letting in cold air, as Heath rolled to cover his mate and slid down Rhett’s body, nipping and kissing along his torso.Rhett’s groan changed pitch as Heath’s mouth reached his cock and Aislen opened one eye to peek. Her dark-haired mate’s head was thrown back, his hair spread like shadow over the pillowcase, and his Adam’s apple exposed. His eyes were closed, and his fingers were in Heath’s hair.“Shit! No teeth this early in the morning,” he grunted in surprise, the elongated point of his canine exposed as he caught his bottom lip between his teeth, his face contorting into a grimace that was suspended between pleasure and pain. “Actually… That’s good. Fuck,” he ground out through his teeth. “T