Blood Debts [Dresden Files / The Return (SM, R.5)]

[Sunshine Temple]

Thanks for the chapter, it's always interesting seeing a first person pov that you know you can't trust. Seeing the character changes in more depth is always fun.

Click to shrink...

You're welcome.

Yeah, Dresden is fun for having an un-trusting narration. And glad you're enjoying showing more of BlackStone's character development.

Thanks for commenting!

 

[steamrick]

Hmm... at what point did Dresden catch on what the real purpose of his meal at the Drake residence was? It's not entirely clear to me.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Hmm... at what point did Dresden catch on what the real purpose of his meal at the Drake residence was? It's not entirely clear to me.

Click to shrink...

At the very least it'd be in the bedroom after Dresden wakes up.

Probably not before that, given Dresden just followed along with the succubus hunger.

I could make it more clear when she realizes what's going on.

Thanks for commenting.

 

[Coffeexy]

You know honestly this thread would probably have a much better following had you posted it in the NSFW section. With your story's fetishist nature it begs for its participants to post pics of sexy succubi and link manga featuring broods doing cute things together but we can't because it's in the SFW section!

 

[Sunshine Temple]

You know honestly this thread would probably have a much better following had you posted it in the NSFW section. With your story's fetishist nature it begs for its participants to post pics of sexy succubi and link manga featuring broods doing cute things together but we can't because it's in the SFW section!

Click to shrink...

Huh....

You know...

You're probably right.

I was pondering where to put this story because... despite the extremely high levels of gore, and the nature of the story (.... and the writer) it technically isn't sexually explicit.

So, I put it here.

 

[Coffeexy]

Huh....

You know...

You're probably right.

I was pondering where to put this story because... despite the extremely high levels of gore, and the nature of the story (.... and the writer) it technically isn't sexually explicit.

So, I put it here.

Click to shrink...

Yeah that's understandable, plus SFW Creative Writing is publicly viewable to guests as well so you'd think you'd get a wider audience that way...

The thing is though, registered users here just tend to ignore the writing sections not prefaced by NSFW.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Yeah that's understandable, plus SFW Creative Writing is publicly viewable to guests as well so you'd think you'd get a wider audience that way...

The thing is though, registered users here just tend to ignore the writing sections not prefaced by NSFW.

Click to shrink...

You make a good point given this section may just get skipped.
Which is a shame.

But if I put it in the NSFW section would people get upset when they find that this story with succubae, gender bending, and fetish clothing doesn't actually have sex scenes?

 

[Coffeexy]

You make a good point given this section may just get skipped.
Which is a shame.

But if I put it in the NSFW section would people get upset when they find that this story with succubae, gender bending, and fetish clothing doesn't actually have sex scenes?

Click to shrink...

Lot's of story threads in there don't actually have sex scenes, but were posted in it just so the users could have free uncensored discussion.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Lot's of story threads in there don't actually have sex scenes, but were posted in it just so the users could have free uncensored discussion.

Click to shrink...

Huh.
I didn't know that.

Well dang.
And here I am 13 chapters in.

 

[steamrick]

You can always ask a mod to move it...

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Hmmmmm...... I could.

 

[ellf]

Up to you, Sunny. However you want to handle this.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Here's some new fanart.

This time of Ranma, from the same artist that did Dame BlackStone.

Full size can be seen here.

And this is an alternate take with Ranma in her Sailor DarkStar seifulu

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Blood Debts Book 5 of The Return
A Ranma, Sailor Moon, Dresden Files fic thingy.
By Sunshine Temple
Naturally, I own neither Sailor Moon nor Ranma nor the Dresden Files. So here's the disclaimer:

Ranma 1/2 and its characters and settings belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC. And the Dresden Files is owned by Jim Butcher.


Previous chapters and other works can be found at my fanfiction website.
http://jtemple.florestica.com/
Temporary Backup Site.
http://www.fukufics.com/fic/
Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku
http://fukufics.com
C&C as always is wanted.
Chapter 14: Midnight Appetizer, Part B



The van slowed down and stopped. Still edgy from the potion, I looked around. We were in front of a gate. High razor wire stretched out in either direction. Radios crackled as the mercenary driving and his companion riding shotgun talked with the soldiers manning the gate.

I blinked at their splotchy grey-green uniforms. I also blinked when they shined flashlights into the van and got a look at each of us. These were Canadian troops. And I was a bit self-conscious at how I was dressed in just my armor and duster.

Also the men standing around the gate were split into multiple teams, one group behind metal barricades and an idling APC to one side with its lance-like cannon aimed straight at us.

I could feel the apprehension coming from the soldiers. Especially after members of their team gave the van a sweep with some familiar-looking scanning equipment.

Concentrating on holding my powers, I listened as the radio chatter got a bit more heated. Having everyone's radios fry due to an antsy succubus wizard would be... awkward.

After a few tense moments, the sergeant manning the gate nodded and motioned to let us pass. I looked out across the broad expanse on the other side of the fence. We were on some kind of a military base, probably an airbase of some kind. To one side I saw helicopters taking off and landing as troops waving glowing wands directed them.

At the end of that line a giant beast of a chopper descended. It had twin rotors front and back and the backwash rocked the van as it landed. I looked over and saw Nariko press her lips together.

"It looks like the Canadians are taking this pretty serious, eh?"

My niece's red eyes blinked for a second. "Yes," she said, pointing a bit further afield.

Following, I looked up and saw a helicopter hovering above the second row of landing pads. It wasn't quite as big as the transport helo that had just landed, but its engine still throbbed as its blades beat down at the ground.

A long sling hung from beneath it and a crew of soldiers worked to attach it to a collection of metal struts surrounding a long tube of metal. It was only after the sling was secured and the helicopter took to the air that I realized what it was.

"That's an... big gun," I stated, flatly.

"155mm howitzer," Nariko nodded. "Probably one of the newer M777s."

"They're bringing artillery?"

Nariko's expression darkened. "And urgently... given they could tow the piece behind a truck."

"They're probably doing that too," Cecilia added. "Military sorts love the belt and suspenders approach."

"Then they should let the Company use our assets too," Nariko said.

Cecilia shrugged. "The Canadians feel that they should be the ones firing heavy ordinance in populated areas."

I mumbled something in vague agreement as I thought. There had been situations in the past where I had wished the authorities had believed me. There were even a couple times where they had. Okay... those were magical authorities, but still.

When I called in a Code Wolf on a bunch of necromancers all competing in order to become a new dark god in Chicago a few Halloweens ago, the White Council played the cavalry and sent a Warden strike team to help me.

Granted... that was after the Council had suffered a major defeat against the Red Court so the strike team was a bit... short-handed. Stars and Stones, things were so bad that they drafted me into the grey cloaks on the spot. Still, the White Council came when I called and provided backup, such as they could.

Mortal authorities on the other hand.... Well there was one time that Murphy offered to do just that on a previous Denarian attack. This was back when she was still a cop and ran Special Investigations, a branch of the CPD that dealt with "unofficial" problems. I'd made the judgment call back then that people who weren't trained into the supernatural world would face too dangerous of a learning curve.

Denarians should not be someone's first exposure to the supernatural.

As I watched the helicopters lift off and buzz about, I wasn't quite so certain that I was wrong. Across the long runway that divided the base I saw a low-slung hangar open and watched as a jet was pulled out by some sort of motorized cart. It was hard to make out, but something dark and bulbous hung from each of the sleek, twin tail, grey plane's wings. It looked to be about the size of a fighter jet, or maybe a bit bigger. Its glass canopy looked like it sat two people - I don't know much about military jets. I had enough problems with flying in civilian aircraft.

The van had slowed and was going through another check point. This one was more thorough, but I didn't pick up the tinge of nervous apprehension among these troops.

Though that was probably because I could feel a couple of my nieces among the perimeter team. I also felt something that might have been a ward. Or it may have simply been the buzzing of getting even closer to the source of their Jammers.

The van stopped. The doors opened. I jumped out, my hooves hitting the concrete surface. The smell of jet fuel infiltrated my nose and the hum of engines pounded against my ears and chest. Light blue hair whipped around in the night breeze. I took a moment to look around the base before Nariko gently pushed me towards the concrete building in front of us.

Feeling my other two sisters, I stepped through the steel door. I wasn't sure what I expected. Maybe a dark cavernous room with a sinisterly-lit table in the center surrounded by uniformed officers with rows of medals on their chest and smoke curling from cigars and pipes. Maybe a giant monitor on one wall displaying a map and satellite feeds and in front of that rows of technicians in some sort of mission control.

And to be fair... for all I knew, the mercenaries had a room like that.

But it wasn't here.

Instead the inside of the hangar was... a hangar. The lights were bright, but that was so maintenance people would be able to see as they worked. And there was a map to one side, but it was paper and had been tapped up to a wheeled whiteboard. There were also a few technicians and people operating computers and other bits of esoteric machinery.

I exchanged a nod with a harried-looking Dirac. Nariko's prodding became less than gentle as she pulled me away from the delicate electronics. Pouting a bit, I rubbed my hip and went towards the center of the room.

My sisters stood in front of the taped-up map. Eve was talking on a radio while Ranma flipped through a folder of photos. I felt their focus and apprehension. Between them Butters and Doctor De Cotes were making notes. He worked from a clipboard while the older research scientist used her tablet PC.

Flipping through notes, his nimble handmade annotations and after consulting with De Cotes, he would occasionally hand a print-out to Eve. I watched as the blonde would take the missive and read out the information to whomever was on the other end of the radio.

As we approached, Cecilia cleared her throat. Glancing back Ranma smiled, but she also nudged De Cotes, who shut-off her computer. Eve also ended her radio chat and turned to face us.

"Sorry for interrupting your date," Ranma said with a little cough.

"Well, I heard my little brain trust found Tessa," I gave a toothy grin. "I suppose that's worth an interruption."

Butters gave an awkward smile and straightened his black vest and white mantle. The cape-like garment had a red cross over his heart. It wasn't quite the same as Michael's knighting gear but it got the point across.

"First off, the Russians were wrong. They saw a bunch of different distortions at various locations and thought that Tessa was 'testing the grounds'." Butters's voice carried in the hangar surprisingly well. "They got it backwards. Tessa wasn't looking for the best spot."

It clicked into place. "They were making it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, they were tuning the ambient magical energies to make this the best spot." The knight pointed to the big map. His finger was just to the south of the town of London Ontario, a bit over a hundred miles from Toronto.

I stepped closer to the map. He was pointing to what looked like a hospital. Eve then indicated another section of the board. There an aerial image had been blown up of the area. It was taken by some sort of night vision and thermal equipment but there were lots of notations and overlays of roads and other items. "The Park Institute?" I asked, frowning. There was also a forest to the south of it, and below that a trio of ponds.

"The nearby Western University has found some artifacts between the Westminster ponds," Butters pointed to the three bodies of water with a frown.

"Oh?" I gave a little sigh as my tail went limp

"They haven't' really dug in the areas, they're still conducting negotiations with some First Nations folks."

The tip of my tail flicked about in apprehension. "Okay... but there's plenty of hospitals, factories, ponds, rivers, waterfalls, forests, and libraries in the area." My hand swept over the larger map.

"And this is among the list of locations," Eve agreed as she gestured over the big board. There were a lot of blue and red marks on it. "However-" she looked meaningfully at Butters.

The shorter man nodded. "But from her notes.... this... Shest woman, she rambles about 'rumblings in the earth.' So, we cross referenced places that were doing excavation work."

The blonde demon's smile turned frosty. "And the Park Institute is having their foundations shored up by a Quebecoise construction company."

"One that got a bunch of new trucks full of.... equipment driving in these last couple of days," Butters added pointing a group of tractor trailers in the picture.

I sighed and looked at the ponds. "Three is a powerful number. And there's a lot of... raw material to work with."

Butters shuddered in memory of Lomar.

"What about your... magic defectors?" I asked Eve.

"Drones and scouts seem to indicate something is up. Thus..." her eyes went to the big map covered with pins and marks.

"Thus, you felt this was serious enough to call in everyone," I finished. My attention when back to Butters. "What about you? Any word from the Home Office?"

The doctor frowned at the photos. "It feels like where we'd have a boss battle... but that's just a hunch," he eventually said with some reluctance.

"Butters?" I asked. When dealing with a Knight of the Cross hunches were often more than just hunches.

"There's no arrow in the sky... I looked," he added in a quiet voice before turning to me. "It's a hospital, Harry. What do you thinks gonna happen?"

"Tessa hasn't started attacking yet..." I eyed my blonde sister.

Eve nodded, "We wouldn't be talking here. As it stands, we have some time to get organized."

"Not if Serenity's late brining in Hino," Ranma grumbled.

I blinked, but our blonde sister simply smiled. "We'll have time for the ceremony, and to consult you," Eve told me.

"What do you think, Miss Wizard?" Ranma asked.

I growled. "It... fits. But there could be a backup site?" I sighed. A few years back I had to deal with an Outsider incursion. They had decided to try their summoning at three separate locations at the same time.

"We have plans for that," Eve nodded to someone behind me.

Sidestepping I turned and saw a diminutive figure emerge from the shadows. Maroon eyes glinted.

"Is that why you're having my team stand back?" Lady Pluto asked

"You have the most rapid response capability, and concerns of a second summoning site are reasonable," Eve stated, nodding to me.

The young woman with the ageless eyes sighed. "It won't be the same for them, not without Ami."

Butters strode forward. He was a pretty short guy, but even he was taller than Lady Pluto. "We've met before."

"Yes, after Dame BlackStone's training," Pluto bowed her head. "Pleasure to meet you again, Sir Knight."

"And what are you doing here?"

The green-haired girl swept her hand over the map. "Ensuring privacy."

Butter's eyes widened. "Tessa can't?"

Ah, so that explained the strange ward I felt on the way in.

"The Denarians aren't to be underestimated," I stated. I knew that Anduriel, the Fallen working with Nicodemus Archleone, could use shadows to spy on anyone. Well, it was a bit more complicated than that, but it was still a formidable capability. One that took a being like Mab, or Odin, or a group of Angels to counter.

I don't know if Tessa's Fallen, Imariel, had similar capabilities. And I didn't know what Lady Pluto really was, but I was pretty sure if anyone could secure us from Tessa I'd lay good odds on her.

"Bringing out the big guns, Sis?"

"Now more than ever." Eve smiled.

I could see the logic of that. One downside was that if Tessa was aware of the additional security that would clue her in that we were planning something.

"Wait, what won't be the same without Ami?" Butters asked.

"The Pattern Silvers have a teleport capability. But as a group," Ranma explained.

"Really? Cool!" Butters said. I had to agree with him. Actual point-to-point teleporting would be a lot better, more precise, and less dangerous, than traveling through the NeverNever.

Then again, I was reluctant to try traveling through the NeverNever here. The fact that my Mother had never explored this far meant that the ruby she gave me, that I wore around my neck, couldn't give me a roadmap to follow.

Every time I tried using my mother's ruby she sounded... worried about how far out I was. This whole place was pretty Swiss-cheesed dimensional-wise. More than that, just stumbling around blind in the NeverNever was suicidal on a good day, doing it in a place where reality might come undone was too far, even for me.

Though I was sane, a lot of my enemies... weren't.

"I'll have to substitute for Ami; we can still do it though." Pluto gave a shrug as if teleportation were some minor parlor trick.

"We'll hold the Pattern Silvers in reserve until we confirm that this is the sole site, find a secondary site," Eve paused for a moment. "Or if we require additional forces."

Pluto tilted her head. "Ah, speaking of additional forces, Miss Aino is here with Dame BlackStone's mercenaries."

Ranma sniffed the air. "Quite the coincidence. Looks like the gang's all here."

The doors opened and a... procession entered. The company mercenaries and Canadian soldiers in their battle-rattle were expected. Even that cold-eyed Jacob fellow was chatting with some army officer who walked with a bit of a cowboy swagger. The latter mentioned something about Option Lanark being ready and Option Cold Lake on Standby.

Behind them came the rest of Serenity's team. Most were wearing their articulated armor with bow and ribbon accents. A blonde with piercing blue eyes that seemed to flash with a hint of red was leading a tall, muscular man in a suit. He had an eye patch and carried a bulging duffle bag of gear over one shoulder. Next to him was a similarly dressed dusky young woman. Carrying a near identical bag, she had long dark hair that fell over half her face and shoulder.

Though the last two arrivals were what got my attention. Serenity stepped in. She wore an armored getup that seemed to draw some inspiration from the blouse and skirt uniform she wore when I last saw her. Her hair was pulled back into a severe braided bun and the queen carried her own polished wooden staff and a golden scepter adorned with a silver crystal of some kind.

Next to her was Lady Mars.

And she had a... different uniform. She wore a red pleated skirt tied with a bow in back and a white kimono jacket without any adornment. A couple of white and red hair ribbons were tied in her ebony tresses.

She was dressed as a Shinto priestess. And from the way she carried herself, it seemed she actually was a miko. I wondered if she was more of the modern incarnation that helped around in shrines and preformed some rituals and cleansings or if she was more akin to the shamanistic roots of the position. She had beads wrapped around one wrist and carried a set of bells and a lit candle.

Curious, I followed Ranma as she vectored in as those two walked up.

Ranma bowed her head. "Rei, thank you for doing this."

"It'd be rude of me to not." Lady Mars exhaled. "And it wouldn't be right to push someone away that asks for help." She pointedly said, studying the demon. "But what changed your mind?"

"Him." Ranma pointed to Butters.

Mars studied the unassuming-looking man. I felt a flash of something deep and steady. The kind of power that I felt whenever Michael, a retired Knight and good friend, used when on a job. Faith.

"Ah," she smiled slightly and bowed her head to Butters

"Having a Knight of the Cross show up, made me think we should use our own resources." My sister sounded... embarrassed at that.

"Gonna ask for some Ofuda next?" Mars asked.

Ranma rubbed her chin. "Would they work on a Denarian?" she asked me.

I paused. Ofuda were charms, wards, that were written on strips of paper. They were used in exorcisms and purifications. "I dunno. Problem with the Fallen is that they're in there with their host's consent."

"So, even if the charm was powerful enough..."

I shrugged. "You can't evict someone that's been invited. Maybe it could weaken their connection, but I don't know."

"Rei?" Ranma asked. "You saw Tessa. Thoughts?"

Lady Mars snorted. "I didn't have time to do anything but fry the mantis freak."

Serenity cracked a smile. "The great DarkStar asking for our expertise."

Looking more embarrassed, the redhead chuckled. "I know when to consult an expert." Glancing between me and Serenity, she looked thoughtful for a moment.

The redhead shrugged. "I might have something to ask you later, but for this Rei's a lot better at Shinto stuff than I am, and the four of you all are better than me at magic."

"Even me?" Butters asked.

"You have been tutored by one of the best in magic theory," I noted.

"You?" Lady Mars asked with a bit of smirk.

"Er... someone else," I coughed. "But it's the same guy who taught me a lot of the stuff I know." I really didn't want to explain to a bunch of magical girls that I had been taught a lot of my magical knowledge by a talking skull. Or that said skull used to work with one of the most notorious necromancers of the last few centuries.

Of course, my other magical teachers were... a crazy blood-thirsty fae, a former Warden turned warlock who tried to enslave me as a teenager, and... the Blackstaff: the Wizard Council's assassin, black-bag, and wetworks man.

Yeah, giving these girls my curriculum vitae, might not reassure them. Especially since, I'm now a big sidhe succubus with the demonic wings, tail, and horns.

Stars and Stones, this was the Queen of the Moon and her personal guard. They were remnants of an empire that worked with BlackSky. They'd at least have more formal training than the hodgepodge I had gotten. At least I hoped so.

Lady Mars' gaze seemed to look through me. She turned to Serenity and gave a nod. Serenity for her part looked a bit relieved.

"You wanna help?" Ranma asked.

"Yes, I think Rei's got a ceremony that should work," Serenity said.

"Great!" Smiling, Ranma patted Rei on the shoulder and turned around.

Jacob looked up from his conversation with the cocky Canadian officer. The older man nodded, and I could swear I saw warmth touching his faded green eyes.

"Right," Ranma clapped her hands. The sound cut across the hangar like a shot. Everyone went silent.

"I'll keep this quick," the redhead scanned the room, her gaze pausing on each and every one of us in turn. "Our enemy is Polonius Lartessa, a thousand year old sorceress with a Fallen Angel in her pocket. She's leading a group of fellow Fallen and is being helped by the Brotherhood of the Moon: at least a hundred lycanthropes with military equipment," Ranma's booming voice then softened.

"Their aim is to summon an ancient elder god, probably more than one. They came here expecting easy pickings, thinking they could defeat whatever we threw at them, that they could hurt us, take what they want, and run." Her eyes narrowed.

I wobbled, feeling the connection to my sister throb. Glancing, I saw my other sisters, nieces and many of the humans in the room have similar reactions.

The redhead grinned, her teeth flashing white. "Allies, comrades, friends, family, she could not have been more mistaken. She will not escape. Not this time."

I nodded. I could understand Tessa's motivation. Nicodemus had killed her daughter. I had done some pretty nasty stuff to rescue my daughter. What would I have done to get revenge if Maggie or Bonnie were murdered? I shivered.

I thought about the things I had done to save Maggie... how far would I go if I only had revenge to motivate me?

I knew how to do the DarkHollow, which was similar to what Tessa had done at Lomar. But... my understanding only went so far. Still, if I ever went around grabbing every bit of power I could, without regard to the consequences... well that I was all demony only made that a more terrifying concept. Supposedly, I had a very scary demon empress grandmother...

The twisted part was that if Tessa had taken another path to get her revenge... well, I wouldn't have trusted her enough to join her, but I would have watched and made popcorn.

My sister exhaled, the tension going out of her wings and tail as she stepped to the side, yielding the floor "But first, a small service." She made a motion with her hand and every demon in the room took a knee.

As I followed a bit behind the others, I noticed the Company mercenaries and Canadian soldiers had shifted their stances, clasped their hands behind them, and bowed their heads. The magical girls had formed an honor guard around Lady Mars. As she stepped in front of everyone, they pulled back. The only people not participating were the two mercenaries Lady Pluto had hired.

Lady Mars looked out at the assemblage. And I could feel the power around her. Not the aggressive, crackling elemental power from before. This was the heavy, bedrock power of Faith.

"Thank you all for coming," Lady Mars said. The bell she carried gave a single perfect musical ring.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed someone I had forgotten. He was easy to overlook. The Knight of the Cross and bearer of the Sword of Faith stepped forward. In one smooth motion, he knelt down and drew Fidelacchius. The blade of light flashed in a holy chorus. He then flipped the Sword and offered the hilt to her.

For a moment, Lady Mars stared. The blonde magical girl in golden armor slipped up and took the candle from Mar's hand. Then a smile not quite her own crossed the priestess' face as she took the Sword.

"Thank you, Sir Knight," Lady Mars said as she raised the Sword. "We beseech Amaterasu Omikami for her blessing on this endeavor, that we may be cleansed and protected."

The glowing Sword flickered; the pure white surface rippling as if aflame. Lady Mars began chanting in Japanese. The color shifted to gold and dawn burst from the Sword filling the fresh, pure light of sunrise.

***************

My horns tingled as I walked through the echoing room. Eve and the other officers were by the big board going over maps and resistance photos. Watching everything, Ranma stood a bit off to the side, leaning on the pillar and making the occasional comment.

I noted they gave her suggestions due consideration. I guess after Lady Mars' lightshow even the Army guys were on board with the plan. I'm not sure what the effects of Mars' blessing were, but sunshine does have all sorts of connotations of renewal so it couldn't be bad. It was a good sign that some of the higher powers of this world were on our side.

I nodded to Lady Pluto, who had brought the other magical girls to talk to the good lieutenant. It sounded like Lt. Tendo was working on communications for when they teleported in. She had my sympathies. Magic was hell on electronics. Especially things like cell phones, though modern radios weren't much better. Well, military tech was hardened for extra interference... but it was also more fancy computer-wise.

I waved to Cecilia and her girls who were going through stocks of weapons, ammunition and equipment and going to each squad and checking their load outs. I noticed there were a lot of flares, chemical glow sticks, mechanical watches, and other bits of retro tech being passed out.

. I suppose I should have been surprised by mercenaries having stocks of old weapons just in case, but I had visited Monoc Securities's HQ. Donar Vadderung, Monoc's CEO, dozens of armories, enough outfit an army in equipment of the century of his choice.

Having some crates of old Vietnam-era single-shot grenade launchers was mild in comparison. I noticed Misako turn up her nose at them, but she still accepted one and had Ukyou take another.

I then saw Nariko hovering over Butters and smiled as I approached.

"No, it's not too tight," Butters assured as Nariko adjusted a strap that ran around his thigh.

The diminutive swordsman was wearing something that looked like a grey climbing harness. Really, it went well with the rest of his tacticool gear. It even gave a nice contrast to his white mantle. It also distracted a bit from how the only weapon he carried was his Sword.

Sure, it's not like a Knight needed more than that, but the other active Knight of the Cross, Sanya, used a frickin Kalashnikov alongside his Sword Esperacchius. And I did kinda wish Sanya was here.

Butters was great, but in my experience you could never have too many Knights of the Cross. Though I suppose I'd already met my quota of holy knights teleporting in to save the day at Lomar.

Adjusting his glasses, Butters gave me a baleful expression. "Harry, I'm sorry I ever laughed at you complaining about the helicopter training."

"Ah, so you heard how the spear-tip's deploying?" I gave a smile and patted him on the shoulder. "You'll be fine, have some faith."

Nariko straightened up a bit and looked him level in the eye. "You will not fall, Sir Knight. I will get you safely down."

Staring into her red eyes, he nodded. "Thanks."

"Any spare equipment you need? Like eyewear?" she asked.

"I've got a second set of glasses," He said patting a zippered pouch.

"Cased?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Good. Got a case for the ones you're wearing? You'll have to take those off when we drop."

"Actually... " Swallowing, Butters forced a manic grin and pulled a pair of sport goggles out of his vest. "Lost my glasses on my first... mission. Figured something like this could help."

"Prescription?" I asked.

Butters gave me a flat look.

"Very good," Nariko cheered.

"Look at it this way, you might be jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft. And you may be depending on a Sith demon for a safe landing."

My niece tilted her head at me.

"But at least you'll be able to see the ground coming up to you," I offered.

Butters frowned. "I'm.... not sure that's better."

"It is," Nariko promised.

"How do you think I feel?" I asked. "You know how bad I am with flying. And um... especially when my knight friends are with me. At least we're not on a helicopter."

The doctor shook his head.

"Look, I'll be good. And it's not like I can magic up a flight spell."

Butters' cross look returned.

"That was more of a float spell... and... that flying carpet never worked."

"I was talking about the wings."

"Oh, well, we don't have time to make you into a succubus."

He sighed.

I laughed. I was joking. Honest.

"We'll need to secure your Sword." Nariko frowned. Her scabbard was tied down to her vest and the side of her armored skirt. But Butter's Sword was just a hilt

"Tied down pouch?" Butters offered.

"That'll do... but we can't lose it."

"I think that priestess would have my head if I did," Butters chuckled.

Nariko gave a reluctant nod. "And what about you Auntie?"

"Me?"

The dark-haired girl tapped my staff.

"Oh... I just figured I'd just grow my armor around it and lock it across my back or something." I glanced down at my duster. It did cover most of my back, save for the slits near the mantle where my wings went out. My tail used the slit that already existed in the back of the duster. "Eh, I'll figure something out."

Nariko gave a skeptical glance, but went back to adjusting Butter's harness.

Avoiding her gaze, I spotted the tall man with the stark, scarred face. His duffle had been opened on a tall table and he was checking over his gear. He had a long dark ponytail shot with silver, grey at his temples and a trimmed grey beard. A sable eye patch that gave him a rather piratical air.

Working alongside him was a young woman with skin and hair that was a touch darker than his. Both were in the process of putting on sets of dark armor with black tacticool vests and accessories. It reminded me a bit of Butter's gear but more... well, both mercenaries were more physically impressive than the short knight.

Hells Bells, between her lithe figure and his broad shouldered muscular gruffness they could be in a comic book. Though I suppose the orange accents to their armor and raw number of pouches helped with that impression.

She looked up. I could only see one of her eyes, her hair covered the other, but that was enough for me to turn away.

"Hey, Loba check in with the creepy green-haired girl, then get our marching orders from Ilsa over there," the old man said gesturing towards Eve.

"Hey! That's my nickname for her," I stomped a foot.

"Sure thing, Viejo," the young woman said as she holstered a slab-sided pistol, secured an iron wand, and sheathed a couple double-sided fighting knives. She then brushed past me.

"Kids," the man said as he filled a tiny cup with some aromatic coffee out of a steel flask. He then pulled out a second tiny cup.

"She doesn't look young," I said after accepting his offer.

"I'm not just talking about her," His left eye tracked the room. "At least the soldiers are operator types and thus are a bit older, still... there's plenty of kids here. Those ritual magic users, bunch of the demons." He took a sip. "You."

"I'm not...."

"Can it. You're not the only White Council Wizard here."

"Is it that obvious?"

"You wag that tail more than an eager puppy," he noted, inspecting a gleaming revolver. It looked like a giant old-west gun, but it was all polished steel, including the grips, and, oddly enough, looked hand-tooled and finished.

I tried not to blush. "She looks like her mother," I noted.

"I'd say the same 'bout you." He put the cup down.

This time I failed.

After checking the gun, the older man smirked.

"She's tall too; she have a growth spurt?"

"Her last one, just like you had."

"Just like we had," I corrected.

The older man, nodded. "So, what can I do for ya, one Dresden to another?"

I blinked at the older, but still, clearly, Harry Dresden. "Sorry, I'm still dealing with the whole evil twin thing."

"You're the demon," he amiably noted.

"You're the eye-patch and goatee wearing mercenary with the sinister garment," I picked up a black and orange armored mask that was on the table. "I mean really? Deathstroke?"

"Slade's perfectly fine," the other Harry grumbled. "Besides, you ain't got room to talk being all Blue Beetle via Killer Frost. Though the Winter look does suit you. Reminds me of a couple protegees of mine."

I crossed my arms; I didn't want him to distract from the issue.

"Ah." He shook his head. "Mab then? What pit were you in that got you desperate enough to grab that rope?"

"Maggie," I said simply.

His smirk vanished. He simply nodded. "I can think of worse Queens of Winter to ask, but I can also think of better."

I snorted. "Yeah, well, the Winter Lady I like wasn't in office at the time."

"We always were impatient." His eye twinkled. "Winter, Summer, seems like there's always a couple Ladies that I could work with."

"Well, the Winter fae already sent their emissary to this shindig: Me." I stated. Sure, Lea was lurking about, but she had her own agenda.

"You brought some friend with you," he noted glancing to Butters before checking his own sword. It was a heavy affair with a silvery blade that was similar to a Warden's sword. It wasn't Luccio's make, but whoever made it was familiar with the Commander of the Warden's methods.

"How do you know he's not local? That we're not local?"

"You ain't from this world Hoss," he stated. "And I recognize that hilt. Now, the Fidelacchius I know ain't no lightsaber," he looked up and eyed me.

I turned away. I really didn't want to get into a Soulgaze with myself. My sisters aside, most people who had looked into my soul weren't exactly pleased with what they saw. Well, Butters handled it well. And Ranma wanted to get another shot...

Still, I wasn't exactly keen to find out why Harry Dresden's soul had upset so many people so much.

The older man cleared his throat. "That Sword is also Kusanagi, one of the Imperial Regalia of Japan."

"Uh yeah..."

He sheathed his sword and slipped the scabbard on his hip. "Items that are key to the Imperial Family. In fact, only the Emperor and certain priests can see them."

"That's how the story goes..."

"And not only are the Imperial Family descendants of... Amaterasu, but she bequeathed that sword to said descendents."

"Huh.... that's true," I had done some research and did find that many of the bearers of the Swords could trace their lineage to various royal families. Shiro, the previous wielder Fidelacchius, was descended from last king of Okinawa, Michael from Charlemagne and Sanya from Saladin. If I had to make a bet I'd put odds on Butters being of the line of David.

"And you had a magical girl, an avatar of Mars, who is a war God, a priestess of Amaterasu, a solar goddess, wield that sword, which is now a blade of light in a ritual to invoke her blessing before battle." Old Harry made a thoughtful noise. "I can't tell if you're more clever than you let on or the luckiest SOB alive."

"I'm a gangly succubus with pointy ears and ice armor. What do you think?"

His gaze briefly met mine. I turned away.

"Wile E. Coyote, Suuper Genius," we both said in unison. Though his voice was much deeper and gruffer than mine.

He laughed. "They do say: history is made at night." He gaze fell on me. "Character is what you are in the darkness."

"Buckaroo Banzai? Really?" I asked

"It's a classic," he crossed his wiry arms.

"I could say the same thing about Flash Gordon."

His eyebrow went up in a "Yeah, so?" gesture.

"Okay, story-time gramps; what's made you... you?"

The older man eyed me, well one eye did. He rolled a shoulder and looked around the hangar. "You ever work with a man called Kincaid?"

"Yeah, and he's not just a man."

"Right." He gave a tiny nod. "You ever hire him?" he asked, almost as if ashamed.

"Couple times." I admitted, as my tail started to flick to the side.

"Big spender. He don't work cheap," the scarred, older wizard gave a bitter laugh. "How'd you pay?" he asked checking over a bulky-looking rifle. It was piled along with a shotgun and a few black pistols.

"Second time it was him paying me back for a favor."

Grunting, Old Harry adjusted some magazine pouches, and clipped on one of those black polymer-framed pistols to a black thigh holster.

"I helped rescue Ivy, the Archive."

"Ah," he nodded and tightened a strap of the armor plating over his chest. "Lemmie guess Hoss, other time wouldn't have been clearing out a Scourge of Black Court vamps?"

"Oh." And my tail went limp with realization. A decade ago I hired Jared Kincaid to do just that. The mission, killing Mavara and her vampire minions and servants, consisted of myself, him, Murphy, and my grandfather Ebenezar on spell support. He locked down Mavara's sorcery while the three of us went in.

Which was a mighty handy trick when dealing with a powerful sorceress.

After the fight, Kincaid gave me a bill and three days to pay. It was a... breathtaking amount. "How'd you pay it?" I asked the older man... the older me.

He squinted. "How'd you pay it?"

"Thomas."

His expression softened. "He was a good brother," he said with regret.

I shivered, getting only some of the feelings the older wizard let slip. "He was kicked out of the White Court at the time; it took all of his savings."

The man simply nodded.

"Thomas didn't bail you out?" I asked with a frown.

"He wasn't available at the time, but he got Justine out."

"You going to elaborate on that story?" I asked.

"No," he stated.

My tail froze, and a shiver went up my spine. "Okay... but without Thomas... You owed him. You owed Kincaid."

"That I did," the older man nodded and adjusted a holster in a cross draw rig. Unlike the rest of his gear, it was tooled leather with runes, instead of plastic kydex, Kevlar, or ceramic. It also held that handmade revolver. Which was a decided contrast from the rest of his black military-looking guns.

"He didn't try to kill you for not paying?"

The man snorted. "And waste talent like that? Naw, that'd get a bunch of people upset, including a couple girls he didn't hate. And then there's the others that wouldn't take it kindly, not the least of which includin' the BlackStaff."

I nodded. My grandfather, our grandfather, Ebenezar McCoy was the BlackStaff. He also hated Kincaid.

"And besides, killin' me wouldn't get him back his money, would it?" I asked.

He nodded.

I stared as realization hit. "You started working for him."

His aloof expression turned almost guilty. "I'll give Kincaid this. He never once tried givin' me a job he knew I wouldn't do. Maybe, he figured I was too stubborn."

"But still... you killed for him,"

"In a couple hours, I'm gonna be killin' for you, Hoss," he stated, not looking up. "Besides, I had to pay off my debt."

"And after you paid him off?"

The older man shrugged. The bit of guilt evaporated. "I kept at the job."

My tail started to lift up and twitch.

"Don't get high and mighty with me, Missy," he grumbled and stepped forward. Despite my height, he was still nearly half a foot taller. He was also broader in shoulder. He could loom with skill.

"I know who you work for. You wear your queen's mark around your neck. And I know of your Family." He made a thin smile.

"What's that about my family?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Hoss, you're a granddaughter of BlackSky. Empty Night – even I've heard stories about her."

I grumbled. Looks like I had another scary grandparent to read up on.

"I also know what you'd do without all of that. What choices you'd make if you had to save Maggie, but couldn't call on your queen."

I froze. Taking up a Denarian coin, or triggering a major necromantic spell were the start of my alternate plans if Mab wouldn't let me become the Winter Knight in order to save Maggie. Of course if I did the DarkHollow... well I wouldn't be much better than Tessa would I?

"I don't break the Laws of Magic for money."

Genuine mirth bloomed on his face. The older man threw back his head and laughed. "Hoss, do I look like an idiot?"

I glared up at him. "You look like a knockoff Deathstroke."

"So you said, and from the newest BlueBeetle I'll take that as a compliment," he smirked. "No. Violatin' the First Law's too much trouble. I don't need Wardens after me."

"And they just let you kill people?"

"I don't need magic to do that." He idly rested one hand on the hilt of his sword, and another on the pistol on his left hip. I noted that it wasn't on the bespoke revolver in its special holster.

"I bet the Merlin just loves you."

"We've 'ad our disagreements." He snorted. "Nepotism only goes so far. But he should have expected that I'd follow in my mother's footsteps. He knew his daughter liked to skirt the edges of the Laws. Course like he's got room to talk about voilatin' the Laws."

I blinked. He was talking about Ebenezar... as the Merlin, the head of the White Council. Okay my grandfather was no slouch. The guy was Senior Council. So yeah, it was possible he could one day be the Merlin. But for that to happen... well there were quite a few other Senior Council members in line before him. Not to mention Arthur Langtry, the current Merlin, would have to kick it first.

Though that was only half of the story. Grandfather was the BlackStaff. The one wizard the Council allowed to break the Laws of Magic. What does it mean for the White Council of Wizards if the Council's assassin ended up taking over?

My grandfather only took the Senior Council post reluctantly, during the War against the Red Court, and to prevent Langtry, the Merlin I knew, from putting another of his Cronies in charge. What kind of disaster would require Ebenezar to become the head of the Council? Did every other Senior Council member get killed?

The cynical, suspicious part of me whispered a darker question: Had Ebenezar been forced to bump off traitorous members of the Council? Was it a coup? My Ebenezar was currently part of the Grey Council, a nebulous secret group fighting the corruption within the White Council.

Refilling his tiny coffee cup, the older wizard sipped and watched my mental train go around in circles with bemusement. If this was how others felt when interacting with me... well no wonder I was so hard to get along with.

I took a swig from the tiny cup before me. "How can you drink this frou frou stuff?" I asked after gagging

Old Harry eyed me and snorted. "You're the Winter Knight and in House BlackSky, this reflexive shunnin' of the finer things don't suit you."

I put the cup down. "Right, like you'd turn your nose up at Burger King?"

He snorted. "Course not Hoss, but that means I won't complain if someone puts a fine steak in front of me."

I pouted. "But... will you wear the crown?"

"Damn straight, how else will I embarrass my little girl?" He chuckled, then went to adjusting armor and checking his boots.

I laughed. His Maggie was at least ten years older than mine. "You're older than me."

"Wow, you must be a detective," he drawled.

I huffed. "What I mean is that you're from my future. Well... a future."

He reached out and poked one of my horns.

"Hey! If this is about the Sixth Law violation."

He gave at thin grin. "I ain't the one that time traveled. That's your scary green-haired friend, and while I like to keep my nose clean as far as the Council is concerned..."

I crowed my arms. He might be an alternate me, but he was an assassin.

"But it don't have nothing to do with the Laws of Magic."

"What then?" I asked.

"Hoss, I think we've diverged a bit much. Empty Night, we went our separate paths when you paid Kincaid's bill and I didn't. And I sincerely hope that my experience in the Vampire Wars wouldn't yield clues to help you at this point in our life."

"Wars? Plural? This has to do with why you referred to Thomas in the past tense?"

His eye narrowed.

"There you two are!" a deep contralto purred as my sister neared. She had been talking to Lady Jupiter. The leggy brunette handed her something that looked like a white plastic watch with gold accents and left with a wave.

Pocketing the wrist-watch, my sister ran over and popped up between us. She glanced at the gear arrayed out on the table, then at the gear Old Harry had already strapped on, and finally, after giving him a long sniff, looked him in the eye.

"I should have known our Pattern D Prime would gravitate to Puu's Pattern H Prime."

I sighed. These mercenaries did love to catalog and label everything. Though I suppose calling Practitioners "Primes" was a bit neat. It had pizzazz.

"Oh no," Old Harry said as he turned away from my sister's purple eyes.

"Aw, but you seem so... interesting," she purred with a mock pout while her tail swished. "Just one Soulgaze?

"Nope," He shook his head. "If let you get your claws in me you'll never let go," he said giving me a pointed look.

I turned from my doppelganger to my sister. "Hey!"

***************


I hate helicopters. Not without reason. Good reasons even. The problems my powers cause with technology aside, I almost got horribly injured the last time I used a helicopter in combat, and a very good friend of mine did get horribly injured and almost died on the operating table.

So, I had more than a bit of trepidation as the various mercenaries and soldiers were assigned to their helicopters and transports. As I finished stowing my gear, I rooted around the hangar snagging a few odds and ends for spell components. I even managed to get a can of Play-Doh from one of the hangar mechanics that he had stowed in his locker. Apparently, he got it for his kid, brought it inside because he was worried about it getting frozen, and had forgotten about it.

What? Play-Doh is a very useful spell component. Look, think about it: thaumaturgy is all about creating connections via identical, similar, or related objects. Well, bits of clay that came from the same container make for perfect links. Also it's cheap and common as dirt.

As I was working on ways to keep stuff from falling out of my pockets, Butters stood by me. The composed knight was a far cry from the terrified man with the Oktoberfest polka-suit cowering from zombies.

I watched Ranma go from group to group and quietly chat with each just as they were gearing up and moving to their helicopters.

By now the engine noise was starting to get loud, even from within the hangar. And then my sister came up to us. Her daughters followed in her wake and Butters stood to one side as Nariko hovered by him. Wearing sport goggles, he carried a helmet and an oxygen tank was strapped over one shoulder with an attached gas-mask.

"So... time for us to get to the 'chopper?" I said, with what might have been a bad Austrian accent.

The redhead blinked, and "the look" returned.

"We're not taking a helicopter," she stated.

"Look the line doesn't work if you replace 'chopper with another word," I pouted.

We weren't going by helicopter, but... my stomach plummeted as she pulled me out of the hangar and towards...

Well, it was a plane. She hadn't lied when she told me that earlier. It was one of those big ones with the four engines hooked up to propellers, and the long straight wings, and a big ramp in back.

As we strode towards the transport, I'd like to say that my duster whipped back dramatically behind me. I mean my sister's hair rippled ominously in the blowing air, and Butter's white mantle fluttered. Instead...my coat tails got a bit tangled on my staff and tail. Grumbling, I adjusted my duster and reluctantly belted it around my waist.

It was hardly a "the Right Stuff" moment, but at least I didn't trip. Though... that might have been because one of the loadmasters helped me step onto the ramp.

They also helped me find some... well technically it was seating. There were things that folded down that I could sit on. The bottoms to the seats were a pair of hard poles with a bit of fabric between them. So while the seating was too small, at least it was uncomfortable. And instead of backing, the seats had a webbing of some sort of red nylon material. I had to take care to make sure neither my wings nor my tail got caught in that.

Ranma may have spotted my apprehension as she sat down next to me, and slipped a set of ear muffs over my ears. They didn't really fit, but the gesture was nice. Butters, looking a bit green, sat down to my right, further away from the back ramp I noticed, with Nariko to his right. He was busy checking the helmet, mask, and air tank rig he had been saddled with.

Despite the ear protection, the engine noise became oppressive as the plane started to spool up and taxi towards the runway. There were a series of whines and clunks as the ramp closed. I glanced over and saw my nieces settling in. Some had a bit of apprehension and nerves: Ukyou, Nabiki, and to a lesser extent Akane. They were the sane ones. Nariko was stoic and focused on guarding Butters.

Meanwhile Misako's eyes shone and she caressed her grenade launcher like a hunter petting a favorite bird-dog on the drive up to the hunting lodge. Her tail flexed with a palatable eagerness. At least she wasn't talking to the gun... much. Her other, simpler, grenade launcher was slung over one shoulder and she seemed to be pointedly ignoring it.

I centered myself and worked on controlling my powers. Crashing the plane's avionics or knocking out the engines with my magic would be... bad. Though I did watch with a bit of jealousy as Ranma connected Butters into the audio system of the headsets they wore.

The engines screamed and I was pulled to my left as the plane shot down the runway. We tilted there was a lurch and then... airborne, and my stomach was left on the ground.

It turned out, I liked flying. At least under my own wing power. But being stuck in a creaking, shaking windowless tube? That wasn't fun. It also wasn't fun being unable to communicate with anyone because of my magic.

Instead I concentrated on what I did know. Of course we were taking a plane. It was faster than the helicopters, and we were the first group dropping in.

Once down, our first task would be to knock out any anti-air capability the Wolves or the Denarians had, either by destroying directly, or alerting the artillery teams where they should hit. Which explained all the flares, smoke grenades, and the like everyone had loaded up, those were backups in case even hardened radios wouldn't work.

The plane started to level off, that made my stomach feel a bit better. Cut off from the communications channel, I would have felt lonely save... I was still feeling my sister and my nieces.

I glanced over and saw Butters give me a smile before Nariko slipped on his helmet. With the black visor and breathing apparatus it looked... well, I guess it was fitting that a Sith succubus was the one dressing up the Jedi knight.

And if Butters could keep it together when he didn't even have wings, what reason did I have to be...

Okay, honestly, I was a bit nervous at the whole thing. I presumed the transport was going to stay out of range of the anti-air systems the mercenaries and the military thought the Wolves had. I'm sure it was a very educated estimate based on past capabilities of the Brotherhood, what was stolen from the French, and that magic was hell on electronic systems such as the teeny, tiny computers that made up modern missile-brains.

Still it was all a guess. I mean the Canadians were flying in artillery guns. And as long as they used old-school fuses in the shells, they'd explode just fine, anti-tech magic or no.

What if the Wolves had something like that that? Okay, I didn't know if a howitzer or whatever could hit an aircraft. But maybe they had a big dumb rocket or some other nasty surprise would knock us out of the sky.

Which... I realized with grim bemusement was why there were only the eight of us getting ready to jump. I glanced over at the loadmasters checking our gear and then further forward to the pilots.

Hells Bells, at least we could fly. That gave us some chance to escape a damaged plane. Maybe not a good chance, but it was something the transport's aircrew didn't have.

I mulled those thoughts over as the others kept talking about... something. I don't know maybe they had some sort of radio uplink back to the hangar or to their base. As I focused on keeping my magic contained I did reflect that my techbane had one advantage; it kept me from being micromanaged.

I absently felt my ears pop as the air pressure around me started to ease down.

Well... if Mab wanted to talk to me she didn't need a phone or a radio. Which sort of made the lack of contact with her since I was hurt at Lomar a bit... suspicious. Oh sure, Lea had met me, but that just meant Mab knew what I had done.

And... well, that made my stomach do interesting things. I added that to the list of... complications I'd have to deal with when I got back to Chicago. My worries were interrupted by a klunking noise followed by the wind kicking up. Glancing over, I saw the rear ramp of the airplane begin to open.

Oh.

Hazard lights flicked on, bathing the interior with an eerie glow. The loadmasters were now wearing safety ropes that clipped them to tracks on the ceiling. We.... were not. The brood stood up and began shuffling towards the gaping door.

Beyond was a whistling blackness. Above, I could make out pinpricks of stars and below the various lights of Southern Ontario.

My nieces did final checks on their gear. Misako seemed especially paranoid at making sure her grenade machine gun was strapped on. There was a thunk as the ramp locked into place.

My sister had slipped over and had a brief conversation with one of the loadmasters before unhooking her headset and handing it over. The other girls followed. Purple eyes met mine and Ranma flashed a grin.

Staring out at the night sky, Butter's breathing quickened, which gave a deep respiration noise. Nariko put a hand on his shoulder and clipped her harness to his, pulling the two into something like an embrace.

As the final checks went on, the lights switched over to green and there was a harsh buzzer that managed to pierce the wind and engine noise.

Ranma made a cutting motion and her daughters went towards the gaping door. I followed and watched as four of them practically bounded off the ramp. The succubae began to fall and I watched as their shrinking forms became dimmer. I could just make out when their wings deployed.

Nariko was a bit slower as she had to coordinate her steps with Butters. And then those two went over the edge. Ranma met my eye again as I shuffled towards the precipice. I looked down. I could see the lights of homes and towns but nothing of the ground itself.

I looked back at my sister, and it struck me...

I was a succubus wizard being airdropped as part of a military strike to prevent a lunatic, her Fallen Angel buddy, and a bunch of wolfmen from summoning some sort of big scary critter as part of a revenge scheme, and said critter wasn't even what they thought they were summoning.

There was a time when I was just a private investigator who used a little bit of magic now and then to help clients find lost wedding rings and the like.

Honest.

I stared out at the empty sky below us. "I'm a wizard" I shouted. "I failed flight school!"

I noticed irritation flash across my sister's eyes. Guess she wasn't a fan of that movie.

I had a moment to ponder that before her leg blurred and she snap kicked me. There was pain in my upper thigh where she hit me, but that was easy to ignore. Because I was screaming while falling out of a plane. On reflection, part of me wondered if she actually was a fan of Buckaroo Banzai and was offended at me mangling the line.

I mean John Parker only said line that after he was plummeting towards the ground, and my sister could be quite the stickler.

As I rolled over I caught a glimpse of the aircraft and saw my sister swan dive off the ramp.

***************


I spun, flailed, and tumbled in the darkness. What I didn't do was panic. Sure I'd like to claim that was due to me being a wizard long experience with the frightening and uncanny.

And perhaps, unsurprisingly, being a wizard did give me some experience at falling in pitch black darkness with only a few specks of light in the far distance. So... I suppose I had had worse. Sure, I was much higher up now, but I wasn't falling in the NeverNever. And this time...

Instincts and training kicked in as my wings slowly spread. They caught the air and arrested my rotation, then I let my right wing go a bit further out and managed to right myself.

Wind buffeted my hair as an icy cold blast air stung my eyes and made my lungs ache. Sure, I was a being of Winter, but I didn't like having my saliva freeze, let alone my eyes. The latter I knew from personal experience.

Let's just say my queen didn't like her ability to repay a debt being questioned.

Still... I was flying, and right side up. Flexing, my wings caught the air. I guess it was more accurate to say I was gliding. I looked around and... Dang.

I had no idea where I was. Okay... I swung around until I saw a cluster of lights. I also felt an ominous hum in my horns. Right, if that was London, Ontario, then the target should be right by it.

My musing was interrupted by a figure rocketing past me before wheeling back up. I glanced over as my sister pulled up alongside me. In my night-vision her hair was the same dark grey as her uniform, with her skin being a lighter grey. Only her eyes showed a bit of color.

She gave me a smile. Ah, right, her teeth were white in the gloom.

Trimming her wings, she shed altitude even faster. I followed her descent. Below us, sparse fields gave way to blocky warehouses, a freeway lit by the occasional car, a few more warehouse and then to a twisting warren of suburban houses.

By that point we had lost enough altitude that I got a bit of vertigo as we raced over the dark homes. I felt like I could grab a rooftop if I leaned down with my arm. On the upside, I was able to get my bearings. We were nearing the Westminster ponds which meant our landing zone was...

Another upside was that flying was much more pleasant when I could see where I was going. Another bonus was that this time my magic wouldn't kill myself and everyone else in the sky.

My sister pulled in her wings and dropped down towards the large green field that had suddenly appeared below us. Smiling at the burst of speed that came with the near free-fall, I followed her and waited for the redhead to swing her body forward and flare her wings back out. Slowing, she landed on the grass with bent knees and took off running without breaking strike.

I repeated her maneuver. When my wings spread, I realized my mistake. Yes, I had larger wings which would retard my fall, but I was also heavier and, worse, since I had tried to catch up to her I had pulled back my wings further and had been dropping faster.

Hitting the ground, my hooves dug into the sod. There was an all-too-brief illusionary moment of stability, and then I tumbled forward. Wincing, I pulled myself back up and folded back my wings. The pain wasn't bad, even if my staff had hit the back of my head when I landed.

My sister was immediately at my side. "You okay?" she quietly asked pulling me down into a crouch. "Looks like you came in a bit hot."

"Yeah... just a little rattled," I whispered back. My hand felt the comforting weight of my revolver strapped on my hip. Huh, holsters, how about that?

She nodded. "Good, check your gear make sure nothing got loose, then come on."

I followed her, sifting through the pockets of my duster and the other stuff hanging from my armor. I didn't do a complete inventory, but everything seemed there.
I glanced around noting we had landed in the athletic fields in back of a local school. A line of houses was in front of us. I blinked my eyes. Night vision was still pretty spooky. The colors were muted, but I could see everything. I wondered if this was what those fancy night vision goggles were like, well, with less green, and probably much better peripheral vision.

The others had already formed up behind a shed in the wooded backyard of some house that butted up to the athletic fields. Ukyou was doing something with a radio. I suppose that was one advantage of me being the last on the ground gave them.

Butters had already been unhooked from Nariko and had shed his gas mask and helmet. He looked a bit wobbly but gave a smile when he spotted me. Moving up to him, I returned it feel only slightly jealous that he had had an easier landing than me.

"Confirm, all units on the ground. Commencing insertion," the blonde said into her radio before clicking it off.

Ranma slipped up and pointed to Akane and Nabiki. The two blue-haired girls nodded and dashed ahead of us while Ukyou and Misako drifted to the back and a bit to the side. That left myself, Ranma, Butters, and Nariko in the center.

It was in that rough formation that we leapfrogged through a row of houses, across a residential road and cut past the parking lot of a small apartment complex. I wasn't sure what trouble my sister expected to find in sleepy suburban Canada in the middle of the night.

Then again if the Wolves were really paranoid, they'd have some defense in depth, and put out sentries and scouts to watch for… well this exact kind of infiltration. My horns tingled as we neared the woods that surrounded the Westminster Ponds.

The easternmost pond was to the north, through the stand of trees before us. This time Ranma was on point, her nearly invisible dim form was crouched a few trees into the forest.

She waved an arm to me, a gesture I felt more than saw. With a bit of trepidation I lopped over to her. The pressure on my horns increased to an unpleasant buzz. It reminded me of the Jammers the mercenaries used, but more... sharp. It was also oddly familiar.

The redhead looked deeper into the woods and I followed her gaze. Now my skin started to tingle. There was the slightest bit of... well, it would be a pretty crappy tripwire if it were one that could be seen. An unpleasant scent tickled my nose. Though it wasn't really a smell in the normal sense.

Ranma turned to me.

"Yeah, it's a trap... well, more like a fence," I said.

"Alert? Damage?" Her voice was so quiet even my succubus ears could hardly hear her. "Can it sense us now?"

"One sec." I suppressed a sigh as I opened my third eye. The Wizard's Sight is a powerful tool. It allowed a Practitioner to see most all magical effects and see things as they really were. Of course, it came at a cost, anything Seen won't be forgotten. It would stay fresh and vivid.

Still, it looked like the Denarians had taken precautions and I should really figure out what this thing actually was. Bright colors suddenly burst into my vision. I glanced over and saw my sister: stark predatory beauty, purple wings and claws, crimson and coiled power.

With effort, I looked forward. A beating blue line ran through the forest. The energy was anchored to stones that had been buried among the leaf litter, about one every hundred feet.

Sickly green threads hung from trees that straddled the blue line. Each thread linked a tree to the line, forming a jagged palisade. As I watched, I saw each beat of the blue line suck a bit of life from the trees.

Okay... I wasn't aware that you could do necromancy on plants. Sure, I knew in theory one could do necromancy against any living thing. And I suppose using trees to power your fence was one way to do it. Sure it'd kill them, probably sooner rather than later, but I doubt Tessa cared.

If anyone tried to cross the fence they'd break one of the threads, causing the blue line to discharge. It was a pretty handy way to both hurt any intruders and to alert Tessa to their location. Hells Bells, I'd bet anyone trying to disturb the trees would set it off too. That made for a rather tall fence.

I spent a bit more time examining the fence and the outlying area. Just because you saw one trap, that didn't mean there wouldn't be a second one. I exhaled. I didn't see anything else, but that could mean that it wasn't active yet. Or it could be hidden even better.

I did keep my attention focused on what was in front of me. Something… unpleasant, and heavy tingled edges of my senses to the north, west, and south-west. I really didn't want to use my Sight on Tessa's summoning ritual. Even the preparing steps was something I didn't want to See.

I closed my Sight and blinked. Now that I knew what I was looking for, I could see the sigils carved into the threes and the anchor stones. The magic threads themselves shimmered just on the edge of my vision.

"Yeah... it's a tripwire and an electric fence," I whispered. Okay, it probably wouldn't be electricity it zapped you with, but it'd be nasty. "Good news is that we haven't set it off."

She nodded.

"I can also feel the ritual... the edges of it at least."

My sister made an inquisitive look.

"More good news is she hasn't triggered the summoning," I added.

"We have time," she breathed out. "Okay, Miss Wizard, any ideas on how to get us in?"

"Without flying over?"

She gave me the "look".

Right, you don't make a tall fence against an enemy with helicopters and flying demons without having a spell to watch the skies. I reached into my duster. "Well, I might have an idea."

Ranma looked at the plastic can I pulled out my pocket and smirked.

***************


Magic is all about connections and moving energy. The necro-fence moved energy from the trees to a line that ran the perimeter of the site. I gave another sigh, realizing that the whole thing could act as a magical circle.

Said circle would act as a boundary separating whatever was going on inside the circle from the ambient magics around it. Circles could also be used to collect energy, imprison or bind... say summoned creatures, and other fun things.

Back to my point, magic was all forming connections and moving energy with said connections. Now, thaumaturgy was specifically about using similitude to make connections. Break a piece off of something and that little piece, at some level, was still a part of the whole.

I had called Butters over and quickly explained the situation to him. The Knight might not have much magical talent, but he was a genius at the theory, and it was good to have someone to bounce ideas off of, even if he couldn't see much in the gloom.

Then I explained my idea on how to get through the fence.

Naturally, he boggled.

"Harry... you're talking about using Play-Doh," he hissed.

"You have a better idea?" I sincerely asked.

He exhaled and thought it over. "Digging would take too long."

"And the tree roots are part of the necro-fence."

"Right." He seemed pained. "There's always just blowing the damn thing and going through. Cut it in a mess of places and they won't know where we're coming in."

Glancing over at my sister and nieces, I nodded. They had spread out and taken some cover, but I could feel that idleness didn't suit them. And we were on the clock.

"Harry, this is pretty delicate work." His statement was a not so subtle reminder that my own skills were more in long-term enchanting, using thaumaturgy to find objects, and combat evocation, and less in extemporaneous high-precision work.

"Right," I motioned for my sister.

Ranma seemed to appear between us. She glanced at the fence then back at us. She wasn't impatient, not exactly, but I could feel the eagerness about her.

"I'm gonna try to cut a hole in the fence. If I screw up, and it goes off, take out a bunch of the anchors," I explained as I pointed out the stones that channeled the blue energy. "That'll knock it down so you can cross. It'll be a mess but..." I shrugged.

Her purple eyes looked to me. I knew what she was thinking. Ideally, the fence should be cut in multiple spots along the perimeter. But me cutting a hole required us to bunch up so we could all cross in quick succession.

Giving an encouraging smile, she reached over and hugged me. I had a moment to bask in the contact before she slipped away; the eager, hungry feelings receding with her.

"So... no pressure," Butters said with a slight shiver.

"I've gotten through worse," I assured him as I inspected the necro-fence.

There.

Twenty feet to my right was one of those anchor stones, and twenty feet to the right of that was an area where the jumbled trees thinned a bit.

I motioned and slipped closer. As I kneaded the Play-Doh in my hand I started muttering a spell. It would be tight, but there was an area where if I removed four threads I could slip though the necro-fence. I suppose that was one advantage of being the tallest one here. If I could fit through, everyone else should have an easier time.

Butters followed. "Still gonna need to hold the clay up somehow." He glanced at the leaf litter. "Plenty of sticks about, could use them as props."

I looked to him with approval. That wasn't a bad idea. The fence's magic probably wouldn't notice the ground being pierced by deadfall from the very trees used to build the necro-fence.

"Not bad, but I wanna close the fence behind us." I said opening my palm revealing four blobs of Play-Doh. With a punched mid-section and bulbous ends, they looked a bit like green peanuts.

Butters nodded.

I held my staff over them.

"Wait..." he hissed. "Do the spell separately for each one."

I blinked. That would cost more energy and time but... Stars and Stones, he was right. "Arboras laqueus," I whispered putting a bit of Soulfire into one of the peanuts.

I then repeated the spell three more times. Instead of doing all four at once, this made it so that each of the four was cast with a unique, if similar, spell, A different sliver of my soul went into each casting.

"Good call," I smiled. Butters was right. This way helped give each bit of clay its own unique identity. And I really didn't want to cross the wires on this spell.

I stared at the handful of peanuts. Each glittered and flashed with silver light. A pair of tiny silver lines went from each of the lumps to the tip of my staff. Concentrating my will, I raised the staff and the clay lifted out of my hand.

Okay... slipping closer to the necro-fence I licked my lips. This was the most delicate part. Soulfire can enhance spells, it was like magical rebar. Or in this case like a magical superconductor.

Now that I knew what to look for, I could make out one of the green pulsing threads was right in front of me. Grabbing a floating peanut, I aligned it to the thread and nudged it forward. Just before it touched the green line I raised my free hand.

If this didn't work, this was when I'd set off the necro-fence.

I held my breath as the little bit of clay slipped into the thread. There was a silver fizzle as the line passed through the green Play-Doh. And...

The necro-fence held. The pulsing blue circle hummed; the green feeder lines pulsed with their steady beat. The only difference was now one of the green threads looked like it had swallowed a peanut.

I exhaled. "Okay. Next part." I extended a claw and with a delicate flick cut through the peanut's pinched middle. I felt like I was cutting the red wire on a ticking bomb.

Clay parted. There was no discharge. The two new pieces began to drift revealing a gap between them.

My tail swished and I grinned. The green thread went into one half of the peanut and magically reappeared on the other cap. "Now, that's a bit of thaumaturgy."

"Good job, but don't get cocky," Butters whispered. I knew he couldn't see the workings that made up the necro-fence, but he could deduce I hadn't screwed anything up, given the lack of alarms going off releasing necromantic energies.

"You've gotta do it three more times, and then reel them apart to enlarge the hole," he continued.

I frowned, that was not exactly the plan as I had explained to him. Honestly, I had been planning to extend the silver threads and separate this pair of clay bits before tackling the next thread. "Yeah... it's easier to do it your way."

I swallowed and willed the next peanut into the air. Butters was right. This was delicate work, not exactly my forte. But to my advantage it was steady work. The real challenge was getting the clay to intersect the trip lines without setting them off.

Something that got a bit more complicated the further into this I got. It turned out I did have to widen the hole a little bit, if only to have room to reach the two threads on the far end of the necro-fence.

But after what seemed like far too long, and with what felt like a bit of sweat freezing down my back. I had four pairs of little clay lumps bobbing in the air. I felt the focused attention of my sister and nieces on me and their approval.

Controlling my breathing, I eased my staff in the middle of the cloud of Play-Doh. Then I slowly, gingerly extended the silver lines that linked the end of my staff to the pieces of clay.

The hole in the necro-fence grew as the clay pairs separated. This part was a bit trickier than I expected. I had to keep tension in the green threads as I rolled them over, all without them hitting the ground or each other.

Eventually, I had a ragged hole large enough for me to shamble through. I raised my arm and gave another wave.

Again my sister appeared at my side. After looking over the floating bits of clay, I could tell she wanted to give an appreciative whistle. She settled for a hug. "Quick work, good job" she whispered.

I glanced at the white watch on her arm. I'd only been doing this for a few minutes? Huh… I pulled my staff up to the top left corner of the hole and willed the silver threads to the edges to maximize the open space.

The others had eased closer.

"Right, see where the bits of clay are. Do not step past them," I quietly instructed. "Keep your arms and wings and tails inside the ride at all times. Do not step on the ground right under the clay. Touching the circle would be worse than the threads. Don't hit my staff either. Got it?"

The others nodded and Ranma simply dove through the hole. The necro-fence ignored her. A few yards on the other side her wings popped and she landed before vanishing into the woods.

Most of her daughter rapidly followed in a bout of acrobatic agility that just had to be choreographed. I grumbled about cheating martial artists. There were only three of us outside the circle. Nariko nodded to Butters who was studying the locations of the bits of Play-Doh.

"Can I have a leg up?" He asked looking a bit bashful. I could see his concern. He wasn't exactly a clumsy man, but he didn't want to set off the fence, not after all the work we'd done.

"Aunty, if you'll help on this side I'll do the other," Nariko offered.

I nodded and the red-eyed young woman leapt though the hole. However instead of disappearing into whatever combative formation her sisters had taken up she turned and stood at the far side of the necro-fence.

It didn't take much to help lift Butters up and through the hole. It helped that Nariko was fairly tall so she could reach though the hole. Sure, with the staff I only had one hand free, but he really did need just a step up and a bit of stability. Also it was nice to get a bit closer to him.

I shook my head once he was through. My smile vanished when I realized that I was alone on the far side of the fence. And I still had to get myself, and my staff through.

***************

I tried not to grumble as I slipped through the forest. At least hooves were rather quiet. It would have been embarrassing if I were the most noisy person in our little expedition. Though I suspected that once Butters got more training with the Carpenters and more experience under his belt, the little guy would give me a run for my money.

Getting through the necro-fence turned out to not be as hard as I feared. Sure I was alone, but I had made a Dresden-sized hole. And Nariko and Butters were on the other side to help me cross. It was Butters who pointed out that they could use my staff to help stabilize me so I didn't hit anything.

Then came the laborious process of closing the hole back up. First, I had to reel in the silver threads on my staff to bring the Play-Doh pairs back together. Then, I used a pair of claws to mush the twinned lumps back together.

Finally, with a bit more Soulfire I plucked each lump off its green thread. That was the most awkward part of the whole process. Sure we were all clear of the fence, but it would have been just my luck to set the damn thing off when I was trying to cover our tracks.

I dropped the lumps of clay back into their can and pocketed it. And with that we were in.

Exhaling, I followed the others deeper into the forest.

Ranma halted us and waited. I couldn't really see my sister in the distance, or much of the others. Seemingly satisfied with the silence, the redhead motioned and then our dispersed formation became even more dispersed.

Nabiki and Akane peeled off and ranged to the south-west, hugging closer to the necro-fence And a few minutes later Ukyou and Misako split off heading about due west.

I knew they were being sent off to scout two of the three ponds. Just as Nariko and Butters were going to bear to the north-east and check out the third body of water.

Having slipped under a veil, I closed to Ranma. My sister silently slipped through the woods; though I could use our connection to get a range on her. I could also feel the slight apprehension from my nieces as they went about their work.

Ranma halted within sight of the edge of the tree-line. A finger of cleared land had been cut out of the woods to serve a couple of baseball fields. The fields were still there, but the overhead footage had shown the construction company was using the area to store their vehicles, supplies and trailers.

Easing next to my sister, I blinked as I made sense or what I was seeing. I could smell the musky scent of wet-dog and feel the wolfmen and their human servants. Servants, allies, subordinates or were they just wolves that were still in human form?

I saw my sister jotting down notes on a map, seemingly ignoring my disquiet.

Either way, I my tension grew as I watched a few dozen people working and unloading the tractor trailers. Not only was there the sickly-sweet feeling of black magic in the air tingling my horns, but I was struck by the worry...

If I could smell the wolves, could they smell me? Sure, my veil was supposed to cover that. But how good were their senses? Still, I took some time to watch them unload, and our presence didn't cause any hue and cry to be raised.

The wolves worked largely under leafy netting and tarps. Given the old fashioned looking mortars and machine guns and other bits of equipment, it reminded me of a WW2 or Korean War movie. Well, one with werewolves, of course.

A few of the pieces had been setup. Including a couple of nasty double barreled cannons that had their own motors to control them. There were also rocket launchers that looked like bundles of pipes welded together.

"I think we found the stuff they stole from that Army base," I murmured.

"It's not all French," Ranma whispered back as she finished up her shorthand. "How much of this would work once the magic goes off?"

I shrugged. "I dunno, it looks simple, but I'd have to check and see how many electronics and the like. Also radar and the like can last... for a bit. But... all this stuff is inside the necro-fence. That can't be good."

She nodded and slipped her notes into a pocket.

"Still, they covered it up, that shows they expected some attack."

Still the camouflage was a bit clumsy. Wouldn't someone notice trees when there were no trees before? And what about thermal or whatever fancy sensors the mercs and army are using? Then again, maybe the necro-fence obscured that stuff too? I could also see equipment being shuttled to the area in the center of the ponds.

"Come on," Ranma ordered.

I followed her as she slipped back to the south, once again going deeper into the woods.

We weren't alone for very long. Butters and Nariko returned shortly. The black-haired girl handed some notes to her mother while the knight looked visibly shaken.

"You okay?" I asked him.

Nodding, he tugged at a canteen on his harness. "This... this is definitely the place." Butters swallowed then took a drink.

"The summoning?"

"It's like Lomar," he whispered. "The ponds are like... pumps to a central ritual." He shuddered, I knew the feeling. The whole area felt creepy and even at this distance the tension of the mounting summoning was palatable.

I was about to ask more when my other nieces returned. There was the scent of blood on one of Nabiki's knives. And the young woman seemed a big embarrassed.

Ranma nodded at that but took two more sets of notes from the four girls.

"We got away clean," Akane insisted.

"But they'll note two sentries are missing before long." Nabiki frowned.

After Ranma hugged Nabiki, Nariko pointed to the other girls and started setting up a perimeter.

"Clock's ticking anyway," Ukyou said.

"And we spotted mantis girl and some wannabe succubus," Misako noted as she tapped her grenade launcher.

So... Tessa and Rosanna. That was at least two Denarians. I exhaled. This was it. Sure there could be another summoning site, but Tessa was too prideful to use her own presence as part of a misdirection. Besides, she wanted to be present for the summoning, to take control of the big creepy crawly.

"The guys in robes at our pond were finishing up and there were more wolves being moved to the south," the blonde explained pointing to a spot on her map before going off with Nariko.

"Right, it looked like our group was nearing unloading their supplies too," Pulling back her sleeve, Ranma glanced at her wrist. "We're running low on time as it is," she said before going back to compiling the four maps she had received.

I frowned. That wasn't the beefy grey and black mechanical watch she had taken to wearing around me. It was white, and looked... delicate. It was also the thing Lady Jupiter had given her earlier.

"They're bunched up and rushed, the wolves should have distributed their defenses first," Misako shook her head, and then joined her sisters in the perimeter.

"I'm pretty sure Tessa cares more about the ritual going off than security," I said.

"Her loss," Ranma murmured. "Circle time, Sis," she absently said.

Sighing, I used my staff to cut a circle in the loamy dirt. Then with a bit of blood and will I energized the circle. I also inhaled and gave a few calming exercises to keep my power from flaring

Satisfied that my tech-bane was contained, my sister pulled out a radio. It was a bit chunky and nowhere as sleek as the headset she normally wore. She clicked it on and frowned.

The redhead grumbled and motioned to Ukyou. The blonde tried her radio. Then Nariko. After that it didn't take long to confirm that all their radios weren't working. Even Butters wasn't able to contact anyone outside.

Ranma's tail drooped slightly. "Well, Plan B then."

I eyed the various smoke grenades and flares and other bits the brood carried. They could mark the targets the old fashioned way. But then Tessa and the Wolves would know they had incoming.

"That's Plan C." My sister smirked. She then pulled back her sleeve, once more revealing that watch. "This is Plan B."

I stared at the blinking digital face on the watch. The familiarity clicked. "One of the magical girls gave you that."

She nodded and pushed a button on the side, and it flipped open.

What I had first taken for flimsy white plastic, was actually a ceramic material that looked more solid. Looking more closely, or as well as I could in the dark gloom, the gold accents were of a higher quality; it wasn't some cheap toy.

The orange gem and Jupiter symbol on the center of the inner face were also a clue.

And then Ranma spoke into the watch. "This is Pathfinder Red, over."

"Really, with the codenames?" Lady Mars' voice came out of the watch. It was tinny and hard to hear, but it was there.

Oh, it was a communicator watch, like something out of Dick Tracey or Johnny Quest, but it was one that Serenity and her girls used, so it was magic.

Ranma gave me a triumphant smirk as she talked into the watch. "It's more of a nickname. Anyway, this is the site. We've even spotted the big bug. Repeat, this is the site. Ready for target intel?"

There was a brief pause. "Okay, I'm ready," Mars replied.

I waited in my circle as Ranma started reciting coordinates with clear, deliberate enunciation. After a couple entries she would pause and have Mars recite them back. All this power... all these resources and they were talking using a girly, sparkly trinket. And then it hit me. My sister was more than a demon; she was also a magical girl!

"Magical communicators aren't blocked?" Butters asked.

I shrugged. "It's Pattern Silver tech, or Lunarian magic if you prefer."

"And the tech-bane only affects non-magical stuff?"

I gave another non-committal gesture. "Maybe."

"But the chance of it working was worth carrying a watch," Butters agreed.

"Knowing my sister, she'd got one of her girls wearing a spare." I snorted. "Two is one, one is none," I said in a sing-song voice that got me a flash of irritation from Ranma.

Okay, maybe chatting during an infiltration of an enemy ritual while your sister was trying to give targeting data wasn't the best of ideas.

She eyed me. "Make with the magic, Miss Wizard. We might have enough time to do some earth magic to get some type of trenches dug."

"Tessa might sense that," I offered. Also if I stepped out of the circle I might knock out their communications link, Lunarian magic or not.

"Try to do it quiet-like then." Purple eyes bored into me. "I'll take the risk of us being somewhere a bit more protected from shrapnel over tipping her off a few minutes ahead of time."

Nodding, I broke the circle. I really hoped that the Canadians had put their best, most experienced gunners on this. I mean, people who knew how to do more than just put in GPS coordinates and pull the string, or however they triggered those big guns.

I stepped a bit away from my sister who was finishing up giving coordinates.

Crouching down, I held my staff horizontal. "Geodas," I whispered as I pushed downward with my will forcing earth to part directly below my staff. I then shuffled to the side drawing out a shallow trench.

Distantly, I head Lady Mars's voice return with a final check. Of course there was more to it than these two. I remembered Lieutenant Tendo. No wonder she was liaising with the Pattern Silvers. I bet her radios worked. And using those, she could contact the Canadians, who would then call the artillery teams.

Who would then... lob shells packed with high explosives right at us. My tail drooped a bit with the realization, and I put a bit more power into my spell. I really hoped my babbling didn't cause Ranma to transpose a digit or something.

And that wasn't just for my own hide. Hells Bells, there's residential buildings all around us and a flippin' hospital due north. At least it was night so the school just south of here should be empty.

Still, I was struck by the sudden desire to know how far away those guns were and how accurate they were at that range. I vaguely remembered something about how artillery had to fire a couple shots to get the range dialed in before they could really have accurate fire. But I wasn't sure if I was remembering right.

I could just imagine Eve shaking her head and telling me that's what I got for reading comic books growing up instead of military history books, war memoirs, and manuals for military material. Hells Bells, she'd probably lecture me about the trench I was making.

I mean I didn't know how deep to make it, or wide. It had to be big enough to fit all of us... and spread out seemed to be better. Right? And my apprehension grew as Ranma and Mars synchronized their watches.

I could have made a joke about all the old war movies that had that corny bit, but given I was in the middle of an example of why having precise timing could be a matter of life and death...

"Okay," my sister exhaled after Mars gave her a time. "Thanks Rei."

"Someone on this end had to answer the communicator. And you've got Makoto's and Mina's."

"Not just that, but thanks anyway." Ranma laughed. Her expression sobered. "Be seeing you."

"And you," Mars quietly returned.

By now I had stepped into the trench and had moved my staff vertical as I ran it along the walls shoring them up and widening the slit in the earth. My fangs tingled as I tried to keep the force confined to a narrow area. It was getting exhausting. I dunno… maybe a lot of little slits would be better than one big trench.

My sister flipped the communicator closed. "Right, you heard the Lady, we don't have much time."

"Uh…" I stated, still grappling with the idea that I'd be in the middle of an artillery strike. It sounded like a better idea back in the hangar. For one, the forest we were in seemed a lot bigger up on the big map than it did when you were actually inside it. And I kind of wished I'd made my trenches a bit deeper.

Ranma hopped down into the cavity. It came up to her chest and was wide enough to turn around it. "Not bad..." she nodded.

She flexed her hands and crouched down. I felt a throb of concentrated power and the crumbling dirt wall in front of her stated to solidify and shift. "Keep it up, Sis," she hissed.

I put more power into the spell and watched as the trenchline slowly grew and squared off into something more solid. The edges were lined with almost parapet-like crenellations and the ends of the trench expanded with their own little perpendicular sections, kind of like a stubby letter I.

Ranma exhaled, and I noticed her hands had extended into claws and her hooves had dug into the packed dirt of the trench-slit's floor. Stones had pulled up to edge the tops and corners of the miniature fortification.

"And you told me to be low-key," I grumbled.

"Hey, Sailor Earth here." She glanced at her watch and hissed before signaling her girls to come into the trench with her.

Grumbling, I turned and saw Butters had climbed down. He adjusted his glasses as he peered about, mostly using his hands to feel the sides of the trench. His eyes had adapted to night vision, but he was still human.

I could tell his mind was taking in the implications of my sister having us expend the time and effort on such a structure. "I guess it's better to be in this than out of this."

"Unless there's a direct hit on us," Misako happily said as she squeezed past to take up position at one of the perpendicular edges of the trench. "That's something even Mom couldn't walk away from."

Well, that was a cheerful thought.

Butters simply swallowed, steeling himself.

"No matter how this goes, there's gonna be a lot of death," I whispered to him as my nieces busied themselves. Which I supposed was better than waiting down however much time we had left in introspection.

"We're not even offering a surrender," he murmured.

"You okay with that?"

Butters stared out towards the central ritual site. "Not really, but... I was at Lomar; I helped in the aftermath. I can understand why the Canadians are doing this." He sighed. "They'd be bombing this place regardless. At least this way we can make sure their shooting's more accurate, that Tessa hadn't roped any civilians into this..."

I nodded. We both knew Tessa hadn't picked a place of power next to a hospital because she wanted to have prompt medical care available to her minions.

We settled into an awkward wait. My eyes scanned the forest. My ears twitched with every sound, expecting Tessa's insectile shriek to pierce the night. Or a blast of hellfire to slam into the trench. Even a pack ravenous of loping wolves would have broken the tension.

Then I felt a bust of... excitement from my sister as she mouthed the word "Now" and flicked her arm. It was so quiet I could barely hear it. Butters hadn't heard it.

Acting on instinct, I yanked him down to the bottom of the trench. And empowered my shield. With a focus of will I pushed it so that it covered the whole trench. I had withstood some pretty nasty stuff before, including explosions, but I wasn't sure about a direct artillery hit, still, it was better than not having it up.

A quartet of booming explosions overlapped with slight delays. It sounded like they were coming from all around us. The earth shook and my teeth rattled. Lights washed over us and the trees shook.

There was a bare, bare instant of what might have been silence. At least the pounding on my ears had dialed down to a mere whining ringing.

The sky opened up.

These explosions were no longer distinct; direction was impossible to discern. Flashes, debris, blowing, tearing trees, skull-pounding noise. It felt like we were inside a storm-cloud in the middle of a thunderstorm.

***************


I suppose one upside of the massive headache the barrage gave me was it made it emphatically clear that we hadn't all been killed by a shell landing short, or long. Also keeping up a shield of that size was taxing even to me.

The forest... well, it wasn't gone, but so many of the trees had been stripped out. their branches and bark that they looked more like stretched, flayed corpses than anything else.

A piercing skull-splitting noise cut across the eerie calm that had followed the barrage. Ah, there was Tessa's insectile rage-filled scream. That was then followed by mournful howls all around us. The pitiful cries turned wrathful but were underscored by secondary explosions to the North.

Well... guess the artillery hit their anti-aircraft equipment. As I clambered out of the trench, I heard a distant droning that got steadily louder. Then a wave of necrotic energy screamed past me and, horns tingling, I stumbled to the dirt. Horns throbbing, I rolled over and saw my nieces were shaken and even Ranma had paused to blink.

Only Butters seemed unfazed. "The necro-fence," I gasped.

"Old man you musta taken it down," Ranma said as she helped me up. "Come on, there's not much time," she slapped me on the back.

Spreading in a line, we ran forward. I was sure my nieces had some sort of formation to where they were. Though I hung back to keep next to Buttes, who was also being escorted by Nariko.

Still, the little guy was making good time. But I supposed you couldn't become a Knight if you weren't determined. I could feel his resolve. That was reassuring, especially given the whole "running towards the Denarian ritual".

Sure, I was doing it but... I'm.... me. I glanced down at my body-hugging ice-blue armor and spell-reinforced duster. Well, close enough. Still this was....

Okay Butters had jumped through a portal not knowing where it would go. And if he hadn't arrived at Lomar...

Another explosion caused my head to shake. For a terrifying moment, I was worried that the Canadians had decided to resume the artillery barrage. Fortunately, it was just an ammunition truck the wolves had blowing up.

Helicopters shot over head, some seemed low enough that I thought tree branches would start coming down. A few seemed to slow as they passed over various locations and bright green beams of tracers spiked down.

Other helicopters hovered to allow troops to rappel down, some simply slowed and disgorged demons that popped out in quick descending arcs. A couple of the birds ducked down below the tree lines in what I hoped were deliberate landings.

The cacophony grew louder when we neared the edge of the tree-line. As the woods thinned out I was able to see the hospital to the northwest.

And now Butters slowed. Fire reflected off of his glasses. To the northwest the Institute was aflame with flashes of gunfire popping up around the hospital grounds. A chorus of howls answered the gunfire and I could just make out a helicopter bobbing down and opening fire as some sort of slab-sided armored vehicle skittered through the hospital's parking lot.

"I guess we underestimated the size of the Brotherhood of the Wolf," I noted.

Butters flashed me an irritated glance.

"You wanna go there and help? I understand," I hissed, looking a bit closer to home. Angry red light and sickly green energy suffused the buildings and other... things that made up the central ritual area.

A dark pressure washed over us and a queasy feeling grew in my gut. Tessa's hateful screech rose up again. It may have been wishful thinking on my part, but I detected a hint of trepidation and... triumph on her part. Stupid Denarians.

"I want to, yes," Butters hand clenched the hilt of his Sword. "But I have to get to her first... I mean that's where you're going."

And then the grove thinned enough for us to see the sloping ground below us. In the back stood Tessa's twitching mantis form. Rosanna had been conversing with her and my sense of... aesthetic found something almost offensive about one of the Fallen taking on a succubus-like shape. I could see more shadowy Denarians working feverously as the imposter succubus ran off to some other task at Tessa's behest.

However, my attention was on the crowd of wolves that had been coalescing. A panicked, if hulking, rabble was being organized by a truly giant black-furred wolf-man with flashing gold eyes and a heavy book hanging from his thick neck on a chain.

"Nariko, if you can, raise the Silvers start calling in targets of opportunity," Ranma ordered as she summoned a pair of obsidian orbs in her hands. "Ukyou, help spot with flare grenades."

The platinum haired succubus looked a bit skeptical but nodded. However her grenadier partner was eager.

"Misa!" Ranma pointed to the giant wolf with the book hanging over his neck at the head of the now charging wolves. "See that guy! Fuck him and everyone near him." And then she launched a sphere of purple-wreathed black fire.

Grinning, Misako leaned into her stance and depressed the trigger to her grenade launcher. There was a hammering, thudding noise as she emptied a belt of 40mm grenades.

Bodies tumbled down as green-tinged explosions swept aside the wolves before us. Somehow their hulking leader managed to survive the onslaught, but I was a bit distracted as I had been swept up with my sister in our counter-charge; I hardly had time to cast the spell I had been readying. Two of Ranma's daughters held the left flank while two took the right and Nariko was in back with Butters.

A pair of black orbs slammed into Tessa almost knocking the mantis girl's legs out from under her. Legs smoking, she nimbly regained her footing.

Tessa's eyes locked on Ranma "You. Interfering. Traitorous. Spawn!" she screamed in incandescent rage that caused the wolves near her to yelp in pain.

Tessa bent her fingers and beam of Hellfire burst forth. The livid, angry energy was almost as bright as an artillery shell. My sister dodged but it still hit her straight in the chest. I expected armor to char, for her flesh to boil, at least for her own flaming aura to react.

Instead there was a heavenly chime and the Hellfire burned off in a flare of golden light. And the Denarian was flat footed. Gaping, she all but ignored me. "How in the Adversary's meddling name did you do that?" she snarled.

By now Ranma, her armor still smoking, had slipped in and wrenched Tessa's extended arm and snapped her elbow joint the wrong way.

"Fuck you, that's how." Ranma answered as she slipped a leg around the tiny Denarian and threw her onto the ground.

Hellfire wreathing her like an incandescent aura, Tessa screamed. I would have made a comment about how Tessa used to complain that Ranma didn't talk the last time they fought but... It wasn't really my place to say that. Either way, Tessa launched herself up to try and gut my sister.

But that's when my Veil dropped, and the end of six feet of Ozarks oak smashed Mantis-girl's skull. It wasn't a clean hit, but in my defense: she was a fast little thing.

Now as Veils go. I'm... okay. Teaching Molly how to refine her own innate talent with Veils resulted in me learning a lot on how to be better with my own. Still, I was nowhere near good enough to escape the notice of someone with over a thousand years of experience, and a Fallen Angel providing backup. Well... unless said someone had been enraged to an irrational tunnel-vision.

"Hey Mantis-girl!" I cheerfully said as I pressed the end of my staff into the small of her back crushing her to the ground "Remember me?"

She tried to squirm out but managed to turn and face me. There was a spark of recognition in her eyes. Hells Bells, Tessa was strong. Even without any leverage she almost escaped.

"Here's a hint: Forzare!" I cried as a wall of force shot out from the staff. Chitinous armor cracked and blood spurted out as I tried to crush her like a bug.

Then I noticed the worried expressions on both Butters and my sister's faces. Though in fairness the redhead was also trying to dismember Tessa with those eyebeams of hers.

And then the Denarian exploded.

Wings flailing, I was knocked backwards in a tumble. Somehow I had lost my staff. Blearily, I glanced over and oh... Ranma must have protected Butters from the blast. Or maybe it was the other way around.

The Denarian rose from the crater in a jerky motion as she ripped my staff out of her back. The wood groaned in her talons as she studied the carvings. My sister came in for another attack, but this time Tessa raised a shield with her other hand. And then the giant wolfman, Vuko I think his name was, lunged at her.

"Lartessa, the summoning, we have to-" Rosanna started, her scarlet skin splattered with blood and ichor. She then spotted Butters. Though to her eyes he wasn't a middle aged medical examiner polka player.

No... she saw a Knight of the Cross with a Lightsaber. With a Sith demoness standing next to him. Nariko smiled thinly as she lifted her katana.

Studying all this mantis-girl turned to me. "Dresden..." The armor around her head began to split, revealing her disturbingly youthful heart-shaped face. "Lasciel had you for years... to no avail; they have you for a fortnight and you sign your soul over. The Webweaver is slipping."

"Maybe you just suck at the whole Faustian bargain thing," I smirked stomping closer. Ice started growing out from where my hooves hit the dirt. I flexed my arm and the icy gauntlets began to expand and grow runes similar to those on my blasting rod.

She snarled.

"You also suck at the revenge thing. Normally I'd sit back and cheer someone trying to take out old Nickel-head. Maybe give a few pointers, but you have to royally screw up to get me involved."

"You gave up your humanity to stop me," she laughed. Her lips pulled back into a crooked grin. "I win."

I made a show of glancing around at the helicopters and gunfire. It seemed that things were getting more under control at the hospital. At the very least the explosions to the north had died down.

Though most of the combat was a bit further away where Rosanna, still leading Butters and Nariko on a merry chase, seemed to be trying to rally the remaining Denarians and Wolves. Vuko and his cadre were busy trying to fend off Ranma. At least Vuko was large enough to shake off having massive chunks of flesh ripped out.

"Really? This isn't the part where you say 'You'll never stop me', or 'You and what army?' Because... " my tail flicked up towards the sky.

Her giggle returned. "Stop me? I already did it."

Oh. Empty Night.

"Wizard, all your plans," Tessa grinned flashing white teeth.

"All your interference," she continued, glancing at the soldiers and demons fringing the wolves. Sniper and mortar fire had started to tell and her fellow Fallen were retreating, but Tessa's reaction was a dismissive shrug.

"All your sacrifice," The Denarian contemptuously looked me over. "All for naught."

"Just kill her!" Ranma swore as she dodged a blow from a giant, smoldering wolfman. Even from this far away the smell of burnt fur filled my nose. Vuko might be the size of a mini-van but he was almost as fast as my sister.

To my left one of the ponds suddenly stilled. Explosions, flares, and cold stars were reflected by the smooth-as glass surface. There was a snapping tearing noise as the edge between the depths of the sky and the water below began to crack.

I don't mean the water had frozen and cracked. It wasn't even the air above the water was shearing apart. No, the idea of reflection, the concept of a mirrored image broke down.

And something came... through.

I'll give the Canadians and the mercenaries credit; they didn't even pause to count tentacles. The second something started sloughing though the crackling, expanding portal they opened fire.

"They rise!" Tessa cried, a mad edge to her voice. A magic shield also flared to life around her.

Heavy Gatling guns laden with tracer figure gouged into a burbling rubbery hide that shimmered like some alien sky. Whirls and motes of lights twisted on the creature's skin as if it still reflecting the starlight of its native dimension. Seemingly ignoring the weapons fire, sinewy arms that ended in hooked tentacles tore into the dirt as it pulled forward, out of the portal.

As it dug in, the loamy ground seemed to grey and the thing's hide became more... vibrant. Or at least the colors became more pronounced. Hues that had no place on a sane palette scratched into my eyes. I was reminded of the livid angry colors of a poison arrow frog crossed with the flickering changing colors of a cuttlefish.

Hells Bells, the gigantic lumpy thing almost looked like a cross between a frog and a squid, though it was... more... I may have giggled as I was struck by the familiarity of the colors. Sure, none of the shades were like those on the cultist Mal de Veste's hideous suit, but "paisley plaid" was close enough.

I then heard another keening noise and glancing to the east saw a second squid-frog lumbering forward. This time a barrage of rockets blew into its skin. Plaid chucks bounced away in a spray of orange goo.

A squashed head-like appendage peeled back like some sort of cephalopod-flower nightmare and a pure beam of paisley flickering antic energy shot a helicopter out of the sky. Its partner joined in clipping another aircraft.

Well... at least we kept Tessa from summoning something out of all three pools.

I watched as the helicopter spun and tumbled landing in what I hoped was an empty field, and not, say, a residential neighborhood. The light to Tessa's shield flickered a bit... and I realized it was down to just the two of us.

So... even wolf-men, Vuko, my sister, and the other Denarians were smart enough to pull back in the light of this insanity.

Something almost like... worry colored Tessa's petite face. I wasn't sure what she had expected to summon but giant plaid squid-frogs wasn't it.

"You save your box tops, you send in the money, you wait six to eight weeks for shipping, but the toy's never as cool as they made it sound in on the back of the box," I glibly said, without... okay maybe my voice did crack a bit.

"You! You did this," Tessa hissed as she worked her hands creating a complex spell. I recognized many of the symbols forming around her from my readings. She was trying to bind the creatures.

"You got me, this is all my fault," I added with a strained laugh. The sounds of combat had gotten quieter.

Of course part of my attention was far away, back at the airfield where we had staged before this little mess. The Canadians had jets there; jets that on reflection were carrying bombs. And if those planes weren't already in the air they'd be screaming down the runway.

How much time did I have before the government decided to cut their losses?

As I bent down and used my tail to try and flip something up into my hand, I glanced over and saw Butters and Nariko exchanging sword blows with Rosanna's glowing whip. The trio moved around a bit of rubble that had once been some type of outbuilding. The scarlet demon girl was impressive, being able to hold off against both a Jedi and a Sith. It helped that her little hooves were especially nimble. Though I suppose Butters was holding back.

"Rosanna you don't have to do this!" Butters cried. "Look at all Tessa has wrought in her mad quest for revenge. How many of her kin, your kin have been destroyed, and look at that!" The knight demanded pointing his glowing Sword at one of the giant frog-squids. "Stand down... please."

The Denarian paused, a sad look crossing her face. "It's too late!"

Nariko's sword flicked and blocked the whip. Lightning crackled and fought against the Denarian's power.

"It's never too late, at least let us fix this, how long have you known Tessa? Is this how she normally acts?" Butters pleaded.

Rosanna looked sad. And I couldn't help but snort. From what I'd seen Tessa was always a bundle of rage-fueled crazy and Rosanna knew it.

"Please." Butters leveled his lightsaber. "Don't take my compassion for weakness," he said stepping around as Nariko watched his flank.

Red eyed widened and the succubus flipped her sword and used the flat to push the Holy knight aside. There was an explosion as Rosanna's torso ripped apart and she flopped down in a bloody heap before she tried to scramble back up.

More gunfire hit against Tessa's shield, some of the heavier rounds actually piercing the energy barrier.

"You're being oddly silent. No pithy comments?" Tessa leered as the continued to cast her spell; I felt waves of compulsion shoot out and try to harness the giant creatures.

Both squid-frogs yowled as their plaid skins rippled and seemed to suck more of the life, the color, out of the world. Though that could have been less to do with Tessa's efforts and that despite pulling back the Canadians, the mercenaries, and the demons were starting to concentrate their fire on them.

One group that was still a bit close was a squad of mercs following... Well, there's a familiar flash of orange and black. I saw a tall broad-shouldered man in black armor draw a long sword and start hacking at some of the hulking wolves.

The blade shone with a silver gleam that was almost like a Warden's blade, but not identical. I mean a hired assassin using the same weapon as a Warden of the White Council would be wrong.

In his other hand the masked man held that shiny handmade revolver. He thumbed back the hammer, took precise aim, there was a cracking boom, and in a burst of antic blue light a willowy avian Denarian that had been rallying the wolves fell in a tangle of leaves, limbs and black, pumping ichor.

Next to... well... Old Man Harry was the lithe armored form of his daughter. She took a pointed stance with a shimmering shield in front of her and a shouldered battle rifle. Her iron wand was clipped to the front of the gun like a thin bayonet. Said wand was projecting the shield. Working in concert with her father, she took off any targets that the sword-slinging wizard missed, when she wasn't directing the occasional pot-shot my way.

The remaining company mercs had taken support positions and were methodically clearing forward with them on point. Which I supposed was how they had trained with my sister and her daughters.

The older Dresden caught my gaze and for an instant I looked at him eye to, well, eye. It was kinda creepy how half of his mask was just blank.

I gave him a mad grin and gestured.

Tessa was right about one thing, I had been oddly silent. For one... she had missed that I'd retrieved my staff. But with my alternate self here....

The version of me that liked dressing up as a super villain grinned. He aimed his revolver and.... okay, my sisters are right. I should really spend more time at the range. I'd like to say I'm a... fair shot.

But let's be honest.... I don't practice nearly enough. Too busy doing other things, being a detective, being a wizard, being dead, working for my Queen.

Old Man Harry? Apparently, he doesn't have that problem. Apparently, he made the time. The damn showboat practically fanned his revolver, at twenty yards, one-handed. Sure, the first hit caught Tessa unaware, but she then started dodging and weaving. Enchanted bullets hit her shield and shattered the energy barrier, shorting it out,

Oh.... and the damn fancy cappuccino-drinking man learned how to reload.... while carrying a sword in his off-hand. Growling, I readied my staff and readied my own spell.

"Glacivallare!" I cried as I slammed the end of the staff into the ground. Runes flared and a wedge of stone about ten feet long, half a foot wide, and twenty feet tall shot up under Tessa's feet.

There was a snapping noise as the edge of the wall caught the Denarian's leg and her ankle bent in the wrong way. She fell on the side of the wall closest to me and for a moment was on the ground.

Lips pulled back, I launched myself at the distracted Denarian. My claws sunk into her armor, but she fought like the rabid little wolverine she was.

She kicked, clawed, and burned. But thankfully my coat and my armor managed to help me. Though water was pouring off of me in dozens of little, and not so little gashes, I managed to get my tail around her torso and started using the bladed fins to pry apart the exoskeleton on her back, while also palm striking her nose and casting ignus straight in her face.

Okay, first off it was her fault for not snapping her mantis armor over her face again. But... maybe blasting a miniature sun in her eyes wasn't the brightest of moves.

She screamed louder than whole pile of demo charges going off in a cave. It was louder than the bellow of one of the Forest People playing host to a Denarian. Her cry of pain was almost as bad as the unshielded mental blasts my spooky Island Deamonreach gave when it tried to communicate.

Though with Alfred I didn't bleed from the ears. But... that might have been due to her managing to blast me off of her in a pretty impressive arc. I'd like to say that I used my fae and succubus agility to nail my landing, but honestly I was lucky to hit the ground.

Pulsing, angry crimson energy emanated from Tessa in flickering waves. It helped cover up the sheeting blood that poured down her face. She lifted her head up and two glowing angelic eyes stared at me. Oh... so I had Imariel's attention. Wonderful.

My attention turned to Old Man Harry and his Maggie, and Butters and Nariko. Both groups were closing in.

"There they are!" I cried.

Though I could feel the trepidation on Butter's part. The knight's attention was split between the burning hospital, the bleeding Denarian, and oh yes, the pair of giant, and plaid, eldritch horrors. "Yeah... hard to miss," he said not playing along.

"There who are?" Old Man Harry asked, willing to spare a moment.

"There! Evil Pure and Simple by way of the Eight Dimension!" I cried theatrically pointing to the building-sized monsters.

Sparing me an annoyed glance at my classic reference, Butters looked back at the frog-squids. One which was being hit by some heavy rifle fire, grenade fire and a whole slew of magical attacks. The other was being pounded by helicopters.

Nariko was at his side.

He licked his lips. "Uh... maybe... thanks for the help Nariko but... I can handle it from here."

Nariko simply pointed with her sword. Her mother, her sisters were still fighting.

"Maybe they should pull back, I mean... we're hardly slowing them down."

I fired waves of magical fire out of my gauntleted hand. I then I switched to force and will, all to try to knock Tessa back down and saw a familiar mad-gleam on my niece's face. It was one I had seen on my sister.

Nariko hit the Pattern Silver Communicator on her wrist. "Beachhead. Priority! Grid N4 832 210. Grid N4 832 211. Immediate suppression!"

Old Dresden stopped and, despite his mask, I could have sworn I saw the color drain from his face. Though the feelings emanating from him were blatant and clear

They were close enough that I could just hear a hesitance on the voice on the other end, maybe a reluctance, maybe a desire to help.

"Uh-" Butters tried to say before Nariko knocked him over. She shot a bolt of lightning from her sword straight into the air. "Danger Close!" the demon screamed cutting across the battlefield.

She then said a quick prayer to Amaterasu and put her body over his.

My other self had also taken to ground with his daughter, both their shields flaring as they pumped in extra power existence. Everyone else seemed to be taking cover, but I wanted another shot to get Tessa from closing in.

The good news is that I impaled her right in the chest with an icicle as thick as my wrist. There was a crunch as it broke through chitin, blood sprayed out, and she fell.

The bad news: that's when the artillery hit. Again.

***************


Standing was a mistake.

I was blown over when the sky exploded. Tessa on the other hand, well someone was nice enough to force her to her knees when the air filled with high explosives.

Thus, I woke up to being viciously kicked in the side. I suppose I should count myself lucky that I had woken up. But... given my stomach was being cut apart by Tessa's taloned feet, I wasn't feeling so lucky.

My mouth tasted of ashes and blood. Unfortunately, it was my own blood. I coughed and it came out in a dark blue spray.

The Denarian's anger radiated out in steady waves. One of the first things you learn as a Practitioner is that emotions are powerful. However, they have to be shaped by will and control.

So while Tessa really, really believed in the righteousness of beating me to death she, at the moment, lacked the control to leverage it. I suppose mantis-girl wasn't used to things not going her way. Though, it doesn't help that the last time she was pissed off was when her daughter got murdered. Which... was the whole reason we were both in this world.

Then again Tessa did seem to be content with disemboweling me on the installment plan.

Still, she should have just killed me. Then again, mantis-girl liked to play with her enemies, make them suffer. Meanwhile I had plenty of experience at suffering. Laughter burbled past my lips, along with a bit of blood.

Tessa paused for a moment and her insectile-armored heat tilted.

"My sister's beat me worse than this," I laughed as I raised an arm. "Forzare!"

The Denarian dodged but the wave of force still clipped her torso and sent her flying over the lip of a berm.

Gasping, I pulled up. A oily, fishy but almost minty smell filled my nose and I gagged. This time the blood that came out wasn't so dark. That was good… right? At least the gashes on my torso were starting to freeze over as layers of armor regrew.

My hooves dug into the sides of the crater I must have been blown into. I could now see...

Ah, the summoned monsters had retreated from the barrage. Not back to wherever they came from, but each squatted in one of the ravaged ponds, making them look even more like a nightmarish combination of amphibian and cephalopod.

Both had been damaged with tears and gouges in their rubbery, plaid hides. The one to the North looked like it had lost a hooked tentacle arm. However, much of their spongy, reeking matter was still present. Though orange fluids were leaking out.

And even squatting in water the pair lorded over the blasted terrain. The ponds had been diminished and water had been splashed everywhere. They deflated and expanded a bit, looking even more toad-like.

It was like if a Macys Thanksgiving Day parade float could be made out of nightmares and bad mojo. With each croaking pulse the grounds around the squid-frogs greyed out a bit more and looked almost crumbly.

By some miracle, the hospital was still standing. So, good targeting on the Canadians' part. It wasn't even on fire anymore. However, the grouping of buildings in between the ponds had been blown to kindling.

As I ran up the lip of the crater I looked for my staff. I seriously considered getting a strap or something. My head cleared a bit, amazing what not having your face pummeled will do, and my horns tingled with familiar sensations.

Good. I could feel that my family had survived, and as I jumped over the crater lip with a scream of "Parkour". I also spotted Butters and Old Man Harry moving about. My pleasure at seeing them alive was diminished by the hunger flaring in my chest as I flapped my wings.

Tessa had done a fair bit of damage and it was only fair that I pay her back. My claws flicked out, and I landed a bit clumsily. Still one of my hooves managed to catch Tessa's right leg just above the knee and I fell upon the little Fallen angel host.

I could hear my sister's admonishing tone as I clawed and grappled with Tessa. There was no finesse no skill. Our talons were out and what proceeded was a dirty and messy fight with a lot of biting and clawing. Blood and ichor flew as ice armor and exoskeleton ripped apart.

Honestly, I felt like I was buying time, keeping Tessa occupied. Well... part of me felt that way. The Winter sidhe succubus part was focused on taking down an enemy and feeding when she could.

Every moment Tessa was trying to beat me in a bout of rage-fueled anger was a moment when she wasn't trying to gain control of the blimp-sized monsters she had summoned.

I slashed open her forearm and then burned out her shoulder, but that came at the cost of a shattered knee. Still, I was hanging on. But... I growled in frustration no matter what I did Mantis-girl could heal it.

And as for the frog-squids they took a barrage that wiped out a super wolf army and just needed a little sit down before they started bounding across the countryside. I'm sure if I wasn't busy head-butting a Denarian I'd come up with some scheme to banish the summoned.

But... at the moment I felt like all I could do was keep Tessa' attention, let my friends and family evacuate, and wait for those bomber jets. Hopefully that'd be enough. And hopefully, I'd have enough power to call up a shield.

As I kneed Tessa in the neck, she slipped in the mud and I fell on her. "Geodas!" I screamed.

A hole was punched into the mucky ground just behind the Denarian. Dodging a blast of Hellfire that lit up my hair I laughed once more. There was an idea, when the bombers come I should just make a hole and pull myself in after it.

Tessa charged and I angled my arm; the runes and prongs over my gauntlet had grown back. "Pyrofuego!" I cried as blue fire lit up the murky gloom. Flames caught Tessa in the chest and pushed the Denarian back until she nimbly rolled just short of being pushed into the hole I'd made.

Still bemused by my "bury yourself" idea, I pulled myself back up and flicked mud off of my wings and tail. It wouldn't be the first time I'd taken refuge in what could very well be my grave.

Then my horns flared in pain as I felt sky breaking once more. I glanced over and saw that the squid-frogs were agitated. Well, maybe that was because a pair of armored vehicles were lobbing missiles at them from the hospital parking lot. The vehicles rapidly reversed as the frogs turned and antic, but paisley, beams shot from one of them. It was like being attacked by Disco. The creature's fire missed as a group of helicopters used that chance to harass them from a different angle.

However, my attention was on the incipit teleportation that was now making my stomach heave. Then mantis-girl so helpfully blasted at me with a broad gout of Hellfire. For a moment Tessa's malevolent glee was matched by my own dread as I reinforced my shield. Despite the magical protection, I still felt like I was melting and roasting.

Then the air to my left ripped apart and we realized that this portal was silver-tinged. The waves of Hellfire stopped as Tessa watched five figures coalesced out of silver light.

Four young women in articulated metal armor with shiny little skirts appeared. Accented with colorful bows, ribbons, and golden tiaras, the quartet went to their knees two flanking either side of a tall woman in silver armor and pale blue eyes.

Despite myself, I swallowed. I hardly noticed as my ice armor shed its outer layer and then grew thicker in an attempt to remove any mud and freshen my look. My hair fluttered as it straightened and a bit of the muck fell away. I felt a heavy power of... something.

Something old. Layers of powerful and intricate enchantments. I was reminded of the complicated, temporally-interlocking wards that made up my scary island. And given that said island was a supernatural supermax prison, the comparison left me feeling... disturbed. The entity before me was a person, yes, but she was also a magical construct of vast complexity.

Even the two squid creatures seem to pause, tilting their tentacle fronts towards the woman in silver.

Tessa tilted her head as she studied the tall woman in the armored gown. "I've seen you before... what in the Adversary's meddlesome name are you?"

Pale lips quirked into a smile as Queen Serenity leveled her scepter. "Polonius Lartessa. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

End Chapter 14



I'd like to thank the prereaders for their help in this project: J St C Patrick, DCG, Kevin Hammel, and Ellf.

And... here we go. Two chapters left.

In the Return Revision project: I'm almost done with the last chapter of what's going to be the first book. So expect to see the posts of The Return: "Brooding Responsibility" in a couple weeks at the most.

 

[Dues_machine]

Great update. But I would like to see an interlude form others perspective, like some newspapers, a tv show or something to show the state of the world and how people are going on with their lives.

 

[steamrick]

That's quite the battle. I guess when regenerators are slugging it out, things'll take a while.

 

[Coffeexy]

In the Return Revision project: I'm almost done with the last chapter of what's going to be the first book. So expect to see the posts of The Return: "Brooding Responsibility" in a couple weeks at the most.

Click to shrink...

In the NSFW section by any chance?

I've actually been doing a re-read of The Return recently, I'm up to chapter 11. Should I put that on hold for the revision?

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Great update. But I would like to see an interlude form others perspective, like some newspapers, a tv show or something to show the state of the world and how people are going on with their lives.

Click to shrink...

Thanks.
After Blood Debts the POV will return to.... well the Return's normal 3rd person POV.
And that will give some good opportunities for different perspectives.
(First person POV will be back with some of the Dresden continuation/crossoers I have planned post-Blood Debts. Such as: Family Business, and Our Sister, the Idiot)

That's quite the battle. I guess when regenerators are slugging it out, things'll take a while.

Click to shrink...

Heh. As Harry's stated before, Tessa is a cockroach.
And yah, actually taking her out... well it's not impossible.

But yeah, overall regeneration plus broad magical skill does make someone hard to put down ^^;;

Thanks!

In the NSFW section by any chance?

Click to shrink...

I'm tempted.
But... if someone reads a story in the NSFW section about a dude becoming a succubus, turning a whole mess of girls into succubae, sleeping with them... and there not being any on screen sex...

Well... would they feel cheated?

Heck, Ranma's still a /virgin/ by the end of the first book.

I've actually been doing a re-read of The Return recently, I'm up to chapter 11. Should I put that on hold for the revision?

Click to shrink...

Hmm
Well, the first book is the first 13 chapters.
So you've almost gotten it all.

That said, the biggest fixes/changes/ect were in the earliest chapters. Which were the oldest.

Could give the new ch1 a try when I post it and see if there's enough of a change.

Thanks for commenting everyone!

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Blood Debts Book 5 of The Return
A Ranma, Sailor Moon, Dresden Files fic thingy.
By Sunshine Temple
Naturally, I own neither Sailor Moon nor Ranma nor the Dresden Files. So here's the disclaimer:

Ranma 1/2 and its characters and settings belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC. And the Dresden Files is owned by Jim Butcher.


Previous chapters and other works can be found at my fanfiction website.
http://jtemple.florestica.com/
Temporary Backup Site.
http://www.fukufics.com/fic/
Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku
http://fukufics.com
C&C as always is wanted.
Chapter 15 Just Desserts , Part A



The air around the silver-haired woman hummed with power. Serenity aimed a gold scepter at the Denarian. Tipped with a silver construct that hurt to look at; the Artifact's presence added to the background hum that put my horns on edge.

"Punish me?" Tessa stared at the magical girl, shock giving way to contempt. The insectile Denarian sniffed the air. "No... you're just like those pathetic Knights," she shot Butters a vicious look. "You think I'm possessed by an evil entity, and you're desperate to save me from the host, to give me a chance at redemption."

Serenity's expression tightened as her Senshi got up. Motes of light still flickered off their armored forms, lingering energy discharges from their teleport. The silver-haired woman lowered her arm, scepter moving in a lazy arc as she whispered.

Tessa smirked. "You should have stuck with the demons for backup, wizard. They've at least got the stomach for-"

The scepter shot back up as the humming reached a crescendo. "Silver Crystal Attack!" Serenity shouted as a beam of astounding silver light jetted from the scepter in a horizontal column. The edges of the beam were tinged with a flickering blue, or that might have been a reaction my eyes had to being almost blinded by the flash.

The silver light slammed into Tessa, bowling her down. She gave a screech and her Hellfire-fueled shield sprang into existence; the angry red bubble barely holding under the gouging silver onslaught.

The silver-haired woman calmly stepped forward, her face serene. "I'm not sure how it works for the Knights, but this is how I save someone tainted by evil power." Her teeth flashed in a stern grin as she held the scepter with both hands and, as a golden sigil flashed on her forehead, pushed more power into the spell.

Even standing to the side caused my vision to go spotty. Hells Bells, looking at Serenity's attack for too long pulled and pried at me, almost threatening to open my Third Eye. And I did not want to see this battle with my Wizard's Sight. Worse, my horns had gone numb and a strange hunger flittered about me.

Though I managed to push that aside. The remaining Denarians, led by Rosanna, were trying to rally and rescue their leader. But they were met by my doppelganger, Butters, and the other Senshi.

I glanced down at my arms and smiled. For once Tessa's attention wasn't on me in this fight.

Blinking away a few spots on my vision, I darted further to the side of the two magical Titians. Though I took care to make sure I wasn't hit by the backwash. I really didn't want to see what Serenity's beam would do to me. I was pretty enough, I didn't need magical girl sparkles and shimmering bows.

Runes flashed into existence on my armored arms. Exhaling, I pressed my wrists together. The armor grew as my gauntlets fused onto each other and half a dozen six-inch prongs extruded out. Digging in, I pulled my succubus powers, wizarding magic, and a bit of Soulfire and blended them all together.

I balanced myself with my right foot trailing and put most of my weight on my left "Cannem Flagrantissimum!" I screamed.

Another giant beam speared the dark gloom. This one... well, it had silver in it: specifically the helical waves of Soulfire that bounded the raging blending of demonic and wizard fire.

Tessa turned towards me; the brief moment of incredulous surprise was very satisfying. And then the raging torrent of blue and white flames slammed into the Denarian's crackling red shield.

My hooves dug into the ground as the magical fire from my ''plasma cannon" slammed into the crimson shield and interacted with Serenity's silver beam causing magical energies to froth and splatter about.

A blindingly red explosion lit the night, bathing the surrounding area in flickering lurid colors, and the shield shattered with the sulfurous reek of Hellfire. Demonic fire bowled Tessa over followed by ringing silver light.

Gasping, I cut my attack and winced as my armor receded freeing my arms. As I trotted up, Serenity was already marching towards the X-shaped crater our crisscrossing attacks made.

Hate radiated off of Tessa like the steam hissing out of the loamy ground she was prying herself off of. For the first time, the Denarian looked... tried. But the moment of vulnerability passed, and the small woman in the insectile armor managed to kneel with defiance.

Serenity had stopped at the lip of the crater with Lady Mars to one side of her and Lady Venus to the other. The Moon Queen had unslung a... staff of some kind. Something about the odd shape of the polished wooden length and the inset crystal rod that ran its length struck me as familiar.

"Denarian, Fallen... Lartessa I've got to thank you for this. No uncertainty. No corrupted friends who might be right about my own fall. No robotic assassins without any reason to hurt me other than their professional pride. No feeling of hopeless dread."

Serenity socketed her scepter into the end of the staff. Like a... Hells Bells, it was just like a bayonet on the end of a rifle.

The queen smiled. "No, today I'm facing just a perky little woman possessed by an ancient evil, her lieutenants, legions of minions, and their summoned monsters from another dimension."

The queen's grin turned vicious as she sighted along the crystal barrel. "Finally. Things make sense."

The long crystal rod in the wooden stock flared. Tessa's battered face gave a crooked smile as she stood up, favoring her left foot. "Little Pretend Princess you can't purify the evil out of me. That's against the Rules. They won't let you."

Serenity's expression turned regretful though her eyes remained focused. Still, she pulled in more power and I had to force myself to look away and take stock of the rest of the battle. Butters and Nariko were running over to a group of succubae and Old Man Harry was talking with Ranma and Lady Pluto about something.

When I turned back, Tessa had adjusted her stance. Her armor was torn but mad pride radiated off of her. "Only I can reject Imariel; that's how the game is played. Can you comprehend the centuries I've been free to ravage the world? The Knights I've destroyed? You think you're different? That you can stop me where they've all failed?"

A silver nimbus surrounded Serenity as she simply gave a little sigh. I got the feeling that ranting, power-hungry ancient sorceresses was another thing Serenity found "familiar".

Serenity rocked back as a lance of silver power shot from her scepter and staff. While thinner than before, the beam was still wide enough to engulf Tessa and caused stars to burst in my vision.

Tessa, for her part, launched forward like a racecar shooting into a hailstone. Bits of chitin chipped and blew off as the distance closed.

The two women flanking Serenity opened up. Lady Mars pointed and jets of fire charged out causing Tessa to... okay, the Denarian didn't stumble, but that ankle of hers turned in a way that couldn't possibly have felt good.

After firing a narrow yellow beam with her fingertips, Lady Venus stepped in and drew a giant straight sided sword. It had an almost translucent silvery sheen that reminded me a bit.... well it didn't quite give the same vibe as Amoracchius but it was definitely more than a Warden's blade.

I shouldn't have been surprised that a magical girl had a magical sword. Though, I was surprised when the stiff blonde let Tessa slam onto Serenity. But I suppose I wasn't in any position to critique her.

The tall, silver-haired woman's armor absorbed the blow as she flipped her staff. It was a clumsy move; if she were doing bayonet drill, an instructor would have had her guts for garters. But it did clip Tessa in the arm.

Talons raked against silver armor as the little Denarian managed to knock the larger queen to one knee. Serenity gave a pained cry that cut across the night and made my ears ring. I suppose getting closer to her might have been a bad idea.

"Too much, Princess?" Tessa smirked, but I could tell she was pained too. "At least that demon of yours knows how to take a hit, but I'll educate you," she leered letting part of her facial armor peel back.

Serenity's smile returned and she slammed her forehead into the Denarian's. Surprisingly, the heavy silver tiara hit with a crunch and ripped more pieces of chitin away.

Tessa blinked for a split second in surprised. And that's when Venus thrust with her sword. The blonde's eyes flashed red as she pressed. The blade skewered the diminutive Denarian.

As Tessa screamed I smashed my staff onto her back. "Galvinius!" I cried. Normally this spell required a copper chain to focus the energy, but the whole point of a wizard's staff was its flexibility.

And sure, the electrical surge that went through Tessa wasn't as efficient as if I'd use the proper focus but it still made her twitch. Though Lady Venus also staggered a bit as her irises went crimson and her skin got an odd sheen.

"Fire-starter! Moon-girl! Hit her now!" I screamed rushing to the raven-haired magical girl's side.

The two other magical girls complied.

However, Lady Mars' attack made me feel like I had fallen into a furnace. Serenity retrieved her staff. Good news, we managed to combo the Denarian. Bad news... it only lasted for a second before Tessa set off another Hellfire bomb.

***************

I loped along the torn-up, loamy ground. My legs ached; my joints hurt. I had been tossed a far distance and the landing was not... pretty; in fact, it got pretty hairy for a moment there as I tumbled and smashed into things. I shook my head, as the ringing dissipated in my ears.

Detonations thundered around me. I was getting really sick of Tessa.

It shouldn't me surprise that Mantis girl would do anything to escape being cornered. She was like a cockroach. My head throbbed... after the Hellfire explosion things got... fuzzy.

Pulling my hand from my throbbing hip, I shook my head and picked up the pace. I spared an idle glance at my wet talons and flicked off some blood that, in the eerie weak light, looked like shiny crimson stones.

I exhaled as I got into a run. My mind cleared a bit as I licked my teeth and spat out a line of stringy red saliva. I had enough time to push Lady Mars out of the way and get my shield up. That was good. I also saw Lady Venus getting... shimmery as she put her golden form between Serenity and the blast.

Of course, Tessa's hate was still focused on me and my shielded form was blasted into the air. I should have been able to use my wings to control my landing.

Well... a better succubus would have. I winced and hacked up another bit of bloody phlegm and gunk. Okay... I kinda hoped the light was playing tricks on me; that was a bad shade of red.

I'm sure my sister would have said something about me working past the pain and that I wouldn't feel this bad if I hadn't trained harder. Okay, that was a bit mean to Ranma. I mean, she was tough but she wasn't like my godmother. My sister didn't delight in hurting me during her lessons, much.

I suppose I should be relieved that Leanansidhe was satisfied enough with Ranma's training regime that she didn't feel the need to assist. Then again, that freed her up to help Cecilia and…

Gait steadying, I felt my cheeks blush and spat more blood out. Awkwardness aside, I did find that method of feeding preferable to ripping someone apart and feasting on their flesh. Then again, as my leg stopped limping I could just imagine my reflection teasing and pointing out that both method had their pros and cons.

Still, Lea had been doing more than plotting with my sister. I mean, she was notably absent to this whole fight. Someone as bloodthirsty as her wouldn't avoid a battle unless under orders. Lea did make it sound that she was here under the auspices of helping her God... daughter, and not as a belligerent of Winter. Of course, Winter Mother was behind my own involvement and she made Mab look sentimental.

I suppose Lea might have been sensible and realized that once Tessa had managed to summon these eldritch outer monsters that this world might be on borrowed time. Glancing over, I saw that the titanic creatures had moved from their pools and were lumbering towards Tessa. Okay... that explained the continued barrage. And Lady Pluto taking the field.

Then my nostrils flared as I caught the scent of Butters and Ranma and a bunch of my nieces. Further out, I could see the Senshi were still battling Tessa. Lady Pluto had her staff out and was casting iridescent spells that even this far were hard to look at and made my horns buzz like high tension lines.

As I ran closer, I also felt.... My eyes flared in shock and I almost stumbled. A stabbing, burst of pain slammed into me and was washed over with sensations of fear and an urgent desire for mother. One of my nieces was hurt.

Tilting my tingling horns, I realized it was coming from the same direction Butters was headed in. It was away from Tessa, towards the tree line, a bit ahead of the smoldering wreckage of a blown-out helicopter.

Beyond that, I saw Rosanna, in her silly crimson skin and indulgent cleft-hooves harassing the old-man version of me. Her flail managed to keep him off-balance but her shield was still absorbing a lot of punishment. There was a lot of interference but I could feel a bit of... concern coming from her, especially when Ranma's dark form burst in.

I only gave that a bare bit of attention as, tail straight, I concentrated on getting to the wounded.
The familiar taste, er, scent, also filled my nose as Butters and I got closer.

Our paths were vectoring in we were about half the distance apart. Amazingly, the little guy was keeping up. Nariko was still shadowing him. Her sword providing a dark compliment to his.

Even I noticed Rosanna's wicked glee as she flung her flail at my grey-haired doppelganger. As the weapon exploded with Hellfire, the Fallen twisted and launched herself at the Knight.

Butters was distracted, focused on being a doctor. On helping.

I winced, gritting my bloody fangs as I lowered my staff. After landing I had recovered, but it wasn't enough. Still I had to help. "Forzare!" I shouted.

Pushing myself, I ignored the wailing of hunger in my guts and cast the spell. The lance of force shot out and... missed.

It fell short and instead of knocking Rosanna down, it carved a furrow into the dirt right in front of Nariko. The dark-haired young-woman went down in a tumble.

At least the distraction got Butters' attention. He turned to her then caught sight of Rosanna's sprinting form. Her talons smoldered with a black fire that was at least in the top five of creepy effects of this night.

But given I had already seen Tessa, the frog-squids and whatever magic Lady Pluto was up to... Rosanna should be honored to even make it that high.

Butters stopped and planted his feet. He met Rosanna's gaze. "Belial. Stop."

I blinked, I hadn't known the name of her Fallen. But of course a Knight would.

"Why?" Rosanna smirked. Her normal guise as a sad, vulnerable woman in a bad situation was gone. Instead, her ostentatious features were marked with a feral glee. "Is this where you tell me to recant my ways? That we're in over our heads."

I looked over at the queen in glowing silver armor blasting at an abominable mass of tentacles and rubbery skin that drained the color out of the sky.

I was pretty sure we had gone well past "over our heads".

Horns tingling, vision throbbing, I ran closer. I was too far to help just yet, but Nariko was pulling herself up and my sister and Old Man Harry were also vectoring in. Butters just had to last a bit and the cavalry would come.

Rosanna flexed her claws and slashed at Butters. "Lartessa may be occupied, her revenge might be delayed but I can console her by taking out a Knight." Her fanged smile was cute but vicious.

Stepping back, Butters frantically parried with his Sword. The light actually dimmed when those talons of shadow and darkness hit them. "I don't have time for this." He exhaled. "I'm telling you, not as a Knight, but as a doctor, I have more important things than fighting you."

"Aww, you're attached to the little pretenders?" Smirking, Rosanna put herself between Butters and the wounded. "There, now your choice is simple," she mocked spreading her claws.

"It was your choice." Butters sighed and the glow on his Sword increased.

Several things happened at once. The Denarian pounced with her claws. Ranma and Old Harry opened fire. Rosanna's shield flared, absorbing the impacts. And Butters simply resumed his sprint and swung his Sword.

Shadow talons met holy blade. Butters was short. He wasn't as strong. He wasn't as skilled. Certainly not as much as a Fallen who had served at Tessa's right hand for centuries.

But this wasn't Knight business. He was a doctor and someone was injured.

He caught her talons and twisted the blade. Butters angled his shoulder, body-slamming the Fallen and whipping his Sword in a full arc that cut through her wrist, tail, and a couple other things.

Rosanna's crimson features had a moment of surprise as she was almost knocked off her hooves. Turning, she saw the Knight sprint past her without looking back. Then she looked at the stump where her right hand was and screamed. Like her tail, at least that wound had cauterized.

Her piercing wail was almost instantly cut off when she coughed and a fountain of brackish blood vomited past her lips. Twisting, she staggered and the slices through her abdomen tore open and viscera came out.

Giving a wet gurgle, magic flared around her. She would have gone after the Knight. But then Nariko came up and sliced through the Fallen's spine just above the hips. The cut itself was clean, but the results was mess. Rosanna fell into a screaming boneless pile

By then, my older self and Ranma had closed-in. The Slade Dresden had drawn his special revolver and put a glowing round right between Rosanna's eyes.

Reflexively, my hand went o my holster. With some surprise, I found that my revolver was still there. I shouldn't have lingered to see what my sister would do to the Denarian. I knew she'd be careful, but --unfortunately for Rosanna-- thorough on her search for the Denarian's coin.

So... I might have dawdled a bit to make sure Rosanna was finished off. And that my sister had secured the coin. The idea of Ranma touching Belial's coin was not.... reassuring.

Hells Bells I wasn't sure I'd trust myself with securing coin. And I had spent a few years with the shadow of a Fallen in my head. But... that was before I signed on to be my Queen's leg-breaker and begged my sisters turn me into a pretty demon princess.

So, while human Wizard Harry Dresden was able to out-stubborn a Fallen temptress. I... wasn't sure about Winter Sidhe Succubus BlackStone's ability to avoid temptation. Let's just say I had more... levers now.

Naturally, that meant that my sister sprinted to catch up to me and tried handing me a certain little locked box. Stopping in my tracks, I stared at the container. I could feel the malevolence of Rosanna's Fallen lying within, ignominiously frozen in a wad of hardened resin.

Well, no I couldn't really, the maddening buzzing and throbbing on my horns from all the other bad mojo had deadened my senses. It would have been nice to filter what my horns were picking up.

But my imagination and my gut feeling was enough. Though I suppose trusting my guts might not be the wisest idea, given how I had landed after Tessa blew her top. Sighing, I took the coin containment box from my sister and shoved it into a coat pocket. Part of me wondered if this was some sort of training test on Ranma's part.... but I had the feeling that since this was a battle she wasn't playing games.

No, she simply wanted to fob off the evil, indescribable magical artifact on the wizard. Which I couldn't really blame her. I mean, my plan was to toss the damned thing at the Holy Knight.

Slade cosplay Dresden had also caught up. Dang, he was fast for an older guy. And now both looked at me with a bit of impatience. Right. Help Butters with the wounded and then stop the agitated eldritch monsters.

"We're going to need a coordinated strike," Ranma shouted as we ran.

"Three teams?" Old Man Harry ventured.

"The Canadians and Company are hitting the frogs with conventional hardware and it's just enough to slow 'em down." She gave both of us meaningful looks. Well... the one she gave me was a bit more worried.

I blinked and shook my head as we ran.

Now Old Man Harry looked me over with some concern.

I flicked a bit of fluids and gunk off my coat. "Don't worry, it's not my blood... mostly." I admitted.

"I know," He stated.

We crested the remains of a little hillock and the feelings of pain intensified. Gloves on, Butters was kneeling on the ground with his kit open next to him. He had two patients. One was a mercenary with a badly broken leg and bandaged head. The man looked a bit punch-drunk. Maybe it was the painkillers, maybe it was a concussion.

However this fellow only held part of Butters' attention. The little doctor was almost up to his elbows in the guts of an ashen-faced girl.

I recognized the white hair in ringlets. Cecilia's daughter: Desiree. Her armor had been torn open and there was a part of her that was just... missing.

A bit further off was another mercenary, but, since he had only half a head and his remaining eye stared lifelessly into the sky, there wasn't much Butters could do for him.

An even younger-looking woman with a short black ponytail alternated between holding Desiree's hand, helping Butters work, and trimming meat.

She had the medical kit on her uniform open and it looked like she had provided the initial aide before the Knight had arrived. Near her was a taller woman blonde hair in a pageboy and another one with turquoise hair and blue-green eyes; Kirsten and Meredith I think.

The two girls held heavy bullpup rifles protecting their sisters and the doctor. They were being supported by two more human mercenaries. Based on the number of blasted wolf-men that surrounded them, the group seemed to have held their own.

Closing in, I noted that Ukyou and Misako were also present, as well as Nariko, who continued to hover about watching Butters' back. I felt a sense of... appreciation coming from the orange-haired girl as she loaded a fresh belt of grenades into her weapon from one of the boxes piled in the center of the group.

Noting my confusion Ukyou slipped up to me. "Resupply run. They were jumped by some wolves trying to retreat."

"Oh." I felt a bit guilty. I was a younger demon than Desiree, but I healed better than her. Even after being thrown in an explosion I... okay, I licked my lips. I did cheat with that.

My sister's eyes flared as she took in the pile of butchered wolf-men. She then knelt down next to the doctor.

"What?" Butters impatiently asked as he gently moved some of Desiree's entrails about. The small woman was a real mess; there wasn't quite enough skin left to close up the wound. "She's not ready to move yet. Corporal Pennwood, could go."

The dazed corporal next to the doctor nodded.

Sniffing the air, Ranma tilted her head.

Butters met the demon's gaze. "It's bad, but she's... well her diaphragm is intact, and she's breathing. Blood loss is..." He barely suppressed a shiver. "A human would be dead, and I'm still tying stuff off, but the bleeding is slowing."

He turned to the black-haired girl assisting him. "Isabel, I think she can take more liver. She needs to make more blood."

The woman nodded and gently fed some slices of rich dark meat to her sister. My nostrils flared and my mouth watered a bit. Butters was focused on his work, but not too focused to notice the suddenly heightened interest. The mercenaries seemed to be used to their... our feeding habits. And hardly noticed.

Butters shook his head. "Human digestion doesn't work fast enough, but I guess you girls are designed to take in nourishment and immediately use it."

I could also feel that Isabel was doing more than chopping meat to feed her sister, and the others were helping.

Old man Harry nodded. "Yes, they are. For their kind, if they don't die immediately, and they don't starve themselves trying to heal a wound, they'll generally recover," the older wizard said, glancing at me.

He then made a brushing motion against his goatee in the universal "you have a stain on your chin" gesture.

I awkwardly wiped my face. "Yeah, yeah," I groused. "What's the big deal? It's not like it's all mine."

"Was any of it?" he gently asked.

I stared at the red stains on my hand. Hells Bells! My blood was blue. All the blood on my talons, all the blood I was coughing up. There was only one way I'd get a mass of red blood in my mouth. "I…"

"You were injured, you had to heal yourself." The older wizard shrugged. "You found a ready supply of meat." He gestured to the dead wolves that Isabel had been harvesting, had been butchering.

Ranma had been quietly conversing with Butters, Desiree, and the wounded merc. After smiling at her niece and giving her a gentle hug, she told the dazed man a rather lewd joke, which seemed to brighten his spirits.

The redhead then patted the doctor on the shoulder. "I know this is a hard question, but Tessa's gotten the frog-things to move and we need a coordinated strike. Would you-"

The Knight cut her off by silently reaching into his vest and pulling his Sword out.

The redhead stared at the wooden hilt held in a bloody glove.

"Nariko knows who to give it too," Butters simply stated before returning to trying to seal up Desiree's disemboweling. Even now, I could see that her skin had stretched a bit more and the ragged hole in her side wasn't quite so gaping.

Ranma nodded as Nariko took the Sword.

Turning, I saw Eve and Sophie exit the forest with Maggie in tow. It was handy how she used her wand to project a shield that could protect multiple people. Still, seeing my daughter grown up and dressed all supervillainy was strange. I glanced down. Right... maybe I didn't have any room to talk, what with the whole body-hugging ice armor.

Eve held a neutral expression as she looked over her grievously wounded niece, but I could feel the emotional turmoil within her. Though it was more muted. "Right, when Desiree's good to move we'll get her back, I'll tell Cecilia," she stated, hiding some more pain, as she keyed her radio.

Butters nodded as he continued to work.

The blonde then looked up at myself and our sister. "What do you need?" she asked taking in the battled.

"You still have radio?" I asked then winced, realizing she had just used it.

"Yes," Eve nodded to Maggie. The teenage assassin wizard looked a bit embarrassed.

"Right. We're going with three teams then" Ranma's voice cut in. "Serenity, Venus, Nabiki, and Old Dresden take the eastern creature. Mars, Makoto, Nariko, and Demon Dresden take the western. Pluto, myself and Daughter Dresden will run interference on Tessa," she explained in a tone that left no room for dissent.

The older wizard eyed her but nodded.

Ranma continued. "My remaining daughters will provide fire support and keep any stragglers from linking up with Tessa. Eve and her daughters will do overwatch and get our wounded out. Canadians and Company will continue drawing in the noose as they pull in the perimeter."

"And we fail and the creatures escape?" the older Dresden asked.

My eldest sister tilted her head. "If we're lucky it'll only be the Canadians bombing us."

"And who's Nariko supposed to give the Sword to?" I asked.

My sister had opened up the white communicator on her wrist and had started to relay orders to the Senshi. She paused to give me a pained look. Fortunately, it was gone when she motioned for us to get into position.

***************

Nariko shadowed me as I went towards the titanic monster. Bigger than a house, the thing was all ropey muscle under rubbery, pallid skin that shone with mind-bending patterns. It was easier to think of it being covered in paisley whorls and plaid stripes.

Giant claws furrowed the dirt as it lumbered forward. From the size of its legs I would have expected it to be faster, but the creature seemed... restrained. The fronds, tendrils, and tentacles that made up its head sniffed the air warily as they slowly moved forward. Something was holding them back, trying to leash their hideous, alien wills.

The creature's passage was bringing it closer to the hotel parking lot and the line of Canadian armor. Heavy guns and long-lance-like canon barrels opened fire as the vehicles pulled back.

The thunder of detonations washed over my body, but I already felt deafened by the battle. Though my ears were still ringing. Then the frog-squid screamed in registers that even demonic ears couldn't hear.

I glanced down at the staff in my hand and the revolver on my hip. My sister was really putting a lot of trust into me.

The creature bellowed and antic light burst from a cluster of tentacles and it caught a couple of vehicles that hadn't pulled back fast enough. Armor melted to slag and the blinding light seemed to suck out the colors, leading to dull, almost grey, flames and explosions.

"The Pattern Silvers are withdrawing," Nariko noted to my side. I could feel tension coming from the young woman, but she seemed utterly confident in her Mother's plan.

I turned and saw the five magical girls smoothly moving back. Serenity and Lady Pluto seemed to be their heavy hitters.

Still, the young-looking green-haired girl was almost… dainty in how she wielded her metal staff. She threw iridescent arcane energy from her staff's garnet top in careful controlled bursts.

Given, her attacks were almost as horn-scratching, tooth-aching, claws-on-chalkboard wrong as the squid-frogs' attacks were, I could understand why Lady Pluto was tiptoeing about like someone afraid of collateral damage.

That caution was something Tessa exploited, which allowed her nimble form to evade Pluto's attacks.

Which was why Pluto was doing more than just directly attacking Tessa. I recognized the oily feeling of counter-spells being cast. My grandfather had similar skills and had used his abilities to shut down a Black Court vampire's sorcerous abilities.

Serenity had no such compunction and silver light regularly swept over the battle-field. But between the Denarian's raw speed, vicious attacks, and the giant squid-monsters, the Senshi were unable to box in mantis-girl.

Pulses also came out of Serenity and Pluto's staffs as they tried to retard the... greying out that the squid's presence was causing. It was a bit disconcerting to see those two doing so many things, especially close to such an irate and hateful Fallen.

Even this far out, I could feel Tessa's incandescent rage. The Denarian continued to thrust at the magical girls, often evading attacks and closing in and slashing. I watched as she bolted in, body-slammed the diminutive Lady Pluto and tried to disembowel her.

It took the coordinated strikes of Venus' sword and Mars' fire to dislodge Tessa. Even then, the snarling Denarian lunged once more only to be prodded by the bladed end of Serenity's staff. Silver fire blasted her off while Jupiter added a bolt of lightning that lit the sky.

Tessa's shield flared as she retreated in a flash. Silver sparks crackled over her exoskeleton as she resumed dodging the Senshi's attacks, trying to get them to follow. She was still favoring one leg and her motions weren't quite unbelievably fast.

I could even see the Denarian pausing to catch her breath. Sure, she covered it up by trying to cast her enthrallment spell on the squid-monsters, but I could tell when a Practitioner was starting to get winded. That isn't to say her spell was a ruse. The glowing intricate runes she summoned were real enough and throbbed with power.

Hells Bells. We'd thrown everything we had at her. Multiple Council-level wizards, broods of succubae, artillery strikes, a literal army, and a team of elemental magical girls, and Tessa was only now starting to get winded.

And that was probably only because she had summoned a pair of eldritch horrors and was attempting to mentally dominate them in the middle of fighting us.

I might have made a concerned little whine as I watched the Senshi try to pull back so they could split their forces.

And then a barrage of obsidian spheres exploded against Tessa's shield. Her protection flickering; the Denarian turned in the direction of the attack and Ranma dropped in from the side. Flaming purple aura smashed into red shield.

The psychic surge from Tessa's sudden eruption of anger almost brought me to my knees, and did cause Serenity to stumble as Mars cried out.

Hellfire sprayed as Tessa found herself grappling with a redhead implacably tearing at her chitinous armor. A section below her navel was torn away. Blood flashed as Ranma dug in. The Denarians' own talons and spurs also found purchase.

Looking pale, Serenity still used this opportunity to split her forces sending Mars and Jupiter my way while she and Venus went towards the other Squid creature that my doppelganger was already sniping at.

Hissing, Tessa's hand went out and caught my sister's neck. Lifting her, the Denarian squeezed. Then Ranma's tail flicked up and stabbed right under Tessa's belly button.

Blood spurted and Tessa tossed the redhead way with another scream that hurt my horns more than the squid-creatures' and Pluto's magic combined.

Tessa screamed and the runes she had summoned shattered "I wanted to avenge my daughter. But no... you had to interfere. You had to meddle." The Denarian cocked her head. "Revenge against Nicodemus can wait. I'll be satisfied killing you idiots and leaving."

And that's when her expression turned vicious and she stopped trying to control the squid-frogs and instead spurred them to attack here and now. One flailed its giant hook-ended forearms.

I lost sight of her when Maggie opened fire with that bulky rifle of hers and launched a barrage of green energy with the iron wand bolted to the front of the gun bayonet style. Before the Denarian could attack my doppelganger's daughter, Lady Pluto used her staff to block the Hellfire and held until Ranma added her own ferocity.

My stomach curdled when I turned back to the squid-creature. It gave a hideous bellow that was part bull-frog, part elephant, and all nightmare. My duster whipped back behind me as the giant being clawed at the ground. It didn't have any eyes I could make out, but I could feel its oily, skittering attention pressed on me.

Well, at least it wasn't trying to escape the perimeter anymore.

I slammed my staff onto the ground and aimed it up at the monster. I didn't have to angle it very far over. "Pyrofugo!" I screamed as a blue-white bolt of flames blasted the front of the creature.

A few rubbery tentacles charred.

And then it blasted me with its own beam. This close, I could see the nature of the attack. My shield flared but the antic light started to burn through the layers.

It was similar to an entropic attack. Entropic curses were nasty and I had barely escaped a few of the reality-bending spells. But this was a bit different.

The entropy, the damage was more of a side effect of the beam. The thunder to the lightning. Thunder was the result of the shockwave formed due to the extreme heat and pressure caused by the lightning cutting through the air.

Here... the squid's attack cut through reality. Waves of entropic magic flared in the wake of the beam's passage as the structure of the universe tried to reassert itself. I was certain that if I opened my Sight I could see the scaring caused by the creatures. I was also certain that if I used my Sight on these things that I'd go utterly mad.

Two lithe figures, one in copper armor, the other in bronze arrived. Neither hesitated and immediately launched their own magical attacks.

It took Nariko a bit of doing to get Lady Mars's attention. Bowing slightly, the red-eyed girl held out the hilt. Mars took the Sword without hesitation.

Distantly, I could hear more explosions as others started to attack our squid and the one other Harry was hitting with salvoes of some kind of black-tinged fire. The pressure on my shield letup as the squid-monster turned.

But I was a bit distracted by... well...

Fidelacchius hadn't manifested as a lightsaber. Not in the miko's hands.

Bright golden light flared in flickering waves as Lady Mars strode forward holding a blazing sword.

The frog-squid paused, tilting the mass of tentacles that passed for its head. It seemed to study the small being before it.

Warmth emanated from the golden flames shaped into a broad, five foot blade. The heat eased the weariness that had sunk into me and chased away the buzzing and scratching on my horns. My head cleared and my tail flexed.

Some of the creature's frilled tentacle fronds turned towards its companion, but that being was dealing with Queen Serenity's silver light. Our monster turned and started to back away.

The light from the Sword grew brighter. "You do not belong. This is not your world. Begone!" Lady Mars' voice carried across the battlefield, echoed by her queen giving a similar proclamation.

To my right, I saw the blasted pool the creature had emerged from. Most of the water had been drained, and the oily surface rippled with every explosion. There was probably some remnant of the tear the squid-thing had made. But it wasn't something I wanted to go poking around.

Apparently, the creature had a similar view as it responded with a deep challenging roar. I leaned on my staff to keep from being pushed back.

Meanwhile, the priestess of Amaterasu strode forward. Golden fiery light flared brighter.

Tentacles swiveled in and I could tell the creature was about to fire its own reality-searing attack.

Whipping my staff back towards the pool I grit my teeth. "Aquilevatus!" I cried pushing Soulfire into the spell. Water was heavy, even with magic, and I needed all the extra strength I could get to move it.

A curtain of water surged up from the pond and hit the front of the creature in a torrent. Pointing with my staff, runes glowed blue as I intoned the second spell. "Arctis!" I screamed as the sheeting water froze solid coating the creature's head tentacles.

The ice began to crack, but I had added a bit of Soulfire to that spell and dipping into the power of Winter made the structure even stronger.

Just ahead of me, Mars leapt up, the crimson ribbons tied to the back of her armor fluttering. She dodged the tentacles sprouting from its forearms and the blazing sword struck. A tree-size tentacle fell to the ground.

Upside, the Sword was able to actually pierce the thing's skin.

Downside, as Lady Mars hacked away every cut resulted in a spray of livid, inky, greasy orange ichor. That nauseating smell that blended rancid mint, old calamari, and motor oil emanated, filling the night air.

Then, Jupiter and Nariko opened up. The magical girl's lightning was stronger than my niece's but both managed to aim their bolts into the gaping wounds that Mars was carving into the creature.

Now, the air filled with the smell of burnt, oily, minty calamari. Pain and anger burst from the great beast as it whipped its smaller and more agile tentacles against Mars. One struck and knocked the Senshi into me. I managed to catch her, but almost stumbled at the sheer alien power pressing against my mind.

Up close, the squid-frog was a mess of patterns and colors that were wrong, gagging smells that wormed their way into my sinuses, and a deep burbling noises that were elephantine and amphibian.

So, I'll count it as a win that I wasn't simply knocked down by Mars' impact. This close, the fire of the Sword was blinding. Which, while a warming comfort, did make the creature easier to see.

In particular, it was obvious that the ice covering its remaining beam tentacles had finally broken apart. The puckering waving masses turned to me as sheets of ice crashed around us.

Holding Mars, I got my shield up just in time as the searing beams struck.

Groaning, the Senshi rubbed a bit of blood from her forehead, smearing it against her tiara. Her eyes widened at the lancing beam breaking against my shield.

Her Sword burned brighter and she moved to attack.

"No!" I cried. "I've got its attention, go and get the lightning twins and hit it from the side."

Mars blinked.

"Go!" I cried as another chunk of ice fell in front of us. It hit the beam and was flash boiled.

The Senshi nodded and darted away.

I pushed more power into my shield. I had no illusions that I'd be able to outlast an elder monster, even with an impromptu snack earlier, but I could make a great distraction.

Then I noticed its attack abruptly shut off in another shower of ice.

I had a split second of confusion before a forest of tentacles shot out and grabbed me. About the thickness of an adult anaconda, the ropey appendages whipped out and started to encircle my shield and draw me towards the gaping maw that had emerged at the center of the nightmarish, tentacled mass.

Acting on instinct I dropped my shield, spread my wings, and leapt with all the strength my legs could give me. "Parkour!" I yelled as my tail and claws sliced through the grasping tentacles.

It wasn't enough.

I didn't get clear.

My breath was forcibly pulled out of my chest as the tentacles wrapped over me. My staff tumbled out of my hand. The calamari and mint smell became oppressive as I cut with icy claws and orange ichor spewed out. Enough fire-hose like tentacles had caught me that cutting free was a losing proposition.

I turned and saw myself being drawn inexorably towards its maw. Instead of a giant beak, or rows of fangs, or chewing molars, the creature's mouth was full of knobby prongs tipped in chisel-like teeth.


More ice fell around me. "Forzare!" I reached out and the frozen water shot towards me. It hit and started to melt over my face and chest. The tentacles tried to tighten but the water easily poured through the gaps.

I still cut at the thing, but now I concentrated on augmenting my armor. I took my sister's lessons to heart. Prioritizing damage was key. Some wounds I could heal quickly, other wounds would take longer, but I was pretty sure I needed to be able to breathe to last for any length of time.

My chest armor thickened and reinforced. Ice grew over my head as facemask and headdress formed into place. Sure, Ranma had tested how long I could hold my breath, but I'm pretty sure even she didn't expect I'd be eaten by a giant squid monster. I let the remaining ice thicken my gauntlets and grow over my hands.

The strengthened bodice pushed out and I gasped as rancid, but welcome, air filled my lungs. And then I was pulled into the monster's mouth and it began to chew.

I would have screamed, but my mask had already sealed my nostrils. I would have thrashed but the tentacles were only starting to retreat. While the creature didn't want to bite off its own appendages, it didn't like its food fighting back.

A leg broke, my right shoulder was torn out of its socket as the teeth tried to crunch me. While the bulk of my armor held, there was fresh pain as a few teeth pierced the ice over my stomach. I tried to curl into a ball, but my left hand got caught between two tooth-clusters and was nearly torn off at the wrist.

This time I did scream, and a muffled panic almost took me as the creature's mouth reacted to the flavor of my blood with a relished gulp. Good news, I was no longer being chomped on.

Bad news, my arms were mangled and I was being swallowed by a thing from beyond the stars.

Worse news, even holding my breath, even with an airtight mask, I could smell the piquant scent of something acidic. Even in what passed for the monster's esophagus, I could feel the thick coating of ice start to sizzle.

From the inside, the monster's howls were even more ear-splitting and horn-hurting. Not to mention that its lumbering jostling steps added a new layer of queasy nausea.

With my unbroken leg I kicked out and tried to keep myself from falling down the fleshy, constricting passage. The end of my tail punctured the fleshy wall and gave another anchor point. My arms were healing, but it was slow going. It was not helped by being pre-digested.

The eye covers to my mask slipped back, revealing undulating, glossy flesh. I could hear a pounding tri-phased heartbeat that seemed to come from all around me. My dark-vision was good enough to see what was in front of me, if not the color. The seam on my mask split open.

An oily, amphibious mint stench hit like a punch to the face. From the inside it smelled less like a squid. My heart raced, I was running out of time, out of air.

I did the only thing I could think of. I bit down.

The flesh in front of me parted. Minty, greasy flesh filled my mouth. I gagged, I expected to vomit. In fact, the first mouthfuls I spit out with a horrid retching that burned the interior of my mouth with an acidic pain.

As the creature gave a confused piping, I jostled and slid down. The acid stink increased and I had to pull my legs up to keep my hooves from dissolving.

Some orange ooze and rubbery flesh had slipped down my throat. Head pounding, I noticed feeling returning to my shoulder as my arm popped back into its socket.

I hated myself, but I went for another bite, and this time I swallowed more as I gagged. My eyes flared and I started to tear into the meat as my arms healed. Talon, tail, and fangs ripped through as something primal rose up within me.

It was disgusting, the meat was alien. In between growls, I still retched up mouthfuls of foul meat, but I was managing to heal.

More importantly I had pulled myself out of the constricting, acidic trap of the creature's esophagus and stomach. I landed on some sort of twitching muscle, or maybe it was a gland. Whatever it was it was squishy and the size of a refrigerator.

Only now, I was inside the jostling guts of a giant squid-frog. After retching once more, I let my mask grow back into place. If nothing else it cut down on the smell. However, it didn't do much to remove the pounding pulsing throb coming from above me.

My stomach felt bloated and wrong, stuffed full of greasy upsetting flesh. My sister said we could eat just about anything, but she had warned us that some things were too alien to digest and might even make us sick.

I let my gauntlets grow as I contemplated the best way to escape. I'd probably have to burn my way out.

The booming beating noise increased its tempo and a sizzling boom exploded to my right and below.

Golden fire burst into the monster's body cavity as Lady Mars got a hit that pierced its flesh. I smiled as I scrambled up and tried to flick some gunk off my wings. I had an escape route.

But I paused.

That three phased beating noise was... I turned and looked up. In the light of the lingering golden fire I could just make out a greenish-grey heart. Throbbing with thick orange veins, it was the size of my old car and was pounding out in a strange rhythm that wormed its way into my head.

My mask shifted into a smirk as I raised my arms.

It took a bit to brace myself using my legs, wings and, tail. I basically had to scramble through heaving organs and muscles to get a clearer view.

But once I had it. "Cannem Flagrantissimum!"

Runes burst into light on my gauntlets and a pulsing blast of white and blue fire lanced out. For a moment the monster's guts became bright as day and I closed my eyes not wanting to get a clear look at this thing's insides.

A blend of succubus and wizard fire held in place by carrier helix of Soulfire smashed into the squid-frog's heart.

It exploded in a meaty, wet detonation. My spell petered out. Partially because I was that tired, partially because several of the larger chunks hit me with a rubbery splat.

For a moment, it was silent and dark. The only noise was that of orange fluids starting to pour out of the torn remains of the pumping organ. At least this meat tasted better than the elastic-like throat-flesh. The heart was more chewy, and almost succulent, and the mint stink did not have the rotten undertone.

Then the monster began to thrash and bellow in pain. And my stomach gurgled ominously.

Okay. Now, it was time to go.

I darted to the bit of light I could see where Lady Mars' hit had punctured the monster's thick hide. Well, I say light, but it was more of a spot where the blackness was a bit more grey.

I aimed my arms and gave another blast. This time my plasma canon was a bit less impressive, more like Blue Beetle on a bad day. Still it was enough to tear the hole bigger.

I jumped. Though the tight ichor and gut-filled cavity didn't exactly allow me to fall with grace. Or as much grace as an over-stuffed, nauseated, exhausted succubus wizard could give. Though, I was feeling a bit less dead tired.

As the ragged wound flew towards me, I saw lighting explode and burn through the hole. Hells Bells, the girls were attacking the wound. They didn't know I was coming through. I had to warn them I was coming.

"Parkour!" I screamed just as I tumbled through the hole.

The horrific stink receded to merely intolerable levels as the world opened up around me.

I could see sky, ground, water, and trees. And then sky and ground then more sky. And then for a change of pace water. Oh. I must have been a couple stories up. I tried to spread my wings as I tumbled through the air.

But they were covered in orange, stinking gunk. As was the rest of me.

I caught a bit of Lady Mars' disbelieving expression as she watched me fall out of the disemboweling gash in the monster's guts.

And then I hit the pond.

There was a splash. I hit at an awkward spread-eagle angle. At least the water was just deep enough that I had slowed down before hitting the soft muck at the bottom.

I bobbed back up to the top. And inhaled. After where I had been, even a muddy, stagnant pond full of dead plants smelled great.

Spitting gagging, and maybe puking, I made my way out of the water. Orange goo clung to the surface in my wake

I allowed ice to cover my duster, thicken the mask and headdress, and the rest of my armor.

Nariko and Jupiter met me as I neared the shore. The brunette magical girl had paled with shock. "I can't believe you did that; that was Usagi-insane right there."

Meanwhile, my niece was more composed and simply handed me my staff.

Taking the oaken rod, I thumped it on the ground and let the outer layer of ice covering me flake away, taking with it all orange ichor and gunk.

The hem of my duster was just submerged in the shallow water. I felt liquid creeping up my legs and start to freeze. My tail dipped into the pool and drew in more fluid.

The reinforced bodice thickened as ice grew to fill in the chewed gaps and sparkling clear crystals froze onto the surface of the blue material. Armored sections extended over my hips and down my thighs in layered ice plates. The greaves that flowed over my hooves had expanded as well.

Those ice sequins might have accented my chest. They certainly didn't highlight the large swelling curve of my belly. Though I suppose the polished articulated armor also contributed, especially with how it integrated with the plating armoring over the flare of my waist.

There was a tingle as my mask got more polished and I felt my hair slick down under the weight of a silver wire headdress that anchored to a heavy silver tiara. However, the best part came when ice crept along the long extensions of my horns. As the glossy material coated them, muffled them, the oppressive twisting and buzzing lessened. I concentrated and little fluttering blue ribbons extruded out near the end. The silver symbols were only a guess but the magical filters seemed to work.

My tail, now adorned with dark blue plating over the fins, rose out of the water as my gleaming hooves reached dry land. My wings and coat felt a bit heavier as reinforcing bits of ice solidified into place.

Jupiter tilted her head and took in my form. "Magical succubae, always eating and showing off," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Come on, we've got it wounded but we need to finish this," I said moving in to help Mars.

There was a ghost of a knowing smile on my niece's face.

A huge, pained wailing diverted my attention. The creature was in bad shape. Most of its tentacles had been cut off, there was a huge bleeding gash from its side and the whole thing moved listlessly.

Then, suddenly, the remaining antennae-like frond tipped tentacles whipped around. Even with my horns muffled I could feel its intense attention. Wheezing, heart-shot, and exsanguinating, the frog-squid charged with renewed vigor.

Lovely, it recognized me.

Clutching Fidelacchius, Mars darted from the side and swept downward. Golden fire sliced through thick hide and a leg thicker than an old growth tree spiraled off.

The creature stumbled.

"Cannem Flagrantissimum!" I shouted digging into the renewed well of energy. Jupiter and Nariko flanked me and fired. Their twin bolts of lightning were sucked into the Soulfire matrix caging the demonic and arcane flames. The blinding wall of energy struck the creature's head and for a moment its bulky form resisted the sizzling burning blend of energies.

I grit my teeth and pushed more into the spell. Sweat dribbled down the inside of my mask, and I could feel my stomach ache as my reserves drained and my armor tightened a bit.

Then Mars leapt in and hit the squid-frog right where our beam was impacting. There was a golden and blue flash as lightning and fire punched through, followed by a horrific explosion.

As orange ichor and greasy plaid meat rained down, Jupiter looked at her gloves and blinked at the sparks that flickered over her fingers. She then looked at the blasted creature's remains. "Huh."

A goo-splattered Mars tumbled down and managed to nimbly land in a crouch with her free arm providing a bit of extra stability.

"Okay, you earned that superhero landing," I clapped while Nariko blinked at me.

"Come on, there's still one left!" Mars cried, gesturing with the Sword.

We turned and raced toward the remaining monster but...

Serenity, Venus, Old Harry, and Nabiki had already launched their attack. The others continued but I went in a different direction.

Waves of exploding ice tore through this monster's tentacles. It looked like they had been put into some sort of titanic blender. Orange goo rained as it wailed, but before it could react, Other Dresden used his gleaming sword to cast some sort of giant ward that pinned it in place.

Shimmering, eyes glowing, Venus concentrated as half a dozen long gold chains sprang out to tie the monster down. I don't know how they were long enough, let alone strong enough. But the silver glow edging them and the way my doppelganger stood next to her making sure she stayed in a circle provided some clues.

The coup de grace fell on Queen Serenity. Planting her feet, her armor glowed as she spun her staff in a precise pattern. Even with the filters, the prickling power made my horns hum. I could see my nieces have a similar reaction.

Incantation finished, Serenity's staff flipped towards the chained and bound monster. The scepter at the end sparkled.

Everything went silver.

The light faded the monster looked like it had been speared by a giant fork. It shuddered and ichor spurted out. First it was a bright orange, but it started to rapidly fade in color as the rest of the monster crumbled like the smoldering remnants of a giant ashen-grey pyre.

A distance away Tessa stared. Shock, and perhaps a bit of fear marred her face. I noted that there wasn't a bit of armor left on her head. Her short silver hair was free and hung limply over an almost gaunt face.

Her right arm wasn't moving much, but she was still managing to fend off three attackers. The adhoc synergy the trio had found was impressive.

My sister was one of the few people that had a chance of surviving melee combat with Tessa. She was in close quarters, denying the Denarian space to run or prepare any major spells. Forcing Tessa to fight and deal with intimate, immediate threats, the redhead ate up Tessa's time and energy.

This freed Maggie to provide fire support and ranged protection. The mercenary wizard girl had plenty of ranged attacks that she could use whenever Tessa tried to escape my sister's attention and ranged defenses like that shield she could project using her wand.

Off to the side, but roughly midway between those two Lady Pluto was on spell support. Her own ranged attacks harassed Tessa but given the way the garnet orb on her staff throbbed I was betting her role was helping keep the Denarian from getting off any especially nasty spells.

I ran towards them. While my companions had moved to assist the others, I guessed that those four would be enough to take out such a monster. Blasting giant invading monsters was apparently what Serenity was all about.

I wasn't alone in my judgment. Butters was also on his way. Interesting, I guess the wounded were evaced and he was back to help. He did the same in Lomar. I did have a head start over the knight. Less than I thought, I mean didn't he have to take a detour to get his Sword from Mars?

Tessa's shock lasted for only a moment. Her attention fell on me and Butters. I knew something was wrong when instead of screaming in rage her reaction was utterly silent. Hellfire blasted out in a thick wedge as a wave of telekinetic force pushed Ranma.

The redhead recovered and fired purple beams at the Denarian's back.

Taking the hits, Tessa slammed onto the green-haired girl. Lady Pluto was skilled with her staff and buzzed with arcane energy but the sudden ferocity overwhelmed her.

Lances of fire shot out from Maggie's rifle. Both out the barrel of the gun and from the under-slung wand. However, Pluto was already on the ground, her staff snapped in two and flung away.

Running, I was pretty sure Tessa was wasting her time, but maybe mantis-girl didn't know the truth about Pluto. I leveled my staff but couldn't get a clear shot. I debated just frying them all, I mean my sister would heal, and Pluto was Pluto, but... I knew other Harry would kill me if I hurt his daughter.

The Denarian actually had to pause and catch her breath before my sister came in and landed a blow that shattered the armor on Tessa's back and broke her shoulder blade.

She spun and, exchanging blows with my sister... slipped. Or at least it looked like a mistake at first. Her right arm was not in good shape, a bad block resulted in the forearm bone being snapped and my sister tearing it off.

Blood poured from Ranma's mouth as she bit in.

And then the arm blew up.

Tessa kicked the dazed demon right into Maggie; as the two fell, the one armed Denarian bolted.

Her remaining hand pulled out an obsidian stone. It cracked in her grip and a horrific buzzing shot through my horns. Even with the muffling I nearly stumbled. I saw my sister and nieces blink and wince in pain.

It was like the buzzing of those Jammers but... backwards. I then saw Tessa start to make a deceptively simple, but very familiar, cut through the air.

Oh, Hells Bells...

The angle was bad, the distance was worse, but I still drew my revolver. So what if she was over sixty yards away. Stars and Stones, after all that my gun was still holstered?

Thumbing back the hammer I emptied the cylinder. A few shots even hit her in the back, one actually was accompanied with a splash of blood as it hit a spot were her exoskeleton had been ripped off.

But Tessa still opened the Way.

I pushed more speed to try and catch up. My mother's voice cut in, echoing in my head. She had given me a gift of her knowledge of the Ways, of traveling in the NeverNever. She didn't know where this portal opened up, other than it was unpleasant and cold.

"Damn it!" I screamed as the little Fallen host jumped through the portal and began sealing it behind her. "Come on!"

I continued to sprint. I told myself I might be able to catch the Way before it sealed shut, if I did that I could open it up again. But I knew I was too far... but I had to try.

Butters had almost caught up to me, the little guy was red-faced and he had to be killing himself to get this far. Or maybe he had help? Hells Bells, even with one Knight on my side, Tessa was still gonna get away.

I snarled. After all this, all the pain and lives and suffering the little monster got-

Then there was a familiar, almost clunky machine gun noise. It was distinct from all the gunfire I had heard while in this world.

The Denarian gave an insectile screech and stumbled back though the Way. She was bleeding from several fresh bullet wounds.

The machine gun roared again. It was closer, and this time I knew exactly what it was: Kalashnikov.

A dark skinned man wielding the Russian rifle in one hand with a silver saber in the other stepped through the portal. The other side of the tear was a stark gloomy land of ice and sleet. Not that this side was much better.

Behind the new knight, almost part of the icy background was another redhead. This one looked utterly at home in the wintry landscape.

Tessa hit the ground and the Russian knight shot her. This time the bullets slammed against her shield. He looked around and spotted me. His handsome features split into a grin. "Harry? So, you really are a pretty demon lady."

"Uh... yeah Sanya," I coughed. I was close enough to use my staff. A forzare managed to pin Tessa or at least slow her scrambling escape.

"Is good to see you." The wielder of Esperacchius smiled. "I had been wondering what trickery the scary Sidhe lady planned. Now, I see she was being straightforward about you."

I blushed.

Leanansidhe had stepped through the portal. "There are times, rare delicious times, when the least obfuscation results in the most dissimulation." She smiled showing her teeth. "Now goddaughter, finish thy Queen's mission."

I charged the one-armed Denarian. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Butters checking on my sister and Pluto.

Tessa fought like the cornered, aggressive monster she was. Hellfire burst out and splashed against my shield.

When that attack gutted out I smashed down with my staff. More of her chitin broke as the chest pieces fell off. Snarling she leapt at me; even like this she was fast, faster than me.

The spurs on her feet sparked against my armor and I turned at the shoulders as her talons raked against my face. I put one arm around her shoulders and with the other clawed her back. My tail raked over her legs, chipping off the armor behind her shins. I was protected by armored mask, her head armor was long gone. She squirmed, and I only managed to claw out one eye.

I felt a burst of predatory pride from my godmother. Distantly, I realized that it might have been better to stand back and let everyone shoot Tessa at once.

The Denarian screamed and tried to blast my head off. Whipping back, I dodged and we both tumbled to the ground.

"You stupid little nickel-head," I screamed clawing at her face. "You put us through all this pain just because you wanted Nicodemus?"

I punched her in the throat. "If you weren't so power-hungry and selfish you'd have people lining up around the block to help you kill him! Idiot!"

Tessa was the better grappler and almost twisted out of my grip. It was really hard to hold onto her when she started trying to kick my head in.

So I.... bit her leg. I'd already cut off her exoskeleton there and the flesh was... well after that squid-monster anything would be delicious.

Her screams were novel. There was less of the rage and pure anger and something more... base. It was the pained cries of someone being eaten by a predator. The Mantle surged. Ripping her apart would be delicious. The demonic part of me agreed.

Chomping down, I snapped her leg bone and relished the marrowy flavor. I was certain this was a novel experience for Tessa too. Her Hellfire and clawing wasn't doing much against my armor, especially when my tail whipped over her chest.

I pulled myself up, but my nostrils flared, there was far more here. My tongue flicked out. I could feel the little seam where the mask butted against my lips.

As I started to bite into her torso, Tessa cried out. She broke; she begged; she pleaded for me to stop.

I didn't stop.

"Harry. Wait," a calm voice stated.

Turning, my eyes flashed in irritation.

Butters strode up. "Is this really what you want?"

Tilting my head, I then slowly stood up. I might have pressed the end of my staff against Tessa's chest and used that length of oak to support my weight as I got back onto my hooves. A growl may have escaped my lips.

Ranma had slipped up next to Butters. Her hair fell down to her waist in thick waves, her teeth seemed sharper, and her whole form seemed more vibrant. Before fighting Tessa she must have fed well too.

She gave us a quizzical look, but she lifted her arm and gave a few hand signals. Probably to call off any snipers.

Tessa's laugh was bitter and broken. She flicked some blood out of her remaining eye and coughed. "Oh, the Knight will now preach of compassion and forgiveness?"

"You were the one begging," I glared.

"I didn't want to get eaten," Tessa snapped.

"Just shoot her," Ranma suggested.

Butters spread his hands. I noted he wasn't holding his Sword. "I was told that I was sent here to help a friend in need."

Ranma put a hand on his shoulder. "You've already helped her, and she still needs more help. After this."

"And you've done a wonderful job," Tessa mocked as blood oozed past her lips. I put more weight on my staff. It was surprising she was still talking given the amount of blood coming out of her wounds, especially the one on her leg.

My sister watched me. She would have killed Tessa out of hand. However, she had spared Misako's life when her daughter had been a murderous minion of Alexia. But that was because Ukyou had begged for her partner to not get eaten.

On her back, Tessa turned to try and get both Butters and Sanya in her view "How does it feel Knights? You saved Nicodemus' life. You turned your friend into a demon. A starborne is now a succubus." There was a defeated edge to her mockery.

Butters turned to her but he spoke to me. "She made her choices, Harry. But you're free to choose too."

I looked down at the battered, broken Denarian. Her head was bare, one eye was torn out, her hair was burnt and one ear was slashed apart. Meanwhile, silver and sapphire inlay adorned my gleaming white mask that had a jutting jaw full of pointed teeth that was almost, but not quite, a muzzle. My headdress had smoothed more as the silver accents spun and connected to my platinum choker and the tiara grew to fit more gems.

The plating over the flare of my hips had extended giving more resistance against Tessa's spurs and clawing. Even as my stomach filled with more of her flesh, the armor around my distended belly thickened and grew more articulated as more ice crystal sequins sprouted to match the enhancements to my bodice.

It all heightened the contrast: a tall demon in polished, glistening armor and full regalia stood over a broken, dismembered young girl.

I could feel the fear coming from her. For centuries she was powerful, untouchable, if things ever got too dangerous Imariel could lend her power, enough to escape.

Except Serenity's power put a damper on that. Tessa stopped healing so fast once Serenity started hitting her.

The wood of the staff creaked under the pressure of my grip.

"How badly do you want revenge?" I asked. Butters kept me from killing her in the midst of my Hunger. Still, I could kill Tessa in cold blood. It was within my power. And she deserved it. But there was an option.

Butters swallowed. This might not have been what he had in mind, but tough.

"He killed my daughter." Tessa's eye locked onto me. I glanced away. I really didn't want to Soulgaze her. Not now. "You know what I ventured to do this, Wizard. You took it all away from me."

"Not everything," I stated.

Staring, her expression was flat. "You'll have to do better than that."

"Yeah, I know what happens when a centuries old host finds herself without a coin. I also know you're too wounded for you to worry about old age catching up to you. Why if only I had a way to solve both problems?" I flashed my fangs.

Tessa flexed her fingers and tried to grandly gesture with her arm. "What do you think Knights? Do your approve of your friend's idea? Giving more demonic power to your great rival?"

I jabbed forward with my staff.

Air rushed out of Tessa's bruised lungs.

"No. You give up your coin. You consent to the Daughter change. I raise you. And then we take revenge. Mother and Daughter."

Tessa leaned her head back on the ground. "I lose my daughter, and you offer to make me into yours?" She gave a bitter, mocking laugh.

"Yes." My tail flicked. I wasn't too keen on the idea. Okay... the idea of siccing a little succubus Tessa on Nicodemus was strangely satisfying. That was something the gaunt bastard would never see coming.

Her jaw was set, but my sister nodded her head slightly.

Tessa chuckled. "Oh the Adversary knows how to rub the salt." With pained effort she pulled her head back up. "After killing my daughter, my husband was put in a corner, he was brought low, he had lost everything. And now it's my turn."

"I'm offering you revenge," I hissed.

Tessa's laugh grew. "That's what makes it galling. The Adversary chooses to mock and tempt me with demons? Oh yes, I see it. I've had the counsel and advice of a Fallen for centuries. And now I'm offered a mere baby succubus to nursemaid me? All at the cost of abandoning the one that has been at my side for millennia?"

I grit my teeth. Imariel you bitch. Of course, Tessa's Fallen would lie. And why would Tessa not trust the one that had helped her carve a path of destruction over the years?

"Damnit, Tessa, I'm trying to save you. You're right, I'm not like the Knights; your other options aren't pleasant."

Tessa pulled herself up, with her arm. Sitting up she pushed against my staff. "Take your salvation and shove it up your ass," she spat, staring me down.

For a moment I met her eye but in the end I drew away before a Soulgaze could hit. She had given her answer.

I lifted my hand. "Fuego," I whispered.

Her little body caught a flame and she screamed for a moment, but I added my succubus magic and she quieted down. The flames raked back and forth as they briefly turned the angry red of Hellfire before slowly transitioning to a sidhe succubus blue. I inhaled as the body was consumed, drawing in some of the energies released by the combustion.

Sanya, off to one side, lowered his Sword and shouldered his rifle. Lea made an almost disappointed noise, like a little girl being told that tonight's fireworks had been delayed due to rain.

Though she did perk up at the runes and spiraling fae script that flashed on my armor. The power did feel nice and the plating in my middle and hips drew a bit more elaborate, as did my mask.

My sister watched stoically for a moment and then went to check on her daughter and the others. I wasn't sure what Maggie and Pluto were up to, my attention was more on keeping the flames nice and easy. Butters stood next to me almost wobbling on his feet, but he stood.

But he'd stay and watch... and then I'd help him sift through the ashes.

***************

I watched the sun rise. The first glimmers of light were refreshing and warming. I sat on a bench. The back had been mostly blown to splinters, so I had to be careful, but the horizontal seating portion was solid enough.

My gaze dipped down at the polished mask in my hands. Sleek, and snow white, it was adorned with blue tracery, silvery wirework, and ice crystal gems. It was also melting.

Looking back up, I pulled my duster over my shoulders and shivered, and not from the cold. I wanted to take a shower. I drank the last of the water from the canteen Ranma had left me and then spit to the side. No, what I really wanted was to brush my teeth.

Daylight was rapidly growing. It revealed... well the grounds were pretty ugly with cratered earth, a couple crashed helicopters, at least a dozen exploded vehicles, trees with their branches blown off, and, oh yes, the deliquescing corpse of a giant squid monster. The other giant monster corpse and the no-longer smoldering hospital were out of sight at the moment.

The smell of smoldering bodies, sulfur, burnt munitions, mint, and calamari was thoroughly unpleasant. At least most of the human dead had been gathered up. Butters had gone off to help with the wounded, but once the priority cases were taken care of he was left with less to do.

Sure, there was a lot more cleanup to take care of, but the mercenaries didn't seem too inclined to have Butters help them square away unexploded munitions.

I wriggled my toes and sighed. Being out of my armor was less constricting. My horns were still buzzing. I could feel more Jammers being setup and other things being worked on, which, I suppose, made sense, we had just defeated an attempted incursion.

I had been helping consult on the best way to dispose of the squid-frog bodies. The mercenaries seemed pretty squared away on dealing with the Wolf-men, and I'd already walked them through the hazards of Denarian bodies. Well, specifically how to deal with the coins.

My count of coins recovered matched Butters' count, which was the same as Ranma and Sanya's. Lady Pluto was also watching the proceedings like a hawk. I can't blame her prudence. I really didn't want to imagine a Fallen being able to whisper in a magical girl's ear.

Still, when I suggested that they just truck the squid-guts into a dump set it on fire, and then push the ashes into lake Erie, Old Man Harry suggested I take a bit of a break. Which was mean, I was only joking.

I stretched out and had to remember that I couldn't lean back without falling over. The mushy remnants of my mask fell on the ground with a splat.

Still, it was over. Tessa was dead. Imariel was in the penalty box guarded by two Knights. The rest of the Denarians had been dispatched.

The Wolves had tried one last desperate breakout, but as they assaulted the perimeter, Morgan and the other Company snipers lent their support. And the Canadians, using heavy machine guns they'd emplaced for this contingency held the line.

I supposed that there was a whole media operation. I don't know what the cover story was going to be. Maybe it was dark enough and there was enough magic keep anyone from recording footage of giant squid monster attacks.

Then again, blob monsters had already attacked their capital. And they had to have some justification for firing artillery inside a town. Still, the whole demons and magical girls aspect was probably being suppressed. Not to mention help from certain transdimensional wizards.

Either way, I was real glad covering this up wasn't my responsibility.

Exhaling, I went back to watching the sun.

It was over. I could go back home.

I could...

I looked down and blinked. "Holy crap, I'm a demon?"

There was a creak as someone sat down on the other end of the bench. "You sound surprised," a Russian voice said.

Blushing, I tried to pull my duster closed, it was a bit hard, maybe the girls had taken in too much material, and muttered about stupid sisters not giving me enough time to get dressed. The Mantle responded and grew a bit of armor over my torso and chest, one-piece swimsuit style.

Looking over at Sanya, I found my blush lingering. "Well... I wasn't really thinking about what'd happen after, you know, Tessa. I wasn't really thinking about my... future."

The dark-skinned knight nodded. "So, not like your plans with your last questionable bargain for power?" he asked, unslinging his rifle. Esperacchius was adjusted so the scabbard didn't get in the way of sitting.

I sighed. I don't know how much Sanya knew for certain, but before becoming the Winter Knight I had arranged for my own assassination. Then I had my protege erase any memory of me giving the order.

It was a true conspiracy of the self, and it didn't do Molly any good to have her mess with my mind like that. The worst part was, for all that, I was a pasty. I had been pushed into killing myself by a Fallen whispering in my ear. Breaking the rules in the process, the Fallen said the exact wrong thing, at the exact wrong time.

It took a lot of planning by Uriel to balance the scales on that breach.

My tail drooped as I thought it over. "Wait... Questionable?"

Smiling he waved away my concern. "Your new family nicer than your Queen."

"Hey," I said a bit more indignantly than I intended.

He eyed my choker. "I can understand, somewhat." He pulled a flask out of his Russian surplus coat. "I only spent a couple hours with your demons." He took a sip. "You picked much nicer demons than I did."

I bowed my head. Before becoming a Knight of the Cross, Sanya had been a Denarian. He had been host to Magog and done horrible things for Tessa. Rosanna was his... handler, though Sanya thought she was more. Not surprising; he was sixteen when he first took up the coin.

Cracking a smile, I flicked my tail. "I didn't think you believed in demons."

"Is convenient word. Also, from what I hear, your family is not from some hell-plane. More like a place of mountains, trees and rivers. You could easily be aliens that look demon-like."

I huffed. Sanya was frustratingly agnostic. Though, he was right. BlackSky's lands, and her capital city of Silvana, sounded almost... nice.

Noticing my irritation, he passed me a flask. I took a sip, then another. It was smoother than the stuff he normally carried. Still, it warmed my throat and stomach. "You brought the good stuff to keep you company in the NeverNever?"

He frowned. "Is normal vodka. Maybe your taste is better."

"Probably," I took another drink and with some reluctance handed it back. "Hope Lea didn't bother you too much while you waited."

"Nonsense. I was told follow Scary Sidhe Lady to the distant reaches of Winter. Waiting was homey, reminded me of childhood," he smiled.

I laughed. It had to be a joke. From what I had seen of the other side of the portal was a bleak landscape with perpetual sleet. "Well, it was great to have you available to do the Knight thing and help in the nick of time."

"You had lots of support in that way," he noted, taking a sip.

"Butters is a good man," I said maybe a bit defensively.

"Of course."

"That why you're not concerned about sitting next to a big old succubus?"

"You are not the first pretty demon lady I have known," he remarked.

"I'm sorry about Rosanna... I know you two..." She had used him, but Sanya didn't know that, not at first, and his feelings towards her were real, real enough to convince him to become a monster.

His expression hardened for a brief moment. "She made her choice," he said with resignation.

"Butters gave her multiple chances. Isn't that all you Knights can do?"

"Da." The Russian looked at his flask. "Still, is good you found way to be pretty demon lady, this time without coin."

"Hey!' I pouted crossing my arms over my chest. "It wasn't like that with Lash."

"Fallen shadow in your head not tempt you?"

"She didn't tempt me by telling me I'd be able to pull off the succubus look!"

"Ah, so you never used Lashiel's power to take a Denarian form?"

I blushed a bit, recalling how Hannah Ascher looked in her Denarian form when she held Lashiel's coin: naked with purple smoke swirling about almost like a fan dance. "Wait.... I'm pretty?"

"Of course! Fae and succubus make for very pretty Dresden."

My tail may have swished as I glanced at him. "Flatterer," I said but certainly didn't preen as I leaned over, the bench creaking a bit.

"Careful Sanya, Harry gets goofy when she's hungry," Butters said as he wearily walked up. Blood was splattered on his mantle and his black clothes and harness. Though his hands were clean.

Nariko and Akane shadowed him. Their armor was also covered in soot and blood. Much of the skirting to Akane's uniform was burnt with the outer layers looking partially melted, exposing ceramic plates in places.

Butters eyed the bench, and I obligingly scooted over. There was the bonus that it brought me a bit closer to Sanya. Butters sat down on the other side next to me, fished something out of his vest and wordlessly handed me a candy bar.

Well... when I slipped out of that ornate armor, my hunger had returned.

Sanya watched me devour, daintily, the confection. "Hungry little demons," he noted with mirth as Akane and Nariko flopped down in front of the bench and took out their own snacks.

I licked a finger. "So... um... how is..."

Butters nodded. "Desiree is doing better. Doc Covington thinks she'll recover fine." He shook his head. "Cecilia's with her now."

"Ah, and they're..." I glanced over his medical kit.

"I'm on a break; they insisted."

I turned to my nieces who tried to look casual.

"You have been up and running all night," I pointed out. "And there's plenty of Canadian and merc doctors that are fresh."

"Things could have been a lot worse," he admitted. "You know that second artillery strike? The one Nariko called down during the battle? The casualties could have been much worse there. No fatalities and the injuries weren't too bad."

Nariko blinked and Akane pulled her a bit closer.

"Well, how many human soldiers were near the squid-monsters?" I shrugged. "But yeah, it was a good thing the Canadians had their best gunners there, course it helps they were lucky too."

Butters gave me a flat look. "Right. Lucky."

"You did help invoke Amaterasu's blessing," Nariko reminded.

Butters turned to Sanya. The agnostic, Russian Knight simply shrugged.

Butters sighed.

"Being Knight is burden," Sanya said before offering his flask.

Butters' eyes bugged. "You're giving her booze? After all the fighting, stress, damage and dehydration she's had?"

Akane reached out and took the flask. She gave the contents and experimental sniff.

"I can handle it, I'm not some kid," I huffed.

The little Jedi Knight stared me down, and I might have wilted, slipping closer to Sanya, who patted my shoulder.

Butters exhaled. He then took out a canteen and handed it to me.

I held it in both hands and gave the water an experimental slosh.

"For drinking, not dressup," he sternly stated.

Without pouting, I began to drink.

"You seem to take well to the job," Sanya noted, shifting his Sword.

Butters laughed. "I was scared out of my mind. I didn't realize how much pressure came with it."

Sanya nodded. "The Sword is powerful," he said eyeing Nariko's katana with interest.

"Nah, not the Sword, well maybe what the Sword symbolizes. The pressure of the job, the responsibility of being a Knight. I mean this is a world that doesn't even have the Swords. But even here, grizzled mercenaries, Sith succubae, Shinto magical girls, doctoral researchers in eldritch lore, and scary redheaded killing machines all look to me as if I'm some sort of trusted expert."

"You forgot absent-minded wizards," Nariko happily reminded.

"You were sent for a reason," I said after finishing the canteen.

Butters might have grumbled.

"Is her being a demon that troubling?" Sanya asked.

"Well... it's gonna be a mess when we get back." Butters looked off for a moment. "Geeze, Murphy, Charity, and Andi are gonna flip. And then there's Molly... Not to mention Maggie."

I might have given a nervous laugh as my tail curled up. "At least you two can help me with Michael."

Sanya patted me on the back. "You worry too much. Michael is a good man, your friends accepted you as the Winter Knight."

Butters coughed. He had been concerned about Mab's influence on me. "Don't do that, she needs to think about her future."

I chewed my lip. "I'll have to update the info on my detective agency."

Butters shook his hands and grumbled.

"Dresden being Dresden is not what is upsetting you," Sanya said.

"No, not really."

"What then?" Sanya asked.

"It's how I feel." Butters pulled out the hilt to his Sword and studied it. "I shouldn't be glad that Tessa is gone. It's more of a... relief."

"We gave her a choice," I stated.

He laughed. "Yeah... we tried."

"The Fallen are insidious; they are masters of temptation and lies," Sanya reminded.

Butters nodded. He understood. He didn't like it.

"You gave Rosanna a choice," Sanya softly said.

Akane offered the Russian's flask. This time, Butters took it. He pulled a face after taking a small sip. "Damn you could use that stuff to sterilize instruments."

"Good to know," Sanya smiled. He looked at the sunrise. "Should be pretty day at least. I have not been to this part of Canada in a while."

"You sound like you want to go sightseeing," Butters scoffed.

"If we have time. Why not? Seeing new places is upside of Knight job, no?"

"I just want to get some sleep," Butters leaned back and I had to catch him from falling.

Ranma strode up to us, her hair blowing in the breeze. Looking like the queen of the battlefield, she projected an easy confidence in her posture as she surveyed the devastation around us. Only the smallest of tells betrayed her weariness. "I figured you'd all get together."

"We're just missing Lea," I shrugged. My godmother tended to come and go on her own whim, or worse at her Queen's whim.

"Last I saw her she was talking with Old Man Dresden."

"Ah yes, other Harry with eye-patch dresses all sinister, very scary," Sanya deadpanned.

Ranma leaned down between her daughters and gave each a hug. "I don't know about scary, but he seems to have more sense than our Dresden."

"He did try to keep you from Soul-gazing him," Butters agreed.

"Hey!" I said

My sister ignored me. "Puu and the other eggheads are pretty sure things won't fall apart here. Well, the Canadians will have another spot to watch and this area's gonna be a mess to cleanup, but a portal probably won't open up and disgorge monsters."

"Callin' that a win?" I asked.

"Meaning we might be able to go home," Ranma smiled.

Butters looked at the broken terrain, twisted wreckage and decaying monster remains.

"Yeah, yeah, there's still a lot of containment, cleanup, and media relations to do, but us trigger-pullers can be pulled back." The redhead rolled her shoulders and sprung back up.

The redhead bounded over to me and threw her arms in a hug. Surprised, I found myself purring as I returned the gesture.

"You did great," my sister said, pride in her voice.

"Well..." I blushed; my tail swishing back and forth. The hug was nice. Shame Butters and Sanya weren't joining in.

"No, seriously, you ate an Outer Entity's heart," she squeezed harder. "I guess you did know what you were doing when you begged me to turn you."

This time my blush was a bit more out of embarrassment, but I leaned into the hug anyway.

End Chapter 15



I'd like to thank the prereaders for their help in this project: J St C Patrick, DCG, Kevin Hammel, and Ellf. Special thanks to Pat for putting away a rainy afternoon to get this out.


If you're groaning over the chapter title, well, special thanks goes to Ellf for that. I was thinking of what to name it, and asked for his help.


But here we are. The fight is over, one chapter and epilogue are all that's left

 

[Dalek149]

Sanya is always a very interesting character to read, also so much is going on with the sailor scouts that I have no context for. I feel like I should read The Return, but 700k words... anyway, it'll be fun to see where you take the epilogue!

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Sanya is always a very interesting character to read, also so much is going on with the sailor scouts that I have no context for. I feel like I should read The Return, but 700k words... anyway, it'll be fun to see where you take the epilogue!

Click to shrink...

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed.

And yeah, Sanya was fun and this was a great way to bring him in.


Return Book 1: Brooding Responsibilities is only 200k words, so that might be a bit less daunting, and would put in a lot of the context for the senshi.

 

[steamrick]

"No, seriously, you ate an Outer Entity's heart," she squeezed harder. "I guess you did know what you were doing when you begged me to turn you."

Click to shrink...

Well, one bite of it at any rate.

Though I feel like I'm missing the significance of the act. Did it do more or different than any other flesh that Harry could have eaten?

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Well, one bite of it at any rate.

Though I feel like I'm missing the significance of the act. Did it do more or different than any other flesh that Harry could have eaten?

Click to shrink...

Ah whoops. Ranma was just impressed that her sister managed to eat (even if only a bite) of something so impressive. And that Dresden did such a think has Ranma thinking that her little sister had a plan.

As for significance... It's not like there'd be side effects. It was only a bit of a heart.

Thanks for commenting!

 

[Sunshine Temple]

And in a fun bit of coincidence got two bits of art today.

Both are of Usagi's "Battle Moon Queen" getup in these two chapters.
(With bonus of Dark Moon Queen in one pick, and succubus Ranma in another)

First.

And

Second.

 

[steamrick]

The first Battle Moon Queen design reminds me rather strongly of Arturia Pendragon of Nasuverse in style and colour choice.

That's not a bad thing, but the resemblance is pretty obvious.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

The first Battle Moon Queen design reminds me rather strongly of Arturia Pendragon of Nasuverse in style and colour choice.

That's not a bad thing, but the resemblance is pretty obvious.

Click to shrink...

Why yes.... the design does take quite a bit. ^_^;;;

But there's another inspiration too.
That is the cosplay designs based off of a DA artist by the name of Noflutter
https://www.deviantart.com/art/Sailor-Moon-NOFLUTTER-Vol2-538350576

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Blood Debts Book 5 of The Return
A Ranma, Sailor Moon, Dresden Files fic thingy.
By Sunshine Temple
Naturally, I own neither Sailor Moon nor Ranma nor the Dresden Files. So here's the disclaimer:

Ranma 1/2 and its characters and settings belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC. And the Dresden Files is owned by Jim Butcher.


Previous chapters and other works can be found at my fanfiction website.
http://jtemple.florestica.com/
Temporary Backup Site.
http://www.fukufics.com/fic/
Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku
http://fukufics.com
C&C as always is wanted.

"I heard the news today, oh boy.
The Canadian Army had just won the war.
Squid Toady things were burned away
But I just had to look
Having wrote the book..."
-J St C Patrick
Chapter 16 Just Desserts, Part B

There was nothing quite like a shower, a meal, and a little nap to make someone feel human again. After arduous physical and mental exertion, merely being fresh and clean felt decadent.

Of course, the first thing I did in the bathroom was floss and brush my teeth. At least it was the regular kind of toothpaste. Mint would bring back unpleasant memories for years to come. That action drove home that I wasn't exactly human. It got a bit more obvious when I stripped off my duster and let my armor sublimate away.

Still, all that awkwardness, complete with mocking reflection, was over. I redressed in some slacks, western shirt, boots and my, freshly cleaned, duster. Then came breakfast and being loaded into the waiting anonymous vans driven by slightly less anonymous spook-type folks.

Of course once we arrived at the park, there was a lot of waiting. Turns out we were early. My hand drummed against my staff as I waited, leaning against a tree. At least the park was pretty enough.

And the two magical girls arrived on time.

There were a few agents ghosting about doing spy stuff. A couple of my nieces were also there: Ukyou looking dashing in a white suit while Misako sat on the lip of the fountain and periodically tried skipping stones. It should be noted that the girl, clad in a green dress that reminded me a bit too much of the coloring of the squidtoads's paisley plaid nightmare, was doing this in a drained fountain.

I think she did it just to annoy Lady Mars, who wore a black and red suit-skirt that complimented Ukyou. After seeing Mars in action earlier today, I wasn't sure why Misako was antagonizing her.

Okay... that's a lie. I knew exactly why my niece was doing it. Still, Misako had the capacity to be nice; she had helped me get ready.

My older doppelganger turned back to me and gave an irritated sigh. He had also washed up and changed back into a severe dark grey suit that, with his sable eye-patch, made him look like quite the cutthroat businessman.

Though given how much an assassin of his caliber could charge, I suppose that impression was accurate enough.

Old Man Dresden's irritation lessened when he saw his daughter similarly tapping her wand against the set of large duffle bags she was watching. Maggie, not my daughter but a version of what she could be, had changed into a burgundy knit dress over black tights and running shoes. Her dark hair spilled in front, covering half of her face.

A bit further into the twenty foot diameter fountain Lady Pluto futzed with her staff. It was back in one piece and on a close inspection on the drive over I couldn't even spot the seam from where Tessa had snapped the magical implement. Misako for all her wiliness to antagonize Lady Mars, was careful to keep from throwing her pebbles anywhere near the diminutive green-haired magical girl.

Either the diminutive magical girl had perfectly repaired her garnet-topped focus item in a couple hours or she had a set of spares that she'd swap out whenever her current staff broke.

I wasn't sure which answer was more disquieting.

But she had paid for those two wizard assassins, so I didn't have room to complain.

"You look fulla questions, Hoss," the older wizard noted as he smoothed down his suit in the breeze that managed to flow over the high fencing that separated us from the rest of the park

At least my duster wasn't flapping about. I wasn't sure about the stylistic changes Cecilia and her girls had put into the garment when they fitted it to my frame, but the ability to belt it at the waist did help.

The park was closed for renovations. A lot of the trees had been moved and there wasn't so much grass as barren soil. But the fountain in the center was nice. There was some equestrian statue, rearing on its hind legs on a plinth in the center. And it being empty meant that Lady Pluto didn't have to stomp around in water up to her shins.

"I've got more than a few," I admitted.

Dresden's eye twinkled. "I might answer. Dependin'. You might not like the answer."

Maggie sighed. "Don't tease her, Dad."

"What's short, green, and spooky paying you?"

"What's it to you?" he asked with a smile.

"Just curious." I rolled my shoulders. "Money from this world might as well be counterfeit. I suppose she could have an account or somethin' in your world."

He nodded.

"But that means she moved assets over there and has a paper trail and the like. Which means she's working in your 'verse or planning to. I dunno how happy you'd be with that signal."

"Pretty and sharp," he chuckled.

I may have blushed along with my sigh. Misako had complimented my choice in clothes, even if I couldn't quite get my shirt tucked in the way I normally liked. At least I was never a stickler for doing all my shirt-buttons.

"There's always gold or diamonds." A pointed boot of mine kicked at his bags. "You brought enough stuff that a few pounds wouldn't be noticeable. Though... what is the exchange rate?"

"Back my way? About 88 marks per gram."

"What's this Euro nonsense? I want American!"

"Isn't this Canada?" Maggie asked.

He sighed. "Call it twenty-five hundred per ounce."

I did the math. "Yeah ten pounds of gold is nothing in a bag like that."

"That is true."

"But she didn't pay you off in gold."

The wizard tapped his silver-headed cane. "And why not?"

"Like you'd work for something so common."

"It could have been a lot of gold," Maggie countered.

I tapped my lip. "No... you can get gold, without having to go to another dimension to fight squid-monsters and Fallen Angels. I'm thinking you asked for something only Lady Pluto could give you."

"Ah," he gave a satisfied nod.

"And I'm betting it's more than interdimensional postcards."

He made a noncommittal, but skeptical noise.

I had to agree with him. Sure, I could trust Pluto had the ability to make sure letters got from one world to another, but I wouldn't bet money that the scary, not-really-a, little girl wouldn't be reading them.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Stop teasin' her, Viejo."

"Let me have my fun, Loba," he replied. "You know how rarely I get to tease pretty demon ladies."

The girl snorted and shook her head.

"Information. That's what you're getting from her," I stated, leveling my gaze. At least in these boots the big man couldn't loom over me.

He still tried, but after a moment the wizard turned and studied the small magical girl as she worked on the plinth in the center of the fountain. Well... it looked more like Pluto was literally going through the motions with her staff.

"Ain't she a Guardian of some sort of Time Machine?" he drawled.

"Yeah, but you don't like pissin' off Grandpappy Merlin. So... no violating the Sixth Law for you." I might have poked the older Dresden with my staff.

"But if a certain someone gave me information..." He looked thoughtful. "I'm pretty sure you've been taught that prophecies and warnings from the future have to be carefully structured to avoid causing all sorts of causality issues."

I snorted. "Why does it have to be future stuff? I'm sure there's plenty of past and present events in your world that you're dying to know the answer to."

"She's got you there," Maggie smirked.

The older Harry Dresden nodded. "So, you itchin' to know what I asked her?"

I paused. It was tempting. However, given my doppelganger was pretty close-lipped about his past, he probably wasn't willing to tell me what was so important to know that he'd risk his and his daughter's life fighting giant squid monsters.

Rubbing my chin, I pondered then shook my head. "Oh, I'm curious, but I've spent enough time with Ivy to know how dangerous that temptation can be."

He nodded, seemingly impressed.

Now, I frowned. This guy had to know Ivy, the Archive of all mortal knowledge, as well. Hells Bells, Kincaid is the Archive's bodyguard. And this one-eyed merc spent years working for Kincaid to pay off a debt.

So... that left a few nasty options. Maybe Old Harry was after information that Ivy didn't know, something no mortal knew. That could be pretty... creepy.

Worse, his world might not have an Archive, at least not anymore. The Archive, that is the mantle of knowledge, is passed down from mother to daughter, with the daughter inheriting after the mother's passing. Except... Ivy, at least my world's Ivy didn't have a daughter; she's too young. Not to mention Ivy's own mother... well it's best not to think about that. Still, I don't know what would happen if the Archive died before she had a daughter.

Well, there was a less scary option. Maybe Old Man Harry wasn't willing to pay the price for getting information out of Ivy. Or perhaps Ivy couldn't tell him. When my daughter was kidnapped, Ivy wasn't able to tell me where Maggie was.

The well-dressed man chuckled at my disquiet.

"Is the Archive doing well?" I finally asked.

He nodded while his daughter snorted. "Yeah, Ivy's doing great," she said eyeing me. "You're afraid to know what Viejo wanted answered?" she teased.

"I think your father went through a fair bit of work just to answer a question." I turned to him. "And if he's anything like me, there's a few things, a few people, he cares enough for to risk himself, and his daughter, for. The real issue, isn't what question he asked, or even what the answer was, but why he needs that information."

He averted his eye just enough to avoid a Soulgaze.

"The real question is who you two want to save," I stated.

"Bravo," he clapped.

"You going to answer? And how can I help?"

His smile grew. "Oh, Hoss, you're so eager."

"We can always use another perky soul-sucker seductress," Maggie smiled.

"Perky?" I may have lifted an eyebrow. I then looked down. Ah, while my top wasn't overly tight, and while I wasn't as endowed as my sisters. I was still a pretty demon lady. Though looking further down, past the lingering swell from my "breakfast" I saw that a good pair of pants didn't do anything to hide my long legs.

Well, at least my duster kept things from being too blatant in back, though... I had tied it off around my waist. A finger went back to my lips and I pulled it away and looked both at the color on the tip and then on the nail.

While my lips were normally a glossy blue, they weren't normally sparkly. Same went for my nails. "Damnit, Misako!"

The orange haired girl looked up and waved.

Lady Pluto looked up from scribbling on the edges of an access door on the plinth in the center of the fountain. She shook her head and went back to her make-work.

"Don't let teenage girls dress you." Old Harry shook his head sadly.

"You don't want my help?"

He took a moment to watch Pluto. "Hoss, we've been working this rescue for a while. The little Miss over there's just giving me a piece of the puzzle. Besides, you can't just run to some other world, you've gotta go back home first. Besides, I've got Winter help," he added with a cool smile.

I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. Part of me did ponder the kind of rescue that was a long term prospect, under what situation was this person hostage? As for Winter help. I frowned. Well, he wasn't the Winter Knight. And he did seem on good terms with the Ladies of Summer and Winter. However, he was pretty skittish about Mab, which was silly.

Lady Pluto had sauntered over to us, staff leaning on her shoulder.

"Well, I guess we should go," Old Dresden said as he put on his black wide-brimmed hat.

I held up a finger. "Look, you helped with this."

"We were being paid," he amiably remarked, as he hoisted up one of the large bags.

"Your questions will be answered," Pluto assured. "We should go."

"Hush you." I waved my hand at her.

The girl looked cross. "Dame Blackstone, we have been lucky. As... complicated as things have been, they could have been much worse. And I would prefer not to press my luck, not when there are extra wizards here."

I eyed her. "Is Murdock really that bad?" Ranma and Eve had told me about the gleeful manipulator who had orchestrated... well he'd been the one who had arranged for Ranma to become a demon in the first place. And from that change....

Yeah, that guy had set a lot of things in motion.

"Worse," Pluto stated. "He's been off our radar, which means he's up to something."

Old Man Dresden shook his head. "Young pups and their schemes."

"Really? You love secret plots as much as the next wizard."

Pluto sighed, impatient.

He held up a hand soothingly. "It's okay, we're going. I'll be happy with my payment."

"I can still help." I eyed him. "Look, evil-mirror Dresden. Whenever you do stage your elaborate heist or whatever your rescue scheme is, I'm pretty sure a Winter wizard sihde succubus would be an asset."

He glanced down at Maggie. The teen ran a hand through the hair that concealed half her face with a little flip. "Sure Dad, the Ladies might not be able to help, even if they want to," she said, taking her own bag.

They began to follow Pluto back to the fountain.

The older wizard though for a few paces. He tilted his head and his attention seemed far away as he pondered. "Aye, the older Queens can keep 'em from acting if they choose. It would be handy to have a backup asset," he allowed, stepping over the lip of the fountain.

"Gah, all that and I get a maybe? Why are you so stubborn?" I glared and stomped a high-heeled boot.

He chuckled. "That's rich."

I continued to glare as we neared the plinth, specifically the access door that Pluto had been fiddling with."

"Look, we're both loggerheads, and we're both able to out-stubborn the temptations from a certain Web-Weaver."

I exhaled. He was talking about Lashiel. He had spent time with her Shadow in his head too. "She got a raw deal," I sighed.

Old Harry frowned and his comment was cut off by Pluto opening the door.

The access door's hinges creaked. Instead of a cramped room full of pipes, pumps, filters or whatever was stuffed in the base of fountain statuary there was an iridescent green portal that neatly filled the door-frame.

"After you," Pluto stepped back and gestured towards the doorway.

"Well... bye, I guess." I paused. I didn't have much practice dealing with – myself. Though I suppose talking to my Id or, more recently my reflection counted for something. I reached out and pulled both Dresdens into a hug.

Maggie made a surprised noise while Old Harry complained a bit about it being too tight. Still both returned the gesture while Pluto looked on with a bit of impatience.

"Damn huggy demons," she murmured.

The hug broke apart and Old Man Dresden shook his head. "You're gonna be okay, Hoss."

"I'm not worried-"

He cut me off. "Yes, you are, but that's fine. Go back home, reconnect with your daughter, er daughters, lean on those Knights. Just be careful, it might take time for your friends to get used to you."

"After the Winter Knight thing..." I frowned.

He patted me on the shoulder. "See, if they can accept you being the Winter Queen's leg-breaker, they can be okay with you all demony."

I pouted.

He shrugged. "Hey, if you don't like it maybe you should have thought through demandin' to be made a demon. They'll accept you or they won't."

I sighed.

"Just try to use a bit of tact, we can be pretty intense."

I blinked at him and Maggie stared.

"What? I'm older, that means I know more, especially about my own problems." He tapped his cane on the ground and shifted his bag. "Anyway, the scary little girl is waiting patiently."

"Right," Maggie hoisted her gear and crossed the threshold.

"I am functionally a teenager," Pluto stiffly said.

Old Harry laughed and I could tell he wanted to pat her on the head. Instead, showing a bit more judgment than I would have, he simply gave me a final nod and walked through the glowing portal.

***************


"They're back home?" Eve asked as the van pulled away from the park.

I adjusted my legs. Those damn pants of Misako's had creaked ominously as I sat down. "Well, little Miss Pluto sent them on their way, and she went through the portal with them.

"To help with their payment?" My sister ventured from her position riding "shotgun".

I nodded. Of course Eve had figured it out too. I wasn't the only detective in the family. Swiveling in the bench seat, I turned to Lady Mars who sat next to me. "Is that normal for her?"

The black-haired girl sighed a bit. "Is anything normal for her?"

"Um?"

"Nevermind," Mars shook her head.

"There's a bit of a split between the Pattern Silver teams," Ukyou said from the back bench where she and Misako sat. The coiffed girl nodded at me then whispered something to Ukyou.

"Half of us are still in Japan dealing with problems there," Mars stated.

"Ah, the rest of the planets?" I ventured. "So, like Ladies Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn?" Before the battle I had overhead something about Mercury, Ami, not being… available. One of the many briefings my sisters had put me through did warn me about "Mistress Mercury". Apparently, she was another part of Murdock's schemes.

"And Serenity's daughter," Mars added before looking back out the window.

"Thanks for all your help," I said and bowed my head a bit to her.

She blinked at the gesture. "That's Usagi's nature." Mars tried to sound casual but she did enjoy the compliment.

"Sure, and her blowing up a squid monster was great. So was Pluto finding some extra help, but I'm thanking you in specific." As she turned I gave her a smile. "We wouldn't have won without you."

"Well, yes." The barest hint of a flush colored her cheeks. "Still, I'm not the one who was insane enough to get eaten and blow the monster up from the inside."

Looking down, I coughed. "I didn't exactly plan on that... but once it happened I tried to make the most of it." Really, once a monster from beyond the stars was trying to eat you, your options were a bit limited.

"You really are Ranma's sister." Mars made a thoughtful noise. "Maybe you should take after your more restrained sisters," she nodded to Eve. It was a bit of a formal gesture.

"You should have spent more time with her when she was a human," Eve said as she watched the intersection as the van made a long left turn.

Mars gave a slight smile and nodded her head.

The rest of the drive passed rather peacefully. Well, I might have complained a bit about how I was a totally responsible adult back in Chicago, with an office, yellow page ad, business cards, and everything. Yes... the business cards were new and the office was temporary.

But that my old workplace burned down wasn't my fault.

Hells Bells, my life had been re-established after "dying" to such a level that I had even got a jury duty summons. Imagine that, a mortal government summoning me. Though I suppose that was mob-boss Gentleman Johnny Marcone manipulating the system so I would end up serving on a jury of a guy who turned out to have been railroaded into murder charges by the White Court. Said abuse of the justice system was courtesy of a particularly annoying young vampire named Tania Raith

Sure, the guy had been a bruiser for the Chicago Outfit, hence why Marcone pulled those strings, but the guy was innocent. Okay, Hamilton Luther really did kill Curtis Black. However given Luther only killed Black, a White Court Vampire, because he found Black feeding on a little girl, I wasn't willing to vote to convict the guy.

I guess I could talk to Marcone about getting all new paperwork. Though I wasn't exactly keen on getting in debt with the mobster just to change the name on some leases, licenses, and business cards.

Oh, Empty Night, I was going to have to change all that stuff. I couldn't well pass myself as Harry Dresden, at least not to the people that care about business cards, that is vanilla mortals.

I might have distracted myself about the pain in trying to transfer my lease and business registration. And then there was my Private Investigator's license. And yes my family had to have some experience in helping people get paperwork after the succubus change, but that was only good for their world.

The irony there was enough to make me want to kick the seat in front of me, but that would just get Eve angry at me.

Well, I had a friend, or at least someone that liked me, on the Senior Council who helped me get my official declaration of death reversed. Maybe Rashid could work his bureaucromancy again. I would prefer owing the mysterious Keeper of the Outer Gates than Marcone.

Anyway, instead of mulling over all that, I may have spent the remainder of the car ride complaining to Misako about her fashion choices for me today. I was so busy civilly debating her spurious argument that she was merely teaching me the importance of bras and other foundation garments that I hardly noticed we had dropped Rei off.

Even worse, was Misako's assertion that I was to blame for these clothes. Like I was all into extra-tight pants. That was more my brother's and eldest sister's style. And as for those boots, sure I liked cowboy boots, and I liked being tall, but there was no reason for me to want to make myself look even taller, just because I was seeing off guy-me who was my old full height...

Eve was her quiet self during the drive, though she seemed a bit more withdrawn than usual. Maybe she was distracted, but I expected at least some dry commentary from her with regard to my fashion faux pas.

The van stopped and I realized we had passed through the checkpoints and were home. That is we were out in front of the house where Ranma and her family lived, which was across from Eve's house. There were a few company vehicles already parked on the street.

"Thank you, Agent Taveres," Eve said to the driver as we all climbed out of the vehicle.

Getting out of the left side of the van, Taveres, a stout muscular man, reached in and pulled out a brownish tan backpack.. With dusky skin he was short, not as short as Ranma, but not much taller than Butters. Still, he was fit and dressed in that slacks and polo contractor chic that the mercenaries seemed to adopt when in semi-public

"Ma'am," the quiet young man nodded.

Eve glanced at her watch. Which I think was an affectation. If I had to place odds, I'd wager she had an excellent ability to keep track of time. "It looks like Ranma hasn't started her class, so you have time to change and attend."

For once the sober man smiled. "Ma'am," he repeated and walked off while Ukyou and Misako sauntered off. The blonde went towards their house, while her coiffed mate sauntered towards the dojo.

That left the two of us.

Eve had smoothed her dark suit and was flipping through some papers in one of her thick leather valises. Which I would also bet had some sort of explosive lining. Her lip quirked a bit.

"And how are you doing?" I asked.

Looking back, she met my gaze. "Pardon?"

"You're lingering, alone with me, and you've been quiet on the drive over."

Her head tilted slightly.

"Quiet for you." I may have flared a bit of irritation. "We're family, you don't have to wall yourself from me."

Her smile was slight, but had just a little bit of brittleness. "Well, it's a bit selfish but... notice that you don't have any new nieces."

"What's that..." I winced. "No one on the D Program got hurt?"

"There were two members on a helicopter that crashed. KIA. Another will probably lose a leg, but I know Agent Song, she'll probably take a medical reassignment."

I nodded. The D Program had a few limitations. Sure, it was one thing to say you were willing to be turned if you were mortally wounded, but one of the brood still had to find you between getting wounded and expiring.

"Uh, how bad were the casualties?" I asked. I had seen several mercenaries and Canadians go down, not to mention the helicopters that crashed and vehicles that got melted.

Eve's blue eyes had a moment, just a moment, where they weren't perfectly steady. "About a dozen killed, twenty more casualties, some of those probably won't make it."

Anyone else would have seen a blonde woman giving an even statement. Maybe feeling a bit of sadness to her words, but she was prime, polished, professional. It was only because she was family; that I was empathically bonded to her, that I could feel her weariness and emotional vulnerability.

I leaned forward and wrapped my hands around her.

There was a tiny flicker of surprise, but Eve returned the hug. Slightly shorter, especially with me in higher heels, she was able to lean her head on my shoulder. I felt the connection between us as my sister let some of her barriers drop.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked.

I felt the confusion from her, followed by a blend of amusement and pleasant surprise. "Of course," she gave a sigh that was partially a purr and pulled back out of the hug. "I have my family. I have you all, but thank you for asking." she bowed her head to me.

I returned the gesture.

"Will you be okay?" she asked. Her outward appearance was back to all-business, but I could feel a slight concern to her, as well as the afterglow from the hug.

"Uh, yeah?" I ran a hand through my hair. "I mean it was real awful being chewed up like that and the whole battle was..." I blinked. "Well, I mean Tessa's gone and we've stopped Outsider squid monsters from stomping about my world and yours."

"Yes, this hasn't been your first rodeo," she remarked. "But that's not what I'm asking."

I tilted my head.

"You're going back to your city. You'll be alone."

"Oh," I understood her unvoiced question, and her silent offer. "You don't have to come with me, I'll be fine," I said in a tone that wasn't at all like crying: "But I'm a big girl!"

However, I might have bit my lip in worry. Look, it was a bit of a scary thought. To be honest, I hadn't really thought much about... well... what I'd do after I'd won. Winning itself was big enough of a challenge.

"You'll have to deal with what you did, what you became to beat Miss Latessa. But you don't have to be alone," Eve said.

"Yeah... not the first time I've grabbed power to win without understanding the consequences."

Eve made a thoughtful noise, but I could feel the worry behind her cool facade.

"I'll be okay," I assured her as I looked around the street. The neat houses around us were quiet. I could hear, and feel, some activity around the dojo. I suppose if I Listened I could know more of what was going on, but I felt Ranma's presence there and that was enough.

Still, I ran one hand over the other; it was... odd. Ever since I had fallen through a hole in the sky and landed in half-frozen mud, I'd had a mission. First, figuring out where the heck I was, then, figuring out why the heck I was here, and finally, how to solve the problem of a revenge-crazed Fallen Angel host.

Eve sensed my indecision and anxiety. "I have to go back to base and help oversee the quarantine, cleanup, and the like. You could come, if you like. It's a bit dry, but would be helpful to make sure we're disposing of everything properly," she offered.

I tilted my head, and considered. Sure, Sanya and Butters had secured the Denarian coins, but what they were going to do with those coins afterward was a valid question.

Normally, they'd be handed over to the Church and kept secured. Eventually, they'd escape and go "back into circulation", that's how it worked with those damned things. But lately, the coins seemed to be getting out of the "penalty box" a bit too quickly.

At least that's what Michael and I had found the last time we had tangled with Denarians. That was the same operation that had seen the retired Knight come back for one last mission. And had actually been Mab and Marcone tricking Nicodemus into losing his personal army, ruining his reputation in the supernatural community, and, oh yes, murdering his daughter.

Which... was what got Tessa out looking for revenge.

Still, what Sanaya and Butters were going to do with their baggy full of Fallen coins was a problem for later. I suppose I had a place designed to secure supernatural things, but, given what else was locked down under my spooky island, I really didn't think stashing Denarian coins there was a wise idea.

Either way, the coins weren't my sister's problem. It showed remarkable wisdom that these mercenaries were happy to get the damn things off their planet. Instead of doing something like trying to harness their power, study them, or some other foolishness.

If only more people acted sensibly when tempted with vast supernatural power.

Even without the coins, there was still a huge mess on that battlefield. I hadn't heard any news today, so I had no idea what lies were being spun. I had seen a zombie T-rex stomp through Chicago and fight a literal army of zombies get covered up by blaming an outbreak of bread mold so I wouldn't be surprised either way.

Now, Eve did have a point, keeping me occupied might be for the best.

I tapped my knuckles. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll talk to Butters and Sanya first, see what their plans are."

Eve's lips quirked. "I believe they're in the dojo." She reached out and gave me another hug. "Talk to you later," she said afterwards.

I watched my sister turn and head towards her house. I guess she was getting something before going back out. Maybe picking up one of her daughters, or maybe a book or a gun or something to bring in to work.

Shrugging, I went the opposite direction and crossed the driveway. My boots rang on the stone walkway leading up to the front door of the Saotome residence. Though I suppose technically it was owned by the Tendos.

Crossing the threshold, I pulled off my tall boots and walked through the foyer. My nebulous plans of going upstairs and changing were canceled when I felt Sanya, Ukyou, Cecilia, and one of her daughters, the one with turquoise hair, in the kitchen.

"Is Eve ready to go back to base?" Cecilia asked.

"I think so," I could feel her apprehension and worry. I glanced at my two nieces, they were busying themselves at the stove. Sanya stood at the kitchen island deftly dicing things with a knife.

"How's Desiree?" I asked my tail drooping as I walked up to my sister.

"Better," Cecilia leaned on me. "I'll be going down to see her in a moment. Hazel, Isabel, and Kristen are with her in the medical wing."

I put my arms around her, then added my wings to the embrace. "She'll be okay, we can heal pretty much anything, in time," I reassured. The amount of damage I could soak up now did make me feel funny, but even a normal succubus could heal a lot.

"I can go and visit with you," I offered. "I mean, I was just out seeing off Scary-Assassin me and Maggie."

Looking up, Cecilia smiled. "That's sweet, you can come later today or tomorrow morning, before you go."

My tail drooped a bit. "I do have to go back, we all do."

"I am in no rush," Sanya said.

Huh, that was interesting. Normally, Knights of the Cross were made aware of their next mission with bracing clarity.

"Bit of vacation with pretty demon girls could be nice." He used the blade to brush a bunch of diced shallots into a bowl. "Food is good," he added flashing Ukyou and Meredith a smile.

"Oh, I'm just getting started," Ukyou grinned back.

"Some more time would be helpful," Cecilia said as she slipped out of the hug and gave me an apprising look.

I felt a bit self-conscious. Not by how I was dressed, which was pretty normal for this family, but by how her gaze seemed to go through me. "Eve is worried about me too."

Cecilia leaned in. "You are very young," she whispered. "Normally, a new succubus spends time with her family to stabilize and grow."

"Even one made by the sister process?"

"Eve still dotes on her big sister and moved in next door." Cecilia's response was playful, but there was a bit of truth and hurt to her statement.

"That's for mutual defense and..." I frowned, my sister's whispering was right. Sure, Eve could go out on her own now. But how long did it take for her to get that mature? Cecilia had been forced into living on her own, and even then she had her daughters to take care of.

And even if Eve could live by herself, it's not like she had the inclination to do it. Succubae were social, pack-pack based. And I would be the only succubus of my kind when I got back home.

"Oh," I muttered as Cecilia whispered something else. Lost in my own thoughts, I missed what she said, but that was okay. The idea of having her say something that I didn't consciously hear was familiar somehow.

Well, at least Thomas was similar to me. I got the feeling that I was going to have to lean on my incubus-style vampire brother pretty heavily.

I won't deny that a part of me wanted to stay here, stay with my sisters. Hells Bells, I'd love it if someone could come with me. A little part of me wanted Mother to come and help teach me, guide me but...

Mother was dead. And my other mother was only human. I blinked at that thought. It was factually correct. In this specific case, Nodoka Saotome's species was a limitation, but it still felt wrong to frame it that way.

Cecilia leaned her head back on my shoulder. "We've done all we can to help you, but we worry. You're strong-willed, stubborn and that will help, but it could also hurt you," she quietly said.

"What you've done to help me," My eyes widened as my memory flashed back to when my three sisters had turned me. All three provided their energy and tried to help me visualize the change, for what good that did.

But Cecilia was doing something in addition to that. "You were whispering in my ear!"

The lavender-haired demon gave an innocent smile, but her eyes glinted. "Ah, you remember, now."

"What did you do?" I growled as I took her arm and pulled her out of the kitchen into the hallway.

Cecilia's gaze went from my eyes to my hand. My sister was amused. "You begged us to turn you. You demanded demons remake your body without even bothering to find out what gender you'd become."

She wagged her finger as if I were naughty. "I looked into your soul."

Despite my ire, I felt guilty. Other than Ranma, no one else exactly enjoyed Soulgazing with me.

"And that confirmed things, confirmed fears." Cecilia started me down. "I was afraid I'd lose my little sister to madness because she'd be too in denial to realize she wasn't human, too stubborn to adapt, too prideful to ask family for help."

"That didn't give you the-"

She cut me off. I felt a slight buzzing in my horns as she flexed a bit of her power. "I did what I could, Sister. And given that you, a wizard -someone extraordinarily skilled at the visualization, mental control, and faith required to cast magic- couldn't bring yourself to see yourself as a succubus, believe that you should be a succubus…"

She spread her hands. "I'd say what I did was necessary."

"But what did you do? What did you whisper?" The anger had boiled out of my voice and I was left with uncertainty, a feeling of vulnerability.

Butters was right. I didn't think through this whole "demon" plan, and I had screwed things up. My tail curled behind me.

Cecilia took my hand. "You're a passionate person, dear sister. I merely helped you with that."

"This isn't the first time a supernatural woman tweaked my emotional state without me knowing about it." This time I glared at her.

"And? I was helping you."

"And I had an apprentice who thought she could just cure drug addiction in her friends by implanting phobias in their minds. She was trying to help them too. Instead it got her declared a warlock with the White Council, put under a probation where if she slipped up she'd lose her head, and, oh yes, she drove one of her friends, to madness and badly hurt the other."

Cecilia's lip curled back and her stance shifted. "Your apprentice was sloppy," she hissed. "Clumsy."

I blinked. I knew what my sisters were, the empathic thing made it obvious they weren't human. However with Ranma and Eve it was easy to keep in mind how different they were. They radiated the sleek power and control of the trained predators they were.

Cecilia... she was a demon. Okay, it sounds dumb. But this was the first time she really acted demonic. Her eyes seemed to read me and her sneer became a bit approving.

"Is that the difference? Molly was bad at using mind magic to fix her friends but you're good at it," my mouth was dry.

Cecilia slipped closer, her expression softening. "No. The difference is that you consented to having your mind transformed. I doubt your apprentice asked her friends if she could help them."

"No, she didn't."

"As I said sloppy," Cecilia shivered. "Also, instilling a phobia to keep someone from doing something they're addicted to causes a mental break. The imposed will conflicts with the true self. Mental trauma is a result."

"Uh... yeah that's what happened, and why messing with someone's mind is Black Magic." I glared at her.

"I did what I did to reduce your mental trauma." Cecilia gave a playful smile, but her eyes were cold. "Do recall how I became a demon, Sister."

I stared. Cecilia had been human, but she had been taken by Alexia. She had been taken and transformed, warped and twisted. Made to love a parent that saw her only as raw material.

I'd like to think Cecilia would find her experience, her daughters' experience so revolting that she'd never repeat the sins of her mother. "Then what did you do to me?" I asked.

"You are passionate, emotional, but you also repress. Your stubbornness is an asset; it gives you great strength and resilience, but it can also cause denial. I helped your emotions, helped keep you from denying what you had become."

Her eyes looked into mine in that direct way succubae preferred. It was still a bit disconcerting, given I had a lifetime of avoiding such gazes, but it helped confirm she was telling the truth.

"I wouldn't..." I looked down at my body. My tail whipped around; my wings had folded against my shoulders.

"Ranma did. She denied who she was and it nearly cost her eldest daughter her sanity. She was so in denial she didn't even know the new demon she made was her daughter."

"Oh?" That seemed... Okay, I knew Ranma was once human, that there was a time before she had the whole "demon mom" thing. But it was hard to think about her that way. "You still messed with my mind."

Cecilia tilted her head. "You were being turned into a succubus, into our sister. Your mind was going to be changed. Better for you to accept yourself now than have some mental break fester."

"Fester?" I paused. Magical brainwashing had the whole problem of your mind knowing it should be doing things one way, but, instead, being forced to act a different way. That extra mental pressure, that extra wrongness built up and was why madness was a common result of brainwashing.

But what Cecilia was saying...

"Hells Bells, you were worried I'd be walking around with a succubus brain, succubus instincts, but my inner self would be too stubbornly human and I'd drive myself nuts?"

Cecilia gave me "the look".

"You thought I'd sabotage my own brain, Black Magic style?"

"Were my fears unfounded?" She spread her hands. "How have you been acting since the change?"

"Come on, sure I might have been silly and.... pretended to flirt, but that's not bad I mean I'm a pretty young de..." I worked my jaw. "Oh."

Smiling, she reached up to cup my cheek. "Don't pout. It's not like we had to rub your horns or treat you like a true baby succubus."

"What?" I snorted. "I've graduated to big girl pants?"

"More that a certain degree of mental flexibility is required to accept the change." Her eyes flashed. "And the change cannot be denied. A brittle mind will break."

I frowned. Mind Magic was the same way for wizards. Older, curmudgeony wizards grew set and built up a mental resistance that resisted overt control. Sure, they could still be influenced, as the Senior Council found out to their detriment due to a the actions of deep cover mole, but they couldn't be outright controlled... as said mole demonstrated with the younger Wardens on the Council.

"I've seen it happen," Cecilia's voice was soft. "Sometimes Alexia would let one of us have the illusion of resistance. Give them spark of who they were... and let the pressure build until it crushed their minds."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

Her smile flashed again. "Others simply collapsed when Alexia's influence was removed. So many of my girls, of Ranma's girls too, are special."

I winced. "But... they're all great girls. I mean they recovered."

Her gaze returned. "Yes, they are happy; they are whole... now; they are growing. But..."

"They are not who they once were." I frowned after completing her thought. I pondered. The conclusion hit me and my tail stiffened. "Oh."

"Yes, if I had merely wanted a happy succubus sister, I wouldn't have needed to do anything."

Her eyes bored into mine, the lavender irises softly luminescent. "I could have stayed silent during the change, and afterwards when my baby sister fell ill, well... she'd get better."

I shivered. That was the curse of my new species. Our minds could be fragile, vulnerable. But if broken... they could be reformed, but it wouldn't have been...

"I would have died."

Cecilia tilted her head and she smiled with a flash of teeth. "Butters would have mourned the loss, but he's a good man. He'd have helped us with our poor sister. Though I'm glad he didn't have to bear that burden."

"He was sent to... to help me," I sighed. "More than just talking me out of murdering Tessa. More than futilely trying to keep me from becoming a demon."

"Could you imagine a newborn succubus with your power? Confused, without a firm identify, but with memories full of hurt."

I thought to my daughter Bonnie, a spirit with the knowledge of a Fallen Angel. She came into existence in such a state of innocence but burdened with terrible knowledge. "Yeah."

"I love you." Cecilia hugged me. "I'm not strong like Eve and Ranma. They assumed you could power through it. Even though Eve abandoned her humanity to save her soul, and Ranma did likewise to save her daughters."

"I love you, too," I blinked, still confused.

"But I know what it's like to be broken and if I could keep you from breaking, I would."

I thought of Cecilia giving me those pamphlets, talking to me about my emotions, my urges, explaining that I had options other than ascetic self control, working with Lea to send me on that date. I hugged her back. "I'm still... I don't like that you messed with my mind."

"Yes."

"I really don't like that you kept it secret from me." I eyed her. "Should I be happy I'm able to dislike it? That you didn't make me wide-eyed and thankful?" My tone was light but there was a bit of hurt under cutting it.

"If I were going to brainwash you, having you less clumsy would be my priority. She took my arm again. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

A little growl slipped past my self-control. "You were that afraid I'd screw up?"

My sister just gave a sad nod. "I didn't want to lose you."

Sighing, I pulled her into another hug. "I don't like it. I'm also... look be careful. You know how dangerous we can be, how we can abuse our powers."

She shivered a bit in the embrace. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"I..." My voice caught. "Yeah, a couple times. I once used a bit of mind magic to help Murphy sleep after some nasty mental trauma, even eased the memories a bit. Among the Council it's considered a mercy and not violating the law."

"But it could be abused," Cecilia stated.

I shrugged and squeezed her again.

"What was the other time?" she asked, pulling out the hug.

I looked down. "I had my own memory erased. I had my apprentice do it to me so..." I bit my lip. "So, I wouldn't know; so my Queen wouldn't know I had arranged for my own assassination."

"Before you became the Winter Knight?" Cecilia's arm snaked back around my side. "You didn't want to become her... monster?"

My gaze was still low. I could see my tail swishing as it curled around my long legs. "Yeah. I mean. I wasn't in my right mind at the time. Someone had cheated but..."

"I'm sorry," Cecilia repeated and I could feel the regret and sympathy in her voice. There was also an undercurrent of worry.

"I've got no plan like that here!" I waved my hands.

"Oh, I'm not worried about that." She laughed. A bit more regret filled her. "I've been keeping my ride waiting too long. We will talk later," my sister promised, reaching up to give me a quick hug before going towards the foyer.

After putting on her shoes, she waved as she slipped through the front door.

Waving back, I turned and made a surprised noise as Sanya had seemed to appear next to me. At least the knight had left that knife in the kitchen.

I regained my footing. "Um, how much did you hear?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"Not much."

I crossed my arms and tried to give him "the look".

The Russian shook his head with a bit of regret. "She should have told you."

"Yeah, that might have made me think twice about the change."

His teeth flashed in a mirthful smile. "Are you sure? Is that the line when it comes to turning into pretty demon?"

"It would have been nice."

He nodded.

"She could have told me afterwards, instead of hoping I didn't figure it out." My tail started to ease and swing back behind me.

The Knight glanced down then back up to me. "She was scared for her baby sister."

"Doesn't make it right."

Sanya nodded again and put his arm over my shoulder. His strong fingers ran over the folded membranes of my wing. "No, she should have told you. She took away choice."

I smiled. That was what it came down to for the Knights of the Cross: Protecting the ability of mortals to choose. Even the likes of Tessa and Nicodemus were offered a choice. Neither took it; each sided with their Fallen.

"I still chose this," I swept a set of long alabaster fingers tipped with blue nails over my tall, sleek form. "My sisters warned me I wasn't thinking it through. Butters warned me, but I still demanded the change."

As he led me back to the kitchen, Sanya followed my gesture.

"Well, being the demon. Not the Winter sidhe succubus stuff," I amended.

Sanya laughed. "That was your choice as well."

I tilted my head.

"Come Dresden, you knew what would happen if you did not drive the change yourself. The Mantle would do it." Sanya shook his head and let go of me. "Besides, Knight Mantle is not thinking being. Is power, instinct, and primal urges. It does not know how to make pretty demon lady."

His hand slipped down my shoulders and brushed against my tail. "Uh..." I twisted around to face him, slightly flush. "But... if it wasn't the Mantle. Who turned me?" I frowned, even Cecilia wouldn't go that far. Plus she was genuinely surprised by how I looked.

Sanya grinned. "Who else?"

Raising my hand, I opened my mouth. Then I slowly closed it and pondered. I had screwed up the change. At the time, I couldn't see myself as a succubus; couldn't truly believe that I should be one. But I also didn't want to die. Neither did the Winter Mantel.

But the Mantle was just fine with me turning into a predator. Problem was, the Winter Mantle didn't know how a succubus should look.... and even if it did it wouldn't embellish. Stars and Stones, I came out of the change with lipstick and eyeliner.

"I am such a moron," I sighed, my tail drooping, and tapping one foot on the floor. It gave a sharp ring.

Shaking his head, he moved closer and I almost had to shift a step back. "You try to do the right thing. You don't think all the way through, but you try the right thing."

"Yeah... at least it wasn't as bad as the whole Winter Knight change."

"Ah, so no broadcast of you consummating the change?" Sanya frowned. "Yes, for the best, they did become your sisters, no?"

I coughed again. Yeah... becoming the Winter Knight was intensely primal and Mab, being Mab, broadcast the whole thing to all the fae. Though I'll admit part of me wouldn't mind ... I blinked and tilted my head. Sanya was saying something.

"Sorry, I missed that?" I asked, arching my back a bit as I stretched. Damn Misa and her too-tight pants.

Sanya laughed. "I said: It's not like the Mantle would care to make its host pretty to impress the Winter Queen."

I gave a little smile and swished my tail. "Well, maybe. If I'm lucky."

He was still smiling, but his eyes looked thoughtful. "Ah. You have not spoken with the Winter Queen?"

"No, I'm sure Lea told her about me, but..." I shook my head and shifted my hooves. Huh, when did those shift? I licked my lips. "I don't want her mad."

He nodded. "Yes. Though there is something else you should be concerned of."

"Oh?"

The knight shrugged. "It's not just your sister influencing your mind."

I gave him a sharp look. "I know about the Mantle." Still, I couldn't keep from frowning. Sure the Mantle of the Winter Knight couldn't really think, but it had its loyalties and urges. Maybe it could put the idea of impressing Mab in my mind.

That was a scary thought.

Then I had a worse thought. Stars and Stones, the Mantle had merged with me. There wasn't any need to implant ideas in my mind. The concentration of Winter Power was a part of me.

Sanya looked contemplative as we meandered back to the kitchen. "I've met the Winter Queen. We also talked after you became her Knight."

I blushed a bit but felt his pressure on my shoulder... My head shook. "I wasn't exactly thinking at my best back then," I stated. That was putting it mildly: self-brainwashed to enact a suicidal conspiracy was more accurate.

"You were afraid of what you'd become?" he asked.

"Someone on the other side cheated. Took advantage of my fears. Broke the rules. One of your bosses had to step in and balance the scales." Lasciel, the actual Fallen not her shadow, was the one that pushed me into that conspiracy. Afterwards Uriel had given my ghost a few choices and in the end let me face Mab with a measure of hope.

"Ah," Sanya nodded as he went back to the cutting board. "Your relationship improved then?" he asked pulling, an onion out of a bowl.

My nieces seemed to be diligently cooking, but I knew they had been eavesdropping.

I frowned. That... was true. I had been far more insolent than Mab was used to in a Knight. I almost felt guilty at how far I'd pushed her. Especially given the whole Maeve mess. Mab realized that her daughter had to die, as a parent I couldn't imagine what that would do to me.

Then again, I had promised to be the most effective knight Mab had ever had, and I liked to think I had proven my worth to my Queen.

My tail curled.

Dang.

Sanya put his knife down. "Sorry, did not mean to upset you," he flashed a grin.

I smiled in response. He was charming. He was also a Knight of the Cross and was potentially extremely dangerous. But only if his cause was righteous. "It's all just a lot to take in."

"Well, mother and your other sisters were warning you," Ukyou said as she put a plate in front of me. It was a ham-steak next to a pork chop next to a fillet of some type of fish. I was going to have to work on my food budget when I got home.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, not at all petulantly. I had turned so I could stop Tessa. But now that Tessa was gone... my tail swished.

"Oh, one thing, Misako would like to help you with some clothes," Ukyou said.

"After what she did today…" I muttered.

"I think she'd like to apologize and help you with some more comfortable stuff," the platinum blonde said.

I went to my food but found that Ukyou had removed the plate and was moving it, and another one, to the kitchen table.

"Ah, lunch then?" Sanya said as he ambled after us towards the table.

"I think you should get some food in your before talking to Mom," Ukyou said.

"Wise idea, demons can be cranky when they get hungry. Can do foolish things." Sanya laughed.

"I'm not cranky," I pouted.

"Of course not," he said putting his arm around my waist and pulling out a chair. "But you can do foolish things, no?"

I huffed, but didn't argue the point. I was hungry, and having some more real food would be nice. Anything to help recover from the mess of last night, this morning.

***************

Feeling a bit better, I slipped into the dojo.

Ranma was at the head of the room. She wore a purple Lycra bodysuit and stood a bit to the side while two of her daughters circled Butters. The knight was wearing a borrowed gi and well... he certainly looked the part.

Though it helped that his sword was still a blade of glowing light. Misako darted in, her wood blade shooting forward. Butters intercepted his blade knocking hers to one side.

I noticed it merely blocked her blade, instead of cutting through it... well I guess a sword could have a stun setting. He had to step back as Misako adjusted her wrist to bend the tip of her sword back.

As Butter's feet committed to a new stance, Nariko pounced and stabbed at Butters's side. The knight pulled back and managed to narrowly avoid both blades, however he was on the defensive. Each demon could support the other, whenever the Knight tried to press an advantage the two could either unite in their defense or split and coordinate attacks from different angles.

The latter forced Butters to keep a mobile defense as he was often left pulling back and darting to the side, until one of his dodges brought him into contact with Ranma.

The redhead raised her hand and the trio stopped.

I walked past the various mercenaries, soldiers, and instructors. I noticed my nieces were, by and large, kneeling down at the far end of the dojo near where Ranma was lecturing. All eyes were on me. I had brought my staff with me, but had left my boots in the foyer. The matting felt a bit funny under my toes.

"Is this a lesson on how important teamwork is?"

My sister tilted her head and side-stepped Butters. "Obviously. Coordination is a force multiplier in and of itself. That's important when you're on a team, and when you're alone." She said the last locking eyes with me.

"Also we felt two-on-one would make the Knight work for it," Misako said as she slipped her sword into a bright silk sash tied around her waist. She then bowed her head towards me.

Butters was panting but he seemed pretty stable. Though I suppose after today's battle everyone was going to take things easy.

"There's more..." I frowned and walked around the room.

A couple of Eve's girls were behind me and moved forward.

Going with the flow, I frowned. I should have come in when the instructors had everyone do exercises or break into little groups for sparing. This was a bit much of an audience.

Ranma stepped back, seemingly yielding the floor to me.

I automatically took her place. My tails straightened. Another lesson. "You also showed that how, even if you stave off your attackers, they can still maneuver you. Your girls managed to push Butters right into you."

The redhead coughed. "Not exactly what we meant to show, but yes... that is true," she admitted. My sister bowed to Butters. "I didn't mean to say I'd be a threat to you, Sir Knight."

She then clapped her hands. "Right! We all had a busy night, so I think we can do with some more limbering up. How about some wall kicks?"

I watched as the students went to the walls and each started lifting a leg up about even with their waist and holding them in place. It looked deceptively easy, but I knew from the flexibility primer Ranma had put me through that that such an exercise would start to become a real strain.

Hands clasped behind her back, Ranma approached. She looked to her students and nodded to a couple of the instructors and her daughters, sending them out to help. I still found it a bit surprising that the two instructors were human males.

"Something amiss?" she asked.

"Other than the dawning realization that I'm going to go back to the chaotic mess of my life, but now as a gangly demon-chick?" I asked, though I didn't really see myself as gangly, I was far too well-put-together for that, but it was easier to say that than well...

"Yes, other than that."

I exhaled. "I think I was played."

She nodded.

That was the nice part about family, at least my family. None of my siblings would shake their heads and go "you're being paranoid Harry". They all knew about supernatural conspiracies. In this way my sisters had a lot in common with my brother.

"I can name two parties off the top of my head," she stated. "Three if we include factions within your boss's side."

"Yeah," I agreed. Just because Mab had made it clear I had been sent at Winter Mother's behest, didn't mean she didn't have her own agenda. That Lea was still lurking about made that abundantly clear, given how my godmother basically acted as Mab's right hand.

"At least Puu was straightforward."

I snorted. Lady Pluto, or whatever she really was, had admitted to doing wrong upon me, namely that I ended up here instead of somewhere else, just so she could justify hiring Old Man Dresden and Ravager Maggie as a means of balancing the scales. Which was an act worthy of the fae in its convolution.

Ranma laughed. "At least she's been a softer touch on you. She tried to be too clever-by-half with me."

My tail swished. If that was Lady Pluto being a soft touch...

Her voice lowered. "But you won't be dealing with her for much longer."

I could hear the unspoken challenge in her words. "I can't stay here."

"Not forever, no," she agreed. Clasping her hands behind her back, my sister squared her shoulders and looked up at me. Her violet eyes tried to read into my soul. The concern emanating from her hit me and I shifted my stance.

My mouth dried, my tail stilled. Young succubae were vulnerable, and newly turned ones could have all sorts of risks, but that was more for those made by the daughter change. I should be fine.

"I'll be okay; I won't go all danger-monster," I promised.

"Not with your friends, no," her gaze shifted to Butters.

I winced. When I had Lashiel's shadow in my head Michael had promised to take me down if I ever turned monster. Sanya had made the same promise when it became the Winter Knight. And Butters...

I bowed my head. "That's why you...." I didn't want to complete question.

My sister's eyes swept back. She was cocky. I had seen her in battle, but she'd seen me. And while we both were willing to cheat... she had home field advantage.

Ranma would do anything for family. I had looked into her soul. She had sacrificed her gender, her species, had become something... else. If she thought I wasn't ready to go out and be alone...

She wouldn't just let me go.

"I'll be okay," I promised.

She reached out and pulled me close. "Yes, we'll just have to make sure."

***************


I looked at the items piled onto the bed. I didn't have many possessions to pack. Of course, I arrived with nothing more than the clothes on my back and gear in my pockets. Oh, and my staff, of course.

Truth be told, I hadn't accumulated much. Though Misako, Nabiki and their cousins had done their best to make sure I had some clothes that would fit me. After a mercifully brief shopping trip yesterday they had managed to find some more stuff that worked.

There was a collection of toiletries and other such products. I mean I could get shampoo at home, but it seemed wise to bring a travel sized set of stuff, just in case. Though the silver hairbrush did have sentimental value. The photo album also had sentimental value, and could help me when it came to explaining to my friends what had happened.

A spare holster was on the bed, along with some grey boxes of ammo for my revolver. If I was careful the supply should last, especially since these bullets weren't for practice. There were a couple other boxes of related supplies.

The clothes were basically the same shirts, blouses, slacks, and long skirts, but it was nice to have more than two outfits, not counting going all Winter ice gown. For once, I was thankful about being so tall, as Misako was only able to find a couple pairs of shoes for me.

The heels were nice, and those boots Misako got me earlier at least looked good. Still, it took telling my niece that I knew a group of cobs to get her not be worried. Course, now I had to talk to the wee-folk magical cobblers about making a custom order for me.

Though... a branch of their clan had settled in the Carpenter residence.

I exhaled. Going there was my first stop anyway. That was where Maggie and Bonnie were staying.

I had to go back home. I had to see my girls. I had tried avoiding Maggie after the Winter Knight thing. Given what I'd done, I was afraid she'd think I was a monster. This time my plan was to bite the bullet.

At least Sanya and Butters should help with the introductions. That should keep Charity Carpenter, Michael's wife, from blasting me with a shotgun. This was all presuming that I'd be able to set foot on the Carpenter property.

It turns out retired Knights had one... uh... heck of a retirement package, namely a squad of literal guardian angels. Given I still had Soulfire, I was pretty sure I was still in Uriel's, that tricky archangel's, good graces.

I sighed, I shouldn't have expected things to be simple. My tail perked as I felt someone opening the door. I turned and smiled as an auburn-haired woman stepped into the bedroom.

Mood lifting, I turned to her and bowed my head slightly. "Hello, No- Mother."

Nodoka smiled and walked up next to me. The scientist looked over the bed. "You getting everything you need packed up?" she asked.

Feeling warm, I nodded. It was strange. I knew she wasn't much older than me, and she was a human, but there was still a connection to her.

She met my gaze and I turned to look at the bed. I had Soulgazed with my sisters, but... this was different. Part of me didn't want it to be different.

The Company officer put her arm around me. The shorter woman drew me closer. A slight purr slipped my lips as the fingers of her other hand went over a horn.

Her gaze had followed mine. Mother looked at the two giant gleaming pistols sitting in their open cases. The standard sidearm my sisters and nieces used; they were the same caliber as my revolver, which was nice.

Mother gave a little sigh as she looked at the accessory box of mags, holsters, springs and other odds and ends she had provided. "There's so much more I could do," she murmured.

"The guns and bullets are great," I said.

"How about a 13mm Pug?" she offered, not for the first time.

This time I mulled it over and enjoyed the hug. Even if I didn't use it, those were powerful weapons. Sure, Murphy might like one of those beefy little bull-pups the brood used. Tiny, but fierce, was her style. On the other hand, those rifles were basically a milled block of solid steel so they'd be too heavy. And on the gripping hand, unlike with those pistols, the rifle's caliber was custom.

"I can provide an ample supply of ammunition," she smiled. "I'm sure your companions could carry a couple cartons in their packs.

My tail flicked. "I dunno."

"How about armor? You might not always have access to your Winter nature."

I frowned. That was true. In previous fights I had had my connection to the Mantle blocked, thus losing all the advantages it conferred on me. My new nature made that issue even more acute.

"I suppose I could do a Sailor Winter getup," I smiled a bit.

"Dear, you've shown yourself more than capable of going tiara, ice-skirt, bows, and ribbons without my help," Mother laughed

I blushed a bit.

"Don't worry, you wear it better than Miss Mizuno," Mother hugged me again.

I nodded. It looked like I wouldn't have the... pleasure of meeting Mistress Mercury, the crazy-corrupted former teammate of Serenity's.

Probably for the best, as I had a bad track record when it came to dealing with dark-side fallen Wintry ladies. Feeling her worry, I leaned down and rested my head against her shoulder. "I'll be fine. I promise."

"I should be the one making that promise to you," Nodoka blinked her eyes. "I should have been able to do more for you."

"I have Lea," I offered a bit weakly. Sure, Lea had stepped in to be my godmother at Margaret's, my birth mother's, request. But, my fairy godmother was a bit crazy. She had spent years trying to get me to become a hound, not to mention that her training methods were brutal. That said, she did care for me, in her own way, and mourned Susan's death with genuine kindness.

Still... she was Queen Mab's right hand, and now that I was very Winter, Lea did seem taken with this new form. But true to form, she'd still scheme behind my back; look at her and Cecilia. Or her and Sanya.

Mother squeezed a bit tighter and rubbed the inner curve of my horn. "Well, a godmother is supposed to sub in for a mother." The officer sighed. "And where is she?"

"I'm pretty sure Lea went back to Winter. Which means... my queen may have a surprise for me," the last big surprise Mab had arranged for me was a birthday party.

Look, it was creepier than it sounds. Do you know how unsettling having a mob of dark fae trying to croak out Happy Birthday to you is? Even the contribution of the sidhe to the song didn't help.

Oh, and during the party I had to kill a few of Mab's minions. But it was okay, I froze them so, technically, no blood was spilled in my Queen's presence. Given we then danced over the icy chunks, she must have approved.

My tail curled a bit limply. Yeah, so odds were good Mab knew exactly what I was now, and was getting ready. Tilting my head more, I nuzzled Mother a bit. On the upside, I was pretty sure my Queen wouldn't be mad at me.

Oh, Mab might take issue with Winter Mother, the eldest of the Winter Queens, sending, her knight, off on this mission. But Mab had a good idea what kind of instrument I was.

"Thinking about home?" Mother quietly asked.

"Well..." Arctis Tor wasn't really my home. I was a Winter demon but I didn't live there. Okay, I guess I did have quarters in Mab's citadel capital but I didn't use them enough, or consider it a home for there to be a threshold. "More of my bosses."

I gestured to my pointed ears. "Specifically these bosses."

"Well, at least that's something I can't help you with," Mother tried to say with levity.

"Oh I dunno, I think you'd like Molly." There was a tiny bit of hesitation as I kept myself from using my Lady's title. "She's really good at the fiddly and fine bits of magic and enchanting."

'That's not exactly my area of expertise, I'm a scientist," Mother said with a jokingly chiding tone.

I hugged her. "You make magical armor, enchanted blades, and devices that block creatures from the Nevernever."

"I was only a contributor on those projects. But I suppose I could have..." Mother's tone was distracted. "Besides, I'm human, non-magical."

"No one does it alone. Molly lacked power and had to make up with finesse and skill. Though with her change she's kinda a powerhouse."

Mother made a thoughtful noise. "Yes, and now she's a surrogate daughter of your Queen?"

"Well... yeah, but she's a queen in her own right. And in her own rite as well."

She groaned at the pun and flicked my ear.

I totally didn't yelp and pout. But if I did, Mother did help make it better.

***************


The scent of grilling meat filled my nose and I could feel all three of my sisters and all fifteen of my nieces. Two Knights, assorted officers, mercenaries, and magical girls were also there, as well as two maternal figures. I savored a bit of fresh burger. The sun was out and it was a clear, almost unseasonably warm day with a slight breeze.

"Lea," I raised my glass at her. "I'm surprised to see you."

My godmother looked around the backyard barbeque with a toothy smile. "And miss out on seeing thee enjoy thyself?" she asked.

"I mean you must have been busy given you vanished after the battle." I took another chomp out of the thick burger in my other hand. "But I trust you'd inform me if it was in our Queen's best interest."

"Enjoy the time with thy family, Poppet." Lea smiled. "One couldst hope for any further transfer of their elegance and grace."

"Then we might have to keep her away from Ranma," Cecilia grinned, slipping closer to us.

"Whilst striking, the DarkStar dost seem to lack in genteel refinement," Lea sipped a dainty glass full of cider.

"Yes, her concept of opulence is rather blunt," Cecilia agreed.

I would have smirked at that. Ranma's getups when she talked to Mab or when she fought Tessa in the safe room were pretty silly and overblown. However, given the stuff I ended up wearing after my first sparring match got me all hungry and when I fought Tessa as a pretty succubus, I really had no room to argue.

Lea bowed her head to us. "I will leave ye to converse." She caught my gaze. "We shall be able to resume our intercourse at our leisure."

"She means conversation," I sputtered to Cecilia as the silkily dressed red-headed fae sauntered off.

My sister smiled. "Did she?"

"It's a meaning of the word," I muttered and concentrated on finishing the burger.

Cecilia laughed. Her eyes met mine. There was a brief frisson of contact between us. "I am sorry I didn't tell you."

I nodded. My tail was still a bit stiff, but I hugged her. "Yeah... I can see why you're so worried. Why you were scared for me."

The lavender-haired woman leaned into the embrace. "The reality's hitting you?"

I lowered my head so it was next to hers. Our horns briefly touched. In a few hours this comforting presence would be gone. I would be alone. Except, not alone. In a way it would be worse because my friends back in Chicago...

Well, Thomas would understand. Sure, White Court vampires didn't have the empathic links my kind did, but he was family, and he had his own Hunger. And compared to the constant demands of that howling emptiness, my own appetites were cuddly and easily-sated.

Nodding, I also emanated a feeling of agreement. I didn't like what Cecilia had done; I wished she had told me, let alone asked beforehand; but I didn't want to stay mad at her. Especially since, I had a more pressing concern. "Be careful." I whispered. "Next time you put a suggestion in someone's mind it might not work out so well."

Cecilia pulled back and looked up. "This was a special case, with an especially needy sister," she chuckled. "But I promise. I will continue to restrain myself unless absolutely necessary."

I chewed my lip. That was probably the best I would get from her. Cecilia hid it better, but she could be just as stubborn as her sisters. Err, sisters other than me. And I suppose Cecilia would just love it if her sisters opened up and were more flexible in their feeding. I knew she'd prefer it if Mother were a demon. And I could see, she did want more for her daughters' development.

That her family still had those issues did show some restraint on Cecilia's part. I suppose a lot of being a succubus was knowing when not to use your mind bending or flesh tearing powers. Fortunately, I was a trained wizard so I knew about that.

Honest.

Though Thomas would say I learned about power and responsibility more from comic books than magic.

"You're not normally this quiet," Cecilia said, taking me towards one of the tables. Both of our long skirts swished as we walked.

"Just thinking of... things."

My sister tilted her head in acknowledgement.

I blinked at the young girl propped up at the head of a picnic table. The girl's skin was still a bit grey and the ringlets of her white hair were still a bit lank but she looked a lot better than the last time I had seen her. Though I suppose she could have been in a hospital bed on a ventilator and have looked better than she did after the battle. So it was kinda amazing to see her on some pillows and with a loose blouse over some sort of abdominal bandaging.

"Desiree, how are you feeling kiddo?" I asked lowering myself so I didn't loom over her. One advantage of more flexible legs and a flowy skirt was it made kneeling down a lot easier. Sure, I was still really tall, but I didn't have to loom quite so much.

Desiree smiled. "Getting better Aunty, Doctor Covington says I should be fine after a few more days, especially if I eat right." She gestured to the pile of food in front of her.

My stomach grumbled in sympathy and I noted I had an empty hand. I might have been a bit jealous of my niece and her meat-based prescription. Then again, she kind of had to eat that much. Going hungry, starving, was especially dire for us. Still, being out of the hospital a couple days after having being disemboweled made up for a lot of disadvantages.

"She fought well," Misako added from her spot next to her on the picnic table. The passel of nieces that filled the table looked up from their meals.

Desiree blushed at the emotional response.

Also kneeling down, Cecilia hugged her daughter.

"I'm real glad to hear you're feeling good," I said after finding myself drawn into the hug. My stomach might have grumbled again.

Standing, Cecilia helped me back up to my full height. "I'll be right back, Honey, but it sounds like I need to point Aunty BlackStone towards the grill."

The other girls laughed. "At least we got her to dress properly," Misako said approvingly, looking over my sky-blue blouse with silver accents and buttons.

I gave my niece a final hug and waved at the others as I let Cecilia draw me away from the table.

As we neared the source of the heavenly grilling scents, my stomach growled again.

Cecilia laughed. "You need to be more careful about what your body's telling you," her tone was light but her eyes were serious.

"Yes, sister." I nodded. That was a difference my urges had with my brother's. Sure, running empty on normal food didn't make dealing with his Hunger easier, but it's not like eating a big meal would sate it either. I was a bit more omnivorous. I had several potential sources for life energy, and normal food could lessen those requirements.

However, the downside was that when I got hungry in one way, it could easily bleed over into being hungry in other ways. Stars and Stones, it wasn't even like I had been skimping on meals since the battle a couple days ago.

And from what I had learned, a starving succubus was just as dangerous to others as a starving White Court Vampire.

As we walked towards the grills, I spotted a burly man with long tussled hair in a dark blue suit. A little gold leaf lapel pin glinted as he smiled. "Miss BlackStone, a pleasure."

Speaking of being hungry in other ways... Giving a coy smile, I slunk up to him with a purr. "Why, hello, forgive me for cutting our evening short." I ran my fingers down his arm.

"Understandable," the Drake said as he kissed the back of my hand. "You had enemies to stop."

I concentrated on giving him a bright smile. It helped distract from how... delicious he smelled. I wasn't overly hungry, but the memory bubbled up and my tail swayed.

Of all the things I had done in this new body, feeding on people, both in the bloody way and the fun way, really drove home how... different things were.

I may have leaned in and given him a kiss. But I definitely didn't take a little taste when our lips parted.

"Drake, wonderful that you could make it," Cecilia said.

He bowed his head to her. "I wouldn't miss this."

"It was a pleasure seeing you again." I assured, snaking an arm around his back to give him a hug. Well, his arms went around my torso, though his hands may have ended up a bit low.

"The pleasure was mine," he replied, giving a bit of a squeeze.

This time I'll admit to a kiss, that might have been a bit hungry.

After we broke apart, I resumed my walk with a bit more spring in my step and swish to my hip. I pointedly ignored the little whistle Cecilia gave to herself.

My mouth watered a bit as we neared the array of grills. There were both the round, almost-egg-shaped, ones for cooking at high heat and more boxy devices that chuffed out clouds of delicious woody, meaty smoke.

A tall, but wiry, man manned the grills. A spatula was held nimbly in one hand while he opened a grill lid with another. Sober, faded green eyes observed the racks of pork ribs as he rotated and flipped them. Smoke wafted over his black apron while he stepped back.

Ukyou, her platinum hair tied back with a dark ribbon stepped up, nodded approvingly to the man and worked a bit of her magic. One hand held a spatula that minutely adjusted the meat while another deftly poured a thick red sauce over the crackling hunks of pork flesh.

The older man turned to me and gave a nod. I had to smile. Under the apron, he was wearing a suit. Okay, his suit coat was neatly folded on a cooler under a nearby table laden with supplies, fixins, greens, spices, and cooling platters of meat. But the guy was still wearing a button down shirt and dark tie.

Though his sleeves had been rolled up and pinned, revealing wrists and forearms tight with lean muscle. With his coat off, the heavy twin shoulder holsters he wore were readily visible. Not that anyone at this event seemed to care. There were more than a few weapons visible.

Hells Bells, many of the girls had shiny tooled leather holsters. Though Misako had taken care with a slim pistol with gleaming wood grips in a holster that seemed to be made of dark amber crocodile skin. Though I suppose, Nabiki's giant slung knives were a bit prettier with their wooden handles. Not to mention the slung rifles and other heavier, and less ornamental, weapons that were in evidence.

"Miss Dresden," the man nodded to me as he checked another grill and adjusted the vents on the lid.

"Jacob, I can call you Jacob, right?" I asked eyeing a platter of pulled pork.

"Given your recent performance, I think you've earned that."

"And I didn't even kill Tessa in a city council meeting," I smirked.

"Indeed, given the scale of the operation and past history, your actions were remarkably concealable." He opened an upright metal box. This time a full cloud of smoke billowed out as he removed a rack laden with a pair of briskets. The scent filled my nose and I could see that the fat had melted down into the flesh and the skin had crisped into a prefect craklin'.

"I got eaten by a slobbering monster and blew it up from the inside." My stern tone was sabotaged a bit by my salivating and by the way my tail flicked and swished.

"Yes, but you did it in a somewhat private setting." He deposited the hunks of meat onto a cutting board. "But as I said before, media relations is our responsibility. Your job was to defeat her. Well done."

I watched as he took up a knife and deftly began slicing the meat. "You make it sound so simple, Jacob." I turned and saw that Cecilia had slipped off back to her daughters.

"Isn't it?" he asked without looking up from his work.

I snorted. "I wasn't sent because my boss was feeling altruistic. She's not exactly kind, even by Winter standards." That was probably understating things. Mother Winter made Mab look cuddly. Not that I was against the idea of...

I shook my head as the greying officer filled a plate.

"That is correct," he noted as he moved the marbled slices of meat about on the plate. "From what I've been told you were sent by the Winter Queen with the least interaction, or perhaps interest, with your mortal world." He offered the plate, and, after a bare moment's consideration, added a fork.

Snatching it, I managed to not drool, but my stomach did react. I had to put down my glass to dig in. "You could say that. She's more powerful, but more remote. As far as I know she deals with more... stark threats," I said between bites. All three Queens had key roles to play in Winter's fight against the Outsiders.

Molly, the new Winter Lady, was still learning to deal with the things her office required her to do.

"Miss Lartessa's baroque revenge scheme could count."

I shrugged and ate some more. I eyed the drippings filling the plate. He smiled and added a biscuit from a warm basket. It made a handy tool to sop up the juice. Hunger sated, I eyed the plate "Yeah, Tessa broke the rules."

"Are there limits to what a Fallen can tell their host?" the officer asked returning to his grills.

"Maybe? The Fallen know a lot, but they're not omnipotent. They also have limits on their actions, even with a willing host."

"Either way, Tessa had to leave her world to get the information to attempt her summoning."

I nodded. The books she came here to find once existed in my world, but someone had made sure they were eliminated. I'd like to think it was the White Council being on the ball. I mean, they did have ways of dealing with dangerous tomes. Suppression wasn't their only tool; disinformation and dilution also had their place.

With ritual magic you had a finite amount of power people could access if they did the correct rite. Thus the more people who knew the ritual, the less power each one could get.

Sometimes, the best way to defuse a scary magic book was to publish it. That's what the White Council did with the Necronomicon. Well, a suitably edited version.

On the other hand, the knowledge itself in a black magic book could be destructive. I mean a mass distribution of Kemmler's books would be insane. The Council had enough problem with Kemmler self-publishing his necromancy-made-easy guides.

"There's also that both of your world's active Knights of the Sword were present," Jacob noted, returning to the cutting-board to get more meat.

I leaned closer so he could refill my plate. "Yeah, I'm thankful for their help, but I'm pretty sure their boss was sending a message."

Jacob made a thoughtful noise.

"Just like how I'm thankful for Lady Pluto's help."

"Ah, Miss Meiou." He looked up, faded green eyes flat. "She can be an invaluable asset."

Looking aside, I thought back to my first meeting with Lady Pluto. The young girl was powerful; she also was not a young girl. "Sounds like you're a bit concerned about how much that asset will cost."

"Her priority is her Queen," Jacob stated.

"Right." Serenity was... well she was a nice enough young lady. Really, she could have been right at home with the Winter and Summer Ladies I knew. She was a bit haunted, but still had a core of idealism.

I could see that in her eyes when we first met.

My tail stilled.

Huh.

Jacob shifted his spatula sensing my unease.

"We didn't Soulgaze," I murmured. That night I had first met her and the Senshi, I had looked into Serenity's eyes, but nothing happened. At the time, I was too rattled by what glimpses my Sight had hinted at with Lady Pluto.

"Ah, yes," Jacob nodded.

I frowned; damn observant spy. Great. I didn't know what Lady Pluto was, and there was... well there were plenty of things that you couldn't Soulgaze with. That didn't mean you were a monster. It just meant...

"I can see why you might be, um, concerned about her," I admitted. Power came with a price. I had the broken electronics, fae queen, and hooves to prove that. And I wasn't sure I wanted to know what the cost was for Serenity's mantle.

"Indeed. Though things are improving with the Pattern Silvers," he stated.

I nodded. Right, improving was what you said when things were worse. Even I could tell the relationship between the magical girls and the mercenaries and their demons was strained. But after seeing Serenity in battle, I could see why Ranma had insisted on bringing them in. Stars and Stones, not all of the Senshi were at this event. Lady Mars was notably absent.

"Diplomatically, it can be like herding cats," Jacob admitted.

"More like riding the tiger." I eyed him. "You've got a growing brood of demons under your command."

"Do I?" his question was deadpan.

"Not to mention an eroding masquerade. You might be able to cover-up what happened day before yesterday, but given the Ottawa battle, the secret's out. Not to mention there more conventional military gets brought in the harder this'll all be to hush up. Your days of plausible deniability may run out."

Jacob sighed. The man's emotional reserve shifted and for a moment I felt his weariness. "You are correct Dame BlackStone," he said, his composure returning. "I suppose you have some experience at averting mass calamity."

I took up the refreshed plate. "I might." I wasn't sure if Eve had learned every bit of my life when she Soulgazed me, but between that and all the things I'd mentioned in our time together, I was pretty sure she had at least a good grasp of the things I had done. And thus it was likely that Stillwater knew it too.

It's not like I was overly shy about telling the story where I raised a zombie T-rex to defeat a gaggle of insane necromancers, each intent on becoming a new god of death. Granted, I rarely told the whole story.

There was also when I stopped a coup attempt among the Fae to destroy the balance between Summer and Winter. And the time I had to prevent another group of Fae from unwittingly triggering my scary island's doomsday self-destruct.

Given the former incident centered around a corrupted Summer Lady, and the latter around a corrupted Winter Lady, I was a bit... concerned about the current incumbents of both positions.

"And sometimes you have to cause the mass calamity to save the day," Ranma said, stepping up.

"Yes, fortunately Dame Blackstone, ah, Warden Dresden was most restrained," Jacob agreed.

"Meaning you won't have to deduct collateral damage out of her pay," Ranma teased.

Coughing, I glanced over and saw Butters and another man were accompanying my sister. The fellow looked familiar. He was at ease around so many demons and had a military bearing that shone through despite his civilian, and western-themed, duds. At least he wasn't wearing a cowboy hat.

"Major Sifton right?" I asked thinking back to the briefing in the hanger. He was in charge of the Canadian special forces troops.

"That's me," he shook my hand then got a burger from Jacob.

"How you handling all this?" I asked him as Ranma eased us towards a set of tables.

"The brass are pitching a fit. They agree that it was necessary to exercise our Options, but our spooks from CSIS are still worried."

I blinked at him. I wasn't up to speed on Canadian spy agencies. Hells Bells I wasn't even sure Canada had spies.

"Nevermind where they're from, they're working on the fallout. There were plenty of patients in the Institute, and my priority was getting them out safe, not keeping them from seeing giant octo-frogs."

I nodded and ate from my plate. For most people, their initial exposure to the supernatural was not a pleasant experience. It was made worse because no one in authority believed talk about monsters. Feelings of isolation and self-doubt were common.
Everyone knew monsters weren't real. Not to mention, that people are poor witnesses with fungible memories, and were worse when under extreme stress.

But here the authorities knew full well monsters were real. But I wasn't sure that made things all that much better for the victims. The government was trying to keep things somewhat under-wraps, but perpetuating their conspiracy wasn't my responsibility.

Hells Bells, I'm listed in the Yellow Pages under Wizards back home. Still, the dashing army officer had answered the wrong question.

"No, no, I mean how are you, and your men, handling all this supernatural weirdness?"

"Ah," Sifton looked to Ranma then to Butters. He shrugged. "Not counting some unpleasantness in Afghanistan, our first overt exposure to the supernatural was a training display of Red and her girls. After that came vampires, cyborgs, and some other nasties, and finally Ottawa. Damn space-squids and blob monsters."

I could feel his contained anger. He gave another shrug, this one was almost natural. "After all that, other-worldly wizards, magic swords, wolfmen, and Fallen Angels aren't that strange. It wasn't that far off our training."

I blinked.

So did Butters. "You trained for this?" he asked.

"Not exactly this situation," Sifton admitted. "But stopping that summoning was close to dislodging an interdimensional beachhead. And Beachhead Scenarios are something of great concern."

I thought back: the military's response had been well-ordered and quick. They moved a lot of men, vehicles, artillery, and air support.

"It would have been a beachhead, if Tessa and those things hadn't been stopped," Butters said.

"Thank your artillery guys for me; they must have worked their butts off practicing to get that good," I said.

Sifton took another bite. "The 30th Field Artillery Regiment were eager to get some payback after Ottawa and made sure they'd be able to do it." He noted with pride. "But even they were a bit lucky when Nariko called in that second strike."

"It was good you guys were ready with Option Lanark," Ranma readily agreed.

"I'm just glad we didn't have to resort to Option Cold Lake," he whispered. "Thanks for your help. All of you."

I thought back to the jets laden with bombs waiting on the runway, and picked at my food. It was disconcerting; there were several times Murphy had wanted to bring the authorities in on a supernatural case. Not surprising, given she had been a cop for a long time, and she'd lost her job because she hatted up and helped me rescue my daughter.

Though her career had been on the backslide by then, largely because of me. The time she'd helped me on a rescue mission into the heart of Winter, Artcis Tor itself, to save my apprentice got her demoted.

Turns out the Chicago Police department doesn't accept "I was saving someone from evil fae" as a valid excuse to vanish during a murder investigation.

Still, Murphy made the argument that there was more the government could do against supernatural threats. I, usually, argued against that. Facing something you've been taught your whole life isn't real, is a steep learning curve, especially in combat.

Course, the special forces officer who had resumed chowing down on his burger gave a counterpoint I hadn't really considered.

A government that knew about the supernatural would have to "do something" about it. Something like hire demonic mercenaries or bomb their own citizens if said mercenaries, and their soldiers, failed to contain summoned Outsiders. That would also invite escalation in the supernatural set making government offices a target for their ire.

Then again the Red Court Vampires attacked an FBI building in my world, but they were extinct now.

Ranma eyed me.

"We all did our part," I shrugged forking some more delicious porkflesh. "Butters and the other big brains are the ones that figured out the location."

Butters looked a bit bashful, which distracted from my own embarrassment. While the smart kids were thinking over the data that creepy Russian woman had given us, and killed her cultist over, I was busy doing succubus stuff.

Sifton nodded. "Good, glad to see she'll have some sensible people going back with her."

"That was key in us letting Dresden return home," Eve said as she approached.

Sanya was next to her an easy smile on his handsome features. "You do not trust little sister by herself?"

Eve simply gestured towards my hair and ears.

I stomped a foot in irritation as my tail curled back.

Major Sifton shook my hand and excused himself.

Butters laughed. "You've only been here a couple days, Sanya. I've been here a week, you won't believe the trouble she's gotten into in the time I've been here."

I frowned. Had it only been a week since Lomar?

"I would like more time to..." Ranma absently brushed a bit of my hair. "Well, there's a lot of stuff I'd like to do with more time, but you have to go home sometime."

"And we're reasonably certain you'll be able to handle things, without us," Eve's voice might have been cool, but I could feel her emotions crack.

Butters sipped some soda. "That'll work, I'm out of vacation days."

"Being a Knight is challenging duty," Sanya agreed. Though as far as I knew he didn't have a day job. I was pretty sure the agnostic Knight of the Cross got his room and board paid for by the Church, which was ironic enough.

"Yeah and, Andi can only come up with so many excuses to the Medical Examiner's office for my absence." He shrugged and chewed on a piece of chicken.

"And I bet she's sick of dealing with Bob by herself." I remarked. Then felt guilty.

Butters paused. He adjusted his glasses. "Yeah, about that, I lost-"

I cut him off. "No, I'm sorry I might have cost you your job." I looked the little medical examiner in the eye and hugged him. "I've had plenty of bad things happen to the people I care about, when they help me. I'd just like to thank you for going back out knowing that."

For some reason he stiffened a for a moment but returned the hug. "It's okay Harry, that's what friends do."

***************


My mind was in a bit of a fog as the convoy drove down a highway, onto some rural roads, and though a couple sets of fences. There was a parking lot with military vehicles and a few pre-fab buildings.

The wind blew around us as clouds started to drift with greater frequency. There was something familiar about the scraggly trees all around us. After I got out, Sanya helped hand me my bags.

The Russian looked past the buildings to another set of fences and a sparse field beyond it. He frowned but walked beside me carrying a backpack Mother, erm, Nodoka had packed for me.

"Scenic enough," Butters lied as he looked around at the trees.

"This place is a hole," Misako snorted as we came up on the gate to the final fence-line.

"I don't like it," Isabel pouted, her twin black ponytails swishing.

Butters had to nod at that. I stood a bit further back as he and Sanya counted the Denarian coins in the blessed pouch. Leaving one of those cursed things behind would be bad. Both seemed satisfied with the count and Butters gave Eve a thumbs up as he resealed the pouch.

I then watched as Major Sifton peeled off and talked with the soldiers on duty here. My tail whipped about apprehensively. My sisters and... Major Saotome had gotten out of their vehicle and approached us.

Ranma slipped her hands in her coat pockets. She watched as two soldiers one female one male unlocked the gate. "Lilly, Olsen," she nodded to the two Canadians.

"There is one final issue," Eve said, diverting my attention.

"Huh?"

The blonde gave a wry smile. Morgan handed her a green metal box. "Given where you're going we couldn't just give you cash, or a wire transfer." She plopped the box in my hands.

It was heavy, and the weight was also familiar.

"There's s receipt on top." She said as I opened it.

It wasn't... well it wasn't overly impressive. The contents were stored in plastic sleeves and little cases. But the gleam of gold and gems was visible.

"You have been paid in diamonds before," Mother... Major Saotome noted.

"I, uh, yeah." Though that was less being paid and more: when we raided a god's trophy room at the behest of a Fallen Angel, my thief friend had the foresight to fill a backpack with diamonds before everything went to hell.

Butters snatched up the paper and gave a low whistle.

"Prime grade Practitioners have a very high base rate. Not to mention combat pay and injury bonus," Eve explained.

"Yeah... and then when Harry turned demon she got another bump," The little Knight's eyes widened. "Wait..." He handed the paper to Sanya.

"What?" the other Knight glanced down. "Ah, mercenaries pay us then."

"You both were extremely helpful," Eve said.

"I don't think you can pay us..." Butters lamely tried to protest.

"That's what Michael said when Anna and Binder tried to give him a cut of the diamonds Anna snatched. Charity put a stop to that and said they'd take it," I smirked.

Sanya chuckled. "We could exchange payments if that helps," he offered Butters.

Cecilia shook her head. "Now, now, Doctor Butters earned that money fair and square given he was here since Lomar and to deal with our sister well... becoming our sister."

Butters still seemed a bit perturbed.

"If it helps, keep in mind that most supernatural groups take debts and obligations seriously." I took the paperwork back and put it in the case. "The problem is everyone has their own different quirks on what is mandatory, good manners, and a grave offense."

"Yeah, Bob mentioned that," Butters admitted, seeming a bit perturbed.

"You should listen to him." I put the case in my pack. It was heavy but it didn't make the bag too unevenly weighted. "Well, within reason, but you seem to have a good handle on the pervy skull."

Butters gave me a vaguely bashful look, guess the guy still felt guilty at taking charge of the skull after I had "died".

Ranma slipped past the pensive Knight. Her tail was low as she beckoned to the open gate. "It's time."

I nodded to the three nieces who had accompanied us. They then pounced on me in a group hug. Mother joined in.

"I'll... we'll, see you again I promise." Steel slipped into the officer's voice.

I nodded. "Lady Pluto said she'd keep the lines of communication open."

"Until we figure out our own methods," Mother said, with a smile. I could just imagine her tail giving a confident, lazy swish, if she were a succubus.

Purring, I hugged them again, and with reluctance and a few mushy comments slipped out of the embrace.

Cecilia put an arm around my waist as we went through the gate.

It was now down to myself, my two Knights, and my three sisters.

Passing though the final fence made everything feel prickly. It was worst in my horns but all over my body could feel the wrongness. The fence was more than just a physical barrier.

It was also symbolic, something people could put a bit of their will in. Cemeteries have fences for a reason. They establish a barrier between the living and the dead.

Here...

Well, for once I was relieved at the buzzing sensation of the Company Jammers. The bleak field was a bog. Well, in warmer months it was literally one. Even this time of year that ground was moist and squelchy.

But it felt like a place where reality itself was... spongey. The Jammers were like a pump chugging along draining the water. That was what metaphysically made the quagmire more solid.

In a more literal sense the path was also dried. To either side of a sunken flagstone path was marshy, dead grass. Physical pumps were also working, removing water, keeping the mud down.

Zig-zagging, we passed a line of trenches and pillboxes. Though I suppose we were technically in a trench as well, just one that ran perpendicular to the defensive ones. Either way, the positions were dotted with a few more soldiers.

Ranma chatted with them and gave the crenellations a smug pat as we passed them.

The six of us marched up a final set of stairs. Maybe fifty or a hundred yards ahead of us was a rise in the bleak landscape. There was a copse of withered trees atop that hillock.

I frowned. "This is where I came through?"

Eve nodded. "You landed not very far from the hill."

I shivered. "No wonder the Canadians were so paranoid." This place wasn't oppressively evil. It didn't even have the go-away-wrongness that my creepy island gave to just about everyone.

But, it wasn't a pleasant place. I hoped the soldiers guarding this place were on a short rotation. I'm sure Eve would make recommendations to that effect. And the Canadian officers seemed to be receptive. A place like that could drive one mad in short order if left too long on guard. Really, it spoke well of them that the Canadians didn't simply shoot me, if this was the desolate place where I ominously fell from the sky

But I suppose that wouldn't have been polite.

The sky was now fully overcast. Something had broken through here, and as a consequence things were just a bit thinner. Though thanks to Tessa's actions there were a few more places like this now.

However, unlike Lomar or London, Ontario, this spot...

Ranma looked to me. "Will this work?"

I touched the ruby at the center of my pentacle choker. My mother's, my first mother's, voice filled my head. The ruby was the sum of her knowledge of the Ways, that is using the NeverNever to travel to far away places.

There was that confused pause that came whenever I tried to use the ruby on this world. Margaret Le Fay was extremely knowledgeable about traveling the Ways; she could even predict how they changed over time, but she had never gone this far out.

Still... I did hear her voice. "I don't know where you are daughter, but I do feel... Winter, and other places, but there is a way back to Winter here."

As the voice in my head faced, I nodded. "Yeah." I didn't elaborate that the Winter fae lands were gigantic. But I was the Winter Knight, and I had guides.

Eve nodded and lifted her arm and made a cutting motion. The buzzing sensation stopped, leaving me with the yawning feeling of thinness.

A glowing slit opened before the trees. Flurries had begun to drift down. The fluffy flakes melted when they hit the warm ground.

The rift expanded, reached the ground and widened.

I heard my sisters stiffen and shift, and there were shouts and sirens going off behind us.

An ethereal form with bright green eyes and tumbling red hair stepped out. A veritable drift of snowflakes fell behind her. These managed to start covering the little hill with a measure of accumulation.

I strode towards the hill. A few steps were enough to get me sick of the mire gunking up on my boots.

Leanansidhe glanced down and smiled as I stomped up onto the hill where the ground was more solid. Butters seemed somewhat queasy though he put his effort into kicking some mud off his boots.

Sanya shrugged at that and then nodded to Lea. He had gotten here by following my godmother. So, he had some idea what traveling through Winter would be like.

Looking me over approvingly, Lea clapped her hands. "Yes, this will do."

Ranma stepped up. The two redheads sized each other up. My godmother was taller but a bit more delicate in frame, where my eldest sister was shorter but wiry with sharper features. Both tilted their heads as purple eyes met green.

At least neither was showing of their pointed teeth.

"La, thou worry so much," Lea told her.

Ranma nodded. Followed by our sisters.

"Can you say our concerns are groundless?" Eve asked.

Lea turned once more to me. "I have been a direct part of Dresden's life. From her defeat of the warlock DuMorne as a child, to the rescue of her own child at Chichen Itza, and I have seen far more than that."

"And?" Butters asked crossing his arms.

"And, Sir Knight," Lea's smile gave a quick flash of her cheat. "All that time has shown Dame BlackStone is quite adaptable."

"You tried to turn me into a hound," I grumbled.

"A mistake," she bowed her head. "Thy form is far more pleasing, now."

Despite myself, I blushed. Though the cold was starting to get me. I don't know exactly where in Winter fae the other side of that aperture went, but if it was cold enough to get me to notice it had to be insanely frigid.

Lea took a time to take in the field. If the desolate wrongness made her uncomfortable, she didn't let it show. "Ah Poppet, art thou ready?"

"Erm?" I asked as I dug a hoof into the snowdrift.

Butters motioned to Sanya and stood off to the side. As they re-checked to ensure a coin hadn't, somehow, escaped on the walk over here, my sisters gravitated towards me.

The three pulled me into a hug. I basked in the contact and love. After a while it started to break apart.

Cecilia sensed my hesitation. "Go on, you have daughters that need you."

I frowned, my tail curling. I still wasn't sure how to handle that. Bonnie was probably okay; she was a spirit of intellect, a lot like Bob. Not having a physical form of her own, she'd find a physical transformation intriguing, in an abstract way.

Maggie... Maggie would be a big different. She had a hard life. It started with her mother, Susan, who, while she had been fighting a guerrilla war against the Red Court, put her with foster parents. That part wasn't too bad, the Mendozas were good people.

The bad part came when they were all murdered by the Red Court and Maggie was imprisoned by vampires to be used as a sacrifice. Susan and I mounted a rescue mission. And...

Well the real horrors at Chichen Itza started when I killed Susan. Maggie was there. So add on another layer of trauma. After that... well that's when I had been tricked into killing myself.

As I was being mostly dead, and an insufferable ghost, Maggie lived with the Carpenters. They were good people; the best. But as Michael pointed out, he wasn't her father. She deserved to live with her father.

I swallowed.

Strong hands gripped my arms. "Knock out of it." Ranma hissed. "You were man enough to be her father after dying. She didn't know you at first. You took her in and made a home, made a family."

Her eyes bored into mine. "Do it again. Do it for her."

I nodded.

She then broke up the hug. Her lips curled into a wry smile as she pushed me towards Lea.

My godmother helped guide me towards the shimmering aperture. I watched as Butters and Sanya walked through the portal ahead of us.

Cecilia mouthed the words. "I am sorry I didn't tell you."

Eve cleared her throat. "Dresden, sister, if things get too hard, too overwhelming, don't be too proud to ask for help."

I nodded and felt the ground shift under my hooves as I slipped through. Turning back, I waved to my sisters. Then Lea waved her free hand and the portal closed.

The air chilled and the sky went from a grey overcast to a more blue tinged twilight. Snow started to fall in sheets. We were on a stepped path that wove through some type of silent, abandoned mountain fortification.

However, all those details barely registered. Two things held the entirety of my attention. For the first time since my change I was... there was no connection to any sisters or nieces or... mother.

The connections, weaker as they were, to my godmother and my Knights helped. As did the second thing.

It was a powerful, pulsing, glacial connection that made my Mantle tingle as my tail straightened and a purr escaped my lips. My horns tingled.

Butters and Sayna separated and a tall woman walked between them. Her eyes were cold, and pearlescent. Fine white hair flowed in the wind. Lips the color of mulberries quirked. She concealed her surprise well, but I knew her.

"My queen," I said, pulling at my skirt as I bowed with the neck and shoulders, angling my horns towards her.

Mab, the queen of Air and Darkness, studied me. She gave Lea a brief glance; my godmother nodded. Mab returned her attention to me. Closing in, her shimmering nails pulled back a bit of my pale hair and she studied my choker.

One hand then ran over the inside curve of a horn while another flexed a wing before tracing the side of a tail. I might have gasped, but then the Winter Queen was really on me, and I wasn't exactly in a position to breathe through my mouth

I had been intimate with Mab before. It was part of the ritual when I became the Winter Knight. Though given it was an exposure to her frank and terrifying power it was less intercourse and more a force of nature.

It turns out that when she really wanted to her kisses could be similarly overwhelming. Consciousness skipped for a moment as my mind rebooted.

One instant my queen was embracing me as my horns felt like they had been dipped in liquid nitrogen, my tail was freezing, and my body's switches were all flipping over.

The next, things were clear and I was leaning on her, purring contently.

I looked-up.

Out of the corner of my view I could see Butters was a bit taken aback, but Sanaya was merely nodding thoughtfully. That wasn't surprising, Mab had broadcast my assumption of the position of Winter Knight among the supernatural community.

Butters hadn't been a Knight back then, Sanya was. Thus the Russian already knew what Mab could do with me.

My Queen's smile was triumphant. "An unexpected change, but most appreciated one, my pet."

I swallowed. Oh, Empty Night.

End Chapter 16

I'd like to thank the prereaders for their help in this project: J St C Patrick, DCG, Kevin Hammel, and Ellf. Also thanks to Pat for the little opening poem. And to Ellf for being the catalyst to this project, and for some future stuff with poor, dumb Harry
And there it is. Blood Debts. The story's not quite done. There is an epilogue.

 

[steamrick]

... I'm not sure if this chapter had lots or little happening.

"Don't worry, you wear it better than Miss Muzimo," Mother hugged me again.

Click to shrink...

*Mizuno

 

[moon so bright]

Contemplating the consequences of major life changing moments over barbecue is an action I support!
Also, I liked Mab's reaction to his return.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

... I'm not sure if this chapter had lots or little happening.


*Mizuno

Click to shrink...

Hmmm... well it's the last chapter so it is the brood saying goodbye to Dresden et al.

Dang, made the correction.

Contemplating the consequences of major life changing moments over barbecue is an action I support!
Also, I liked Mab's reaction to his return.

Click to shrink...

Heh, the bbq thing did seem to fit the characters. Both in the mercenary sendoff, and the hungry demoness thing.
Yah, Mab isn't exactly... displeased with this.

Thanks for the comments!

I have good news that you can expect the epilogue without much of a delay.