Hell Hounds

They got back to pack lands before sunrise with the news. Arianna took it straight to a meeting of the NARC ambassadors. For Yolanda and lan, their night didn't end either. The pack house appeared in chaos. Enforcers from all factions moved quickly through the building in various states of battle readiness.

They readied to take on the first Host of Fae. They have numbers. The mages working with the druids to force the Fae from the dream realm and keep them out. Now they must take action against them. The Host was too close to Ottawa now. They'd create too much chaos there to not get noticed. The web of protective secrets would unravel.

So Yolanda and lan now oversaw the distribution of weapons to those trained to use them. Yolanda struggled because she'd lost control of her armoury. Not personally doing everything. Not being there every minute of the day. She just didn't have time to cry about it. Or take it up with her superior. He's trapped in the Ambassadors' meeting as the head of the new forces belonging to the council.

"Do you think the council is moving too fast? It won't be good if the Fae realizes everything we have. How can the mages be sure they got everything correct? They barely started researching things." "Ironically, that's far from the truth. The mages have worked on many things related to just this situation. I think they developed workarounds and such a long time ago, but just needed time to be sure it worked. Mages are all about studying. They set their culture and society up around studying and researching. So, I think it's more confirming what they already knew and the best way to go about it. Remember, we've known this would happen since the Fae left thousands of years ago."

"It all sounds so weird because we have nothing in our history that might remotely match up to this."

"Yes, but humans saw it as fiction and lore rather than a historical retelling. King Arthur and all those stories. Of course, they changed the names. No one wanted a Fae to accidentally become summoned to this plane, or summon a spirit of a powerful mage. Just what we could need. To give a dead mage a chance to become a Lich."

"What?"

"Oh, the mages can exist after death and still perform magic. But it's difficult they don't stay sane, and it's outlawed because of the mess these beings create with their lack of empathy and humanity." "Why not become a vampire?"

"Oh, they can become a vampire. But they lose the ability to use magic." Ian looked a little surprised at this information. "What? You think we don't have to live by rules? Magic doesn't make things happen without consequences. So yes, if a child is born to mixed species parents, then it usually takes after one or the other parent. The survival of a child that is a true blend of both parents rarely survives long. Some species can't produce children with other species. Like merfolk, they can't breed with other groups. There are love stories and all that, but the cold hard fact is merfolk are just too different. Vampires are another group that doesn't produce children the same way. They do the whole bite thing. Before you ask, they have rules to control their population, and they are harsh. But they are necessary." "Fine. Are we just haunting the armoury then?"

"For now, I think. If they need us for anything they can find us. Don't we have enough to do already? Though that cult is bothering me. If a supernatural creature runs the group. What are they? Definitely something that can alter memory and intention. That's no easy feat. I'm thinking a vampire or a Fae of some kind. Which I know doesn't bode well for our success. Though, the Fae avoiding the group that made it possible for them to come through? That's insane. It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe it can work in our favor. Think about it. Divide and conquer. If they don't combine forces because the groups don't trust each other. Then they'll be weakened before our people get involved. With their inability to go into the dream realm. They'll not be able to hide so well. By now they must know humans are a force just by the sheer numbers."

"Great now when can we get time alone and sleep?" lan looked around as the crowds of people slowed for the night.

"The rush is over. We can go to the apartment here to rest so we're close but alone. We'll be close enough if we're needed. Give me a few minutes." Yolanda kissed lan's shoulder before going to make sure people could find them.

"Fine. I'll get the desk cleaned up and log out. While you do that." Ian busied himself with that while Yolanda notified the people who would stay.

Walking back.

up to the main

building they were stopped in the

lobby by Gregory. "You both need to get some sleep, but I will need to see

you after lunch. We have some things that need to be done and you're the perfect couple. Now if you excuse me. I need to go have breakfast with my mate."

"We plan to. So what three this afternoon? It's seven now."

"Good enough. Don't forget to eat either. You must be starving." With that he left the pack house leaving the couple to stare at themselves.

"Okay, remind me. Where is she again?"

"There's a medical center under

ground and the Luna is there. She's

newly changed, pregnant, and newly mated. Which boils down to

ou

everyone is taking precautions with this war on. She can be guarded there by more than just her bodyguards. Which used to include me. Now I'm being pulledPin too many directions."

"Yeah, and I'm right there with you." lan wrapped his arm around her waste and guided her along towards the tables within the lobby where the food was laid out. "Let's get something and go find our apartment to eat and sleep in some quiet.

"That sounds like a welcome change. After all the noise and chaos this evening. I thought it would never end. Now the Alpha has me wondering what mission they have us going on. It's going to bug me until we know."

"Well maybe we can find a way to distract you for now."

Yolanda's eyebrow raised flirtatiously. She smiled, and nodded toward the main stairs. "Follow me."

They entered a small apartment in

the east wing over top of the

ballroom. With the door finally shut "Finally, alone. Now for some us time." He couldn't believe it, busin all this it felt right to be wanting time

with her. "Now where do we start?"

"Oh, I can think of a few ideas."000000