In Moonlight - Ch 34 - This War Needs to End

Three Weeks Later...

"... and City Engineer Gregory insists that Evergreen Harbor's Port Promise Bridge will reopen in a few days," anchorwoman Lynda Cho said brightly. "The Bridge has been closed due to damage taken during last month's surprising earthquake."

"Turning to political news, embattled Representative Rohan Elderberry has resigned from the Lower House and dropped his bid for reelection," anchorman Walter Daniels said in his signature deep, confident voice. "Elderberry, who has become embroiled in the growing Crossing scandal, is under investigation for graft, corruption and ties to organized crime."

"Viewers will remember that this is not the first time accusations of impropriety have been brought against the Axis party representative," anchorwoman Lynda Cho added with barely suppressed glee. "Two years ago, Elderberry was implicated, but never charged, of being involved with imprisoned crime boss Nick Alto."

"Axis party leader Elias Friend declined to comment directly on Elderberry's resignation," Cho continued, "saying only that the Axis party was committed to law and order and was intent on rooting out corruption wherever it might be found."

"In his resignation speech, Representative Elderberry did not address the ongoing investigation," Daniels said, "saying only that he needed to spend time with his family, during this difficult period." 

"Tonight at 8:00, our own Nadine Lane will be speaking with the person who first broke the Crossing scandal - San My Herald reporter, and Representative Elderberry's eldest daughter - Genie Elderberry," Lynda Cho said with a vicious gleam in her eye. "Turning to entertainment..."

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"Hey, Genie," Miranda said. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Genie lied. "A little stressed about this interview tonight. I don't know why I let my editor bully me into it..."

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll do great," Demarco said encouragingly. 

"Where are Mariah and Etta?" Genie asked.

"They'll catch up," Demarco smiled. "They were having a kind of intense debate about the possibility of a Vampire Slayer reboot."

"It's good they're getting along," Miranda said. "It is good that they're getting along, right? I shouldn't be worried or anything... should I?"

"I would be," Genie chuckled weakly.

In the tense silence that followed, Miranda and Demarco exchanged a look. 

"So, Genie," Miranda said at last. "About your mom..."

"She's good," Genie said with false brightness. "The doctors upgraded her condition to stable and say she should make a full recovery. She'll need to stay in the hospital a while longer and probably need physical therapy. She lost a lot of blood..." Blood, crimson against her mom's white dress. Blood, hot and sticky on Genie's hands. "... but she'll be fine.

"She's actually pretty chill about everything," she continued. "You know that the Bank removed her from the Board... and she's being investigated for money laundering in addition to everything else with Crossing." 

Almost everything, Genie thought to herself. Not the murder. The recording of The Call had vanished from her mom's computer before the Agency took it into evidence. That recording now only existed on a flash drive in Genie's pocket. Apart from the other people on the call, Jenny Poole was the only other person who knew about it. She hadn't said anything, and Genie still hadn't decided what to do.

"Mom seems weirdly OK with it all though," Genie sighed. "At least, she's talking to me... really more than she has in years. Which is a nice change from the twins. 

"I told my sisters everything." Almost everything, she thought again. "They deserved to know. Debra and Blair both accused me of betraying the family to advance my career. Now they won't speak to me. Kassidy believes me and now she won't speak to our parents. My dad is just in denial. I think he's basically pretending there is a completely different Genie Elderberry who works for the Herald.

"I tried to talk to him about the svartalves, to find out more about them," Genie continued. "He acted like he didn't even know what I was talking about."

"Gwen did say the svartalves had a kind of mind magic," Miranda mused. "That they could alter people's thoughts and memories. If I was involved in a conspiracy and had that kind of magic, messing with the memories of someone who might spill the beans would be the first thing I'd do."

"This magic stuff is unfair," Genie muttered darkly.

"So Mariah tells me," Miranda sighed.

"So apart from your wife and your ex bonding, how are you?" Genie asked. Anything to throw the spotlight off herself for as long as she could. 

"Fine," Miranda groaned. "Our Agency handler is working on relocating us. I can't say where. I can say that she's basically said that since we obviously don't understand the concept of 'laying low' she may as well put us to work. So that's... kind of scary.

"Gwen took our evidence to the Council," she continued. "She managed to convince Baron Charm that the Dark Court wasn't responsible for Shannon's murder. Unfortunately, now he wants to take revenge on the svartalves. The Council is sending a delegation to the svartalf Leadership to negotiate a weregild."

"Yeah, you might want to suggest that to Jake," Demarco said. 

"I'm trying to stay out of Moonwood Mill for right now," Miranda sighed. "After... you know..."

"No one really blames you, you know," Demarco said with a slight grin. "Those buildings were structurally unsound to begin with... and you did rescue everyone in the library."  

"Yeah, but still..." Miranda sighed. "Anyway, what's going on that I should be suggesting diplomacy to Jake?"

"Rory is on the warpath," Demarco said with sigh. "You know that Jake let Mr. Hand and his commandos go. I mean, he kind of had to. He couldn't keep them locked up in the town root cellars forever. Unfortunately, Rory feels that giving them a stern talking to and sending them on their way doesn't really make up for people getting terrorized and shot. A lot of folks in town agree with her."

"What does she think he should have done?" Miranda asked.

"She stops short of saying," Demarco said, "but she's got patrols out watching for svartalves and she's asking Etta and me a lot of questions about them. At the risk of using one of Etta's movie quotes - I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Great," Miranda sighed. "What do we do now?"

"We make the world a better place," Genie said seriously. "Because, even though my mom is probably crazy, and the stuff she did was very wrong, she was right about one thing. This war needs to end... but first we need to keep it from getting worse."

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"Rory Oaklow?" the man asked.

"Who's asking?" Rory snarled.

"My name is Darrel Charm," he said with a smile. "You and I have a problem in common. I believe we can help each other."

"You've got my attention," Rory smiled ferociously.

In Moonlight - Ch 33 - Between Genevieve and Death

Content Notice: Cinematic Violence, Nudity 

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Jenny screamed.

Turning back, Genie saw Betty Bow's taloned hand around the actress's neck. Jenny hadn't made it two paces before she'd been caught. 

Everything seemed to slow. She saw Grey. She saw the gun in his hand, horrible in its familiarity. The cold dark metal and a gaping cavernous barrel, swung toward her.

Someone screamed, "No!" 

There was flash of light and a sound of thunder in the elegant hall of the Von Windenburg mansion.

Crimson blood suddenly appeared against the white of Luna Elderberry's dress, as she stepped between her daughter and the gun. Between Genevieve and Death.

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"Got any rabbits to pull out of your witch's hat, Miranda?" Rory asked.

"I might," Miranda said, her voice shaking as she fought to focus on the moment, to not drown in the wild power of the Moonwood. "It's dangerous. It could easily go horribly wrong, but..."

"Miranda, what's the plan?" Jake grinned.

"You remember telling me once about what happened to the Old Mill?" Miranda asked.

"Yeah, the Moonwood swallowed it," Jake said. "The ground shook, opened up and swallowed the Mill whole."

"Yes," Miranda breathed. The Moonwood knew. The Moonwood remembered.

"Seriously? Are you saying you could?" Jake looked stunned.

"Yes," Miranda panted as she struggled to hold onto herself amidst the fury of the Moonwood.. "I... if I can't control it I might knock down... the town... but yes. If I ask, the Moonwood will answer me. The Moonwood wants to answer."

"Shit," Rory breathed, then laughed. "I love this plan."

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"Mom!" Genie screamed, dropping to take her mother into her arms. "No no no no no no..."

Distantly, she was aware of Jenny struggling in the vampire Betty Bow's iron grip. Her father, stunned and horrified, stood frozen. Mr. Grey, his expression devoid of even anger, took aim. 

Luna, her eyes distant, whispered, "Gwen Silveroak, I call you."

Genie suddenly remembered something she'd heard Miranda say to Mariah once - Call my name, and I will be there. 

In a blinding flash, Gwen Silveroak, Miranda's other mother, the White Witch of Glimmerbrook, Elder Guardian of the Watch, and Luna Villareal's ex-girlfriend, appeared in the hall. 

Grey didn't hesitate. He simply turned and fired. His first shot went wide, perhaps the only sign that the gangster was shocked by the witch's sudden appearance. There wasn't a second shot. Gwen spoke a single, harsh Word, and Grey's gun disintegrated in his hand. 

Gwen said another Word and Grey and Bow were thrown backward, as if struck by a mighty force.

"Luna," Gwen whispered sadly, looking down at Genie's mother, cradled in her daughter's arms.

"It was him!" Rohan shouted, pointing to Grey. 

Gwen's fury crackled like lightning in the air. 

Some distant part of Genie's mind noticed Betty Bow crouched for a moment where she'd fallen. Then moving almost too fast to be seen, just a blur of corpse-pale skin, raven hair and slinky black dress, the vampire disappeared into the night.

Arvin Grey, slowly pulling himself to his feet, could make no such escape. Defiant, he faced the White Witch.

"Don't kill him," Genie said quickly.

"Why Not." Gwen's voice rang with power and fury. "He Deserves To Die."

"No," Genie snapped. "Yes, he deserves to pay for his crimes! But he should face justice. If you kill him, that's not justice."

"It Is Vengeance," Gwen snarled.

"What has vengeance ever gotten you? Nothing but a thousand years of killing," Genie shouted. "What mom was doing is wrong, but she was right about one thing. This needs to end! No more revenge. No more killing. No more!"

"Do you hear that, Arvin Grey?" Gwen hissed. "It seems you are not to die. You will face Justice."

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"Mom," Genie sobbed. "Stay with me, mom. You stay with me!"

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Author's note - Poses from modders including Pandora, Simmerianne93 and SamSims (with apologies if I used some from someone I forgot to credit).

Extraordinary thanks goes out to OrangeYams who custom made, for me, the pose for Genie and Luna. -L

In Moonlight - Ch 32 - Make the World Better

Content Notice: Cinematic Violence, Nudity 

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"We're not the villains here, Genevieve," Luna said. "We're trying to make the world better. I'm doing this for you!"

"For me?! How is any of this for me?" Genie cried. "Are you saying you killed Shannon Charm for me? Killed Miranda and Mariah, for me?!"

"Yes. It's tragic, but it's necessary," Luna said.

"Did you kill Augustus Charm for me too?" Genie snapped.

"Of course I did!" Luna yelled, her cool, confident mask vanishing suddenly. "He murdered you... your grandmother... all for this stupid, pointless war. He had to die. He deserved to! They all deserve to! Don't you see?!"

Genie rocked back, her eyes wide with horror. She saw it at last, in her mother's eyes. Years, decades, of pain and loss. A desperate wild need and an impossible hope. 

My God, Genie thought, she's crazy. She thinks I'm Genevieve. She thinks I'm my grandmother! But a tiny voice whispered in Genie's mind, after all I've seen, is reincarnation really that outlandish?

"It's alright, Luna," Rohan said, rushing to her side. "It will be alright. Everything will be alright."

"Don't you see?" Luna repeated, her face smoothing again into the calm mask that no longer quite hid the mad certainty in her eyes.

"Yes," Genie breathed. "Yes, I do see."

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"I'm fine," Lou Howell grunted. "It's just a flesh wound."

"Stay down," Rory growled at her mate. 

"Glad to see they underestimated you after all," Jake said.

"Sending just four assholes with guns. Fucking insulting," Rory scoffed, but Jake could see the worry in her eyes when she looked down at Lou. 

To Miranda, she added, "I thought you guys said two weeks, not two days."

"That's what we thought too," Miranda said. "I guess they went early."

"Weak guys always do," Rory grinned. "Demarco and Etta?"

"On their way. I could get here faster," Miranda replied.

"The Collective?" Rory said, turning to Jake.

"The Moonrunners also have 'flesh wounds,'" Jake said bitterly. "Lily's taking care of them. I haven't heard from Wolfgang, but I assume he was at the library with Beth. They took the library, Rory. They've got my wife and kid. They're going to kill them if I don't surrender."

"Fuck that. We take them down," Rory snarled.

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"Luna, dear, you've been handling so much. Why don't you get yourself a nice glass of wine," Lady Bow purred. "Mr. Grey and I can take the girls here to the guest house. Don't fret. We'll take care of them, won't we, Mr. Grey."

"Yes," Mr. Grey nodded with a slight smile that didn't touch his cold eyes. "Yes, we will take care of them." 

"Of course," Luna said with a deep breath. "I should contact Errant and Hand. I need make sure the Harbor and Moonwood operations are proceeding smoothly."

"Perhaps a small glass of wine first, dear," Rohan suggested, leading her out of the library.

Grey and Lady Bow moved behind Genie and Jenny, pushing them forward.

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"They're dug in good," Rory said. "The entrances are covered by guys with assault rifles. I can't tell how many inside. We could rush them but..."

"They'd kill the hostages before we reached the doors," Jake said. His Wolf wanted nothing more than to rush in. To save his wife and child. He held it in check. 

"If we reached the doors. They've got clear lines of sight, and there's no ground cover on the approaches," Rory chuckled. "Why did I never notice that Wolfgang's library was a fucking fortress?"

"You never did read enough," Jake teased.

"Eh," Rory grinned.

Standing with them, Miranda didn't really hear Jake and Rory bantering. 

Holding the Moonwood Wand, she found herself thinking about what Etta had said. About how the wand was connected to the vast, ancient power of the Moonwood. As it always did, the wand felt like an extension of her arm, a part of her, of her magic, of her soul. 

She could feel the wind blowing through the trees. She could taste the water they drew up into their roots. She could feel the earth they were anchored in. All of it was alive, vital... Aware. 

With a start, she realized that as she was connected to the Moonwood, the Moonwood was connected to her. Through her, it somehow understood what was happening. It knew what she knew, and she could feel what it felt.

The Moonwood was angry.

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"They're going to kill us," Jenny whispered. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Genie said, slowing down slightly, just enough to widen the gap between them and her parents. 

"Move," Grey barked harshly. 

Genie moved. Breaking into a run, hoping Jenny was with her, she ran for the far door. If they could make it outside, they had a chance.

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Author's note - Poses from modders including Simmerianne93 and SamSims (with apologies if I used some from someone I forgot to credit).

Special thanks goes out to OrangeYams who custom made, for me, the poses of the wounded Protectors limping and/or being carried away (upper left corner of the third picture... sorry they're so small). -L

In Moonlight - Ch 31 - Bring Peace and Order

Content Notice: Cinematic Violence, Nudity

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"Truly, Genevieve, I had hoped you would be a positive influence on Miranda," Luna sighed. "Instead, she was clearly a bad influence on you. I shouldn't be surprised, given that she chose to associate with troublemakers like Mariah Basso, degenerates like Claudette Faust and, of course, those horrid werewolves."

"You work with gangsters and vampires, mom," Genie said, gesturing at Mr. Grey and Betty Bow. "You're basically plotting world domination with the alien dark elf men in black."

"Mr. Grey is a professional," Luna said coolly. "And as I am certain Lady Bow has already told you, she has severed her ties with the Dark Court. As for the... what did you call them? Alien dark elf men in black? We share a common goal... the end of the shadow war, which will bring peace and order to our world. Once they control the Moonwood and Crossing is complete, we will do just that."

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"I count four, with automatic weapons," Lily snarled.

Jake tasted the air, breathing in the acrid smell of gunpowder, of the oil and metal of the guns, and the not-human scent of the svartalves themselves. It was difficult to be sure, but they smelled... focused. The scent reminded Jake oddly of Lumber Jackson when he went deer hunting. No excitement. No anger. Just calm determination.

They were hunting him, Jake realized. They were hunting his family. His pack. His people. 

Jake felt the snarl rise in his throat. They had chosen the wrong prey.

"We need to get past these guys and join up with the Moonrunners. They're closest," Jake said, stripping off his shirt. Clothes got in the way of the Change. Sometimes that was enough to prevent impetuous transformation, but at times like this it was a nuisance. 

Beside him, Lily had already tossed aside her hat and dress. Her scent, fierce and wild, mingled with his own. Lily might be a wise elder, but she was a Wolf as strong and untamed as any he'd known. She was eager to defend the pack's territory. 

"Miranda, can you help?" Jake added.

"You two take the ones on the left," Miranda said, her voice shockingly calm. Under the intoxicating aroma of her magic, her scent was as fierce and wild as Lily. Jake realized he hadn't really needed to ask. Moonwood Mill had been Miranda's home once. She would protect it. "I'll take the two on the right." 

"I always said you were trouble," Lily said with a fierce smile. 

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"Three of them, three of us," Demarco said with a savage grin. "Hardly seems fair."

Across the yard of the community garden, the assassin Mallory and her men in black had stopped their advance. Clearly they were reconsidering their strategy now that they had been detected, despite their weird alien jedi mind-tricks.

"Lux, you were right," Etta said, her voice breathless, her words tumbling over each other. "I love Miranda."

"What?!" Mariah gasped. She really hadn't expected that. Well, she had expected it, but she hadn't expected Etta to say it!

"Mariah, I swear to you I will never again do anything to take her away from you," Etta added earnestly. "She loves you. You make her happy. I'm happy that she's happy... because... I guess... I really do love her."

"You're seriously doing this now!?" Demarco snapped.

"Lux, you were right about something else too," Etta continued, speaking over her. "A lot of witches are polyamorous... including apparently me. Because, no matter what I feel for Miranda, I love you, Lux. I am madly, head over heels in love with you. I don't want to be friends-with-benefits, or fuckbuddies, or just leave what we have undefined anymore. I want to be with you. I want to be your girlfriend... and I needed to say that... because we might die."

"To Hell with this. I'm going to live," Demarco snarled.

"Did you just quote Firefly?" Etta blinked.

"You know, I didn't like the second season as much," Mariah commented.

"Ladies, can we please focus," Demarco groaned, stripping off her shirt.

"Not when you do that," Mariah muttered. "Damn girl."

Mallory forced herself to watch as the theriomorph transformed in an almost blinding burst of psychokinetic energy. Even with her limited mind-sight, she could sense the aberration's fury and feel the confused muddle of emotions, anger-lust-fear-confidence, from its human companions. 

The beast snarled a challenge while the humans moved into skillful fighting postures.

Mallory knew what had to be done. Agent Light had been wrong, she thought. Any doubts about the mission came from the implanted thoughts and memories of another woman. A failed prototype who had not understood her purpose. I am loyal, she told herself firmly. I serve Peace and Order.

"Keep one of the humans alive for questioning," Mallory said coldly. "Kill the other and the witness. The theriomorph is mine."

 

 

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"Why the Moonwood?" Jenny asked. "Sorry, but it's just been bugging me. I mean, I get that it's supposed to be this whole special magical convergence thing... but still. Aren't there any special magical convergences that don't have towns full of werewolves sitting on them?"

"I wondered that myself," Luna replied. "The Settlers were quite insistent on the Moonwood as the new primary location for their research. It turns out, for all their science and technology, the Settlers are obsessed with their own ancient myths. 

"One of those myths says that a ancient witch of the Moonwood, Avelina, was able to see through the Veil into their native Realm. The Settlers believe this vision represents a weak point in the barrier between our two worlds. Their original portal to our world was destroyed during the Century War. They hope to create a new one at this weak point."

"Crossing," Genie gasped. "A bridge between their world and ours. It really is an invasion."

"Hardly," Rohan scoffed. "They want to help us bring order, not conquer us." 

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"Why are you doing this?" Beth Volkov asked.

"Your kind was created to serve as warriors in the ancient war against the vampires," Hand replied coldly. "That war has continued for centuries. You are a failed experiment. You have no purpose."

"We’re people, not weapons," Beth pointed out.

"You are aberrations. You are a threat to the Project. You must be removed,” Hand said. Turning his attention to his earpiece, he addressed his commandos. "Team Two, report status. Team Two… report. "

"You might find we’re not so easy to remove, " Beth snarled softly. 

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"Team Two, report," Hand growled in growing frustration. "All Teams, report! I require a status update."

"I'm afraid your men can't come to the phone right now," a rough voice that certainly was not one their Protectors snarled in response. "Can I take a message?"

"Mr. Volkov? I am impressed," Hand replied smoothly. "Clearly, I underestimated you."

"Live and learn," Jake growled. "Pack up and get the hell out of my town before my sister finds you, you might have a chance to do both."

"Amusing," Hand replied, with no trace of humor. "However, I believe you will find that I have not underestimated Ms. Oaklow and her associate. You should also be aware that I am currently holding several hostages, including Elizabeth Volkov and your offspring. You will come to the town library and surrender yourself within twenty minutes, if you want to see them again, alive." 

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"Son of a bitch," Jake said, taking deep breaths to control his fury. "He's got Beth and Di, and who knows who else, in the library. He'll kill them if I don't surrender in twenty minutes."

"He means to kill you all," Miranda said quietly. 

"The Moonrunners are hurt but they'll live," Lily said. "What about these fellows?" she added, glancing at the frozen svartalf commandos.

"They'll live," Miranda replied. "It will take them a while to thaw out, but they'll live."

"Find somewhere secure to put them before they do," Jake said.

"I've got a good root cellar that should do the trick," Lily smiled.

Sobering, she added, "You know you can't surrender."

"I don't intend to," Jake snarled. "Lily, stay here and look after the Moonrunners. If he's up to it, get Daniel to help you secure our... captives. The creep on the radio said he'd taken out Rory and Lou, but that might be a bluff. I need to check on them. We could use their help. Miranda, I hate to ask more of you but..."

"Jake, you never have to ask," Miranda said. "We're getting Beth and Di back, and then we're taking the town back."

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Author's note - Poses from modders including Pandora, Simmerianne93 and SamSims (with apologies if I used some from someone I forgot to credit). -L