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At the screaming from the doorway, she turned to see this large animal that seemed too had wondered in. It perhaps was knowing when he neared through the links and bonds they shared or perhaps it was the familiar way he scratched on the door. It could have been just the scent of him in the air, but seeing it confirmed her suspicions right away. She turned and looked to this huge beast that had the two convulsing in fear. Slowly, she had turned from Simon to look at this beast in the doorway that sent the two into such a frazzled state. The mask she wore stayed in place with a blank expression, inside though, inside she was peeing her pants rolling on the floor filled with fits of laughter until it hurt to breathe in. Inside, she was dying of such laughter there was no cure. It did not faze her like it did the others to see her husband in this form, as she had time and time before. He had seen her animal shape just as she had seen his.

It was like all she needed was that magical wave; the hand darted out and slapped Simon upside the head in pure Gibbs, CSI fashion. She walked toward the door waving him to come in. Which in the state the two others were in, the look in her eyes highly amused, she wanted to tell him to stay that way out of humor. Let the couple continue to freak out, but she remained perfectly calm while giving him time to come inside before she closed the door. There was no need to alert more neighbors on the massive dog who had just entered the building. Though she was quite curious as to how he made it to this floor of the apartment complex in that state. Later, she was going to find out. She reached down absent minded to pet her husband on the sweet spot just behind his ears wondering if this would set his leg shaking. Now that would have her bursting at the seams in laughter that even she could not hide, there would be no mistaken it.
After the pup, or rather the much larger then her small frame doubled pup was securely in the apartment, she looked to the two who fell into bursts of fits screaming, “Oh do shut up!” Her voice rang out with a very thick European accent.

She pulled out the ritual altar she carried with her, placing the ingredients on the altar in ways that only a ritualist knew. The man’s memory was not returning fast enough so if Klara believes that a ritual did this perhaps a second one would undo it. She canted out the words of the ritual softly so the screaming adults would not quite hear the words she was speaking. It took all her concentration over the two but she knew just were to lay the herbs; she knew just where to place the candles before whispering into the air calling the demi fae forth. Now her accent thickened as she spoke the words, most of which she knew off hand, especially her sons name in fae. She had done enough rituals against him that it was second nature for it. Her favorite by far, especially when he angered her, was to project depression onto his state of mind. It was a form of punishment at time, and others it was simply to bring him down for him to calm himself. There was many of time she had to do it for his own benefit.

However now, she reached out to the demi fae, not her usual one but one who was not unknown to her. She talked in the language the demi fae could understand. Now if seeing Quoth in his animal form was not enough, she brought a demi fae into the house. It was a controlled setting but with those demi fae you could never be positive. It seemed like hours flew by for her trying to get those last two words, she’d nearly slipped up in the language. Her concentration was on neither the fierce looking dog that she loved so dearly nor the two adults she thought of more as children. She took an unneeded sharp inhale as she muttered off a last word, hoping that the demi fae would not escape into the building. The word proved to be true, it was then the fae looked at her or into her and then vanished as fast as he had come forth. That look that promised next time she would naught be so lucky. The ritual had been a success; she called forth the blood in Simon’s veins, her blood, to restore him. It was in the hope of the small lapse in his memory, that with this ritual she performed on him that he would be restored to himself fully and wholly.

With all that she had left, energy wise, since it was very draining calling up one of those demi faes, she moved closer to her husband after cleaning up the mess of the ritual and her altar. Her look went to Simon, her eyes casting over him as she checked him out in a motherly manner toward a sick child taking inventory of him and his non visual wounds. “How do you feel Simon Ward?” The stress she put into those two words, his name. Her voice back into the same, normal accent she had always had. She had listened intently to his ramblings, that first moment of recognition toward Klara, knowing who she was until that moment when her husband appeared. She gave him one simple sentence, asking him how he was doing. If he was fine then she knew his answer would be long. Beside her husband, who stood nearly as tall she did not even in her animal form but human like body, she waited to see how the ritual worked on him. Then perhaps she would slap him upside the head again, this time for fun.

The malamute started forward as soon as the door swung inwards only to be brought to a dead stand still. Klara's screaming stunning him in place, the proximity and volume simply overwhelming to the combined senses of the canine and his vampiric nature. It was seconds later before the big mutt shook himself out, the type of shake normally reserved for drenching crowds of strangers after a heavy rain storm.


Having gathered his senses the dog quickly spun in place, figuring something far more unsavory than himself must have followed him. Perplexing enough he was alone in the hall. It was then he noticed what coherent thoughts there were to the horrified screaming. He wanted to laugh, had it been possible in this form he might have. Then again he was rather off put about the whole thing to. Already that night he had, had more cooing, ear scratches, and back rubs than he could count from your average run of the mill human. Hell, the blonde on the elevator had been confused as ****, but even she hadn't been traumatized. How was it, that two vampires, who had far less to fear from dogs than the mortals, were here having fits over his presence.


His train of thought was interrupted as his wife approached, setting his tail wagging happily. The large malamute pressed himself against her leg as he walked with her into the apartment, trying for all he was worth to resit rolling over on to his back for tummy scratches once she had hit the sweet spot. Thankfully the scratching stopped almost as soon as it started, and noticing that his wife had began setting up an alter, he considered it might be better to keep this form. He wasn't sure, what ritual his wife planned on attempting, but if the demi-fae managed to escape the circle he wanted to be ready for it.

While she continued to work at the alter, Quoth nosed around the apartment, inspecting various elements of the decor until his little tour brought him around to the cowering Simon and Klara. He could feel that cruel sense of smiling settle over him, even though he had no idea what kind of expression that wrought on his canine features. It was about this time that Simon turned Klara's makeshift symphony into a duet.

The added noise made it quite easy for Quoth to slip into the canines defensive mode. His ears pinned back and his wolfish mane stood out, each follicle of fur going rigid. A deep rumble stirred in his throat, the growl coming from such a large animal not only sounding menacing, but something you could feel vibrating in your guts. Slowly he stalked closer, his lips twitching and raising baring the pearly white, sharpened teeth.

Before he could decide on how to torment them further; however, the atmosphere in the room changed. The air itself seemed, charged, there was almost more ozone, and energy seemed to be pouring off of the now completed alter. Forgetting all about Simon and Klara, Quoth immediately returned to his wife's side just as the demi-fae began to materialize. Sitting on his haunches the canine met the demi-fae's eyes. Instantly there was recognition. Though Quoth didn't know how, it always seemed to be the same whenever he was near an active summoning circle. It was as if they all knew of the blood on his hands... or this case paws. After a long stare down Quoth rose, and walked around the circumference of the circle until he was opposite his wife. The demi-fae turned to follow him, walking up to the very edge of the barrier directly in front of the malamute once it settled. As the two stared face to face, the magical barrier keeping the demi-fae bound shimmering in between them, Quoth knew that if the circle failed he would be first on the halflings list. He grinned inwardly at the idea.

Though the ritual faltered a some points, halfling swinging at Quoth's head with each missed word, it was an eventually success. Vampire and Demi-fae met eyes one last time, staring venomous dagger's at each other before the creature disappeared with a tuft of smoke.

Following his wife to the chair she chose to require, he licked at her hand, nuzzling at her hand as she slowly recovered. I wasn't until her features relaxed some that he circled to the far side of the chair. Fighting through the haze of his subconscious, Quoth brought his entire mind to bear on the act of shifting back into human form. At first nothing happened, but as the seconds stretched, his form seemed to waver. Beneath the fur pelt his very flesh was beginning to tremble and crawl. Inside he could feel his organs start to shift to their new locations. Once again sickening, squelching, pops could be heard as bones freed them selves from sockets, and broke to reform in human likeness. His body began to change shape, the black and white fur covering his body thinning to show naked splotches of flesh. It didn't take long before Quoth was standing upright, his snout shrinking back into his face, and the last traces of his tail receded back into his spine. What fur was left on his body spread thin, blanketing those bare patches as it turned into the fabric of his, jeans, t-shirt, and boots.

The Killer stood quiet for a long moment, letting his conscious mind slip into complete control, wresting the haze of the subconscious beast. Once firmly rooted, he rolled his shoulders and stretched to loosen up the newly reformed muscles. Stepping back to the party he slid up beside his wife.

So,... what happened?

Klara held onto Simon who seemed to be in no better position to do anything about the large dog than she was. She watched as Crissy didn’t seem to be too disturbed about the giant animal and seemed to be familiar with it as the pair watched her scratch its belly. Klara quieted down but not feeling overly safe in its presence. The dog approached the couple who were holding each other and began to growl. It was all Klara could do not to faint as tears of fear rolled down her face. She was terrified and shaking like a leaf in the wind. Ever since she had been attacked as a child, dogs were not her favorite things and one that was this abnormally large in her eyes just made it all that much worse. Between Simon losing his memory and now this she was pushing her past her limits.

Crissy began pulling out a ritual alter and Klara quieted and blinked thankful on one hand that at least something was being done to try and help the situation but that meant a demi fae would be showing up and that could very bad and would this dog just make things worse? She had quieted as the dog seemed to forget about them as the demi fae materialized and seemed to be keeping guard. Klara’s fingers bit into the flesh of Simon’s arm, praying that Crissy could undo whatever had been done to him. When Crissy stumbled over a word Klara shut her eyes waiting for the demi fae to charge and to be hurt. She knew first-hand what those creatures could do.

Simon and Klara had had their issues, his mother being the biggest but the women both loved him and only wanted the best for him and had started afresh and were becoming friends. It seemed misunderstandings abounded on both sides of the coin as well as the fact that Simon hadn’t helped the situation at all. Klara was the forgiving sort and would give second chances and sometimes third when she loved you. They had just gotten their relationship back on track and if Simon couldn’t remember her then it would be over. She shoved the thought quickly from her mind, praying Crissy would find the right words to the ritual and be successful.

The moments were tense as the woman worked, the dog ready to defend when suddenly the demi fae disappeared. Klara’s eyes went to Crissy’s as she asked Simon a question then to do the dog as she watched it begin to shift. “Oh holy hell” she whispered as Quoth now stood in the room. She had heard about people who could change into an animal form and even been told one day she would attain the power herself but she had never seen anyone in their animal form before. She went and sat down, no longer sure if her legs would hold her and waited for Simon’s answer.

The thing about amnesia and shattered minds, it really obliterated what someone remembered about themselves. Simple facts like, you were a vampire, easily became forgotten. Simon kept cowering at the big dog he would have realized was Quoth in a normal situation, but now was far from normal. Even the not-so-gentle Gibbs smack caused his eyes to look at Crissy. "What the hell is that?! What did you do?" he rubbed his head. It felt like a hand smacked him but no such things actually happened. When she warned him to shut up the questions died down.

Looking between the beauty and the beast, Simon was curious about what the woman was doing. Why she was setting out strange looking objects. Clearly there was a method to the madness he just wasn't getting the madness behind it. Then weird noises emitted from the woman's lips followed by something he could see. Whatever this woman had done summoned creatures. Unfortunately Simon had a few different sights in his person. They could never be turned off.

Moving back from the appearance of the creatures Simon's body had begun shaking again. Normally the man understood what fae looked like, big, ugly and inhuman. However, to a man person that believed they had never seen any type of fae before the experience was nothing less of horrifying. Whether the fae had a corporeal or incorporeal body mattered not because he saw them.

Then everything swirled about, colors, everything came at him all at once. His body hit the ground with a "thud." Time ticked by as he stayed down there for several moments. Slowly his eyes flickered open and he heard someone asking how does "Simon Ward feel," and he answered honestly, "Like Simon Ward is a name that doesn't fit anymore," he breathed out and winced in pain, "At least the Ward part."

Sitting up he looked at everyone, "Mind's still...kind of...broken. Ever feel like you know you're forgetting something but don't remember what it is?" he asked to anyone in the room. "That's how I feel. I remember not remembering. I know the Misses.," he looked to Klara, "Mom," his gaze shot to Crissy, "And my brother," and finally Quoth, "are here. Beyond that...guess it's a wait and see." Sitting back he winced in pain again. All of the synapses repairing and fixing themselves caused pain to shoot through him.

Normally he would have tackled people on sight if he just remembering them. One ritual scrambled his brain and another unscrambled it. The aftermath gave him a headache he hadn't felt since that one time at Mardi Gras during the human daze. It was a fun night that he didn't remember most of. Holding his head he looked at the two people ahead of him, instinctually Simon's arm went around Klara's shoulders.

"As to what happened I couldn't tell you. I was just walking in the sewers and then...just...forgot it all. Like something opened my mind up and emptied out the contents. No impression of an attacker. No anything like that. Just quietly and out of nowhere...empty head." And that was all he could have answered on the subject. He had been psychically assaulted before so Simon knew the signs. The memory loss was a lot quieter. The thought sacared him a little to be honest.

Klara leaned into Simon as she felt his arm go around her shoulders. She kissed his cheek gently, and rubbed her hand along the top of his thigh. She listened to his explanation and looked worriedly at Crissy ignoring for the moment the real question she was curious about.

“Crissy do you know what could have done this or who could have done this and what is the likelihood it could happen again? Could there be any permanent repercussions?” She looked at Quoth standing beside Crissy. “Sorry Quoth, I didn’t realize you shifted. I got attacked as a little girl by a dog and ever since then I’ve been afraid of big dogs and well you’re ******* huge!”

Klara blushed at her words to Quoth hoping she hadn’t offended either he or Crissy and turned to Simon and asked softly. “Honey, what do you mean Ward doesn’t seem to fit anymore?”

"Never thought I would hear my girlfriend tell my brother that 'he's ******* huge.' My poor ego, it's wounded." He snickered trying to take his mind off of the attack. His eyes looked between the three of them, "Has something gone on that I need to be worried about?" it was more to the words Klara said but it could have applied to the attack. Again he was joking and just trying to take his mind off of the whole 'my mind is a scattered mess' bit.

"Ward is an Americanization of the last name Wardall. My human name...both don't fit. There's a giant cross tattooed on my back...so...why not Simon Cross? It is the family line." he asked the room and looked around, "Get paperwork to make it legal instead of the forged documents Simon Ward has. Well, legal but done illegally, documents."

Only Quoth, even in his malamute form seemed to notice how weary she had become from doing the ritual. As she sat in the chair, him by her side, she closed her eyes a moment. Her son, Simon, was right there in the room with her. She knew this, knew it well enough because he was sitting right there the whole time she did the ritual. It hadn’t been trying to locate her son that had been the reason for this ritual to take place, though that was the normal reason for the ritual. This was to get his blood boiling, to make it rise into his brain and regard his memories of her, of Quoth her husband, and of the rest of the family. It was for his benefit and his, Simon’s, alone. Still, she sat calmly and collected herself.

It wasn’t until she heard the familiar sound of the transformation from beast to man, one she knew well enough herself since she had her own form of animal. Hers wasn’t as fancy as a malamute. The kitty within would stir, banging against the bars of flesh, once in a while, wanting to be let out from her body. The leopard loved taking a good long run in the woods, alone where nothing and no one, not even the feared and dreaded fae, would disturb her. On a few occasions, while the kitty was out running amuck in the woods, she would hear a rustling of leaves, a crack of a dried kindle like twig and know there was a fae nearby. Though, she didn’t fear this hidden beast s it never seemed to disturb her when she perked up that triangle ear, canting her head in the direction of the noise. Those sharp eyes would peer out in the trees; ears come to lay flat against the curve of her neck, and nothing. Not a trace of this mystical beast could be found. The keens senses now running wild as she felt, the kitty within that is. Thinking so long and hard about her beast, made her fight to hold this form, this human body. She needed to think about other things.

It was almost a distant calling, the words holy and hell barely computing inside her mind that brought her back. She focused on the people in the room, looking from one face to another then to another before returning to the start. Heavy eyes blinked to gain focus on the task before them, if Simon was healed. Though the awe of Quoth’s lovely body reforming itself was missed by her, something she loved to watch, kind of like him shaving, she began to see the room and remember why she had been here. Once more the kitty was shoved back into her bodily cage, locked away inside her mind. Before it was like the hefty paw, sharpened nails drawn, had swiped at her within her own mind but now that cat was locked back behind the metaphoric bars she used to keep it hidden from the world. The kitty was not very happy at the moment with this choice. Again, her rigid body relaxed as she came back long enough to hear Simon recalling who they were and his explanation, or lack thereof explanation as to why this had happened. He didn’t know other than he was fine one minute and not the following moment. That was fairly disturbing. It was strange the ritual effected him like that seeing as normally you only forget one person not lose your entire mind of who everyone you met was. It was not supposed to affect anyone in that manner, then again nor was the call to blood. The call to blood was only meant to help locate a childe missing in the city. But it seemed the two rituals worked to counter act each other to help bring back the lost memories, it was the best she could do.

Her eyes lingered toward the woman clung to Simon, the one explaining why she had been to the extremities terrified of Quoth in his animal form. As a child she’d been attacked by a dog. This fear of the dog form gets her so worked up she couldn’t seem to function thinking properly. Now knowing her husband as well as she did, she didn’t need to sense his feelings of that moment of regret for teasing her, trying to jest and joke by growling at the two cowering from him. Now that they see it was him, she was betting they felt pretty silly for being frightened so. Probably as much as he felt that twinge of sorrow, a passing twinge, for scaring them to that extreme now knowing her childhood trauma of the said beast form Quoth was. But the question Klara asked still hadn’t been answered. She looked to the women with a foggy gaze and shook her head back and forth in an answer. A very clear and silent no.

Even after taking a moment to muse it over, “Neither of the two rituals should have affected him in the manner that they have. I work with rituals as much as time and energy allows. As you can see, it does take a lot out of me to do it. Mainly I just get tired after doing one, which is why I normally only do them before Quoth and I are ready to turn in for the day. But the days and nights have been long and hard as of late getting over the holiday event and replenishing the store. You can imagine it has been a lot of hard work, so I was tired to begin with. Even this early in the evening, as opposed to other nights. I have searched my mind, but this is all new to me as to why it happened that he forgot everyone. Simon knows, when I have no one else to use a ritual on, or when I have the extra supplies, to calm him down from his over active mind, I use projected depression on him to mellow him out and give him time to think about the things he needs to think of. But, now let me explain this rituals affect or how they should have worked, you forget the person who casted the ritual. Just the one person and not everyone you have met, and especially not yourself. The ritual I just casted, the one I used a moment ago, was named a Call to Blood. The normal affects of this ritual are to locate a childe and give the sire their location so he or she might seek them out. This is especially good, if you are like me, and end up siring those who you do not recall siring. Like my most recent two which for the life of me I can not remember how they became turned into blood, but somehow I seen to know out there somewhere I have two more childer that have been turned. I have tried to coraspond with them with no reply back. This is a perfect time to use this ritual and seek them out in the city to see if a face to face interaction with them would not only jog my memory but theirs as to how they have been turned into the blood that runs through three of the four people’s in this room. Now both of these rituals have worked in strange ways on him that I cannot explain. Are you certain it was a ritual and not some curse? I have heard of this curse that erases the memories from rumors on the street, but I do not know how those work.” She concluded her explanation of the rituals, the way they should have affected his mind and body.

Still wary from the way the ritual drained her, as she was already pretty well spent after working, she turned to Simon. At first instinct she didn’t register what he had been saying. His name, he wanted to change it. Then she realized what he was talking about. Instead of being Simon Ward, he wanted to take the name just like Elsa Beth had. He wanted to become Simon Cross, full and whole. She cracked a smile, the best one her state could allow. Not knowing how tired he was, or how drained he was from regaining the pieces of his memories; she waved him to come over to her for a hug. “I am so happy Simon. That is great that you want to give up that last shred of your mortal coil and become embraced into this life.” But the expectations on him would grow by leaps and bounds as he would be expected to uphold the family name, to wear it with pride and honor, as his adopted sibling does. “I couldn’t be happier, come give this weary woman a hug.”