† WARPATH [INVITE] †

[Lasair Barnes (DELETED 9516)]

The sight of Esli was like the view of a sunrise after a long night of battling demons. He was the sunrise, and he was half Lasair’s cure. Well, so she thought. She, too, thought that she was unbreakable, that she needed only him. The human body was fragile, however, Paladin or not. The wounds she had should have killed her, she should have been dead. They would take less time to heal given the power afforded to her by the Paladin rituals that had got them this far, but she still needed time. Instinctively, she knew that she wasn’t going to be back out on the street slaughtering vampires within one night.


Even as her belongings were grabbed, even as Esli reached for the cables that kept her hooked up to the catheter, whatever blood was left in her face drained. She was white as a ghost as she reached out a thin-fingered hand to stop Esli in his tracks. She glanced from him to Gideon – who then disappeared outside and was not there to hear what she had to say – then back again. She shook her head.

”You aren’t a doctor, m’love,” she said, voice soft and cracked after her recent retching, and screaming. She could do with some water. Whatever painkillers they’d given her were starting to wear off, too, and she was slowly becoming aware of each and every wound. When she took a breath, every bone felt like it was going to shatter. ”I’ve split some stitches and if I get out of this bed I think I’ll only make it to the doorway before collapsing. If I leave this hospital I’ll die,” she said, plainly. She pleaded with Esli, her eyes wide. They would be as safe here as they were anywhere else. Their van sure wouldn’t offer them any protection. The hospital had backup generators; if the power went out, the machines feeding her antibiotics and painkillers would remain steady. If they went home, they had no such failsafe.

As comfortable as her own bed might be, she had reason and common sense enough to know that she couldn’t leave. She didn’t have to be a doctor to know how close a call it had been, this time around.

Before she could get a positive or negative response from Esli, Gideon had come back. He blocked the commotion from the hallway with a closed door; he had Mona with him. She didn’t look too great, either. Lasair still held Esli’s hand in her own, stopping him from disconnecting her from the wires she felt reliant on.

”If there are vampires in this hospital, then maybe this is the best place for us to be. They won’t kill us if we’re all together. And maybe we can figure out who they are, so we can track them down and slaughter them,” she said, before laying back and taking a deep breath. Even talking took its toll. All she knew was that she wasn’t going to run scared. She was going to stay right where she was so that she could heal, so that she could get stronger.

[Sawyer]

“I can,” she replied, her voice heavy with drugs and defiance. She could already feel the morphine ebbing from her bloodstream, making room for the pain. Her body was on fire, her head heavy, and her skull a sharp ache. Everything ******* hurt – but she didn’t have a choice. With each second that they remained locked in this ******* brightly lit hospital, the more time the vampires had to regain their senses. Or, what was left of their senses after the rot of death had taken control. “Here I thought you’d just cart me around in your arms like those sappy ******* movies she likes to watch.” Her lips curved into a smirk as she waved a bruised hand in Jenna’s direction.

The blonde dipped her head, her voice a low string of words, and she knew without a doubt she was cursing her. She could practically feel the betrayal wafting off of her, and she wanted to laugh. She even tried to do so – but the sound became lodged in her throat, and she quickly turned her head, blood coating her hand as a sharp, wet cough echoed off of the tile. “I ******* hate that *****,” she hissed through red stained teeth, before she slowly eased her fingers from his shirt. If they were going to find the others, to talk to them, recruit them for the cause, they needed to go. She could already feel the darkness closing in, her vision starting to turn grey around the edges.

“Let’s go, baby. I heard they were on this floor. One of them was as bad off as I was, I think.” She wouldn’t put a name to what had happened to her, to who had happened to her. It was over with, the ***** had taken a beating, and though she had landed up in the hospital, she knew the dark haired vampire would be feeling it for ******* days. Pressing her hand to his shoulder, she carefully tried to move to her feet, her body smarting in protest – but she managed. Shaking from head to toe, room spinning with wildly, she managed. “Chair,” she croaked out, just as Jenna slid it to her. Within seconds, she had collapsed, the worn leather wrapping around her slender form, welcoming her as though she was meant for it. “Just down the hall. A few doors.”

[Ephraim Steele]

As she collapsed, Ephraim took hold of the chair to catch her as she impacted the seat, keeping it from rolling out beneath her. He held firm and took a collective breath, shaking his head as he moved to push her from the room. His steel grey eyes turned to their friend, the sorceress with an immense, untapped power, and he gave Jenna a smile of thanks. He grumbled beneath his breath at her, ribbing her for Sawyer’s bit of unvolunteered information. The woman’s face was priceless, and this tiny bit of material would make for months of entertainment, at the least.

He waved a hand at the blonde woman and pushed Sawyer out into the hall. A nurse charged them the moment it was obvious that Sawyer was out of her bed, the tall, gangly firebrand of a woman pulled bright, ruby red lips back in a scowl of disapproval as she waved about a filled syringe in her hand. “That woman should not be out of her bed, young man! Let her get back to her rest!” Ephraim lifted a hand and offered the woman a grin. “Please. I’m only taking her a few doors down to see a friend of ours. We aren’t going to be going anywhere too far, you’ll still have all your eyes on her, just let her see a friend for a bit.”

The woman ceased her charge, and her arm fell limply at her side as she gave a dejected shake of her head. “I don’t have time for this ****. I have a patient to take care of. If she isn’t back in her bed in an hour, I’m calling security to get her back in her bed.” He waved a hand at her and shook her head. “Don’t worry about us. Just send in a nurse to check later.” He gave her another smile, then, and turned to see a nurse knocking at the door. He looked down to glance at Sawyer for an instant before he turned to where the woman was opening the door, and he moved to step in behind her.

“We’re just some friends, coming to visit. Met just before we all made it in here,” he explained at the quizzical look on her face. She smiled, then, and gave a nod. He grinned at her, then, and slid into the room behind her, pushing Sawyer ahead of him. Once inside, he left the door cracked for the nurse to leave quickly. He turned, then, to smile at the faces he remembered only vaguely. “You guys may not remember us, but we met briefly, helping out the militia. We were there for the start of all of this, what landed all of us in here,” he paused for a moment as the nurse drifted about the woman in the bed, who eyed him out of the corner of her eye.

Quickly, she collected her things, and left, closing the door behind her. “My name is Ephraim. The little lady here, Sawyer. We’re here to ask you for your help with the things that put us all in here.” Straight to the point. No fluff. Ephraim was best with the direct approach. None of them had time for pleasantries and diplomacy. The dead were rising outside, and were already breathing down their necks.

[Andrew McGee]

(Elsewhere)

“You really didn’t have to help with this.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Andrew,” the woman was practically beaming as she finished getting one of the girls dressed. “You never told me you had a daughter, let alone grandkids.”

“Trust me, it was a bit of a shock.” The older man started to lite a cigar, then thought better of it. He could smoke on the terrace after the trio crashed out for the evening. He watched the woman move with a type of grace as if she had been doing this forever.

“So tell me, where is momma?”

“Oh, Mona went on some type of self discovery retreat thing. She should be back in a couple of days tops.” He hated lying to her, but what was the alternative? Tell her the truth? There was a secret war (well, not so secret now) going on in this town between vampires and a group who called themselves Paladins, and he and his daughter both had the Paladin gene? Personally, Andrew McGee had become disillusioned with the entire deal. He had never been one to make snap judgments on things and killing people on command was something he left behind when he retired from the Navy.

No, if they were a menace, he wanted proof first, so he explored the town around him. Some of what the Order was saying was truth. There were a lot of fanged assholes running wild out there. However, just because they had fangs, not all of them were assholes. Dominique was the first. She too was part of the Order and one of the best they could hope for. Until she made a mistake and got herself turned. It was heartbreaking, but then something else caused his anger to grow.

Suddenly the Order did a 180 on the subject of ‘Mini’. Not a word of comfort or offer of help. The bastards were lining up to kill her. Of course when someone got themselves turned in the long run there would be some changes, but the person they knew before was basically sitting with them and all they could do was look at her like potential prey. Andrew went berserk. Even now, in any situation, he would trust Dominique to have his back over any of them. He began to operate solo after that. And in doing so, began to find not all of them were hellbent on dragging humanity into the abyss. Some of them were victims themselves. They didn’t want to be the way they were now. All some were doing was just living quiet little lives (?) not hurting anyone.

How do you sort something like that out?

If the Order had it’s way? Kill em all and let them all burn in hell.

“From the way you describe her, sounds like something like that will do her a world of good,” the woman laid the girl in the last open basinet. The other two were in place already making small noises of contentment.

“I hope so.” Andy opened the fridge to get ice and paused as he saw the line up of formula ready for use. “You filled the bottles too? Damn it, woman. I know how to take care of kids.”

“I did not say you couldn’t.”

“Well quit doing everything when you come over!”

“I am having fun with this, thank you.” She laughed as she tucked number three in. “is this Neve or Nissa?”

“Check the tatts. Mona’s idea of telling them apart.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Andy got the ice and prepared two drinks. He offered the woman one once she had finished. “She can’t tell them apart? It’s easy! You have a McGee, and another McGee and a third McGee. Simple.”

The woman laughed as she took the glass. “You never stop, do you?”

“Never saw a reason to stop.” He lifted her chin so he could look her in the eye. “Could you….do you want to….stay the night?”

“Would if I could,” she answered. “I have to work tomorrow. At the dress shop.”

“Did I say anything?”

“No, you didn’t. Maybe I am getting used to the idea myself is all. If a certain old ******** had not swept me off my feet, I’d still be doing the job I was when we met.”

“Now who would do that?” He feigned innocence.

She mocked slapped him. “You know, your head is as thick as the armor on some of those ships you worked on in the Navy.”

“Yeah. I hear Mona has that problem as well. I hope that McGee trait skips these guys.”

“Oh, with your help. I think they might.” She handed him back the half empty glass. “I need to get home. Breakfast is ready for them. You know the drill otherwise and I will be back when I get off.”

“Thank you, dear.”

***

Once she had left, Andy locked the door, poured the remains of her drink into his glass then added more bourbon to it all. He took a seat in his recliner and began to ease the basinets closer to him so all three formed a semi circle in easy reach if he wished. He wasn’t worried too much about Mona, even though he was not sure what she had been going on about. A cure for vampires and they wanted to be the ones who had it?

“Well now, let’s all gather round for a nice chat, shall we?” he kept his tone low and easy. He had discovered there was something about him talking that captivated his three little houseguests. “The time has come for ol ‘Fireball’ to tell you things you are going to need to know to survive in this town. Now I am sure Mom has you all playing with toy swords and your first words are gonna be ‘Die you ******* fangers.’ But trust me, there is way more you need to know that just that. Grandpa would never lie to you guys.”

Three sets of eyes were glued to his face as he spoke. Andy gently repositioned a bottle so the child would be sucking down formula instead of air. “For example…..”

[Esli Barnes]

[against_peace][/against_peace]

Lasair had him stopping with the next reach of her hand. The connection was instant and what it said in the silence between them screamed a message that was intended to give him every reason to pause. Esli heard it loud and clear. Fingers and hands going for the tubes stopped their rapid movements as his his eyes stilled on her.

The first time it happened was that night hundred’s of thousands miles back that were dated years ago and leaving seasons and reasons turned several times over. Perhaps he was standing in the hospital room at his wife’s bedside but his mind was elsewhere. As if transported back in time by that look from his wife he once again wore the blood on his hands. The warmth had left the proof covering him that he had not had the time to wash away but it’s effect was no less impactful. Her eyes held the same stare, the same expectation then as they did now. The sounds of silence were piercing him. The screams were gone, the violence that preceded the horrific chorus and the rage that started it all finally was over.

Esli was a monster before he met the beauty and wonder of Lasair. His preexisting flaws were magnified and shaped by the results of what he had discovered through Lasair’s hidden pain. It was noticeable from the beginning but guarded, supposedly well out of reach. One of those things in the distance beyond the glow of first smile, a sway of a casual hip or a stroke of a hand that had the tips of fingers subtly connecting to his for the first time. Something was there, it was off limits and she held it tight. That should have been enough right there to stop him. But it wasn’t. He wanted it whether he was invited or not. She was his and so was ‘that’. He dug deep and he pried. He worked at the puzzle until he developed a mental map that had him navigating through all the familiar routes he tried to use repeatedly only to get so far and come up short. Or to be locked out or arrive at a dead end for his efforts. His desire to reach it, his love committing him to discover and claim that part of her only became that much stronger. Nothing would keep her from him. Nothing could stand in his way. Not even ‘that’.

And when he finally did he found the same look in her eyes that was washing over him then and there. The rushed movements of Gideon in the background didn’t seem to have the power to distract him. Nor did the struggle between his brother and the paladin mother of his trio of innocent souls their shared God blessed them with the care of. His wife asked something of him, she pleaded her case and would not waiver in her expectation of what he was being called to do. Listen. Her eyes spoke as she slipped from his physical connection with the recline of her body. He may have been cleansed by the last bed bath he received in his comatose state but he was wearing the same soil and sins he did all those years ago.

Esli killed for Lasair then and he surely would again. By a saving grace they got away just before they could have been easily caught. A father was finally held accountable for the sins he committed. The same look in her eyes, the same warning in her voice had him dropping the lifeless body in the grip of his hands and running with her. But it would be all for nothing if he lost more of her, of them, for not heeding her warning this time.

“Brother, we need a plan.Quick.” His eyes were on his wife as he spoke. Somehow a nurse became present. Another disruption of added bodies, joined forces it would seem were rising in numbers. Voices for the cause, reminding him of reason, risk they all faced and he logged it. “I am not leaving without her and you know it.”

Esli didn’t give any care as to who heard his statements or who objected to it. His mind instantly went places and towards tasks no man of God should entertain and it had him catching his breath while the room shifted in chaos and discord around him. His jaw clenched with the pressure of the line of teeth pressing hard for some sort of compromise to come at him out of thin air. It wasn’t coming as fast as he wanted and he felt it. He knew full well the woman his soul, heart and life was bound to would not move willingly and she would be a force even God couldn’t temper if she was taken against her will.

“Gideon? Anyone?”

He finally glanced over to see what shape his brother was currently in with his own hands full. He discovered the room was alive with new faces. If the issue wasn’t so life threatening it would almost be amusing. They all looked like hell. He shook his head in disbelief. Lasair was a petite woman but he would move the whole damn room and place it on his shoulders and carry the weight of every man and woman within fighting for their cause and carry them out of there if he had to. “Ephraim, Sawyer.” He nodded in greeting as he stepped in closer to Lasair’s side. She could be a hell of a fight when it came to situations like this but if he had to...well then he had to.

“This may not be time to allow anyone through that door.” He set eyes back on Lasair. If her own narrowed in final warning she would likely be reading his mind.

[Gideon Barnes (DELETED 8781)]

[against_peace][/against_peace]

The door opened and in came two semi-familiar faces. Gideon had seen them at the compound and it seemed both were a little worse for the wear. Behind them was a woman, looking at Gideon and the woman, Mona, in his arms. "Sir, she can't leave!" The woman's warning came before the door was closed again and Gideon looked at his family and then at the two newest Paladin's in the group. "We stay." Gideon resigned himself to the idea after looking at Lass, Mona, Sawyer and Ephrahaim. Their 'party' wasn't anywhere ready to go out and fight for what was wrong in the world; or rather, Harper Rock. Not tonight. "We stay and keep watch." Gideon looked to his brother, and shrugged his shoulders. "Do rounds if we have to, but no one is getting in any of these rooms without having to go through one of us. It can be arranged." Gideon wasn't experiencing anything more than a few cuts from glass while he grabbed the Cure, and some information on it from a port that had been in the computer nearest it.

"We can talk more about the problem in the city once some of you are rested and healed." He looked down at Mona and gave her a sideways smile. "I'm not going to risk you, or anyone leaving early and then having to end up right back here from something internal going on. The kid's need their mom." He left it at that, anything else that needed to be said could be said at a different time without so many ears around. "I won't let him near you, or any other blood sucking monster." Gideon said with profound certainty, his eyes still on the woman in his arms, that now had a blanket from Lass' bed wrapped around most of her.

[Mona McGee]

Mona relaxed at least she knew she was in good company. She had a few things she needed to tell Gideon He had been on his search for Every when they first met and now The battle she had told him part of the story She hadn't ever told him all of it and it was about time they had a good long talk and if he stuck around after then he was the man she thought he was. If not then she would deal with it when it came up. For now she was right where she needed to be. She began a healing chant low under her breath She started to feel stronger as her body started to heal itself. She rested her head against his shoulder and watched the others settle in She was quite sure the Hospital staff would have a fit with this many in a room and alert the doctors but she would soon have not only herself right but the others as well despite any of The doctors medicine Something could be said for a good dose of faith and know how .

She was feeling stronger her second time through the chant. She stood and looked over at Lasair " Would you mind if I helped you heal ?"
[against_peace][/against_peace]

[Lasair Barnes (DELETED 9516)]

[against_peace][/against_peace]

Lasair might have been overwhelmed with so many people in one room, but she wasn’t. She’d never been the solitary kind and Esli could attest to Lasair’s aptitude for social settings. She’d always preferred being out and about, getting to know people – strangers in the grocery stores or standing in line with them at the coffee shop. The homeless men and women on the streets whom she would knit blankets for, pressing them into grateful hands whilst gently encouraging them. The homeless were at the most danger from the vampire scum.

As ill and as ill-treated as Lasair had been, she was still an optimistic individual; it continued to gleam behind her eyes, even when she was at her lowest points. Her neck craned forward as the room welcomed two more and a stuttering nurse; if they were all told they couldn’t stay in this room, then they would all suggest things be re-arranged so they could all occupy a single room with numerous beds.

The redhead nodded and smiled at Ephraim and then at Sawyer. She still had her fingers curled around Esli’s, tight, though her shoulders had sagged in relief when Gideon said they would stay. She wanted to be able to trust the doctors and nurses. She wanted this, at least, to be a haven. It was a hope she would cling to until it was proven unworthy. That smile was turned next to Mona.

”Thank you, Mona, but please save your strength. I will heal what I can myself, and will trust the doctors to do the rest,” she said, warmly. She then turned back to the two whom they had just met, though they did look familiar.

”It is good to meet you both, and to discover more soldiers in this war we are fighting. We are all here and alive. God watches over us,” she said, squeezing Esli’s hand a little tighter.

[Gideon Barnes (DELETED 8781)]

Gideon wanted a fight as much as any of them in the room, but there was a time and place. Tonight was neither of those. He looked down to the woman in his arms, the one who was trying to include herself in what already existed between the two brothers and Gideon's sister-in-law. He smiled at her effort. She was the mother of his children and so, she was part of the family based off that. No matter what happened from here on out, or between them, God had put her in his path for a reason and that reason came tri-fold.

"When we are able, I think that would be the time to discuss any potential plans. Right now, some of us need to be healed, some are on medicine and might not be thinking with a clear, sound mind." He glanced to Lasair, who made him smile even more. Even with everything she had been through and dealt with, her faith had not wavered in the slightest. She knew that God would take them where they needed to go and that everything had a purpose. Even being here. Which was to say that even with the women being stuck here to heal, God had put another woman in Gideon's path to start matters with the Cure. Something he would discuss with the trusted few in the room. Just because they had the same enemies, did not mean they were friends or allies. That had to be earned in Gideon's eyes.

"She needs rest." Gideon informed everyone in the room, pushing Mona up a little so that she came to rest against his chest. "As does Lass." Gideon looked at his brother, indicating what it was he was implying without even saying what that was. He would get the drift. Together, the four of them would decide who knew what about the Cure, if anything at all. And even then, if Gideon felt as if his gut didn't agree with the decision, he would make the final call. God had placed it in his hands for a reason and he would not fail the city, or God. "We can talk more in the morning." Gideon told everyone as he headed towards the door of the room. "When we're rested and of sound mind. Much has happened and decisions should be made when heads are cleared." Plus, Gideon wanted to know more about who had his children, and if he should worry. Something he and Mona should discuss privately, being the private family man that he was. "Brother. Sister. Sawyer and Ephraham." He nodded his head, pulled open the door with one hand and left the room for Mona's.

[against_peace][/against_peace]

[Sawyer]

[against_peace][/against_peace]


There was something about the one they called Gideon that intrigued her – and made her wary. Perhaps it was the medicine that was flowing through her veins, or the pain that throbbed like wildfire behind her eyes, but she felt something off about him. It was the same feeling she had when her mother would stumble into their rundown apartment in the middle of the night, her eyes dancing from one side of the room to the next, sharing secretive glances with whatever man had decided to make themselves at home. It was then, in her fogged, broken state, that she realized what made her uncomfortable.

Secrets.

It was clear he was hiding something – but weren’t they all? They all had their secrets, their reasons for being where they were. It didn’t cross her mind to question them. It wasn’t the time nor the place, and honestly, she didn’t know **** about him just as he didn’t know a damned thing of them. Ephraim had been right in approaching the room, to ensure the safety of those that they had battled alongside before. Wasn’t the most opportune time in gathering kinship and a group when they were all gathered in one place, unable to leave? When the other spoke of rest and healing, Sawyer couldn’t do much more than raise a brow in curiosity, her gaze traveling across the various faces in the room. Each had their share of wounds, some far worse than others; she, herself, was confined to a chair. She wasn’t sure where her strength had been to lift from the bed to make it this far had come from, but she had.

Perhaps it was all because she had believed in them, even if she hadn’t known who they might have been.

Shaking her head, she fell back against her chair, her eyes drifting closed as her hand reached – slowly, painfully – to rest against the muscled clutch that held her chair in place. “Ephraim’s mind is always clear. It’s one of the things I hate about him,” she said, her voice easily giving away the fact she was kidding, even as her hand dropped back to her lap when the pair left the room. Turning her attention to the remaining stranger and his bedridden partner, she offered a smile. It was genuine and warm, even if it were pained. “We’re just down the hall if you need anything, and we are putting together a sanctuary of sorts that we can discuss in the morning, right, Eph?” Her voice tired – though she wasn’t so out of her mind to reveal too much – she turned her dull gaze to her partner, unsure of what was supposed to happen at this point.

Hell, she was beginning to forget her own name as she fought to remain awake. Even now, she could feel her eyes grow heavy, limbs turning to lead, but she knew that should she succumb to her wounds, he would be there to ensure she found her way back to safety.