Karl looked to the maps laid on the desk, they outlined Martinez estate and the surrounding areas and towns. Although they were dated and used, the maps displayed several key areas in which a super natural could hide and not be found. This little problem was going to change and fast. Karl had already delegated to his security team and several search parties, wolf and magical had gone out to search several key areas.
Karl glanced at his watch, it was closing down to midday. The night had been long. After the body of young Duncan had been prepared and laid, Karl had carried out the usual blessing and enchantments to protect the young shifters soul. Karl rubbed his neck and grabbed the coffee cup from the desk taking a swig. Sleep could wait.
George strode into the office with purpose, he was dressed casually in jeans and a long sleeved polar neck, He dumped a pile of pictures on the desk.
'These are security picture of everyone at the fund raiser Karl, only the first three are unrecognisable.'
'Male or female?' Karl enquired.
'Two females and a male.'
Karl nodded and scooped up the first few pictures on the pile and looked down at them intently. He smirked to himself and passed two of the pictures to George.
'These two were protested against the rights of magical victims, they were escorted from the building.' He frowned at the last picture of a beautiful blond, she was smiling and had a hand on Paul's shoulder. It was then he noticed her eyes, where people normally had red eye due to flash exposure, she had a blue glow.
'This one....' George shook his head.
'Is a shifter of some sort, a changer but not a wolf?' George made the statement a question.
'Yes' Karl answered, slightly surprised. 'She's dancing with Paul.'
'He's taking a shower, then he'd joining us.'
Karl gave a jerk of his head. 'Let's hope his intel is useful.'
*......................*
After the strange scene in the dinning hall, Alistair had Alexis taken to her quarters, which he had had prepared with some of her favourite things, according to the human.
Later in the evening, on his orders, Taran had tried to separate Jensen and Alexis only for another round of violent fits to ensue and several unsavoury explicit words from the Mage.
So his Mage was still unchained and cradling the Concealer in his arms on her bed. His expression was pained and Alexis was still white, from the blood loss of her wound. Alistair couldn't help the twinge of jealously crawling up his back at the scene before him.
'Is she healing?' Dominic asked from the corner.
'Slowly.' Jensen answered in a whisper, stroking hair from her face.
'Don't get use to the reprieve of your usual sleeping place Mage, you will soon be back there.' Alistair adjusted his cuff and met Jensen's eyes.
'If she doesn't heal she will be of no use to you Alistair.'
Alistair shrugged, 'She will heal to some degree, that will be enough for what I desire.'
'Don't lie to me Alistair, I saw the look on your face in that dinning room, either you didn't know what you'd done or it had escalated out of control.' Jensen kept his voice lowered as Alexis stirred.
'Perhaps.' Alistair drew the word out, an indication of nothing. 'It is always an advantage to know a person's weakness my Mage.'
'Meaning?' Jensen asked.
'Meaning, concealers usually had an aversion to one type of supernatural being, something that challenges their skill, heightens their fear and its seems Alexis' weakness is spirits, ghosts, essence of the dead. However you wish to name the little show last night it amounts to the same.'
'So all that shit in the dinning room was a test?'
'I knew the place was haunted, although Alexis' reaction was unprecedented and highlighted a need for me to keep a closer eye on Miss Martinez.'
'No shit. Have you tested other beings?'
'Taran and Diana are demons, they caused no pain or infliction.' Alistair ran a hand down his suit, took an unnecessary breath and folded his hands in front of his navel.
'Anything else?' Jensen asked through gritted teeth.
'Seems Alexis has a soft spot for Mages' Alistair smirked. He flicked his fingers towards the human who whimpered. 'Come Dominic, time for your reward.'
Taran picked up the human and flung him over his back like a rug. The human whimpered, Jensen looked over him impassively. He had bought Alexis into this horror house and for that Jensen couldn't forgive him.
As Taran exited followed by Diana, Alistair looked back, 'I'll give her night fall to rest then my procurement begins.' The large wooden door slammed shut and a bolt slid into place. As Jensen stared at it intently, trying to harness the energy from the wood the door glowed in response. Jensen grinned and murmured in response. 'soon.'
*..............*
Alexis opened her eyes slowly, for a second time she stared at an unfamiliar ceiling. She looked down and noticed the arms encircling her, rings of red flesh on the wrists, she craned her neck slowly to meet Jensen eyes.
She smiled at him and something tingled inside her, she shouldn't be feeling it, but it was there. As there gazes stayed locked, Jensen stroked her face. She shivered and he smiled. Reaching out a shaking hand she touched his face, a cheek, his eyebrow, his lip.
'I...' Alexis pulled back. 'I should get up.' She pulled away and wobbled to a stand, with Jensen at her side quick as a flash.
'Whoa, you need to sleep, rest.' As he spoke, Alexis fingered the bandage on her chest.
She shook her head and swallowed, 'No, I need to get the fuck out of here.'
Jensen let out a bark of a laugh and hugged her suddenly, easing up a little as she winced, 'In that we are in total agreement.'
They stood in the embrace for a few moments. It was Alexis who spoke first. 'You helped me last night.'
Jensen sighed, 'Yes, I shared a little of myself with you.'
'I feel like I'm in the middle of something I don't understand here Jensen, this house freaks me out for one, what I saw last night I can't explain and I feel like I've been sheltered from something.'
Jensen drew back and caught her hand. 'Do you know what you are Alex?'
'What do you mean?'
'Has your mother or father never discussed your talents?'
