Taliya

Taliya frowned, her eyebrows forking as she continued to listen to his tale, “Indeed, that does make him dangerous. Should his gain momentum in his movements- it could mean a War of the likes we’ve never seen. You must tell this to Valentine- at least about the sire and your fears of his gathering followers.” Taliya nodded, “Yes. I will call in a few old favors and we will give you a name to this monster- and hopefully a location and whereabouts report.”

She stood up, “Come back to me with any new information you have regarding it. If I recall- you have a mission yourself you must get back to. Something about the sub-club below mine?” She said with a wink.

The Raven nodded with a soft smile as he stood up himself. “Indeed, I do. He can count on me there.” He’d been willing to agree to this before, but right now it really felt more like mutual help than ‘just’ trying to do each other little favours to gain benefits for your own business. Of course he was aware that this was still very much the case - but it had turned into something a bit greater along the way…

"Soooo… Do you want me to stay in touch with you two via that mobile of yours or…. I CAN always come personally, of course." He could probably even visit her right inside her coffin – if she actually slept in one. He was Corax, after all. All he needed was an idea of the location of the place he wanted to go to.

"Ah! I almost forgot." She rushed to the back of the room and picked up a long silver necklace with a single large vial with a diamond-like, shaped base. Inside was an ethereal liquid that shined in colors of the rainbow and back- sparkling chrome.

"This will allow you to communicate with Valentine and I both, or separately- we also have our own in which to communicate. You’d be surprised… just how valuable Valentine considers communication at a moments notice. This is simply one of the more baser means I have created since my encounter with witches." She handed it to him, "Great thing about it?" She asked with a smile, "It doesn’t lose signal when you need it most."

The werebird’s eyes followed her - and lit up when they saw the sparkling bjiou dangling from her pale, slender hand. It wasn’t only a sparkling little thing, it glowed with its own, pulsing light and changed colors! More than enough to enchant any Corvid.

For a moment the words she spoke - explaining the clearly magical object - seemed completely unimportant compared to the twinkling, entrancing gem. So Bran had to remind and force himself to focus,his hand reaching out for the necklace the moment she offered it to him.

"Beautiful…" he languished, still studying the object - then he hawked, looking almost a bit embarrassed for a blink, and quickly added: "And most certainly handy! Sooo… I take it that a purposeful thought is enough to activate and handle it, or…?"

"A purposeful thought is more than enough." She said with a small smile and a nod.

"Be well in your travels, Raven. May they bring you the treasures you seek."

melodramaticflight-deactivated2

Taliya opened the door- under her bar, that lead to her private quarters. As she descended the stairs an odd scent struck her still. The hair on her arms rose steadily as a chill sweapt through the hall. Looking around carefully she saw the begining of a rip in the fabric of time/space. Ozone filled the room as it cackled with power. A rip was opening and on impusle, she opted to step through it. Where did it lead? [Madara]

Ambient rays coalesced in the evening sky, collecting below a cracked moon. The source stood high on a leveled mountain, the gravel under his feet swept away by powerful gusts. Elongated obsidian moved with the wind, appreciating the breeze that separated it from accompanying grime.

He knew of the presence lurking in the background. They were a stain upon this world, summoned by a will he only understood passively.

He wasn’t very torn up over why they were brought here. Unless they got in his way, there would be nothing to stunt his plan from hatching.

Remaining solitary, he conveyed a question to them.

"What is your name?"

melodramaticflight-deactivated2

She looked at him, her eyes scarlet and weary as she stepped through and onto gravel. It crunched under her small feet as she came to a stop beside him.

"I am Taliya De’Moor."

"Where am I? Is this your realm?" She was full of questions; what was this place? Was this his doing? Or was he a victim as well?

"For now, no, it’s not mine." There was so much left to do. He was fortunate enough to have such an obedient servant at his disposal. "I’m Uchiha Madara, a warrior paralleled by no other in my time."

He turned, hair swaying in the wind. “That name is western, isn’t it?”

#melodramaticflight #big baddies gonna play

"Actually, its an old Family name…. A people that no longer exist…" Flashes of great wars, famine and barbarians with painted faces and matted hair. Steel armor, horses and war horns….

"You wish to endeavor to conquer this land?" She asked him, looking at the warrior and cross referencing his attire, build, stance and air to those of the warrior’s she’d known-killed, fought beside and pillaged.

He was a strong man- and the power that he wielded was as fragrant to her as a moon flower in bloom.

melodramaticflight-deactivated2

Taliya opened the door- under her bar, that lead to her private quarters. As she descended the stairs an odd scent struck her still. The hair on her arms rose steadily as a chill sweapt through the hall. Looking around carefully she saw the begining of a rip in the fabric of time/space. Ozone filled the room as it cackled with power. A rip was opening and on impusle, she opted to step through it. Where did it lead? [Madara]

Ambient rays coalesced in the evening sky, collecting below a cracked moon. The source stood high on a leveled mountain, the gravel under his feet swept away by powerful gusts. Elongated obsidian moved with the wind, appreciating the breeze that separated it from accompanying grime.

He knew of the presence lurking in the background. They were a stain upon this world, summoned by a will he only understood passively.

He wasn’t very torn up over why they were brought here. Unless they got in his way, there would be nothing to stunt his plan from hatching.

Remaining solitary, he conveyed a question to them.

"What is your name?"

She looked at him, her eyes scarlet and weary as she stepped through and onto gravel. It crunched under her small feet as she came to a stop beside him.

"I am Taliya De'Moor."

"Where am I? Is this your realm?" She was full of questions; what was this place? Was this his doing? Or was he a victim as well?

#melodramaticflight

Taliya frowned, her eyebrows forking as she continued to listen to his tale, “Indeed, that does make him dangerous. Should his gain momentum in his movements- it could mean a War of the likes we’ve never seen. You must tell this to Valentine- at least about the sire and your fears of his gathering followers.” Taliya nodded, “Yes. I will call in a few old favors and we will give you a name to this monster- and hopefully a location and whereabouts report.”

She stood up, “Come back to me with any new information you have regarding it. If I recall- you have a mission yourself you must get back to. Something about the sub-club below mine?” She said with a wink.

The Raven nodded with a soft smile as he stood up himself. “Indeed, I do. He can count on me there.” He’d been willing to agree to this before, but right now it really felt more like mutual help than ‘just’ trying to do each other little favours to gain benefits for your own business. Of course he was aware that this was still very much the case - but it had turned into something a bit greater along the way…

"Soooo… Do you want me to stay in touch with you two via that mobile of yours or…. I CAN always come personally, of course." He could probably even visit her right inside her coffin – if she actually slept in one. He was Corax, after all. All he needed was an idea of the location of the place he wanted to go to.

"Ah! I almost forgot." She rushed to the back of the room and picked up a long silver necklace with a single large vial with a diamond-like, shaped base. Inside was an ethereal liquid that shined in colors of the rainbow and back- sparkling chrome.

"This will allow you to communicate with Valentine and I both, or separately- we also have our own in which to communicate. You'd be surprised... just how valuable Valentine considers communication at a moments notice. This is simply one of the more baser means I have created since my encounter with witches." She handed it to him, "Great thing about it?" She asked with a smile, "It doesn't lose signal when you need it most."

Taliya nodded, “Yes- as it were, Valentine has been hunting. How ironic.” She said softly, setting her glass down on an end table.

"Now, tell me more about this monster who desecrated your nest, Raven. I am very thorough in my work and when dealing with the Pack in Arizona, professionalism is acknowledged and honored."

She smiled, “You do not have to dwell if it pains you, little Raven- pain and fear are not the same thing. When you are ready and once I have all the information I need, I will seek out this monster and give you the tools I can offer- to seek out your justice and vengeance.”

She nodded, “We can’t have the bastard.. loose-someone like that needs to be rendered down to the last molecule.”

"He’s my mate’s sire." he informed her, his voice almost too calm yet vibrating with hardly contained emotion. "He’d destroyed her family, her life….. more than twice. But those are her stories to tell. Anyway, our union most definitely won’t get his blessings – for in his world a Raven and a Coyote mustn’t be. And the fact that he has rallied others of like mind…. is what makes him truely dangerous in my opinion. A bit too dangerous for one little Raven all on his own…"

Then he told her all he had learnt that fateful night, hidden in the shadows, his heart racing as he realized that this was something….. so much bigger than just the vendetta of one black-feathered bird. That the information he’d just gained was more importand that his thirst for vengeance and more dangerous than the ‘crime’ of bonding with one of another species.

And all of a sudden he felt….. relieved; now that he shared this knowledge – not only with his kin and flock but… it was… strange… as if this very moment, here and now was…. meant to be. An odd feeling spreading in him that made him feel both most important and most insignificant at the same time, a feeling that made his heart soar and gave him the odd sensation of looking down at this scene froom bird’s eye view… A feeling of…. the birth of something.

Taliya frowned, her eyebrows forking as she continued to listen to his tale, "Indeed, that does make him dangerous. Should his gain momentum in his movements- it could mean a War of the likes we've never seen. You must tell this to Valentine- at least about the sire and your fears of his gathering followers." Taliya nodded, "Yes. I will call in a few old favors and we will give you a name to this monster- and hopefully a location and whereabouts report."

She stood up, "Come back to me with any new information you have regarding it. If I recall- you have a mission yourself you must get back to. Something about the sub-club below mine?" She said with a wink.

Taliya sat across him with a smile, tucking her ankles under her in a child-like habit. Many child-like behaviors were retained from her transition.

"I will start with my birth- and give you insight into just who I am." She looked at him, "I endeavor to gain your trust, Raven and I begin by giving you mine. I was ten years old when my village was razed. For years I plagued battlefields as a wraith- warped by hatred, bitterness and loss."

She accepted a wine glass of blood from one of her thralls, “I was discovered by a Vampire- one unlike any I’m sure you’ve come across. You see there are creatures… Parent beasts to the watered down monsters we have today. She gave a body back to my tortured soul and created in me, her Childe. I was among the undead- but I had a body. I could interact and touch things. Soul’s have a unique texture,” She said with a sad smile, “But I found I had longed for the feel of leather.” Her fingers brushed the cushion she sat on, adoringly.

"When I was a little over three hundred in my new form and recently weened from my master; I discovered myself in a passionate embrace of a wolf." Fond memories danced in her eyes and reflected on her face, "He was kind- if not a touch crass. Very rough around the edges, if you were."

She took a pull from her glass, “My sire told me of a way to have children- should I want them.” She became very introverted then, speaking brokenly as she relived old memories.

"We had a little of four- three boys and one little girl. She was small- sickly small and weak. But she turned out to be a very strong magic user." She said softly, remembering the little black haired girl with bright green eyes as she manipulated the flowers and vines around her.

"Humans… they discovered Valentine’s cave… we had left them alone for only a moment… but alas thats all it takes, doesn’t it? In truth, Valentine wasn’t far and managed to return…" Taliya frowned as if it was a great feat to continue, "… she was the last… daddy’s little girl… I might have saved her… but I was too far away- I was still bound by a summons. Witches- Valentine almost had a way out for me- but it was all too late."

A single red tear spilled from left eye, the lids tightly shut as she swirled the contents of her glass in an attempt to appear calm. Clearing her throat, Taliya opened her eyes with a smile, “Valentine decimated the humans at fault… to give him credit- he left their villages alive- and also the son’s and daughters on the condition that his part of the forest be known and marked as forbidden.”

Looking towards the back of the room, “He built his Club on top of that cave…” She giggled a bit, he really was a sentimental old fool… and so was she.

A wraith, she said? But those were bodiless spirits, restless SOULS, so…. how did she…? It wasn’t too easy a task for the curious bird to remain silent and not blurt out his questions here – maybe it was respect of both her age and the kindness she’d shown him that made him hold his tongue in the end, listening in polite silence. And his patience was rewarded, for she gave the answers to those questions unasked – or some of them, anyway. And the rest seemed to become unimportant as the story unfolded.

It was strange how he had a very clear vision of their little cave – and yet the emotions his version of Valentine felt as he rushed back home were really just an echo of the Raven’s own memories.

"Four pups, you say?" he mumbled when she was finished, still very much lost in his own inner world – still in that cave, but it was filled with the stench of rotten eggs and…

Somewhere along her story he’d put his legs on the couch, resting his chin on his knee and hugging that leg.

"We had four eggs. Two of them… were never ment to be born, though. I guess Nell was lucky that this bastard broke those ‘empty’ eggs first, otherwise… I know what it feels like to be that one moment too late… Lucy’s dead because I was out doing groceries!” he spat out that last word, still incredulous – because how can you be busy with something so very mundane when, at another place, at the very same time, some rabid monster is ripping your world to pieces!?

He shifted to hug both his legs – but then straightened, his shoes hitting the wooden floor with a faint, dull sound. He couldn’t hide from his own guilt behind a barricade like this.

Taliya nodded, "Yes- as it were, Valentine has been hunting. How ironic." She said softly, setting her glass down on an end table.

"Now, tell me more about this monster who desecrated your nest, Raven. I am very thorough in my work and when dealing with the Pack in Arizona, professionalism is acknowledged and honored."

She smiled, "You do not have to dwell if it pains you, little Raven- pain and fear are not the same thing. When you are ready and once I have all the information I need, I will seek out this monster and give you the tools I can offer- to seek out your justice and vengeance."

She nodded, "We can't have the bastard.. loose-someone like that needs to be rendered down to the last molecule."

Taliya nodded, ” A wise man once told me… that fear kills and hope strengthens.” She gestured to him to come around, behind the bar.

"Do not fear your pain, Raven." She reached for him when he came within range. Taking his hand, she tapped her foot on the trigger that popped the secret compartment under the bar.

"I would endeavor to offer you hope." She said to him as she descended first, as a gesture of good faith that she was not leasing him into a trap. "I am a Mother- and I understand very well the pain of loss." Inside, her human thralls gathered around her, welcoming her into their place of dwelling.

"I have learned a many great things over the course of my existence. Creatures of free will- ‘people’ are dangerously unpredictable things. Always evil to equate to the good- at its lowest and greatest forms."

She turned to look up at him, as he had yet to descend, “You have touched my cold heart- I wish to help you. Valentine chose well, when he asked for your friendship. I approve.” She finished with a smile.

He didn’t find it hard to trust her – even though he wasn’t all sure if that didn’t have something to do with her being a vampire. They were said to have… powers. Over both man and beast. But be that as it may, he knew she was right about his pain and fears – and besides a Raven doesn’t fear flying straight into darkness, into the shadow and the unknown.

He followed her to the stairs, watching her descend, watching her being welcomed. Then he went down there as well – oh, how metaphoric all this was! It almost made him laugh. “I’m still not sure what it is you both seem to see in me – but thanks. For your help - and that offer of friendship.” He examined the room curiously then.

"They do say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Raven, perhaps this also applies?" She gestured for him to have a seat.

"Cozy!" he commented once he saw the merry little fire dancing in the fireplace and the really comfortable looking living room suite.

When he followed her invitation to take a seat the leather crunched softly underneath him. He resisted the urge of his inner bird to sit at the highest place possible - namely the arm- or, better yet, backrest. Silly feathered thing! But these kinds of antics were common when he felt highly emotional. He controlled his inner animal, though, and simply made himself comfortable, still taking in details of the warm, inviting room.

He realized that the alcohol slightly affected him - he wouldn’t call himself drunk yet, just this nice, warm, somewhat hazy, relaxed feeling that reminded him of the fact that he’d been pretty much abstinent for quite a while now.

He pondered about the creatures who’d welcomed their… what? Mistress? They were human, from what he could tell. She seemed to cherish them and it wasn’t fear he’d seen in their eyes… hmm…

His eyes searched hers again. “Whatever it is you wanted to talk about - feel free to do so. I admit that I have many a question myself.”

Taliya sat across him with a smile, tucking her ankles under her in a child-like habit. Many child-like behaviors were retained from her transition.

"I will start with my birth- and give you insight into just who I am." She looked at him, "I endeavor to gain your trust, Raven and I begin by giving you mine. I was ten years old when my village was razed. For years I plagued battlefields as a wraith- warped by hatred, bitterness and loss."

She accepted a wine glass of blood from one of her thralls, "I was discovered by a Vampire- one unlike any I'm sure you've come across. You see there are creatures... Parent beasts to the watered down monsters we have today. She gave a body back to my tortured soul and created in me, her Childe. I was among the undead- but I had a body. I could interact and touch things. Soul's have a unique texture," She said with a sad smile, "But I found I had longed for the feel of leather." Her fingers brushed the cushion she sat on, adoringly.

"When I was a little over three hundred in my new form and recently weened from my master; I discovered myself in a passionate embrace of a wolf." Fond memories danced in her eyes and reflected on her face, "He was kind- if not a touch crass. Very rough around the edges, if you were."

She took a pull from her glass, "My sire told me of a way to have children- should I want them." She became very introverted then, speaking brokenly as she relived old memories.

"We had a little of four- three boys and one little girl. She was small- sickly small and weak. But she turned out to be a very strong magic user." She said softly, remembering the little black haired girl with bright green eyes as she manipulated the flowers and vines around her.

"Humans... they discovered Valentine's cave... we had left them alone for only a moment... but alas thats all it takes, doesn't it? In truth, Valentine wasn't far and managed to return..." Taliya frowned as if it was a great feat to continue, "... she was the last... daddy's little girl... I might have saved her... but I was too far away- I was still bound by a summons. Witches- Valentine almost had a way out for me- but it was all too late."

A single red tear spilled from left eye, the lids tightly shut as she swirled the contents of her glass in an attempt to appear calm. Clearing her throat, Taliya opened her eyes with a smile, "Valentine decimated the humans at fault... to give him credit- he left their villages alive- and also the son's and daughters on the condition that his part of the forest be known and marked as forbidden."

Looking towards the back of the room, "He built his Club on top of that cave..." She giggled a bit, he really was a sentimental old fool... and so was she.

Taliya nodded, ” A wise man once told me… that fear kills and hope strengthens.” She gestured to him to come around, behind the bar.

"Do not fear your pain, Raven." She reached for him when he came within range. Taking his hand, she tapped her foot on the trigger that popped the secret compartment under the bar.

"I would endeavor to offer you hope." She said to him as she descended first, as a gesture of good faith that she was not leasing him into a trap. "I am a Mother- and I understand very well the pain of loss." Inside, her human thralls gathered around her, welcoming her into their place of dwelling.

"I have learned a many great things over the course of my existence. Creatures of free will- ‘people’ are dangerously unpredictable things. Always evil to equate to the good- at its lowest and greatest forms."

She turned to look up at him, as he had yet to descend, “You have touched my cold heart- I wish to help you. Valentine chose well, when he asked for your friendship. I approve.” She finished with a smile.

He didn’t find it hard to trust her – even though he wasn’t all sure if that didn’t have something to do with her being a vampire. They were said to have… powers. Over both man and beast. But be that as it may, he knew she was right about his pain and fears – and besides a Raven doesn’t fear flying straight into darkness, into the shadow and the unknown.

He followed her to the stairs, watching her descend, watching her being welcomed. Then he went down there as well – oh, how metaphoric all this was! It almost made him laugh. “I’m still not sure what it is you both seem to see in me – but thanks. For your help - and that offer of friendship.” He examined the room curiously then.

"They do say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Raven, perhaps this also applies?" She gestured for him to have a seat.

Taliya followed his gaze to the stairs- where Valentine has gone.When he asked for her phone she reached out and touched his wrist, “You are more than welcome in the Demons Isle. You do not have to leave just yet- I have a 30 minute break I can use yet and a room in the back where we can talk. It’s an open invitation.” She slapped the bar top again as she pushed off the bar and stood up.

"Come- talk with me Bran. I have much I would wish to discuss with you, if you have the time. I’ll give you my number after our, talk, yes?" She added with a wink.

The Raven cocked his head when she slapped the bar top, his mind for a moment jumping from her invitation to the… ‘secrets’ hidden in that bar. Those nagging questions helped him collect himself again – so he didn’t ask them.

He exhaled very slowly and braced himself as if she’d just ask him to follow her to his own execution. He knew that talk, whatever it implied, might help him, be good for him – but he also knew that it wouldn’t be easy or painless. “Alright, let’s talk.” He forced himself to smile and got up.

Taliya nodded, " A wise man once told me... that fear kills and hope strengthens." She gestured to him to come around, behind the bar.

"Do not fear your pain, Raven." She reached for him when he came within range. Taking his hand, she tapped her foot on the trigger that popped the secret compartment under the bar.

"I would endeavor to offer you hope." She said to him as she descended first, as a gesture of good faith that she was not leasing him into a trap. "I am a Mother- and I understand very well the pain of loss." Inside, her human thralls gathered around her, welcoming her into their place of dwelling.

"I have learned a many great things over the course of my existence. Creatures of free will- 'people' are dangerously unpredictable things. Always evil to equate to the good- at its lowest and greatest forms."

She turned to look up at him, as he had yet to descend, "You have touched my cold heart- I wish to help you. Valentine chose well, when he asked for your friendship. I approve." She finished with a smile.

Taliya’s eyes narrowed as she looked pointedly at Valentine, arching an eyebrow.

Valentine stared back at her before crushing his cigar into the ashtray- getting up and leaving.

Looking back at Bran she grabbed his hand when he went to call out to the Wolf, “Raven. Listen to me very carefully… ” She lowered her voice, pulling him in close, “We will help you- you understand? Valentine knows exactly what you’re going through and so do I. He will never admit it, but you just said the one thing that will guarantee his alliance.

She looked at him pointedly, “We have lost children, Bran- from right out of our den too… our pain may not be as fresh as yours- but that pain never truly heals.”

She leaned back from him then and gave him another Virgin Lilly.

"Thanks." he cawed when Taliya gave him another drink. And he didn’t only thank her for the Virgin Lily. He wanted to say so much more – but telling her that learning about their loss made him feel ‘sorry’ for them… it just wasn’t enough and besides, all of a sudden he wasn’t too sure that his voice wouldn’t desert him, because he was fighting back tears right now. And he most certainly didn’t want to cry here and now. So he emptied that other glass instead, his eyes wandering to the spot where the Wolf had disappeared while his own throat was still nicely on fire.

"I guess I should go then." he muttered once he trusted himself enough to speak again. "Your mobile. Gimme your number and I’ll keep you informed about all I find out about his little mystery. Or is there a… better way to reach you?"

Taliya followed his gaze to the stairs- where Valentine has gone.When he asked for her phone she reached out and touched his wrist, "You are more than welcome in the Demons Isle. You do not have to leave just yet- I have a 30 minute break I can use yet and a room in the back where we can talk. It's an open invitation." She slapped the bar top again as she pushed off the bar and stood up.

"Come- talk with me Bran. I have much I would wish to discuss with you, if you have the time. I'll give you my number after our, talk, yes?" She added with a wink.

HEADCANNON//Bloodline// Vlacious

Taliya decided in the year 1487 to turn a beaten and disease ridden bar wench who was on the brink of death and the bad side of local mob leader.

Though appearing only to be only a child, Vlacious swore immediate and resolute allegiance and loyalty to the one who saved her life.

Often inseparable, Taliya and Vlacious study in Alchemy and Vlacious has a talent for botany and goes to college at Harvard.

Taliya was killed in a war when she was 10 years old- the following morning while the ashes and bodies still warm, she came back as a terrifying wraith- a monster from hell, or so the countryside villagers called it. She hunted down the war mongers who razed her beloved country, and became a vengeful wraith. Not human- not dead- not alive.

A spirit of war.

She became hunted- her rage snuffed by those capable- or harnessed by others. She became the watch dog to a circle of witches for 200 years before the witches went after a den of Vampires for money by a neighboring kingdom.

This Vampire was a Parent Vampire- one who Taliya never gives face or name to. This Vampire not only gave Taliya a corporal form- but healed and restored her soul enough to take it from her again- and turn her.

Now- the vampire of course doesn’t have the horse power to redesign souls and make them legit, let alone 'useable'. So that begs the questions, who the hell did it?

#bloodline #taliya

Taliya frowned, nodding, “I know that name- not the shifter, but I know the name.” She whipped out her phone, punching the keys quickly.

"I can get you what this coyote had for dinner last week." She spoke to Bran without looking away from her phone, "From what I hear, that dog needs to be put down."

She glanced at the Raven, “By chance you wouldn’t mind telling me, why it is you need dirt about this coyote?”

For a moment his fingers tightened around the half-empty glass and he let go of it because he seriously feared breaking it otherwise. But without this outlet for his emotions something inside of him seemed to break instead. He’d planned to be careful, to hold his cards close to his chest and not give more information than absolutely needed. Now, however, with the prospect of maybe, just maybe having found someone able and possibly even willing to help him with something that was simply too big for him alone… “That psychopathic mutt attacked the nest and killed our baby-girl!” he hissed, anger flaring around him and the urge to break someone’s – preferably the coyote’s – nose and then do more painful things to him filled the shifter like rising water. “I promised that he’ll NEVER hurt my family again.” He hesitated, wagering that maybe them thinking of him as a coward for not just settling this between the two of them might be the better option, safer for his family. But now that he’d opened his beak they’d find out the whole ugly truth with just a little bit of digging, anyway - so he might as well dare that leap of faith there and truely confide in them. “I soon learned that the problem is bigger than just one rabid coyote. No use just cutting off the hydra’s head…”

Taliya's eyes narrowed as she looked pointedly at Valentine, arching an eyebrow.

Valentine stared back at her before crushing his cigar into the ashtray- getting up and leaving.

Looking back at Bran she grabbed his hand when he went to call out to the Wolf, "Raven. Listen to me very carefully... " She lowered her voice, pulling him in close, "We will help you- you understand? Valentine knows exactly what you're going through and so do I. He will never admit it, but you just said the one thing that will guarantee his alliance.

She looked at him pointedly, "We have lost children, Bran- from right out of our den too... our pain may not be as fresh as yours- but that pain never truly heals."

She leaned back from him then and gave him another Virgin Lilly.

"Actually," Taliya interjected as Valentine opened his mouth to reply, "I happen to have connections out in Arizona. Biggest Pack of Coyotes stateside. I could send out a few signals and see what I can dig up for you."

whitewolfvalentine

Valentine shut his mouth with a huffed chuckle and a grin, “Told you, you’d want to talk to her.” He said to Bran with a wink.

This made the Raven smirk. There are situations where nothing’s as valuable as the right connections. “Your Number Two for a reason, I’d say.” Then he turned back towards the vampire. “Leader of the pack in question is named Malcolm.” he informed her, trying hard to stay true to his word of not biasing them here – so he did what he could to hold back his own emotions about the dog he burnt good weeks ago. Pity that shifters healed that well, really…

Taliya frowned, nodding, "I know that name- not the shifter, but I know the name." She whipped out her phone, punching the keys quickly.

"I can get you what this coyote had for dinner last week." She spoke to Bran without looking away from her phone, "From what I hear, that dog needs to be put down."

She glanced at the Raven, "By chance you wouldn't mind telling me, why it is you need dirt about this coyote?"