by Jan Stryvant
"Free us? Are you crazy?"
"He's not crazy," Samis said, "and we're here to help. Now quit running your yap and put this on."
"What's this?" Granite said looking at what Samis was handing him.
"A lycan necklace."
"What? Those are just myths!"
Roxy and Oak both shifted, and Granite's eyes got wide.
"Do as you're told," Oak growled, "we're on the clock here."
"Come on," Oak said heading for the stairs, "let's start with the women."
"Start what?" Granite said, putting the collar on.
"This," Roxy said and pulled out one of the tags, "This is probably going to hurt for a moment." Grabbing his hand, she put the tag in it and then attached it to his collar.
Granite's eyes went wide and Oak cupped a hand over his mouth while his whole body stiffened. Roxy used his hand to grab the tag again, and pull it off.
"Have him take the necklace off, once he's okay," she told one of the dwarves.
"What, what happened?" Granite moaned as they let him lean back against one of the walls, which he slowly slid down.
"We got rid of your silver pellet," Oak said.
"That's not possible!"
"Today, anything is possible," Oak grunted and headed up the stairs.
Roxy followed Oak, as he went through the upstairs door into the dorms there.
"Hey! No males..." the woman's voice trailed off.
"Oak?"
"The one and only, where is Minne?"
"Minnie!" the female called out, "Oak's here!"
"Don't you dare say that!" a woman's voice called out from down the hall, out of one of the rooms.
"Get your butt out here!" Oak yelled.
Roxy almost laughed as a woman came flying out of one of the rooms, bouncing off the wall opposite the door, as she scrambled to turn the tight corner on the tile floor.
"Oak!" she called and launched herself right at him.
Roxy noticed that heads were popping out of the rooms up and down the hall, as women and children started to wonder what as going on.
"Everyone front and center!" Daelyn yelled. "We ain't got time for no lollygagging tonight! We got lots to do and little time to do it!"
Oak had to physically strain to pull Minnie off of him.
"What happened? How are you here? Why are you here?"
"I'll explain later, first put this on," Oak handed her one of the necklaces.
"Wow, what is it?"
"I'll explain, in a minute. Everyone!" Oak raised his voice, "I need a dozen of you to put on these necklaces. We're going to do something, and once it's done, I'm going to need you to take the necklace off, and give it to someone else!"
"What's this all about?" Minnie asked.
"You know that rumor about the lion who can stop silver?"
Minnie's eyes got wide. "He's real?"
"Yes. Now this is going to hurt. Put this tag up to your necklace. It will get rid of the silver pellet. But it's going to hurt; it's going to hurt a lot. Then I need you to take the tag off so we can use it on someone else."
Minnie grabbed the tag out of his hand and stuck it to her necklace immediately; she didn't care if it hurt, if it got rid of that damned silver pellet!
Oak grabbed her as her jaws clamped shut and her body went rigid for a moment.
"How do we know it works?" one of the women asked.
"He's here, isn't he?" Roxy said.
"You've seen it?"
"Hell, I've been shot with silver and I'm here."
"You're one of the two that attacked the Ascendants, aren't you?"
"Yup."
"Gimmie a tag!" the woman growled, and Roxy handed it to her.
"Everyone line up!" Daelyn said taking charge, "We need to do this fast. Once we have you taken care of, we'll do the men downstairs."
They piled out of the van around the corner and just out of sight of the front of the main house.
"Shift, Son," Bill told him, "and take your mask off."
"Huh?" Sean said, looking at him.
"It's your fight; they need to see you leading it, besides," Bill grinned at him, "lions are the lawgivers and the final arbiters in the shifter mythos and culture. They see you; they're gonna stop and shit themselves."
"And they'll all shoot at me first," Sean grumbled.
"Well, yeah," Bill laughed, "But you're protected from silver, we aren't."
Sean shook his head, but he shifted into his hybrid form anyway, Roxy's dad was right. Probably why he was the sheriff.
"Everybody ready?" Bill asked.
Everyone nodded.
"Okay, just like we rehearsed it this morning. Cover the outside grounds first, get the lycans out front subdued and back to the vans. Any human opens their mouth, beanbag to the head, or taser to the face, then gag 'em and hogtie 'em. We don't want them throwing any spells around.
"Now, go!"
Everyone sprinted for their targets, there were a half dozen men milling around at the bottom of the front steps, just talking softly to each other, glancing up every so often at the two others standing at the top of the stairs by the front door. The ones at the top were leaning back against the wall and really not paying much attention to anything.
Sean fired off the rather potent sleep spell he'd learned from Jolene's uncle when he'd try to cast it on him, at both of them just to see what would happen. He was rather pleased as they both just suddenly collapsed to the ground. At that moment all six men in the front turned and saw him. They all then looked over at the two sleeping men at the top of the stairs and back at Sean, as he and the rest of his men encircled the six.
"It's that lion," one of them said, raising his hands
"The one they couldn't kill," another said with a nod, raising his.
"Whata' we do?"
"Surrender you idiot!" the first one said.
"Okay," Bill said, "hands behind your backs, don't try anything. You know the drill."
"What are you going to do with us?"
"Sean?" Bill asked.
Sean looked at all of them, and smiled, "I'm going to get that silver out of you, and free you."
"What about our families?"
"Oh, we're going to free everybody tonight. So don't act up, we're going to need you to show us to each of your homes.
"After we finish up here, of course."
Sean turned and followed Roxy's father then, after he detailed six men to deal with the lycan drivers. They went up to the front door and listened quietly.
"Teams, check in," Bill said on the radio.
"One, clear."
"Two, clear."
"Three, clear."
"Four, clear."
"Okay, everyone on your window or door, as assigned. Let me know where everyone is, or if you see anything out of the ordinary."
Sean took out the lens Bill had given him, and using it against the peep hole he looked through the door. Nothing.
"Sounds and looks empty."
"Good."
"They're all in the large ballroom," came over the radio in a whisper.
"What are they doing?"
"Something bad."
"Slight change in plans," Bill said and detailed another two to watch the front door.
"Sounds like," Sean agreed and followed Bill around to the back of the house.
Sam followed Roger and the others into the room and just, stopped.
Hanging by their wrists, naked, and gagged, their toes barely touching the floor, were his two daughters. He could see they were crying, and when he came into the room, they both started to struggle. His toy, Sheila was standing, with her back to the wall, and two men were standing guard in the room and were looking at him with interest.
"What is the meaning of this!" Sam yelled, stopping and looking at Roger, who turned to face him, smiling.
"Sheila, the book please?"
Sam watched in now shocked surprise as his little fox lycan playmate walked over to Roger, tremblin
g in fear. She had a box in her hands. The box with Bernard's book.
Taking the box, Roger smiled at Sheila and bid her to go stand over by Sam's daughters.
"I seem to recall you saying that you didn't find this, when we sent you after the young Mr. Valens, Samuel. Would you like to perhaps reconsider that statement?"
Sam looked around the room; all of the other council members were looking at him now, expressions of disbelief on their faces, except for Charles who was now smirking. Sam sighed, his daughters were gone, no matter what he did, Charles would torture them and do terrible things to them. Everyone on the council had a pretty good idea of where Charles' tastes ran, and the kinds of things he did to those who fell into his grasp. When he was finished with them, assuming they survived, he'd most likely kill them. There was no way Sam could save them; the only person he might be able to save was himself.
He could always have more daughters after all.
"What do you want me to say, Roger?" Sam sighed, doing his best to look distraught. "That you're smarter than me? Brighter? A better planner and a better leader of the council?" Sam motioned towards his daughters, "I'd say you've made that point rather clearly. Now let them go; this is between you and me."
"That's a start, Samuel. However if you want your daughters back, you're going to have to do a few things first."
"What?" Sam asked, wondering just what kind of game Roger wanted to play. Every moment he played along was another moment to find a way to escape, another chance to live.
"Whip them."
Sam stopped and blinked, was that all? Surely it wouldn't be that easy!
"You'd have me whip my own daughters?" Sam protested loudly, he knew that they'd expect it; after all, everyone knew how much he doted on them.
"I want something that you'll remember, something that will stick with you," Roger smiled. "I think forcing you to whip your favored children will have a much more lasting impact, don't you? Every time they see you, they'll remember the day you whipped them, humiliated them before everyone because of your own greed and failure."
Sam looked at his daughters, then looked back at Roger, then looked at his daughters again.
"If you don't do it, I'll let Charles do it until they're both dead," Roger warned.
Sighing and dropping his head, Sam took the whip from Charles and walked around behind his two daughters. He'd play this game, for now, because Roger had the upper hand. He didn't miss the wand Roger had up his sleeve, nor the one Charles was wearing in a leg pouch now as well.
"Sheila," Roger said, "remove their gags, so that we can hear their screams."
Sheila nodded, and quickly undid the both of them. The begging of the two girls quickly filled the room.
"What are you waiting for, Samuel? Get started already!"
Shaking the whip out, Sam lashed Camellia across the butt first, her scream of shock and pain made most of the council members wince. Sam was sure that this was no doubt as much a lesson for them, as punishment for him. Peggy was already pleading with him when he laid his second blow over her ass. His daughters were both rather lovely young women, just like their mother.
Moving his target, he spread his strikes out over their back, drawing blood on the eighth lash on Peggy; Camellia's back was cut open on the eleventh. By the twentieth lash, each of the girls' backs were start to get bloody, and their voices were starting to grow hoarse from all of their screams.
Richard, Sam noticed, was the only one not watching, he was talking to Roger about something, and gesturing towards Camille. Sam stopped whipping the girls for a moment to hear what was being said.
"I have never asked for much, Roger," Richard was saying, "but I'm asking for this. Give the girl to me. I've lusted after her for years, and if you're casting them down anyway, let me have her. Charles can make do with the other one."
"But he must be punished," Roger smirked, "and what better punishment for a man, than making him destroy his own daughters?"
Richard snorted, "I would think his seeing his daughter gracing my bed as a companion for my lusts would be more than enough. Assuming he cares anymore at all!"
Roger pondered a moment, "You know, you may be right about his lack of caring.
"Samuel, why have you stopped?"
"I'm afraid if I keep going, I'll kill them," Sam said quickly. He was fairly certain he wouldn't, but they didn't know that.
"Oh hardly," Roger said with a smile. "They're young and strong and you haven't even started in on this side yet! So, why don't you step around to the front and continue?"
Sam did his best to make it look like he was struggling with the idea, the more time he bought himself, after all.
"I can still have Charles do it!" Roger warned.
Bowing his head, Sam walked around in front of his daughters.
"Sorry, Girls," he sighed and giving the whip a flick he wound up and took Peggy across the stomach, causing her to gasp loudly, the tears in her eyes clearly evident. Camellia he took across her chest, and he was surprised at how loud she screamed. He'd thought she'd lost her voice by now!
"Hmm, nice, but you know what? This is taking too long," Roger said. "Try this whip instead."
Sam looked at the floor as the new whip Roger had tossed over landed at his feet.
Looking at it, Sam suddenly understood Roger's game. The whip had metal barbs coming out of the last foot of its lash. Roger wanted to see Sam whip his daughters to death.
Looking over at Roger and Charles, Sam did not miss the smirk on Roger's face, nor the look of almost sexual bliss on Charles's. Apparently the idea of a father whipping his lovely young daughters to death turned Charles on as much as doing it himself, perhaps even more so.
Sam almost smiled, he knew the game now, Charles was distracted, and the others were getting disgusted. Once the whip started tearing the girl's flesh off, several of them would leave, he was sure. And the moment enough of them were gathered by the door, with it open, he'd fake a turn on Roger and instead make a break for the door.
Of course he'd have to make this look good, and prolong the game long enough to make sure there was enough blood and gore to upset the other councilors. He truly felt sorry for Camille and Peggy, and one day he'd find a way to pay Roger and Charles back. But for that to happen, he would have to live so that day could come.
Picking up the whip he lashed out at Peggy, surprised at just how much of her was ripped open by the metal barbs as she screamed hideously, obviously this wasn't going to take as long as he thought. He could already see Joseph and Harold were moving towards the door, while Richard was trying his best to bribe Roger, offering to kill Sam himself.
Sam was surprised at that, he'd never realized that Richard had a thing for his oldest daughter. Too bad, he could have used that. He decided to concentrate on Peggy first then, maybe Camille would be given to Richard instead of Charles after Sam made his escape? The idea of thwarting Charles, or at least leading to open discord on the council almost made Sam smiled as he whipped Peggy again, opening her body up even more and causing blood to start to pool around her feet.
He wound up for a third lash, when suddenly the windows all exploded.
Roxy looked around as they made their way through the children, their mothers holding each of them close. They were using four tags now, Oak and Minnie had added theirs to the two that Sean had given her to use. She felt bad about not using her tag as well, but she still remembered how it felt to get shot with that silver bullet, and Sean had made her promise not to take it off.
Roxy had been surprised at the women, not a single one of them had made a sound, but the children, all of which were boys oddly enough, weren't being so quiet. The younger ones especially.
The dwarves were moving among the women and their children, helping them to put the necklaces on, then the tag, and then helping to get it all back off again. It was taking a lot longer with the children than they had expected. Mostly because several of them were fighting it, even with their moth
ers holding them. That made getting the tag onto their collar difficult, and getting it back off even harder.
"What is going on here!"
Roxy swore and looked up as two werewolves, both of which were easily as big as Oak in his hybrid form, burst into the room.
"Ah, Hunter, Demon," Oak said turning from where he was helping a woman with her child. "We're almost ready for your teams."
"Oak?" Hunter growled, "How can you be here? Where is your team? You're dead!"
"The council betrayed us. They killed all of my team so we couldn't tell you what we found. I was lucky to escape with my life."
"If you escaped, why did you come back here?" Demon asked, growling as well.
"To free us all of course! Sean, the lion who we've all heard about, commanded me to rescue everyone, not just Minnie."
"Commanded you?" Hunter scoffed, "So you admit to turning traitor?"
"Traitor!" Oak yelled back at them stepping forward, "I've watched as they treated us like no more than dogs. I've watched as they 'culled' us, bullied us, abused us, made examples of us, to instill the fear and obedience that they require. I've done the horrible things that they have bid us to do, never questioning, always wagging my tail and playing the happy pet as I licked their hands and bowed my head. And for that I got a mission so secret, that they killed us all to keep the rest of you from learning the truth!"
Oak's hand came around in a flash and he backhanded Hunter, who flew back into the wall, shocked.
"We are done licking their hand! We are done being their lapdogs! We are done with being their slaves! We are leaving, ALL of us are leaving! Now you will shut your mouth and you will do as I say! The rumors are real! Silver has been defeated and we are going to leave this place and live as free men at last!"
Hunter launched himself at Oak then, so Roxy moved to block Demon as he growled and stepped forward to join Hunter's attack.
"Out of the way, cat!"
Roxy just kicked him in the balls, and the fight was on.
Demon came back at her with a right cross, but Roxy had four older brothers, and if there was one thing she knew how to do, it was to fight, and fight dirty. She came inside his punch, biting his nose as she rammed a knife-edge strike into his throat with her right hand, while at the same time her left slammed in low and grabbing a hand full of nuts, she squeezed - hard.