Revaliir was always supposed to be a small aspect of my life: a side-venture not worth more than a few passing moments. There was never supposed to be an intense focus on it, nor any attachment; and, yet, I came away from that place with far more connections than I had ever intended to make. I met my wife there, started a family again and got tied up in events far more numerous than I had ever anticipated. In fact, every time I moved us off world, someone in my family would always find their way back; and so I was seemingly caught in a love-hate relationship with this backwater universe known as Revaliir that I was long overdue in leaving.

Of course, not every story involving that planet and those close to me was necessarily tied directly to my person. Especially when my daughters got older, they attained some form of autonomy for themselves: autonomy that they used against my wishes. They would slip out of the house to find their way back to their birthworld, even when we were several universes away; and usually those visits brought no small amount of excitement – sometimes undesired. I could never fault them for trying to go back to their homeland in such a way, though; even if it’s safe to say that their shenanigans – and sometimes even Robin’s shenanigans – were the primary reason I kept coming back to this past assignment.

These are their stories.


Sometime in the middle of Revaliir’s Fall, the Silverstein residence was bustling more than usual. New faces had arrived recently, and there were more rooms filled in that ornate, highland castle of theirs than usual. It was a relatively safe abode for these newcomers, guarded equally by natural barriers and the family vampires. Even a warding barrier lay around the grounds to protect them from prying eyes, and yet there were still those who would break that peaceful silence for malicious gain.

A long time prior to the night in question that this next story takes place during, Kiyomi Silverstein, the eldest of Katerina Silverstein’s daughters, had encountered a brutal experience on the slopes not far from the castle. The incident was one drenched in blood and had resulted in the abduction of her sister, Eden – the resident blonde bimbo who incessantly pesters me in my own home even today. Suffice to say, the former dragon did not leave that conflict unscathed, but she was at least a far sight better than those who had seduced her. The demon clan that had been luring girls into slavery back then had met with a devastating end before they could add Kiyomi to their ranks. They were cut down by my own progeny, slaughtered to the last man. Not one demon survived that night’s massacre: or at least none of them who were there.

The third demon brother, who had just happened to be away from home at the time of Kiyomi’s internment, had escaped Anabelle’s wrath by the skin of his teeth. At the time, he was harassing a village further south for tribute, well out of Anabelle’s path and safe from her violence.  The first time he realized anything had happened in his absence was when he came home a week later to discover his younger brother’s, half-eaten corpse. He was shocked to find empty corrals as well –his brothers’ cattle having been freed by Adel and Ana after Kiyomi had already left. It was devastating: an absolute and total loss for his entire crime family.

Needless to say, the demon was furious at that development. He used some profane magics to see an image of the past for his bloody mountain, and, from Anabelle’s face in that vision, he began trying to track her down.

Unfortunately for his vengeful machinations, however, my daughter proved too difficult for him to find. He could not follow her to our mansion in the void because even he wasn’t strong or cunning enough for that; and, every time she went to the surface where he stood a chance, she always managed to evade him. The demon, understandably, grew frustrated over time from this fruitless game of cat and mouse; at least until he finally gave up and settled on a new target.

Since he could not get revenge on the woman directly responsible for the murder of his clansmen, he would, instead, go after the person he viewed as the indirect cause of their demise: Kiyomi Silverstein.

And so we arrive at this next story: an attempted kidnapping that happened just after dusk when the moon was in full bloom.



Most everyone in the castle had retired to their chambers by the time the demon arrived at the warding barrier. He had prepared for this moment, waiting until late at night before invading. Even if he couldn’t snatch Kiyomi up, the scorned brother thought, he would at least steal someone close to her and start the cattle game over again. With a wicked smile, he kept this promise close to his black heart and then shattered a hole in the castle ward.

He was overconfident in his approach, however, taking too little care to quiet his entrance from the ears of the family protector. Unsurprisingly, that cost him.

After the third brother had made himself an opening and slipped into the castle grounds, he was immediately set upon by Constantine Stormcrow. Mr. Stormcrow minced no words with him, an interloper who exuded such malevolence, and immediately attacked him from behind. The brother was wounded from that exchange, nearly done in by the vampire’s claw, but he gave as good as he got.

The two fought ruthlessly with tooth and claw, disappearing from one outcropping to the next. It was a supernatural fight if ever there was one on Revaliir, but one that ended in a stalemate. Stormcrow got another slash in, true, but not before being slammed into a wall. He was disoriented long enough for the brother to slip away, but not taken out of the fight.

“Damn vampire,” was all this lone wolf could say after being granted that newfound, temporary freedom. The Protector was an equal match for him, it seemed, done in only by luck; and, although he could have gone back to finish the job by taking off the vampire’s head, he feared that their scuffle had already woken up his prey. Rather than risk the escape of the girls he so desperately desired, he opted to hurry toward the 3rd and 4th floors instead to grab one of them from their beds and escape to his hideout before Constantine came back to harass him. If he failed in that, he thought, then the kidnapping would have to be delayed for another day.

Ironically, the brother did end up making it to the third floor and even made it to Kiyomi’s balcony in the end, but only to find out that his plan had been doomed since the beginning. Just after he caught sight of the sleeping fox but before he could snatch her up, he heard a hissing sound coming from the balcony directly below him. He paused for a split second, thinking that Constantine had returned, but he was wrong. In turning around to greet who he thought was the vampire, he was instead swallowed from below as a basilisk head crashed through the stone underneath his feet.

The demon brother, as evidenced by that sudden and violent demise, wasn’t the only intruder on the castle grounds that night. A loud crunch was, in fact, the last sound he made before encountering this other, for the serpent’s only form of greeting toward him had been a swift death. She literally gobbled the would-be kidnapper up in a single bite, snapping every bone in his body and swallowing him whole before darting back into the second floor chamber she had come from. Constantine regained his senses just in time to witness that attack, but he was not quick enough to catch the newest interloper before she vanished. Rather than finding her in the room she had appeared from, he instead discovered a temporary nest. All that was left in that place was a giant molt, shed by whatever serpent the Protector had just witnessed: a serpent that was now hiding somewhere on the castle grounds.

The Silverstein's didn't expect to move into a castle, or have a grandmother still alive. This grandmother also brought two family members along with her. Sisters; Lucille and Luella. They weren't expecting the welcoming they got. The girl's were to earn their keep as maids but Katerina wouldn't have them labor all day. The wolf demon told the sisters they were to have free time. Just before dusk would be their cut off time for any chores. If they finished their daily chores early, they were to do as they pleased.Luella liked this arrangement. Lucille, on the other hand, did not. She always wanted to stay busy, so she didn't dwell in her thoughts too long. Her mind often drifted to her mother; who passed only a few short months ago. The memory still brought pain to both sister's hearts. Luella, unlike her sister, could keep her mind busy in other ways by reading. Her favorite spot sat under a tree. The bench was antique looking; the wood and iron faded. There were vines of flowers beneath that twisted up the limbs of the chair and around the arms. To give her light to read was a small lantern that hung from one of the branches.This night, however, Luella decided she would try to sleep early. Her late nights would prevent her from doing the best job she could. As she laid in bed, Ella tried to sleep. Keeping her eyes shut, and even counting sheep. Nothing was working for the young wolf.A sigh left her lips as she sat up in bed. Her eyes looked through the moonlit room to her sister on the other side; Lucille slept soundly. "Of course." She said with narrowed eyes. Her sister could simply fall asleep fast. Removing her blankets, she slipped out of bed and headed for the door. Slowly and quietly, she turned the knob. When the door was ajar, she poked her head out to look up and down the hall. Everyone was asleep.With only her silk nightgown on, the wolf made her way down the hallway towards the library. She needed to grab a new book before heading to her spot in the garden. The wolf girl knew exactly what section to head to; Magic. She never thought that magic even existed until she came to live with the Silversteins. Luella was beginning to have such a fascination with Color Magic. After picking a book on the subject, Lulu left the library.Barefoot with a book in hand, she exited the backdoor to the garden. The stone was cold on her feet but it didn't bother her. The wolf thought it was just like every other night…Inside the castle, Kiyomi woke with a start. A loud sound awoke her, and then a strange sound; something was moving in the walls. "What is that?!" She gasped she jumped out of bed. It almost sounded like a snake; a big one. That was one of Kiyomi's worst fears, snakes. Running out of her room, she had to tell her mother. Something was in the castle!Right when the fox girl ran out of her room, she ran into the arms of The Protector. A scream left her, shook at the nights events. Feeling his arms circle her for a moment, she took a deep breath and regained her senses. "Kiyomi. It's me." His voice calmed her as her eyes went to his. "Constantine.." She sighed in relief. "Did you hear that sound? It sounded like a snake…" She shivered at the word. "Yes. I believe there is one on the grounds." He paused before he gave his instruction. His hand moved up slowly to move her loose strand of hair out of her face. "I need everyone to stay in the castle. Go into your little sister's rooms and check on them, please."Finally, the vampire dropped his arms to his side. That was when Kiyomi smelt the blood. "Your hurt? Did you fight the snake?" She asked as she brought her hand up to his shoulder. "It's just a scratch." He said while taking a step back. "I'll explain later. I have to patrol the area." After his last words, he turned and ran off into the darkness. Kiyomi did as he said.With a soft hum, Luella made her way to her spot by the tree. Taking her seat, she started to read the old book in her hands. As she flipped through the pages, she felt something touch her foot. Her eyes moved to see a little white rabbit. "Mister Oscar! What are you doing up this late? You silly rabbit." She said with a smile as she picked him up and laid him on her lap. Picking a small flower off the chair arm, Lulu gave it to the bunny. He took it happily and started to nibble. "There, there." The wolf girl soothed as she started to pet him. "After a snack you can head back to bed." With a warm smile at the bunny, she held up her book and started to read. The creature that lurked on the grounds unknown to her. 

While the demon’s ultimate fate was indeed ironic at face value, it was even more so considering that the serpent who killed him in the end was in fact his original target: Anabelle. In a twist of fate different from what he was probably used to, the hunter had become the hunted halfway into his plan to kidnap Kiyomi. Ana became aware of his movements by accident after having escaped from our family’s vacation home in the next universe over. She only happened to be visiting the area around the Silverstein estate when the demon brother was first scoping it out; at which point he became her next target.

His smell was what tipped her off to his relation to Baal and Balban in the first place: an olfactory association that was more than enough to garner her interest. She still remembered the atrocities those two had committed, and was under the impression – given this man’s scent – that she had missed one of the demons back then. In the interest of confirming that suspicion and potentially rectifying it, she followed the skulking demon and actually invaded the castle ahead of him.

Of course, as is probably obvious from the way she evaded Constantine after causing the kidnapper’s death, my daughter did not breach the ward around Katerina’s estate as the giant snake she appeared to be the night that demon brother number 3 fought the vampire protector. Instead, she had entered as a garden snake the day before, punching a pinhole in the warding barrier so small that it was nearly imperceptible to even Stormcrow’s keen senses. Her magical mastery of polymorph had grown enough since her last encounter with Kiyomi to warrant that level of skill, and so her transition from harmless, unnoticeable garden snake to massive, deadly basilisk was virtually unnoticeable to anyone not expecting her to be there in the first place.

Obviously, the Protector did occasionally scope out the room that Anabelle eventually chose to stay in during the course of his weekly patrols, but he, like any good guardsman, was more concerned with guarding the perimeter than the interior. After all, if an intruder had gotten as far as the second floor, he had effectively failed to protect his charges already. Therefore, full sweeps of the castle innards were infrequent, and none occurred during Anabelle’s stay in the unfurnished room below Kiyomi’s. This was why she had plenty of time to molt and also to scout out the castle grounds for approaches an invader could use.

It was with that intent in mind that she stayed put. My daughter, like yours truly in such a situation, knew a relative of the demons would likely go after the prey that got away from his brothers if he was lurking so close by; and so she set up camp near the dragon turned fox, guarding her in secret just in case her suspicions were correct. She was eventually rewarded for that patience, as I have already revealed.



When the third brother finally infiltrated the Silverstein Estate and fought with Constantine Stormcrow, Anabelle had been napping in the form of a basilisk. His stench was what woke her up in the first place, causing her eyes to flicker open and glow in the darkness upon approach. She could see him through the balcony thanks to her natural, infrared vision, even if he could not see her; and thus his fate was sealed. Ana, sparing no chance for retaliation, lashed out with frightening speed, and consumed him along with part of Kiyomi’s balcony. Then, while her stomach began the digestion process for the meatball she had crushed the demon into, she fled the scene of the crime like an experienced dine-and-dasher.

You see, Ana was no fool. She knew she hadn’t been invited into the castle, and that only Kiyomi had a chance of recognizing her in that situation. A chance, however, was too flimsy a word to base her safety on, so my lamia daughter, thinking ahead, fled into the walls before anyone could come after her. Sure enough, Constantine arrived just after she had hidden herself, but, thanks to her quick thinking, he found only the remains of her molt from the day before instead of her. She, much to his chagrin, had evaded him, and was now crawling through the pipes in Kiyomi’s room to escape back out onto the grounds.

That said, this course of action, while necessary, did actually wake the fox up when juxtaposed so close to the destruction of her balcony. The castle would soon be in an uproar, which led Anabelle to flee to the garden as fast as possible. Her original intent was to lay low in that place; to avoid going for the exit too soon or getting caught up inside the castle proper. But, unfortunately, she had become drowsy because of how cold it was that night; and thereby lost track of her original plans.

Anabelle, rather than escaping like she should have in that moment, instead found her way to a thick, lush tree in the garden before starting to fall asleep again. She had escaped from a hole in the wall on the ground floor just as her pursuer reached the third, and shortly thereafter assumed her true form once she had hidden herself in the foliage of the tree behind the girl who was up past her bedtime. Luella didn’t even notice the small garden snake as it slithered up the trunk behind her, and just kept reading while petting Oscar. Ana, on the other hand, definitely noticed her, though not as she actually was.

Fatigued beyond the point of clarity, Ana saw two people instead of one on the garden bench beneath her tree that night. The girl known as Luella had the perfect combination of features to fool her tired eyes; and, so, where there was actually a wolf girl and rabbit, my daughter, instead, saw a pink rabbit and a white fox. Perhaps her cold-addled brain thought she had already escaped back home, or maybe she believed, naively, that Robin and I just happened to be visiting that area for the night. Either way, Luella looked like Robin and I to her in that instant, and that was a mistake that could not end well.

Fully believing that the figure beneath her was her mother, Ana slipped her tail down the tree and scooped Luella up like she used to do to me years before. Quickly – but gently – she wrapped herself around that woman’s body following this action, inadvertently preventing her from moving even as cold scales rubbed against soft fabric and skin alike. Her tail compressed the nightgown Luella was wearing, slowly coiling around her until the back of her head lay firmly plastered against my daughter’s face. Then, when Anabelle finished securing herself in the tree, she embraced the girl next to her, resting her arms directly under Lulu’s bosom.

Sure enough, that was when the screaming started: just as the wolf girl found her new home in Anabelle’s embrace during a normal, nightly reading.

As Constantine walked the grounds, he didn't hear anything. The forest was quiet that night after the intruder. The vampire kept his ears and eyes open. He was grateful. Whatever it was; a snake? another demon? The creature had eaten the intruder. Thankfully, the demon didn't enter Kiyomi's room as he feared. "She's safe.."The vampire thought. Constantine didn't know if he should thank the creature he saw or chase it out of the borders.

A sigh left his lips as he reached for his wound. When he hit the tree a branch had cut a deep gash on his shoulder blade. Bringing his hand back down he looked at the blood on his fingers; he could barely move his arm without pain. He had to go bandage himself, or he couldn't manage the grounds. Turning from the way he was going, the vampire headed to his cabin down the hill.

While the vampire headed to his house, Kiyomi was looking out Guinevere's bedroom window. Her eyes searched the trees for any movement. Her stomach turned at the thought of Constantine on his own. She knew that he could protect himself, but he had a wound. A sigh left her lips as she turned to look at her sleeping sister. The fear from the noises she heard was slowly subsiding into worry. "I checked on my sisters already. I need to help." She thought while she headed for the door.

The path to the Protectors house didn't take long for Kiyomi to walk. Hopefully, that was were she could find him. Slowly, the fox opened his wooden door. When she closed the door, Kiyomi's eyes danced around the room. She only saw his small living room with a lit fire and the kitchen area. For a moment, she thought he wasn't there. Turning to leave, she decided he was not there. Before the fox opened the door, a noise came from behind her. It sounded like a mug being set down on a table. Her eyes turned to see the sudden light that came from the bedroom.

With a gulp, she walked towards the room. She didn't step inside yet. She looked at the vampire before her. He was shirtless; the trench coat and black button down he usually wore laying beside him on the bed. Kiyomi admired his large arms for a moment. His muscles contracting with every attempt he made to clean his wound.

When Constantine finally looked up, his eyes narrowed. "Damn it, Kiyomi. What are you doing here? I told you to stay in the castle." He wanted to reach up and point at her, but the vampire winced in pain; it was his wounded shoulder. "Let me help you." She said with worry in her voice. Moving over to him, she looked at the wound. "Stay still." She said while grabbing the rad from his arm. To get a better angle, the fox got onto the bed and sat on her knees behind him.

"Kiyomi. Return to the castle, now, it is not safe." He started to turn to look at her but she gripped his other shoulder tightly. "I said stay still." With her new strength, she could stop him from moving. "Besides. The safest place to be is with you." Kiyomi smiled softly at her words. Ever since the demon had tricked and rapped her, the fox couldn't feel safe with anyone. Constantine was the exception. 

Hearing her words, the vampire couldn't help what he was feeling or the smile that appeared on his lips. Hopefully, the fox girl didn't see. 

Meanwhile in the forest.

Lulu sat in the silence. Her eyes reading every page with interest. "I can't hardly to use magic!" She thought sometimes when she read an interesting spell. The wolf girl wasn't a fighter like her sister, who was advancing in throwing knives. Every change Lucy got she would try to get Lulu to use a weapon, but Luella had no interest. The wolf was not a fighter.

When she found a Color Magic book, her thoughts changed. She could defend herself when she needed, or even make food for animals or make a tree grow out of nowhere. A smile curved on the wolf's lips as she thought of all the possibilities.

Being lost in thought, she didn't notice the snake tail coming down towards her. Mr. Oscar, on the other hand, noticed. He hopped off her lap and into the forest in haste. "Mister Oscar!" Luella yelled after him, worried; he had never done that before. In that moment, the wolf finally noticed the tail as it wrapped around her. A scream left her lips and her book fell to the ground. "Noooo!" The wolf screamed and tried to remove herself from the tail around her. But wolf wasn't quick enough. Soon, she was wrapped up in the snake's tail with arms around her. Her breath and heartbeat quickened. "Release me! Please don't hurt me!" She tried to struggle with no avail.

Finally, the wolf figured out that she wasn't going anywhere. Her mind was screaming. "There is a snake around me! Is it sleeping? Or deciding how to eat me!" Pausing in her thoughts her eyes looked down at the arms around her. "What is this creature!?" She screamed once more and started to panic.

"Who are you? What do you want? Do you want to hurt me?!" Her words were sporadic. "Please don't kill me! I have a sister. And cousins that would hunt you down to the ends of the earth…. Please. I haven't had my first kiss yet. Or had a crush on a boy or… or girl…. Look I don't know what my life is going to be like yet! I am only seventeen." Tears were about to fall her eyes as she spoke. Was this already the end of the line? "Please let me go…Please." Was there no escape for this wolf?

[OOC: Reminder to mods that Ana is the main focus of this thread, a mage companion on this account and Natsumi's daughter. Her dialogue will be bolded since Nat isn't here for this thread.]

Luella’s entrance into Ana’s arms was far from a calm affair, as I have already hinted at in previous chapters. She struggled furiously at first: screaming, wriggling, and trying everything in her power to escape in the same way her companion had. But Luella was no fighter. Her muscles that she had gotten exclusively from chores around the castle were no match for Anabelle’s that had been trained through copious amounts of monster hunting. What’s worse – and probably what was even more distressing to the young seventeen-year-old at the time – was that even if someone in that castle possessed enough strength to substitute for her, no such person was around to hear her screams. Kiyomi and Constantine were out of earshot now down by the vampire’s cottage, and everyone else was still fast asleep; leaving Luella to despair all on her own.

She eventually tried to bargain in that situation; believing with every cell in her body that she was about to be dinner for a serpent. But no matter how loud she screamed or how fervently she begged for release, Anabelle remained inert: firmly and unrelentingly coiled around her captive’s soft frame. Rather than listening to her threats and cries for help, she was basking in the woman’s heat, waking herself up just enough to finally smell who she had captured.

“Hmm,” was the first thing she uttered once that point arrived – which, coincidentally, happened just before Lulu was about to cry. “I guess you aren’t my mother. You smell of books, but not orchids or jasmine tea.”

Anabelle’s childhood long before this moment in time had been filled with instances of “snake cuddles” from me and, later in life, from Adel, where she would do the same thing she was doing with Luella except on a far smaller scale. As she grew older, she still required the heat from those cuddle sessions, but I had set ground rules on how I would allow her to hug me. In Lulu’s case, Ana had been respecting those ground rules, believing the girl to be me. Now that that was proven to be false, however, she began adjusting.

Turning the young Luella Montagne around, Anabelle gently placed her captive at eye level and finally got a proper look at her at face. The woman’s fears were evident, as were the tears about to form in her eyes. Ana knew that look, and, fearing her newest heater was about to scream again, she interrupted her with a kiss.

Yes, a kiss, but not a romantic one. My daughter in that moment was following a piece of advice – bad advice, I might add – that I had given her once about the fastest way to shut someone up. “Just kiss them,” was what she had taken away from that ill-fated conversation, but Ana was so… ironically passionate about kissing that usually the people she did kiss couldn’t tell that she was just trying to get them to be quiet instead of showing romantic interest. Her tongue movements didn’t help that impression, either, but they probably at least allayed some of her captives’ fears about being eaten in situations similar to the one little Luella now found herself in.

Either way, the wolf’s particular situation was like a text-book example of Anabelle’s “calming techniques.” The kiss lasted for all of five seconds, at least long enough to get Lulu to calm down and think. Then, and only then, did the kiss cease, at which point the initiating serpent replaced it with a sort of “puppy hug.”

“I’m cold, so I can’t let you go yet,” she said to the frightened Lulu while gently using her head to caress the girl’s ear. “I won’t hurt the nice wolfie, especially not when she’s so warm and cuddly” This approach to calming, as you can probably guess, had a less than stellar success record in the past, but maybe, this time, it would work. That was Ana’s bet, at least, as she pressed herself even closer to Luella following the remark. By the time she closed her eyes again, the lamia had tucked Lulu’s head beside her own and was pressing her chest into her. Their arms were interlocked shortly thereafter, Anabelle hugging Luella close to try making her feel secure in the treetops so that the two could sleep there for a bit. Obviously, and in spite of what my simple-minded daughter believed, however, that intent couldn’t have been further from the truth of what resulted. The situation unfolding could not have been more awkward for any 17-year-old woman.

Luella wasn't a fighter, but she had a fire in her heart. Even if she couldn't fight, she had a will to live. She remembered when her sister used that tactic before. Just days before their mother had passed, the two would venture out; they needed food, but had little money to spare. One time they could buy just a loaf of bread. On their way home, a man stopped before them with his dagger drawn. He wanted the bread, but before he could take it, the eldest spoke. She told the man who they were and what their life was like. Also, their mother, who was dying and had nothing to eat. The man frowned at his and ended up releasing them.

The wolf girl tried this on the serpent. She wasn't sure if it would work but she had to try. The unexpected came after her words. The snake spoke! "The snake is talking to me! A snake!!" Luella stammered in her mind. "Who is your mother?! Would she appro-" before she could finish her question, the snake turned her around. The wolf's heart started to beat fast again. "What..What are you doing? Please don't—" Tears stung her eyes as she spoke. She didn't want her life to end in that moment.

When she finally saw the creature behind her, she saw a woman? With a snake tail? Her words wanted to stammer out again but the unimaginable happened. The serpent kissed her. "What is happening!?" Luella thought as the snake kissed her. She felt the serpents tongue enter her mouth. She tried to refuse her but the wolf's mouth had a mind of its own. Her mind soon went silent as the woman pulled away. Her eyes wide in shock.

Slowly, her mind became her own once more. "A snake kissed me. A woman kissed me… My FIRST kiss was with a WOMAN!" Luella was shocked once more and continued to stare at the half snake woman. "She didn't want to hurt me. She wanted to kiss me?" The wolf finally thought. She didn't know if she should be flattered by this or be annoyed.

The serpent began to speak again, making Luella attention return to the snake and not her own thoughts. When she finished, the wolf blinked a few times somewhat confused. "She really doesn't want to hurt me….she is just cold?" Her heart slowed. Lulu knew now she was in no danger from the creature. "Okay… But not for long. I have to be in bed soon." She whispered. After a few moments of waiting, her eyes began to grow heavy. Luella tried to stay awake until the snake would release her but instead drifted off to sleep.

Back at the cabin.

As Luella slept peacefully, the young fox and elder vampire sat on the bed. She was finally stitching his wound up."Will your wound heal soon?"Kiyomi asked as she pulled the needle through his skin. "Slowly. Not as fast as usual. I need fresh blood for that… It has been a very long time." He answered then took a sip from his mug. The young fox frowned slightly. He would heal as fast as a normal human. "What is that you're drinking? It smells like blood?" She wasn't really understanding what he meant. He hand blood in his hands, but he wasn't healing?

"This is synthetic. Emrick concocted this his potions. It sedates us. Were still strong from drinking it, but not as strong as we could be from drinking human blood. As you see, it also prevents us from healing fast. We also feel pain more than we are used to. We have vowed never to forcefully take blood from another being ever again." He paused as he took a sip. "Some are just too precious. And others should be allowed to live, to change." Setting down the empty mug, the vampire looked over his shoulder at Kiyomi.

Kiyomi was concentrating on her task; lacing the last knot. "There." She said with a smile then grabbed the cloth she was to wrap his shoulder with. Her arms circled him and every time she touched his skin, she felt how cold he was. Constantine, on the other hand, loved the touch of her skin against his. Her warmth lingered when she finished and got off the bed. The vampire stood and grabbed his clothing to put it on. "You keep this place rather clean." Kiyomi said as her eyes moved around his room. "It's normally just dusty because I'm normally never here." He said. "Lucille and her sister have been keeping it clean."

"Oh no! Luella!" Kiyomi gasped when hearing her cousin's name. "I didn't check on her and she normally goes out at night." After this realization the fox ran out the room. Constantine was on her heels. "Why does she go out at night?" The vampire asked as the rushed through the forest. "She likes to read at this little spot. I have caught here there a few times on my walks at night." Kiyomi knew exactly where she was going. "If she isn't there she is in her room." With that they headed towards the castle.

When they reached the spot where Luella was normally at. Kiyomi let out a sigh. "She must be asleep in her ro–" Her voice caught in her throat seeing the book on the ground. "She…never leaves her books here." Kiyomi finally spoke when she picked up the item. "Constantine." The fox turned towards the vampire, her worry shown on her face.

Holding up his hand, he needed her to stop talking. "Quiet…" He whispered and his eyes looked around the area. The sound of someone breathing hit his ears. His eyes automatically went to the sound. "There!" He said suddenly when he found the two in the tree. The serpent was wrapped around Luella. "Luella!" He said in shock. She was in danger! Drawing his sword on his hip, the vampire jumped towards the beast.

The vampire was just about to jump towards the snake, but felt himself freeze. He couldn't move a bone in his body. "What is going on!?" He thought to himself when he tried to speak. His words wouldn't come out of his mouth. "Constantine!" Kiyomi said when he soon fell to the ground. "What happened?" The vampire asked a bit dizzy. Moving to his side, the fox knelt beside him then finally looked up to see the two. "Ana?" She said the name of the serpent as she stood. It had been so long since she'd seen the snake woman that saved her life.

A sigh left the fox's lips. Luella was now a victim of a snake wanting a heater. "Ana. Can you please let my cousin go?" She asked and remember the freak-out she once had. "Constantine. This woman is no threat. She is really the one that saved my life a few months back." Kiyomi said while she watched him stand on his feet. "You owe your life to her once more, Miss Kiyomi. She saved you again this very night." The vampire nodded towards the snake when he spoke. "She did? Ana? Is that really true?" She asked, confused.

A Reunion of Sorts

Regardless of her initial protests, Luella Montagne did eventually accept her fate on that autumn night. Ana’s kiss had –miraculously – shocked her enough to listen to the serpent ensnaring her, and the follow-up conversation between the two calmed her heart to a cool beat – well away from her previous paranoia and well within the realm of civil conversation. She was reassured - at least for the moment - that she was no longer in any danger; and that was enough for her to breathe a sigh of relief.

Although, Lulu was still miffed about the prospect of being bound against her will by a stranger she had just met. While she temporarily gave up the fight in a moment of compromise, she had every intention of escaping later that night. Had she not fallen asleep, she might very well have attempted to force the issue; but, since that was not the case, the snake did with her as she pleased. Ana, having sensing that her wolf pillow had dozed off, ensnared the girl even more than she already had; eventually ending up with the tip of her tail thoroughly embedded inside and throughout the girl’s nightgown for the greatest possible absorption of heat.

It was in this position that my daughter finally got herself caught. Kiyomi and Constantine came back to the castle after Anabelle had practically molded herself to the shape of Miss Montagne’s body. Both of them had suddenly realized they forgot to check on the castle’s newest arrivals after the demon’s incursion, and so they returned to the garden to search for the younger of the two sisters included in that group. As one might expect, Constantine was the first to notice my daughter’s presence in the tree overhead in that particular situation, and he was also the first to assume that she planned to harm the girl in her arms.

Unfortunately for the vampire protector, however, a lamia was very different prey than a demon; and usually less straightforward to fight. To charge one openly like he did Anabelle was a foolish miscalculation on his part, especially since closed eyes on a serpent did not mean sleeping eyes. Ana was very much awake in that position, and more than capable of dealing with a wounded fighter. She heard the ground crunch under Stormcrow’s feet long before he even made that jump to attack her, and had used the equivalent of a Medusa’s stare to stop him in his tracks just as he was about to become violent.

Constantine toppled over like a statue from that preemptive counter, petrified but not in the traditional sense. His paralysis subsided only after he hit the ground, at which point the hydra on my daughter’s back awoke. Several large snakes emerged from the treetop then, staring down at the two interlopers and hissing defensively until Kiyomi’s intervention calmed them down.

It was then that Anabelle learned the identity of the woman in her arms. Apparently, she had grabbed Kiyomi’s cousin, and the fox was requesting that said cousin be set free: a request that my daughter initially denied.

“Mmm mmm,” she quickly retorted while shaking her head before burying Luella in her embrace like a child guarding her precious toy. Ana had grown too attached and comfortable to want to let go of the wolf girl now; even if she felt the slightest hint of regret. It was true that she was a simple girl, but even she realized that she was on the wrong side of matters in that situation with Luella. She saved Kiyomi, yes, but also while breaking and entering; destroying a balcony; and kidnapping a resident against their will. Her actions definitely did not fall into the category of good manners, but she, not wishing to see fault with most of them, chose only to apologize for the 2nd item on her list while pretending the others were justified.

“…Sorry about the balcony. It got in the way.” Then came the pleading, with a bad attempt on Ana’s part to make herself seem like an innocent snake begging to hold onto her heater. “Can’t I keep her for a bit longer? Please? She already fell asleep without me helping.”

"Mom!" Her voice filled the empty room as she sat up. Lucille eyes peered through the moonlit room. For a moment, she let her dream overtake her and a tear ran down her face. "She wasn't really here…" She thought to herself as she laid back while pulling her blanket over her. The wolf had lost her mother only a few months prior. During the day, she had many tasks to keep her mind occupied. At night, though, was a different story. Most nights she would wake up in a cold sweat and nightmares of her mother. It was always her mother, Lulu and her. Their father had left them long ago.

A sigh left her lips as she turned over to look at her sister; who wasn't there! Sitting up, she grumbled. "Really, Lulu." The wolf said as she dressed; a cotton white robe and slippers.

Occasionally, the eldest wolf would wake up and have to fetch her sister for bed. Every time she found Luella she would be asleep. "This silly sister of mine." She thought as she moved quietly down the stairs.

"Your sister out again?" Katerina voice filled the emptiness. The sudden voice made Lucy's heard jump. "Yes. I'm heading to fetch her now." The young wolf said with a soft smile. "Alright. Don't be long, hun. Goodnight." Even though the wolf demon felt something was wrong, she decided it was nothing and turned away. Her destination, back to bed with Nikolaus.


Back in the forest.

While sleeping peacefully in the snake woman's arms, Luella didn't notice the newcomers.

Kiyomi sighed as she watched the snake. All she wanted was warmth, but there was other ways of getting warm instead of holding someone hostage. Ana began to speak finally. Kiyomi didn't know what she was going on about though. "My balcony?? Wait…what?" Kiyomi grew confused for a moment and almost looked back toward the castle.

Pushing the thoughts away, Kiyomi needed to concentrate on the situation, not balconies. "Ana…" before Kiyomi could say another word a scream was heard from behind them. "Luella! That beast has Lulu! How can you just stand there and do nothing?!" Coming up behind Kiyomi, the sister wolf was in a panic. "Kiyomi! Constantine! Do something." Her words were coming out fast just like her sister before.

The vampire held up his hand. "Your sister is in no danger." He said trying to calm the wolf. "Danger!? She's not in danger?! A snake has her!" she yelled toward him while pointing at her sister. "Lucille. Calm down. She is o–" once more the Fox's words were cut off when she heard Luella speak.

"Mmmm…Lucy?"Luella heard her sister this time. "Lulu! You snake! Release her!" The eldest wolf yelled before she ran towards the tree. Constantine didn't let her get too far before grabbing her arms and throwing her over his shoulder. "M'Lady. You do not want to do that." He said and wasn't phased by the girl struggling on his shoulder.

"Lucy. I'm okay." Luella's words made her sister stop struggling. "Can you let me go now?" The youngest wolf said as she looked into Ana's eyes. "I can help warm you later." Her voice was soft as she spoke, still tired.

"Ana. There is a nice area in the house with a fireplace. I can even get you a blanket. It's a bit colder out here then inside." Kiyomi urged. Hopefully, the snake would take her up on her offer. Turning away, she nodded at Constantine. "Let's get inside." She said while she walked down the trail to the castle.

The vampire and young wolf following behind with Luella still on his back. He knew she would still attempt to strike. "Release me! Constantine!" Lucilla grumbled trying to kick and hit his back; this didn't phase the vampire. With a sigh, she gave up and just let him take her inside.

Much to Ana’s eventual disappointment, though, her request fell on deaf ears. Her captive’s sister came out before Kiyomi could properly negotiate her release and practically shouted at the half-naked lamia in the trees with words of violence and intimidation. My daughter immediately went on the defensive from this interruption, tightening her grasp around the wolf in her arms and no longer listening to the words of wisdom that those in front of her were speaking. Even after Constantine restrained the belligerent Lucille; Anabelle allowed her fear to control her. She didn’t listen to anyone, practically stuffing Lulu’s head into her bosom like a mother guarding her child; and very likely would have stayed up there in that tree for the rest of the night had someone more familiar with her ways not come along to mediate.


Thankfully, there was such a person there that night. Just as Kiyomi, Constantine and Lucy were about to leave and head back into the castle, she appeared behind them with nary a warning. It was a girl, barely older than Lulu herself, and she wore rich, luxurious clothing as if she had just come from a formal affair. In her gloved hands sat a solitary cup of tea, filled to the brim with freshly made jasmine; and she took a sip from that mixture just before speaking to Anabelle.

“Ana, let her go.” The girl with cat ears who had seemingly appeared from nowhere and without making a sound was in fact my other daughter, Elizabeth. Lizzie had finally grown up by this point, and was at last looking out for her sister in return for the many years she had received the same. This time, she was keeping Anabelle from making her situation worse, primarily by convincing her to let go when everyone else had failed so miserably at doing so. “No one’s going to hurt you, sis, but surely Miss Luella deserves to sleep inside? Not to mention, you need new clothes! Come down so you can change into the ones I brought from Eden and Adel!” Indeed, Ana did need new clothes. Having shredded her old ones thanks to her basilisk transformation, Anabelle only had a two pieces of cloth left to serve as her unmentionables. Every other part of her body was laid bare. No wonder she was cold!

Good thing for Anabelle that her sister came along with a fresh change of clothes when she needed it most: ones that Adel and Eden had prepared for her the moment they noticed her absence. Lizzie now stood in front of the half-naked woman, holding out that outfit on a wooden hanger with one hand while her other hand balanced her tea. “Come on. Come down,” she said with an encouraging smile, and finally Ana listened.

Slithering down from the treetops with Luella in tow, the serpent’s true size was at last revealed in full. She was easily large enough to have wrapped around more than just the wolf in her natural form, but also gentle enough to let said wolf escape without harm while she took the clothes from her sister’s hand. Then, as Luella was allowed to return to her family, Lizzie temporarily summoned a changing screen from home to shield Anabelle from their eyes.

Beyond that screen, my daughter began changing into a coat and dress similar in style to the one her sister was wearing. She took on her human form to match those additions, and eventually stepped out from the screen just as it vanished to reveal her new form: that of a woman in her early 20s who was part of a well-to-do, noble family. Both Lizzie and Ana practically glowed with their choice of wardrobe, either one looking like she had just come from a social event rather than being ready for bed. It was a nice scene that I wish I could have witnessed myself: both sisters standing side by side while Lizzie apologized on Ana’s behalf.

“Well hopefully everyone’s happy now,” Lizzie continued before sending the hanger back so only her tea was left in her hands. “Thank you for being patient, Miss Kiyomi. My sister is not known for her temperament, but she’s not evil. She’s just not a social butterfly either.” With that, Lizzie offered a curtsy and a smile, all while Ana just stared blankly at the people around her.

Kiyomi was sure that Ana would follow. Instead, her gut was wrong. The snake wouldn't release the child, no matter who asked. Kiyomi needed a different strategy for this. Stopping in her steps toward the castle, the fox girl turned around to speak. Her eyes widened at the new arrival; a cat girl? She was speaking to the snake. Very informally; like they knew each other.

Luella was the first to see the new comer. Her eyes watched curiously. Wondering who the woman was?

The sudden new smell made the vampire turn. His eyes narrowed. "The warding should be redone at this rate."With his final words, the vampire turned and returned towards the castle. He had enough of the new comers today and just wanted to relax. While the vampire moved away, Lucille started to struggle again. "Release me! You overgrown… jackass!" Lucy continued to say remarks to him as he carried her towards the castle. He was ignoring the girl and knew if he put her down, she would run at the snake. Most likely attack her as well.

It wasn't long before the cat girl had convinced the serpent to come down off the tree.

With a smile towards the fox, Lulu was placed on her feet. "Next time, just ask okay?" With a flashing smile at the serpent, the wolf girl walked over besides Kiyomi. She stood with her hands behind her back, waiting to see if her mistress was going to retire.

After Ana had finally put her close on, Kiyomi's eyes looked at the new addition to the grounds. The girl began to speak, and the fox nodded. "I know very well." She said with a small smile as she remembered the past. The fox tried to smile happily, but inside her heart ached. The past was not something she wanted to remembered; she needed to forget it, just not Ana. The serpent was the only good thing she wanted to remember.

Pushing the thoughts away, Kiyomi took a deep breath. "I am Kiyomi, Daughter to Katerina, if you are from Natsumi's family, you probably know of her." The fox introduced herself to the newcomer who looked oddly familiar to her. Trying not to think of it, she held out her hand to the side a bit to motion them to the trail. "Come. There is some warm tea, and a favorite spot of ours… by the lovely fireplace." With that Kiyomi showed them to the fourth floor of the castle; Luella in tow.