All Change Once Again

[pinkroses]

It had been a long night for the werewolf, but he wasn’t about to go home yet. He had too much on his mind, Caden knew he would never be able to get to sleep if he went home now.

After getting his text from the were Oligarch – now District Leader – Dominik Lowe, and then an email a few minutes later, Caden had left work early rather than staying until the close of the bar like he usually did. The others could handle shutting up themselves tonight.

Caden hadn’t hesitated in making his way to the new location which had been given for their monthly lock ups, and his scowl had only deepened upon seeing it. It was a fucking warehouse. And by the looks of it the set up was being put together at the last possible minute. What the Hell was going on here? What was up with the sudden change of location, to this shithole? Caden had hated going to the Oligarchy every month. And he’d hated being dragged in front of Dominik and the Oligarch before the stuck up shifter on the occasions he’d not gone. Being told off like a child had been humiliating and being locked up like a dog even more so.

But now it was worse. Now they were going to be locked up like dogs in a place which even looks like a prison. Or a kennel. They had received no explanation as to why either and Caden doubted those in charge would bother telling them anything else either. He hadn't ventured inside as he'd seen lights and movement in the warehouse and he would much prefer to have a look around when there weren't others there who might think he was trespassing.

Although he was young, Caden had seen more full moons as a werewolf than a lot of the older werewolves he saw gathering in such a docile manner every month. For twenty years now he’d been changing every month. This full moon would be the two hundred and thirty-sixth month he would be changed by the moon, although there had been times he’d been changed in anger to add to that number. Those times had become less though as he’d become an adult. As a child and then going through puberty he’d been a handful, no wonder his mother had given up on him.

The young werewolf had made his way slowly back to the centre of the city and now he found himself in the park, crouched by the edge of the pond, dangling his fingers in the water. The warehouse hadn’t exactly looked high tech – maybe if there was some big change up, a downgrade, they wouldn’t check the rota as well. Or they would be doubly on guard for those who dared to not show up.

Caden’s shoulders tensed up as he suddenly felt someone approaching and he stood up quickly to look behind him, breathing in deeply to catch a hint of a scent. His sense of smell wasn’t as good as a shifter, but he could recognise a couple of the supernatural things in this city. Vampires had a stench he could tell anywhere.

"Who's there?" he growled, unaware that Dom wasn't the only Oligarch to now be a district leader and that he was deep within vampire territory now.

[skeggsismad]

Emil was on a quest: to find his friend Heather’s lost earring. After yesterday night’s events he felt solely responsible for its loss and he was determined to find it. Were the earring replaceable he would have, but it was of sentimental value to the woman and thus here he was, searching the damp grasses.

The vampire was dressed in a button up white dress shirt that was buttoned down halfway to expose his chest, black dress pants as well as black dress shoes, a gray plaid checker fedora and suspenders which matched the hat. On his wrist was a gold watch and to his neck clung a golden star of David, both of them made of the metal rather than spray painted color.

As he approached the pond he suddenly heard a voice….and not one that sounded particularly friendly. In fact if he was being completely honest with himself, he’d sworn he’d heard a growl. The vampire paused in his tracks. He didn’t want a conflict, and he’d be the first to admit that he’d lost track of who and what was around since he was focusing most of his attention on searching the ground for the glimmer of silver.

 Now who exactly had he encroached upon and upset? He soon spotted the figure and his supernatural senses began to kick in. He couldn’t be entirely positive, but his instincts were telling him that he was interacting with a lycanthrope of sorts.

“Oh, me, darling! I’m here! I’m sorry if I’ve startled you, I’m just having myself a little scavenger hunt!”

Emil called out in a friendly tone.

He remembered how frightened Bill had been when he’d mentioned werewolves days ago, and for good reason: he was well aware that in shifted form, not even a vampire would be capable of fighting one off without the aid of a silver bullet. Hopefully this one would play nice, then. They were in vampire territory and he was sure that alone had some influence in whether a brawl would break out…right?

[pinkroses]

Caden’s scowl deepened slightly at the voice, wary of the overly friendly tone in the middle of the night. He took in another deep breath as he stepped closer to the voice to make out the figure before him and recognising the scent of the vampire now they were closer.

The creature didn’t look like he was about to attack him, but Caden knew his kind were considered cursed in this city and he didn’t trust many of the people connected to the Oligarchy – and in his mind most vampires in the city were connected to that group.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, still tense and ready to react if it was needed. A scavenger hunt? In the middle of the park? What was he talking about?

[skeggsismad]

Well, the werewolf certainly didn’t appear friendly. His facial expression simply screamed ‘leave me alone’ and Emil was starting to feel a bit hesitant in the situation. When the stranger asked for clarification it sounded like a pounding demand rather than genuine curiosity. Still, Emil was determined to leave on good terms.

“Mmm, well, I was here the other night with my friend, Heather, and she lost an earring. Why it’s just a tiny shiny thing and since I was quite responsible for it being dropped in the ground I thought I’d come back and look for it. My, it’s becoming quite the task though!”

He let out a chuckle but didn’t allow it to drag on as long as he normally would due to the apparent irritation of the werewolf in front of him.

“Oh, but I didn’t introduce myself, did I? I’m Emil Elwira,” He took a couple of steps towards the werewolf but still stood his ground, extending his hand out towards the man with a brilliant smile slapped upon his face. If he chose to accept it he would have to step forward to do so, but Emil kept his mind open. Perhaps this werewolf had only been unnerved by the presence of another when he had thought he was alone; the vampire didn't think he'd been that quite, but then sometimes he wasn't paying much attention to his own actions. Yes, that's it, He thought to himself, intending on staying optimistic.  Why, the lad just had a bit of scare! I'm sure all will be well.

[pinkroses]

Caden watched the vampire warily as the situation was explained to him, the tension in his shoulders fading a little as it seemed like the vampire hadn’t been sneaking up on him or even been aware he was here until the last moment. His way of speaking was quite weird, at least Caden thought it was, but he knew a little about vampires from his times at the Oligarchy – enough to know they could get to ridiculous ages (and so speak as though displaced in time occasionally) and to know vampires usually didn’t step forwards to offer a handshake to a werewolf. The smell usually repulsed them and those Caden had met often hadn’t been polite enough to hide the fact.

He hesitated a moment before stepping forwards to shake Emil’s hand gingerly – as though the vampire might turn on him. He was half expecting the vampire’s nose to curl up when he got closer and his green eyes were fixed on Emil’s face, waiting to see that look of revulsion.

“Caden Rask,” he said, looking down at the vampire now they were closer and staying there for a second before stepping back again to give himself and the vampire some space.

“Why were you responsible for it?” he asked after a moment, his gaze flickering to the ground although it was far too dark for him to be able to see anything small in the grass at the moment.