KazAlkemi

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”Some people would argue you were in shock,” Cassiopeia pointed out when Nic stated he hadn’t been afraid. Cassi was happy to hear that he wasn’t, though.

She looked into Nic’s eyes and brushed her fingers down his cheek. ”I would never hurt you,” she declared.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Cassiopeia tries not to get mad at Nic, but she’s emotionally wrecked right now. She pulls her head from his neck, shifting away from him a bit to stare at the floor.

”Yes, I’m sure he’s really struggling with the fact that he’s choosing the person who lead the charge and murdered my entire family. I feel absolutely terrible for him.” Her tone was full of bitter sarcasm, but she didn’t care about being sympathetic right now.

Nic switches the topic of conversation and Cassi looks back at him and nods. ”It was. The lightening was controlled. You were never in danger,” she found herself adding.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Cassiopeia breathed in Nic’s scent steadily, listening to his heartbeat, and feeling the vibrations of his voice as he spoke. All of these things, coupled with the cats’ growling and meowing grounded Cassi in the present. She shifted just slightly to watch her fingers trace lines along Nic’s collarbone.

”The mating bond is formed when the dragon chooses whom they want to mate or form a life bond with. It is like a contract, but it is much deeper than that. It is all consuming. It’s like a soul mate but on a larger scale. Werewolves also have a mating bond, but dragons have a choice who they wish to bond to, whereas werewolves mating bond is predetermined by the wolf. It is like a soul connection, and when they come across that person with the matching half, it snaps into place. But a werewolf can reject the bond if they wish, but most don’t as the feelings of the bond are all consuming and can be painful to ignore.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Cassiopeia lets Nic scoop her up and cradle her close. Despite the horrible memory, Cassi smiles as she curls into Nic and rests her head in the crook of his neck. ”They didn’t feel anything. They killed my sisters, my brothers, and my mother and didn’t feel a thing.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Cassiopeia naturally closes her eyes, letting her mind and body focus on Nic’s hands and his subtle touches. She takes a deep breath in and nods. ”I saw the night my family was murdered. I was back in that field but the perspective was wrong. I was seeing it from Nero’s point of view. They were there. They led the army of demons that killed my entire family.” Her voice cracked on the last word, and the tears started again. Her hand tightened on Nic’s stomach as the pain of the memory washed over her.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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She slams the door, and Avery locks it right away. What the hell just happened? Avery rested his forehead against the door and tried to breathe, but he ended up slamming his hand into the door. The wood splinters, and Avery walks away.

Inside, he feels like he’s being ripped in two. This can’t be happening. You’re wrong.

But I’m not.

”Shut up,” Avery growled and laid on the bed. He covered his head with a pillow, trying to get his wolf to shut up.

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Outside, the wolf pack of Chicago had been hunting and patrolling in the woods behind Caden's house. They had noticed the unnatural storm in the area, and now the destroyed trees. Levi guessed it was Caden's sorcerer friend. Trouble in paradise he surmised. That was good news. It meant Caden wasn't as strong as he pretended to be. Perhaps they could finally drive him and his pet wolf out of Illinois.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”I’m sure. It’ll help me process everything rather than repress it,” she said and leaned into Nic’s touch. Wayland and Calypso continued to chase each other around Cassi’s room, jumping over the bed and running all over the place. It was strangely normal for Cassi, and it helped her to remain present. Her hand on Nic also aided in her task to remain focused.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”Kimiko, don’t. Just go. I can’t do this right now,” he said, hands fisting at his sides. He didn’t want to hurt her, but if she didn’t take the hint soon, Avery would have no choice.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Cassi opens her eyes to glance at the door before she sips her tea and settles back. ”Okay,” she says before she drifts off again.

Cass remained in the bathtub for a while. Her tea was gone, and the water had turned lukewarm before she shifted to wash off the herbs and salts. Cass drains the tub and stands to towel off. She walked over to her counter and applied some of the oils and lotions she liked to put on after bathing. At this point, she was simply going through the motions of living. She combed out her wet hair and soaked up most of the water, and left it to hang loose and dry.

Max remained with her, a watchful eye while Cassiopeia dressed in loose lounge pants and a sweatshirt. He left the bathroom with her, going to the chair in the corner of her room and hopping up to loaf on the edge. Max closed his eyes, but he wasn’t sleeping. He was simply resting.

Cassiopeia walked around the kittens playing on the ground and sat on the edge of the bed next to Nic. She folded one of her legs on the bed, and it rested against Nic’s side. He was shirtless, and Cassiopeia stared at him. Her mind was curious and searching, looking for ways to process the day. She lifted her hand and traced the lines and grooves of Nic’s stomach before resting her palm flat against his abs. Her hand barely encompassed his torso. She smiled at that and the thought of this strange human lying in her bed, waiting for her.

”You have questions,” she stated. Cassiopeia pulled her eyes away from Nic and looked into his eyes. ”Ask them.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery snaps his head to look at Kimiko when she touches his chest. His eyes are golden yellow, his wolf dangerously close to the surface. His wolf growls in approval, and Avery slides off the bed and goes to the door. He opens it up.

”You need to leave,” he said, his voice completely void of emotion.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Cassi smiled and nodded. ”I will,” she promises. When Nic leaves, Cassi reaches forward and picks up a carrot. She examines it closely before taking a bite. It takes her a while to chew and swallow it, and she doesn’t pick up another. She does pick up her cup of tea though, and inhales the warm, comforting scent before she settles back in the tub and closes her eyes.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery’s fingers twitch at his sides from the need to pull Kimiko back. She’s not happy; that is very clear. ”I mean with everything that just happened tonight… Emotions are a little high. I don’t…I can’t…I mean I… I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

He couldn’t quite look at Kimiko again as he stumbled for the words that wouldn’t hurt her but also stop the night from progressing. His wolf protested, wanting nothing more than to keep Kimiko under his hold and within his protection. He could look after her better than Caden could. She was his. Avery froze when the thought, the feeling crossed his mind.

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden drained the water from the tub after wrapping the towel around his waist. He blew out the candles and dressed in his usual attire for sleeping.

Nero was splayed out on the bed, taking up as much room as the little imp could. The image was endearing, and a smile played across his lips. If only he could share his deepest feelings and emotions with Cassi in their true form. Maybe then she would understand.

Caden crawled onto the bed, kissing Nero’s shoulders. He pushed their, well, his, t-shirt up their back and kissed the two dips in their lower back on either side of their spine before he laid down. Caden kept his back to the bedroom door and pulled Nero into his side, curling around them.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Cassiopeia watched Nic as he moved about her bathroom, laying everything out for her so it was within easy access. She watched his eyes dip for the briefest of moments before he asked for permission to remain in her bedroom.

Cassi didn’t mind Nic’s eyes wandering. If anything, she wished she could just pull him into the tub with her — even though there was no way the two of them would fit — and kiss him. But she didn’t want the first time he saw her naked to be after a night like tonight.

”You can stay in the bedroom; on two conditions. You put your clothes in the dryer, and you stay with me all night,” Cassi said.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery breaks eye contact with Kimiko as she leans in. His eyes fall to her lips before they meet his.

Avery closed his eyes as they kissed. His hand slipped into her hair, and he pulled her closer. A fire started to burn within him from the kiss, which had Avery pulling back from the kiss.

”Kimiko, I… I don’t think I can do this in light of everything and with you being under the protection of Caden.”

Avery knew he could keep kissing Kimiko. He rather enjoyed kissing her, and it stirred something within his wolf that was new to the both of them, but his honour and loyalty to Caden outweighed his own desires.

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
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Caden’s body fully relaxes when Nero whispers the words back to him. Everything will be okay because they have Nero. He doesn’t know how, but he knows it will be.

Caden wrapped his arms around Nero and held them close for some time before suggesting they get out of the tub and go to bed. The emotions of the evening had certainly taken their toll, and all Caden wished to do now was to sleep with Nero in his arms.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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The knock on the door has Cassiopeia’s eyes sharpening until she hears Nic’s voice. Right. He’s in her house. Nic is looking after her. She’s safe. She’s not in the 18th century.

”Yes.” Cassi kept her arms wrapped around her legs in a way to keep herself covered.