Marriage is Murder

Jess did as she was asked " mountain lions? " she said softly and took a deep breath slowly bringing his heart beat and breathing and blood pressure back to some sort of normal level, even though they were still low she knew she could not hold it forever. Steven followed jack till they came to a large cave empty and dry he placed the lion down with the female who nuzzled him as if to say. "undo what you did" Steven pulled Jack back to the entrance and undid the spell hearing the roar he pulled Jack away and back down to a distant path.

" ok I'll aperate us back to the border and we're on foot from there. " he said looking out over the country side. " I have to say I'm glad you chose our side Jack, Hate to see your head mounted on some wall as a trophy. " he looked at him as they walked down . Taking his hand he aperated them close to the first guard tower. " Steven Walker and jack black heart returning. " He shouted up the guard nodded and let them pass. Steven aperated up to the house, Jack followed he moved to Roberts office not sure what he could do, Jack moved to Jess and placed his hand on her" use me Jess " he whispered and she drew from him and felt much better.

The sound of intruding, apparating, woke Brian who clutched tight at his wand and aimed it right at the doorway.

"Hold your fire," Angus's voice came from the darkness. "Lumos!" The light of his wand showed Brian it was Angus.

"Angus?" he was dumbstruck.

"We need you back. Now. Robert's been hurt. Badly. We need both of you."

"Hurt! How?" Brian threw back the covers. He shook Khaat, not very kindly or gracefully, and it startled her badly. "Wake up." he told her. "We have to go back. Your dad's been hurt. They need healers--right now."

"Daddy!" she felt her heart stop. She flew out of bed and snatched up her wand.

"Khaat," Angus said softly. "You'll freeze like that, honey." He looked at her mini length pink silk chemise with teh spaghetti straps. She picked up the portkey and ported out without a syllable.

"Damnit!" Brian cursed at her, even though she was gone.

"I'll pack. You go," Angus said, as Brian wrapped a winter coat around him over top of his pajama pants and slid his feet into a pair of slip on canvas deck shoes. "You dont believe in a shirt or socks?"

"No time," Brian said, getting a portkey out of his pocket. "Thanks, Angus."


Khaat ported straight into the bedroom, with ice literally hanging off of her chemise and ice in her hair. Her skin was blue with the cold. She went straight to her father and laid her hands on him, checking him and starting to infuse her own energies into him. "Stop the energy spell, Jess," Khaat said. "I've got him. Work on the bleeding."

"Damn!" he cursed. "That's cold!"

"Khaat!" her mother was floored to see she had ported in nothing but a silk mini nightgown. She was horrified to see her covered in ice. She conjured a cup of hot french roast instantly for her and picked up a blanket. "You know better," she lectured. "You are no help to your father if you catch your death." She draped the blanket across her daughter. Brian ported into the room, looking perhaps a bit more prepared to port through bitter winter weather. He kicked off his shoes and threw off his coat. "Oh for pete's sake. Don't either of you own clothes?" Kate conjured a second cup of hot french roast, seeing Brian dive onto the bed and start to immediately work to help Jess stabilize his vital signs and reduce shock.

Jack breathed out seeing Khaat aperate in but he was speechless to say the least at hr attire that was till he was poked in the ribs by Jess's elbow " jack focus " she said and he looked down at Jess who stood holding Robert he could see the blood slowing till it stopped " Khaat I have stopped the worst of it but one or two small ones might start again I'm working on those now, hows it looking your end?" she asked moving her hands to his sides as she still drew energy from Jack as he stood holding her now against him.

"I have the shock under control," Brian said. "But he's lost a lot of blood. Its going to take some time to rebuild that. I'll go back and help you seal those stubborn ones. You're right. They could open again. Jess, go to the potions table in his office. Look for a green potion in a tall slender glass bottle with a diamond shaped stopper. That's to prevent or stop infection. With a wild animal attack of this size, we'll need a triple dose. Its mainly used for stray dogs and cats, but an animal this size will need more--a lot more. Fortunately, he's learned to accept the foul taste of his own brews. This one is nasty and it stinks. But we have no choice. Then, lets get him cleaned up and bandage this wounds for a day or so until we're sure they're sealed."

"You could stop the pain," Kate was aggitated.

"No," Brian said. "Not yet. His pain is keepiing him with us. I don't want him fallling unconscious or asleep until we've done what we need to do."

"He's right," Khaat said, regretting that her father still hurt--badly. 'Give me just a couple more minutes, Daddy, and I'll fix it. I promise." Robert nodded, understanding. He hadn't complained, but he just wasn't the type to do that.

"Kate...the children....don't let them out. None of them...Not until we search the grounds for other large animals. Steven and you...go together..." Robert said.

"Is there ever a moment when you don't need to be in charge?" she sighed.

"No," he replied, still lucid and thinking very clearly, especially since they had control of his wounds. "Khaat, don't give me all your energy...."

"Shut up," she ordered him. "You're not in charge anymore. I am."

"What's that in your hair?" he frowned.

"Dirt," she lied.

"What?" he frowned.

Jess nodded and moved to the potions lab she found the potion and took out the stopper to her regret as she put it back right away after she dropped three Doses in a glass of water and walked threw with it . " god you weren't kidding about the smell Brian " she said and took Roberts hand " down the hatch" she said helping him to drink it. Steven had heard Robert and spoke.

" its all right we send tome men to scout when we returned, Jack's idea" he said and looked at him " I told them to report to me if they find any one so I can tell them to move on " just as he finished a young man appeared at the door.

"Steven third mountain lion seems to be a cub its hanging around the small river. " he said and Steven nodded to him.

" leave it to me " he said to Robert and he left with the young man following. Jack not sure that he could leave stepped back watching them work.

"I hope he reunites the cub with the mother," Robert said. "And we need to heal her wounds or she'll be almost unstoppable. Brian, double check that Lee sent creature healers to take care of that. We dont need muggles being killed or going out to kill them. If Steven can get through to them about what's fair to hunt and what's not, we'll take them back on our property. Muggles are awful about hunting beautiful animals for sheer sport."

"Agreed," Kate said. "Jack, if you can find Steven,...well, Robert's right. Tell Steven and Lee I'll do what I can to help."

Brian started to clean up the bloody mess Robert's wounds had made and began to dress and bandage the wounds. He saw Jess's work had improved significantly. Well, it wasnt like they didn't give her practice at it. He didnt have that many that he needed to reinforce for her. "These are going to seep a bit for awhile, but not bleed," he told Jess. "Very normal for how deep they are. And we want them to seep. It helps the healing process in this case.

"Jess, I am not going to sleep with that taste in my mouth. Do see if there is anything with a better taste to it in the kitchen, please. I don't care what it is so long as it tastes better than that," Robert asked.

"Chamomile tea, please, Jess," Khaat requested for him. "There is a chamomile with cinnamon and vanilla added to help with relaxation. It will help him rest. And it definitely will taste better. I'll stop his pain for him a bit to take the edge off and then when he's had a bit of the tea, I'll give him more so he can sleep." Brian laid his hand on Khaat's icy cold skin and checked her energy. She was just giving Robert anything and everything he needed, no thought to herself. He started to infuse her with his own energies. He wasnt going to allow her to do this much longer.

Jack looked at Kate and nodded " I'll go and tell him to let them know " hes aid and aperated out to the cave where he found Steven and the cub with the grown ups " tell her if they behave they can live on the estate but they have to not hurt any one again" he said " Roberts orders " he said and Steven told them both looked at each other and even Jack could tell buy how they lowered there head they agreed.

" they said she regrets hurting him , but she says if we can help her and promise to not hunt her, I told them we agree" he said and stood up, Steven looked at one of the men " go back and tell Kate we need her assistance as healer if Roberts stable there going to follow us back " he stood up and moved off the maintain lions following the male holding the cub as they moved back to the main house. Soon they stepped out into the clearing Steven signaling not to fire on them.

Jess moved to the kitchen and made some chamomile with cinnamon and vanilla tea she thought it smelt delicious and she smiled moving with the cup and fresh pot on a tray back to Roberts office where she placed the tray down in front of him and pored the cup out. " try this " she said smiling.

"Thank you," Robert said. He winced has he tried to sit up. Brian hurried to put pillows behind him to support him. Brian helped him steady the mug as Khaat drew off part of his pain. Even what she drew off was a dramatic relief to him. "Much better," he said. "I'm starting to feel more human again. Good work, you all."

"How is it they got over on you?" Kate demanded of him now.

"Oh, Kate," he sighed. "You know we don't win them all. She took me by surprise....."

"I'm going to take out her teeth and her claws then," Kate muttered.

"Now, now," Robert said, understanding. "But someone else already got to her, Dear." He looked at Khaat again. "I'm serious. What the hell is that in your hair...and on your...clothes? Those are clothes? Really?"
Brian took some of the ice out of her hair and laid in against Robert's shoulder. He flinched. "Ice? Bloody hell! Ice? You're covered in ice? How did that happen?"

"Porting back nearly naked," Brian said dryly. "That's all she wore."

"You're an idiot," he said to Khaat. Then he looked at Brian. "And you aren't much better."

"You're welcome," Brian said with a slight smile.

Steven staid out side with the mountain lions while Jack ported back in " the lions are out side , Steven said she regrets hurting you she was protecting her one cub the hunters didn't get" he said " but she could use a healer her left leg looks like its been shot with buck shot " he said " Stevens out front with her" he moved to Jess as she breathed out seeing Robert almost back to normal. Jess moved to hold him tight smiling at Roberts surprise at Khaat's clothes and hearing she aperated in juts her night clothes.

Steven sat out side on the grass his hand held out to the lion she moved closer and sniffed it but was still some way away , he spoke to her and told her he had to be able to touch her if she was to be healed. Soon she relaxed and let him touch her leg she winced and lay down in front of him her head laid on her paws.

"Don't let your stupidity become contagious," Kate said to Brian and Khaat, "I dont' want him to catch it." She picked up her coat and Robert's medical bag and her wand and flicked it and apparated outside.

"She loves you," Robert managed a smile. He handed his tea cup back to Brian, hving had about a half a cup and having enough. Brian set it aside.

"Are you ready to sleep?" Khaat asked him.

"I'm ready to not hurt for awhile," he conceeded. She went to lay her hand on his forehead, and he stopped her. "Wait. Did you think I was going to leave you?"

"I didn't want to find out," she said.

"Fair enough. Promise me. You go shower and get Angus to bring you a hot buttered rum to warm up with an then get some rest. Khaat, you weren't near strong enough to do this."

"I'll take care of her," Brian promised.

"Yeah? And what sort of marks shall I give you for taking care of yourself?"

"As I said, you're welcome. We'll warm up. All we need to know is that you're okay."

"I'm fine."

Brian looked at Khaat. "He lies sometimes too. Alright. Enough. Put him out of our misery for awhile." That made Robert laugh slightly. Khaat laid her hand on her father's forehead, stopped his pain, and caused him to sleep.

"Jess," Brian asked. "Are you able to stay awhile? I know its almost dinner time here now, but it really was the middle of the night where we were. We..need to change. And we don't want to leave him alone. We'll come back as soon as we can and take over so you can go eat with Jack."


Kate went outside to the wounded female mountain lion who had nearly killed Robert. She could feel the cat's regret but Kate needed just a bit of time to let go of her concern for Robert. Still, she focused on being calm and assertive and confident. She was glad that Jack and Steven were there to help keep the cats under control for her. WIld animals were always a bit unpredictable until they began to trust humans and even then that trust was never completed and unconditional. She worked steadily and efficiently using a numbiing potion to pour over the wound so she could work on it. She drew out the ammunition, and dressed and bandaged the wound.

"We'll need to check it daily until it closes. I can have Brian or Khaat set some healing spells in place tomorrow," Kate said. "At least until Robert can see to it himself. But for now, this will have to do. I'm not a healer like they are. As soon as they recharge, they can double check it. It might be good for jess to be part of it so she can see how different it is than working with people. Make sure she has someplace warm and dry and enough meat for her and her cub that she doesn't have to hunt tonight." Kate told the cat that as long as she kept her promise, Kate would do her best to make sure that she and her mate and cub were provided for while food was so scarce.