Hunting Thingamajigs

"Good," Brian said, hearing the spell would not let Jim in. It increased the likelihood that she was safe. "I'll go check on Aura. i presumed she was asleep, but I don't know. You lot go ahead and eat. I'll be right back." He went upstairs to check on Aura.

"You heard him," Michael said. "Come eat. We're eating braised beef with braised vegetables--potatoes, carrots and onion. If you're hungry, this is not the meal you want to miss. Lets go, Gang."

Brian went into Aura's room and didn't see her at first. The room looked empty. And then he found her. She was collapsed into a heap on the floor of the balcony to her room. Her throat was a mass of blood again with fresh bite marks. He summoned the medicine bag and bandaged her. He didn't see how she would survive another feeding if Khaat didn't give her more blood. And he didn't know she could afford that much more. He felt like he had a choice to make. Continue to try to feed her or let Escobar drain Aura and let her die.

He put Aura on the bed and left her there. She was unconscious, and there was little he could do at the moment. He went upstairs to check on Khaat. She was fine. She was just sleeping. He returned downstairs.

"Khaat's fine," Brian said, avoiding the subject of Aura. He took a seat at the table. "It looks great, and it tastes even better. Thanks, Guys. I think we needed a good hearty meal."

Jim , Jack and Cassidy moved to the table and all sat down taking some of the food on offer " tastes wonderful Brian nice job Angus " Jim said as Jack finished his first bowl and took more.

" didn't realize I was so hungry , must have been that trek we did , so hows Khaat ?" he asked placing more food in his mouth as cassidy glared at him.

" you should not talk with your mouthful Jack its not polite " she said and chuckled as she too ate loving how it filled her and made her warm . Jim staid quite he could see worry on Brians face.

" hum our guest been a problem?" he asked sipping his now warm beer.

"Slight," Brian said. "My guess is that not only does Escobar know we're here, but I think he's been here. I think he's already left us a calling card. Aura was unconscious. She has a near fatal blood loss now. And a new set of bite marks. I have a decision to make. I have to decide if we continue to try to feed her, knowing that by doing it we're merely feeding our enemy. Or--do I let her bleed to death?"

"She's already dead, Lad," MIchael said. "If she gets too drained and we don't feed her, she'll go on a feeding frenzy. And then we all could die before we had any chance to stop it. If you don't feed her, you have to kill her. Flat out. That releases her undead body from the curse. There is no option to just starve her. That puts all of us in intense danger. And that's what Khaat has been trying to prevent, at all costs."

"Thoughts?" Brian asked them.

Jim sighed " I'm with Michael, might be heartless but killing her will be the best option " Jim said his arms folded across his chest Cassidy sat quiet not sure witch way to go one hand if they don't feed her they risk endangering themselves but if they did again the same problem but a different danger. she gave a sigh and looked at Jack.

" I go for kill her one problem out of two dead" Jack said cassidy looked at Brian and stood up to face him. Cassidy looked at Brian.

" I'll go with what ever you decide Brian" she said and stood crossing her arms.

"I say wait," Angus said. "I'll donate blood next time. She's drawn to Escobar like a moth to a flame, and when she doesn't come, he comes to her. Its our only link to him. And if he's after the same thing we are, it might be useful to us. We can kill her anytime. But it unlikely she could take us all out at once. She's outnumbered. But she might well get us a strategic advantage."

Brian looked at him, thinking. He hadn't considered that. Not immediately.

"You will not hurt her," Khaat said, suddenly at the bottom of the walkway that led onto the main living floor. Brian was a bit surprised at her firmness.

"You have any particular reason for being so set about that?" He asked.

"This wasn't her fault. She didn't ask for this. If we were in England, she'd be getting the treatment she needs. And she soon would be living a normal life. Would you all be so willing to kill me if Escobar had been able to get past Brian's enchantment just now instead of being forced to simply sit outside and watch me sleep?"

"What!" Michael exclaimed. "He was here?"

"Yes," she said. "I didn't make it up. He was in the treebranch near the balcony. He could have come in at any time if Brian's spell hadn't kept him out. This might well be me you're talking about. Nobody's killing her unless you go through me."

Brian had not anticipated her feeling so strong about keeping her alive. Nor had expected that Escobar would already be watching his wife. He took a moment for himself to try to gather his thoughts before he spoke.

Jim , Jack and cassidy all sat back down they all knew better than to mess with Khaat when she was in a mood. Cassidy sipped on her water while the others drank their beers quietly all of the looking at Brian and Michale not sure what to say or do until Jim stood up " well thanks to the wonderful meal, I'm off to my room for the night , I suggest we all leave and be rested for tomorrow." he said and motioned to Jack and Cassidy to do the same. Jack moved to place the glasses in the sink and then he headed down to his room cassidy was reluctant at first, she was tired but not that tired but the look on Jim's face told her time to go.

Michael set out dinner for her. He decided he was best to feed her. He truly felt that there was some bewitching that was going on. This wasn't her. Not at all. He was going to treat her as normal until he knew otherwise. He merely told her to come and eat. He didn't ask her if she wanted it, he told her to eat. Simple. Direct. She complied. Didnt question it. She just obeyed. He touched her shoulder affectionately as he passed her. He motioned to Brian to follow him.

Brian got up and followed him. They went out to the balcony.

"Brian," Michael said. "I don't think we can overlook the possibility that Escobar hasn't already indirectly gotten his claws into her. If you were Escobar right now, what would you be doing?"

"Watching."

"Infiltrating. To watch closer. And how would you do that?"

"With something seemingly innocent."

"Precisely," Michael said. "You need to start thinking more like your father in law. Aura maybe well b e his plant, but.. Angus is exactly right. Using it as our advantage, we can play this well. It can lead us right to him and to whatever it is that he knows. And maybe we can shorten our stay in this godforsaken place and accomplish our task. In the meantime--you're a newlywed. Start acting like it. Make use of that master suite and the waterfall shower and all the other things you'll never get at home. That charm, no matter how strong it is, will never be as strong as your love. That was Voldemorts' critical error. He forgot that there is no magic more powerful than love. You can get a grip on this. And you may well be the only one who can do it."

"That feels manipulative," Brian said. Michael headslapped him.

"You idiot. How is treating her with a little love and romance manipulative if it saves her life? You're a twit. Angus and I are going to our rooms. We'll see you in the morning. And we'll send breakfast up to you. We don't want to see you or hear you until you get your relationship with her repaired. Goodnight." He took Angus and went upstairs.

Jack woke first he moved to shower and dress then headed up to the main area he took it in hand to make a fresh pot of coffee but was stumped at where the devil the coffee pot was. Cassidy walked up and chuckled grabbing a glass jug like pot she made the coffee for him " here" she said and handed him a fresh hot cup of french roast.

" thanks cassidy Jess ushualy does this in the morning" he told her as she chuckled.

" hum not a morning person hay" she said and he shook his head chuckling once again at her words as he sipped his coffee.

Angus and Michael came in a bit later. They had been up and showered and dressed. Angus had gone foraging and had found a great wooden bowl full of edible plants and seeds and fruit. Michael had gone fishing and had caught some incredible fish. He'd already filleted them, and he brought them up in a steel baking pan, heaped full of his beautiful fresh fillets.

"Well there is somebody conscious," MIchael laughed. "Good. Give us a few. We'll have breakfast made. It might not be so traditional, but it will be fresh and tasty."

"Sometimes being not so traditional is a good thing," Angus said. "Someone made coffee. Good. Thank you." He poured two mugs and put them on a handpainted wooden tray and covered them with a white linen napkin and floated them up to Khaat and Brian's quarters without disturbing them. When the tray or the mugs came back, he would know they were up.


Brian smelled the coffee as the tray lighted upon his nightstand. It was as if the aroma was beckoning to him. But the smell of the fresh, clean soap and shampoo in her hair was far more alluriing. He simply ignored the coffee and curled tighter to her, skin to skin. They hadn't been asleep that long. But it had been worth it. It had mended a lot of wounds between them. Made up for what all the trouble had taken away. One of the last things theyd done before going to sleep was enjoying a shower for two in the waterfuall shower. he had forgotten some of the pleasures of being a newlywed. Michael had been right. And at the moment, Brian didn't care if he and Khaat didn't get up all day long. He nuzzled into the smell of her hair and drifted back off. Somewhere duriing the night, he'd decided that being a confirmed bachelor had never been all it was cracked up to be. This was far better. She was far better.

Cassidy chuckled and held up her hand " that would be me " she said and chuckled again " wonder boy couldn't find the coffee pot " she saw the look Jack gave and laughed " ow don't feel hurt Jack I couldn't at first but time and necessity made me figure it out" she told him sipping on her own cup of coffee " just breakfast sounds good and by the look of those fish will taste good as well" she said as she saw Jim walk up his hair all tussled and she could not help smirk. " looks like some one got dragged through a hedge, backwards" she heard him sigh and then smile as he tried to flatten a stray lock of hair.