Hunting the Hunter

Abbey was too afraid to move. When Li asked if he could take her inside, she managed to nod slightly but she couldn't take his hand. Her hands wouldn't move except to shake.

Brian and Michael went outside to join the others, standing with them, knowing that they were better together than being splintered off by themselves.

"You're still working for these humans, you puny little buggar?" James deliberately taunted Jack, knowing how quickly it had seemed to get under Jack's skin before. "Pitiful."

Marcus was standing with Khaat, and he had a tight hold of her hand. When James started to speak, threatening Kate, Marcus felt Khaat seem to get dizzy for one brief instant and then regain herself. He saw her flick her wand with a sharp little flourish and the next thing he knew, they were standing outside next to Robert.

"He's there," she pointed to the northwest sector of the woods. "And he's not alone. Watch the lights in the trees. They're going try to spread out and circle around to the east."

"That doesn't tell us where James is," Marcus said.

"If he's smart, he won't move," Robert said. "If he uses the others moving to the east to draw our attention, then he'll stick to his position on the west. I thought we told you to stay inside, Khaat." He glanced at her, but her attentions were focused on the trees. She didn't seem to be listening to him.

Li saw the nod and slowly moved closer to her reaching out he wrapped his arms around her. " close your eyes, please Miss Abby" He whispered softly. Once he saw she'd closed them he ported back inside the house to the living room holding her tight against him he wrapped a blanket around her knowing she'd be cold. He heard the voices out side and knew that was where every one was. Now with Abby wrapped in the blanket he headed up to the Nursery where he was met with the barrier. " Jess it is Li I have Abby." he said and the door opened as Jess lowered the barrier.

"Abby, you keep your rock, and look after the others for me." he asked as he handed her over to Jess. " I have to go back out." He saw Jess nod and he ported to where Khaat and Robert were. "little puppy is back with the pack." He said to them and looked at the huge man stood facing off Jack.

Jack balled his fingers as James spoke he knew he was taunting him. "Oh and you did so much better...Brother in your last battle." He scoffed at him. "at least I have a future, your life is just wasted." He cold feel his body shake slightly as his anger at what James had done surfaced.

Abbey didn't object to him apparating them back inside. When she saw Jess, though, she was quick to reach for her, muddy as she was, to want to cling to her and hide.

"You still don't get it," James laughed. "I'm going to have it all, and you'll have nothing. You'll still be this old man's gorilla. Is that all you ever want to be? His big hairy ape? Now I, on the other hand, have much bigger plans."

He reached around Jack, fired his wand straight at Kate. It hit her straight and true, and he waited. She simply walked away from Robert and over towards James.

"Imperius!" Marcus heard Khaat say sharply. He realized Khaat was right. James had fired an unforgiveable curse on Kate and was simply controlling her now.

"Expelliarmus!" Khaat had fired so quickly, Marcus had no warning and no ability to stop her. She had fired deliberately at James, knocking the wand right out of his hand. Bloody good shot for someone who felt like shit, Marcus thought. On the other hand, it gave Jack the break he needed. All he had to do was to choose. Grab James' wand, or save Kate, or fire his own wand upon James. Being three places at once? Piece of cake, right?

Li heard the noise and drew his wand moving quickly to grasp Kate but ducking as Khaat fired this was something he'd hoped to never be involved with again. Jack just laughed at James until he felt him fire at Kate. "Oh no James." he said lashing out the same time as Khaat fired his claws now predominate as he slashed James across his chest. As he dove past James he grasped his wand in his hand then rolled to where he was out of James reach. "Right, you who attack women and children the only thing you are is delusional." he spat at him.

Li had dove to Kate seeing she had been hit with the Imperius Curse he shook his head and spoke softly " Kate, resit, you can brake it, Abby is safe with Jess, you are a person of exceptional strength, and can brake it, I know you are such a person, now fight." He said his hands resting on her shoulders hoping she did have the strength to brake it.

Kate wasn't sure where she actually was, but she knew she was being held off from connecting with control of her body. It took her a moment to hear someone speaking to her. The spell was powerful, cast from so much hatred, so much dark energy. It didn't look to her like there was a weakness in it. She had to figure it out. There surely was a way out, if she could find it.

"I only take what is mine, Jackie Boy," James said, getting to his feet after being clawed by Jack. "Humans steal from me, I steal it back. Or I steal one of theirs. I'm entitled to it." He spun back towards Khaat with all intentions of taking her now that all attentions were basically on Kate--except for Jack, of course.

Khaat seemed to turn on him with an eerie precision and she turned herself sideways, firing her wand straight from her shoulder, slashing sectumsempras at him in rapid fire succession.

James wanted to return fire, but Marcus covered her with his own magical shield, forcing her to stop firing.

"What have you done to her?" James frowned at Jack. "You've made her into one weird female."

"You don't know the half of it," Khaat smiled, satisfied for the moment. Meanwhile, Kate figured it out. The only way to break the darkness was with light.

The next thing she knew, she was thrust back into herself again. She felt herself falling forward, as if she didn't quite have it together quite yet to control her body again instantaneously. From where he was, Robert saw that Li had managed to talk Kate out of the cursed state, and he was grateful.

"Take the girl and let's go!" James ordered. Marcus saw werewolves coming out of their hiding places in the woods.

"Shit," he sighed. Being outnumbered by werewolves just really didn't seem like something he wanted to do again today. He'd already done that this morning. And here they were again? Really?

Li nodded as he saw Kate become herself again "Good." he said simply as he glanced at Jack who moved to stand with Robert. He saw the others appear and stood ready for a fight his body poised ready to strike at the first one who attacked.

Jack laughed "She's just got stronger, the more you attack the stronger she gets." he said his biceps straining against the fabric of his shirt as he spoke to him. He saw out the corner of his eyes the others of his pack " awe too coward to fight me alone, you have to have your pack around you, your nothing but a bully James and bully's need to be put back in their place." his lips rose slightly at the edges knowing he was buying time and gaining a small advantage as he had activated his medallion, which now gave off a soft glow against his chest as he waited for the others of the organization to appear.

Brian and Robert both knew the medallions had been activated. They held her positions, just waiting. One by one, members arrived, wands at the ready, all poised to fight--including Edward Donohue.

"Looking for an exterminator, Robert?" Edward sneered, looking at James and the others.

"Yes, please," Robert said.

"Oh, with pleasure," Edward said. He listened for a moment as reinforcements just kept coming, including Lee and some of his men. "Now," Edward said, sizing them up. "Who wants to be dispatched first? Any volunteers? No? Well, I don't have a problem deciding." Robert's men seemed to know to take the lead from someone with the credentials that Edward had. They simply decided to walk with him, alongside him, following his lead. Edward began eliminating them like shooting fish in a barrel.

James couldn't risk losing this many of his pack. He saw them being cut down, and he gave a whistle to them, and those who survived apparated out fairly quickly. In his rage, he turned to fire one last fireball towards Khaat. Marcus was ready, and his shield held.  Robert and Edward began to return fire. James could hear them chanting killing curses. He apparated out.

"Jack, you're in charge of making sure we're secure and safe and that they're really gone, if you're up to it," Robert said to him.

Concerned for Kate, Robert went to her, checked her, and saw she had no strength left. He wasn't surprised. He picked her up, feeling that he needed to take care of her now, and he took her inside.

"Its time for us to go in, too," Marcus told Khaat. He took her inside, unsure what was holding her up on her feet anymore.

Li stayed at Kate's side until Marcus came over he glanced at Jack who had heard Robert and nodded. " yeah I am " he heard him say anger in his voice as he took off the run the perimeter taking own two stranglers as he did. Jack moved quickly as he saw a familiar face among those arriving, it was Brant he took down two werewolves then nodded he'd seen Jack and headed to the main house but he didn't enter just yet he held his ground at the door.

Li moved with Marcus into the house then up to the nursery he checked every room making sure none had got inside. Funding it was clear he knocked on the door and spoke " Jess, Its clear." he said and watched it open the wards only dissipating when she was sure it was him. He looked for Abby an smiled seeing she was cleaner now. Brant moved inside and looked at Kate and Marcus his hand reaching out to touch Kate's hand, his now sporting a new ring on it that caught the light as he rummaged in his bag for a potion.

"Here two drops its a concentrated regenerative potion, it'll help her recover quicker." He said smiling at her " you do know your one of a select few to brake that curse."

"Thank you," Robert took the potion and put the drops in a few sips of tea left yet in his own cup and gave the cold tea to her.

"Yuck!" she grimaced.

"The potion or the tea?" he laughed.

"Cold tea?" she frowned. When Brant asked her if she realized she was one of few who had broken an imperius, she said, "Hadn't thought about it," she said. "I just wanted out."

Marcus helped Khaat to sit in one of the softer living room chairs, and no sooner than she sat down than did Abbey race down from the nursery and climb up in her lap and look into her face.

"Hi!" Abbey said brightly.

"Hi, yourself," Khaat responded. "You did a good job. Well done."

"I got a rock. See?" she opened her hand to show her little pebble. "Not as big as the doggie, though."

"No, but it was a good thought. Probably best to let the grownups deal with those, don't you think?"

"You need to come more."

"Well, that's complicated."

"No its not. You come more."

"Do me a favor," she said. Then she whispered into Abbey's ear. Abbey smiled and nodded and jumped down out of Khaat's lap. Khaat leaned back and closed her eyes. Almost instantly, something didn't look quite right to Marcus. He tapped her hand and didn't get a response. He tapped her face and still didn't get a response.

"Robert?" he called. Robert went over and checked her. He frowned. "That's odd. Her magical energies are completely drained. She's exhausted. She's fainted, it appears. Michael, more seer's tea, please? And, Brant, you have any more of that potion? She could use some."

Brant glanced over from Kate when he saw Abby come down the stairs and run to her. He stayed by Kate for a moment then moved to Robert taking out a second small bottle of restorative potion."Yes, I do, I always carry at least three bottles, here." He too it out and placed it in his hands. " but only two drops." he added as Jess walked down and saw Abby and the look on Marcus face.

Jess walked down and saw Robert with Khaat she headed over " let me help." She said and placed her hand on Khaat's shoulder gently letting her energy now restored flow into her. Her eyes flicked to Brant and smiled as she saw the ring but chose to ask him about it later once she knew Khaat would be okay.