Coming Home- A Story of Daryl Carnsilion

[Gyrfalcon]

Coming Home

 

When there are more tails then there are foxes, that’s when we have trouble, child…

        --Werefox wisdom

 

Better to kill a werefox then deal with it.

        --Kitsune wisdom

 

Terra, the Earth, had once been as magical a place as the worlds that fantasy authors wrote about. Even as late as the dark ages, there were still dragons and unicorns, ghouls and sea serpents. But as the ‘religion’ of technology, the belief more in mechanical inventions and less in the force that was magic had grown; magic had declined and died out. Balanced opposites, technology and magic, and technology’s ascendance meant the death of the species that relied on magic to keep themselves alive- unless they could find a way to save themselves. Many couldn’t, and slowly, the last dragons died, the last unicorn laid itself down to the sleep from which it would never wake. All that was left on the Earth were humans, the non-magical animals, and the species that were based more deeply in the physical then the mystical. Yet even so, many of those species had declined to the point where they were gone- Yetis, for example, had disappeared from the world. And so the ages of the magical creatures had ended.

 

Of the species that had remained behind, only two types had prospered, two that could hide among the humans and pass among them. The first type were the nightwalkers, the drinkers of blood. Immortal and scheming, humans dubbed these beings vampires and lived in fear of them, but except for the victims, rarely knew that they were there. The other species that prospered were the beast-people, those able to take the forms of animals, or one in between humans and an animal. However, this change extracted from them a fearful price in pain, and many snapped under the agony of their shifting. They lost themselves in their animal form or began to hunt as hybrids, foolishly let humans see them as they killed. Thus, the legends of the lycanthropes, the werewolves and other species, had grown.

 

Unknown to humanity, unknown to almost every vampire or lycanthrope, magic was slowly returning to the world, and with the magic came the magic-users. Changelings, creatures that looked human on the outside but would one day return to their original species were sent to Terra to bring it and the world where the magical races had exiled themselves to into closer alignment. Unknown to all, elves and goblins, pixies and sprites, treants and phoenixes were returning to the Earth. Also returning were the fox-spirits of Japanese myth, the kitsune- who were the ancient enemies of the werefoxes.

 

Werefoxes like Daryl Carnsilion, who had finally returned to his home.

[Gyrfalcon]

Prologue

 

Daryl Carnsilion stretched deeply as he luxuriated in the sunset, one that he had not seen for more then two years now. Has it really been so long since I left? He mused to himself, surprised at the time involved in his journey. With all that had happened to him, two years had passed like only a few months, to his senses. What adventures he had had! What sights he had seen, and what friends he had made…

 

To a werefox, an outcast among a society that did not know of his existence, and would kill him if they did learn, friendship was very important. Turning around to wait in anticipation for the moon to rise, Daryl contemplated that idea. It was rare for him to find those who would accept him, knowing what he truly was. Yet he had found many who had accepted him and named him a true friend- and then he had left them behind.

 

That wasn’t my home. Daryl told himself sternly. The Earth, Terra, whatever you wanted to call it, was his home. And he had friends here, and they, too, accepted him, knowing what he was. Granted, the reason for that might be because most of them were lycanthropes themselves, or vampires. Humans thought that they were alone on the Earth, the only species to achieve the level of success that they had. That was pure foolishness, of course. As humans, the prey, evolved, so too did their predators. Vampires, the blood-drinkers, and lycanthropes had evolved right along with the humans. Granted, lycanthropes didn’t hunt humans much, these days- they had moved beyond their heritage, as had the humans.

 

Thinking of vampires, Daryl remembered a good friend of his that had been left behind when he had begun his journey… Gloria, of the Malkavian clan of vampires. Daryl smiled slightly as he thought of his friend, with whom he had shared so much… he decided that he would have to go find her and catch up with times…

 

Daryl let that train of thought slip from his mind as the first crescent of the moon slipped over the horizon. Unconsciously, he shifted from his human form to his hybrid form, bones crackling and reshaping, fur rushing to cover skin as his tail slipped through the cunningly hidden hole meant for it at the back of his jeans and came to rest across his legs, the tip twitching idly as he watched the moon rise with a smile on his muzzle.

 

He couldn’t have known that less than a mile away, two other fox people were watching the moonrise, one with enjoyment, and the other impatient to be moving. The smaller of the pair sighed softly as the moon finally slipped fully over the horizon, and turned to her companion. “Come along- we should return to our search.”

 

“Are you sure we need one of… their… kind? Surely we can do this on our own!” The larger protested, only to be cut off by her frown and upraised hand. The black fur covering it almost glistened in the moonlight as she spoke.

 

“Yes, we do need a werefox. More specifically, we need one particular individual.” She stated calmly. With a resigned growl, he dropped into position behind her, and they paused for a moment to allow the change to be completed before slipping into the night, walking through the throngs of humanity, who remained blissfully unaware of the two stepping through their lives, so unlike them.

[Gyrfalcon]

Chapter 1: Bitter Welcome

 

Daryl slipped into the shadows at the base of the warehouse on which he had perched, moving with an unnatural grace and speed. He had always been graceful and quick, and his lycanthropic curse had only enhanced those aspects. Unthinkingly, one of his hands rubbed the opposite shoulder, where there still lingered the faint scars of a deep bite that would have crippled that arm if Daryl had not been infected with lycanthropy from the berserk werefox that had attacked him. Silently, the werefox, once more looking human, moved off into the night, stealing from shadow to shadow, and never truly noticed by the true humans around him.

 

Let’s see… there’s the Don Mee Chinese Restaurant- I’ll have to drop by later and grab some food. Daryl thought to himself as he counted manholes. The third one would be the place to begin his search for the person who could lead him to Gloria. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he recalled another voice- softer, hesitant. Gloria’s voice as she had said, two years ago “Three manholes past the Don Mee Chinese Restaurant is where we will meet Miranda, my contact…”

 

That smile disappeared as a coldly beautiful woman glided from the shadows opposite where he was standing, and said seductively “Why don’t you come with me, stranger? You and I could have some… fun…” More insidious than that voice, though, were the lashing waves of mental compulsion. Daryl steeled his will and fought them off, though the effort took its toll on his control over his change. It took another moment of struggle to stop himself from changing shapes, and then he snapped his gaze, hidden behind dark sunglasses even this late at night, down over the figure.

 

“No thanks, Wyrm-tainted nightspawn.” Daryl said coldly, “I was actually looking for Gloria. Any idea where she could be, Miranda?” Miranda’s eyes widened as he resisted her influences, then narrowed as he lips drew back from her teeth, revealing the pointed fangs of a vampire. “ You. I remember you, Daryl… sweet Daryl, seeking his friend… or more then a friend… Gloria.” Her voice was a mixture of saccharine sweetness and pure venom.

 

Daryl was in no mood to hash words with the vampire. “Yes. Now, tell me where she is. Please.” He said, his voice hinting at his growing wrath. He expected her to bargain with him, but instead, she just nodded, reached down, and yanked the manhole cover up easily.

 

“After you.” She said, in that same mixture of sugar sweetness and poison as before. Daryl blinked and glared at her through his sunglasses even as he slipped down into the sewers. A moment later, Miranda followed, closing the manhole behind her. She then took the lead, Daryl following distractedly, more intent on trying to breathe without throwing up than anything else. The smells of this sewer were particularly noxious, and to a lycanthrope’s enhanced sense of smell, even more revolting then they were to a human.

 

Daryl nearly bumped into Miranda as she stopped in the center of a large meeting-point for many streams of sewage. Daryl felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, and he was almost supernaturally aware of the slight sounds around him- the sounds of creatures gathering. He suddenly suspected that he had walked right into an ambush.

 

“Why the stop, Miranda?” He asked levelly, hands flexing at his sides as he quietly began to change. Over the two years since his infection, he had learned to control his lycanthropy to a greater degree, and so he allowed his change to work from the inside out, pausing it before the effects were visibly external.

 

“Why, here is where you’ll be able to meet your dear friend, Gloria…” Miranda replied, her voice dripping venom. “You’ll be able to meet her in death, you bastard!” She finished in a hiss as she let the illusion of beauty drop from her twisted, ugly features. One of its eyes had slid down its face to rest against its bottom jawbone, and there was a visible trail of scar tissue along its path. It was bald on that side of its head, with odd tumors protruding through its skull. The other side was hirsute, with a wiry pelt of hair over the face as well as the head, growing ragged on the neck where it was interrupted by angry red and purple boils. The rest of its face and body were no less grotesque, and Daryl gagged despite himself as he allowed the rest of his Change to burn through his body. In a brief second, he stood ready for battle as other grotesque creatures and human, called ghouls by the vampires, emerged from every tunnel and swarmed towards Daryl.

 

With a snarl, Daryl darted to meet the closest ones, using his speed as much as he could while there was still room to move around. A pair of lesser vampires and several ragged, dirty humans fell to Daryl’s swiftly raking claws. But then the creatures formed ranks and marched steadily at Daryl, forcing him into a corner. With a mighty leap, Daryl sailed over their lines, but before he could recover from his landing, they were on him. Daryl’s last sight as he was swarmed over by slashing, stabbing figures was Miranda’s ugly visage, laughing mockingly at him, and light blooming in the tunnels behind her…

[Gyrfalcon]

Chapter 2: A Mistaken Identity

 

Pain. All of Daryl’s world was pain. He was no stranger to it, as pain defined his life, and defined the life of each and every lycanthrope. The Change was painful, the feeling of bones snapping and reforming, muscles changing, tail appearing and fur growing not buffered in any way by magic. Many lycanthropes snapped under that pain, and killed randomly whenever they shifted, only to wake in the morning, unsure of what happened in the last night, only knowing that they are naked and covered in blood, perhaps surrounded by the remains of a brutal feast. Others retained some limited intelligence in their other forms, and quietly sleep the nights of the full moon away, or went into the forest to hunt and enjoy the life of their particular creature for a night. A few, very few, retained their full intelligence in any form. Daryl was one of these, and yet the pain was no less for him.

 

Am I dead? But then, why would I be in pain? Daryl asked himself as he floated in a haze of pain, seemingly suspended between life and death. Daryl was no student of theology- indeed, despite all that he had seen, he didn’t really believe that there was a God. At least, one for the Earth. However, he was certain that if he was dead, he would either not be in any pain at all, or be in a lot more pain than this. Uncertain of anything, Daryl let his consciousness drift away…

 

“He’s alive.” A voice said. Daryl’s ear twitched towards it, and his thoughts were surprisingly clear. Female. Young adult, but no accent… calm.

 

“Good for it. When do we change that?” Another voice said, angry and grating on his ears. Male. Deep voice, but likewise a young adult. Raised on the East Coast of the United States, probably Boston or around there. Angry, hostile towards me. Joy.

 

“Be quiet, Jeremy.” The lady said, voice now holding irritation, as if this was an oft-asked question that she was tired of answering. Daryl tried to peek out from under his eyelids, but the overhead lights stabbed into his eyes, and he squeezed them tightly shut again. He felt a warm hand gently brush over his head fur, and the female said, “Rest easy- you’re safe here.”

 

For some reason, Daryl didn’t really believe that, not with the other speaker still in the room from what he could hear- the impatient rustle of clothing as the men shifted from foot to foot. He slowly cracked his eyes open, and this time the glare of the lights were less harsh on them. Two forms slowly swam into focus, and Daryl’s heart leapt into his throat. They were fox-people, like he. Idly, Daryl noted that the vixen was beautiful, but his attention remained fixated on her other distinguishing characteristic- the three tails draped in her lap, and the other two that he could see hanging down beside her chair on either side. She was a kitsune, Daryl realized, his heart sinking as he realized that despite her words, he was most likely going to die soon.

 

The other likewise held his attention- large, imposing, and glaring balefully at Daryl.

 

“Just get the information and then let me kill him.” He said- no, more, ordered his companion. She responded sharply in a language that Daryl didn’t know, and the male kitsune snarled a reply. Comments and retorts in that language launched back and forth, and Jeremy’s hand came up, a glow starting at the palm. With a motion, the female kitsune magically slammed Jeremy against a wall, and his head snapped back into it. Stunned, Jeremy slid to the floor, his three tails slowly drifting down to settle on his body.

 

“Now that I don’t have to deal with his constant bloodlust… Hello, my name is Jehane. I presume that you are Kyle Nordob?” She said to the stunned werefox. Daryl shook his head to clear it, and then looked at her almost fearfully.

 

“Actually… I’m Daryl Carnsilion.” He said, and the beautiful vixen frowned. “But you look exactly like Kyle Nordob…” she said, handing him a pair of images. One showed Kyle in his human form- a tall black man with a goatee. His hybrid form, however, bore a marked similarity in fur pattern to Daryl’s.

 

“Um… here, let me show you.” Daryl said, and slowly fell into his Change, grimacing in pain. As he finally came out of it in human form, he looked up into Jehane’s shocked expression. The shorter, white and beardless Daryl was about as opposite of Kyle Nordob as was possible. Finally, Jehane laughed softly, then shook her head. “Work with what you are given, I suppose… Jeremy and I saved your life, werefox, and thus you hold a debt to us. This debt will be discharged by aiding us in our mission.”

 

Daryl considered this, and then spoke one word. “No.” Jehane’s mouth dropped as her eyes widened in shock. “Are you so without honor that you do not acknowledge that you hold a debt to us?” She asked calmly, her tone dangerous.

 

Daryl smirked at her. “Riiiight. I just help you find a lost ring or something, and then I get executed. I’m crazy, not stupid. Oh wait, maybe you want me to betray another werefox? Good luck trying, I’m not going to be your pawn.”

 

Jehane snarled at him, then bit back the expression and took several breaths with her eyes closed. Daryl considered running for it while she was distracted, but the weakness in his limbs told him that he would not be going anywhere. Finally, Jehane opened her eyes again.

 

“I suppose your mistrust is natural, and my words were offensive. I suppose an explanation of what we are trying to do is in order, yes?” She stopped and closed her eyes again, as if mentally reviewing something. “We were sent here to stop a high elf from committing a terrible tragedy. In his lust for power, he is trying to open a portal to the demon realms, to bring demons here and bind them as his servants. However, the Council of Nine Tails believes that he is too impetuous, and will open a portal great enough to bring a demon lord through. Once such a fell being is on Terra, a demon invasion would soon follow. Terra is our homeland as much as yours or the humans- we kitsune do not wish to see it destroyed under the unholy hands of demons. Thus, we two were sent to deal with this high elf. However, we needed the tracking skills and contacts of this Kyle… but instead we got you.” She sighed, and Daryl felt a twinge of anger at her unintentional slight.

 

“Hey! You don’t know, but this is my hometown. I happen to have contacts among the gangs, the ‘foxes and ‘wolves, and even the vampires, if the vamps are still alive. Besides, I’ve gotten to be pretty good at tracking… and I’ve already had to deal with one demon-summoner, I’d rather not see another one get started.” Daryl protested. Jehane blinked in surprise, then seemed to blush. “Of course. So, now will you discharge your debt in this manner?” Daryl frowned, but he had trapped himself.

 

“I will.” He said simply.

[Gyrfalcon]

Chapter 3: Fox Hunt

 

Daryl awoke the next night as a hand gently shook his shoulder. “It’s time to wake, Daryl.” Jehane said, and he mumbled something as he buried his head under the pillow, really not wanting to wake up at all- he’d been having a nice dream…

 

Dimly, he heard Jehane mutter, “Why is it that every man I have to work with is unable to get up by himself?” A moment later, Daryl was up and very awake, and also sputtering as he shook himself to rid his fur of some of the water from the bucket that Jehane had poured over him. Jehane was laughing, eyes closed. When she opened them, she took one look at Daryl, colored, and turned around. He was confused for a second, then realized that he wasn’t wearing anything more then his fur, and he quickly grabbed the pillow. “Gah…” he said, as he held the pillow strategically, then grabbed his clothing and made for the bathroom.

 

Inside the bathroom, Daryl sighed in relief and chuckled at how bright the insides of ears had become. Taking up a towel, he dried his fur out, and then quickly brushed it into some semblance of order. Idly, he noted that there was no blood matting his fur together, which was somewhat surprising, as blood was one of the more difficult substances to get out of fur. Shrugging to himself, he finished brushing himself out, then dressed.

 

Adjusting his coat a little as he came out, Daryl chuckled softly as Jehane took a quick peek to make sure that he was clothed this time before turning to face him.

 

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had been blushing, kitsune.” Daryl teased, and she blushed again.

 

“Um… anyway, shall we go?” She said, trying to change the subject.

 

“We? I’d do better alone, and-“ She cut him off

 

“While Jeremy is still in no condition to move around, due to a massive headache,” she said, sounding pleased with herself, “One of us has to be with you at all times. You are a werefox, after all, and the Council of Nine Tails would kill me if I just left you wandering around… and besides, I’d rather get away from Jeremy’s bad mood.” She paused a moment, and muttered something uncomplimentary about the other kitsune.

 

With a shrug, Daryl nodded “Alright, then. That limits my selection of contacts, since I’m not going to show you the way to the Conclave, but I know some vampires who probably know or can find something.” He started from the room, and Jehane fell into step beside him.

 

“Conclave?” She asked casually, and Daryl smiled. “Forget I said anything about that, because that word is all that you’ll ever hear out of me.” He said calmly, and Jehane sighed.

 

Together, they slipped into the gathering gloom of the night, seeking the first of Daryl’s contacts.

 

-----

 

Nine hours later, Daryl slumped back in his chair at an all-night bar. Across from him, Jehane was looking unhappily into her glass of water. Eleven contacts, and… nothing. The negotiations with the last four had been particularly tense, as the contacts were vampires who had not been closely allied with Gloria, and owed no favors to Daryl. In fact, if it had not been for Jehane’s presence, Daryl would have already had fought at least one fight, or own many more favors than the one very minor favor he owed now.

 

“Jehane? Thanks for the backup, there. Those ghouls would have attacked without that display of power.” Daryl said tiredly. Jehane mumbled something that sounded like “Don’t mention it.”

 

Daryl leaned back and closed his eyes. He was somewhat surprised with how well his partnership with Jehane was going. Kitsune were a long-lived species, and long-lived species tended to keep grudges for a lot longer. From what Daryl knew, kitsune and werefoxes had done enough to keep a grudge going between any members of the two species until the sun burned out, yet Jehane was acting pleasantly. Unlike that Jeremy… Daryl thought with amusement. If any creature fit the stereotype of the arrogant, hostile kitsune, Jeremy certainly did.

 

Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder “Daryl?” Jehane said, and Daryl blinked his eyes open, his head feeling muzzy.

 

“I guess I dozed off… you were saying?” He said, hiding a yawn behind a hand.

 

“I was asking where we should go to meet your next contact, but with you falling asleep, and I know I’m exhausted, I think we’d better head back.” She said, resting back in her seat with a quiet sigh.

 

Daryl nodded and yawned again “Besides, its sleep-time for my contacts, too.” He stated as he put down money for their drinks. Together, they stood and disappeared out the door, the dawn already peeking over rooftops.

 

-----

 

Back at the base they were working out of, Daryl wandered into the room that was his own, and after taking off his shoes, stretched out on his bed and fell asleep immediately.

 

Jehane giggled softly as she watched the exhausted werefox stumble into his room, then walked down the hall towards her own. However, she didn’t manage to make it into her room before Jeremy’s door opened and he stuck his head out.

 

“Where the hell were you?” he barked, as if he were her superior, not the other way around.

 

Jehane was in no mood to deal with him, and growled out “I was with Daryl, checking to see what his contacts had to say about a certain high elf that we’re looking for.”

 

Jeremy smirked “Uh huh. I think you two were off somewhere alone, fu-“ he stopped as her hand snapped up, magic flaring in her palm. She glared at him, her tails lashing in rage. Smoothly, he switched to another topic. “Why don’t you spend the night with me, then?” Unfortunately, his second choice wasn’t all that intelligent either.

 

“One more word out of you, you insolent kit, and I’ll rip your heart out. Oh, and don’t worry- while I have no interest in sleeping with that werefox, I’m sure that he’d be a much better lover then you. Never, ever approach me on that subject again.” Jehane said slowly, biting off each word, her sharp teeth bared in threat at the lesser kitsune.

 

While Jeremy might have been stupid, arrogant, and possessing the belief he was at least as good as Casanova, he wasn’t totally stupid. He shut up and closed his door. Jehane lowered her hand and growled softly- she had thought that working with a werefox would have been the low point of the mission. Instead, she actually tended to like Daryl- he had a good sense of humor, and knew when to make the perfect quip to force a smile from her. Instead, she genuinely hated working with Jeremy, and had considered killing him several times over this mission. He was overbearing, condescending, and seemed to believe that despite his lack of tails, he should lead simply because of his gender. The fact that he also believed that she should instantly want to have sex with him only angered her more.

 

With another growl, Jehane entered her room and slammed her door closed. Considering the person sleeping across the hall from her, she channeled her excess energy and rage from the confrontation into securing her door and warding it. Dusting her hands off for a job well done, she prepared for bed and crawled under the covers.

 

-----

 

Daryl awoke as pain exploded in his ribs. Rolling away from the blow, he slammed his shoulder into the wall. Undeterred, he instead went straight forward, and he heard a grunt as a kick that should have struck his side again instead impacted on the wall. Completing his roll over the end of the bed, Daryl whipped around, claws extended and teeth bared. He was going to take a large chunk out of his attacker for waking him from his sleep.

 

Jeremy sneered scornfully at the just-awoken werefox. “Glad to see you’re up, you mangy furball. Lead me to your contacts, or I’ll have to hurt you.” Before he could blink, one of Daryl’s hands was around his throat, shutting off his ability to breathe. The other hand was pressed against his stomach, claws first, almost, but not quite, drawing blood.

 

“If you ever, ever kick me awake or attempt to threaten me again, you savasharii three-tail, I’ll make you regret it for a long time.” Daryl whispered to the incredulous and scared kitsune. With a flick of his hand, Daryl tossed the kitsune to the floor before turning and stalking into the bathroom.

 

On the floor, Jeremy glared poisonously at the werefox’s retreating back. He so wanted to put a bolt of magic between Daryl’s shoulder blades, but he didn’t… more, he couldn’t. Jeremy was terrified that Daryl would survive the spell, survive anything else that Jeremy could throw at him, and would extract his revenge on Jeremy.

 

First that bitch and now this… creature. Why did I have to get stuck with them, instead of with someone who would recognize my true worth, and a creature that understands my superiority? Jeremy thought as he pulled himself to his feet and stalked out of the room. He knew that when this mission ended, he’d have to talk to his patron, one of the nine-tailed kitsune. He’d have Daryl killed, and… he’d have to think on what to do to Jehane.

 

In the bathroom, Daryl shook his head. How had such an abrasive coward managed to survive among the kitsune? For the man was a coward, and hid it behind a mask of arrogance, spite, and anger. But one thing always remained constant about the kitsune’s scent- the thread of fear that wended through it. Kitsune wouldn’t notice it, most likely- they didn’t take advantage of their full range of senses. Werefoxes, however, did take advantage of their senses. Jeremy was afraid of the world, afraid of what the world could do to him. Daryl almost considered the kitsune with compassion, until he remembered being kicked awake. He growled softly as he considered how Jeremy released his frustration at his own fear- by taking it out on anyone he could place beneath himself.

 

Never forget, bucko, that that kitsune sounds like he has a vindictive streak a mile long. You’ve made another enemy, and if he has any sort of a powerful patron behind him, you’ll have to watch your back… Daryl reminded himself, and then shrugged as he finished with the bathroom. He already had to watch his back; this just meant that there might be another threat behind him.

 

-----

 

When Jeremy next ventured to find Daryl, the werefox had dressed in fresh clothing and was quietly finishing a meal in the kitchen and watching the news. Daryl turned off the TV when Jeremy entered, and placed his dishes in the sink.

 

“Are you ready to go?” Jeremy asked, his tone adding the word ‘finally’ into his sentence. Daryl nodded without a word and donned his coat and sunglasses. He opened the door and with a mocking smile, motioned for Jeremy to exit first. Jeremy glared at the werefox, and then strode from the room as if Daryl were a servant holding open the door, as was his duty. With a soft sigh and a shake of his head, Daryl closed the door behind himself and walked after Jeremy. He found himself wishing that he were walking with Jehane again- she had a good sense of humor and an understanding of when things had turned dangerous. Mentally, Daryl shifted several of his contacts off his list of ones to do that night. Several would not put up well with Jeremy’s abrasiveness, and the rest used threats enough that a hothead like Jeremy could turn an idle threat into a full-scale battle.

 

Shifting to their human forms, the two, together yet separate, walk into the gloom...

[Gyrfalcon]

Chapter 4: Chance Meetings

 

It was five hours into Daryl’s round of contacts, and Jeremy was bored, fidgety, and tired. Much of each meeting was simply establishing enough trust with the contact to talk further, and then negotiating for what information the contact may or may not possess- and he would not admit to either until the deal was struck! Jeremy had long since become bored with it all, and had even stopped trying to memorize locations and names for future use- none of these people would ever be of use to him.

 

Leaving Daryl sitting at a table, patiently talking to one of the more disturbed Malkavian vampires- and since all Malkavians are disturbed, that was saying something- Jeremy wandered around the corner and into the general bar area. Surprisingly, it was fairly empty, with few people around, and at least two of them were ghouls. Slumping down in a dark corner, Jeremy ordered a drink when the waitress came by. Taking it without a word of thanks when she returned, he sipped and grimaced at the fiery taste. Fine wine, this is not. He thought sarcastically to himself.

 

“Angry kitsune, yes? Angry magic-fox, hate the world… Fearful magic-fox, fears what could hurt him, fearful magic-fox, so right to fear.” A singsong voice came from the empty seat across from Jeremy.

 

“What the hel…” he said, and then trailed off as a tiny creature hopped up onto the table and grinned at him, showing off a mouthful of sharp, jagged teeth. It was a tiny humanoid, with bat wings and twisted horns. Its tail, Jeremy noticed, ended in a barb, and he suddenly realized that he was facing an imp. Which meant that the high elf had succeeded in creating a portal. Jeremy could feel the blood drain from his face as the imp cackled at him.

 

“Know what I am, good that is. My master, yesssss…. My master wishes you speak with him.” The imp said, and from nowhere, a scroll appeared in its hands. It dropped the scroll in front of Jeremy, and looked up at him. “Power my master has, and power he can share… you wish to be powerful, and powerful he will make you. Power over your enemies. Power over all the world…” the imp rubbed its hands at its words, and then spun. Faster and faster, until it blurred, and then it simply… wasn’t there.

 

Numbly, Jeremy opened the scroll and his eyes swept along the words on the scroll. An address, a date, a time to be there. Jeremy closed the scroll and his eyes. Logically, he should show Daryl the scroll, and the three of them could kill the high elf at that location. Logically… Yet he would lose access to the power the imp had promised. Power over his enemies… like Daryl. Like Jehane. Like person after person after person, and he could pay them back, as they deserved. To lose his chance at this power? Not a chance! Jeremy carefully tucked the scroll inside his coat, then calmly stood and saw Daryl come out of the back room. With a tired shake of his head, Daryl walked out the door of the bar, and Jeremy followed. Obviously, the vampire hadn’t known anything, and Jeremy had to restrain his superior smirk. He knew that after tomorrow night, any worries Daryl had about the high elf would be immaterial.

 

Daryl would be dead.

 

-----

 

“Ready to go?” Jehane greeted Daryl, and he nodded, a smile finding its way onto his face. With deliberate over-exaggeration, Daryl bowed and then extended his arm for her to take.

 

“Ready for a night out on the town?” he said with a grin as Jehane took his arm, giggling softly.

 

“Sure, where to?” she said, continuing the joke as they started out the door.

 

“Oh, all the scenic locations- decrepit houses, dim bars, the sewers…” Daryl’s voice said as he and Jehane disappeared into the night.

 

Behind them, Jeremy sneered at Daryl’s antics, then chuckled. While those two were searching high and low for the summoner, Jeremy was going straight to him… and the power he promised. Why wait a hundred years for another tail and the power it would bring, when a mutually satisfactory agreement would net him that power in a few hours?

 

Jeremy chuckled all the way to his meeting.

 

Daryl sighed and rolled his head around as they came out of the latest underground room. Nothing… no one knew anything, it seemed. Jehane came up behind him and began to gently knead his shoulders, which caused Daryl to start in surprise.

 

“What’s wrong?” She asked, looking around warily.

 

“Huh? Oh… I didn’t expect you to come up behind me, to be truthful.” Daryl answered.

 

“Do you want me to stop?” she asked, kneading his shoulders once more.

 

“No, it feels nice… thank you, Jehane.” Daryl answered, closing his eyes to better enjoy the feeling of his muscles relaxing.

 

They held that silent moment for a few minutes, and then Jehane stopped. Daryl turned and Jehane opened her mouth to say something. Some warning, perhaps a shadow moving in the gloom behind Jehane, perhaps something subconscious, drew Daryl’s attention.

 

“Daryl, I-“ Jehane got out, and then Daryl seized her in his arms and threw the two of them to the side. A dark shape landed right where Jehane had been and snarled in fury at having its kill stolen.

 

Daryl didn’t see much of the figure, but he heard the noise it made and knew that it was nothing human. Seeing the wall coming up, he tapped the ground with his feet to slow their roll, and braced himself, shielding Jehane from the impact by hitting first. Immediately, he released her from his arms and allowed the Change to flow over him. Jehane scrambled to her feet, likewise in hybrid form, and her tails lashed angrily. “What was that about?” she demanded, before catching sight of the creature. “Oh.” She said, her voice suddenly small.

 

The creature hissed balefully as it shifted to face the two of them, and Daryl moved forward to make himself the more immediate target. “Jehane, I assume this thing is some sort of demon. Mind whacking it with magic?” he said as calmly as he could. The creature hissed and feinted, and Daryl crouched, his claws extended and his tail lashing. The creature made the hissing noise again, and Daryl realized that the creature wasn’t hissing- instead, that was the sound of the chains shrouding its body.

 

“Ooookay, it’s a mass of cha-yaa!” Daryl commented, diving to the side at the end of his comment as a dozen chains struck out from the creature and nearly punched holes through him. Instinctively, Daryl continued his roll as chain after chain lashed down where he had been the moment before. Unfortunately, the wall across the way put an end to his roll, and Daryl sprawled out, defenseless, a dozen chains whipping towards his head.

 

Suddenly, the chains and their master were consumed in a raging fireball. Daryl rose and shook his head to clear it of the stars that had been dancing through it from his meeting with the wall, then looked over at Jehane. She stood with an arm stretched towards where the demon had stood, palm facing towards it. Her tails lashed slowly but constantly, and she looked nervous.

 

Finally, the fireball began to dissipate and showed what was left of the demon. Melted lines of steel made a find tracery all around a burned mass of flesh- the demon and its chains were no more, and both Daryl and Jehane breathed sighs of relief.

 

“What was it?” Daryl asked Jehane as they approached the edge of the glowing steel web around the creature.

 

“Its called a Kyton… they’re demons that resemble humans. As you saw, they have an exceptional control over chains…” Jehane said, but suddenly trailed off. Her eyes flared, and then narrowed as she spun. Not knowing what she was sensing, Daryl just spun with her, in a fighting crouch. Jeremy stumbled through the doorway, his clothing ripped and torn. Beneath the tears, wounds bled freely.

 

“They’re… right behind… me.” He gasped out before slumping forward.

[Gyrfalcon]

Chapter 5: Betrayal within Betrayal

 

Jehane instinctively started forward and pulled her fellow kitsune through the doorway. This left the door clear for Daryl to see a pack of at least 30… blobs of flesh, oozing down the hallway towards the room. Growling, Daryl charged to meet them. Using the restricted width of the corridor against them, he struck the first creature head on, and inflicted enough damage on it to kill it thrice over. The next creature suffered no better, or the next. However, the creatures keep on coming, and Daryl was forced back as he realized that he had to completely destroy each creature before it would stop trying to attack him. He grew tired, and his defensive movements began to not be enough. A blood wound, and then another appeared in his fur, and Daryl growled helplessly as he was force into the doorway of the room.

 

“I can’t hold them forever!” He cried out, risking a glance behind him. There was no one there. Turning forward and tearing open the next creature, Daryl was forced back, and could confirm that he was alone in the room. The kitsune had left him to die, it seemed.

 

So be it. Remember this, kitsune- I die free. Daryl thought. For some reason, the idea that Jehane had betrayed him hurt more then the idea that Jeremy had… but Daryl had no time to probe his feelings. He bared his teeth at the demons forcing their way through the door and sluggishly moving to surround him. He remembered a bit of wisdom he had heard somewhere before- “When in doubt, attack full out.” Daryl followed those words to the letter as he dove straight into the largest mass of the creatures, biting, clawing, doing everything he could to kill them first.

 

At peace with himself, Daryl almost felt disappointed when a lightning bolt scorched through the ranks to his right, bounced off a wall, and electrocuted those to his left. A wave of energy darts blasted through those behind him, and his claws dealt with the last in front.

 

“You stupid, stupid… woman!” A voice cried behind Daryl, and he slowly turned. Jehane stood there, smiling slightly as she surveyed the burned and twitching remains of her targets. A thump on the wall brought Jeremy back into sight, and he glared at Jehane. With a poisonous look at Daryl he jerked Jehane around and whispered harshly to her. Jehane didn’t bother to whisper her reply. “You say that you found the summoner, and that is all well and good. However, that doesn’t mean that I would betray an ally and leave him to die, no matter his species.” Jeremy’s eyes widened in fear as Daryl approached, and even Jehane looked nervous. Daryl looked at Jeremy through a red haze, and then slowly managed to bring his rage under control.

 

“I’ll remember this.” Daryl said as calmly as he could to the three-tailed kitsune, who gulped.

 

Turning to Jehane, Daryl asked quietly “And what were these things?” Jehane blinked twice, then shook her head slightly.

 

“They’re called Lemures. They’re used as foot soldiers and cannon fodder in the armies of the demons. Oh!” she said as she noticed Daryl’s bleeding wounds, which had been well hidden under the dark blood of the demon kind. “We should bind your wounds…” Jehane said, looking around for a suitable place.

 

Daryl shook his head. “I’ll be fine… and what about Jeremy here? He was badly wounded when he stumbled in here.” Daryl said. Jeremy glared but said nothing, but Daryl noticed that his wounds and blood seemed to have disappeared. Instead, Jehane answered.

 

“Kitsune are capable of converting spell energy into healing energy- after turning us invisible, Jeremy turned his attentions to his wounds. I’m sorry that I didn’t say anything, but if the lemures had known that there were spell casters around, they would have tried to deal with you in the hall or would have tied up Jeremy and myself fighting, and then we’d all be dead…”

 

Daryl nodded. “I understand. Apology accepted, but next time please say something- I thought you two had run off…” Like Jeremy wanted to. He completed silently, and he could see in Jehane’s eyes the same completion.

 

To the side, Jeremy bit off the words he was going to say- antagonizing both of them at this point in time would only cause him more trouble…

 

A few minutes later, the three walked up into the fresh air and Daryl paused to breathe deeply. His wounds stung a little, but not nearly as much as he regenerated from the damage the demons had inflicted. Silently, he fell in behind Jehane and Jeremy, and wondered to himself how intelligent it was to follow Jeremy’s lead.

 

Still, the sooner this was finished, the sooner he would no longer hold a debt to these two kitsune. The sooner he would see the last of Jeremy, which he wouldn’t regret. The sooner he would see the last of Jehane.

 

For some reason, Daryl’s smile waned at that thought, and he wondered why.

 

------

 

The three peeked around the corner, once more underground. This time they were at the entrance of an abandoned complex of sewer tunnels that opened up onto a grouping of three warehouses, and Jeremy was confident that this was the high elf’s lair. Daryl, surprised, actually thought the kitsune could be right.

 

“I smell sulfur all over this place- especially this entrance.” Daryl commented quietly, and Jehane nodded. “I cast a detection spell tuned to evil… let’s just say that there is a lot in there. Even if this isn’t the right place, leveling it will be a service to kitsunekind… and humans.” She replied quietly.

 

Jeremy, his face hidden in shadows, smiled, and both Jehane and Daryl were lucky that they didn’t see the evil that filled his expression.

 

Daryl looked at Jeremy, then at Jehane. “Are we ready?” He asked, and he wasn’t sure if a yes or no would please him more. Jehane nodded, and Daryl was somewhat comforted that the expression on the vixen’s face was as uncertain as he was certain his was.

 

The expression on Jeremy’s face as he moved forward from the shadows was confident, almost overly so, as he nodded. Daryl didn’t let that expression buoy his confidence- Jeremy would remain stupidly confident right to his death, Daryl believed.

 

The three quietly slipped into the darkened entrance, Daryl first, Jehane next, and Jeremy trailing behind. The darkness deepened, and the three fox-people allowed their eyes to widen as far as possible, and it was just enough for them to see where they were stepping. Suddenly, Daryl stopped. He sniffed the air ahead of him, but could smell only the sulfur that permeated everything in this place. An ear twitched as he strained to hear something, anything, but all he could hear was the breathing of his companions- Jehane’s quicker breathing as the tension built, Jeremy’s slower, deeper breaths behind her.

 

Daryl started forward again, and stopped beside a cross-corridor as some intangible warning screamed out at him.

 

“There’s something here!” Daryl screamed, and then he dove forward as a burst of magic flashed at him from the side corridor. He heard Jehane shout something in a language he almost understood, and then blue light flared as a lightning bolt bounced off the wall of the cross-corridor, and bounced down that hallway. A short scream emerged, and Jehane fearlessly leapt into the corridor, magic leading the way in a barrage of small explosions. Daryl saw Jeremy quietly slip into the corridor behind Jehane as he completed his roll, and Daryl stood and began to turn to follow, but something stopped him.

 

Daryl turned back to the dark hallway stretching before him, and looked carefully. A pair of blazing eyes stared back out of the darkness at him, and Daryl’s hackles rose. The creature that slowly stalked forward looked like the ghost of a lion- an evil ghost. Daryl later swore that he could see an evil, cunning, and above all, hungry intelligence in those eyes that had looked into his own. Dimly, he felt a buzzing at the edge of his mind, but with difficulty he dismissed it.

 

Without warning, the creature tensed and then leapt at Daryl, its back grazing the top of the corridor as it opened its maw wide. Its attack was such that if Daryl held still, it would be able to bite and claw him apart. If he fell back, which was the more natural reaction, he would be vulnerable to a second pounce. However, Daryl instead threw himself into a forward roll, and could feel the wind of a failed strike ruffle his fur as the hellcat sailed overhead.

 

Deadly and silent, the hellcat touched down and turned around, crouching again. Daryl stood and turned to face the hellcat even as it leapt, and again he started a forward roll. The hellcat anticipated, and allowed itself to bounce off the ceiling to land where Daryl should have been. However, Daryl was no fool, either, and he stopped the motion for a forward roll and stood up. The hellcat landed in front of him, and without hesitation, he kicked upward as hard as he could. The hellcat’s head snapped upward, and dazed, it staggered against the wall. As it staggered the other way into the corridor, Daryl moved to the side, then rushed forward and grabbed its head as he rolled over its head. With a mighty *crack* the creature’s neck snapped and Daryl stood up on the other side, breathing heavily. That had been too close.

 

Suddenly, Daryl remembered Jehane and Jeremy, charging down the other corridor into the face of enemy opposition. Quickly he returned to the side corridor and moved inward, racing past easily a dozen dead demons in the first few feet of the corridor. The end of the corridor was well lit by the flicking light of flames. Unconsciously his pace increased as worry for Jehane exploded in his mind. By the end of the corridor he was running full out, tail streaming behind him as he strained forward for more speed. Once inside the door, however, he skidded to a stop, shocked and almost terrified.

 

The inside of the warehouse was simply… gone. Burned, smashed, or simply vaporized, Daryl could no longer discern the use the warehouse once had. The floor, walls, and even ceiling bore craters and scorch marks, and Daryl suddenly realized that he should probably never, ever get on the bad side of a pair of kitsune. That fact was made even more obvious by the remains of dozens of demons, lying scattered in pieces across the floor, a sea of tortured and burned flesh.

 

Suddenly, Daryl heard an agonized scream come down from the one other tunnel leading from the warehouse. Daryl wasn’t sure, but it sounded like Jehane. The next he knew, he was standing next to the entrance to that tunnel, and couldn’t remember the intervening steps- they didn’t matter. Without thought as to whether another demon might be hiding in the shadows of the tunnel, Daryl charged down it, nearly frenzied with worry. Near the other entrance, however, Daryl stumbled and fell as a hand clutched his ankle. Quickly, he flipped over and came face to bloodied face with the high elf.

 

“Be…. Beware… he betrayed… me, and will… or has… betrayed… you…” the high elf gasped out even as the last of his life’s blood fell from his shredded torso. Before Daryl could consider this warning, however, he heard Jehane scream in pain again. He was up in a flash and once more raced for the doorway.

 

"…for your insults, bitch. You know, I’m going to enjoy taking you against your will…” A voice said from within, and something snapped with Daryl. For some reason he never knew, rapists brought his rage to a full boil. Snarling incoherently as his vision went blood red, Daryl crashed through the door and leapt on the back of the figure holding Jehane by the throat with one arm. The next few minutes disappeared from his mind in a blur of claws and flashing fangs as he attempted to rip her assailant limb from limb.

 

Suddenly, a hand caught Daryl by the throat and burning pain flared in his stomach an instant before he was hurled against the wall. Daryl growled in pain as his shoulder dislocated from the impact and he awkwardly slid down the wall to land on his feet next to Jehane’s limp body. Across from him, Jeremy smiled in cold condescension as he wiped a spatter of blood from his cheek. The blood was Daryl’s- Jeremy somehow stood unharmed.

 

“How nice of so many of my enemies to gather in one place for me to deal with!” Jeremy said, and Daryl noticed that his tone had changed. Always before he had covered his fear with bluster and false confidence. Now, his tone was sincerely confident and smug. Daryl breathed deeply, and then gasped in pain as a hot knife slashed through his gut. Suddenly, he could feel the warm wetness flowing from his stomach, and he realized that Jeremy had managed to wrench him from his back with one hand, and had enough strength left to drive home a blade before hurling Daryl away! Dimly, Daryl also noticed that Jeremy’s scent no longer held any trace of fear, more intent on the sudden changes to the kitsune- not least of which was his scent.

 

Jeremy looked at the panting and wounded werefox in contempt as his three tails draped around his left leg… and then three more draped around his right. He chuckled in amusement at Daryl’s gasp of surprise, coupled with one of pain as this pulled at damaged stomach muscles.

 

“When… When the hell’d you become a six-tail?” Daryl asked, and Jeremy, in his honest belief that he had won and that Daryl couldn’t stop him, answered.

 

“Since I made a pact with a demon lord, you fool. Last night, while you were talking with that crazy vampire, you were so close to finding the way to the summoner- and denying me the power I deserved! Well, the summoner wanted to deny me the power that is justly mine as well- too bad for him that my good ally wanted to make a pact with me, isn’t it?” Jeremy laughed evilly, power beginning to flicker around him.

 

“And now you and that bitch die, as I betrayed the summoner and killed him. Oh, I was never wounded by my demons- kitsune are very good at illusions, after all. But, I’m done talking with you, now I think I’ll talk to you and listen to your screams.” Jeremy finished as the energy crackled higher and crawled down his arms to center on his wrist. Another band of energy appeared about his other wrist and then two more around his ankles. A final band of energy appeared around his neck in the form of a slave collar.

 

“Wha-what?” Jeremy stammered, all grandeur stripped from his voice at this turn of events. From everywhere and nowhere, a voice boomed.

 

YOU MADE A PACT, FOOLISH KITSUNE. NOW I COLLECT ON[/i]

 

"What? No, Nooooooo!” Jeremy screamed, his last word turning into a wail of agony. He seemed to be locked in a silent struggle for a short while, but against the influence of the demon lord to whom he had already sold his soul, his spirit was easily pushed out of his body. Daryl watched, almost saddened, as he saw the wailing ghost dissipate into the air. For Jeremy, there would be no afterlife in either Heaven or Hell. He was consigned to eternal loneliness, in his own private darkness.

 

The bands and slave collar disappeared from the fur of the former kitsune facing Daryl, and its fur turned jet black across its entire body. Its eyes turned red and soulless as a crown of flames erupted to float around its head.

 

“I Suppose I Should Thank You, Vulpine Garou- You Indirectly Helped Free Me From Imprisonment By That Summoner. To Be So Close To The Mortal Realm And Be Unable To Wreak Havoc!” The figure stopped to draw breath, then slowly let it out in a hiss. “I Will Leave You And The Other Kitsune Alive- This Time. I Will Stand In Debt To No Creature. But The Next Time We Meet, You Will Die.” The figure finished and a column of pure blackness snapped down and engulfed the figure. When it disappeared, so had the figure. Daryl sucked in a breath as he finally remembered to breathe. Then he slowly bent down and picked up Jehane in his arms and cradled her close as he began the long walk back to the kitsune safehouse.

 

-----

 

Jehane slowly stirred under the covers. She hurt, but it felt more like a dull ache than the searing agony she had felt when she had last been awake… Her eyes snapped open, staring up at the darkened ceiling above in panic. Was she Jeremy’s captive? Where was she? She felt for her necklace but couldn’t find it, and her panic rose.

 

“Jehane?” She started and pushed herself into the corner of her bed, drawing the blankets around her in a flimsy shield as she stared in fear at the figure.

 

“Jehane? It’s me- Daryl. You’re at the safehouse, and you’re safe.” The figure said, and Jehane’s heart pounded in mingled fear and suspicion. “How can I know that it’s really you?” She whispered, and the figure simply extended its hand and placed her necklace, the focus of her powers, within easy reach of her hands.

 

“Well, if I’m not Daryl, then I’d be really, really stupid to give that back to you.” The figure said dryly, and the combination of the comment and the return of her necklace convinced her that it really was Daryl. Suddenly, the events of the past night fell over her, and before Jehane knew what she was doing, she was sobbing into Daryl’s shoulders, arms wrapped around him, seeking the comfort of another creature like her.

 

Daryl awkwardly wrapped his arms around the vixen, and careful of his still hurt stomach, held her close as he allowed her emotions to play out from the previous night and all its horrible events. And as a tear fell from his eye, he allowed his own fears that Jehane would never wake again to disappear.

[Gyrfalcon]

Epilogue

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” The cloaked figure said, standing near the edge of a perfect circle of stones. Another figure in a black trenchcoat shook with laughter.

 

“A werefox, in the kitsune homelands? You know I wouldn’t last more than a few minutes…” The larger figure said, and the other nodded sadly.

 

“I’ll miss you, my friend.” The cloaked one said quietly and impulsively hugged the other. “I’ll miss you too,” he whispered in reply as he returned the hug, “It’s strange that a kitsune would become such a dear friend to me- keep yourself safe in your hunt.”

 

“You don’t want to help?” She said, and he shook his head. “I can’t face that sort of power- that demon’d blow me away in seconds. It’ll take a lot of you kitsune to take him. And besides- I have a friend to find.” He replied, still holding her in his arms.

 

She nodded, not able to dispute either of his statements, and slowly let go of him. He responded just as slowly, and smiled at her.

 

“But, hey, drop by and visit sometime. And if that demon comes back here, I can assure you that the Conclave will do their best to rip his black heart out. Oh, but just remember to visit in the next few decades- you know that we werefoxes don’t stick around forever like you multi-tails.” He said with a grin.

 

She returned the smile. “Probably has to do with all the stresses you suffer from shifting forms in such a manner- why you don’t just stay as foxes, I’ll never understand.”

 

“We like pestering kitsune.” He suggested with a wink, and she laughed.

 

“Take care, Daryl.” She said.

 

“You know I will- goodbye, for now, Jehane.” He replied.

 

She stepped into the circle, and fell into meditation. A rectangle of blue energy suddenly formed in front of Jehane- a door between worlds. With a final parting wave, Jehane stepped through and the door closed.

 

Daryl lowered his hand and sighed, the day suddenly feeling empty without Jehane there. Daryl forced himself to look ahead, though, and started down the road back to town- he had a vampire- no, two- to find. One to greet, the other to kill. Daryl smiled happily as the sun fell on his fur. Friends behind, and friends and enemies ahead. He had lived through meeting the kitsune, and the day was bright, the night a full moon. What more was there to ask?

 

Daryl whistled quietly, and managed to mostly distract himself from his loneliness, and his wish that a certain vixen was walking beside him, sharing the day with him.