Wild Things

This was the magic of feasting & fucking, of savoring the blood of a kill & calling the Pack to dine.

I glanced mildly at Lindsey. “Did you spike his blood with caffeine?” “Die Hard marathon was on TV last night,” she said. “He’s been weaponized since then.

Merit,” Catcher said, sitting beside Mallory on the couch, an arm around her shoulders. “It’s nice to see you clothed again.” “And now that she is,” Gabriel said, standing, “we should get moving.” “Where are we going, exactly?” Catcher asked. “To a land beyond space and time,” Jeff said drawing an arc in the air. “Where the rules of mortals have no meaning.” Gabriel looked up at the ceiling as if he might find patience there. “We’re going to the Brecks’ backyard. Into the woods, right here in Illinois, where most of us are quite mortal.” “Illi-noise,” Jeff said with cheeky enthusiasm. “Because the wolves will howl.

I swear to God, the sups in this city could have their own reality show.

There are those among us who have erred, deeply and significantly. Who have wounded the world and broken themselves. The worst of them lose themselves in their errors. The best of them crawl back, one foot at a time, and seek to amend their breaches. That is the way of the brave.

I will have both of you," he said. "My Sentinel and my city. And the GP will learn exactly how stubborn we both can be.

Courage has nothing to do with winning,” I quietly said. “Courage is about fighting the good fight. Stepping forward, even when stepping forward is the crappiest of all possible options.

At least you had sense enough not to attempt to lead this particular away team.” “Star Trek,” I murmured, picking out one of Luc’s ubiquitous movie and television references. “I have trained you well, Padawan.” “You’re mixing your Wars and Treks,” Jeff pointed out. “They’re interchangeable,” Luc said, earning a horrified look from Jeff.

Girl, you’re a vampire. This day and age, everything you do is a felony.

And what about us?” Catcher asked. Gabriel’s eyebrows lifted. “You’re part of the mystery-solving gang, aren’t you?” Catcher muttered something unflattering, and Mallory nudged him. “I presume you want us to stay here tonight?” she asked. “It would make things easier,” Gabe said. “So we’ll sleep on the couch,” Catcher said, “like we’re twelve-year-olds at a slumber party.” “In fairness,” Ethan said, “we don’t all have to sleep on the couch.” “In fairness,” Catcher said, “you can kiss my ass.” “Ladies,” Mallory said. “Let’s put on our big-girl panties. Merit and Ethan are already sleeping in the bedroom, and there’s no point in making them move. Catcher and I can take the couch. The shifters will feel better if we make this work, and it’s no great loss to any of us.

There are those amongst us who have erred, deeply and significantly. Who have wounded the world and broken themselves. The worst of them lose themselves in their errors. The best of them crawl back, one foot at a time, and seek to amend their breaches. That is the way of the brave. -Gabriel Keene, Pack Apex, pp. 37

We were friends because we were connected together, because something in our souls called to each other, understood each other.

His lips so soft, yet so stern, he pressed his mouth to mine. "I will have both of you," he said. "My Sentinel and my city. And the GP will learn exactly how stubborn we both can be.

Together the magicks swirled and danced around us, invisible but tangible, like an breeze. This wasn't defensive or offensive magic. It wasn't used to gather information, for strategy or diplomacy, or to fight a war against supernatural enemy. It simply was. It was fundamental, inexorable. It was nothing and everything, infinity and oblivion, from the magnificent furnace of a star to the electrons that hummed in an atom. It was life and death and everything in between, the urge to fight and grow and swim and fly. It was a cascade of water across boulders, the slow-moving advance of mountain glaciers, the march of time.

Technology didn’t make humans less blind; it only made it easier for hate and ignorance to spread.

Our friendship wasn’t limited to habits, to circumstances, to neighborhoods. We were friends because we were connected together, because something in our souls called to each other, understood each other. That connection, that spark between us, would remain even if our lives had changed completely.