Chapter *24*
Hotel Como

Tonight we were on three tables, riders on two and the support team, for which read the adults, on the other. There wasn't anything to say so but the girls all ended up on one table, lads on the other – I say girls, I was first to a seat, Mand and co just filled the other places so it was girls and me. Once we were seated, our host claimed our attention.

The Defenders
We are the defenders
The shield bearers
The ones who protect

We the defenders have a question for you

What use are the defenders
If there’s nothing left to defend

The castle
The core
Your innermost place

What use are we defenders
When you force us to lock you in place

The scenery matters not
It’s still a cell

We the defenders wait for the day
When we release you, save you, and go on our way

We the defenders
Are just like you

Leading on the lurkers ....or.... Playing with the paparazzi.

Since the divorce things have changed. Sis and Mom work more, and the house isn’t as tidy. Mom is more stressed. She complains about money all the time, and my good-for-nothing father. Some changes have been for the better. Mom and I haven’t received a thrashing; her for being a whore, and me for being a dumb ass. I was growing my hair long.

Bill Lynch saw the plain white van turn into the alley so he stepped out from behind the dumpster and flagged them down.

“Jesus. TOOK you long....”

“ON YOUR KNEES” the commando bellowed.

"Beautiful, Jamie," the photographer calls to me as I turn my head and look off into the middle distance, giving the photographer a perfect view of the necklace and earrings I'm wearing- not to mention the exquisite white wedding dress! The dress is strapless, but doesn't show off too much cleavage, and hugs my curves beautifully. I have incredibly long fake nails- extending over an inch from my fingertip- attached to each digit and my make-up is applied flawlessly.

A sudden jerking sensation caused me to lurch into consciousness. It took a second for my confused brain to catch up and then I realized it was just a bit of turbulence and that I’d been sleeping for the last couple of hours. Then sensation rushed back.

“Ugh.”

It seemed I had the rest of the day free. I wandered into Katherine's 'office'. I guess it was a tax thing or somesuch, but this was the room with all the Katherine Keller memorabilia.... her framed first Vogue cover.... a number of other framed glossy magazines and photos, including one with a very perplexed looking Dalai Lama which made me smile. There was her Golden Globe, her people's choice award, a number of teen spirit awards going back to the time she first started modeling. I hadn't realized how long she had been doing this. How long since she had been a part of the 'real world'.

I leaned back in my seat and looked through the binoculars toward the building. Night had fallen but within the fenced in compound there was plenty of light.

“See anything?”

I looked over at Chris, “Not yet. Most of the employees have left but there are still way too many cars in the lot.”

Chris nodded, reached behind the seat, and pulled out a bag that held a pair of sandwiches.

“Are you hungry?”

This chapter is called Revelations for a reason. Luna learns more about the creation of the succubi and their role prior to the Sundering, she also finds out she has a relative on campus. In addition, along with several misadventures, she finally gets her powers properly tested, which produces even more surprises.

Curiosity Killed The Boy

My older sister always had more clothes than I. Her closet and dresser were full. The closet in the spare bedroom was packed with outfits that didn’t fit her or were deemed out of style. There were boxes of her old clothes on the floor of the closet. Since Monica took care of her clothes, Mom had a habit of saving her stuff. “You never know when they may come into use,” she would say.