Saturday,

January 20, 2012,

3: 50 PM

A few days after the history lesson with Addy and Valli, the fence posts were finished. Standing sturdy and strong outlining the field, Kane is now working to get the rolled welded mesh fence nailed to the posts. It's a much faster pace than before, his hands working smoothly and rhythmically. Allowing his mind to drift into automatic and muscle memory to get through, securing bolts and zip ties to the posts, then adding extra hooked screws for a stable hold. He's halfway finished, proud of himself for the work he managed to get done while he stayed here. However, Kane plans on leaving within the week or perhaps the beginning of the week after next. Depending on when he finishes, keeping his bag packed in case this project gets done before he expects it.

In his opinion, he is getting close to the people here; Valli and, unfortunately, Addy. His host, mainly. The witch and Kane don't speak much, other than in disrespectful banter and attempts to prompt annoyance. Valli enjoys listening to them insult each other, nothing overly serious. As long as the threats stay spoken, not put into action. Addy had returned merely once after her appearance Thursday, to drop off two cases of fresh honey. She had let her eyes wander slowly over the property as she rode in on MoonStone, studying the surroundings and fidgeting subtly with the horse's mane. Kane noticed, yet didn't ask why she appeared suspicious or nervous. He'll be gone soon, what is her problem is not his.

Chatting over tea, with a Witch and a witch lover is too close. What was I thinking? Kane shakes his head, scoffing at himself. Learning about that Treaty should've been a sign to run, not agree with them. Dad would've killed Addy and left Valli with a warning not to get close to witches again. The man rolls his eyes, Damn my guilt. I couldn't just leave a blind man by himself without any form of family. That's just cruel. No matter if I probably should have done it — Ma would've been pissed though. He sighs deeply, grunting as he rolls the mesh to another post. Lose-lose, either way.

Valli hadn't gotten close to Addy to sense her uncertainty, receiving the honey and accepting the excuse of needing to get back home that the witch offered. She had hurried down the driveway, shaking her head and mumbling under her breath about paranoia and stupid baby witches sending stupid prank messages. Kane huffed, pushing his mind to focus on the fence and the possible weather anomalies that could lead to cases. There was a large storm cloud of pure black fog traveling over Tennesse, the news this morning reported the cloud completely disappeared off the radar. It could have been a storm of Demons instead of rain, a group of them traveling together to cause chaos. Or another creature, maybe it could have to do with the research Ma had Valli do.

The research didn't reveal much, not what they wanted anyway. Animal hybrid creatures are in another set of rules for the supernatural, there are no concrete facts about them. One source stated they were either purely created to destroy or to guard the dead. Others stated the opposite, that despite being birthed from monstrous parents, their purpose was to guard the living and protect humanity by order of the council of Gods and Goddesses. Once again, there is no evidence within Vallis's mass library to point toward weapons or ways to kill.

This revelation frustrated Valli to no end. Fussing throughout the shelves of tomes and books, eyebrows furrowed and lips in a cute, disgruntled pout as his fingers flew over pages. Kane has scarcely seen the blind host, he wakes to breakfast on the kitchen table and a note that Valli is in the basement. When he checks on the retired hunter, the man is pacing the length of a free-standing shelf, a different book in hand, and a growing stack of ones he has already been through. Valli admitted he doesn't want to call Ma back with no useful information, disliking the fact he may not have specific knowledge.

The hunt for the missing pieces keeps Kane alone, which works for him. He gets fed and spends the days out in the field working, his truck keeping him company with music. It works, and he is happy with this routine. Kane doesn't want to continue getting involved with Valli's tea discussions or to learn more about the man. He swore to himself he would follow the rule he had been breaking — get in, get done, get gone.

An annoying, repetitive ringing interrupts his thoughts, the noise echoing under the playing radio of the truck. Frustrated at the delay in the fence, he drops the tools without much care and stomps to the open door of the passerage seat. The tiny flip-phone he can never get to sit comfortably in his palm is vibrating on the worn seat, the even tinier screen on the front flashing with Ma's contact name. Left without a choice now, he plucks the stupid device into his hand and flips it open with a thumb to answer.

"I'm workin', Ma."

The woman on the speaker scoffs, sarcastically greeting. Kane can see her narrow her eyes in his head, how she pursed her lips upon hearing his greeting. "Well, hello to you too Son! I'm workin' too, how about that? Huh? Ain't bein' an adult just so much fun!"

A work-flushed palm wipes over his warm forehead, a shirt grimace overtaking his expression. He sighs, correcting his greeting. "Hello, Ma. How are you today? How's all the research goin'?"

"Oh! It's going, ya know." She teases, laughing. He can hear the sloshing of a bottle and smirks, ocean eyes rolling upward. She isn't drunk, it takes more than a few drinks to get Sunny drunk. She must be as frustrated as Valli is. She sighs heavily, the glass she's holding clicking as it is settled on a table. "It's not, actually. I got fuckin' nothing. How about Valli?"

"Nah. He's been stuck in the basement, obsessing over finding something. It sorta hit a spot, I guess. Not having anything to give you." Kane confesses, knowing she'll call his host to reassure the man his collection is just fine and he can always get more books that have what their searching for. "But, if I can, what do you even need shit about monster hybrids for?"

The line is silent, the background static and flipping of pages the only sign of her on the speaker. It takes a moment, but she huffs and clears her throat, the clinking of the glass suggesting she drank before continuing. "One of the girls called a few months ago, I sent her on a demon case — simple trap and smoke. Turns out, the deman had some shit to say. One last taunt, if you could." She pauses, refilling her glass, tone grim. "Apparently Gods are not only real, but they're actively searching for someone to recruit. For what, no idea. However, the demon slipped up and mentioned offhandedly some animal hybrid this chosen one would use."

"Valli is obsessing over information he can't find because some random demon was talking out of his ass to stall his death?" Kane repeats, skeptically deadpan, to confirm the summary of what she said. Disbelieving she would fall for this trick. Misleading statements from monsters are normal, they'll say anything if it can get them out of the situation they are in.

Ma inhales deeply as if silently asking for patience on her side of the phone, going on like she hadn't heard his words in the first place. Sharply, motherly, neutrality continuing. "I thought it was oddly specific to add the hybrid to his stalling attempt, so I dug into some recent demon hunts. Turns out, some other low-level demons heard the same rumors about the big bitches upstairs searching for someone and a giant ass hybrid too. So I'm looking for shit about Hybrids to be prepared for whatever is going to be happening. I figured it couldn't hurt to check, bullshit or not."

Kane slowly nods to himself, understanding. The thought of Gods coming down to pluck someone out of their lives and trap them into a fate within the supernatural could be a problem. What could they want with one of the lowly humans? What purpose could this human give to the powerful beings? And why would the chosen have anything to do with hybrid monsters? "Makes sense. Find anything useful so far?"

A thump sounds at his question (assumingly a book landing on her desk), the woman cursing under her breath and the gulps of alcohol being swallowed travel through the phone answers instead. "Fucking nope!" She offers snappishly, he can picture her running a scarred hand through her short pixie hair, a newly lit smoke in between her fingers, and a scowl on her round face. "The only thing I have is bullshit rumors, not even decent information about it either! Checks out, though. These Gods probably hid everything about themselves, and creatures close to them. I'll get it eventually. I always do, and I'll send copies to Valli. Via you."

Kane rolls his eyes, of course through me, not like you don't have groups of Hunters at your beck and call. Obediently, he agrees, the uninterested detachment of coming back to Louisiana unhidden. Agreeing purely out of respect and loyalty for the woman. "Of course, Ma."

"I'm so lucky to have such a good son!" She giggles, sobering quickly to get stern. "I want you to keep going down there, you hear? It's good for you to have somewhere else to go to if my place and our little safe houses are compromised. I know you saw all the protection he told me about, and his basement. It's safe, and it'll calm my poor old heart to know that sweet little boy is with you."

"That sweet little boy is about in his thirties now. And your heart is fine." The hunter counters, smirking at her poor attempts to guilt trip him, he'll listen, only because he can't say no to Sunny. She doesn't give the option of refusing.

She scoffs, chuckling. "Oh, you know what I mean. Just stop in after you leave, take some time off to just check around his place. I'll feel better knowing you are. He's vulnerable, former hunter or not. I know he has a witch friend, but I'd like my best hunter there too."

"You've already adopted him, haven't you?" The hunter climbs into the truck, slumping in the passenger seat and turning the volume of the radio down. His eyes flick over the house, the vines on the porch, the open front door, and over the closed-up barn. He hasn't noticed anything unusual, besides Addy's attitude when she delivered Honey. Recalling her behavior, he adds. "When you call him, ask for Addy's number. She's the witch friend, she's good so far, but she acted a little weird the other day. Nervous and didn't stay like I think she usually does, Valli seemed a little shocked by her leaving as quickly as she did."

Sunny chortles, "Maybe, I have! He is adorable! So eager to please for the littlest things!" At the mention of Addy, she gets serious, the smile in her joyful comment about Valli disappearing. "You think she knows something?"

"She could. She's a witch, over a hundred years old. She must know something, worth a try?" He shrugs, ripping diner napkins he found in the dashboard compartment out of boredom.

His adopted Aunt hums thoughtfully, "I'll ask. Maybe she'll wanna help. He told me a little about her, seems nice enough." The tone shifts, back to motherly and joking. "Hey, when do you think you'll be back up my way?"

"After I leave here in a week or so, maybe sooner. Almost done with this fence. Why?" His spine straightened, concern spilling into his mind. Ma is hidden in a cabin deep in the woods, it's unlikely any monsters tracked her in and out, but they could've followed the hunters that visited her.

"I just wanted to know when I'll get my groceries. Need some more whiskey and rum." She laughs at his put-on groan, having a sudden idea to add, "Oh! Oh! Bring me some of Valli's cooking! I wanna try his food, you said good things about it."

"I'll see what I can do," Kane promises without hesitation. Knowing even without her request he would try to save the food he might take with him, she's a food lover; if he has the opportunity he brings her meals from his road trips. His fingers rip a tiny napkin piece into two even smaller pieces, uninhibited speaking. "Doubt he'd let me leave empty-handed. Seems like a mother-hen type, ya know, a man version of you. Just blind."

"I can see that." Ma agrees, the smile in her voice easy. "He's so eager to please, even over the phone. It amazes me." She decides, determinedly. "I'm gonna find some time soon, and you're gonna take me down there to meet the boy. Ya hear?"

Readily, with a humored smirk. "Yeah, Ma. I hear."

The line goes silent again, the woman hesitating and Kane patiently waits for her to continue. Never one to speak first, even to his family. He merely grabs more napkins, scattering them on his lap and proceeding to slowly rip them again and again to occupy his hands. He hears Ma dryly sniff, a faint swallow, a hiss of a breath escaping through teeth. "You're a good son, ya know?"

His eyebrow twitches at the sentiment, not replying just yet, knowing well she's going to add to the sentiment. She does, rushing the words to get the moment over with, to get what she needs off her chest faster. "I just miss seein' you, boy. I like your voice, but seeing you is great sometimes too. Every time you come by, you look so different." She pauses again, huffing wetly at herself for getting emotional. Ma hates crying or using her advanced emotions. Growing up a woman hunter meant she sacrificed her feelings to survive the ridicule and taunting words men would throw at her; the harsh lifestyle on her body and mind. "Well. I just wanted to say that I love you, Son. And I hope every day you come back to me alive."

Kane blinks, his eyes abruptly damp and he quickly wipes at them. Clearing his throat, he grasps, putting genuine love in the words for her to hear. "Love you too, Ma. I'd call you if I wasn't comin' home alive, I promise."

She laughs, coughing slightly as she clears the evidence of her care from her eyes. "With location. So I can find you, and kill you again."

"Of course. With location." He chuckles with a hearty smile on his lips, his fingers still ripping napkins. The breeze scatters the dull brown pieces around, he vaguely hopes the napkin paper can disintegrate in raw nature. "I'll come by more often, okay? Every month between hunts, I'll drop by and spend some time with you. I'm sorry I haven't been."

"Thanks. I'd be happy with that, Kane." She giggles, adding. "Maybe we could go down there together, for an Aunt and Son vacation."