Geoffrey Mink & Claire Freeman
You make your way into my veins,
Course right through my limbs and dig your way into my brain,
So in the second that you walk, walk into a room,
I can't help myself from the things that you do.
Course right through my limbs and dig your way into my brain,
So in the second that you walk, walk into a room,
I can't help myself from the things that you do.
Lila Rose Huxley & Shay Bently Harroway
I see your face, an apparition,
But now it's changed,
Shape shifting,
Don't wanna open my eyes.
But now it's changed,
Shape shifting,
Don't wanna open my eyes.
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Lila Harroway | Human
Lila normally didn't care what business her father got into. It had never affected her before, and it yielded a comfortable life to Lila and her father. The girl's mother had passed away a few years ago in a car accident, so it was only Lila and her father. Which normally worked out, the two got along well and there was often little conflict between them. Besides most of Lila's free time was spent with Claire Freeman the daughter of one of her father's business associates around her age. The quieter, meeker teen often accompained Claire on whatever outings she could convince their father's to let them attend. Parties sometimes, amusement parks other times, or just simple outings in the city exploring. The two were close friends and lived charmed lives- she wasn't oblivious to this. It wasn't until the eve of her nineteenth birthday did Lila suddenly find herself caring very much what work their father's did. She and Claire had gone out as they often did, and had used fake i.d to get into a club. Lila just wanted to dance, and didn't feel like throwing her own party. They had stayed until the night was drawing to a close and the club was shutting down when it happened.
She'd been trying to slide into the backseat of the sleek, black limousine when the first shots were fired. The gunshots had been loud, and around Lila's head glass fell. In that moment, her heart stopped with terror. It had been Claire to react first, shoving her head down so it wasn't exposed above the car, while she ordered the driver to take off. After that night Lila's father has sat down with her, and the follow-up police reports, in an attempt to catch the gunman. Her father suggested vaguely that it was someone who had been employed with a company he recently cut ties with. What he had been very firm and clear about was the fact that he was hiring her a protection detail. The way he said it raised goosebumps, and she hoped he wasn't going to hire ex-cons or something. Less than a week later, Lila sat in living room, perched in the window seat with her laptop balanced on her knees. She was scrolling through her Facebook when her dog, Caius, perked his head up. It'd been a week since the incident and she hadn't been allowed to leave the grounds since then. She was missing going out exploring, though didn't dare press the issue with her father.
The large blue pitbull got to his paws, shaking his fur off a soft huff emitting from him. Someone was here. Father hadn't said they were having company and curiously she shut her laptop getting up to the other side of the room to better see the long driveway. Sure enough one of Lila's father's cars were pulling up the drive; though through the blackout glass she couldn't see who was arriving. Was it Claire? They'd only been texting since that night, so it'd be a nice surprise. So caught up in trying to figure out who was here Lila missed her father entering the room until he approached her, clearing his throat. "Ahem. Lila, follow me. I have a present for you." Furrowing her thick brows together, she smoothed down the hem of her simple summer dress before nodding. "What's going on?" She asked, following Brian through the house to the front door. "I told you I was hiring you a protection detail. Well he's here. Claire's father suggested this; I think it was a wonderful thought." Was all he replied, and stepping onto the front porch she was quiet as the SUV pulled up, and within minutes the door opened. Gracefully a young man, no older than his mid-twenties she was sure, exited casting a weary glance around. "Happy birthday dearest."
Her father spoke and it wasn't until her gaze flickered to his neck did Lila realize who, or rather what he was. A werewolf. It was an expensive and long process to get one, and they were treated much like glorified pets. Sometimes at friend's party she would see them on collars, leashed to their owners. Sometimes in wolf form, sometimes in human; but however her father had gotten this particular one was beyond Lila. The process could take years. Lila was under the inkling that her father hadn't used legal channels to get this wolf. "Go on, go look." Brian urged, giving her a gentle push forward. "Take him for a walk, do what you like. He's your's. I have work I must finish, but if you need me I'll be in my study." And just like that Brian was gone leaving her with the wolf. As timid as a bird she approached slowly, holding her hands out as if to show she wasn't a threat. Most in society especially the echelon's that she belonged to, didn't consider wolves humans- but rather animals. And sure she could almost sense the predator beneath his skin as she approached; but he was so human it was easy to overlook. The wolf was handsome in human firm. Tall, short dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes reminded her of one of the heroes in superhero movies. He was stoic, and didn't move as she approached and clearing her throat she asked in a soft voice, "I'm Lila. What's your name?"
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Geoffrey Mink | Werewolf
Geoffrey was not your average mill of the run werewolf. Where most other's were bought and sold into the high rungs of society to serve as pets, entertainment, and protection detail; he was born feral. Born his own man and no one's pet. It was the way he had planned on keeping things to. He detested the way that humans looked at his race as if they were simply cute, entertaining pets you could talk with. That they were so entitled to think that he, that any wolf was put on this earth as lesser than human. For the first fourteen years of his life, Geoffrey Mink and his mother had kept to themselves. Oh, they were poorer than dirt but they were free and that's all that mattered to him and his mother. It was halfway through his fourteenth year did he slip up. Maybe his peers could sense there was something different about him. They all seemed to exclude, tease, and ostracize Geoffrey. One day he had enough, and in the middle of gym class had shifted. In place of the teen stood a fierce, black wolf and it was enough to scare the daylights out of the teachers even.
It wasn't long before word spread, and a week later after refusing to go to school Geoffrey had been walking to the convince store for some milk. Sometimes life hands you the best or worst luck. In the young wolf's happenstance, it was the worst. One of the teacher's operated a wolf-fighting ring; and that early spring day Geoffrey was snatched, and brought into the world of wolf fighting. Maybe it was all the pent up rage, or the way he could imitate almost anything he'd seen- but he was good at it. His owner changed many time. From the sweaty, splotchy history teacher who'd kidnapped him for an extra buck, to a few different businessmen; and at one point even a senator. He was tough as nails and most wolves paled when the recognized him in a ring. However, he was feral and people would soon grow tired of trying to tame him, trying to break him. That's how ten years later he was officially retired from the wolf-fighting ring. He and another wolf were bought to guard some rich men's daughter's. Apparently Geoffrey had been hand-picked because of his reputation of being feral. That didn't make things better as he was handed off to a graying man, who eyed him with a sense of awe and fear; like humans normally did in a wolf's presence.
He didn't see who else was picked, and he really didn't care. For the first time in ten years he wasn't going to be chained up and pitted against other werewolves to fight. At least he hoped. As of now, Geoffrey was in the backseat of an SUV, collar tightly locked about his neck, collar held by a security detail who eyed him wearily out of the corner of his eye. The man in the passenger seat, Geoffrey assumed the one who had bought him, was talking. It was hard for him to listen however as he watched the neighborhood grow nicer and nicer, apartments turned into houses which turned into honest to god mansions. Not that he expected anything differently, it was often the filthy rich that housed wolves as pets. "Your job is to protect my daughter, Claire to the best of your ability. She owns your life. If there is a bullet you'll take it for her. If someone attacks her, you'll be there to stop it. Where she goes, you go like an obident shadow. If she needs an ear to listen, you'll lend it. Like a good pet you'll be a shoulder to cry on. What she tells you to do, you'll do it. Understand?" His icy gaze slid to the man as he craned around to examine Geoffrey. "They tell me your name is Geoffrey. Look after my daughter well Geoffrey." He didn't say anything, though when the security man jabbed him, the dark-haired wolf grunted.
Finally they pulled up to the house and he had to begrudgingly admit it was beautiful. Enough to make him momentarily forget about the humans in the car. When the car pulled to a smooth stop, the men opened the doors getting out. He was yanked out, and his leash to handed to the graying man who'd bought him. He was led wordlessly into the house, given little to no time to look around. The moment the door closed, the man paused in the grand looking hall, calling up the stairs, "Claire! Come here, I have something for you." His voice echoed around the house and a few minutes later a petite blonde showed up at the top of the steps. His brows furrowed together as she approached, pausing as her eyes flickered to him. He remained quiet as the father and this Claire girl exchanged some words, about his being there and his job, before the father excused himself, handing the thick leather leash to Claire. For a while none of them spoke and he wondered how hard it was going to be to babysit this human girl. What did she like to do? Was she a homebody? Did she already have enemies? He really hoped not, as he really didn't want to take a bullet for anyone. Finally he asked a little dryly, "So I take you're Claire?"
May 10th, 2016 at 12:32am