2 THE INQUIRY Rorbel emerged from the wooden carriage and immediately stood tall, revealing no signs of fatigue, frustration, or fear. Even though what lay in front of him had unconsciously widened the eyes and lowered the jaws of many a soldier; this was Rorbel’s fourth visit to the royal palace grounds. Still, no matter how many times his eyes had taken in the awe-inspiring sight of Vandaria’s capitol, hiding his amazem...

To those who would know, yet would not want to know. To see what one does not want to see. Hear what they don’t want to hear. During the future or in the past? What is true desire? When does difference become the same? When does it repeat? When did it first draw breath? Creation is always forgotten. Wondrous during its infancy. Adored and then finally forgotten. Time dilutes. Now and then become the same. And yet human be...

New York’s entertainment district was jam packed that Friday night, but that hadn’t stopped twenty-one year old Èrabèlle Skylark from getting past the long lineup outside. She was a beautiful brunette with mahogany eyes, creamy fair skin, with a small beauty mark above the left corner of her lip. Onyx nightclub was filled with fog, flashing strobe lights, and dancing sweaty bodies. Synthesized bass pounded from the mounte...

Lilith Everly looked out the back window and watched her two older brothers rake the leaves in the backyard. She filled her glass from the faucet and took a big drink before placing the glass in the sink. Gabe and Jonah were shoveling leaves into their mother's garden composter when Lilith glanced back on her way to finish her chores. She passed a family picture where she was just a baby on her mother's lap and two brown...

A VJS security officer walked up to Slade with a sheat of papers in his hand. Slade took the papers and examined them. He shook his head and dismissed the officer. The papers were duplicate copies of the warrants filed to examine all of Molly's properties. A second set of warrants contained arrest documents for detaining Carlo for Steve's abduction. He was the prime suspect based on the security video, which showed him ta...

The weather in mid-October was cold and crisp. The moon was at its smallest. The streets were especially dark, as Connie and Leona scavenged for a new victim. A cloud of fog hung over the city from the rising mist of the day. A mist of fog hugged the ground where there was open grass. The streets were wet with the falling dew with streetlights covered in an orange haze. Not many cars drove through the fog and pedestrian t...

Shock registered on her face, as Eran slowly closed her phone. Slade noticed that look and went to her side. "What is wrong? Is Maria all right? What is going on? Eran ... Eran please talk to me!" Eran turned to him and pleaded, "We need to go to Maria's place. Something happened to Steve. Maria is in fear for her life. She wants us there." Slade signaled Kevin, Connie and Leona to join Eran and him, as he headed to the v...

Sebastian re-entered the cell with the door unlocked. Molly watched; as he changed back to the big man, everyone loved. They smiled at each other and blew a kiss. Molly walked out of the area and returned to the pub. Carlo noticed Molly's return and saw her smile. Molly went to the bar, got her flute of apple juice and sat at her table. Carlo smiled, as he watched the crowd move to the Irish music. This was his night. He...

Leona sat on Steve's bed. "Look directly in my eyes and keep focused there. I want you to open your mind and answer the questions I ask." As she spoke, her voice carried a wave that opened Steve's mind and brought his memory to ultimate sharpness. Steve's eyes looked directly at Leona's and his body relaxed at the sound of her voice. Within seconds, he was under her control. Leona was new to glamouring, but she watched An...

Eran sat quietly as the faces flew past on her screen. It seemed that the search was hopeless with so many people arriving in the country to visit, stay permanently or hide away from somewhere else. It proceeded quickly, but seemed so discouraging. Who knew so many people came into the United States through New York. Boredom set in and Eran pushed her laptop away and leaned back in her chair. As she watched faces fly by,...

It was a small village in the big woods called the Vasty Forest. He was a young man having reached the maturity of eighteen years. His name was Karling son of Kelborn. It was his time to take over his father's business of working the forges in the smithy. He had apprenticed since his eighth year. Now he was to be the breadwinner for the whole family as his father rested and awaited death. It would not be long. No one live...

Molly felt it was time to do something with Sean. The police watched her pub and it was only a matter of time before they closed in on her and her fey friends. Molly decided to move Sean, but needed help from her fey friends. The construction day was over and many of the fey were in the pub. She went in search of Carlo. He was the most reliable of the fey and completely devoted to her. She saw Carlo standing near the entr...

Carlo watched Steve pass out from the Rohypnol laced beer. When he no longer moved, Carlo dressed him in his work clothes. Carlo wanted to do more, but did not want to incur Molly's wrath again. It took two days to recover from her last punishment. When Steve was ready, Carlo carried him to a waiting car, which took them to a park on university property. Carlo carried Steve to a tree and gently put him leaning on the base...

Gwen went home, but remembered that she had some of Eran's clothes to return. She thought about going there, but hesitated. She needed to clean up and get some sleep, before she would face them again. She took a shower, put on some underwear and went to bed as the sun's red glow appeared on the horizon. She thought, as she drifted to sleep, "I will call Eran when I wake up." She slept for an hour, but her sighting while r...

As Molly strutted down the hall toward the cell holding Sean and the couch beyond where Carlo lounged, she transmogrified from the red haired, desirable Irish woman to the being she really was. Her hair turned black as coal. Small horns poked through her hair and curled. Gossamer wings burst from her shoulders, as if she could fly to her victims. Her face became hard and cruel. Her breasts grew large and bursting from her...