#web of lives

[cljordan-imperium]

Pixies - PT1 (JAN 2016)

Due to a newly discovered allergy to MRI spinal contrast, I am sidelined for a second day and unable to do final revisions on the chapter that was supposed to be next. Instead, I'll take you back in time 6 years...to when Brie was an RP Character and I wrote a multi part storyline because my writing partners were all busy and I was bored. Enjoy!!

I pressed “END” and stared at the phone in my hand.  I’d just gotten off the phone with Eric and made sure he was at the club and would be there till it closed.  We were getting ready to head out to battle a small army of demonic pixies, something that had apparently not been seen on Earth since around the time my brother was born.  To give you a clue on about how long ago that was. Justinian I was a childhood friend of my brother.  Yes, THAT Justinian I that was emperor of Rome.  The last demonic pixie infestation is said to be one of the reasons for the Nika Riots that took place in Constantinople in 529 AD.  In case you have never heard of these riots, because I certainly hadn’t before this whole thing started, let me give you a short lesson.  Two things to remember about these riots that lasted over a week is that they destroyed over half of the city and there were over thirty thousand people killed. 

If you were to sit down and Google Nika Riots like I did you would be confused on how a dispute over the pardoning of two members of rival chariot racing teams could lead to such chaos and devastation. According to history, sporting teams and in particular chariot racing teams were like the mob, street gangs and a political action committee all rolled into one.  There were two main ones, the Blues and the Greens.  The Blues were the favorite of Justinian by the way.  For a reason that is never quite explained easily, supposedly the Blues and the Greens fans and members got into a riot after one particularly ugly chariot race and it resulted in over 500 team members and fans being arrested for murder.  They were all convicted and sentenced to be hung.  All but two of them were, those two escaped and it just so happened it was one from each team.  To try and keep the peace among his people, Justinian commuted their sentences to imprisonment but the fans and team members demanded total absolution. This lead to yet another chariot race to determine their fate. Somewhere in the middle of the race, both teams and fans unified to not cheer against each other but to start ranting and challenging Justian. While this doesn’t make sense much to begin with, what came next makes no more and possibly even less. 

By the time you’re done reading about the strange politics and maneuvers that my brother’s friend supposedly did to end the riot that killed so many and destroyed so much, you’ll be sitting there thinking that they must have been half mad in those times.  While my brother’s behavior at times does tend to make me wonder about that, the truth is that to cover such a strange happening as the uprising of thousands of demonic pixies, you have to come up with a very strange tale to explain the devastation that ensued.  So, you end up with what history has recorded.  Now, so you can understand my concern for Eric and why we now had over 700 Nephilim on the grounds of the clave and even more portalling in almost every minute, I’ll tell you what really happened.

The Nephilim have been in existence since the first sin was committed and demonic forces first held sway over man.  There are stories they came later, but in reality our race is as old as mankind itself.  By the time of the Nika Riots, there were claves of Nephilim in all major ancient cities.  In those times we didn’t have to hide our true nature,  people of those times were more accepting that there were beings and beasts that were not of humanity and had not relegated them yet to the bedtime stories meant to scare and thrill.  Constantinople had one of the largest claves in the area, and it also had a horrid demon problem that didn’t seem to be diminishing over the years.  As the clave grew, so did the demonic presence.  Some would say that this was to keep the balance of power between good and evil, others have various theories, but everyone agrees that’s just how it was.  

Normally the demonic forces took their normal forms, that is until 529 when the first reported sightings of demonic pixies was recorded in Constantinople.  Now, we’re not talking about just a few demonic pixies, we’re talking about thousands of them suddenly appeared in the city, and for some reason the chariot races seemed to annoy them.  So at each race, a horde of demonic pixies would rise up and attack the spectators, often killing dozens through the use of their magic.  Being as pixies are, at their tallest, three inches in height, they were hard to kill with the weapons that were in existence at the time because they weren’t accurate enough.  The populace demanded that Justinian do something about this since his association with the Nephilim, mainly my brother, was well known.  The problem at hand were the weapons the Nephilim used were no different then in most respects than they are today.  Rarely does our race encounter such small demonic forces.

Race after race, people were being attacked and killed till that fateful day when the riots began.  More pixies than normal swarmed into the stadium as the races commenced and began the slaughter of the mortals that were there.  Outraged that Justinian had done nothing to thwart the problem, those in attendance began to riot the palace that was next door to the colosseum since it seemed to be immune from the pixie attacks and they blamed Justinian for not having this problem resolved already.  Justinian sent word to the clave of what had happened and requested immediate assistance.  Even in ancient times, Nephilim could portal, so the clave sent out messengers to all the major claves and soon an army of Nephilim were at the palace.

Because the rioting was even more disruptive than the chariot races, the pixies never relented on their attacks on the mortals.  This was what accounted for the high death rate.  Mortals, not able to combat the pixies began trying to catch them on fire.  Pixie wings will burn, but they do so slowly which only caused fire to spread throughout the city, causing the devastation that history has recorded.  Even with the massive army of Nephilim on hand, eradicating the pixies was a slow and tedious process since they could only be killed by iron.  For each pixie, it would need to be struck by iron to knock it to the ground, where it would then be impaled by iron and killed.  When you are battling thousands of pixies, killing them one at a time is not a very productive, nor speedy, process.  So again a call went out among the Nephilim for the mages to be brought together to find a remedy that would allow the Nephilim army to take down the pixies in large groups.

The mages worked tirelessly around the clock as the rioting and pixie attacks continued throughout the city.  Using a few pixies that the Nephilim forces had captured as test subject, the mages tried all different matter of spells, potions, poultices, and powders.  None seemed to have much affect, even those that contained substantial amounts of iron.  Justinian and the Nephilim Council of the time were beginning to believe that the city would fall to complete ruin and that the pixie problem would spread throughout the Roman Empire if it were not contained quickly.  More mages were brought in and more test subjects captured.  Any and every possible idea was to be tested until one could be found that would work.

 

It was during one trial when a mage realized why none of the powders were working, they fell right off of the pixies.  A way needed to be found to make the powder stick to the pixie and then it would work.  Since the pixies were also demonic, the mage came up with perfect plan.  The powder to be used was to be a combination of blessed salt and finely shaved iron, a rather coarse grit instead of fine grit powder.  While the elements of the powder were mixed together, the mage would recite blessings and incantations that gave the powder the power of the Divine.  An Elemental Nephilim would be required for this to work properly, as there had to be something for the powder to stick to on the pixie.  The day before the recorded end to the riots, the first trial was held in a courtyard of the palace.  The Elemental Nephilim caused a fine mist to form in the air around the pixies.  Other Nephilim then used bellows to blow the powder mixture onto the pixies.  As the mage had predicted the pixies fell like stones to the ground and seemed unable to get up from the weight of the powder now stuck to them, they also are reported to have been slightly smoking.  Large iron shields were then used to smash the pixies to death.  

Word was sent out quickly through the city to gather whatever large iron objects could be brought to the colosseum to smash all pixies that could be found, since they most often congregated there because that is where the rioters who were still trying to breach the palace were creating the greatest disturbance.  On that day, it was not one team’s supporters who were rushed out of the colosseum, it was all mortals that were rushed out as the army of Nephilim rushed in.  The Elemental Nephilim took positions high around the colosseum and created an atmospheric disturbance that formed a light mist in the air that coated Nephilim and pixie alike.  As soon as all were coated, the mist was dissepated and the Nephilim on the colosseum floor drew out dry bellows containing the blessed and enchanted powder that they filled the air of the colleseum with until all of the  pixies lay writhing on it’s foor.  Nephilim and mortal alike began using the gathered iron objects to smash all the pixies to death.  In the records it is said that the dead pixies covered the floor of the colosseum in a two inch thick layer, which is about four pixie bodies thick.  To take care of the pixies that were still elsewhere in the city, pairs of Nephilim, one of whom was an Elemental, were sent out throughout the city.  Within 24 hours, all of the pixies were dead.  

As time moved forward and the belief in the supernatural diminished, no longer could the story be told of the pixie invasion of Constantinople.  Those who passed on the history had to come up with mortal reasons for the devastation and massive loss of life that happened during that week.  How they decided in the end to make it over chariot races, I still haven’t quite determined.  Personally, even to the logical mortal mind a pixie invasion would make more sense than that!  But, that is what history has stuck with and no man the world over believes.  Unfortunately, the pixie problem has resurfaced again in my city.  It is threatening those I love and the innocents that I protect.  Now it is my clave who has called on Nephilim the world over to come to our aid to wipe out an infestation that is as large as the one that Justinian faced.  I am hoping the only known living Nephilim who attended that erradication of the first infestation, my brother, will make it back to the clave before we must leave to face this deadly and tiny foe.  Otherwise, this is my battle to lead and honestly I’m a little nervous about that.

THE IMPERIUM CHRONICLES TAG LIST - @ceph-the-ghost-writer @kjscottwrites @writingpotato07 @saltysupercomputer @careful-pyromancer @late-to-the-fandom @autumnalwalker @perasperaadastrawriting @fearofahumanplanet @jessica-writes22 @dogmomwrites @mjjune @verba-writing @blind-the-winds @shipping-through-eternity

Anyone wanting added/removed, just let me know.

[spidercowgirl]

When you’re mean to me, this is who you’re actually being mean to! #8bootgoofin

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[karlenandgail]

3

Another gentleman arrives, but what he has to say will change everything...

“Come, Prince Karlen.  I do believe we might have something to discuss.”  Jean Pierre gestured to the front door of the store.  

It had been the response that Karlen had hoped for, but he had not really expected it.  He had expected Jean Pierre to tell him that, once more, he was too late to the city and that the female he searched was unknown.  A bloom of hope started to bloom within Karlen’s bosom, bringing his heart to life for the first time in those long centuries since he had first found his Sophia.  He knew that she was in danger, so if he could help this man and his friends to save her, then he would call forth the entire Uffernian army if he had to.

As they stepped into the shop, Karlen was met with the scent of dust and age.  It was clear that the fine items around them had age and not all of them were from the realm that they were currently in. It brought to his mind questions of exactly who and what Jean Pierre was, and who the other members of “The Triad” were. He was not afraid, but as they moved further through the dimly lit store, there were more questions that occurred to him.  They could wait till after he found out what was known about Sophia.

Jean Pierre, for his part, could have mysted straight to Imperium with Karlen.  Before he took him anywhere near Anna or anyone else, let alone into the realm ruled by the Horseman of Death, he wanted to make sure that the male in front of him was exactly as he had presented himself to be.  Jean Pierre had already ascertained that Karlen was a demon, but he had been alive long enough to know that did not necessarily mean that he was deceptive.  It only meant that they were most oft self serving before anything else.

“Please, sit,” Jean Pierre gestured to an elegantly carved table with four chairs surrounding it. “I will start more coffee and summon my husband and fellow Triad member, Armaund.  I believe it is best for us both to speak with you.”  Setting his cup on the table, he made his way over towards where the coffee pot was on an elegant mahogany sideboard.  He was still absorbing that not only was Karlen a real being, but he was now sitting in his shop only days after his “Sophia” had left the Earthly Realm. Complicating matters, or maybe not, he was a Prince.  No one could say New Orleans was a dull city.

“So, you know Sophia?  You know where she is?”  Karlen was trying to contain himself as Jean Pierre poured the coffee and brought over a delicate but ample bone china cup, along with a cream and sugar set that matched, on a fine silver tray.  “I’m sorry to sound demanding, it is just I have been searching for so long.”  The Prince apologized, his cheeks pinkening realizing his manners were abysmal in that moment as he then busied himself doctoring the strong brew that smelled of dark roast and roasted chicory root.

“Answers, you shall have, dear Prince.  First, I shall summon my husband.” There was a kind smile on Jean Pierre’s face before he turned from where Karlen was trying to hide his mortification at total abandonment of his normal manners, and headed to his office at the back of the store where he could ask Armaund to myst.  He was sure that he too would find this situation most intriguing.  Abriella and Anna would need to be advised most expediently once the true nature of their visitor was ascertained.

By the time that Karlen had regained his composure, Jean Pierre was returning to the front of the shop with his husband.  The Prince couldn’t help but notice that the two gentlemen certainly complemented one another well, and it was clear that they had been a couple for more than a few centuries.  There was an ease of movement and anticipation of one another’s gestures that only comes from more than one lifetime together.  After his earlier bouts of over eagerness, Karlen waited this time for his host to speak.

“Prince Karlen, this is my husband, Armaund.” Jean Pierre introduced the two men.  Karlen immediately came to his feet, bowing slightly to Armaund before extending his hand. “Tis a pleasure, Your Majesty.” Armaund was a bit flustered that the Prince had beaten him to the bow, but it seemed the prince was a tad nervous, as his husband had indicated over the phone.  As he took Karlen’s hand and shook it heartily, he could tell that the Prince was a tempest of emotions, but hope and excitement were foremost amongst them.  It was clear that there were no nefarious motivations.

 “Likewise, Armaund.  Jean Pierre tells me that the two of you may know something of my Sophia.  I have been on a three century hunt to find her.  It seems someone or something is keeping her hidden.  I fear greatly for her safety.”  There was a pleading in his eyes as they alternated between the two immortal males before him, a desperation in his voice, an almost tremor in his entire being. 

“Please sit,” Armaund unknowingly echoed the gentle command of his husband from earlier.  A hesitant glance was thrown at Jean Pierre as Karlen did so.  Surely this must be a trick or some kind of illusion.  Could a Prince of another realm be the one that they had heard so much regarding?  “Now, do tell me about your Sophia.  I may know of someone who does fit this description, however I am reticent to divulge information lightly.”  Armaund sat facing Karlen, taking the coffee offered him as well, if for no other reason than needing something to keep his hands busy at the moment.

“Of course, I understand.  You do not know me, and I am not of your world.” Karlen inclined his head towards the other male, obviously nervous, but also maintaining his regal bearing.  Jean Pierre leaned up against the sideboard, observing everything keenly. “I am the Royal Prince of the Realm of Uffern, second in line to the throne of my brother King Kellen Cythraul.  In addition to being a shadow demon, I am a walker of dreams.  Normally I control whose dreams I walk in, but three centuries ago I walked into the dreams of one of your world, not of my choosing.  It happened more and more often, and a relationship began. I have discovered that she is able to slip time, but I do not believe that she was doing so of her free will.” 

Armaund’s eyes cut to Jean Pierre and back so fast that a human would not have perceived it, however Karlen was no human and he did.  It was enough to keep him talking, listing out the many adventures they had embarked on over the years in their dreams.  Of the true love and bond that had formed between them, of her loss of memory every time that she was taken to a new place, and finally he got to the description of her.  As he described not only her physical appearance but her personality, he once more caught something humans would have missed: minute changes in the expression of Armaund.  The Grigori male before him knew this woman, his Sophia.  For Karlen, for the first time in three centuries of searching, hoping, and praying to the deities of Uffern, he had hope that he would get to see the woman who had long ago captured his heart, this time outside of a dream.

When he had finished speaking, Karlen sat back in the chair he was in but did not take his eyes off of Armaund.  He could feel Jean Pierre’s eyes on him.  Their weight was almost palpable, but it did not make him uncomfortable.  Somehow in this city, on this planet, in this realm, he had found two people who knew his Sophia.  There was nothing that they could do to cause him to shrivel now.

“There is only one problem, she is no longer here.  And not just here as in New Orleans, she is no longer of this Earth.” Armaund stated in a flat affect. Karlen felt his entire world implode.

[kaylinasher]

9

A short piece as Lucifer makes sure that Kaylin get safely to her suite, even if mentally she is a mess..

Lucifer walked the old and empty halls that had once been his residence as he escorted Kaylin to her chambers, their footsteps softly echoing off the stone walls and floors that quietly surrounded them as if a tomb.   In  a way he guessed that was a fitting comparison.  The halls they were walking now were relics of when he had ruled and been King.  Just a few short years, yet seemingly a lifetime ago.  Now the memories and objects that were within these walls were like funerary objects left to symbolize his reign and celebrate that life.

Kaylin was still trembling next to him as they walked, his arm around her shoulders at times the only thing that kept her upright.  He didn’t have to ask what had happened at her father’s castle, he knew.  The silver and obsidian pieces that she wore had connected her to him the instant that she had put them on.  The rage that was burning within him would not be quenched till his son’s blood flowed like water around him. From his grandson’s reaction to seeing Kaylin and Asher, he would not be the only one to greet Damien with a less than friendly welcome should he show up at the Palace.  If he knew his son, and he did all too well, the confrontation would be soon and it would be epic.  They should all prepare for war. 

Soon they came to the doors of the suite that had always been, and always would be, hers.  Everything was as it had been left the last time that she had visited, even though it had been a few years prior.  She had come since he had been freed from his confinement on the wall of the ballroom, but had not stayed as she had when he ruled.  Their relationship slightly evolving with the fallout with her father due to the rise in power of Abbadon and Abriella at the time.  He had feared for her then, and it seemed with very good reason.  There were few times when Lucifer hated being right, and this was one of those times.

“Here, my darling, everything is as it should be.  Asher will be along shortly, I am sure.  Until he is, is there anything you need?  Anything at all that I can help with?”  Since they left the gardens, Kaylin had made not a sound, and he worried for her.  To not only have endured the beating she had received, but to know that Asher had been tortured by her father…he did not know how that was affecting her.  While they have may have thought it a secret, it was obvious to anyone with eyes what they truly felt towards one another.  All it took was to see them around one another for a few moments and you could see it in their eyes as at they looked at one another, in the way the light touches that they exchanged, probably without even realizing it, and the way that their voice slightly changed when they spoke to one another.  If you knew them, it was so obvious that you would have had to try hard NOT to see it.

Kaylin’s head lightly shook as she finally raised her eyes from looking at the polished marble floors to look at his worried brilliant blue eyes.  “No, papa.  I don’t even know what I would ask for.  I…” she trailed off.  What did she want?  How did she feel?  Could she even say herself?  She wasn’t sure. “I just want to know Ash is ok.  Daddy…he..”  Her breathing started to get erratic again as the memory of how he looked when she had found him in that cell flooded her mind once more and threatened to destroy her.  Blood…there had been so much blood…the floor painted golden yellow from it, and Asher’s pants had been staine from it as well.  Because of her, all because of her, he had almost been killed.

“He is fine.  Mithos and Arioch are both strong healers and were there as soon as I was.  They are just making sure that there is nothing the Seraph demons missed.  I assure you, he will be with you shortly, darling.”  Kaylin was pulled tight to Lucifer’s chest, a kiss placed atop her head.  “And your father will never hurt you again.  Never. Again.”  His eyes closed and he made a vow to his father that he would avenge what had been done.  A promise, that unlike the ones he had broken at the dawn of time that had damned him from Heaven, this one he would not break.

“It’s my fault.  Papa, he’s going to hate me. I wanted him to shift from his dragon form.  To lay with me in the bed.  If he’d stayed a dragon…”  Her voice broke as she sobbed against his shoulder.  Her hands fisting in the robes he was wearing as she clung to her grandfather as if letting go of him would end her existence.  Lucifer was her only tether to reality, to sanity, to any hope for redemption for almost ending the man that she loved, had loved since childhood but had denied because….because…she couldn’t even explain why she had anymore.  Foolishness?  Pride?  Ego?  To prove that she needed no one?  But she did.  She needed him. “Then your father would have lost his mind over it at a later time.  Do you think that I did not know this would happen?  Why do you think I had those pieces made and gifted them to you?”  Lucifer’s voice was quiet, comforting, and most unlike what those who knew him were used to, it was loving.  He held the trembling Kaylin to him, wishing with a desperation that rivaled only his to reconcile with his father, that he could ease her pain and erase the worry in her mind that Asher would abandon her after what happened.  He knew the male and, unless he had sorely misjudged him, the male was probably feeling he’d failed her as much as she felt she’d failed him. “You did nothing for him to hate you.  Do you think he would have shifted if he did not want to?  He was aware of the dangers of being caught with you.  Neither you nor he are responsible for the evil actions of my son.”  He could not bring himself to call Damien her father, for the male did not deserve such title.  Unfortunately he had sired the male, so would forever be burdened with that knowledge. Kali be damned.

[marcellussorina]

8

Thinius needs to talk to Marcellus, but about what? And how will it affect his date with Sorina?

“Marc! Hold up, bro!” Thinnius’ voice rang down the hall and Marcellus wanted to disappear.  His Captain would just find him no matter where he went; and since he and Thinnius were friends, best not to do that and ruin both their days.  Playing hide-and-seek with either of the Captains normally put them in less than stellar moods, and since he had a date that night with Sorina, he wanted both of the Captains in good moods and off his ass.

“Yeah, Cap T, what’s up?”  He tried not to look annoyed.  It hadn’t been long since he’d left the cafe where he’d been talking to Sante, and he was still pissed.  What to do about that situation would wait till later though.

“I need you to work tonight.”  Thinnius saw the tick start in Marcellus’ jaw and knew something was up.  He had a pretty good idea what too.   “Date?” Marcellus nodded.  “Great, you can take her along.”  The tick got worse.  “Before you get too worked up, I just need you to be in the garden from midnight to 2am.  Princess Kailyn and Asher showed up.  She was beat up and he looked like he had literally been put through a meat grinder.  Now we can add Damien to the list of those to be on the outlook for to come for a *visit*.  Do you think you can manage two hours in the garden with your date?  You don’t even have to be in uniform and you can star gaze or whatever, just keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.”

This he could do.  The hour was late enough that it wouldn’t interfere with dinner.  They could walk and talk, then spread out in one of the alcoves and enjoy the quiet.  He was pretty sure he could sell Sorina on it without seeming like an ass for having to work.  “I think I can convince her to work with me tonight since it’s in the garden.  You would have to pick our first date to pull this on me, way to add to my nerves.”

Thinnius’ brow rose at the way he’d phrased that.  There wa only one female that he knew of that made Marcellus nervous, had Marc finally done it?  “So my favorite lieutenant and sergeant will be on duty?”  The expression on Marcellus’ face said it all.  “I was afraid you’d never get the balls up to ask her before someone else took her off the market.  I’m sure that there are,”  he carefully looked all around them to make sure they were alone, “others who are not thrilled.  Be careful.  And if you need help…” He gave the other male a look that finished the sentence for him.  They had fought long and hard together.  Words were often no longer needed to convey things.

“Very displeased. Just keep an eye on her when she’s not around me for a bit.  I can’t put a finger on it…” Marcellus’ lips thinned and he took a deep breath, he didn’t trust Sante as far as he could throw him, his boss even less.  

“Always.  We’ll talk more…later.”  Thinnius winked and Marcellus nodded before they made their way now in opposite directions in the hall.  Both completely understood the situation and what was at stake, and implicitly trusted the other.  Things with the Princes were delicate to manage at the best of times, and after what had happened earlier in the day, these were not the best of times.

~~LATER~~

**Sor gotta slight change in plans. Don’t hate me.**  Marcellus had been pacing in his apartment ever since he’d met up with Thinnius.  Part of him wanted to wait till that night and surprise her, but he knew it was a jackass thing to do.  If he lied and made it seem like the garden had been part of his plan, she could find out.  It would fuck shit up.  He hated it when shit was fucked up.  

Waiting for her reply seemed to take forever, but according to his phone it was three Imperium minutes. **It’s ok if you have to cancel.**  FUCK!  He had fucked it up and tried not to.

**NO! Not cancel**

**Not delay either**

**Give me a second**

Sorina stared at her phone.  Was Marcellus okay?  The last three texts had come almost on top of each other.  Normally she was lucky if she got one word back.  Maybe this date did mean something to him, which made her smile a little.  **Take your time, handsome**  She threw in the last word to soften things and let him know she wasn’t mad or upset.   She had been disappointed when she got the first text thinking he had to cancel, but had hoped to reschedule. After their morning, and knowing Marcellus the way she did, she didn’t think he was outright canceling permanently on her.  Now she was just confused.

**Thinnius needs me in the garden from midnight-2.  Join me after our date?** After he’d hit send Marcellus was quite sure that was what he should have sent the first time.  Why the fuck was he so damn nervous?  He knew the answer.  She was his friend, a good one, and a warrior he trusted at his back in a fight.  Had been for centuries and he wanted to keep it that way.  Somewhere that had morphed into deeper feelings it seemed on both their sides, and if he fucked things up, he’d lose everything.

Sorina looked at her phone and almost laughed.  He’d been worried about that?!  Had he thought she’d be upset that Cap T needed an extra guard for something, and that he wanted her along?  Was he okay?  Sorina’s fingers flew over the screen on her phone, erased it all, entered something different, erased it all again, then finally put her message in and hit send.  **I might be persuaded to do that, but only if I get a kiss by the fountain.**  Her first two messages had been less clear and more teasing, and given his now obvious nervous texts, she decided not to freak him out with a miscommunication.  Maybe he wasn’t the only one nervous.

**By the fountain, the roses, AND the wading pool if you’d like.**  Now he could relax.  He had been worried for nothing.  If things were going to go right on the date, he seriously needed to relax.  This was Sorina, but that was also the problem.  

**You’re sweetening the deal.  Fine, fine, I’ll go with you. XO** Sorina’s head shook as she sent her message and looked out at the ocean from the beach she was sitting on.  It was one of her favorite places in Imperium to go, and she’d decided to relax there before getting ready for her date with Marcellus.  Otherwise she knew she would fuss over herself till she was insane.  The previous night and the morning had been perfect, and perfect things rarely happened to demons.

[cljordan-imperium]

*Chokes on my potions and stares* Ummm...apparently the actor was BORN to be Mattheus...... @writingpotato07 @saltysupercomputer @dogmomwrites @ceph-the-ghost-writer @late-to-the-fandom

Am I right?? I mean....

I've got to watch this show now....

[supertinytins]

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

How much longer 'til your luck runs out?

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[europasage]

on kindness.

@shanastoryteller // @delepiphany on pinterest // @girlmostlikely // @anotherchocolate12 on tiktok // @frogus // @xotwodstarr on pinterest // the smiths, i know it's over

[hopelessvalentines]

and i am still learning!!!

[atinybookofbutterflies]

90's/2000's goth brand Strange Ways greeting cards — artist: Rachael Huntington ˚₊‧ ⁺ ⋆ ♱

[cljordan-imperium]

FLASH FRIDAY FICTION

Prompt posted by @flashfictionfridayofficial​

THE IMPERIUM CHRONICLES TAG LIST - @ceph-the-ghost-writer @kjscottwrites @writingpotato07 @saltysupercomputer @careful-pyromancer @late-to-the-fandom @autumnalwalker @perasperaadastrawriting @fearofahumanplanet @jessica-writes22 @dogmomwrites @mjjune @verba-writing

Let me know if you'd like +/-

Now…to see who from Imperium is having fun in the sun….hint...you've met him, but she hasn't come in yet...can you guess before you look??

The sun glinted off of the water, diamonds glittering across the small waves that were lapping at the white sand.  There was hardly a sound other than the soft whoosh of the water and the birds overhead.  It was a far cry from the demands of court, the battles against the Princes, and even the seeming constant commotion within the Palace with all the newest residents.  The breeze coming off of the water was soft, caressing the skin of the couple lounging in the hammock and bringing the scent of the fresh salty air to them under the shade of the palms.  The sight of the scene as a whole would have shocked, yet amused, most who knew the powerful male and thought him never to relax.

“Do you want to go for a swim?”  The heavily accented voice of Katrya was low and soft, barely raising above the ambient sounds of the beach they were just off of.  

“No, I’m enjoying relaxing here in the shade with you.  Why do you want to go in the water?”  His lips caressed the curved shell of her ear as he spoke low next to her ear, his deep voice making her feel like her skin was vibrating.  At the same time, his arm tightened around her waist where he was holding her against him.  She couldn’t deny that she was enjoying being in the arms of the large male as they just relaxed and looked out at the sea.  

“When was the last time you took a vacation?”  There was tease in her voice, a lightness that caused his heart to skip.  

“Middle Ages?  Early Renaissance?” There was humor in his deep voice and she let out a light laugh.  Would anyone believe her normally stoic love could be humorous?  She doubted it.  When in the Palace he could almost be a statue, at least when around others…

She rolled over in his arms, her body awakening at the feel of his hard and muscled body rubbing against hers.  Looking up into his sky blue eyes that were slightly creased with amusement, she let her fingers run through his jet black hair.  “Well, Cruz, we are going to have fix that more often, aren’t we?”  There was a mischievous smirk on her lips.  While she would not try to change him one lick in front of others, she did want him to learn to relax and realize he deserved to be happy.  The weight he carried for an almost two millennia old mistake was foolish.

“Is that so, little queen?  Are you going to try to make a decree on me?”  One brow rose as humor still continued to dance in his eyes, grabbing the light glinting off of the water and putting it to shame in the process.

“I have been dethroned, remember?  Unless…” she let her nose rub against his as her lips just barely ghosted over his, “you are planning to dethrone your sister.  I prefer being the King’s Consort.  All of the benefits, none of the responsibility.” She kissed him lightly, the taste of him only making her desire him more. “Except making sure the King is well taken care of, of course.”  Her deep brown eyes swirled with seduction and it dripped from her voice like honey.

“Oh, I think he is very, very well taken care of…”  Now he claimed her mouth possessively, his fingers fisting in her hair as his fingers of other hand deftly undid the strings on the side of her suit. “But he can always use more care…”

[spidercowgirl]

My first draft for the ‘Web of Lives’ track list. I’m interested in seeing just how this could evolve from now until release. Either way, the vision is certainly beginning to come together. We’ll reconvene to compare soon, I hope to see you then!😉🖤

[lesbianjudasiscariot]

I've Endured, Now What?

Blue Iris - Mary Oliver / So This Is All I Will Ever Be? - Fatima Aamer Bilal / Vive, Vive - Traci Brimhall

[araekniarchive]

@mnvart // Kaveh Akbar, 'Calling A Wolf A Wolf' // @PinkRangerLB on Twitter // @kosmogrl // @devinsturk, '15 Proverbs for the Fellow Chronically Ill' // Jasmine Deporta // Anaïs Nin, House of Incest // the gentle wisdom uquiz by @inkskinned // Rora Blue, 'Sweet Dreams' // Hala Alyan, Dear Layal

[marcellussorina]

7

“So you made a mistake and fucked her, we all make lapses in judgement.  It was a one time thing.  Not again.” The olive skinned male with fine romanesque features wearing the expensive suit said as he sat in the coffee shop in New York, Marcellus sitting across from him.  It was clear he was displeased, not that Marcellus gave one single fuck.

“It wasn’t a mistake and it won’t be a one time thing. We have a date tonight. You will back the fuck off, or you will find someone else to do your dirty work.” Marcellus’s voice lowered, a menacing tone coming into it as he leaned across the table towards the male.  His hands flattened on the table, the blue of his eyes going ice cold. “If anything happens to her, anything, Sante, you will not like my response.”  His head tipped to the side and his expression made it clear that he was not in a mood for negotiations on the matter.

“There were to be no distractions, Marcellus, and yet you have become entangled with her of all people.” Clearly the male had figured out that to keep pushing Marcellus was to chance an encounter with pain, but he also needed to make his point.  If he returned to his boss without some kind of answer, then it would not be pleasant. He was less than pleased, himself, being stuck between the two stubborn males.

“Who I fuck is none of your business, nor your boss’. And if I do more, as long as I keep my mouth shut, it’s still none of your business.  Or, you can both fuck straight off.” He wasn’t going to give an inch on this.  Sante was a low level imp who thought he was going to intimidate a cataclysm demon?  Had the male forgotten who he was dealing with or what Marcellus could do?  “Or do I need to remind you what I’m capable of?”  His lips thinned as a malevolent grin formed on his lips.

“No, Marcellus, that is not necessary.  It is just that there are concerns that you will lose focus and that the mission…”

“No one said a word when I was fucking anyone else.  Even my relationship with Gian didn’t get this much attention.  Tell your boss that jealousy doesn’t become him.  And next time, next time he can come personally.  Otherwise, Sante, I’ll send you back to him in pieces, along with his fuck toy that is still in Imperium.  We clear?” Marcellus was done with the conversation.  He stood and disappeared.

For a minute Sante sat in the quiet cafe and tried to figure out how he was going to explain any of this to his boss.  He liked his body in one piece.  It was always so hard to get all the pieces lined up right when the boss decided to slice and dice.  If he wasn’t just as scared of Marcellus, he’d find a way to take care of Sorina, maybe he’d have to find one that didn’t come back to him.