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the-letter-horror-lover · 3 years ago

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Syrenne turns hearing the alarms sound from inside the estate, her eyes flitting back to the demon before. Gone is Sebastian's look of complete rage, replaced with a confident grin. His arms are folded over his chest eying her like a bored instructor may a sleeping student. His demeanor was like night and day, like taking off a mask.

"Something wrong Syrenne?" He asks, thin lips curling in question, he's amused because he knows something she doesn't.

A Trick.

The she-devil sneers, "It doesn't matter because your out there. You may think you have the upper hand Michaëlis but you don't, you don't have anything! Now if you'll excuse me I think I've a naughty kitten to correct." A grin of wild insanity breaks across her face. " you know when I'm done I'll be sure to bring you the leftovers."

Sebastian narrows his eyes, not quite loosing his edge but still hoping his plan has worked. Ciel is smart enough to know if he sent Dante there is a reason he didn't come himself. Although, in his mates current stat the crow can not be to sure if the once earl will be lucid enough to make the connection. All he can do is hope that in the commotion the barriers key will be destroyed enough for him to enter.

As much confidence as he has in Ciel; Syrenne is a predator with nothing to loose. She knows her plan is disintegrating in her hands and she will not allow herself to be on the losing end again. She will take any semblance of victory she can, and killing Ciel would do that.

The panther stalks down through the halls as the sound of thundering footsteps' grows louder. A pair of large icy blue eyes flash fuchsia in the darken halls as fine Italian marble is coated in a sheet of ice.

Ahead the guard skid to a halt, looking with fearful eyes at the massive creature slowly prowling toward them. One of the guard raises a gun in his trembling hands. However before he can shoot a small flash of black races down the hall and leaps at the mans hand.

Dante's fangs sink deep in the flesh of the mans palm causing the gun to shoot up into the ceiling and his arm to fling wildly.

Ciel's roar shakes the display cases and cracks the glass.

The little cat is thrown of by her attacker and strikes the wall with a hard thud. The men realize there mistake in harming the small animal as the demon cat launches at them. There is the repeated echo of gunshots in the enclosed space. The sounds turn to pitching screams as they are torn limb from limb and blood paints the walls.

Misha watches from a security camera upstairs in his office, his hands shake violently before the man flings a crystal decanter of liquor at the wall. When he looks back at the video feed the beast is gone. "Syrenne!"

"Sic vis pacem para bellum - if you want peace, prepare for war."

― A.J. Darkholme, Rise of the Morningstar

Chapter 20: Rage of a Serpent

Chapter Text

Syrenne stalked down the hall her heels clicking on the hardwood, or rather stomping on it as her gate was as agitated, the thick burnish aura coming off her in waves. She had planned everything to the letter and yet again that damn crow had managed to ruin all of her hard work. She should have killed them both outright, but no she wanted to savor this like a fine wine. She wanted to see the look on that ravens face as she crushed his very heart.

How dare that little blue haired nuisance ruin her plans!

This was all Ciel Phantomhive’s fault, Misha’s little pet had become a liability that she would have to correct.

Before she could go down and amend the problem a certain bumbling human rounded a corner, his hands shaking as they grabbed her shoulders.

“Syrenne! You must protect me!” Misha cowered, his face ashen with worry as another chorus of screams lit from the lower levels of the estate. More of his staff being slaughtered by the demon panther as he made is way up through the Estates lower level.

The she-devil looked bored as her eyes flitted to where the human’s palms clutched at her desperately. With a delicate hand as is flicking of an offensive incest she plucked his grip away from her person. “Misha dear your wrinkling the Dior,” she stated impassively, brushing past him.

The man sputtered where he stood and shouted after her, “I don’t care about your damned clothes you promised me that that demon would be immobile and now he’s gone on the lose, he means to kill me don‘t you understand?!”

Syrenne looked over her shoulder, eyes flashing dangerously. “Foolish mortal, I never promised you anything. In-fact I believe I said once Ciel was captured he was then your problem. I never gave a damn about that runt. The only reason I’m going to go down there and put the cat out is that he has annoyed me. I do nothing for you Misha; your usefulness has run its shelf life. Now if I were you I’d get out of here because when I’m done with the kitten and his crow I might just get hungry.”

Troyeski shivered as the woman’s fans dipped over her garnet lips. He had played with a devil and lost. The human turned and ran, keen on heading the demons warnings.

“Here kitty kitty, I have a saucer of milk for you?” Syrenne sang in sweet false voice, her reptilian eyes adjusting to the dark of the lower corridor.

The backup generator had failed and the florescent lights lay in piles of glass on the now frosted floors. The only light in the narrow winding halls was the intermittent blinking of red alarm lights. The pulsing crimson casting eerie shadows.

“You’ve set quite a stage for yourself Phantomhive, right out of a made for television horror. Tell me am I supposed to be impressed? Am I supposed to be afraid of the big bad cat?”

Her footsteps crunched on the flecks of glass as she walked, the resounding tip, tap, of her designer heels following the crushed echoes.

A voice from the darkness replied, “Afraid? No, I do not expect you to be afraid of me personally. However, I believe I know what might instill something to that affect. I must admit, Sebastian did not give your talents nearly enough credit. Truly creative, I suppose that little display of death was jarring for me. Unfortunately, I never was one to shy away from the things that cause me pain. I just had to go back for a second look.”

The snake followed the voice into the darkness the air growing colder the deeper she descended into the lower levels of the compound. The demon had to step over the half eaten corpses of guards and staff members. “Let me guess, you swore to avenge the desecration of their final resting place? Perhaps you even wept and discovered the last remnant of your humanity. Now you are going to tell me what a monster I am for separating you from your one true love. Really dear I didn’t bring my pocket tissues.”

A low slow chuckle lifted from the murky haze just ahead, throbbing red light flickered to illuminate the cold thick rolling fog of white. A figure walking through the miasma could be seen in the signal shine, a man with blood dripping over his bare body like sweat. He carried himself with an air of nobility, his once cobalt locks now inked black with carnage. “Monster? Oh no dear, I’ve meet monsters and you Syrenne… your just a vindictive woman. As for vengeance for people who have been dead over a century? Now that’s just a waste of time isn’t it? I tasted that revenge long ago, served to me by one who knows how; so no there was no weeping or epiphany of what I shall do to exact my pound of flesh.”

She paused crossing her arms, the she-devils eyes narrowed into slits. Growing tired of the demoness soliloquy. “Then what prey-tell is this little speech of your suppose to mean to me? Other than to aid in dragging your feet to the grave?”

“You see Syrenne in your whimsical need to have flare for the dramatic you neglected something.” Ciel said holding up a small medallion of glass. The little sphere spun as it caught the light, the intricate etchings over it surface glittering and casting prismatic lines on the blood spattered walls. “A child’s memories of his mother are quite good, and mine never wore jewelry beyond her wedding band.”

The demoness’s eyes widened. “..No.”

It had been a spur of the moment decision to hang the barriers talisman around the remains of the former Lady Phantomhive’s neck. She wanted to enjoy the idea it being right there, freedom right in Ciel’s face and he would never know it.

She underestimated him, Sebastian’s words flashing in the serpents mind.

Ciel snapped the little babble between his fingers with a theatrical ‘oops’. The demon smiled as the air around them suddenly swirled and warmed with a flurry of jet-black feathers. “Now, if you’ll excuse me Syrenne, I have to go express my dissatisfaction of my stay here at this establishment with your employer. You on the other hand have an appointment with my husband.”

“Hello Miss Valencia.”

The she-devil turned slowly to see a pair of glowing crimson eyes behind her. The subtle glint of his fangs as large wings arced in the narrow hall, the feathers flexing and scraping the walls like knives.

Ciel strode right past her pausing at Sebastian’s side to press lewdly against the man‘s side, melting to his mates side to indulge in a moment of comfort. “Kill her, that’s an order.”

“Yes. My love.”

“You wanted to drown in a woman. Here's your chance. Drown in her blood"

~Violence(Maddox)” ― Gena Showalter, The Darkest Night

Chapter 21: Wrath of a Panther

Notes:

AN: As always with my work, music inspired this chapter heavily!!! So here's a short play list I has rolling while writing, feel free to check it out.

Blood is all I need -by- Twiztid

Death of it all - by - Rob Zombie

Been to hell - by - Hollywood Undead

These make writing violence better and what not XD. Also I'm taking a lot of liberties with demonic powers in this one, so I hope you all don't mind that. Its just my head cannon with Sebastian there is a lot of imagery with fire through out the series so I feel like Ciel would be ice, my supporting cannon for that is he is born in December and the character pallet is always very cool colors, the imagery of the white roses = snow, I don't know, I just really get that. So I hope that makes sense in the way I'm presenting this. Any who enjoy this chapter.

Warning: Violence, Gore

Chapter Text

Ciel continued down the corridor absentmindedly humming along to a tune in his head, Dante marching proudly, if limping a bit, behind her master.

Entering the main floor the estate seemed deserted, until Ciel walked from the foyer into the dining room. He smirked at the sight of littered bodies all with dinning forks impaled in their skulls.

"It would seem Sebastian did a bit of tidying up on his way down." The neko commented, receiving an affirmative mew from his little companion. "Dante stay,"

With the command, the feline limped off into the parlor bounding up onto a silken cushion, turned a few times before settling down.

Ciel directed his gaze back toward the dinning hall, the doors had been torn off and glass from the broken windows powered the floors like fresh snow. The demons eyes flared as he looked around the room, so much death. He vaguely wondered why no reaper had made it to the scene, considering all these bodies with three demons on the premises and none of them with a viable contract. Though the neko had to wonder if perhaps someone had ordered the shinigami back.

Crossing the dinning hall the demon stopped noticing a smear of blood on the door jam. Ciel raised his head breathing in the tick coppery tang of the air, easily pulling out the speck of life under all that carnage.

"Hiding is so unbecoming Mr. Troyeski... So cowardly. I truly expected more from you, if anything you should welcome this death as it is far more interesting than any way you could have gone out had this whole mess not transpired." Ciel spoke allowed as he walked from the dinning hall and stood before the grand staircase.

The palm shaped smudge transferred onto the while railing and trail up to the second floor. He sighed sounding very put out to have to continue this meaningless little game of hide and seek. "What did you hope to accomplish by running up here I wonder, surely your not so foolish as to trap yourself. Oh but you are only human after all, you see this is why mortals should not meddle in the affairs of the underworld." Ciel said as he walked slowly up the staircase, following the droplets of blood down to the door to the master bedroom.

The demon eyed the closed entry and trailed his fingertips over the glass doorknob. Fleshing his palm his claws elongated scratching as the drug over the clear glass. With a single tap, the clear decoration fell away in cut cubes. "So fragile..."

Ciel leaned against the door, his voice low and sultry verging on the obscene as he pressed his warm body flush against the wood grain. "This is what you wanted wasn't it? To see me in all my glory, the beautiful specimen that your ignorant mortal mind thought it could cage. Tell me ... was it worth it?" Ciel took a steep back and kicked the door in sending the frame exploding off its hinges into the room.

Stepping inside the demon rolled his eyes at the sight of feet behind the curtain. "Seriously?"

Misha threw the curtain too the sides reveal the shoot gun in his hands pulling the trigger in an instant. The demon flew backward his eyes wide with surprise as his body crashed against the wardrobe and lid down to the floor leaving a wide streak of red.

"Ha...ha . . . Ah! I did it! I did it! Not so all knowing now you see! Your time is done your no more mythical or frightening than any man or mutant!" Misha laughed wildly gazing down at the neko's body that lay with a gaping wound to this abdomen. "I won! Me! I am the master of this house!"

The human ran from the room panting and laughing on a high of victory.

"Oh you know that was rude, really it was Do you have any idea how long I had to wait to grow into this body?"

Misha turned at the voice, still trembling and clutching the weapon. There walking out of the bedroom behind him...was Ciel Michaëlis.

The demons wound closed before his eyes, Ceil coughed once hacking out the shrapnel buck shot. " lovely, I'm going to be doing this for days now. So disgusting..."

Misha dropped the gun and fell backwards on the carpet scoot backwards babbling nonsense and pleading for mercy.

"What's the matter Mr. Troyeski? Are we not having fun anymore? To be honest I had hoped for a bit more, you see I have always been partial to games, so how about you play one of my favorites shall we? Hide and Seek, I will even give you a head start." Ciel said prowling closer until he leaned down face to face with the spoiled billionaire. "Go."

Misha ran, his first thought was to bolt out of the main doors but as soon as the human was in sight a thick shards of ice spiking up from puddles created by the grounds sprinkler system.

"Now now, you must stay in the bounds of the game."

Misha looked around his eyes fearful and wide as the demons voice seemed to materialize out of thin air.

The human darted to the left intend on running to his hidden office, unfortunately when Troyeski flung open the door to the suitcase he was face with the creeping black smoke. His hands clutched the door from looking between the lit parlor and the decent into darkness. Frustration bubbling in his chest, Misha pounded his fist against the wall.

He could not leave and he could not stay. This was not a game he was going to win, the only choice remaining were he would make his last stand. Would he die here on the Persian rugs of his grandiose library, or in his office - his sanctuary of power.

The darkness suddenly looked more inviting.

Troyeski made his way down the spiral staircase and into the dark room below; there was a humming sound before the light about the massive fish tank lit. The greenish white light cast an eerie glow through the room. The human allowed his eyes to adjust; he quickly noticed the drop in temperature. His breath coming out in puffs of condenses air.

Misha looked around the room scanning the area for movement. Nothing. It appeared he was alone but appearances could be deceiving.

Suddenly the ground shook with a loud boom from below, Misha fell to his hands and knees and crawled under his desk. This should have never happed, he had taken every precaution; everything was planned out flawless.

Troyeski looked up at the ancient fish that moved slowly through the murky water. This is what he did, he possessed beautiful things, rare things, However; most things did not bite back.

The human had reached to high, he wanted to much and now he would pay dearly for it

"Cowering under a desk like a frighten child? I expected more."

Misha froze at the sound of the demons voice, he covered his own mouth to keep from screaming.

There was a thump and sudden weight on the top of the desk. He breathed as quietly as possible willing himself not to look.

"I know your under there, tell me Mr. Troyeski, was lining your self with that slithering b!tch all you thought it would be? You never answered me when I asked you if it was worth it. I'm truly curious" Ciel asked as his claws dug trenches into the mahogany desktop.

"No comment? Funny you were awfully chatty during our visits. Or was that because you had that little toy of yours to keep me compliant?"

"I.. I'm sorry please.." Misha stuttered out

Ciel rolled his eyes and stood up on the desk, turning a Amber paperweight over in his hands. Inside the golden stone lay some prehistoric insect, forever frozen in time. "Yes because your apology touches my heart." He said, words dripping with sarcasm.

"Unfortunately I'd rather touch yours...right through your rib cage" With that the demon flung the small stone with the speed of a bullet at the wall sized fish tank.

The sound was like a bomb exploding, a wall of glass shattered in an instant sending gallons of water flooding into to room.

Misha scrambled as he was swept out from his hiding place by the sudden surge of aquarium water. He hacked and coughed as the disgusting water filled his mouth and nostrils. The human tried to stand and run only to slip and fall in the mixture of underwater foliage, sand and broken glass. Troyeski was soaked to the skin floundering on the floor. Behind him the aquarium light fizzled and blinked.

He looked around desperate for an exit, Misha jumped at a heavy slapping sound; only to find one of the massive fish flopping on the floor a few feet away. He pushed his hair back with a wet bleeding palm, the crimson liquid running down his face.

The humans heart pounded with each flash of light throbbing in the darkness, he squinted his eyes trying to locate the demon in the strobe.

Ciel swaggered through the wet floor, his skin washed clean of the blood from his initial escape. The demon cast an impressive figure, long and lean. The shadows playing on his face, removing any lingering boyish fullness in his features and highlighting the hard-line of his jaw and cheekbones, the dip of his cupids bow. "Your making this all very boring for me, I hoped that I would have some satisfaction from this. Your all the same though begging in the end."

The room shook again with an other powerful crash from below. Ciel smirked glancing down. "sounds like my mate is having fun."

Misha struggled to his feet, "How do you know, it could be Syrenne is winning... she, she might come up here and kill you next!"

"Oh and what, that your she devil will be your savior? I know you're not that stupid, one way or another demon will kill you." Ciel said in smirking at the human as Troyeski trembled with fear.

The temperature began to drop and the water hazed from murky transparent wash to a lazy gray as it solidified into ice. Misha found himself stuck by the ankles in the ice, there was no escape. The human panicked tugging at his legs in a futile effort.

"How dose it feel being trapped?" Ciel asked stopping a few feet from his prey, eyes glowing with ill intent with each step he closed between them.

Misha's eyes were wide with terror, the demon grabbed his face holding it steady and staring deep into his eyes. As if measuring the worth of his very soul. He tried to scream as he felt the claws piercing through the tender flesh of his cheeks, scraping against his teeth and filling his mouth with blood.

"So pathetic, this is what passes for cunning in this age. I was dealing with men with twice your ambition and only half the intelligence when I was just a boy. What is the matter Troyeski? Cat got your tongue?" Ciel smirked at his own cruel joke before snapping his wrist in a quick motion to the right. The loud pop and scream that left the human as his jaw broke echoed through the room.

Misha crumbled to the floor when the demon released him, blood pouring from his mouth as he cradled his ruined face.

"You kneel so wonderfully, I can see the attraction in it now... having someone prone in subservience. I used to enjoy it myself once upon a time. However, you lack poise." Ciel said snapping his fingers. A spike of ice shot up from the ground and up through the human's right shoulder.

Misha howled as his back was brought straight and he was forced to stare up into the face of his death. The demons once fine porcelain sin was now tinted black fading to grey blue up his limbs. Blood painted the ice below him and began to freeze a dusky rose color. He could not speak to beg for his now shattered mandible.

Ciel reached down winding his fingers in the human is salt and pepper hair griping the strands and tugging the humans head back. The moment was silent looking into the mans dark eyes wide with fear and glistening tears.

"Checkmate..."

Misha Troyeski felt the impact in his chest; he felt his torso jerk back and forth but his brain did not compute the feeling as belonging to him. There was a strange sense of floating in the cold and then. Horror. He looked down as the demons hand soaked in blood retracted from his cavity.

He had always loved oddities, seeing and possessing things that others did not. In those last few moments as the demon took his hand and placed the warm trembling organ in his own hand; the concept that this was his own heart seemed so far away.

The final few neurons firing in his brain as his vision and motor function ceased he looked up through the dying light and said... "No"

None of this was worth it.

"Criminals do not die by the hands of the law. They die by the hands of other men."

― George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

Chapter 22: Salvation of a Raven

Notes:

AN: This is our final full chapter, we will see what Sebby has been up to!!! I'm really sorry if this seems...idk anti climactic. I'm honestly not that good with fight scenes at least I don't think I am. I tried though so I do hope you enjoy this chapter for what it is. Fear not though dear readers there shall be an epilogue. There will be a 3rd book, it will deal in mpreg so if you dont like that then yep dont go to that one then XD

As soon as the barrier dropped Sebastian was unleashed on the estate like a tornado, killing everything in his path to get to his mate, his Ciel. A singular focus in the mists of destruction, take back what belongs to him.

Making his way down disposing of any unfortunate human to stumble across his path, they were no different than the snake that stole his love and they deserved death.

Once Sebastian fooled the screams into the depths of the Troyeski manner he knew his love was well. The trail of dismembered bodies and walls painted with blood stood testament to his beautiful panthers rage.

Seeing that beautiful body dripping with the blood of his kills made the bluenette all the more desirable, the dominant demons primal brain sang with contentment. 'Our lover is strong and vicious' it purred.

Now he had to reestablish his dominance before reclaiming what was his.

To do so Syrenne was going to pay for what she had done, he would not be able to kill her but he could send her back to hell. There she would receive her just deserts at the hands of their kind.

"Hello Miss Valencia."

Ciel strode right past her pausing at Sebastian's side to press lewdly against the man's side, melting to his mates side to indulge in a moment of comfort. "Kill her, that's an order."

"Yes. My love."

Syrenne sneered baring her fangs "This doesn't mean anything Michaëlis! You haven't won!" her tone marked in disdain for the male before her, why must they always ruin her plans?

"Of that I am aware since I have yet to send you back to hell." Sebastian smiled his eyes glowing in the darkness.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides."Enough of these games!" The she-devil shrieked, her lower body leaving its illusion and becoming the massive serpentine tail her kind was known for. Moving the powerful muscles and launching her self at the younger demon.

Sebastian's form moved in a blur dodging the snake to kick her in the back, propelling the demoness into the floor.

Syrenne growled and contorted her body in the cramped hall to round on the raven, only to find nothing but a trail of feathers in the flashing red warning lights. Enraged the snake flew deeper down the hall, her massive tail batting the wall as she slithered at such speeds. The flashing light bursting from the impact, she would chase down her prey and end this for the last time.

The hall way opened at its end to a service room, it held the electrical, gas water systems for the entire estate and featured its own elevator to the main floor. The snake weaved into the tight quarters slowly, "Running and hiding are we Sebastian? How cowardly of you, did you learn this little trick from your little pet?"

"I've learned a great many things from him actually," The velvety baritone echoed off the pipes.

She turned her head to the voice and narrowed her eyes in the darkness; the copper orbs slit at their center and glowed, a vertical inner lid blinking over them shortly as her vision adjusted to seek out the male's body heat. A glimmer of movement in the far right corner had the serpent coiling her body to move but then a sharp ping to her left distracted her. "What the..."

A dart in a pipe.

Her curiosity was short lives as the pipes pressurized contents bucked the intrusive little weapon and burst, sending a stream of boiling hot steam in the she-devils face.

She screamed trying to bend and move away only to feel something heavy land on her back, disoriented by the trick she spun to her back in an attempt to pull her large tail forward and coil around the demon.

Syrenne however forgot the close-nit quarters she was currently in. She had been trapped, lured in and trapped.

Sebastian grinned down her as his hands wrapped around her throat. "I'm going to enjoy this!"

Grabbing the male's wrists Syrenne let her lower half return to its human guise and wrapped her legs around Sebastian's torso in an attempt to throw him off, rolling them both into a wall. She could feel his claws sinking into her flesh as the blood pooled around his fingers. Reaching out blindly the serpent took hold of metal cord running up the wall ripping it loose. The wire sparkled blue as it was torn free and the snake jammed the live end into the younger demons side.

The electrical current sent Sebastian off his opponent shaking his entire body, it was then the familiar metallic taste he had felt across his bond entered his mouth. Therefore, that was it; they had been electrocuting Ciel to insure his compliance.

Rage surged through the demon as he got to his feet, glaring at the battered snake as she wielded the cord still attached to the wall. "You have been so very vocal about honor among our kind but now look at you Syrenne. I may have fallen for my contract but at least I didn't willing become a lap dog for nothing."

"I did what I had to in order to survive! Thanks to you, I was banished from hell, left to rot in this mortal realm. You sold me out for a reaper!" Her hair was wild and clothing torn, her bloody scalded face was not healing. She had spent all this time on revenge and cared little of contracts, revenge had consumed her.

Sebastian took a step back eying the mad woman carefully, "I did not sell you out Syrenne, I would have to have some feeling toward you in order to enact malice and I can assure you I was indifferent to your existence. I simply had a very attractive offer at my fingertips. As for the reaper, well you did that to yourself didn't you? An act of antisocial aggression; you knew the consequences and yet you did not care."

"SHUT UP!" Her voice cracked waving the wire wildly.

She didn't even notice the subtle movement of the Michaëlis as his fingers deftly loosened a small nozzle labeled. 'Danger flammable.'

"Oh but I'm not finished yet," Sebastian grinned, "Say hello to my brother for me."

Before Syrenne could question the raven tore the nozzle from the propane tank and spun his body away to the left, wrapping his black wings around him to guard from the explosion. The gas shot out in an invisible mist, Syrenne had no time... The fumes caught the spark of the wire and her body was engulfed in a ball of flame.

Sebastian was knock off his feet from the blast as pipes all around the service room began to burst, the flames being half eaten by water and half feed by other gasses. He peered over as the demoness's form melted to a streak of ash against the concrete wall.

It was over.

Sebastian bounded up the elevator shaft to the main floor. The main floor was silent, he could feel Ciel was nearby. Actually he could smell the neko a good bit as well, Ciel had been forced into heat. Sebastian had know that the moment he steeped on to the property but now it was permeating the air with thick stick aroma beckoning him closer. However, there was a sickly undertone he did not favor. His mate had been through an ordeal weather or not Ciel was willing to admit it.

Walking through the halls Sebastian finally located to parlor, spotting the bluenette wrapped in one of the satin window treatments on the sofa.

"I take it you have had a word with Mr. Troyeski?" Sebastian commented, eying his mate with a smirk playing on his thin lips.

"You could say that, no hurry up and take me home birdbrain." Ciel groaned twisting in the fabric, arching and contorting against to soft pull of the satin.

Sebastian nodded heading over picking up his mate in his arms and taking a sleeping Dante up by her scruff and placing the feline in Ciel's arms. "As you wish."

"In war, the key to victory is the ability to surprise one's opponent."

― Paulo Coelho, Warrior of the Light

Chapter 23: Epilogue

Notes:

AN: Here we are Loves, you don’t have to read this bit unless you want to as it’s…ahem…well I think we all know what this chapter is. It is for the grown folks. So that said, you know how I do things I’m not terribly graphic at least I don’t think I am I tend to lean more on feels but hopefully it will be enough for you fangirls and boys.

In addition, this was inspired by the song “Love me like you do - Alice Olivia version” Incase you were wondering…

Warnings: lovin, discussion of mpreg - if don't like it why are you here?

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The house was dark when they arrived, silent as a tomb as the raven ascended the staircase. Each board creaked his under bare feet. The long white satin drape that the neko was swaddled in skirted the hardwood floors as they walked. The couple’s way lit by decorative candles that flared to life as the demon passed carrying his precious cargo.

The bluenette wrapped his arms around his mate’s strong neck and threading slender fingers though locks black as the night beyond their walls.

The bedroom door creaked open in an unseen wind, the master bed in the center of the room fitted with beige Egyptian cotton and black fur. Luxurious textiles that kissed and caressed the skin.

Sebastian lay Ciel down on their bed snatching away the submissive’s covering in fluid motion. The fan of snowy satin drifted to a heap on the floor as crimson eyes fell on the supple body before them. “Your exquisite.” he said reverently before letting his fingertips dance over impassioned flesh. Tracing every dip and valley of the sweat-stippled skin, from the slender males pectorals, oblique, and abdominals that fluttered under each touch.

The younger demon arched, his face painted in flush and eyes hazed with want. “For the love of …ah…everything unholy! Nghh…Se-Sebastian hurry will you!”

The raven smirked as he took his time unbuttoning his dress shirt. “Patience my love, I intent to give you the best of me. I want you to be well aware of who I am to you…” His voice dripped with promise shedding the garments and climbing on top of the younger man.

Ciel keened opening willingly to his lover and offering his neck. “Do not just tell me then. Show me… impress me you arrogant old crow, make me scream if you think you can.”

Sebastian trails the tip of his tongue from the hollow of his loves throat and up along the jugular arch, “I am your faithful servant, your lover, your husband, and soon the Sire of your children.” He punctuated each statement with a luxurious open-mouthed kisses. Laving the neko’s peach skin from his neck and along Ciel’s jaw line before claiming the lean male’s mouth.

Navy lashes fluttered closed as Ciel moaned into the kiss, arching his hips and coiling his legs around the taller demons waste. His mind went blank and the world outside his dominants lips, ceased to exist. This was his world caged by these strong arms, he was brought to life by the other mans breath. Every inch of his skin set on fire by skilled hands and wandering lips.

The younger demon took a deep shuddering breath as their body melded together, the delicious burn of being stretched open and held down. Black nails digging into his pale lovers shoulder blades, raking down leaving trails of red.

Shadows moved in unison over the walls as every corner echoed the desperate breathless words; “More”, “Yes”, “Don’t stop.”

Sebastian looked down, the sweat rolling from the bridge of his nose and down his chest. His mate never looked so handsome than now, the vague feeling of de ja vu tingled the edge of his senses. Some far away dream from long ago. This was better than any dream because it was real, it was here and it was now. Gazing at long navy hair that had darkened to black with perspiration as it fanned over the pillow. The once soft rounded features that had gained beautiful definition over the years. Pouted open lips now ruddy and kiss bitten. Dilated eyes of royal blue that looked at him with such reverence.

��Se..Sebastian.. I want it... please.” Oh that voice, that rich warm tenor with just a hint of childish lit. The fact that it could be so posh and yet sound so deliciously debauched.

Warm palms ran up over his chest and over his shoulders drawing him down in a sweet kiss, so much sweeter than a demon should be worthy of.

Wave after wave of frenzied and slow love making, screaming names and cracking the headboard. Hours turning into days and days into nights. Moments between spent pampering his little lover like as he would have over a century ago, only with a bit more care and a lot more possession. They had grown used to this over the years; the custom of the season. This time however was special; Ciel could feel the warmth inside of him and wanted to believe it meant something wonderful. He was not as snappish in between and allowed Sebastian to fawn over him, as the elder daemon had wanted to do in these times.

Things would be different now, Ciel was ready for that. They were ready for that.

The last evening as they lay in bed Ciel curled to his lover’s chest, Sebastian looked up at the ceiling painting in the golden glow of evening. Feeling the warm summer breeze as it ruffled through the curtains and the cicadas singing in the distance. For all they had gone through, he hoped for more moments like this. In truth a seed of pride grew in his heart at the thought that perhaps one day in the near future this moment may be shared with another.

A small perfect little being made from the one soul he loved more than anything, a living breathing new life that would be theirs. It was freighting and thrilling all at the same time, but things change and evolve.

It was time for the next adventure.

“But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise on your lips.”

― Kahlil Gibran

Notes:

Authors Note- Book three

Ok dear hearts yes there will be a book three and it is called Kuroshitsuji: The Empty Room.

OUT NOW! (or like 5 mins of this post..you get it )

Series this work belongs to:

← Previous Work Part 3 of Kuro after years Next Work →

#black butler fanfiction

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bookaddict24-7 · 7 years ago

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New Young Adult Books Coming Out Today! (February 6, 2018)

There are A LOT of new releases this week! As always, let me know if I’ve missed any books and/or if you’ve added any of these to your TBR!

New Standalones/First in a Series:

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson

The Last to Let Go by Amber Smith

When My Heart Joins the Thousand by A.J. Steiger

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Your One & Only by Adrianne Finlay

By a Charm and a Curse by Jaime Questell

Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi

Tempests & Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Winterfolk by Janel Kolby

You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston

Fade to Us by Julia Day

All We Can Do is Wait by Richard Lawson

New Sequels:

Assassins of Truth (Library Jumpers #3) by Brenda Drake

Shadowsong (Wintersong #2) by S. Jae-Jones

The Greed (The Cruelty #2) by Scott Bergstrom

Fourth Dimension (The Rule of Three) by Eric Walters

Dark Goddess (Alpha Goddess #2) by Amalie Howard

The Dragon’s Curse (Transference #2) by Bethany Wiggins

Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms #6) by Morgan Rhodes

Happy reading!

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askullinajar · 7 years ago

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A Little Help From Your Friends (Part 12/13)

T/W: Suicide Mention.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13

Fic Info: Takes place around 2 years before the events of A Merry Little Christmas. Rating: Mature. Pairings: Lucy/Lockwood, Holly/Rani, others if you squint.

Stuck in a jar, longing to get out, longing to live again, the skull never thought there’d be a future where he wished he had just stayed dead.

But maybe all he needed was a helping hand from the people who somehow, against their better judgement, cared. A helping hand from each of them. In turn.

Part 12: Lucas

“Can I stay at yours tonight?” said Skully, hovering in the doorway to the morgue, idly scrolling on his phone. “Mine’s full of boxes right now.”

“Sure,” said Charlie, from where they were sticking boxed organs into the freezer, “it's basically yours too now, anyway. Can we have take-out and stay up all night watching scary movies?”

“I thought that was implied?” said Skully.

It was getting late, and everyone in the forensics department, aside from Skully and Charlie, had already gone home for the night. Outside, what could be seen of the sky through the forensic department’s basement windows was already black, the moon and stars were obscured by dark clouds, and rain beat harshly against the glass. Skully grimaced; he’d forgotten his coat.

“Lucas says he’ll stop by after his fencing lesson to give us a lift back,” said Charlie, “so we won’t have to walk in the rain.”

“Your brother is a saint,” said Skully. “You nearly done?”

Charlie gestured to the body on the metal slab, covered with a white sheet. “Gotta put him away f–”

Without warning, the fluorescent lights in the morgue flickered and fizzled out and plunging them into almost pitch-black darkness.

Skully frowned up at them. “Maybe it’s ghosts,” he joked. “We are in a morgue.”

“I don’t sense any Sources,” said Charlie.

“Kidding, C,” Skully said, but he frowned again when the lights didn’t come back on and cars alarms started to screech outside. “Is it a power cut?”

Charlie went over to the window and stood on their tiptoes to peer out. “All the other buildings’ lights are on.”

Behind them, something clattered against the floor. Skully whirled around and squinted into the darkness.

“Maybe it’s just Lucas trying to find us,” Charlie whispered, voice fearful.

“Maybe,” said Skully without much conviction. Something was wrong here.

He switched the torchlight on his phone on and shone it around the empty lab, its glow casting grotesque shadows against the walls.

There! Something had moved. A shadow had flickered over in the corner, but when Skully cast the torchlight over there, it was gone.

“I’m not someone to mess with!” he called into the darkness.

Maybe it was just kids, sneaking in to get a peak of a dead body. Then again…

“Any of the people in those freezers die of unnatural causes?” he asked Charlie, not taking his eyes off the dark laboratory.

Charlie didn’t get a chance to answer. Something, or someone, lunged out from behind a desk and smashed the phone out of Skully’s hand before he had a chance to defend himself. It skidded across the floor, and as it did, the light cast shadows of other hidden figures. A lot of them.

Skully threw a punch at the guy who had attacked him, but it was so dark that his aim was off, and his fist barely grazed the man’s shoulder. Instead, the man caught his arm and yanked it painfully behind Skully’s back. He struggled, but someone else hit him around the head with something solid and metallic; a microscope, maybe. His head rang, and spots burst before his eyes. It wasn’t enough to make him pass out, but it was enough to make him sluggish, making it easier for the first guy to yank Skully’s other arm behind his back and hold it there in a lock.

Skully vaguely registered more people run past into the morgue, heard Charlie yelp, then the sound of a fist connecting with a nose, a sickening crunch, and a man grunting in pain. He heard more struggling, equipment being knocked over. He tried to pull himself out of the man’s grip, to help Charlie, but he was still sluggish, and the man unnaturally strong.

The sounds of struggling ceased, then the lights flickered back on, illuminating the dozen or so burly men, two of whom gripped Charlie’s arms tightly to keep them from escaping or causing any more broken noses.

“Well, well,” said a voice, “two for the price of one.”

Skully looked up and glared at the figure who’d spoken. The slicked-back hair, the toad-like mouth, the physique of an upturned pear…

“Leopold Winkman,” Skully spat. “How’s mummy and daddy? Oh, wait.”

Leopold turned and appraised the ex-ghost coolly. “And you’re that manky skull Carlyle liked to carry around like a teddy bear. I did wonder if they managed to bring you back.” Idly, he walked over to the metal slab and flicked back the sheet from the corpse’s face, revealing a gaping black bullet wound right in the centre of the dead man’s forehead. “I see you got my present,” he said to Charlie. “Had to find some way to keep you busy past normal hours, I’m afraid.”

Commotion sounded in the lab outside the morgue, and three more men dragged a bleeding Lucas in.

“Found this one trying to get in,” one of them said. “He matches the description of Lucas Cain, don’t you think, sir?”

Leopold smiled, if that’s what you could call his wide mouth stretching back to reveal yellowing teeth. “He does indeed.”

“Summers,” Lucas growled, glaring at Leopold beneath his bleeding brow. “My surname is Summers.”

“I don’t think that’s what your birth certificate says,” Leopold replied, smirking. “I can’t believe this! Three for the price of one! I am gonna get so much money. Do you lot all huddle together like penguins or something?”

Skully’s eyes darted from Lucas, whose head was hung as blood trickled down his face and dripped on the floor, to Charlie, who was still frantically wriggling in their captures’ hands. Leopold seemed to take great joy in his confusion.

“Aww, what’s the matter?” he cooed mockingly with a gleeful grin. “Did you think you were the only escaped experiment?” He laughed harshly as Skully gaped at him. “There are some members of the Orpheus Society who will be thrilled to have you all back.”

“They’re all in prison,” Skully spat.

Leopold laughed again. “Don’t you know how the world works yet? Rich white people? They don’t stay in prison for too long.” He turned to eye Charlie’s hysterical struggling. “Can someone shut it up, please?”

One of the men raised a microscope.

“Touch them and you’re dead!” Skully hissed.

The man with the microscope eyed Skully reproachfully. Leopold tusked, then he flicked away the edge of his coat to reveal a pistol strapped to his belt, which he removed and toyed with thoughtfully.

“Make any trouble for us,” he said, calmly, “and you’ll be the one who’s dead. Or maybe I’ll shoot your friends instead.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Skully growled. “We’re worth too much.”

Leopold smiled. “I was only asked to bring in Chara Callaghan. And they didn’t specify dead or alive.”

He raised the pistol, pointed it towards Charlie’s head…

Then he seemed to change his mind and pointed it at Lucas instead.

A shot rang out. It seemed to shatter the very air they were breathing. The only sound that seemed to follow was the blood roaring through Skully’s ears, his heart pounding in his throat. He could only watch as Lucas crumpled to the ground, blood pooling beneath his lifeless form from the fresh gunshot wound in his head.

“NO!” Charlie shrieked, and with it, the cadaver lockers seemed to shake. It must have been a trick of the light, but the body on the slab looked like it twitched.

“Still think I wouldn’t dare?” Leopold said, reattaching the pistol to his belt.

He stood there so calmly, so ready to end a life, his soul so black and festering that no light shone through. Skully felt pure, cold rage burn in his chest. That was his friend Leopold had so easily slaughtered. That was Charlie’s big brother. And these men, these cold, heartless pigs had watched it all without even flinching.

Skully decided something, then. A similar thought process to that night in Fittes house when he’d chosen to save Lucy and A.J; these men, all of them, they didn’t deserve to live. Charlie, though. Charlie did. He had to make sure they did.

So, he let out a little of his power.

The man holding him released him with a yell as if he’d been burned, and he backed away quickly, staring down at his now swelling hands, at the purplish hue spreading up his arms.

Charlie used the distraction to wiggle free of their captures and lunge towards the slab. Leopold screamed a frantic “STOP THEM!” and a man grabbed Charlie around the middle and hauled them back, but not before their fingers brushed against the corpse’s cold, dead cheek.

The lights in the room flickered, the temperature dropped so rapidly that frost began to form on the windows and Skully’s breath puffed out in front of him. Over on the metal slab, green other-light seemed to shimmer around the body…

Then the dead man opened his eyes.

The man holding Charlie gave a yell and staggered back as the corpse sat up on the slab. With eye’s like frosted glass, it scanned the room before resting its gaze on Leopold Winkman, its sallow face twisting into a look of pure fury.

Released from the men’s grasps at last, Charlie scrambled away from them into Skully’s outstretched arms, and he pulled them away from the dead man as it dragged itself from the slab and lunged towards Leopold.

Leopold stumbled back, fumbling with the pistol at his belt. Managing to free it at last, he fired three shots at the walking corpse, but they did nothing to stop it from advancing towards its murderer.

“HELP ME YOU IDIOTS!” he shrieked at his henchmen as the corpse reached him and wrapped it’s cold, dead fingers around his throat. Unfortunately for him, most of them were too busy making a hasty retreat.

One stayed, though. Perhaps he was Leopold’s most trusted and loyal henchman. He tried to drag the corpse away from his boss first, but the thing wouldn’t budge, so he turned to Charlie.

“Stop it now, you little bitch!” he hissed, storming over to them.

Blood had stopped trickling down the side of Skully face, but his head still throbbed, and he felt sick and exhausted. He doubted he’d be able to use his powers, or be much use at all, but still, he put himself between Charlie and the man, shielding them as best he could.

“Sorry,” he said, “but I think your boyfriend over there kinda deserves what he’s getting.”

The man gave a roar of rage and surged towards them…

Then someone struck him around the head with a microscope from behind.

The man crumpled to the floor, knocked out cold, and behind him, Lucas lowered the microscope, and Skully stared.

“Lucas!” Charlie cried, running into their brother’s arms. “I wasn’t sure if you’d heal that time.”

Lucas spat something out on the floor – a bullet, Skully realised – and rubbed the side of his head. “Oh, man, I am gonna have such a headache.”

Over on the other side of the room, Leopold thrashed about on the floor, clawing at the fingers grasping his throat, his face slowly turning purple.

“Time to stop, Charl,” said Lucas, gently.

Charlie walked over to Leopold and the dead man and brushed their fingers against the corpse’s shoulder. Immediately, all signs of life left it, its fingers slipped from Leopold’s neck and it slumped forwards, trapping its killer beneath it.

Leopold struggled to push the corpse off of himself and failed miserably; dead people were much heavier than the living. “GET THIS THING OFF OF ME!” he wailed.

“Say you’re sorry first,” said Lucas, mockingly.

Leopold stared at him. “You-you’re… You’re dead. I shot you!”

Lucas cocked his bloody head to one side and frowned at Leopold. “Your bosses not tell you our powers?”

“They told me Callaghan’s power!” Leopold cried. “It was the only one who was supposed to be here!”

“Refer to Charlie as ‘it’ one more time and see where it gets you,” said Skully, coldly.

Maybe it was something about the look in Skully’s eye, but Leopold shut up sharpish. For a moment, the only sounds in the room were that of the ghost-touched man groaning. He should count himself lucky he was in a hospital, Skully thought.

Then Charlie swayed on the spot and collapsed.

Skully managed to catch them before they hit the floor and their head lolled lifelessly back in his arms. “Charlie? Charlie, can you hear me?”

“It’s the exhaustion,” said Lucas, “takes a lot to raise the dead.”

Outside, sirens came within earshot.

“Someone must have heard the gunshots,” said Skully.

Lucas swore. “Charlie won’t be able to talk to the police! And how the hell are we gonna explain this?”

Skully looked from the man groaning from ghost-touch, to his unconscious comrade, to Leopold still struggling beneath the dead-weight (pun intended). “We’re in a morgue,” he said, “wouldn’t be too unlikely for Visitors to turn up, don’t you think? Especially if their murderer’s nearby. I can handle this. Take Charlie home.”

Lucas frowned at him. “Are you sure?”

Skully gave him a loose grin. “I deal with cops all the time. Trust me on this.”

Lucas still seemed a little unsure, but he scooped Charlie’s lifeless form into his arms and stood. “Meet us at Charlie’s flat when you’re done, and I’ll explain everything,” he promised before fleeing from the morgue.

Skully turned to Leopold. He still had a little energy left. “Now, listen to me,” he said. “You came here to dispose of the evidence of your criminal activity –” He gestured to the corpse – “But his ghost showed up and attacked you. Caused a lot of commotion. Understand?”

Leopold stared up at him with wide fearful eyes before nodding slowly.

“Good,” said Skully, smiling.

A few minutes later, police officers and paramedics rushed in, and a familiar voice said, “Are you kidding me?!”

“Oh, hey, Rani!” said Skully, smiling cheerfully.

She glowered at him. “Why am I not surprised you’re here? What happened?”

“Oh, you know,” said Skully, gesturing to Leopold, “another criminal wanted to cover up his tracks. Too bad the ghost of his victim showed up. Pretty powerful one, too!”

“Strange,” said Rani, suspiciously. “Visitors hardly ever show up anymore.”

“I know, right!” said Skully, cheerfully. “But I guess a morgue is the most likely place for them.”

“I guess you’re right,” said Rani, her mouth twitching upwards in barely concealed amusement, then she set about sorting out the mess.

Hours later, Skully, soaking wet and freezing, pressed the intercom to Charlie’s flat and Lucas buzzed him up, then wrapped him in a clean towel and sat him down with a freshly made cup of tea by the blazing fire that was burning in the old Victorian fireplace.

“Charlie okay?” Skully asked, towelling off his hair.

“Still passed out,” Lucas replied. He had cleaned the blood off his face and was looking a little more alive, though there was something hollow in his eyes as he stared into the flames.

“So,” said Skully, “are you an ex-ghost too, or…?”

Lucas frowned at him. “You used to be dead?”

“I take it you didn’t, then?”

Lucas shook his head. “Nah. We’re just some kids whose parents didn’t want us. Kids who wouldn’t be missed.” He sipped his own cup of tea while still staring into the fire.

“They experimented on you?” Skully said.

“Didn’t exactly want to try it on themselves first,” Lucas replied. “They wanted to find ways to live forever or bring back the dead. Guess it finally worked, huh?”

“You’re immortal?” Skully asked.

“Nah,” said Lucas. “I just can’t get hurt. I can still die of natural causes. At least… I hope I can. I still age.” His eyes grew wide. “Oh god, what if I live forever and still age? I’m gonna be so wrinkly!”

Skully laughed. “I think you’ll be fine. Do you still get sick?”

“Yeah,” said Lucas, “colds and stuff.”

“There you go then,” said Skully, sipping his tea. “So, are there more people like you and Charlie?”

“As far as I know, we’re the only ones it worked on,” Lucas replied. “I’m pretty sure there were more kids before me. And definitely ones after. No idea why I’m so special.”

Skully stared into the fire, at the glow it shone on the bricks at the back. “Maybe it’s your soul,” he said. “Maybe it has to be pure.”

Lucas laughed shortly. “That can’t be the reason.”

“Why not?”

Lucas glanced across at him then back to the fire. “My soul can’t have been pure. I watched so many kids come into that place and never leave, and I did nothing to help them.”

“What about Charlie?” said Skully.

Lucas shrugged. “They were such a bright little thing. The only other kid who survived, like me. And they were so sweet, I guess they inspired me, sort of.” He wrapped his hands tightly around his mug of tea, holding it close to his chest. “The members of the Society, they started to trust me after a while. Let the security go slack. So, one day, I grabbed Charlie and ran. Straight to the nearest station. Didn’t tell them anything, just that we were two homeless kids. We got taken in by a foster family.” He smiled. “’course, mum and dad decided to keep us.”

“How old were you?”

“I was thirteen,” said Lucas. “Charlie was four.”

“You saved them,” said Skully.

“And what about all the other kids?” said Lucas, bitterly. “I didn’t save them. I didn’t even try.”

“You were just a kid yourself.”

“I know,” said Lucas, “but knowing that doesn’t bring them back. And I try to do good… to make up for it. But who knows if I ever will.”

“You will,” said Skully, with conviction. “You have.”

Lucas frowned. “I have?”

“You have,” Skully repeated.

Lucas couldn’t see his soul, couldn’t see how bright it truly was. But Skully could. Despite his past, Lucas’s soul was one of the brightest he’d seen. Skully stared down at his hands. Despite his past, maybe his soul was bright too. Maybe it could be. If he kept trying.

A door in the hallway creaked as it opened and, a moment later, Charlie shuffled into the living room.

“Feeling better?” said Lucas.

“No,” they said. “Did I hurt anyone?”

“They’re all gonna live, unfortunately,” said Skully. He set his tea on the coffee table and stood. “Lucas has been telling me all about you too.”

“Do you think I’m a freak?” said Charlie.

“I think we’re all freaks,” said Skully. “But I don’t think that’s a bad thing.” He held out his arms towards them. “You’re giving off very strong ‘hug me I’m sad’ vibes right now.”

“That’s likely,” said Charlie, and they wrapped their arms around his shoulders.

The evening had been rough, awful, terrifying. He thought his friend had died, was sure he would die, or worse, be dragged off to some institution where he’d been experimented on.

He could feel the last dregs of adrenaline wearing off, leaving him completely exhausted. His head pounded, though the nurses had patched it up and given him painkillers.

Maybe it was Charlie’s powers of necromancy, raising the part of Skully that was still as dead as that skull that had been stuck in a jar, but holding them seemed to warm him to his very core.

Or, maybe, this was just what he needed; a hug from a friend.

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#i just love ending fics with cheesy lines #lockwood and co #The Skull #skully #Jim Walker #Lucas Summers #Charlie Summers #Leopold Winkman #rani malik-munro #oc #fic #my fic #post teg #i cant help myself ok #i have to have a lil action

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i-am-the-entertainer · 8 years ago

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And now, “No One Remembers Starkid”

A parody of “No One Remembers Achmed” from Twisted. Inspired by the fact that for some reason people have forgotten about StarKid since they did their last Potter musical. Specifically that clip from Firebringer that went viral and no one recognized Lauren Lopez.

Ensemble: In your fandom you're a legend All the people know your names On the theater stage and off you are superior Starkid: (Spoken) We know. In the real world though we’re finding the Potter show’s our claim to fame

And all else are considered quite inferior Ensemble: Inferior… Starkid: (Spoken) Please. We’ve had shows with good reviews And videos with lots of views But no one remembers Starkid We brought fame to pure unknowns Darren Criss and A.J. Holmes But no one remembers Starkid

Say our names in these parts And they’ll think you’re all asses Until you mention wizards Or Darren’s sunglasses Ensemble: Darren’s sunglasses! Starkid: So to restore our repute As a fierce fearsome brute, There's only one route we see Arrange the slaughter of millions Of innocent civilians Then they'll remember we

See... I didn’t change the last part because I figure they’d want to do that.

If I had the time I’d write out a full thing, but I don’t. So if anyone wants to finish it go right ahead.

#starkid #twisted #darren criss #a very potter musical #firebringer

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the-fundamentally-inadequate · 5 years ago

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"with great power comes great responsibility" we still majorly depend on plant life for survival, that's unavoidable. but slaughter houses, tanning industries and wildlife wet-food markets are all unforgivable in this day and age. All breeding for human consumption must stop immediately. We have murdered millions of them already and drove hundreds of thousands of species to extinction. Enough is enough. If your lone of thought to defend meat consumption is any of the following, think about is written against them: A. "humans are the superior species and are on top of the food chains, so we can consume whatever we want" ->NO. Our superior sentience and advanced intellect, together with technology make it our responsibility to step away from the natural food chains and let nature evolve untouched. It is past time we did that. Also, why don't we consume human meat? Why is it illegal? After all, cannibalism is prevalent in most species. We are NOT special, biologically; only advanced scientifically. B. "god made animals to be consumed by humans" -> Fuck you AND your imaginary gods. C. "Humans can take advantage of all natural resources of this planet, as the dominant species here" -> then you consider ores and animals to be of same value, just lifeless, emotionless things to be used and thrown away. pitiful. D. "We need the vital nutrients that can be gained only with meat eating" -> That's a myth. there's no such critical nutrient that is unique to any meat that can not be found in a vegetarian diet, that can effect human survival! Please read up. Meat consumption is immoral AND unjustified. Then There is a whole other tale of pro-veganism to stop animals suffering in stuffy cages and undergoing a lifetime's torture, for non-meat products like milk, furs, skins and bones. But that's for another time. And all this on top of barbaric poachers and corporate lobbyist parasites that are pro-pollution. Think ~A.J. image:@hymnofhues . #writersofhyderabad #writersofindia #quoteoftheday #quotesgram#writersofinstagram writersofinstagram #writers #writersnetwork #writersnet #writerslife #writerscommunity #writingcommunity #theinkeddreams #TID #hymnofhues (at Safilguda Lake) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBYTWeeg8Ph/?igshid=9ldvaabz1hqa

#writersofhyderabad #writersofindia #quoteoftheday #quotesgram #writersofinstagram #writers #writersnetwork #writersnet #writerslife #writerscommunity #writingcommunity #theinkeddreams #tid #hymnofhues

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abl-2019-2020 · 5 years ago

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《ABL》Charles Garcia轉籍的技術細節與灰色地帶（下）

文／古硯偉

爭議二，國際有沒有轉籍案例？

嚴格來說，Charles Garcia的案例並不叫做歸化，而是代表過其他國家，國際實務上稱之「轉籍」，Garcia表示他是17歲才知道母親那邊有貝里斯血統，29歲那年取得國籍。

其實許多美國球員具有中南美洲親戚和血緣關係的不在少數，許多球員早知道自己有血緣關係，但即便拿了護照，也不一定馬上代表該國出賽。例如在台灣打過多個國家的Liam McMorrow，在2018年年中取得千里達及托巴哥護照，但要不要代表國家出賽，那是另一回事。因為歐洲足壇早在1995年，通過波士曼裁決（Bosman Ruling），這項協議讓所有握有歐盟護照的球員，都能在其他國家以本土球員身分加盟，籃球隨後跟進，尤其歐洲籃球聯盟許多國家的聯盟至今仍分為非歐盟洋將和歐盟洋將，歐盟洋將通常人數都比非歐盟洋將多很多，甚至過去如土耳其和��國聯賽，曾經放寬到歐盟洋將可以多達六人，如果美國球員能取得歐盟洋將身分，自然在爭取合約上有多一分競爭力。

之後，隨後在2000年歐盟與非洲、加勒比和太平洋國家集團簽下科托努協定（Cotonou Agreement），總共有79個國家成員，科托努協定比照波士曼裁決，將持有這些國家護照的球員，同樣視為是本土球員，對於美籍浪人球員來說，自然想盡辦法拿到這些國家護照，簽約上也更多一分優勢，甚至2017年還傳出美國球員到歐洲打球是拿假的非洲護照。

根據現在FIBA Internal Regulations中的第三章第23條，如果一個球員已經過了17歲生日才想要改變其代表國家，則需要FIBA秘書長視該球員是否有利於該國籃球發展，並繳交一筆轉籍行政費用，行政費金額由秘書長決定。

如果排除錢的因素，過去FIBA同意轉籍的案例，最著名是前美國U20國手Charlie Villanueva用血統為由，轉回母國多明尼加，幾十年大抵都遵守只能代表單一國家原則，只有父母血緣因此歸鄉，以此例轉籍的包含前法國國手Vassil Evtimov，轉籍回出生國家的保加利亞，代表過土耳其的Ermal Kuqo轉籍回母國阿爾巴尼亞，過去是德國青年國手，後來轉回菲律賓的Christian Standhardinger，以及去年世界盃上，前法國青年國手Aaron Cel轉籍回父母國家波蘭，但很明顯的是，近年有越放越寬趨勢。

但過去幾年這項規定已經出現幾次特例，且被人詬病，包含2015年讓斯洛伐克當家主控Anton Gavel轉籍德國，以及去年世界盃日本歸化球員Nick Fazekas曾經代表過美國U21，其中Anton Gavel的案例當年申請馬上獲得參加該年歐錦賽資格。以Garcia的案例應該較近似於Anton Gavel，Gavel他當年以在德國職籃效力並渴望代表德國為由申請，另一個關鍵是斯洛伐克長年在歐錦乙組打不出來，Garcia確實是在台打球也有此意願，同時貝里斯不要說美洲二流，可能連中美洲都常常出不了線。

歸化選手一直是奧運精神中常被討論的一塊，歸化是戰力補強，但是不是違反運動本質是交流的精神？但這種道德層次的FIBA似乎沒放在眼裡，球員自從成為國際籃壇補強選項以來，對於亟欲擴大籃球在世界上影響力的FIBA來說，一個優異球員可以提升一支球隊不只一個等級，從近年越來越多國家採用歸化，以及FIBA不斷放寬血緣轉籍的判例，大概就可以看出FIBA鼓勵那些籃球低度發展的國家盡快提高競技實力和曝光度，才有機會把國際籃球市場做大。

確實我們都能理解，轉籍這種事情最後一道認定，還是在FIBA秘書長手上，即便貝里斯籃協無意攔阻，Garcia也有意願，還是有不小的可能性被FIBA否決，因為FIBA條文本身就已經講明這是人治的人為認定，而非法治，但如果有機會有前例而不爭取，那確實是非常可惜。

爭議三，從Garcia就是不是唯一解看起

以Garcia的高度、對抗性和活動力，肯定會是現在中鋒薄弱的中華隊非常適合人選，當然Garcia不是NBA或世界最頂尖的內線，要找出反對理由肯定不難。

中華籃協曾說，歸化球員是「先求有」，但實際上從現在國際趨勢，歸化球員如果是FIBA鼓勵之下使用，那主政者思維就不應該是「先求有」，而是決定國家隊預期成績和目標，才來決定人選的問題，換言之，是目標決定方法，而不是先看手上只剩幾毛資源，才用最省錢的方法來選定目標。

從世界各國的案例來看，就像日本現在已經成功歸化第二名有機會代表國家隊出賽的洋將Ryan Rossiter，Ryan Rossiter是個6呎9的白人內線，拿來拚東京奧運肯定強度不夠，日本籃協也只把他視為是亞洲區國際賽使用的人選。

實際上現在歐洲許多國家也都是用這一套，包含波蘭有Michael Hicks和世界盃正選的A.J. Slaughter，土耳其有Bobby Dixon和Scottie Wilbekin，蒙特內哥羅過去曾用Taylor Rochestie和Tyrese Rice，這些大多是合作過的歸化球員，一個作為小型比賽或無關晉級資格的歐錦賽用，真正國際賽用大家熟知的洋將，當然，這還只是能出得去打世界盃的國家。

我們可以理解的是，台灣真正資源不太多，不太可能像是土耳其那樣準備三個洋將輪替，但無論中華籃協考不考慮Charles Garcia，或者是希望如傳言找到寶島夢想家的6呎7內線Jordan Tolbert，我們必須重新先審視的是，中華隊目標在哪裡？如果只是想參加今年度的亞洲盃資格賽，那其實根本連歸化球員都不必，因為台灣就算沒有歸化的全本土戰力，應該不至於輸給馬來西亞到墊底出局，至少2021年初之前歸化找誰，都不算燃眉之急。

但顯然中華隊真正考驗不是亞洲區資格賽，從日本起飛之後，連過去一向對於國際賽不怎麼用心的菲律賓都已經開始用兩套到三套陣容的長期組訓名單來培養國家隊，更不用說中國以及能夠晉級世界盃的紐、澳，因為光從現在FIBA將亞洲分為東區和西區的賽制，中華隊想出頭至少必須在東亞和紐澳之間證明自己。

但如果中華籃協想要的是真的從亞洲盃讓這批條件不算太差，從2014年亞洲盃開始，就證明過不只一次現在這批中生代球員，搭配如戴維斯的長人，配上組訓計畫，確實能在亞洲有一定競爭力。如果我們希望這批球員打出自己價值，那光是Jordan Tolbert可能很不夠用，至少Jordan Tolbert到亞洲八強禁區，打到日韓菲都會非常吃虧。

歸化球員始終��單只是要不要拚了命想辦法讓FIBA秘書長批准歸化Charles Garcia，或是找下一個誰，目標決定方法，而是中華籃協到底把中華隊的目標在哪裡呢？

（照片來源：富邦勇士提供）

這篇文章《ABL》Charles Garcia轉籍的技術細節與灰色地帶（下）最早出現於 WOWSight。

文章來源：WOWSight

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retailnewsfeeds · 7 years ago

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Memoirs, thrillers and Much More page turners: Amazon editors Pick the 20 best Novels of the year so far

(Amazon Pictures ) Halfway through 2018, there are loads of great books that already deserve a place on your beach bag. Editors with Amazon Books have helped narrow down the record with their range of the best 20 books of this year so far. Published between January and June, the books range from memoirs into thrillersas well as the record is topped by”Educated: A Memoir,” by Tara Westover. “Whether you like reading in Kindle or print, or listening to Audible, the previous six months have delivered some unforgettable novels across a range of genres, from Kristin Hannah’s Alaska-based family play,’The Good Alone,’ into’The Feather Thief,” Kirk Wallace Johnson’s accounts of one of the weirdest crimes ever committed for the interest of a flute,” said Sarah Harrison Smith, editorial director of Amazon Books and Kindle, in a news release. “However, it had been’Educated,’ Tara Westover’s utterly surprising memoir, which was our hands-down favorite. We were awed by her travel.” Listed below are brief synopses of the best 10 on this list, provided by Amazon. View the complete record or make purchases here. “Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover: Tara Westover did not see the interior of a classroom until she had been slaughtered, however, it was an experience that dramatically changed the trajectory of her lifetime. It is a rousing reminder which knowledge is, indeed, ability. “The Good Alone: A Novel” by Kristin Hannah: In this pressure cooker of a page-turner, a busted Vietnam vet transfers his family into the wilds of Alaska. Initially it is a welcome change, however, as winter approaches, along with his mental state deteriorates, his wife and daughter find themselves in a more awkward situation. Much like her mega-bestselling”The Nightingale,” Kristin Hannah’s”The Good Alone” highlights the heroics of everyday men and women, especially women. “The Feather Thief” by Kirk Wallace Johnson: Clever, enlightening, and sometimes endearingly bumbling, this mixture of natural history and offense opens up new worlds. Readers will never look at a classic stuffed bird or a elaborately attached fishing fly the exact same manner again. “The Woman in the Window” by A.J. Finn: A seductive and inconsistent book about an agoraphobic girl having a tricky past who witnesses a murder. With twists which will have you gasping out loud, then this Hitchcockian noir thriller will be the novel to see if you have been waiting (too long) for the next”Gone Girl.” “Ladies Burn Brighter” by Shobha Rao: This really mentally ungentle novel of two very different young women in modern-day India will prompt the two outrage and expect as the women separately traverse perilous avenues to locate each other . After he joined the Border Patrol, he became witness to the crude realities of illegal immigration, along with the obligations of his occupation weighed deep from his sense of humanity. With its lead, stoic prose,”The Line a River” is a significant and timely document on a few of our very divisive arguments. “The Electric Woman: A Memoir” by Tessa Fontaine: Many people say they’d like to join the carnival, not many people really do. Having difficulty coming to terms with her mother’s impending departure, Tessa Fontaine combined The World of Wonders, the past vacationing sideshow in the usa. “The Electric Woman” is a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse at carnival life, and an ode to unconditional love. “Kids of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha)” by Tomi Adeyemi: Here is a brand new take on young adult fantasy. Together with West African-inspired personalities, magic, and placing,”Children of Blood and Bone” is non-stop action, enriched with topics that resonate in today’s social and political landscape: Focus, discrimination, and a battle for change. Writer Tomi Adeyemi’s debut book is the beginning of what claims to become an epic, addictive brand new series. “The Immortalists” by Chloe Benjamin: In this ambitious and deeply moving book, Chloe Benjamin imagines how the lives of four sisters may be warped by a fortuneteller’s prediction of the dates of their deaths. While recounting their tales, Benjamin poses intriguing questions about the value of longevity and if we’re victims, or even perpetrators, of our own fates. Orange’s vivid debut novel allows a unique cast of characters–ranging from teenagers to elders residing in Oakland, California–to pull on this query apart for themselves since they live inside an urban ecosystem.

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lifeandmotion-blog · 7 years ago

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2017 Reading Challenge COMPLETE!

Goal - 32 books. Completed - 33 books. Total Pages - 12,426

I read some good ones, though I like more of what I read last year. I’ll be challenging myself to read 30 books in 2018! I don’t have near the time I once did when commuting alone in my car for audio books, but I have found some time to read real books/e-books this year.

#33. Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur 208 pages (4/5 stars)

I had read about this book from several blogs. It was a very intimate and thought provoking book. I love the honesty presented and though the subject matter is geared more toward women, I respect and enjoy many of the poems written.

#32. The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro 384 pages (4/5 stars)

I had been told about this book last year, and picked it up through Amazon Prime for free. It was an amazing read! I loved learning about how Degas painted and am much more appreciative now to know how painstakingly long oil painters take to complete a masterwork of art! I also enjoyed the heist that went along with this book, a great read all around!

#31. Last Breath by Karin Slaughter 192 pages (4/5 stars)

A quick read and another good book by Slaughter. I still enjoy Pretty Girls more than this one, but there was some quick reading in this thriller as well.

#30. Lion: A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley 272 pages (3/5 stars)

I have not seen the movie yet, but hope to see it soon. I enjoyed the authentic telling of the author and his journey as an Indian child to living with an affluent Australian family. A great story about the journey.

#29. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 196 pages (1/5 stars)

This has been on my reading list for some time. Unfortunately it is quite a clunky read and has way too much dialogue about what went on in the town before Frankenstein was “born”. I had hoped for better. I know, I know it was written a long time ago...but I had heard it was still a quality read.

#28. Good Behavior by Blake Crouch 270 pages (4/5 stars)

A great read. I’m finding I really like Crouch’s style of writing, so will have to put more of these on my list. This one was a quick read and I’m excited to watch the TV show about it now!

#27. The Firm by John Grisham 560 pages (4/5 stars)

I have enjoyed some Grisham books in the past, but had only watched the movie of this book. Wow was I missing out! Though it is a thick book, it was a great read.

#26. The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery 134 pages (4/5 stars)

This short book probably should not count, but I had never read it so I wanted to. I was glad I did, it was cute, fun and full of inspiration!

#25. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 288 pages (5/5 stars)

Such a great book about a man who owns a bookstore. This one reminded me a lot of “A Man Called Ove” I read last year, I really enjoyed this read! And look forward to more from Zevin.

#24. Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs 416 pages (4/5 stars)

A.J. is one of my all-time favorite authors! I love the topics he tries to tackle. This one was not as good and the Encyclopedia or the Biblical ones, however it was great reading about different diet fads and many different ways to work out! A great, comical read.

#23. This is Just My Face by Gabourey Sidibe 256 pages (1/5 stars)

I was hopeful for this book and although it was a great bio about all the not fun stuff Sidibe has been through. There was not near enough of the humor I was hoping for like other comedian bios I have read.

#22. Cop Town by Karin Slaughter 464 pages (2/5 stars)

This is supposedly Slaughter’s best seller...I didn’t find it nearly as entertaining as any of her other books, but I finished it nonetheless.

#21. The Joy of Music by Leonard Bernstein 320 pages (5/5 stars)

Such a great read! Really this was just a book of excerpts from his radio shows, there were music clips throughout the book. He tells some great stories of how important Beethoven is as well as the symphony and the opera and much more.

#20. Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica 336 pages (3/5 stars)

I really enjoyed The Good Girl by Kubica so I thought I’d give her latest book a try. This one was OK. It really was choppy from the get go and hard to keep focused. You are supposed to like all of the characters, but many of them were hard to rally around. I really dislike books that can’t tell all of the story in the book and have to rely on the prologue and epilogue to include key details that change the book. I do enjoy this author and the way she weaves her stories, so will try her again but this was not one of my favorites.

#19. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane 608 pages (4/5 stars)

Many friends had suggested that Lehane had some great books out there. This one was great indeed! The details and the way the story unfolded were great. I would recommend this one, still have yet to watch the movie.

#18. The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn 368 pages (4/5 stars)

I honestly only read this one because it was on my wife’s night stand. I was curious about the plot and after reading a bit of it, honestly couldn’t put it down. The characters were great and the plot was intriguing. I was happy with the way the book ended, and it was a good light read for the summer.

#17. Dead Certain by Adam Mitzner 348 pages (4/5 stars)

I got this book free through Amazon Prime reads, so really just read it because it was free. Though after reading it, I greatly enjoyed it. Mitzner is a great writer and this book does not disappoint. I enjoyed the curves that were thrown in.

#16. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 368 pages (5/5 stars)

Whoa! What a mind bending book. I still can’t totally explain what this book was about and it was quite crazy by the end. It reminded me of the movie Being John Malkovich. I loved the crazy turns and sci-fi-ness of this book, though I’m typically not a sci-fi fan.

#15. The Dinner by Herman Koch 320 pages (3/5 stars)

This book I had put down several times and finally opened back up again to read. Though I enjoyed how the narrator of the book became quite a bit crazy by the end, I thought the book overall was monotonous and a bit boring.

#14. Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt 384 pages (5/5 stars)

I loved this book! I loved the two main characters and their relationship. This is a great book about the Aids epidemic in the 80s told through the eyes of a young girl who’s uncle passes away from Aids. He passes away at the beginning of the book and you learn about their family throughout the book. Such a great and touching read. I was sad when the book ended because I loved the characters so much.

#13. The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships by Neil Strauss 448 pages (4/5 stars)

I had heard about this book through a magazine, so thought I’d give it a shot. This book is definitely not for the faint at heart. It is quite real and raw and has some crazy relationship issues that arise. I found it very funny and thought provoking. Again another great summer read.

#12. Echo Park by Michael Connelly 448 pages (4/5 stars)

Another great Connelly book! Loved this one and made me think more about the Adnan case...with the whole Echo Park scenarios.

#11. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly 554 pages (4/5 stars)

Recently I’ve been loving watching Harry Bosch reruns on Amazon Prime, so I thought I’d try out one of the books. I have to say Michael Connelly is a great writer and I love this book. Can’t wait to watch the movie!

#10. Kill the Messenger by Tami Hoag 528 pages (4/5 stars)

Another great Hoag thriller!

#9. Not that Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham 320 pages (2/5 stars)

Eh, this book was just OK. I was hoping for more. Really it was just a rant by Dunham. I really enjoy her TV show, but this book was difficult to get through.

#8 The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood 336 pages (4/5 stars)

Wow what a great read! I simply fell in love with the 104 year old Lithuanian woman! And had tears by the end of the book. This book reminded me much of A Man Called Ove that I read last year. Such a great, light-hearted read.

#7 What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan 496 pages (2/5 stars)

This was honestly a really tough subject matter for me to read. And I wasn’t so happy with the ending. Though it was gripping to find out what happened next, I felt like there were too many “hooks” in the book used to jab out at the reader. If you like a fast paced book, you will like this. I’ve rated it so low due to the too close to home subject matter.

#6 In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware 352 pages (3/5 stars)

This book had some great twists and turns, but I felt like it took me half way through the book to finally get to the twists. And once I was there it was a great ride, but then it ended too abruptly. I wish the author would have started the twists out earlier in the book and built it up with a great release at the end. I’ve heard that her other book reads much the same way. I enjoyed it while I was in the later part of the book, but by the end I was disappointed.

#5 The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer 336 pages (4/5 stars)

What a great read! Loved this book and enjoyed that though some of it was typical raunchy Schumer, much of it called people out! She had some major hot button topics like domestic violence and let’s her voice be heard!

#4 The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer 560 pages (3/5 stars)

I enjoyed this book and truly did want to become friends with the characters by the end of the book. In fact several times I would think about something they said and remember it later while thinking about life forgetting that it was a part in the book!

#3 The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter 480 pages (4/5 stars)

I really enjoyed this book. Slaughter surprised me with her Pretty Girls last year and though this wasn’t as good as that one, it was on the same level and a quick read. This book kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to find out more and more of the story. She developed the characters quite well and was able to have me pulling for different characters throughout the book.

#2 Home Front by Kristin Hannah 432 pages (4/5 stars)

Kristin Hannah does a great job telling the true story of how war wrecks a household. I felt for these characters and hurt for them and others who are coming back from war and having to fit into normal living standards. I read The Nightingale last year and would still give that one 6/5 stars for her writing. This book had great writing as well and though believable, it still felt a bit chunky.

#1 Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs 464 pages (5/5 stars)

I really enjoyed this series, with this being the 3rd book in the series. I know it is geared more toward youth, but I view it in the same lines as the Harry Potter series. This book did a great job to get the reader to visualize the story through its many odd twists and characters. And was the best of the trilogy!

#ui

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