#monster high beach beasties

[amesakigami]

[trendfilmsetter]

Apple Music’s ‘100 Best Albums of All Time’ list:

#1. Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

#2. Michael Jackson — Thriller

#3. The Beatles — Abbey Road

#4. Prince & The Revolution — Purple Rain

#5. Frank Ocean — Blonde

#6. Stevie Wonder — Songs in the Key of Life

#7. Kendrick Lamar — good kid, m.A.A.d city

#8. Amy Winehouse — Back to Black

#9. Nirvana — Nevermind

#10. Beyoncé — Lemonade

#11. Fleetwood Mac — Rumours

#12. Radiohead — OK Computer

#13. Jay-Z — The Blueprint

#14. Bob Dylan — Highway 61 Revisited

#15. Adele — 21

#16. Joni Mitchell — Blue

#17. Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On

#18. Taylor Swift — 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

#19. Dr. Dre — The Chronic

#20. The Beach Boys — Pet Sounds

#21. The Beatles — Revolver

#22. Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run

#23. Daft Punk — Discovery

#24. David Bowie — The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

#25. Miles Davis — Kind of Blue

#26. Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

#27. Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin II

#28. Pink Floyd — The Dark Side of the Moon

#29. A Tribe Called Quest — The Low End Theory

#30. Billie Eilish — WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

#31. Alanis Morissette — Jagged Little Pill

#32. The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die

#33. Radiohead — Kid A

#34. Public Enemy — It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

#35. The Clash — London Calling

#36. Beyoncé — BEYONCÉ

#37. Wu-Tang Clan — Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

#38. Carole King — Tapestry

#39. Nas — Illmatic

#40. Aretha Franklin — I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

#41. OutKast — Aquemini

#42. Janet Jackson — Control

#43. Talking Heads — Remain in Light

#44. Stevie Wonder — Innervisions

#45. Björk — Homogenic

#46. Bob Marley & The Wailers — Exodus

#47. Drake — Take Care

#48. Beastie Boys — Paul’s Boutique

#49. U2 — The Joshua Tree

#50. Kate Bush — Hounds of Love

#51. Prince — Sign O’ the Times

#52. Guns N' Roses — Appetite for Destruction

#53. The Rolling Stones — Exile on Main St.

#54. John Coltrane — A Love Supreme

#55. Rihanna — ANTI

#56. The Cure — Disintegration

#57. D’Angelo — Voodoo

#58. Oasis — (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?

#59. Arctic Monkeys — AM

#60. The Velvet Underground & Nico — The Velvet Underground and Nico

#61. Sade — Love Deluxe

#62. 2Pac — All Eyez on Me

#63. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — Are You Experienced?

#64. Erykah Badu — Baduizm

#65. De La Soul — 3 Feet High and Rising

#66. The Smiths — The Queen Is Dead

#67. Portishead — Dummy

#68. The Strokes — Is This It

#69. Metallica — Master of Puppets

#70. N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton

#71. Kraftwerk — Trans-Europe Express

#72. SZA — SOS

#73. Steely Dan — Aja

#74. Nine Inch Nails — The Downward Spiral

#75. Missy Elliott — Supa Dupa Fly

#76. Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti

#77. Madonna — Like a Prayer

#78. Elton John — Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

#79. Lana Del Rey — Norman F*****g Rockwell!

#80. Eminem — The Marshall Mathers LP

#81. Neil Young — After the Gold Rush

#82. 50 Cent — Get Rich or Die Tryin'

#83. Patti Smith — Horses

#84. Snoop Dogg — Doggystyle

#85. Kacey Musgraves — Golden Hour

#86. Mary J. Blige — My Life

#87. Massive Attack — Blue Lines

#88. Nina Simone — I Put a Spell on You

#89. Lady Gaga — The Fame Monster

#90. AC/DC — Back in Black

#91. George Michael — Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1

#92. Tyler, The Creator — Flower Boy

#93. Solange — A Seat at the Table

#94. Burial — Untrue

#95. Usher — Confessions

#96. Lorde — Pure Heroine

#97. Rage Against the Machine — Rage Against the Machine

#98. Travis Scott — ASTROWORLD

#99. Eagles — Hotel California

#100. Robyn — Body Talk

[fashiondolloftheday]

today's fashion doll is: Monster High Beach Beasties/Swim Class Lagoona Blue (2013)

[azeriadrawsstuff]

All of my WIPs cause they're not getting finished anytime soon

Persona 5 Royal and Strikers spoilers btw, (kinda?)

In order: -Monster High -Persona 5 -League of Legends (Cassiopeia skin concepts) -Project Sekai (Nightcord sketches) -PreCure (Cure Prism) -Genshin Impact

Skulltimate Secrets 1 Clawdeen poster concept

Gothic architecture inspired illustration of Draculaura from Sweet Screams, Neon Frights, Faboolous Pets, and Vampire Heart

Illustrations based on my OOAK concepts of Twyla (G1), Ghoulia (G3), Rochelle (Fang Vote redesign), and Meowlody & Purrsephone (Haunt Couture: Midnight Runway)

Meowlody and Purrsephone will have a similar illustration to my Persona All Out Attack Frankie

Sketches of Fearidescent Deuce, Neon Frights Lagoona, Neon Frights Abbey, and Creepover Toralei

Colour theory says those colours work but I heavily disagree (and gave up)

Gothic OOAK concepts of G3 Frankie and Toralei, same line as Ghoulia

Sketch of Wydowna Spider

SS1 concept sketches in the style of my Lagoona concept

Illustration concepts of Ghoulia (Scooter), Draculaura (Collector) and Abbey (I Heart Fashion)

Lagoona (Frights, Camera, Action!), Clawdeen (Ghoul's Night Out), Frankie (I Heart Fashion), and Draculaura (Gloom Beach)

Frankie (Lots of Looks), Clawdeen (Dawn of the Dance), Catrine (Dessert Ghouls), Ari (Music Class), and Toralei (Coffin Bean)

Moanica (Dance the Fright Away), Venus (Make a Splash / Beach Beasties), Cleo (Gloom Beach)

Illustration concept of G1 Core dolls

Sketches of Akechi inspired by his personas

Drew the far left one and cried because I had two more sketches of him planned and realized it could only go downhill from there

Sketches of An inspired by her personas (Ignore Hecate she looks like ass)

Sketches inspired by Joker's Royal personas

Sketches of Sophie inspired by Pithos and Pandora

Rough sketches of outfits inspired by Haru's personas

Coven Cassiopeia inspired by NickyBoi's Cass redesign

Never posted this one because it feels off to me in a way I can't really place

Star Guardian (Corrupted) Cassiopeia inspired by NickyBoi's Cass redesign

If her familiar was a worm on the string (There was also a concept of Briar but it's just a sketch of her head so I didn't include it)

Designed to be from the same "Season" as my Star Guardian Kayn design

Sketches of Mizuki, Mafuyu, and Ena

Mafuyu and Ena are their own unique costumes, Mizuki was a warm up sketch of their casual outfit from the Jackpot Sad Girl cards

Gothic architecture / stained glass inspired Cure Prism

Ganyu (?): Amo's bow, Eula (Song of Broken Pines), and Lumine (Cake for Traveler)

Illustration inspired by Lyney's web event wallpaper

Grin Malkin with a tiny Lyney and Lynette leaving a birdcage

Lyney and Lynette sketches

Body and face sketches for my Midlander Billet / Gothic designs of Albedo, Shikanoin Heizou, Mona, Columbina, and Yae Miko

Done in the same style as Wanderer

Yae really needs to be redone, her clothes are poorly drawn imo

[belfryprepz]

Fresh New Described Monster High Masterlist Post- I'm gonna start making one for each month from my archive !

March 2022

Dracudeen Fanart by sh1teater

C.A. Cupid photos by deuces-stone-cold-style

Ever After High Easter Egg in GSR

Elissabat Fanart by Glitterqueenart

Frankie Stein Fav Fearleader Icons by belfryprepz

Meowlody and Purrsephone's Diary by delphoxqueen

Freaky Chic Main Six Fanart by poroshya

Clawdeen Wolf Fav Wolf Sibling Icons by belfryprepz

Heath/Clawd Gay Moment Post by zombie-childe

Haunt Couture Main Three Fanart by zeldonovan

Clawvenus Glitter Edit by belfryprepz

Dropping Doll Earring Meme

Clawdeen Wolf Funko Pop

Batsy Claro Just Some Girl Pride Edit

Rockseena Glitter Edit

Video Reaction to Heath/Holt Ship Art (cw they're cousins) found during research

Sweet 1600 Clawdeen Wolf Gif by deuces-stone-cold-style

Trans Bi Jackson Jekyll Edit

Reaction Meme for the Monster High Maisie Wilen Drop

Ghouls Night Out Rochelle Goyle Doll Photos

Cleo Playing Video Games Comic Scan

Draculaura Traditional Fanart

Sweet 1600 Meme

Gooliope Jellington Fanart by 1percentcharge

Hot Topic Monster High Backpack

Ghouls Alive by worm-in-a-trenchcoat

D. O. G. Screencap

Sweet 1600 Draculaura Fanart

Draculaura Fanart by tricialoren

Ghoulia Yelps Fanart by xmissxnavix

Nefera De Nile Fanart by Glitterqueenart

Iris Clops Fanart by opinions-of-things

Dracudeen Fanart by quezify

Haunt Couture and Maise Wilen Price Criticism Post by momdusa

Trans Jackson Jekyll Fanart

Catty Noir Moodboard

C.A. Cupid Valentine's Day Fanart

Whisp Grant Sweet Screams Fanart

Monster High 2022 Nails

Haunt Couture Frankie Quality Criticism Post

Clawdeen Wolf Haunt Couture Fanart by maydaymania

Monster High Skullette Cake

Burnable Fanart

Count Fabulous Lore Post

Monster High Lip Crayon and Gloss

Frankie Stein Haunt Couture Ink Sketch

Jackson Jekyll Moodboard

C.A. Cupid Fanart

Catrine DeMew Just Some Girl Edit

Haunt Couture Main Three Fanart by dinersaturn

C.A. Cupid Fanart by nittyidraws

Cleuce Meme

Draculaura and Valentine Traditional Fanart by gloomtomb

Monster High Mirror and Lipgloss

Scalper Selling HC Clawdeen

Frankie Stein Fanart

Draculaura Sweet 1600 Fanart by strayyuuu

Twyla Daydreaming of Howleen Fanart

Pansexual Heath Burns Stimboard

Twyleen Fanart by junebug00

Monster High Arm Warmers

Deuce Gorgon/Jackson Jekyll Fic Expert

Haunt Couture Main Three Pencil Sketches

Draculaura Bed Spread

Cleuce Heart Eyes Fanart

Viperine Gorgon Fanart by skunk-illustrates

C.A. Cupid Just Some Girl Edit

Scarah Screams Just Some Girl Edit

Beach Beasties Draculaura Doll

Frankie Stein HC Quality Meme

Frightfully Tall Clawdeen Wolf Custom

Frightfully Tall Clawdeen Wolf Custom on Shelf Photos

No Terfs at MH Meme and Reply

Monster High Haunt Couture Clawdeen Diary

Howleen Wolf Traditional Fanart by puff-pink

Stein Family Fanart by Creativitydeficient

Haunt Couture and G1 Doll Comparison Photos

Monster High Theme Song Meme

Chris Pratt as Live Action Clawdeen Meme

Dracudeen Fanart by barbiedreamghoul

Clawdeen Wolf Haunt Couture Fanart

Frightfully Tall Clawdeen Wolf Custom Doll Listing

Monster High Pride Icons by monsterhighpunk

Cleo and Lagoona HC Announcement Post

Fake Leaks of HC Cleo De Nile Shoes and Earrings

Purrsephone and Meowlody Post

Clawdeen Wolf Fanart

Frankie Stein Fanart by fantasygalaxycrystal

Clawdeen Wolf HC Fanart by 1percentcharge

GSR Lagoona Blue Fanart

Why Do Ghouls Fall In Love Tone Shift

Lagoona Blue Fanart by fantasygalaxycrystal

Robecca and Hexiciah Meme

Spectra Vondergeist Traditional Fanart

Robecca Steam Fanart and Headcanons by Creativitydeficient

Elissabat Stimboard

Toralei/Draculaura Fanart

Twyla Icons by belfryprepz

Monster High Stickered CD Player

Trans Bi Abbey Bominable Edit

[spndhsmony]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Monster High 2012 Venus McFlytrap Beach Beasties Mattel Fashion Doll.

[laughingwitchsquirrel]

With the decrease in Monster High content I have see, I decided to give some ghouls the credit they are due. Although they are not the main characters, I believe that they should be given more designs.

So here is one of my favorites: Nefera DeNile, Daughter of the Mummy.

Outfit 1: Ghoul Chat

Outfit 2: Ghouls Rule

Outfit 3: Geek Shriek

Outfit 4: Beach Beasties

Honey Swamp, Jane Boolittle, Wydowna-Spider

The character and the themes are owned by Mattel. The outfits are my designs.

Please do not repost.

Please do not erase my signature.

[ceph-the-ghost-writer]

| Next>>

Ao3 Link

Phagophobia Pt. 1

Summary: Agent Isaac Soto becomes both hunter and hunted.

Words: 1,425

Warnings throughout for: Trauma and emotions stemming from it, fantasy and mundane violence, blood, gun violence, knives, supernatural horror, animal death, references to kidnapping and captivity, references to non-con blood drinking, restraint/being pinned, violent authority figures (please let me know if there's anything else to add)

Isaac arrived at the pier jutting out from Sin Strip Beach twenty minutes ahead of the sun. The surfers, though, had beaten them both by at least two hours. About a dozen gamboled in the foaming waves, sleek and nimble as selkies. The cold wind that lifted the water and tangled up Isaac’s curls brought them only joy. They lived for nothing but catching the next swell. The clouds amassing on the horizon behind them, bellies sherbet-pink and -orange, heads dark and brooding with rain, could be dealt with later. What did they care if the start of the brutal storm season kept commercial flights across the States grounded for months? They could just hide until the threat passed them by. It wouldn’t chase them wherever they went. It didn’t want to drain their lives little by little and eventually sink its teeth into their throats. They had all the time in the world to paddle around and play.

He knew it wasn’t fair, but Isaac hated every last surfer below. Just a little, just for a second. Not enough to wish any real mishap on them. More like wiping out on one of the steel girders hidden by the high tide maybe. Or snapping their boards as they rammed into the remains of a glitzy sign that used to mark the once mighty hotel-casinos drowned beneath. At least then his misery would have some company.

“Hard to believe life just goes on, huh?”

Glancing right, he saw Sergeant Curry had decided to stretch his long legs too after being cramped in the backseat of the car for five hours. Isaac shrugged to loosen the tension where the old scars crisscrossed his shoulder blades as much as to reply. “Harder to believe I could’ve died the night before. Feels like a bad dream already.”

“Know what you mean. The brain’s great at rewriting reality. Guess it works out, in the end. We’d all be batshit wrecks if it didn’t sweep the scary shit under a rug.”

They stood in silent agreement over that for a minute or two. The ocean reared and charged forward in a perfect wave that most of the surfers, whooping and cheering, rode nearly to the rocky shore. They leapt from their boards seconds before the water slammed into the ragged edges of the land with a force that reverberated up through the pylons of the pier.

“You ever kill a bloodborn?” he asked when the roar of the sea subsided.

“Two.”

“At the same time?”

“Shit no. Separate cases. And we caught the first fucker by surprise.”

“How tough was it to kill the other one?”

Though Isaac didn’t turn his gaze from the water, he heard the planks of the pier creak as Curry shifted restlessly. “We’ll get you back to HQ in one piece, Soto.”

“I need to know my odds, not have my fucking hand held.” Sucking in a deep breath of stinging salt air, he waited a beat for his emotions to simmer back down. None of this was the sergeant or Corporal Yi’s fault. “Look, I’ve been with the Coven as long as you. My department doesn’t fight, but I’ve read enough reports and heard enough stories to know what can happen to humans who cross the wrong bloodborn’s path. If I can help you keep me alive, tell me how.”

Black caterpillar brows pinched together, Curry scratched his scruffy goatee. “Okay. Yeah. Can’t knock you for that.

“Here’s the thing. People talk a lot of shit about bloodborn being toward the bottom of the monster food chain. If we’re talking raw power, that scans, sure. But they got something other beasties don’t that makes them way more dangerous when you look at the big picture.

“Most spooky shit follows a script. You learn its habits, the rules it has to follow, you got something like a poltergeist or faerie by the scruff. Bloodborn, though? They’re free to make it up as they go along. Yeah, they have weaknesses—sunlight, stakes, fire—but other than that they’re totally unpredictable. What they don’t have in supernatural stats they make up for with influence and ingenuity. They blend in. They network. They buy the right connections. They know how to navigate human society and keep us running in circles because they were human. I’ll take clearing out a den of ghouls or tracking a werecreature any day. Those are simple and direct.”

Despite his thick fleece jacket, Curry chaffed his arms. “The first bloodborn I helped take out was young. Newly minted pretty much. Didn’t have the time to get too crafty. The second was that one’s maker. Assassinated and destroyed the lives of five people on my squad—over half of us—before we finally put her down. Bitch wasn’t even part of a brood. Probably wouldn’t be standing here if she had been.”

Isaac took a minute to let his own personal account compare itself to the sergeant’s. “What’s your assessment on this bloodborn?”

The way the corners of Curry’s eyes tightened answered long before his words. “The fact this thing isn’t on file with us makes my trigger finger twitch. If he was made around the time the world was losing its collective shit, then okay, maybe any info we’d had went missing along with a significant part of the continent.” He tilted his prickly chin at the submerged skeleton of the city for emphasis. “Not sure how he could have gone the next hundred plus years without being noticed, but I guess it’s possible. Maybe he just kept to himself and lived by sipping instead of chomping people. In any case, that’s not what’s giving me gray hairs.”

“It’s the magic he had access to.” Isaac didn’t need to turn it into a question. The thought had lurked in the back of his skull since he’d encountered the putrid constructs of ectoplasm guarding the escape routes of the townhome he’d been trapped in. As soon as immediate survival had given up a fraction of space in his conscious mind it had elbowed its way up front to remind him just how far from safe he still was.

Curry shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and hunched his big, bony shoulders. “Yeah, the magic. On their own, the other facts don’t paint such a bad picture. This bloodborn of yours—”

“He isn’t mine.”

“—could’ve been a newer member of any criminal brood with a fresh scam going. But the stuff you described…that’s some Ursula Von Trier level shit. It’s the kind of thing that gets paid for with more than just duffel bags stuffed with cash.”

At the mention of the world’s most dangerous mage, Isaac’s nerves squirmed beneath his skin. Having the renegade necromancer involved would’ve sharpened the sword of doom hanging over him to an edge approaching vorpal.

“Can we beat him?”

Curry’s pause lasted long enough to lend a credible weight to his reply. “With everyone working together, yeah. It’s messed up, but him wanting to drag the hunt out ups our chances. He won’t seriously try to kill you until he either gets bored or desperate. Which is why we’re going to give him the good time he wants.”

Huddling in his jacket didn’t ward off the shudder that rode down Isaac’s spine. While playing the part of bait wouldn’t have been his first choice of role in Director Khang and the enforcer team’s plan, he saw the sense in it. The same went for the merry fifteen-hundred mile chase they meant to lead Renato Faria Dimas, unregistered bloodborn, on. The balance of enticement and narrow escape had to be tipped at precisely the right points along the way if they were going to keep him distracted enough to never suspect the ambush waiting for him at the end, five hundred miles outside HQ in Confluence, Ohio. And, more important, not land Isaac in a fatal dinner date with him. Like funerals, avenging someone was a nice gesture, but it did more good for the living than the dead.

At a nudge to his shoulder, Isaac glanced over at Curry still looming beside him. The sergeant jerked his head in the direction of the parking lot.

“C’mon. Pretty sure Yi’s picked us out a motel by now. First rule when hunting bloodborn: Sleep all day, save the paranoia for night.”

Isaac squinted into the sun, half-swallowed by the coming stormclouds now, as long as he could stand it before turning away. “Sounds like good advice.”

[wide-eyedscottishlass]

Scarlett and the Professor

[continued from]

8pm sharp.  Well, at least I’m not tardy.

Without a further moment’s hesitation, Scarlett rang the bell, knowing that now there would be no turning back.  Though the sun was nearly set, the evening air was humid, as if portending a storm coming off the Caribbean after full dark.  Although Scarlett had taken a long bath before dressing, her exposed skin already felt sticky.  As if in answer to that thought, a light breeze suddenly whispered against her bare flesh, stirring the few wispy tendrils of hair that had fallen from her loose chignon.  How cooling it felt against her shoulders and arms, her back and her calves, rippling her hemline.

She had chosen a dress meant to please her lover, an Egyptian blue, rayon and silk trapeze silhouette, which loosely draped her form and fell into a high-low hemline that complimented her legs.  The color flattered her pale skin tone and dark hair, and matched the pure, bright ocean waters that surrounded this island—waters which she knew Professor Hennessy loved.  Silver and rhinestone embellishments adorned the spaghetti straps and low v-neckline, with celestial symbols of the sun and moon stitched in silver thread scattered upon the blue background.  As she donned it, Scarlett had been thinking of how she had unwittingly become the moon to his sun, locked in an unwavering orbit around him, pursuing his blazing heat, and seeming to come to fullest light only when she reflected his light.

Hyper aware of the growing night sounds around her, the nervous rasp of her own respiration, and the thundering beat of her heart, Scarlett still didn’t miss the click of the latch inside the door being released.  Warm, tawny light spilled out from behind him as Hennessy opened the door, and his classic, masculine beauty, the peerless angles and planes of his face, stole the breath from her lungs as it did each time she saw him anew.  His eyes held hers in stasis for several moments, taking her measure, raking across her form, coolly appraising her as though he saw not only right through her clothing, but down to her soul.  The first blush of the evening crept into her cheeks.

He had changed his clothes too, into a deep blue silk dress shirt, so snug across his chest that the buttons seemed to be straining not to pop off.   He had his sleeves rolled up again, and his waistcoat—in a shade lighter than his shirt—hung open.  Scarlett dared look no lower, not wishing him to catch her eyeing what lay below his belt—although she knew without needing a glance, that his bespoke trousers matched his vest, and fit him as snugly as his shirt.

Hennessy’s smile was warm and disarming, his clear blue eyes dancing with mirth.  “Well now, aren’t you the tastiest treat to grace my doorstep in about a month of Sundays!”  He backed up a little to allow her to pass, “But please do come in, Miss Scarlett--and welcome to my home.”  Though she hadn’t even tried to imagine what to expect, the place already felt to her as though it had been raised from it’s foundations to house the life force of this enigmatic, powerful, all too charming, yet dangerous, man.

Scarlett had seen some of Europe’s most opulent mansions and palaces during her gap year travels, and though Hennessy’s home paled by those standards, she was impressed enough to have to remind herself not to gawk.  The marble-floored foyer led into a two-story hall that housed a ten-foot wide, cobalt coloured, carpeted staircase, which swept upwards to an eight foot tall, stained glass window above the main landing.  A short run of stairs branched off on either side of the landing, presumably to bedrooms and bathrooms, and likely much more.  But it was the window that really grabbed her attention.

A large silver moon dominated a star strewn, indigo sky, riding above stylized waves fresh with white seafoam.  Several shades of blue-greens and blues marked the descending depths, which towards the bottom became nearly as black as true night.  A myriad of bright fish swam in the upper levels, along with several grey seals and tortoises; just beneath them dwelt jellyfish, porpoises, a few species of sharks, and a pod of orcas.  In the darker regions below cruised manta rays and bright red octopi and freakishly long eels.  Lurking the bottom was an ominous black sea serpent, outlined in the same silver that coloured the moon, so as to be visible.  It’s eyes were large and cat-like—and possessed the monster’s only other color besides black and silver.  Blue.  A bright blue that felt impossible to belong to such a menacing creature.  Why, even it’s deadly fangs and claws were silver.

Scarlett shivered at the sight, as though a goose had walked over her grave.  For several heartbeats she was overcome with deja vu—for it put her in mind of her nightmares of unseen, but too oft-dreamt, foul beasties populating the Deep, laying in wait to steal her away if she ever tread too far from shore.  Those terrors of her youth, which had only fully disappeared when she had tarried on the shores of the Aegean Sea during her Greek holiday.  And had just recently returned to plague her briefly throughout those weeks that Hennessy had left her languishing for his attention.  Still unaware that it was her ancient Selkie blood raising the alarm, she turned away—vowing that if…or when…she had cause to mount those stairs, she would avert her eyes from the troubling portion of the image, and focus solely on the moon and waves, the fish and sleek grey seals.

Hennessy looked back over his shoulder to make sure she hadn’t fallen behind, casually asking her, “Have you eaten?”

“Um…yes,” she replied quietly, not adding that she’d barely had an appetite in nervous anticipation of their evening together, “I assumed you didn’t invite me here for dinner…”

“That I did not,” he chuckled, stopping just outside a wide, open doorway to the left of the sprawling staircase, “But I think we could both use a bit of refreshment before the evening’s revelries begin.” He sketched a little bow, his handsome face become mischief personified, and motioned for Scarlett to proceed him into the room.

From the preponderance of leather and wood, she guessed this was his study.  The room had a decidedly masculine air about it, with dark wood paneling all around and full bookcases lining two walls.  With a quick glance, Scarlett noted a book of poetry by Dylan Thomas (which she would later discover was a first edition), well-weathered editions by Samuel Beckett and William Blake, and even a collection of works by her beloved Pablo Neruda.  That was a surprise: she never would have imagined Hennessy reading any sort of romantic poetry, let alone the works that she knew populated that title.  It certainly didn’t fit the image he presented to the world, let alone in the private moments they had shared thus far.

The wonderful smell of old, cherished books dominated the air and hints of cigar smoke lingered in the room.  Scarlett also detected traces of Hennessy’s cologne underlying it all.  A scent with notes of bright, clean citrus, mixed with amber and something that reminded her of an old cedarwood cabinet in her cottage back home, all tinged with a  salty tang. Taken altogether, scents that evoked sure thoughts of the sea.  Fittingly, a painting above the fireplace reinforced the aquatic feel---it depicted a ship with tattered sails wrecked upon a harsh outcropping of rocks, set against a backdrop of rough whitecaps and forked lightening.  Several sirens, creatures out of myths and sea dreams, beckoned with outstretched arms to the unlucky sailors, trapping the unfortunate men between the treacherous waters and the beautiful peril of supernatural beings seeking to wreck their immortal souls.

Other smaller paintings hung throughout the room, all celebrating various aspects of the sea, including one that would easily become Scarlett’s favorite: silvery moonlight adorning the ripples and waves that washed up onto a white sand beach—which put her in mind of the warm, lovely waters of the Aegean, when she’d vacationed in Mykonos a few years ago.

A bar cart sat beside a leather divan adjacent to one of the bookcases, topped with cut crystal old fashioned glasses, a gleaming, sterling silver ice bucket, and a sealed bottle of Glenlivet 18 YO. Hennessy dropped several ice cubes into one of the rocks glasses, then cracked open the bottle of fine, Scottish-distilled whiskey, pouring first onto the rocks, and then straight up into a second glass.  He turned to Scarlett, holding out the iced drink to her, “Care for a taste of home?

She stepped forward and silently took his offering, giving a small start at the brush of his cool fingertips against her skin at the transfer.  A sudden rush of anticipation—and damned desire—bolted through her, betraying her resolve to appear aloof to his wicked charms for as long as she could manage. And of course he noticed, the Man never missed a trick; her quick intake of breath, the dilation of her pupils, enough to give her away.

Hennessy greeted her response with a satisfied half-smile and a knowing lift of his brow, clearly pleased with her quiet but visceral reaction.  “It’s meant to take the edge of, darlin’…to help you relax a bit,” he winked, raising his glass, “Slainte mhath.”  He took a long swallow, while never taking his eyes off her.

She hesitated in meeting the familiar toast, instead swirling the ice a bit, so that notes of rich cream and caramelized vanilla wafted up from the heady ramber fluid, while she wondered if there might have been something in the bottom of the glass, or even in the ice itself, before he’d poured the whiskey in.  Closely considering if Hennessy would actually sink that low.

“Oh, Scarlett…my dear girl,” he t’sked, practically reading her mind, “Do you honestly think I’d want to dose you?”  He feigned a look of hurt that soon melted into an indulgent smile, “We both know why you’re here tonight, and I wouldn’t dream of depriving you of fully experiencing the…festivities…”  he bit his lower lip, daring her to answer.

“No,” she replied, almost to herself, letting her small overnight bag slip the floor, “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.”  And then, wanting to prove herself up to whatever he had planned for them in the hours ahead, Scarlett lifted her glass and thickened her brogue for maximum effect, “Gu gaothan arda agus maighdeannan-mara!” fearlessly throwing back the full portion of whiskey he had given her.  Unaccustomed to hard liquor, she had to give a little shake of her head to keep from gagging as the bite hit the back of her throat---but soon enough, she felt the velvet burn go down, and even better, the liquid courage radiating out from the pit of her stomach to even the tips of her fingers and toes.

Her boldness appeared to please him, which left Scarlett pleased as well---until she gave a wee, ladylike burp.  He did a double take as she quietly excused herself, before he laughed heartily.  “Good god, Scarlett, but you never fail to entertain!”  To that, she could only shrug sheepishly, then give him a sweet, honest smile.

Hennessy downed the remainder of his own drink and set his glass down on the bar, before drawing his closest to her yet, so that she had to look up to maintain eye contact.  Unconsciously, she parted her lips, readying herself for his kiss, but that was not his intention.  Instead, he retrieved her tumbler and reached for her overnight bag, taking it to deposit on the divan, before he moved to refill both their glasses.  Scarlett started to decline when he held it out to her, but he shook his head.  “Take it, my dear,” he insisted, sounding kindly, but clearly expecting her to come to him at once, “’Twould be a cardinal sin to waste such good whiskey.”

Close up this way, his magnetism took over, reminding Scarlett there was very little chance she could withstand anything he would ask of her this night.  She sipped at her whiskey, allowing herself to enjoy its woody-spiced flavor and slight taste of vanilla, it’s mounting warmth spreading relaxation through her veins.  Hennessy was watching her keenly, biding his time as he polished off his portion.

When satisfied she had drunk enough, he put both their glasses aside, and turned to her with a soft smile, the request that followed completely unexpected.  “Scarlett, would you take down your hair for me?”  She blinked several times in surprise, so that he added gently, “Please, my dear.  You don’t wear it down nearly enough.”

“As...as you wish...Professor.”  His gaze felt like a slow, painless dissection, as though he was reckoning even her most secret details, thoughts, and desires.  Scarlett inclined her head a bit, and pulled out the silver comb that secured her updo, along with several bobby pins, then shook her hair loose, fluffing the length out with her free hand.  

She looked back up when Hennessy drew a whistling breath, to find he’d closed what little space had been left between them.  “There you go, my good little lamb.  Pretty as a picture.”  He took her hand between his two, relieving her of the comb and pins, softly stroking the back of her hand with the fingertips of his free hand, then sliding them up to her elbow in a slow, deliberate tease.  She closed her eyes, knowing that the seduction had truly begun.

Hennessy deposited her ornaments in his pocket, another trophy in his conquest, and with his hand still on her elbow, drew Scarlett to him.  She raised her face, waiting for his kiss---though he delayed, threading the fingers of his other hand through her hair, then tracing the shell of her ear.  Just kiss me, dammit, her mind cried out, kiss me please!  She parted her lips once more, in anticipation.

“Prettier than any picture that I’ve seen in a very...long...time,” he murmured, then finally laid his lips on hers.

Of all the kisses he had yet bestowed upon her, this was the most patient.  The most thorough too, for he knew he had all the time in the world.  Scarlett’s instinct insisted that this was as much for his own sake as for hers---for though he certainly knew what this evening meant to her, and that what lovers she took for the rest of her life would ever be compared to him, he was actually about the entire experience, and not just the consummation that had been her promise to him from before they had shared a single touch.  Hennessy savored her lips patiently, precisely because he knew she was already his---and surely because he had nothing to prove or anything further to gain.

When they broke the first time to catch a gasp of air, he leaned his forehead against hers, breathing just as hard as she was.  It felt like forever to her as she waited for him to begin again, yet before he did, he cleared his throat, asking huskily, “Before we truly commence, little lamb, satisfy my curiosity please…”

“Anything,” she whispered.  Anything for you, dearest man.

He puffed against her lips, amused, “Just what in God’s good English did you mean by that toast you made?”

Scarlett couldn’t help but smile, marveling that for once she had stumped him.  “Man of the world…Master of all you survey…surely you can guess…”

“I haven’t a clue, Scarlett,” he practically growled, “And I’ll have all your secrets this night, one way or another.”

Of course you will, she thought, and brushed her lips to his, delivering the translation.  “To high winds…and mermaids! Like a blessing—for an auspicious new endeavor.”  

She felt the smile that graced his fulsome lips, as he told her, “My oh my…you are a true wonder, Scarlett.”  Then he silenced any reply she might give by searing his mouth to hers.                        🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

Now these were, by far, the most alluring, the most delicious, most prized kisses of her young life, and Scarlett gave way most willingly, moment by moment, feeling as though Hennessy was slowly consuming her.  He held her face in his hands when they started, and she had pressed hers to his chest, dependent on his strength to keep her knees from buckling.  She panted for air when he withdrew his lips, and then heard the small, hungry sounds she made when he dipped his tongue back into her willing mouth.

When he noticed that one of her straps had slipped off her shoulder, his kissed his way down her throat and onto her bare skin.  Scarlett hadn’t bothered to try and conceal the love bruises he’d given her that afternoon—she had only worn a lightweight scarf to cover them while in the taxi that had brought her here—and now Hennessy softly revisited those marks, as though in deference to their tenderness.

That was exactly the sort of thing that always set her off kilter.  Scarlett was already well acquainted with how lustfully he pursued fulfillment of his appetites.  And she’d discovered that such reckless, heedless behaviors made her want him all the more.  Hennessy’s wicked proclivities were legion, ever waiting to surge up from his depths, and though she knew he had only shown her a fraction of those tendencies, what she had experienced thus far made her want to play his wanton.  But when he was gentle, solicitous of her needs, mindful of her inexperience, it was her heart that became more deeply entangled in the spell her body had all but fully succumbed to.  Scarlett had fallen hard, imperiling her tender heart beyond anything that Hennessy might visit upon her young, oh-so-willing body.  Or so she still believed.

There was no resisting his pull upon her, nor the confidence and skill of his elegant hands as they slid across the fabric of her dress, cupping her breasts and later her bottom with the fervor that had her wishing he would just strip her bare already. Pressed tightly to him, Scarlett could feel his erection growing more swollen and was imagining what it would feel like to have him finally buried deep inside her.

Hennessy was kissing her throat, occasionally grazing her skin with his teeth, each time a surprise enough to make her gasp.  With the latest, he brought his mouth to her ear, issuing a smooth command, “Come sit with me, little lamb.”  Not giving her a moment to consider disobeying, he dragged her along to one of the leather wingback chairs that sat before the unlit hearth.  “I’ve fancied sitting you on my lap for some time now, Scarlett,” he told her, and pulled her down onto him with enough force to elicit a breathy, surprised giggle from her.  “Does this amuse you, my dear?”

She shrugged, bit her lip, and then averted her eyes coyly, “Oh, Professor...everything you do...is...is like nothing I’ve experienced before.”  His silence bade her continue, so that she turned her widened eyes back his way, “You astonish me...again and again.  And sometimes...sometimes you frighten me.”  Scarlett felt her color rise once more, but would not flinch from her confession.  “But most of all, you fascinate me, Sir...and make me want to drown in your desires.”  She breathed out slowly, hanging upon his response.

He studied her closely, searching her truth--and finding not a speck of artifice in her admission, nodded, “You understand, sweet lambkin, that there is danger as much in my undertow as in my deep waters?”  Scarlett nodded solemnly.  “And that your innocence is no protection against this?”

“Oh yes,” she sighed, her skin atingle where he had spread one hand between her shoulder blades.  “I’ve spent my life shirking risk and danger at every turn--but I want yours now more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.”  With that she leaned in to kiss him, sealing her lips to his as fearlessly as she sealed her fate...

(to be continued)

tagging: @strangelock221b @letterstosherlock @ben-c-group-therapy @tsukuyomi011 @ravencatart @emilyinnj4real @humanbornarchangel @aziracraw @aeterna-auroral-avenger @adragonscloset @naughtynecromancer  and @cinderella1181 so you can see a sample of what I’ve been working on lately 

[bitterbuttercups]

It’s a sunny day!

[specsssss]

Can we chat for a sec about how many Draculara dolls there are? It’s almost ridiculous if you think about it! Here’s a list, I might not even be able to get them all

Basic Draculara

Sweet 1600

Skull shores

Gloom beach

Dead tired

Dead tired V.2

Art class

Picture day

New scaremester

Ghoul-to-bat

Ghouls rule

Powder room playset/doll pack

Party hair

Classroom (?)

Collector doll

Ballerina ghoul

Kitchen + dad and Draculara playset

Freakishly tall ghoul

Ghoul fair

Ghoul spirit

Dance the fright away

Monster exchange program

First day of school

Emoji really???

Electrified

Beach beasties

Creepeteria

Boo York, boo York

I heart shoes

Frights, camera, action

Shriekwrecked

Scaris

Haunted/getting ghostly

Beauty set + doll pack

Welcome to monster high doll

Ghoul-to-Bat V.2

13 wishes

Day to night fashion doll

Die-ner playset + doll

Science class 2-pack with Frankie

Great scarier reef

PB&J 2-pack with Twyla why????

2-pack with Moanica

2-pack with Clawd

Music festival 2-pack with Clawd

Ghouls beast pet

Freaky fusion

Cheerleader doll no effort put in by Mattel

Fearleading three pack with Cleo and Ghoulia

Beast bites cafe + doll pack

‘How do you boo?’

Sweet screams

Scarytales

‘Draculocker’ + doll

Dot dead gorgeous three pack with Ghoulia and Abbey

Dawn of the dance

Coffin bean Drac. + Clawdeen + playset

And then there’s one million ‘basic’ dolls from the ‘ending’ period of MH without articulation or any thought put into them. These aren’t in order and I had to look on Amazon for actual names of the series she was in! This isn’t even all of them...It’s just kinda...ridiculous? They could have made more dolls for Scarah or Iris or actually interesting characters instead of their show pony over and over.

[elenajohansenauthor]

Fictober18, Day 1: “Can you feel this?“

OCs: Introducing Shannon [no last name yet], a magic shop owner, and Noah Hargrove, an old friend of hers.

Project: [New Untitled Paranormal Romance Thing I’m Totally Winging for Fictober]

Potential Triggers: general mentions of scary monsters, and also needles in a sort-of-medical sense.

Word Count: 1,532

About: I’m setting aside the WIP that was sucking up all my depression and failure issues to work on something new, (hopefully) fun, and totally unplanned, based every day on the Fictober prompts. Ideally I’ll be writing the scenes in order, but if I end up posting something that’s clearly going to be later in the story, I’ll mark it somehow so it won’t be as confusing.

A ghoul was listlessly banging on the door to the shop. I’d lost track of time doing inventory, and darkness had fallen early because of the storm. I turned the lights out in front. If the thing lost interest and wandered away, I could still make it home tonight. If I was careful.

But if I were stuck in the shop overnight, I could finish the inventory and get a head start on next week’s orders. Ghouls and ghosts and other foul beasties weren’t the only reason I kept a cot, some canned food, and a clean set of clothing in my office.

An hour later, the darkness outside was near total, but the random door rattling was gone. I peered through the blinds, trying to check the street by the blinding brilliance of lightning flashes. Every inch of my shop was so intricately warded that it was a magical Switzerland, so staying put was by far the safest option. But I was craving the leftover Chinese in my fridge at home, and I was only halfway through binging the latest season of Real Housewitches of Miami. I’d never been to Florida, so I was watching as much for the beaches and bikinis as I was the catfights and petty hexes.

Something darker than shadow broke free from the brick wall of the bank across the street. I backed away from the window. Chinese food and reality TV were bad reasons to risk getting killed, no matter how much I longed for the comfort of my own bed.

I was halfway to my office when the door shook in its frame under a much heavier, more deliberate pounding. Definitely not a ghoul.

I turned back, like I could see through the door and make out who, or what, it was. I waited for a lightning flash, but all that got me was the vague outline of something tall and humanoid.

Nothing evil could walk into my shop unless I let it in. Sure, some of my customers probably used the components they bought here for less-than-trustworthy purposes, but they came by daylight, and they paid cash.

At night, the only way something could get in was if I opened that door.

Behind me, my phone rang. I’d left it on my desk, and I had to hurry to get to it before it went to voicemail. Noah Hargrove calling, the screen declared.

Noah. I hadn’t seen him for six months? Seven? As I answered, my eyes went straight to the shelf of random jars on the back wall, all different materials and sizes, some with metal lids and others with cork stoppers.

“Hey.” Usually I sounded more cheerful when I spoke to old friends, but usually there wasn’t something unidentified standing outside my door.”

“Can I come in?”

He asked with no lead-in and no hesitation. “You know the rules. Prove it’s you.”

“Shannon...” His exasperation was obvious, but he was the one who’d helped me develop my system of safeguards, when I’d opened the shop.

“I’m not budging.” I didn’t really think he’d been body-snatched by some unnameable power, or even by a garden-variety vampire. But with Noah, more than the others, I had to be careful.

“It’s October, so that’s, what, biggest regrets?”

“You know I can’t tell you that.” But he was right. Time to cough something up, something I could read.

“Letting Larry Wilkinson take you to senior prom. He totally ruined the night for everyone.”

His choice surprised me, but I sensed the truth in his voice. The emotion didn’t have to be deep or secret, but it did have to be real. “Can’t get puke stains out of satin.” I stalked back to the door and starting the complicated process of undoing the night locks, both physical and magical. “This will just take a minute.”

“What would you do if something were after me? Or whoever?”

He didn’t know who else I helped out, after-hours, but he knew he wasn’t the only one. I could never tell if there was jealousy there, either personal or professional. Noah was always the hardest to read.

“I’d stand here working on the locks while you got shredded like overcooked chicken. Or whoever. This can’t be rushed, not if I don’t want the wards to snap.”

“That’s harsh, Shannon.”

Hearing his voice through the phone and not through the door, even though only a few inches separated us, was odd. It shouldn’t have been, not with how heavily protected I was, but it made him feel unreal, or at least farther away. “Your fault for being tailed, if that ever happens.”

When the final lock released, a flare of blue sizzled across the door frame. I turned the knob and stepped back.

Noah came in, hanging up our call and pocketing his phone. “Thanks.”

I always forgot how big he was, when I hadn’t seen him. I backed up a step. “Thanks for taking me home early so I didn’t have to spend the rest of prom smelling like rum and stomach acid.”

He shook his head. “That kid was such a jerk. What did you see in him, anyway?”

“Honestly, I don’t even remember. Maybe his smile. He had the best smile.” I started toward the back. “But you’re not here to catch up. What do you need?”

A flash from the window showed his shadow towering over me, and I hoped he couldn’t see me shudder. But his night vision was better than mine, so probably he did. I tried so hard not to let him know how much he frightened me. I never wanted him to feel unwelcome here.

“More blackwort and bonemeal.” That was standard, they helped with his cravings, though seeing him casually nibbling on mushrooms poisonous enough to kill me five times over never got easy. What he said next, though, wasn’t. “And a place to hole up for a few days, if you know of one. My last hideout here gotten taken over by wolves.”

I sighed. “That turf war between the clans got messy before it was over.” And I’d spent half a night digging silver-laced shrapnel out of Sophia Summers, my old piano teacher from long-ago lessons in elementary school. Her husband had gotten turned in an attack, and she’d petitioned Clan Northriver for voluntary infection for her, and entrance for them both. She’d survived the war, but her clan had lost a third of their territory.

“I can find something new over the next few nights, I have some ideas. But that storm has got the ghouls riled up something fierce, and I can take a few, but I don’t want to spend all night killing instead of apartment hunting.”

He followed me to my office, his large frame filling the doorway. The lights were on here, but I tried not to look at him too closely. I pointed at the cot. “Sit.”

“Shannon...”

“You’re such a baby about this.”

“I hate needles, you know that.”

Because that was what I’d drawn from a kit I kept in my desk drawer. Made from gold, which soaked up enchantments like a sponge, and blessed in turn by every priest, witch, and healer I knew. “Give me your arm.”

He shrugged off his leather jacket, the same battered thing he’d had since high school, and rolled up the sleeve of his sweater. The veins stood out on his muscled forearm as I checked his pulse—strong, healthy, if you could ignore the fact it was a single beat when it should have been doubled. And the gray undertones of his skin, which was definitely more mottled than the last time he’d been to see me.

I dragged the point of the needle from the inside of his elbow to his wrist. He flinched, but I still asked, “Can you feel this?”

“Yes,” he hissed. “Goddamn it, Shannon. You can’t know how much that hurts.”

No, I couldn’t, because I was still human. The needle didn’t do a thing to me. The first time I’d poked him with it, pricked the tip of one finger, he’d passed out the instant it touched his blood and didn’t wake up for five hours.

“More or less than last time?”

He didn’t answer for a moment, trying to remember, maybe. “More,” he finally whispered. “A little more.”

“Okay.” That wasn’t good, but it had been six months. Or seven. I should expect his condition to have progressed. “You’re not hungry, are you?”

“No, I...I ate on the way. Why?” He looked up at me, and I couldn’t ignore the fear in his eyes, or the pleading.

Or the way his brown irises were speckled with black. Eventually there would be no color left. No humanity.

“Because you’re staying with me for now. I wasn’t going to try to make it home tonight, but saddle up, because now you’ve got to get me there safely.”

He smiled, and I hated myself for the nervousness that shivered through my body and made my hands tingle with numbness. I had lied about Larry, of course. Noah had always had the best smile.

[mittensmorgul]

Prayer circle for ABSOLUTELY NO VAMPIRE OR WEREWOLVES this season of spn. It's just lazy writing at this point. I know they live in America, but c'mon! At least Sera tried to bring in other monsters from other cultures.

Aw! I mean, I get why some folks are bored of the same old-same old monsters but just like Dean’s Murder Shirt or El Sol Beer or any number of recurring things in the show, Vampires and Werewolves have symbolic meaning, you know? When we see a completely new monster (or even just a repeat of a formerly one-off monster) it has to be something with enough thematic significance to justify its presence in universe, you know?

Shapeshifters, specifically, seem to tie in to a lot of Dean’s identity themes. Werewolves and Vampires as monsters were once both human (well, until 9.12 when we learned about “born werewolves.”) But the vast majority of them were once human and then “corrupted” into monsters. Which makes them really thematically relevant to a lot of what Sam and Dean have been through.

So I don’t care if they keep reusing these specific monsters, that we know are prevalent “monster groups” in the U.S. in that universe, because as long as they’re telling solid stories that are thematically on point, and using them well as mirrors for the conflicts and turmoil in the personal lives of TFW, I have no problems with them as metaphors, you know?

Though I also wouldn’t complain about them finding some rare, unique monsters like they seem to do at least a couple times a season.

I mean, even in s13 we had a nice variety:

Angels (and the threat that Jack might be a monster)

Demons (and a threat that Shedim might be a thing they would have to deal with, even if that went nowhere)

Wraiths feeding on psychics

shapeshifters

vengeful spirits possessing people, and Billie becomes Death

a ghoul with a cowboy fetish

the threat of an alternate universe full of potential woe, and an AU Michael

crossroads demons

angels and dreamwalkers and doorways to alternate universes

alternate universes… and the freaking invasion of weird predator beasties and possibly dinosaur things

a human sourcing other humans as a sort of high end black market meat dealer for all sorts of monsters– ew. yes there was a vampire lackey but the human was the actual bad guy here

witches

more angels and demons

soulless!Donatello who’d been corrupted by the demon tablet, which gave him untold power, Gog and Magog, oh… and some AU angels >.>

humans… lying, deceitful, greedy humans

a ghost of a child trapped in a pocket knife and used against his will by a very bad man

tentacle monsters from another dimension

angels and demons again

Rowena and her Grief, combined with the most power she’s had in centuries

Loki and his kids

Lucifer, and a bunch of feral, starving, animalistic AU vampires…which was an interesting take on them tbh… 

AU Michael and AU Castiel… I mean… this sort of obvious, direct dark mirroring is entirely on the nose compared to a lot of the more subtle mirroring we typically see in SPN monters

Lucifer and AU Michael, the quintessential Apocalypse Showdown Redux, but also there was a “sideline” werewolf hunt at the beginning of the episode, just to show us that time has passed and TFW 2.0 is out there doing “business as usual” hunts, to the point where Dean even throws around the notion of retiring (or at least taking a nice beach vacation…).

So, yeah, Werewolves and Vampires garnered one small bit of one episode each in s13, just to remind us that there are still more “run of the mill” monsters running around out there. Well, I guess werewolves got two, because that’s what Claire was hunting at the beginning of 13.10, but she clearly had that one handled all on her own. So werewolves got two background milk-run level mentions. But it’s not like s13 was overrun with either of them, you know? So I don’t even see it as an issue in that respect.

[spndhsmony]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Monster High 2012 Venus McFlytrap Beach Beasties Mattel.

[slyke25]

2002-2008

Before I dive into the shows I’ve covered on this site, I’ll give you a ittle background on the events that led up to it.  I grew up in Indiana, about an hour from Chicago, and the first concert I ever attended was at Chicago’s Vic Theatre (capacity 1,000) to see House of Pain (don’t judge).  My friends and I got there early and secured a spot close to the stage.  The opening band soon came out, and to our surprise, they absolutely killed it.  That unknown band was Rage Against the Machine.  In hindsight, I was likely chasing the high of that first show by attending so many concerts over the years.  I actually put together a short post on that show a while back, which you can read here.

During the 90′s, I would attend a handful of shows each year, and managed to see bands like Radiohead, Blur, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Mould, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, several Lollapaloozas, U2, Beastie Boys, Oasis, etc.  I successfully managed to save about 90% of my concert stubs, which makes it a bit easier to remember.

I moved to Boston in the fall of ‘02 (by way of New Jersey), and found myself in a city with no shortage of music venues and concerts, as Boston is an incredible concert market due to all the colleges.  This was also a great time for music, especially indie rock, which I became partial to, and went to several shows at the Paradise, Great Scott, Middle East, and TT the Bear’s Place.

I saw plenty of shows during this 2002-’08 era, both, big and small, but the larger ones (Neil Young, Billy Joel, Elton John, Oasis, Springsteen, Tom Petty, Phish, Peter Gabriel, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.) didn’t quite have the same feeling as the smaller, more intimate shows.  The bands that played the smaller, sweatier clubs had something to prove and played their hearts out, leaving the audience with a lasting impression, so they could hopefully make it to the next level.  It was no surprise that I liked those shows the best.  

In 2007, I was armed with a nice little Canon SD1000 Powershot point & shoot camera that took fairly decent photos for the time.  Luckily the audio wasn’t too bad either, as many of the other digital cameras seemed to struggle with recording bass, but this little camera actually worked well for recording live concert videos.

In October of ‘07, I recorded and uploaded my first video to YouTube.  It was The National singing “Fake Empire” at an extremely tiny Boston bar.  Throughout the years, I managed to record over 600 videos in less than ten years, and they often became a staple of my reviews, and was something most of the other music blogs weren’t doing at the time.

For General Admission shows, I would always arrive early for a spot against the stage, so it just kind of made sense to film a song or two, as nobody was in front of me.  I also enjoyed recording because of the challenge; I only had one shot at recording the song.  I made no edits and needed to have a steady hand.

You can view all of my videos at my YouTube channel here.

Below are a few shows from ‘02-’08 (prior to my music blog) that stuck with me, and ultimately inspired me to start mu music site in ‘09.

Bright Eyes at the Harvard Sanders Theatre (’05) - This was during the I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning tour.  The show was sold out, but I managed to score a last minute ticket on Craigslist.  The Sanders Theatre is an incredible venue, and the show was just as beautiful.  I found a recording of the D.C show at the 9:30 Club (a few days later) via NPR here.

Ryan Adams the Hampton Beach Casino (’05) - I’d been a huge fan of Ryan Adams since his ‘01 debut solo album, Gold, which really seemed to connect with me, but I wouldn’t see him live until two years later in ‘03 at the Paradise Rock Club.  His shows were notoriously hit or miss due to drugs and alcohol, and in ‘05 he released the jam heavy album Cold Roses with The Cardinals. 

I actually ended up meeting Ryan before this Hampton Beach show, which was kind of a big deal for me because he was my favorite artist at the time.  I just happened to be strolling around Hampton Beach earlier in the day, and stumbled upon him at a tie-dye shirt store (he actually bought one and wore it at the show).  

Ryan, who often plays improv songs, played an incredible song to close the show.  “Beachfront Town” is a sad, yet beautiful, ballad about how Hampton Beach reminded him of back home (Jacksonville NC).  Here are a few posts I made about this show.

Small review and a few photos

"Beachfront Town” 

A recording of the entire show can be heard here.  

Ryan Adams at the Somerville Theatre (’07) - As I said before, Ryan Adams shows were kind of hit or miss due to drugs and alcohol, and I walked into this show with such expectations.  However, this night was different, and would be the best Ryan Adams show I would ever see.

I had a 4th row center seat, and remember seeing a suit-wearing Ryan Adams walk on stage.  His singing and playing were flawless that night, and when he changed the lyrics of “Peaceful Valley”  from “Up there in heaven with a bottle of wine” to “bottle of diet Sprite”, I just couldn’t help but smile.  He appeared to be sober, and he and the band never sounded better.  I was truly proud of him.  

Someone actually recorded the show, which you can listen to here.

Josh Ritter at Club Passim (’07)  - I fist saw Josh back in ‘06 at the intimate Narrows Center in Fall River.  I quickly became a fan after hearing his newly released album, The Animal Years.

He played two shows at Club Passim in ‘07 to benefit a friend that was ill with cancer, and I ended up recording four videos that night.

”Good Man”

“Monster Ballads”

“Empty Hearts”

“Bandits”

Bon Iver at the MFA (’08) -  I remember listening to their debut album For Emma, Forever Ago in February of ‘08 and was blown away by how incredible it sounded.  I checked to see if they were playing and live shows, and indeed they were.  They were playing the Middle East (upstairs) in Cambridge, but it was very sold out, and many people were posting on Craigslist looking for one.

However, it wasn’t long before I got to see them live, and in July of ‘08, they put on an amazing display of music at the MFA.  They basically played For Emma, Forever Ago in full since it was their only album at the time, and they sounded flawless.

I’d see them one more time in December of ‘08 at the Wilbur Theatre.  You can watch “Wolves” and “Skinny Love” from that show.  Fun fact, and unknown (even to me) Tallest Man On Earth opened.

MGMT at Great Scott (’08) - I actually recorded a couple videos at this show.  Feel free to check out “Time To Pretend” and “Kids”.  During “Time To Pretend”, I’m holding the camera very still, but the footage appears to be slightly bouncy.  That’s because the floor is giving ever so slightly, due to everyone bouncing up and down.  It was crazy.  Fun fact - Yeasayer opened.

Wolf Parade at the Paradise Rock Club (’08) - This was actually my second time seeing the band (first time in ‘06, same venue), and their album Apologies To the Queen Mary is an absolute favorite of mine.  I ended up recording six videos at this show, and my favorite was “This Heart’s On Fire”, which is crazy intense.  100% Rock & Roll.

Langhore Slim at Middle East Upstairs (2008) - I always looked forward to his shows.  They were intimate, intense, and genuinely good times.  Not many people heard of him at the time, and I recall two guys I’d see at every early Langhore Slim show.  These dudes were super fans.  They knew all the songs and cheered louder than anyone.  I recorded a couple videos from this show - “In the Midnight” and “Restless”.  Notice The band was a trio back then, with Paul was on bass.

The National at Paddy O’s Pub (’08) - The album Boxer had just come out, and I believe Miller Light sponsored this show at the very small Faneuil Hall pub.  It doesn’t get much more intimate than this, and I shot my first video ever that night, “Fake Empire”

The one that got away - I’l share a little story about the time I headed to the Orpheum Theatre in ‘02 in search of a ticket to a sold out show.  I had good success scoring single tickets way below face value outside of large venues close to showtime.  I recall seeing Simon & Garfunkel at the Garden in ‘02 for $10 ($100 face value), and Peter Gabriel for $20 (also $100 face).  For some stupid reason, I thought I’d have the same luck for David Bowie who was playing the Orpheum that night.  I managed to find someone selling a single ticket for face value, which was $75, but I has no idea tickets were that much before I headed down to the theater.  I recently moved to Boston and didn’t have much money, so $75 was a lot, and I unfortunately had to pass.  I told myself, no big deal, I’ll catch him next time.  Sadly, there was no next time.  

While living in Boston, it seemed each year I’d attend more shows than the last, and by 2009, I felt the need to create a music website.  In the days to come, I’ll share some of the most memorable shows I saw, with a post for each year (’09-’16).