Chapter 24

Megan sat with the gang in Lauren's living room. They all took up their usual positions. It was getting to be a habit actually. She had relayed her entire story. Everything her father had said, all about her and her mother and the curse that was put on them, the wards that remained on her, and all about the death worm, she even told them about the Sea Witches' offer. They'd been talking quietly for about an hour, but they needn't have worried that they'd wake Cam or his father would hear, because Lauren had cast her world class anti-eavesdropping spell before the meeting began.

When she finished relaying her story Quinn just shook his head and gave a low whistle, saying, "that's some next level shit right there."

Xander spoke up then and said, "before we begin I have to apologize I didn't share this rumor with you earlier. I'd heard it, but I never gave it much credence. I hear things like this all the time."

"It's not your fault; we don't expect you to come to us every time you get a whiff of a rumor. For Christ sake it's high school you'd be talking all day." Zach snorted from his spot on the couch next to Lauren.

"Yeah Xander babe, there's no reason to beat yourself up about it." Kelly affirmed as she coiled her arms around Xander's neck, squishing Donnie-cat in the process.

Donnie-cat yowled and she put him down. When she did he immediate morphed into his human form -- standing up tall in front of them. He shook himself and said, "Mio Dio, I think we pay this worm a visit. Tell it we no want it in our territory, si?"

Donnie began to make a feral growling sound in the back of his throat before he turned back into a cat and jumped back on Kelly's lap. He puffed up to three times his normal size, which made her giggled.

There were more than a few exchanged looks at the scene. Meg wondered if Kelly was starting to think of Donnie as a pet and chuckled silently to herself.

"I just gotta say: what the hell? Where is the council in all this? How's this creature getting away with doing this in San Fran?" CJ said contemptuously.

"Yeah maybe if it was in Kansas or something but he's right on the council's doorstep," Ryan agreed derisively.

"How many times we've gotta tell you guys the council doesn't give two shits about us?" Connor said angrily before storming out of the room to get himself a drink in the kitchen.

Brenna jumped up to follow him, and Megan was glad for it, she had the best chance of calming him down.

Lauren spoke up then and brought up something none of them had thought about. "What about the halfbloods who are already addicted. How can we help them?"

When Megan sighed audibly, everyone's eyes travelled up the stairs to where Cam slept.

"Well," Marley suggested while she played with Liv's long hair," I know our best alchemist is down and out, but I think he'd suggest we get a hold of the worm's venom somehow and try to synthesize it to make some sort of antidote or serum for the addicted."

"Yeah like methadone or something," Liv cooed, "My girl's got the brains and the looks, eat your heart out world, she's all mine." Marley beamed as Liv hugged her close to her.

Everyone chuckled.

"Okay," Ray said from beside Liv looking uncomfortable AF for some reason. Megan was beginning to wonder if he might have a thing for Liv. "How is that going to help the halfblood's get their essence back?"

"Wow, Travis interrupted, "that's a real brain twister. He looked at everyone with a perplexed look on his face.

"Yeah Brah," Kyle added, "I know I think better on a full stomach. Who's up for takeout?"

"I'm beginning to wonder if you two have a tapeworm or something. All you think about is food." Zach snickered.

"Hey not true Brah," Kyle complained. "I was just going to add that I think we should go down to that things place and kick its wormy ass, but let's do it on a full stomach? He suggested.

Travis said, "I second that motion, all in favor say aye?"

"About kicking its ass or the food?"

"Are the two mutually exclusive," Ray asked, "because I could eat."

"Alright," Kyle crowed, "all in favor of ass and food raise your hands.

Marley raised her hand with a frown on her face while saying," I'm in, as long as you promise never to put those two together again in the same sentense."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that evening they all set out for the Chinatown address that Xander heard about. Xan was nice enough to save the majority of the crew time and money by getting his Domovoi and butler to drive them in his stretch limo. While he and Kelly drove over on his very expensive new purchase a Dodge Tomahawk motorbike, Lauren had taken one look at the astringent old-timer and offered to port Quinn and Zach.

That left the rest of the gang to contend with the stern disapproving looks of the centuries old creature. Needless to say the drive was a quiet one. CJ tried to put up the partition, but it was locked from the front so they were forced to endure the irritated grumblings and acerbic glances of the crotchety old man. At one point Megan thought she heard him threaten to become a poltergeist instead of a protective house spirit.

Once there they piled out of the car quietly and reverently, muttering their thanks, to the grumpy old creature. Megan had no doubt, after their harrowing experience,that most of them would be after Kyle to use his ability to gift them money for the cab ride home.

Xander sauntered over in his bike leathers to address his butler while the kids huddled together for warmth and protection from the scary old dude; apparently they weren't dismissed until Xander discharged him of his duties.

"Will that be all Master," the Domovoi bowed so low that Megan thought he wouldn't be able to get back up again.

"Thank you Dom," Xander took one look at his traumatized friends and replied, "That will be all.

"Very well Master, I will see you at home." The house spirit bowed again then did a precise turn on his heel and strolled back to Xander's stretch limo.

When he was out of earshot Quinn chuckled and said "Wow, Xan, your butler calls you Master, creepy!?"

"You should tell him it's the 21 century, calling someone Master is kinda 50 shades weird." CJ snorted.

"Yeah Mr. Gray tell him he can call you, Christian." Zach teased.

Everyone started snickering then.

"harde har har . . . you guys think you're so funny."

"I'll have you all know that there is as much likelihood of my centuries old manservant calling me by my first name as there is of him breaking into show tunes. Besides," Xan laughed, "he's been in the family for hundreds of years and it would be a real shame to lose him."

Everyone but Meg had laughed at that. She knew they meant well and they dealt with their scary as hell situations with humor, but she just wished they'd stop acting like this was just your typical Tuesday.

Zach guessing her mood gave her arm a squeeze as everyone gathered at the wrought iron stairs to do a weapons check, Lauren had removed the glamour from the weapons so that they could be seen again. It wouldn't do to be pulled over by the cops with a medieval sword on your back, or throwing knives attached to every limb.

Brenna stood at the foot of the stairs with her shaman staff which doubled as a bow staff twirling it expertly around her body, not only was she was pretty proficient at using it, it also deflected most magic so it was much more than a very hard stick.

Connor stood behind her with a bow and quiver strapped to his back. His quiver had been charmed to never go empty.

Zach had his broad sword already in hand.

Ray had both his Katana and its short brother sword, the wakizashi, crisscrossed across his back. Give him a red suit and he'd be a deadpool look alike.

Lauren wielded magic like a bad ass so nope no weapon for her it would only get in the way. She left her steel fan firmly fastened to her waist.

Megan had her self-cocking crossbow, which was the perfect weapon for her. She could load and fire it while only using one hand at a time. She had a deadly aim too.

Speaking of bang-on aims, Kelly was a born fighter and she had her dozens of throwing knives strapped to her hips, back, arms, and legs.

Donnie stood at her side with a pair of dueling knives already in his hands.

CJ was twirling his nunchuks distractedly as they grouped up for Zach's instructions.

Quinn hand was on his pouches of shurikens strapped to his waist and he was jiggling them manically. Megan had laughed at his choice when he'd made it, but no one was laughing now. The guy could hit a bullseye at ninety paces. If he got you between the eyes with one of those things you weren't getting back up again.

Liv had her whips at the ready, and was coiling them and uncoiling them nervously.

Marley gave her shoulder a funny little bump with her own and smiled at her to let her know it was going to be alright, but wouldn't stop until Liv returned her smile. That's when Meg saw Marley mouth 'I've got you'.

Marley wouldn't let anything happen to her succubus anyway. She was already sporting her brass knuckles and specially equipped boots with the knives in the toes. She was as a fast as any vampire and was her own weapon.

Travis refused to carry a melee weapon, but she had to suppose if your fists turn to stone and could easily punch through the side of a brick building you didn't need one.

With Kyle having no inherent magical ability or super strength, he wielded the perfect weapon for him – a bola sling with iron and silver shots. The slingshot was the kind you whirl around your head faster and faster until you released the shots. The projectiles are wicked fast and whistled through the air like bullets. You might think it's a silly weapon, but she wouldn't put herself on the receiving end of one.

Ryan wielded a Khopesh, and the back of the group. It's an ancient Egyptian sword that had been left to him by his grandfather. But it wasn't like her even needed a waepn, as a Jinn nobody could touch him in hand to hand combat -- he can turn to smoke in the blink of an eye allowing any weapon to pass through him and rematerialize in another spot, and in a pinch he can possess his opponent, but that wasn't advisable because it robbed him of all his strength. It was his last ditch effort move.

Xander had a pair of Sig Sauers strapped to duel shoulder holsters which rested menacingly on his ribs. They were spelled to never need reloading. His cartridge rounds strapped to his thighs had different magical properties, silver, cold iron, blessed bullets that sort of thing. The guy had a bullet for every occasion.

Yup they were all loaded for bear and if the death worm didn't take one look at them and cough up the venom – literally -- well they were prepared for the alternative, which was to end the creature, and remove the venom themselves.

****************** THANKS FOR READING********************

I hope you all liked this chapter -- what do you think guys do you think the Death worm will give up his venom freely?

Nah me either. How are the gang supposed to end a creature with its kind of capabilities?

Tune in tomorrow to find out.

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