Sorry for the delay guys! Struggling to do bits here and there but I promise I'll get more out soon!

Chapter 24 - With Friends Like These....

The room seems to have emptied whilst Lawrence and I were having our little spat. Soothing and Wyrmripper remain with Riyada and oh, the big guy, great. Lawrence gets off me and rubs his eyes, gathering himself again he turns away to regain some composure.

"I'm glad you two sorted that little spat out." says Wyrmripper dryly.

I cough and get up off the floor, I honestly have no idea how the hell to sort any of this shit out. It made more sense when all I had to do was get back, show Colt I'd reformed and beg his forgiveness. Now, now I honestly have no idea what I can do. If anything.

"Sorry to impose, but could I have a coffee or something please?" says Lawrence.

"Help yourself." and Wyrmripper motions to the kettle with tea and coffee.

Lawrence heads over and starts making himself a cup of something. I glance around at Soothing and Wyrmripper, the latter motions for me to take seat on the sofa next to where Riyada is now sitting. I do so, Riyada seems to be engrossed in reading the file. I'd have thought that he'd have wanted to see Rin as soon as possible. Whatever is in that file appears to be very important.

"What's in the file Riyada?"

Riyada looks up at me then glances down at the file. "Something I don't quite understand. I felt that there was something wrong with Rin's betrothed and I was hoping that this would give some insight as to why they want to get hold of Rin. I've read through this file twice in case I've missed something but there's nothing here that explains why they're putting so many resources into finding him. There's just some vague reference to something I don't understand."

"What's that?" I ask.

"It says that Rin is 'Skin number five'?"

The sound of shattering crockery snaps my attention straight to Lawrence. He's stood there, his face a mask of blind horror and his body is actually shaking.

"S..S... Skin number five? Are you sure?" Lawrence stutters out. He's gone white as a sheet. What the hell?

"Yes, it says so right here." Riyada turns the file over to show Lawrence.

Lawrence steps forward tentatively and then his eyes widen. He suddenly leaps past and grabs the file he came in with, tearing it open and running through the pages. He gets to one, stops and reads through it. I'm looking around the room at everyone else, they seem to be doing the same and looking at me for an answer to Lawrence's behaviour, I'm as flummoxed as they are. I'm even further confused when he suddenly drops to his knees and his face has a look of despair on it.

"No.. Not here too..."

"Lawrence, please, stop pissing around and tell us!" I growl.

"According to the files here, skins have been gathered from changing breeds. Five from each breed they can find."

"So? Someone has a fucking awful hobby, it's hardly the worst we've seen." says Wyrmripper.

Lawrence looks at him with horror. "You don't understand, which is good and bad. Good because it means this hasn't happened in your world on a grander scale than ours, bad because you don't know what's actually happenning."

"Then could you please can the bullshit lead up and tell us already?" I snap in frustration.

"A kinfolk of the particular breed can partake in a ritual to become a shifter, however it's forbidden as it not the right kind of shifter. What's worse is that to do the ritual, you require the skins of five shifter's, taken from their bodies whilst they are still alive."

I can feel the repulsion of the very idea rising through me like a wave. Looking at everyone else's reaction in the room they have a very similar feeling to the notion. This was appalling, how could any sane person 'do' that to a shifter? Well obviously they're not sane or nice in which case them becoming a shifter is a very very VERY fucking bad idea!

"Wait, you're saying this has happened on our world Lawrence?" I ask.

"Yes, a kinfolk was apparently not happy with what he was and wanted more. I don't know the full story but I know that he gained the powers of a mage as well as the abilities of garou. I know that he became a garou by taking the skins of live garou and doing the ritual. He's formed an entire pack of them and they're strong. VERY strong. "

"But I don't understand, how come he's not in this world and he is in ours?" I ask.

"Because of the key difference. The man I speak of in our world is searching for immortality. You and I both know of a way that a mortal can live for a very long time in our world but not here." Lawrence replies.

"Oh fuck. He's a ghoul!"

"Exactly."

"Erm, what's a ghoul?" asks Wyrmripper.

"Someone who drinks the blood from a vampire. They gain several advantages like living as long as they have a fresh supply." I answer.

"Creepy. So what happens if a werewolf drinks vampire blood?" asks Wyrmripper.

Both Lawrence and I give him a look that actually makes him straighten himself up as if we were about to fight, whoops.

"Horrible things." I say.

"Horrible is one way to call it, but since you're not telling them it all, I will." Lawrence says.

"A werewolf who ingests vampire blood will vomit it back up or suffer tremendous agony. A new vampire is created when a vampire drains a mortal of its blood and replace it with a little of our own. Would you like to hear what happens when a vampire does that to a werewolf?"

The entire room has gone silent, Soothing has paled a little, both the big guy and Wyrmripper do not look like they want to hear this, but Lawrence carries on.

"I am told that werewolves are given the chance to die if they are given vampire blood. They can draw on their connection to gaia to save them from what may happen. If they do not." Lawrence pauses here for effect, he's such a drama queen.

"The werewolf returns to life as what we like to call an Abomination. These creatures have the powers of a vampire at their disposal but also are as twisted and destroyed as possible as their very connection to gaia has been ripped from their very soul. They can draw only on the very darkest of powers and we all know who teaches them. For their very short and violent life they seek only their own destruction and often will tear down everything along with them."

I don't think we could have told them anything more monstrous. The entire room is deathly silent and even the big guy looks like he's about to be sick. I look at Lawrence, he doesn't entirely look happy about what he's said.

"Trust me, you may have seen it bad, but you haven't seen shit when it comes to what the vampires can do. Little Alias here, sorry, Alex. He had been dead for a few years and seen only the tip of the iceberg. I can tell you tales of things that the un-dead have done that would make your skin crawl. There is nothing good that can come of being a vampire, nothing."

Soothing swallows audibly and I wince gently.

"That's enough Lawrence, please. I'm so sorry you've suffered my friend, I truly am. But you don't need to take it out on these friends here."

Lawrence takes a deep breath and lets it out.

"You're quite right, I'm sorry. I've gotten this bastard's body now and seeing that file makes me sick that he could do some of these things. Even when I was a vampire, some of that shit I would run screaming from. I need to see if I can set some of it right."

I stand up and walk over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'd have thought rescuing Riyada was a bloody good start. Now we know what they're trying to do, we have a fighting chance."

Lawrence gives me a soft smile and nods. "Shit, my coffee!" he curses and grabs a cloth from the sink nearby, leaning down and starting to clean up the mess of the broken cup.

"Sorry Wyrmripper, I'm not usually this clumsy." says Lawrence.

"It's ok, with news like that." Wyrmripper replies.

"If you don't mind, could someone show me to Rin. I really need to see him now." says Riyada.

The big guy gets up and Wyrmripper nods.

"This way." he walks out of the room with Riyada close behind him.

Lawrence sighs and dumps the remains of the shattered mug into a nearby bin.

"May I grab another? I'm sorry again, I wasn't expecting that news. The shit that this nuwisha Lawrence has done is starting to look worse and worse each moment."

"Go for it." says Wyrmripper before turning to me. "So, are any more of your old friends going to be dropping in unannounced?"

I flinch and open my mouth to respond when Lawrence butts in.

"It's a possibility but unlikely. We're currently having a problem in our world with the technological mages of your world. Something happened on this side that accidently pulled us through over two weeks ago, ever since then the walls between our realities are allowing travel. The reason Alex, myself and Kyron came through was accidental and I know that the mages on our side are working to close the connection."

Wyrmripper nods "So how long till they get it sorted?"

"I don't know. The mage's are working on it, but it's slow going as other people keep interfering, we're fending off the vampires and other random people keep sticking their nose in just to piss in our pond." Lawrence sighs.

"Sounds like things are busy for you over there. Shouldn't you be trying to get back?" I say.

"I am, but since I don't have the first clue where to start, staying with you guys is my best option. Plus I'm kind of torn because although it's not my business, the dickhead me of this world has given nuwisha an even 'worse' name. I can't really stand by and not attempt to fix it."

I can feel a smile creeping across my face. "Now that sounds like something Tyr would say. You've really changed Lawrence."

Lawrence looks at me with a frown, then tilts his head to the side and looks like he's thinking before a smile crosses his face too. "I'm glad. Now I'm actually getting a chance to be happy for real. Even if it isn't with the man I fell in love with."

"This lovey-dovey shit is all well and good, but do you two have any idea where to start with any of the problems? Like Lawrence getting home or the matter of Rin and Riyada? Not to mention you need to start your training Alex." says Wyrmripper.

"No, I guess I don't." I reply.

"I do, but I'm gonna need to acquire some cash from this world. Whilst I'm doing that I'll keep my eyes open for a way home. You might as well get started with your training Alex. Trust me, you're gonna need to learn fast if you wanna survive." Lawrence says.

I gulp. This garou world is very brutal and a lot harsher than I originally thought. As much as I want to say I have a whole new respect for Colt, the truth is I feel a world of respect to Lawrence too. He's adapted to being his new form faster than I have.

The door opens and Rain comes running in, closely followed by Rin and Riyada.

"Bro! You're alright!" he comes running at me and jumps in to hug me. I smile and hug him back.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for worrying you. As you can see, thanks to Lawrence, we got Riyada back."

Lawrence sips his new coffee and gives a grin and nod at Rain.

"Thanks for bringing my dad back Alex, and you too Lawrence." says Rin.

"You're welcome m'dear. Can you two try to take good care of yourselves though? I don't want to have to tell your uncle something bad happened. He has quite the temper." Lawrence says, sipping his drink.

"So uncle Tyr is in your world now?"

Lawrence nods. "He appeared in our world yes, I believe the worlds seem to have a 'natural' balancing for when stuff happens involving people being removed. For example when you left Alex, a guy looking remarkably like you called Alan turned up. Pretty fast with his fists too if you wind him up."

I roll my eyes, figures once Lawrence got his real libido back he'd want to make use of it. Though although we'd had our fun in the past, I hope he's not expecting me to come across, not after that last stunt.

"When is uncle Tyr coming back then?" asks Rin.

Lawrence actually pales and bites his lip. I watch him cough and umm and errr. It's a new one to see him that caught off guard and be embarrassed.

"I...." he sighs softly and shakes his head "I don't think he can little one. The state of the Khan's in my world is dire, there's less than thirty of them remaining. Tyr feels obligated in helping my world's population in recovering. a duty which I too need to return to, as well."

Rin bites his lower lip, trying not to look upset. Brave kid. Suddenly he elbows Rain in the side.

"Right, you've still got to teach me how to look into the umbra! You promised you would, now come on!" he grabs Rain by the arm and drags him out the room.

I put my hand across my mouth to hide the grin. What a feisty little thing, hope my little bro can handle it. I glance around the room, Wyrmripper is chuckling along with Soothing smiling and shaking his head. Lawrence too chuckles before it's cut off by a wide yawn.

"Goddammit, I've done it again." he curses.

"S'up?" I ask.

"I'm still not used to this sleeping stuff, I keep forgetting I need it and running myself right down."

I roll my eyes, glad I'd had a good night's sleep the previous night thanks to the comfort of Soothing. But a thought crosses my mind. Who did Lawrence have to turn to for emotional support? He'd lost the only one who he could sort of fall back on. I mean, vampires don't have emotional distress, unless you count distress about not having emotions. But that usually leads down the path of going batshit insane.

I watch him be led from the room by Wyrmripper with a twinge of guilt for not trying harder to be there for him. I had been so intent on my own thoughts I'd missed the exchange between the two and apparently Riyada had slipped from the room as well. It was just Soothing and I, which given that I stormed out on him over a kiss with Lawrence, was making me feel more than a touch uncomfortable. The worst part was that it seemed to have a side effect of making my beast restless.

There's a few very key differences between having a beast and being controlled by it like I was when I was a vampire. The beast within always wanted to feed when you're a vampire, it was this empty hungry space within you that always demanded filling. However it also demanded that you kept alive, well, as alive as you were as the living dead. When you denied it food or were faced with the possibility of destruction, it would try to take control and force you to feed or get the duck out of fodge. But it was always cold and unfeeling. There was no reasoning with it, no calming techniques. You either ruled it, or it ruled you.

As a changer though, the beast within is an extension of your feelings, or maybe an intensifier would be more accurate. It had thoughts, it understood pain, pleasure, anger, sadness. All of those feelings gave it urges, like the morning Soothing and I woke, the urge to mate was very high, but when I saw Lawrence and Soothing kissing, the jealousy was a fiery rage that threatened to burn it all. It's not like the beast within me is a separate entity as such, we're both one and the same, sharing the same body and mind, but neither fighting to take over the other. Granted, heightened feelings give rise to over reactions from the beast, but I'm guessing as a wolf, it has its own ideas of social interactions. If it's yours, you don't let someone take it, if it's dangerous, you stay away. If you fight, you fight to kill. Otherwise it's kind of the 'live and let live' feeling I can feel.

"You realise if you keep zoning out like that, you're going to get attacked one of these days?"

Soothing's voice interrupts my reverie and I immediately turn to face him. He's leaning against the side of the sofa I'm sat on and looking at me with a frown.

"Sorry. Lawrence's word's hit home harder than I expected."

"So, you're finally realising the shit storm you might have left behind?"

I growl a little at his tone then put my hands across my face. "Yes okay? I keep trying to fix things and going about them the wrong way. It's a little difficult to do when you don't know who's shit you're about to step in next."

"Congratulations, you're just like the rest of us. Since you're now not so special, we need to get on with your training. Go see Silverlight and tell him I sent you to get you started." Soothing growls at me.

The hostility in the room just peaked and I look at him. The tension in the air is so thick you could chew on it. Where had my feelings for this guy come from? From him being kind and then disgusted with me? So why did he hold me that night and took risks for me? Wyrmripper and him have both been as kind as they could yet this attitude change? Didn't Lawrence warn me about how they're supposed to be around their pack? This must be it, the final chance I had to say sorry to the Soothing that I cuddled up to. The feelings had come from emotions that I hadn't had in some time, I had gotten attached to kindness and it had left me wide open. Time for me to shut that down.

"Understood." I stand up and walk out of the room, not looking back.