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  Bill sighed and shook his head, smiling down at his daughter, "I'll have to take your word for that.

  "Well, let's sit and have a few beers and I'll catch you up on what's been going on at home for the last few weeks."

  Roxy nodded and they went back to the kitchen where Daelyn was talking with her uncle, and two other dwarves, who Roxy now suspected were members of the local dwarven council.

  "Well! As I live and breathe! If it isn't my favorite human in all of Reno!" Sawyer said as Sean followed Jolene in the door.

  "You're sure in a good mood," Jolene said nodding hello to Marx as she passed him by the front door. "You been nipping at the sauce or something, Sawyer?"

  "One of those bastard mages is dead! One I had some rather personal issues with over the last year! Why shouldn't I be happy! I tell you Jolene, that kid there of yours is a credit to the lycan race!"

  "What'd I do?" Sean asked, curious.

  "Oh, don't be so humble! If those gals could have gotten to that cheap bastard, they would have done it a week ago!"

  "So how did you find out he's dead?" Jolene asked.

  "They put his head on a pike in front of their coven house," Sawyer laughed, "I drove by and saw it. Damn if it didn't look good. Now if I could add another twenty or so beside it, Reno would be a much nicer place."

  "See?" Sean smiled, "I didn't kill him, they did."

  Sawyer chuckled, "You keep telling everyone that, Kid, and maybe someone will believe you. You either killed him, or you delivered him. Same thing as far as I'm concerned.

  "Come on in the back, where it's safer to talk," Sawyer said and led then into what Sean guessed was his office, which was surprisingly neat and fairly spartan.

  "How are the Ascendants taking it?" Jolene asked, as they sat down.

  "Bad! Real bad! With that Preston boob gone, the others are jockeying for position, and a lot of the front-runners I hear aren't too happy with how Harkins has been treating them. Turns out that most of those people you fried in the tower were Preston's men, on loan to Harkins. They don't appreciate the fact that their folk were being used as cannon fodder."

  "Well that's good," Sean said with a nod.

  "What about the other councils? The major ones?"

  "They're all in an uproar, but that's because of the bombshell Troy dropped on them."

  Jolene blinked, "What was that?"

  "He pulled out of the conclave! And Eruditio followed a minute later!"

  "Why would he do that?"

  "Because Troy proved that Harkins' right-hand man, the one you killed at the coven house, Kid," Sawyer said nodding to Sean, "was directing the kidnapping. The Lithuanians weren't here because of any prophecy; they were here because Harkins and his man Rosen brought them in so no one would know that Harkins had broken faith.

  "They'd all sworn to let Sean here and his mother live normal lives, and as long as neither ever touched magic again, nothing would happen. But Harkins got greedy, and now, everyone knows about it."

  "What are the folks in the other councils doing?"

  "Gradatim is competing with the Ascendants as always and I think they got last night's wake up call. Sapientia is starting to look like they're going the way of Eruditio, but they're still taking precautions, just in case. The Vestibulum? Morgan hates Harkins and McConnell with a passion, he hasn't weighed in officially, but word is he won't be complaining if those two and their people take dirt naps."

  "What's his stance on the lycans?" Sean asked.

  "Let's just say that you've got your work cut out for you, Kid. I don't know if he wants a war, but I don't see him giving up his lycans all that easily."

  Sean nodded, "Well, one step at a time I guess. How are the necklaces selling?"

  "I already sold six of 'em. I sent the money to your lawyer this morning. I got another dozen necklaces for you to enchant," Sawyer pulled out a bag and tossed it to Sean.

  Looking inside it, Sean could see there were twelve in there, some were gold, some were white gold.

  "Could you add twelve ounces of silver too?"

  "Silver? What would you need that for?"

  "Some experiments, obviously," Sean smiled.

  "So it's true then?" Sawyer's eyes got wide.

  "What's true?" Jolene asked.

  "They're saying that the Kid here and Channing's girl got all shot up with silver bullets, and that it didn't do anything to them."

  "It's mostly true," Sean nodded, "but it's a long way from being ready."

  Sawyer rummaged in one of his desk draws a moment, and then put a big stack of ten-ounce silver bars on the table.

  "There's three pounds. I'll take it out of the money from the next necklace I sell."

  Sean nodded his agreement to that and motioned to Jolene to pick it all up. Something that Sean noticed Sawyer didn't miss. Sean really wasn't sure what would happen if he grabbed something made out of silver with the tag active, and he didn't want to take the chance in front of Sawyer.

  Jolene asked a bunch more questions, and Sean just paid them half a mind as he thought about the deal Sawyer had mentioned early. Why had they agreed to that? Why hadn't they just killed him and his mom, along with his dad? This was something he'd have to look into eventually. But for now it could wait.

  After they left Sawyer's, Jolene made a bunch of phone calls while he drove around town, to make it harder for anyone to get a trace on them. Apparently she had a lot of catching up to do. Sean hadn't realized until now just how many people she apparently knew.

  Gradatim Council Chambers

  Roger McConnell looked at the other eight men gathered around the table, he knew all of them well, even Jamison, who had only made it to one of the senior positions in the council last year. McConnell had known him since he was a young man, back when he had first joined the local coven. They were all steady men, and they all held to the principles that the Council of Gradatim had first put forth over seventy years ago.

  "Gentlemen," Roger began looking around at their faces, "I think we have here an opportunity that has gone un-equaled to anything in our past before."

  Roger smiled as that got all of their attention.

  "As you all probably know, the child of the late Bernard Valens has come into possession of his father's secrets. Secrets that I daresay would benefit us far more than it could ever benefit the animals whom his father championed."

  "I thought that was only a rumor," Harold Sevins, seated down on the left side of the table said. "I hadn't heard that there had been any proof."

  Roger nodded slowly, "Yes, to many it is but a rumor, however I have a source that says otherwise."

  Roger paused a moment to let that sink it.

  "A source? Where? What did they learn?" Gerald Hoise asked.

  "Yesterday, the young Mr. Valens ordered a large production run of items from one of the dwarven factories to the south of town. One of those items is to make more of those necklaces that the animals favor so much in their effort to be more like their betters. The other item was much simpler, but its purpose was clearly hinted at."

  "So, they're going to start producing this miracle of Ben Valens' then?"

  "They are ready to start creating test items apparently," Roger nodded, "as they're only taking a sample delivery this week. However they've ordered ten thousand."

  "Oh my god!" Sam Wilston gasped from his spot to McConnell's right, "We have to stop them!"

  "Of course we do," Roger agreed, "and we will. However, let's consider what this means first," and Roger looked around the table. "The young Mr. Valens must have gotten his hands on his father's notes, if he is getting ready to start production."

  "And, that means?" Jamison asked.

  "It means," Gerald said, a grin forming on his face, "that our leader has a clever plan to get his hands on those notes and make them ours! Am I right, Roger?"

  Roger smiled and did his best to look humble, "I have managed, for a small fee, to have something we can easily trace be placed amon
g the first delivery. Then it will simply be a matter of following it to where the young Mr. Valens is hiding out, and at a suitable time, relieving him of them."

  "While removing him and his troublesome friends as well I take it?" Sam asked, smiling now as well.

  "Oh, of course! I see no reason for us to suffer the impertinence of the young Mr. Valens anymore, especially as he has decided to not only consort with animals, but to become one as well."

  "What about Harkins' people?" Gerald asked, "They're out there looking for the Valens' brat too. If they see us moving, we're likely to end up fighting them off as well."

  Roger shook his head, "Harkins has too much on his plate right now to be worried about what we're up to. With the unexpected loss of his man Rosen, followed by the loss of support from Preston's people, now that Preston is gone, he has found himself with little support. Many of his people are scared and more than a few are in hiding.

  "They see the young Mr. Valens in every shadow, and hiding behind every door. Oh, I'm sure it will change and in due time that they'll become their usual insufferable and snobbish selves again. But right now, they're out of the picture. So we can act on this without fear of their troublesome meddling."

  "But we'll still be careful," Sam said thoughtfully. "It wouldn't do to have any of the others get wind of this."

  "But they all want Valens dead too," Jamison asked, "don't they? Why would they want to interfere?"

  Rogers pursed his lips in thought a moment, "While the councils of Eruditio and Sapientia don't see the dangers involved, yet, I feel that the council of Vestibulum is simply hoping that the young Mr. Valens will continue his attacks on the Council of Ascendance. I have no doubt that they'll step in once Harkins and his people have been reduced to insignificance.

  "However, if they were to get wind of the fact that we're going after Bernard Valens' notes, I suspect they would show up in force and try to take them from us, once we have liberated them from Bernard's son."

  Jamison looked at him; Roger could see the curiosity in his eyes.

  "Why are those notes important?" Jamison asked, slowly, "What am I missing here?"

  Roger smiled, "Think of what we could do, if the animals we keep in thrall to us could not be harmed by the weapons of the others? Our armies could easily overwhelm any we sent them against. Not only would the Council of Gradatim finally achieve its rightful dominium over all of the other councils, but we, the members of the Reno coven, would no doubt rise quickly to the leadership of all of Gradatim.

  "And further, who knows what other secrets lay in those notes? If Bernard Valens was able to conquer the secret of silver for the animals, I am sure there are other things we would find of great value in there as well.

  "You see, when the decision to stop Bernard Valens was made, I made the argument then that we should enslave him, make him work for us, because the man was a genius, of that there was no doubt. But certain other parties," Roger grimaced with distaste at the memory of that argument, "thought that such knowledge would be better off lost. Whether or not that was true, or if it was simply a ploy to delay the rest of us while they hired a man to kill Bernard and hopefully steal his secrets, none of us know. Once the deed was done, everyone simply forgot about it.

  "But apparently not Harkins or his people, that is why they broke faith with the conclave and tried to grab the young Mr. Valens. But they failed, and now it is our turn to take that which must be ours!"

  Roger started in his seat then as the others started to clap, and then they actually stood up around the table! He knew that they would like this plan, how couldn't they? He'd led the local council so successfully for the last twenty-five years now, and with this opportunity, he was sure he'd rise high enough to spend the next twenty ruling all of Gradatim as well.

  "Please, sit," Roger said with mock humility, as he motioned with his hands for them to sit back down, "you're embarrassing me. Your continued support is all that I've ever asked for."

  "And you'll have it!" Charles Ryan said from where he sat on Roger's left.

  "Yes," the others said and nodded in agreement together, "you'll have it!"

  Roger nodded again, and smiled at all of them.

  "Sam, I want you to be in charge of the assault."

  "Do you want me to use any of our animals on this?"

  Roger nodded, "Yes, they can lead the charge as it were. Just don't take too many, or our best ones, you may have to put them down afterwards, if they learn too much."

  "Of course," Sam agreed.

  "Roger," Jamison spoke up, "if I may, I'd like to volunteer to go along on this."

  Roger glanced at Sam out of the corner of his eye, who gave a small nod.

  "Of course, David, I'm sure Sam will welcome all the help he can get."

  Jamison smiled, "Thank you, Roger."

  "You're welcome," Roger wondered how many of the others would approach Sam after the meeting and ask to be on the team as well. None of these men had gotten here by being timid, and they could all see just what they stood to gain once they got their hands on those notes.

  "Sam, you've got until Tuesday to get ready for this, the first delivery is on Wednesday. I'll let you know where, once I know. That's it for now," Roger said, dismissing them. "Charles, if you could stay a minute?" Roger added.

  Charles Ryan nodded and sat at the table, waiting as the others all left. Being the most junior, Jamison left last, closing the door behind him as he did.

  "Yes, Roger?"

  "There's going to be a lot of temptation among some of our people, once Sam gets his hands on Bernard Valens' notes. I want you to make sure that if he or his compatriots are tempted, that they don't become a problem, understand?"

  Charles nodded, "I think David is on the up and up, but I've had my doubts about Sam of late. I suspect he's been thinking about putting his own butt in your seat."

  "If this goes off well, he can have it when I move to Los Angeles to take over there. But if he's thinking about supplanting me in all things, well, I want to make sure you nip that in the bud, as it were."

  Charles smiled, "Honestly, I wouldn't mind taking over the Reno council once you move up. I kind of like it here, and the kids would probably kill me if we went to LA with you."

  Roger chuckled at that, Charles knew that when Roger moved up, Charles would still be his man and would go with him. And Roger knew that too. Roger always made sure that Charles got whatever he wanted, and Charles knew that few people would be as accepting of some of his more 'interesting' hobbies than Roger was.

  "Oh, I'm sure the kids will forgive you, Charles, once they see the beaches!"

  Sean came down the stairs from the garage with the bag of necklaces in his hand.

  "What's that?" Daelyn asked.

  "A dozen gold necklaces," Sean smiled.

  "Oh!" Roxy sat up suddenly in her seat, putting down the book she'd been reading, "We're making necklaces?" she asked, bouncing on the seat.

  "Well, I was hoping for some help," Sean said with a wink.

  "I'll go get the bedroom ready," Jolene chuckled, walking past Sean, "I suggest you two bring a couple pitchers of water, and maybe one or two of beer as well."

  "What are you taking about?" Daelyn asked, looking back and forth between Sean and Roxy. "What does making necklaces mean?"

  "I'll get the refreshments!" Roxy said, skipping off into the kitchen, pulling her clothes off along the way.

  Sean smirked and shook his head, "Remember how I told you we made the necklaces, together?"

  Daelyn nodded, "So?"

  "We used Jo's tantric magic, to link us all together and had sex."

  "What!" Daelyn's eyes got wide.

  "Don't knock it until you've tried it, Hon!" Roxy called from the kitchen. "It's absolutely mind blowing! Jo won't even let us do it too often; say's it can be habit forming!"

  "Wait, you're going to make magical items, with sex?"

  Sean looked down at Daelyn who was looking just a little bit
worried.

  "No," Sean said.

  "Then?" Daelyn asked.

  "We are going to make magical items with the power generated by sex!" Sean grinned and grabbing Daelyn by the hand he dragged her off towards the bedroom.

  "But I'm not into sex with other women!" Daelyn balked.

  "You've had sex with me, with the others around, haven't you?" Sean asked.

  "Well, that was different!"

  "How?"

  "We weren't touching!"

  Sean shrugged and dragged Daelyn into the bedroom. Jolene was already naked and had already turned down the sheets on the bed. The foam camping mattresses weren't the most comfortable, but they weren't all that bad.

  "No one's asking you to do anything with them that you don't want to," Sean said. "But you're my wife and I definitely want to experience this with you. Trust me, you'll enjoy it."

  "But doesn't Jo have to be touching me?" Daelyn asked, a bit warily.

  "She only has to be touching one of us," Sean smiled and pulling Daelyn close, he kissed her. "Now, settle down. This is going to take a lot of energy, from all of us, but especially me."

  "Don't worry, Dae," Jolene said in a soothing voice, "I don't expect you to do the things that Roxy does with me. But we will be sharing Sean, and we will be sharing him together, okay?"

  "Umm," Daelyn looked a little uncertain, but Sean's hands were already inside her coveralls and they were definitely working their 'magic.' She liked it when he put his hands on her, because he loved her and he desired her. Even with the other two around, Sean's desire for her was always clear. How he could want her so much, while still wanting the other two, she didn't quite understand. Roxy had told her that it was a lion thing and to just accept it. So she had.

  And besides, she had made love to Sean with the others in the same bed even.

  "Okay," Daelyn said and smiled a little shyly as Sean pulled the zipper on her coveralls all the way down to the bottom. She let her own hands start undoing his pants.

  "Just, take it easy with me, okay, Jo?"

  "Of course, Dae. If you're not relaxed and having fun, this won't work very well."