The postcards go out to all, various pictures of crashing waves and tropical skylines. Written on it is the generic 'hey, how are you, I'm fine, having a blast' words that are usually accompanied by such things.

Two however, are a bit different. The first, written in small, precise lettering that covers nearly the entire back of the postcard goes out to a werewolf on another world.

Hi Daniel,
Work here has been amazingly busy, and I know that however busy I am you must be even more so, as your work is so much more scientific and exacting in nature. I decided to go with that idea you had, and thank you again for it. I scrimped and saved, and even went to the bank for a loan to open my own surfing school down here. I'm eating ramen every day (yuck!) but at least I'm a business owner! Still work part time at the bar to make ends meet until this gets up and going strong though. Not gonna tell you where here is yet, want it to be a surprise for when I invite you down. Knowing you, you could use another vacation. Give me a call sometime, if you get the chance.

Miss you Daniel, but I'm working hard and staying out of trouble, promise.
Eirelynn.

And the second one goes out to a certain mechanic and chef that currently lives in London at Mayfair Flats.

Dave! You've gotta come! I did it, finally did it! Saved money and got a loan and started a business down here in Fiji! Even found a house in this cove, a three bedroom that I'm renting to own at a steal. The water is beautiful the sand is clean and the sunsets are gorgeous. Maybe you'll like it enough to stay a while, I have plenty of room. You know, if you want to.

Miss you Dave, so much more than I realized. Please say you'll come?

Eire

Jelani, isn't that party soon? So do you want to learn how to strip before then or what? Let me know, I'm free in the morning all this week.

Yep, it's official. My family sucks. My sister is insane and my brother is just another stuck up, over-sexed twit that hates me because I'm a half-breed and not 'pure blooded' like he is. Well if being pure blooded makes me more like them? Screw it, I'm glad I have my mom's blood in me.

Later, Eireynn towels off from the shower in her bedroom, watching the lightning out on the water. It is coming in fast, the waves getting higher, the turbulent weather right outside the huge windows that separate her from the wind and rain. Pulling her journal out from between her mattress and box spring once more she flips through the pages, reading the last few weeks entries. Lying on the bed she reads them through once more, ignoring the storm that rages behind her, in favor of the one raging inside her. Flipping the journal closed with a slam, she reaches for her cell. Yea, it would be a bad thing to spend three days alone with Daniel. A very bad thing.

Nodding to herself she hits the speed-dial and makes the call. "Come on Dave, pick up the phone. You can find it, it's probably under the pizza box again."

Lister is right in the middle of pinning up some posters on his walls when his cell rings. Startled by the vibrations that sets of in his pockets, he drops pins and posters both on the floor. "'S Lister 'er- yeaoch!" The answer gets cut off as he manages to step on one of the pins that now litters the floor.

"Dave, DAVE? You ok over there?"

"Hey babe!" His smile can be heard clearly in his voice. "Eh, yeh, 'm fine. Just got a pin in me foot. What's up?"

"I take it you didn't want that to happen? I'd kiss your foot to make it better, but you know. They're your feet and all." She's giggling now, can't help it. "I just haven't heard from you in a while, and I was ah, missing you and all. And isn't it almost time for another pool lesson?"

"I'm sorry, been runnink 'round like a chicken with no head trying ta find a job. I called ya a while ago, but yer answerin'-machine was full. So how was the surf?"

"Oh it was amazing! Huge swells, and crystal clear waters. Got a hell of a tan while I was out there." She decides not to ell him about the shark though. That would be bad. "So how is the job search going? Any prospects?"

"Hey, bring a guy along next time. 'Least I can watch, y'know?" He chuckles. "Could ya belive tha I 'aven't found a single place in the whole o' London that's lookin' fer a guy with my talents? But I've got all the paints and brushes and whatnot, so I figure I'll call up yer mum fer those paintings."

She smiles, and starts nodding. "You know, that's a pretty good idea. I might just do that. You'd be ok with fishing and swimming and sleeping on the beach, and watching the stars and all? This place is rated expert, I wouldn't be able to teach you much there I'm afraid. Water's too unpredictable for beginners. And yea, call her up. I'm sure she woudn't mind. Um, this is the young, nexus version and not the one I know, right?"

"Yeh, early twenties, I guessed. Purple hair."

"Ok, just making sure. Not that my mom looks much older than twenty now. Anyhow, I was wondering what you were doing later this week? Other than painting naked women and stepping on sharp pointy objects. I'm not going to be around for a day or so; but after that?"

"I was hoping fer some pool and surfin' accompanied by this pretty bird I know. And I s'pose I should figger sumthink out ta eat fer Christmas. Smeg, 'aven't even celebrated tha fer three years."

"I suppose that would be possible. Especially since that girl is between jobs at the moment, you'd have uninterrupted surf time, if you want it." She thinks again. "I'm not sure what my family is doing, not sure I'll even join them actually. So if you want to join me here, we could barbeque or something. And then have a marathon session of b-movies and gaming. With popcorn." She pauses then grins. "Curry-powdered popcorn."

"Hey, I promised ya a gourmet-dinner, didn't I? I say that's be some good timin' right there. I'll even hold back on the chili." He pauses for a laugh. "So surfin' in two days?"

"Whoo hoo, a gourmet dinner, and massive amounts of beach time. The day is really looking up." She takes a quick glance out the window. "No surfing here today though, got a huge storm front coming in, pretty to look at, not so nice to be out in. But yea." She checks the calendar. "Thursday it is." Thinking fast she adds. "Oh and give me a call, remind me ok? I'll need to set some things up ahead of time. And no, not telling you either. It's a surprise. If I don't answer, just text me or leave a message. Please?"

"Aw, now you've gone and made me curious... But, will do. 'S a promise, babe."

"Good, if you're curious, you won't forget will you?" She chuckled then, very amused, and secretly relieved. "Anything else going on? Hows your ex roomie taking it now that you're gone?"

"Actually, I 'aven't seen 'im 'round at all lately, so it's been nice an' quiet. I'm surprised he hasn't come banging on me door and demanding I turn down the volume. Or stop snoring. Or whatever he'd feel like complanin' about."

"You sure he's still there? Or hey, maybe he found a girl or something. Although, this is your roomate we're talking about isn't it?"

There is laughter. "Him finding a bird would signal the arrival o' teh four horsemen, I'm sure. Naah, guess we're just unconsciously managed ta avoid each other."

"That must be it. See? Your luck has gotten better since coming to the nexus. Look Dave, I have to get going, laundry day you know? So, talk to you later? And hey, no more stepping on pins, ok?"

"They're going up on me walls instead o' me feet, promise. I'll call ya later. Take care in the storm, alright?"

"Yea, if you're into acupuncture, there are better ways to do it. And cool, I'll talk to you later, and I promise, no swimming today. Not my beach at least." Eire hangs up the phone with a smile.

And Lister, on his end, limps over to a chair and sits down to pluck the pin out from his foot. And to figure out a way for two days to pass quickly.

That takes care of that, Dave will call, I can tell Daniel that something important came up and I can get the hell out of there without a problem. Simple, easy, foolproof.

The light of dawn crept over the sea, reaching through the mist to the land beyond. Grey-blue, the day grew lighter bit by bit, thin skeletal fingers of sunlight piercing through the dark clouds to creep up the beach. The winds blew in from the ocean, damp and cold. It wrapped around the body to sink into to the bones of the girl who stared out at the grey waves and the frothing whitecaps that splashed over her bare feet.

Am I really going to go through with this? It seemed like such a fun and exciting idea at the time, but now... Maybe I should just call him and call it off. Make up some excuse, or something so that... but he's going to know something's up. And what the hell am I going to tell him? 'I'm sorry but I was sneaking around behind your back and got on your computer and I realized what a ruthless, absolutely psychotic, inhuman monster you really are, and sometimes you scare the living hell out of me because I can't help but wonder if when I'm next?' Nooo, can't say that.

I have the rest of the week off, I could make up an excuse and take off on my own. Or go through with it, try to figure out as much as I can in the time we have together, and then bail early? Hmm, that might be an idea. Go swimming, hike out to the waterfall, maybe sleep one night on the beach and...

Oh wait, sleep while he's around? Do I really want to close my eyes on this guy? *shrug* Not that I'm worried about him attacking me, not like that. I'm more scared I'd wake up in a cage or something with him wanting to see what my last words are *SHUDDER* or wake up to him in wolf form gnawing on my throat or taking a bite out of my leg or... Fuck. What the hell am I going to do?

I got a job, I got a job! Yea, it's bartending but still, it's SO much better. One of my friends came through for me and said something to someone who told someone, who told one of the customers at the bar I used to work at. The guy really good looking, and a GREAT tipper too, for that matter. And now I start in a week and it's full time, and good money, and NOT at a strip club, so I'm not sure what the tips will be like. But yes! That's one worry off my shoulders. I still want to take classes and do something, but at least the bills will be paid on time so I can start taking dance once more. And yes, I'm going to be using my stage name so some of my old customers might be coming in to see me.

In other news, there was news of a shark attack where I had been surfing last week in Australia. The shark took a huge chunk out of the surfboard and the guy that was on it. He died of bloodloss. Or maybe it was the missing leg. Or both, for that matter. The shark was never found. Makes me wonder if it's the same shark I saw that day, and if it was? Why didn't it go after me? Too small? Too thin maybe? Or perhaps it just doesn't have a taste for short, skinny girls with dark hair and blue eyes

And finally, I'm going to Hawaii for a few days to show a friend around. Um, day after tomorrow - or *checks the clock* no, tomorrow I mean, since it's after midnight now. I've already checked the weather reports, and the tide reports. Who knows, maybe I can get out on the waves for a while. We'll be camping on the beach, so I've already emailed Tito and sent him my credit card number. He's going to get us some wood for the fire pit. He'll also be able to get us some fresh food, I'll just have to pick it when we get there. I love Tito, he's so awesome!! *side note, bring lots and lots of sunscreen*

I should feel more nervous about this than I am, considering who I'm going with. I'm actually excited. This isn't some romance thing, after all he's just a friend. And he doesn't see me like that anyhow. But I get the chance to show off some of the beautiful places I go when I want to get away from everyone. And maybe he'll be able to relax for a change.

Her answering machine message had been changed sometime in the last twenty-four hours. Instead of the usual light-hearted message, there was another, more cryptic one.

"Hey there, I'm off catching THE killer wave. No, I'm not telling you where because you know, then everyone will want to ride. I'll be back when I get back. Leave a message if you want, just don't expect a reply too soon. Cell phones and ocean water don't mix."

That message was the same the second day, and the third as well. By the forth day, the message that came over the phone was "We're sorry, this message center is full. Please try back later."

Feverishly she wrote out the words on the newest page. Past pages were packed with pictures, doodling, thoughts. She could have done it on the computer, but she'd always felt that was cheating, that the letters themselves had a character, the words creating a picture of what was in a persons' mind. So she wrote it out long hand in a leather-bound journal. The latest of many that she'd stacked up in the back of her closet over the years. In this latest journal were her letters to her dead girlfriend begging forgiveness still, her fears about Rhoswyn and nightmares about Dominiq, her slow, careful testing of her powers, her joy and subsequent happiness at meeting Dave. And also included are the entries, cautious and careful about her feelings for Daniel. Just tightly written words, small and compact in black ink that crossed the page, back and forth.

What am I doing? What the fuck am I doing? I am so far out of my league here. And he, he must be insane. That has to be it. No, it isn't. He's not. That's the problem. He's not insane, but I am. I must be, for going back there. Those things he said, what I saw, what I read in his computer when he wasn't in the room. It's like a living horror movie. And that's not the end of it, either. There's more to him. Worse than that, I think. I know. This is insane, I grew up with werewolves, why am I so scared? Why?


Can't do it, can't do it. I can't go back there. Just going to stay here. He'll forget about me if I don't come around, or if I don't answer the phone. He'll forget about me and move on to something more exciting, more intriguing. He'll forget about me if I'm not there to remind him. Not a rabbit, dammit. I'm not a rabbit.

***

(And a later entry)

I'm calmer now, slept some, went jogging this morning. Man, I must have been some kind of tired or something to let him spook me like that yesterday. He is disturbed, but fascinating. And he's a mystery. One that I am going to get to the bottom of. I swear it.