"You are most welcome." Paddy replied.
The man turned and walked away from the alley.
Paddy turned and grabbed me. "Kylie the shot?" I could feel him trying to find my wound. I placed his hands on the entrance and exit wounds. "Two of them. We have to go back to the cave."
"Yes."
We leaped across the alley and ran along the roof tops towards the cave.
Julian and Athos were talking with Councilman Antonio when we walked in.
"Kylie just like old times." Julian said.
"She was hit with a silver shot." Paddy told them.
"Oh dear I will be right back." Julian ran to his quarters coming back with a cup.
Julian and Athos slit their wrists filling the cup quickly. I drank down the first cup then the next after the third cupful the healing burn started. "Ah!" I nodded. "Its burning."
"Good." They all said together.
Quinn, John and Pearl came into the cave.
"Mama!" Pearl ran to me after smelling the blood on my clothes.
"I am all right Pearl." I nodded to my sons. She hugged me tightly.
"Mom. Dad. You will be happy to know that Pearl has shifted twenty five times into different animals." Quinn said proudly, "While we were hunting up North."
"Good girl," Paddy said, "were any of them difficult?"
"No Papa. I just thought of an animal and I became that animal."
"Good. That is good to hear." He smiled.
Councilmen Antonio, Samuel and Vincent came up from the bathing pool.
"Did you find Marcel?" Councilman Antonio asked.
"Yes we did Sir. Marcel firmly believes he is chasing and killing werewolves. Benoit is not too sure." Paddy told him.
"Good the next time you see them find out how long they have been here and how many of those trackers they have sold?"
"Yes Sir."
"And keep making Benoit doubt what he is doing."
"Yes Sir."
"He seems very guilty about the killing."
"Good keep working on that."
"Yes Sir."
"Now have Kylie fed."
"Yes Sir."
The five of us left for the outlying forest. I drained two deer, my family ate well.
For the next two weeks every time we went out to do some sightseeing, we also looked for Marcel and Benoit. We encountered three more murder scenes with their scents all around the sites.
We returned to the cave late one night after the third murder Wilbert and Pedro were talking to the Council members.
"Yes my friends, I have lost fifty members of my family because of this creature tracker." Wilbert was telling them.
"We have heard reports from other covens and packs with the same news." Councilman Antonio commented.
"We are living in dangerous times." Pedro said.
Everyone nodded.
Pedro turned to the rest of the group. "We will be sailing in two days."
"Mama the ball is tonight." Pearl said.
"Yes it is."
"Come we will bath and pick out a gown for you." Pearl giggled.
We returned to our room and went down to the bathing pool. I washed Pearl's long hair then pinned it up with hair combs. She went into Quinn's old room and tried on her gowns.
Paddy and I went back down to the pool and washed. We were back in our room a half hour later. Pearl was in a blue satin gown. It had sleeves that came slightly off the shoulders. The skirt had a light blue chiffon cover. Her corset had light blue ribbon flowers sewn on it.
Her father tied a cameo around her neck. She looked breathtaking.
"I am going to have to keep an eye on the young men at the ball." He whispered to me.
"Oh Papa!" Pearl giggled.
My gown was similar to Pearl's but mine was dark blue while hers was light blue.
"You never wore a corset before." Paddy asked me
"No I certainly have not but the dressmaker told us it is the new fashion 'All the nobility wear them'" I quoted.
"I see." He inspected the corset. "It looks uncomfortable."
"It is."
"Then why wear it?" He reached for the ties.
"No it is all right. It is only for one night."
"Are you sure?"
I nodded.
"All right."
We walked out into the other room, Quinn, John and Missy were waiting for us.
John offered his arm to Pearl, Quinn did the same to Missy.
"Everyone ready?" Paddy asked.
"Yes." We answered.
Paddy offered his arm to me and we walked to the old training square.
Everyone that was going to the ball was waiting in the training square Councilman Antonio came to wish us a good night. "Are you not coming with us Uncle Antonio?" Pearl asked.
"No my dear too many mortals, too much temptation."
"Oh."
"Have a good night everyone." He told everyone.
Liam and Lizzy stayed with the Council members.
We went out to the beach entrance then walked to Windsor Castle. It was a pleasant summer evening.
As we walked into the courtyard there were many fancy carriages letting people off then they would go back out into the street and wait.
The men had our invitations out and ready to be examined.
The butler glanced at Paddy's invitation then handed it back.
"Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Riley. Please follow the line of people to the ballroom."
"Thank you Sir."
We moved slowly away waiting for the rest of our group. The line of mortals in front of us were at a standstill. We heard a man announcing the guests as they entered the ballroom.
It took awhile to move up the line. Pearl was becoming excited.
"We are almost there." She said in a excited whisper. No one heard her. John patted her hand. Finally it was our turn. The man announced us then we entered the ballroom.
Pearl and Missy were introduced to the onlookers, John and Quinn were announced as their escorts.
Athos and Arthur were herald as father and son. There were many ladies fanning themselves as they walked into the room.
