I'd like to thanks Fox, SH, Beaver, Batty, and Catya for all their help.

This story contains mpreg.

Of Mages and Sentinels

Captain Simon Banks, mid-level mage, and wielder of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, replaced the phone in its cradle, and dug a cigar out of the box on his desk. Using a cigar cutter, Simon snipped off the end of the cigar, then placed the other end in his mouth. Without even an elaborate gesture the end of the cigar lit up and Banks puffed away happily. His son, Darryl a high-level mage, was coming down from Pennsylvania for the Festival of Lights. Darryl was a student at Penn State and had just finished off his first semester with a 4.0, and both Simon and his mate, Joel, were proud of their son. A tap on the door interrupted Simon's thoughts and he answered with a quick, "Come!" and the door opened to admit Detective James Ellison. Simon gestured for the Detective to sit down. Ellison closed the door and did as instructed.
"Word just came down, life sentences for each." Ellison said with a wicked smile.
"Damn, that's the second best news I've heard all day. If only we'd gotten Kincaid along with his two so called 'soldiers'." Jim shrugged, "He's a sneaky bastard Simon. So second best news...does that mean Darryl's coming home for the Festival?" "You bet. That was him just now. His plane was laid over at Denver, and he was just about to board. Him and his friend, Tommy Wong." "Tommy Wong?"
"A friend of his from Penn State, also his roommate apparently. Darryl hasn't given me any clues about him, but from what Darryl has said he sounds alright. We gave Darryl permission to bring the kid along since he has no family to go to for the holidays." "Darryl's turning out to be a good kid." Jim said. "I like to think so." Simon looked over the detective. Jim Ellison was a sentinel, one of the few who worked for the Cascade PD. A glint of silver turned Simon's attention to the small silver hoop in Jim's left ear. An old tradition that had started a couple thousand years ago when sentinels had lived in the forests and jungles. When a sentinel made his first kill he received the ring in a ceremony of sorts. Sadly, the tradition had changed when mages had begun bonding sentinels against their will. The first thing a mage did was rip the damn ring out of the sentinel's ear. Inwardly Simon shuddered at the thought. Thank the Creator we finally woke up to reality. The reality being that the mages were causing the extinction of one of the only other species on the planet capable of cognizant thought. The tradition had changed to when a sentinel agreed to bond, the mage gently removed the ring to indicate the sentinel's bonded status. Simon's brown eyes followed the curve of the silver ring to the intricate knot on the bottom of the curve. The knot indicated to all mages the not only was Jim Ellison a sentinel, he was also a breeder. The only sentinel breeder working for the Cascade PD. Simon mentally slapped himself back to reality and looked at the sentinel's face, "What about your more recent case?" "Zilch. Forensics couldn't even find a hair sample. No witnesses, and all his family members have alibis. The manner in which he was killed suggests a ritual."
"The Chief thinks so to which is why he's sending over a Consultant." "Come on Simon, I don't need some geek faced kid with a major in psych to help me out."
"He's not a psych major. He's an anthropologist who studies ancient rituals."
Jim seemed to think it over, "He might actually be useful then. If I know the ritual being used, I might be able to anticipate wether or not he plans to kill again or if this is a one time thing. When is he coming down?"
"After lunch. He apparently is teaching a class of the Rainier." Jim stood up and nodded, "Alright. I need to finish the paperwork on the Dillon's case."
The phone in the office rang, and Simon answered it giving Jim a wave of his hand to send him back out into the trenches. Jim smiled and left the office.

Jim walked over to his desk and sat down. At that moment, Henri Brown and his partner Bryan Rafe walked over. Bryan, a breeder mage of low level ability, perched on Ellison's desk corner. "I hear they got life sentences." Rafe said.
"You heard right." Ellison answered.
"Let's celebrate tonight at Toni's. You coming, Ellison." Henri a midlevel mage said.
Jim shook his head, "Can't. But have fun. Drink one for me." "You sure. Alright then." Henri said smiling as he walked back to his desk.
Rafe leaned over, "You sure you are alright, Jim. I mean, jeez Kincaid scared me when he..."
"Its nothing I haven't handled before. He's not the first mage who wanted me as his familiar, and it probably won't be the last. Luckily Henri's Kincaid's equal in strength."
"Yeah, he sure has been crowing a lot. Henri Brown saves the day and all that. His head swells any bigger and I may pin him up and use him for a piata at my kid's next birthday party." Jim laughed at that picturing a blindfolded kid beating the stuffing out of Henri with a plastic baseball bat. "Just be sure to invite me when you do. I'll bring the camera."
Rafe laughed as well.
"I'll leave you to your paperwork. If you need to talk, you know where I am at."
"I'll do that, Rafe. Thanks." Jim said. Rafe nodded and walked back over to his desk that was next to Brown's. Jim watched him go, then turned his attention back to the paperwork. He had too much work to do to be dwelling on what might have happened. While he and Rafe had been undercover, Kincaid had made overtures to Jim. He wanted the sentinel as his familiar. Jim had refused several times until finally toward the end of the assignment, Kincaid decided to bond Jim with or without his permission. Luckily Rafe had contacted his partner, and Henri and the calvary had arrived just in time. Kincaid, however, had slipped through the perimeter somehow, and was still at large. Jim hoped they caught that maniac soon.
Dr. Blair Sandburg, high-level mage, stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the seventh floor. As he waited for the elevator to reach its destination, Blair opened the folder he had and looked over the pictures of the bodies of the case he was supposed to help out with. As before when he saw the pictures, Blair Sandburg shuddered. He knew what the ritual was, and it scared him to think someone was out there trying to perform it. The elevator stopped on the fourth floor to allow three officers on. Blair glanced at their hands and saw the two rings on their fingers, and the one with the silver bracelet. The rings indicated how many Powers the wearer could wield. The silver bracelet indicated the wearer was a breeder as well as a mage. Blair wore his five rings. Gold with a jewel inlaid on the top. Diamond for Spirit, ruby for Fire, sapphire for Water, emerald for Earth, and Topaz for Air. All rings would be found on the left hand, and the bracelet on the right wrist. The officers only nodded in greeting, sharp eyes going to the badge on his shirt that indicated that Blair was a Consultant. At the sixth floor the three officers got off, and the elevator went to the seventh floor to deposit Blair.
Sandburg stepped off the elevator and headed for the doors that said Major Crimes on the glass. The doors opened and a young, handsome low level breeder mage walked out with a mid-level mage beside him. Blair waited until they were away from the door then stepped into the Major Crimes bullpen. He knew he was supposed to report to Captain Simon Banks, and saw the man's office at the far end. Tucking the files beneath his arm, Blair headed for the office. He noticed the officers and detectives in the bullpen only peripherally. Most were low level mages, and only a few breeders scatterred amongst them. Then his eyes caught the sight of hands that lacked the rings. Trying to hide his shock, Blair's eyes went directly to the man's left ear and saw that not only was the man an unbonded sentinel, but was also a breeder. The knowledge shocked Blair to the core so much so that his stride broke and he stumbled a bit before catching himself. The sentinel seemed to notice as his head lifted and looked straight at Blair with his icy blue eyes. Blair turned his head trying to not be caught staring and continued to his destination. A tap at the door proceeded a , "Come!" spoken in a deep voice, and Blair opened the door and stepped into the office of Captain Simon Banks. Banks looked up and got his first good look at the Consultant that the Chief had sent over. What he saw surprised him. The young man who looked no older than Simon's own son had long curly chestnut colored hair that was tied back from his face into a pony tail at the nape of his neck; small frame glasses perched on the end of his nose, and five rings indicating he was a high level mage. For some reason Simon was surprised at the lack of a bracelet, but he couldn't determine why. Perhaps the young man's stature. Though he was short, perhaps only five foot eight, he was solidly built. Simon rose and held out his hand, "Dr. Blair Sandburg?" Simon asked. "Yes." The Consultant shook his hand, and Simon indicated for the man to sit down. Dr. Sandburg seated himself in the offered chair, and set a pile of folders on he edge of Simon's desk. "I want to thank you for taking the time to come up here." Simon started.
The young man waved it off, "No need, Captain Banks. Its part of my job. I've been going over the files that were sent to me, and I must say I was rather shocked to see the pictures. The Blood Ritual hadn't been used in over three thousand years." "So you are saying you know the ritual the killer is using." "Yes. Its ritual used to obtain blood magic." Simon shuddered. Blood magic. The use of blood magic had been banned three thousand years ago by the Council. Every mage knew that the spilling of blood released power, and such power could be tapped. It was unlike using any of the elemental power, and stained a mage until they rotted from the inside. It was said that other mages could smell a blood mage literally.
"What is he using the blood power for then?" "Well you see Captain that's the problem, he's not. The ritual was first used by Vlad the Impaler. He had hope to somehow store the blood magic to be hoarded and used later. That of course failed, and Vlad was executed by the Council."
"Hold up a second, Dr. Sandburg," Simon said picking up the phone, "I'm going to have the lead investigator come in and you can explain all this to him."
Blair nodded.
"Send Ellison in." Simon said noticing the Sandburg react to the name. Simon shrugged mentally, Who wouldn't react to the name, Simon thought.
Jim walked into the office not more than a minute later, and sat down in he other chair at Simon's gesture. He introduced them quickly then asked Blair to explain the ritual. Jim's eyes narrowed at Dr. Sandburg's explanation. "Great, a Vlad the Impaler wanna be. Just what this city needed." Jim grumbled. "Thanks for the information, Chief. This should help the investigation, or at least give me an idea what to look for at the crime scenes."
"I'm glad I could be of some assistance." Dr. Sandburg said. Simon noticed the anthropologist's nervousness, but didn't think to ask. However, he wasn't the only one.
"Why are you so jumpy, Chief? You're heart's racing like you just ran a marathon."
"It's nothing." Blair said, then stood up. "If its alright with you, Captain. I have an appointment at the University. If you need me here's my number." He handed a card to Simon. Banks took it, and studied the card, then looked at Sandburg. "Thank you, Dr." Simon said.
Blair was about to leave the office when there was a sudden shatter of gunfire, and screams coming from he bullpen. the three men leaped up and race out of the office into the bullpen were men in fatigues with arm bands around their upper left forearms with a rising sun sewn on trained guns on the people in the bullpen and wove shields around the mages blocking them from using their own magic. Standing in the middle his hands on his hip looking smug was Garret Kincaid. "Welcome to the party, gentlemen. Have a seat." Kincaid said. At the glint Blair saw in Kincaid's eye, the young mage gathered his power weaving the five elements together into a complicated pattern and 'threw' it at the sentinel. Kincaid's eyes widened as he saw the weave settle over the sentinel who was unaware of what happened. "No!" Kincaid shouted stalking forward and backhanding Blair across the face using a weave of Air to add force to his blow. Blair staggered and fell to the ground. At the same time Jim leaped at Kincaid. Kincaid gestured dramatically and knocked the sentinel to his hands and knees with a weave of Air. "Stay." He growled at the sentinel using Air to hold him in place. Blair slowly got to his feet building up his power. Kincaid saw this and motioned with his hand. Four other mages, all mid-level, came forward and together they managed to shield Sandburg who was a bit weakened from the tapestry he had woven around the sentinel. Blair watched in satisfaction as Kincaid tried to unweave the spell around the sentinel who remained on hands and knees due to the weave of Air that surrounded him allowing Jim to only breathe shallowly. Kincaid growled when his efforts proved fruitless. "I have never seen a shield like that, but I know what it blocks!" Kincaid snarled grabbing Blair by the front of his shirt and hauling him up and over until he was nose to nose with Kincaid. "How do I remove it?" He demanded.
"You can't. Only I can, and I won't remove it until you are behind bars, and shielded." Blair answered calmly ignoring the pain from the colorful bruise that was forming on the right side of his cheek. Kincaid threw Blair backwards. The mage flew across the bullpen on a weave of Air slamming into the wall hard. Blair grunted and shut his eyes from the pain, but didn't cry out. Kincaid's men went through the hostages and tied their hands together with duck tape leaving only Jim's hands free. Blair tried not to cry out when his arms were roughly brought behind him and secured with the ducktape.
While they did that, Kincaid walked over and knelt beside Ellison. He lifted the sentinel's chin staring into the icy blue eyes. "That spell won't save you forever, Ellison. You will be mine." Kincaid told the sentinel.
Jim said nothing, but the glare said it all. Kincaid released Jim's chin, and stood up walking over to Blair. He kicked Blair in the ribs. Blair grunted. "Remove it." Kincaid demanded. Blair only shook his head.
"You shield won't save him completely." Kincaid said. Blair knew what Kincaid meant, but said nothing. The shield, a complicated spell that required years of practice, would prevent Kincaid from bonding the sentinel as his familiar, but would not keep the sentinel from injury or rape.
Kincaid's men hauled the hostages to one side of the bullpen, and kept watch over them with their guns. Behind the shield, Blair moved his mind across its surface gently so as not to alert the wielders. Outwardly, Blair appeared meek and compliant. He watched as Kincaid walked over to Ellison and removed the layer of Air that kept Jim on his hands and knees. He watched as Kincaid looped a leather belt around the sentinel's neck and hauled him to his feet. Jim only glared at the man as one of Kincaid's Sunrise Patriots secured Jim's hands behind his back with the ducktape. In his mind Blair found the knot that indicated the place where the different shields met, and began to unravel them one by one so silently and gently that no one was alerted to the slowly unraveling shield.
Kincaid hauled Jim into Simon's office while Blair finished off the last knot freeing himself to once again touch the power. Weaving quickly Blair exploded an Air bomb in the room. He had time only to shield himself as the power rushed through the room knocking everyone unconscious.
The enormous amount of power used had Kincaid running back into the bullpen buckling his belt in time to find Blair waiting for him. The mid-level mage stood no chance again the high-level mage, and was shielded and knocked unconscious within a matter of minutes. Luckily, most of Kincaid's Sunrise Patriots had been in the bullpen, and the rest were outnumbered when Blair woke the Captain and the rest of the officers in the bullpen.
Fortunately, Kincaid had not had time to do what he had planned, and they found Jim in the office un-harmed. After the clean-up crew took the unconscious Sunrise Patriot army into custody and had them locked up, Simon, Blair and Jim all seated themselves in Simon's office.
"That was amazing, Mr. Sandburg." Simon said. "Please, call me Blair."
"Alright, Blair. How did you get past your shield?" "Its an old trick that an old friend taught me. It requires a lot of concentration and a lot of practice."
"Why did you shield me?" Jim asked suddenly. Blair turned and looked at the sentinel, "Because I knew that that was what Kincaid wanted, and I wasn't about to let history repeat itself."
Jim said nothing. Everyone knew of the Ellison legacy. Jim's greatgreat -grand uncle had been bonded against his will by a Council member. The Council member had been taken down by the rest of the Council, and while one of them had placed the sentinel in a sleeping spell, the others had destroyed the mage utterly. The complications from the mage's death and the breaking of the bond had caused mental instability within the sentinel who eight months later had had to be put down. The rest of the Ellison clan had sworn never to be bonded, and for payment from he Council, they had been given ownership of Storm Island. Sentinels didn't own property, but the Council had made the one exception and to this very day Storm Island was mage free. Ellison looked at the mage who had saved him by not only taking out Kincaid's men, but by shielding him and taken a beating for it. An EMT had Healed Blair of several bruises and a broken rib. Jim couldn't figure the mage out, and it confused and frightened him. He turned to Simon, "All that's left is the paperwork, Simon, and I need to go home."
Simon nodded, "You can do the paperwork tomorrow. No problem. You sure you are alright."
"I'm fine." Jim said as he stood up. He looked at Blair. "Thank you, Sandburg. I owe you alot, but how about I repay you with dinner tonight?"
Blair was taken back but only for an instant. "Okay." "My place then. You can follow me over if you like." Jim said trying to figure out why he had just invited a mage to dinner, at his place. "Sure."

Jim parked his black Ford F-250 extended cab in he parking place at Prospect Ave. Blair parked his red 1995 Ford mustang beside him. They silently went up the elevator to the loft where Jim lived. Blair was silent as he watched the stoic sentinel from the corner of his eye.
They went into Jim's loft. The first thing Blair saw was a picture of Jim's unit that went down in Peru.
"I'd sure like to pick your brain about the Chopec." Blair said without thinking.
"Not much to know, Chief." Jim said.
"They are one of the few remaining tribes in South America that have yet to be modernized."
"And they never will." Jim said as he began to take out the ingredients to make enchiladas.
"So where you like the only sentinel in Peru. I bet the Chopec benefited greatly from your presence."
"No, there was one other. He was the sentinel of a rival tribe. The Inouqui."
Another sentinel, Blair thought. Then what about Anlach? At that moment the door bell rang, and Jim went to answer it. Blair watched as Jim opened the door. A young man stood holding a five year old boy with brown colored skin in his arms. "Mommy!" The little boy exclaimed holding his arms out to Jim who picked him up out of the other sentinel's arms. The little boy hugged Jim, who hugged him back and then turned to look at Blair, "This is Michael. My son." And Blair knew that he had his answer.
After Jim introduced Michael to Blair, he told the boy to go play in his room, and went back to making dinner. Michael happily scrambled into his room beneath the stairs to play with his toys. Blair seated himself at the bar and watched the sentinel prepare the meal. He extended his mage senses throughout the building. He could sense the other sentinels that lived in the building. Most if not all the adults, Blair knew, would be breeders along with whatever children they had. The owner of the building was a mid-level mage, Blair sensed that from the shields that covered the building. Blair had done a paper on the sentinel apartments that existed throughout the country. A mage, bonded to a full male sentinel, would own the building renting it out to breeder sentinels and their cubs. The older sentinel cubs would watch the younger sentinel cubs while the adults were working when they got out of school. The familiar would be the only full male sentinel in the building(besides any of the cubs), and would be very territorial and protective of the breeders as well as the cubs. And Blair knew that the male familiar would also be the father of several of the cubs living in the apartment. No other full male sentinel would enter the building unless he too was a familiar and his mage was with him. And even then he would be watched warily. The sentinel apartments were not slums, and any mage he mistreated the sentinels in his building would find himself in prison if not on Death row. Such things were intolerable. The neighborhood around the sentinel apartments were low crime areas, and mages who lived in the area benefited greatly from that. Blair figured that the only reason Jim was living in a sentinel apartment was because of Michael. He would need the assistance from the other sentinels in helping to raise the boy especially since he was a cop. As Blair's mage senses slowly gathered inward, he noticed the presence of a different shield within the apartment, and he followed the source to a crystal that hung above the door. His eyes widened as he recognized it.
Jim followed Blair's gaze and looked at the crystal. "Those are illegal." Blair said.
"Only to make. That one is two thousand years old." Jim answered placing the pan of enchiladas in the oven. Blair tested it with his magic to discover that Jim was right. The crystal had been made to keep sentinels encaged during Anlach. The crystal activated during Anlach and placed a shield around the apartment allowing no sentinel to enter nor exit. Blair was confused about why the crystal was there. It had been used by mages to keep their familiars from breeding during Anlach. "Its useful. Aaron doesn't like for me to have it, but Joshua has told him that he can't take it from me." "Aaron?" Blair asked.
"Joshua is the mage that owns the building, Aaron is his familiar." Jim said that last word with distaste. Of course, Jim was an Ellison after all.
Then Blair understood. Jim didn't want to become pregnant again. He didn't want to join in at Anlach and so used the crystal to prevent it. What Blair didn't understand was why the sentinel was so against having more children.
A bright blue ball rolled out of the bedroom where Michael had gone into not a few minutes before. Following the ball was a small spotted jaguar cub who batted at the ball with his paws. Blair smiled at the cub. Jim looked at the cub with amusement, "Michael, you need to wash up, its almost time for dinner." The little jaguar cub turned and looked at his mother then shifted to his human form still wearing his jeans and shirt. "Alright, mommy." Michael said heading into the bathroom. Michael used the stool in the bathroom to reach the sink, and washed his hands. Jim walked into the bathroom, and helped his son was his hand, and dry them all the while smiling and laughing with the cub.
Jim set the table for three, and helped Michael into his seat with a booster chair to allow his to reach the table. The enchiladas were served with black beans and rice along with a nice salad. Blair dug in, the smell making his mouth water. "Did you have fun at school today, Michael?" Jim asked his son. "Lotsa fun, I drew you a picture, you wanna see?" Michael asked. Jim smiled, "After dinner, then I will be glad to see your picture." Blair looked at Michael. His mage powers told him that the boy was a full male sentinel. At five the boy was just coming into his abilities, no doubt the reason he had shapeshifted. Sentinel children found it enjoyable to shape shift and play in their cat forms. Blair smiled as he thought of the spotted jaguar cub. No doubt he was an Ellison. The jaguar was their cat. Each line of sentinels had a specific cat form they could transform into. The shape depended upon their mothers, not their sires. Any children that Michael sired would not be able to change to a jaguar, their shape would be determined by the sentinel Michael mated with, while any children that Jim had wether fully male or breeders would be able to shapeshift to a jaguar. During the times the mages had kept sentinels against their will many a line had disappeared, the last of the breeders of that line having died. A sad thought, Blair pondered.
The food was delicious, and Blair told Jim so. Jim thanked him, a bit embarrassed at the praise. When they were done, Jim took his and Michael's plate to the sink to rinse, and went back to get Blair's only to find the mage had brought it. "Thank you." Jim said taking the plate and glass from Sandburg. "For everything you did today." "You are welcome. I couldn't have lived with myself if I had not intervened." Michael squirmed in his chair, Jim went over to help his son. Once on the floor, the boy shape shifted and went back to chasing his ball. When the ball rolled past his mother, Michael began to bat at Jim's legs in an invitation to play. Jim grinned at his son, then shapeshifted into a large black jaguar. He allowed his son to pounce his tail, and worry at his ears and scruff. Blair watched and laughed. When Blair said he had to go, Jim reshifted to human form, and walked Blair to the door. "I'll guess I'll see you tomorrow, Chief." Jim said. "Yes. I will be over after lunch. I have classes to teach in the mornings. I'll bring over some research material on your case that should help you out." Blair said. "Thank you, I appreciate it." Jim said. "Goodbye Jim, take of yourself, and Michael." Jim nodded awkwardly, and Blair left with one last smile, and a bye to Michael. Blair walked down the stairs forgoing the elevator. He passed a big sentinel on his way out. Blair felt the sentinel was fully male, and no doubt the familiar of the mage who owned the building due to the lack of the earring. The sentinel glared at Blair, his nostrils flaring as he took in Blair's mage scent. Blair ignored the sentinel and continued on down the stairs to his car. Jim shut the door and locked it as soon as he scented Aaron coming closer. Damn asshole just can't no for an answer. Jim thought. Aaron wanted Jim as his mate, and Jim wanted nothing to do with the familiar. Sentinels rarely mated for life, and if Jim ever decided to do that it wouldn't be with a damn full male who thought he owned Jim. Turning back to his son who was playing with the ball still in jaguar form, Jim's mind went back to his time in Peru. The shaman of the tribe, the mage who held the most power and training, Incacha had helped Jim when he had crashed, nursing the Ranger Captain back to health from his injuries. The tribe had welcomed him into the tribe, and Incacha had given him the name Enquerri. Jim had helped to train the warriors, and helped the tribe hunt for food and fend off attacks from the neighboring tribe such as the Inouqui. Jim had been grateful that Incacha had never once asked Jim to be his familiar. He would have hated to tell the old shaman no, but he knew that he would have. However, when Anlach crept up on them, Jim had asked, begged Incacha to keep him in the hut, and out of the jungle. Incacha had been confused at the request, then had told Jim that a mage was forbidden in interfering with Anlach. Jim of course didn't remember the time of Anlach, just bits and pieces that floated to the surface every so often. Jim was grateful that the memories never surfaced. When he had returned to the village smelling of blood and semen, tired but coherent, Incacha had bathed him, gave him water, and helped Jim to his pallet to sleep. Within a few months, the first signs of pregnancy began. Morning sickness was not fun, but luckily Incacha had had a drink that seemed to help settle Jim's stomach. The mage breeders in the tribe, mostly the wives of the warriors, and Elders, including Incacha's wife, Intoku, had helped Jim a lot during the pregnancy, and as the final month approached Jim spent more time in the village under their watchful eye. However, sentinel instinct had Jim slipping out of the village when the time came for the baby to be born. Instinct driven, Jim had found a clearing far from any mages to begin giving birth.
When Intoku had found Jim to be missing, he had known right away that the sentinel was in labor. They set up a search, and Incacha found Jim in the clearing on hands and knees, body racked with labor pains.
Intoku had held Jim's upper body in his lap, giving the sentinels arms a much needed rest. His chest resting on Intoku's knees, breathing in Intoku's scent, while Incacha kneeled behind him helping the baby to be delivered into the world, Jim screamed each time the labor pains twisted though him. When Michael's cries could be heard, Jim had begged Incacha to tell him if the baby was a breeder or not. When Incacha had given him the answer, Jim had cried in relief, and collapsed into unconsciousness. When he had awoken he found Intoku hovering over him, and Michael lying on his chest, mouth suckling on a nipple taking in the precious milk that Jim's body produced. Jim was rescued a few days after the next Analch, but because Jim was nursing, he did not go into heat, and therefor did not participate in Anlach. While a sentinel produced milk for their baby, they did not go into heat during Anlach. Though some sentinels had been known to produce milk for up to five years after the baby's birth, Jim only lactated for three years. During those three years Jim had gotten his honorable discharge from the Army, and had joined the police academy after having moved into the loft in Cascade. When Incacha had told him that his baby was a full male, Jim had never been so relieved. A weight that he had felt throughout his pregnancy had lifted. All his childhood, Jim had heard the same thing over and over again from his mother, William Ellison. That his only job in life was to produce children to continue the Ellison line. William himself had had five children, and until Jim had been born, the fourth child, all of William's children had been full males who could not continue the Ellison line. Six years after Jim was born, the last child Stephen was born, and like Jim, Stephen was a breeder. Stephen had also heard the same thing all his life, but the young breeder had listened, and was now living on Storm Island with their mother, having had three kids of his own. Two of which were breeders. Jim had only visited Storm Island once since he came back from Peru taking Michael with him to meet his Grandmother, and the rest of his family. He had left not four hours later with his Mother's harsh words about duty to the family still ringing in his head. Jim had refused to allow William Ellison dictate his life. Jim believed himself to be worth more than the children he could bear. And he had left home at the age of eighteen to prove just that.

The next day, Jim received a call from an informant on a different case that involved smuggling mage crystals. The informant asked to meet at a warehouse and Jim wrote down the address. As he was putting on his jacket, Blair Sandburg walked into the bullpen. "Where you going?" Blair asked.
"To meet one of my snitches." Jim answered. "Mind if I tag along?"
"Sure, why not." Jim answered.
"Cool!" Blair's grin was so infectious it made Jim smile. Blair followed behind Jim as they rode the elevator down to the parking garage, then walked to Jim's truck. The drive took twenty minutes thanks to traffic, and Jim managed to avoid any accidents. The warehouse was run down and deserted though Jim suspected some homeless people were sheltering inside.
Parking the truck, Jim climbed out. Since it was just a meeting with a snitch, Jim didn't bother to have the professor wait in the truck. Blair practically bounced at Jim's side and the sentinel found it hard to believe that the mage was an adult.
As they neared the door, Blair started to feel edgy. When Jim laid a hand on the knob, Blair grabbed Jim's arm screaming, "No!" Before he could shield them a concussion spell exploded throwing both of them backwards several feet and caused the warehouse itself to explode.
Blair couched as he slowly got to his knees. "Oh man, that was one serious spell." He said to nobody in particular. Turning his head he saw Jim lying on his back, eyes closed, blood covering the left side of his face.
Brushing blood from where it was beginning to fall into his own right eye, Blair slowly crawled over to Jim's unconscious form relieved to see the sentinel's chest rising and falling with each breath.
Blair's own head hurt, as did his left leg, but he made it to the sentinel's side without, he hoped, further injuring himself. Laying a hand on Jim's neck, Blair found the sentinel's pulse, strong and steady.
Blair was a high level mage, but knew little of the Healing arts; certainly not enough to help Jim. Blair reached into Jim's pocket and pulled out the sentinel's cell phone, and called 911 reporting the incident and answering the man's questions. It wasn't long after he hung up that he heard sirens. The sirens were two police black and whites who had received the call of officer down. The uniforms secured the scene, and had tape and blocks up by the time the ambulance and the plainclothes detectives arrived. One of the uniforms had assessed both Blair and Jim, but did not have any healing skills. Simon Banks walked over just as the ambulance attendants began to asses the condition of the mage and sentinel. It was at that moment that Jim returned to consciousness and began to protest that he was fine. Not that the ambulance attendants were listening. Instead they spoke to Simon over Jim's head.
"Procedure says we bring him in since he was unconscious for longer than a few minutes. And he's bleeding." The EMT said. Simon only nodded refusing to argue against it. Jim of course protested, but it did little good. Sentinels could not refuse medical treatment. Otherwise sentinels would never go to the hospital and would die of their wounds or infection. Stubborn as hell, sentinels hated hospitals because mages used magic on them, and only bonded sentinels were not bothered by that. Because they could not refuse, sentinels were never charged for medical care unless they were bonded and then their mage was charged. Jim didn't fight the EMT's when they placed him on a gurney. Knowing it would only earn him a sedative spell, and/or restraints. The EMTs suggested that Blair also go to the hospital. The mage agreed, and was loaded on the ambulance as well. At the hospital, the nurses recognized Jim right off the bat. The mage-doctor treating him Delved Jim, using all five powers woven together to ascertain any medical problems. When he was finished, the mage then used his powers to start the process of Healing on the head wound, the two cracked ribs, and the various contusions. The doctor could not Heal them completely since it would require entirely too much of his energy and he would be useless to his next patient. Because of the concussion caused by the head wound, the doctor ordered a room for the sentinel with instructions to the nurses that he be wakened every hour to ascertain his condition. And since his records indicated that Jim had snuck out of the hospital on three separate occasions, the doctor ordered restraints. Since shields would require too much energy to create, and their energy would be needed for other things, padded leather restraints were used. The restraints had a blocking spell that kept Jim from shapeshifting to slip out of them. Therefor, the sentinel was stripped of his clothes, placed in a hospital gown, and wheeled to his room where orderlies moved him from the gurney to the bed, then placed the restraints around Jim's wrists. A nurse started an IV per doctors orders, and a catheter since Jim was restrained to the bed. When that was done, the nurse covered him with the sheets and a blanket. He smiled at Jim, but the sentinel only growled in disgust, and the nurse left the room. Sometime later, Blair was wheeled into the room wearing a cast on his leg that was in fact broken. "Guess what. I get to stay overnight as well." Blair said as the orderly helped him move to the bed.
"So what's your prognosis?" Jim asked. "Broken femur, a cut on my forehead, and a few bruises. All and all I'd say we were lucky. That concussion spell took out the damn warehouse." "Yeah I suppose." Jim said.
The door opened to admit Captain Banks. "Before you say anything, I called Joshua and told him what was up. He said he would have Jeremy keep an eye on Michael." Simon said. Jeremy was one of the other sentinel breeders who lived in Jim's apartment building. He had three children of his own, and watched Michael quite often. "Thanks, Captain." Jim said.
"Don't thank me. Just tell me what you were doing at the warehouse." Simon asked. "Without back-up, I may add."
"Sneaks called. Said he had some info on the mage crystals. It was just to meet him. No need to call back-up for that." Jim answered
"And me. Was there a reason you couldn't inform me where you were going." Jim shrugged and Simon sighed. "Your lone wolf act is going to get you killed someday. I guess I shouldn't complain. All the captains from the different departments say the same thing about the sentinels working under them." Simon didn't say anything about the fact that the other sentinels were full males. Breeders usually weren't as stubborn as the full males except when they were pregnant. And Simon knew that Jim wasn't pregnant. "I'll be by tomorrow to pick you up. Rafe and Brown moved your truck to your apartment so don't worry about that. If you want I'll swing by and check on Michael." Jim shook his head, "No need. I trust Jeremy." Breeder sentinels were very nurturing of children even those not of their own body or species. "Alright. Try to get some rest, though I know that would be impossible with them waking you up every hour. And you are not to work tomorrow. Period. I will be taking you home, and you will get some rest."
Jim didn't even bother to argue. Simon nodded at that, then asked Blair how he was doing. The mage answered, and Simon thanked him for calling 911. Banks then said his goodbyes and left the room. Jim tested the restraints finding no resistance, then closed his eyes to try and sleep before they came to wake him up. I hate hospitals, he thought before he drifted to sleep. In the morning the doctor came to see Jim, and after Delving him, signed the release form that freed Jim from the hated hospital.
While the paperwork was going through, the doctor with Blair using his own power to augment the doctor's Healed Blair completely.
Jim pulled on his shirt, "Why didn't you do that last night?" Jim asked Blair who was also getting dressed. The nurse had come in earlier and released the restraints , and taken out the catheter and IV. "Most doctors refuse to do it until they are sure their patient is well rested and at full strength. It can be very draining if you're not." Blair answered while he tied his shoes. Jim nodded and slipped off the bed. A tap on the door was followed by Simon Banks entering the room with Joshua at his heels. Joshua was a tall black man, even taller than Captain Banks, and had an aura of strength around him. He was a mid-level mage, and the owner of the building Jim lived in. When Jim had signed the lease, he had placed himself and his son under Joshua's protection, and were therefore Joshua's responsibility. Perhaps even more than Simon's responsibility. Such was the way of the sentinel apartments. Jim would have never have lived in a sentinel apartment if he hadn't needed the added protection and security for Michael.
Joshua came forward smiling, "I think every time I turn around you are in a hospital, Jim." Joshua said. Jim shrugged, "Hazard of the profession." "Michael is out in the truck with Randy. Are you ready to go?" Joshua asked. Jim handed over the release form to Joshua who took it and perused it. He nodded then reached out laying one hand on the back of Jim's neck and guided the sentinel out of the room. Jim allowed the familiarity, if only to leave the hospital. With Joshua's presence, they could forego the usual mandatory wheelchair ride. When they passed Simon, the captain told the sentinel to take the rest of the day off, and that he would see him the next day. Jim nodded and left with Joshua. Simon turned to Blair. "Need a lift, Sandburg." "That would be great, thanks Captain." Blair said. Simon nodded. A nurse came in with the wheelchair and Blair hopped in. Simon followed the nurse as the man pushed the wheelchair. Outside, Blair got out of the chair and followed Captain Banks to his Ford Taurus. He got into the passenger seat, and Banks got in the driver's seat. They drove in silence for a few minutes before Blair broke it. "I don't think Jim should have that Vlad the Impaler case." Blair said. "Why not?" Simon asked.
"A case like this will get a lot of hype from the media. The killer no doubts wants the attention. They usually do. Which means Jim will also get the media attention. If the killer is looking for a way to gain more power, an unbonded sentinel breeder would be a perfect way to do so. The killer might focus his attentions on Jim hoping to capture the leading officer. By doing so he kills two birds with one stone. He gains power and impedes the investigation." Blair explained. "You are probably right, but I can't take Jim off the case. It will piss him off, and then he'll just investigate on his own." Banks answered.
"If Jim is going to be investigating then I think he should have a mage partner. I know he won't like that, but it will keep him safer."
"You know Dr. Sandburg, that is a good idea. And since the Chief has authorized me to use your expertise for this investigation, I think that you would be a perfect partner for Ellison." Banks smiled. "You know, I think that would be a good idea, Captain." Banks looked at the anthropologist in shock, then regained his composure. He hadn't thought that Blair would agree. I wonder how Jim will react, Banks thought.

The next day Jim went to the gym after dropping off Michael at school. Since Banks had given him the next day off, Jim knew that the captain wouldn't be too happy to see Jim in at the station. And since he didn't want to sit around the Loft and do nothing, the gym was the next best choice.

Jim was doing reps on the irons when familiar scents wafted to his nose. Jim continued to do his reps while announcing, "Well if it isn't Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber."

The ones Jim was referring to walked over to where the sentinel lay on his back pushing the iron bar and its weights up and down above his chest.

Sentinels, with ice blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing their earrings in their left ear that lacked any knots, Kyle and Keith were twins. A rarity among sentinels.

Keith, the older by two minutes, grasped the bar between Jim hands and held the weight against Jim's chest.

"What do you have to say to me, Ellison." Keith growled in Jim's face.

"Quite alot." Jim said. "Not only are you stupid, you're breath stinks." Jim laughed. "Get off me."

Keith laughed and let go of the bar allowing Jim to push it up and back into its holder.

"Where have you two been?" Jim asked as he wiped sweat from his face on his towel.

"Doing some undercover work. The usual. You know how that is." Kyle said.

Keith and Kyle both worked for Vice. They usually went under as bodyguards to mages who ran stables of breeders both sentinel and mage.

"Oh sure." Jim said rather sarcastically. When he had worked Vice, he usually played the main course. No one would hire a breeder sentinel as a bodyguard, even one that looked like Jim.

"Heard you spent some time at the Vet's." Kyle said. Jim gave him a dirty look. Lots of sentinels called doctor mages the Vets. It was a joke, and Jim didn't think it was a very good one.

"Yeah, unfortunately." Jim answered.

"We wanted to know if you'd like to come to lunch with us." Keith asked.

"As long as your buying." Jim answered throwing the towel at Keith who caught it.

Keith smiled, sniffed the towel, and said, "You bet."

Jim just shook his head, and walked into the shower area. Both Keith and Kyle followed.

Jim took a shower ignoring Kyle and Keith's roaming eyes. At one point he threw the washcloth he had used to clean himself at Kyle.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do than stand there and leer at me?" Jim asked them.

Kyle looked at Keith who looked back, then they both turned to Jim with smiles on their handsome faces, "No," they answered together.

Jim laughed.

They ate dinner at a Steak House. Meat was essential to Sentinel diets, though they could eat whatever mages ate. During lunch they spoke about their assignments. Keith and Kyle weren't too happy to learn about the details with Kincaid. Each of them shuddered at the idea of being forced bond. Both Keith and Kyle had sworn never to bond to a mage, unless that mage bonded them both. Very few mages had the ability to do just that.

Jim took them up on their invitation after lunch, and they went back to the brothers' apartments.

"You guys ever planning to move away from each other?" Jim asked.

"No." They answered.

Jim smiled, "Just thought I'd ask."

Since Anlach was the only time a sentinel breeder could get pregnant, Sentinels, unlike mages never had to worry about pregnancy at any other time. And since there were no diseases, Sentinels did not use condoms like mages needed to do.

Jim, like any other healthy adult, liked sex. He just didn't like to get pregnant. And Keith and Kyle were old friends and old lovers who enjoyed sex, and didn't feel the need to be possessive of Jim like other males were.

Keith started the party by grabbing Jim and pulling him close as their mouths met. Jim opened his mouth and allowed Keith's tongue to enter, exploring his palate. The taste was familiar under the taste of steak and blood. As they kissed, Jim felt Keith's hands move down his back to his jean clad butt. Keith's hands massaged Jim's ass, kneading the firm muscles. Then Jim felt Kyle come up behind him pressing a jean covered groin against Jim's ass. Hands came around front to rub Jim's crotch. Keith's hands moved up to Jim's head and fingers combed through short brown hair as Keith's mouth moved from Jim's mouth down to his neck. Jim leaned his head back in a submissive gesture while Keith sucked on Jim's neck on one side and Kyle sucked on the other. Hands moved over his body, while deft fingers unbuttoned Jim's jeans. Jim groaned at the feel of their mouths on his neck while hands, Kyle's, pushed Jim's jeans down past his waist along with his boxers leaving the breeder sentinel bare from the waist down. Big, strong hands, took Jim's penis firmly but gently and began to stroke along the head. The hand moved down Jim's penis to the smooth skin beneath. As a breeder, Jim's body didn't produce semen or sperm. And though his penis would harden under stimulation, when he did cum, he did not expel anything from his dick. Breeders did not have testicles.

The stimulation was causing his dick to harden, it was also causing his body to produce natural lubrication that slowly leaked form his anus. The lubrication was also a natural cleaning process as well as a lubricant.

Kyle's mouth moved down Jim's neck to the collar of his shirt, while his hands went up Jim's shirt and assisted Keith in removing Jim's shirt. While Kyle rubbed his hands over Jim's pecs playing with the sensitive nubs, and his mouth nipped at Jim's back, Keith removed his own clothes, slowly.

Kyle handed Jim over to a naked Keith. And while Keith picked Jim up and laid him on the bed, Kyle undressed.

On the bed, Jim groaned as Keith's mouth enclosed Jim's penis and Keith's hands massaged Jim's buttocks. Kyle joined them on the bed, and moved so that he was kneeling above Jim's head. Jim took that cue and reached up to grasp Kyle's hard twelve inch dick. He tongued the head, and enclosed his lips over it as he sucked while Keith did the same to him. Kyle threw his head back and moaned as Jim's mouth worked over his dick.

One of Keith's fingers found the lubricated hole and thrust itself inside causing Jim to pant and moan around Kyle's dick. Jim released Kyle's dick, and sucked Kyle's balls into his mouth while his hands moved over Kyle's dick. Keith thrusted his finger inside Jim's ass brushing the bundle of nerves that while not his prostate since breeders didn't have one, was just as good. Jim cried out as he came, his dick softening in Keith's mouth, while his body shook.

Panting, Jim took Kyle's balls back into his mouth having released them before he had cum. Keith's finger was pulled out of Jim's ass, and Keith grasped Jim's thighs and lifted the sentinel's legs above his head revealing the loose, pulsating hole. Kyle grasped Jim's legs holding them for Keith whose tongue found the hole and began to lick and penetrate.

"Oooh yeah, bro. Lick that hole good." Kyle urged his brother on. He leaned over and kissed the inside of Jim's thighs, then nipped at them leaving marks. Jim groaned at that, the pleasure and pain combining to bring even more pleasure and closer to the edge of cumming once again.

"Hmmm, you're ready for us, aren't ya Jimmy. Your hole is begging for us." Keith crooned.

Jim just groaned.

Kyle nodded and released Jim's thighs just in time for Keith to catch them. Kyle sat down on his butt, and pulled Jim up against his chest until Kyle's hard dick rubbed against Jim's hot hole. "Oooh yeah this is going to feel so good." Kyle said as he mouthed Jim's neck.

Between Jim's legs, Keith helped maneuver his brother's dick to Jim's hole. Kyle thrust upwards at Keith's nod, sheathing his twelve inch dick inside Jim's loosened and lubricated ass in one stroke.

He waited a few seconds while Jim got use to the feel of Kyle's dick inside him. Then he thrusted a few times, while Keith held Jim's thigh up and began to bite and nibble on the inside of them. Jim groaned and shuddered.

Then Keith used his hand to place his own twelve inch dick against Jim's already filled hole. Carefully, he pushed his way inside until his dick rested inside Jim's ass with his brothers. they waited a few minutes. Kyle sucked on Jim's neck, while Keith bent over to take Jim's half hard cock in his mouth. Then slowly, they both began to thrust in unison, their dicks rubbing against each others and Jim's anal walls. The sensitive walls with their numerous nerve bundles were stimulated to the point of ecstasy by the two sentinel's big cocks.

Kyle bit down on Jim's neck, while Keith bit down on the inside of Jim's thigh the moment Jim came. His body shuddered and Jim screamed from the pleasure. His anal walls convulsed and pressed against the two dicks inside him which along with the taste of blood in their mouths from where they had bit Jim caused Kyle and Keith to both cum, their semen coating the insides of Jim's ass.

A few minutes later, Kyle and Keith slowly withdrew their soft cocks from Jim's ass. Kyle slowly lowered the unconscious Jim to the bed, while Keith went and got some washcloths. They cleaned Jim up and put some antibiotic ointment on the bites.

Jim eventually came back to consciousness only to find himself cuddled up between Keith and Kyle. He eventually fell asleep, sated.

Very badly, Simon reflected as he recalled the scene in his office. Upon telling Jim Ellison that he would now be working with Blair, Simon had expected some resistance. He was not disappointed.

"I don't need a mage following me around, especially one who isn't even a cop." Jim said.

"Look, Jim. This guy is looking to gain power. You and I both know how he can get power." No need to say how. "And your face is going to be plastered on every newspaper and TV screen during this investigation. Have you seen the Cascade Herald today?"

"No." Jim answers.

Simon tossed the paper on the desk. Jim glanced at it and read only the headline, "Vlad the Impaler Killings!" and growled in disgust. "How did that get out?"

"I have someone looking into that, but I suspect the killer leaked it himself." Simon answered.
"He wants the publicity." Jim mused.

"That's what Blair said. Look Jim, like or not you are going to work with Sandburg on this case. Kids smart, and a powerful mage. He would be more than a match for this killer."

"Fine." Jim growled. Then at Simon's dismissal he left the office. Sandburg was waiting at Jim's desk.

Jim walked over to his desk and looked down at the mage who had convinced Simon Banks to allow him to partner with one of his detectives.

Blair looked up at him with blue eyes, and Jim could smell the power rolling off the mage. As a rule Jim disliked mages, but as he got to know them, he found he liked Simon, and Henri and Rafe finding them to be good men. And they never asked. Jim liked that even more than anything else. Looking at Blair, he wondered when and if this mage would ask.

"Well, since you seemed to have somehow convinced Banks I need a partner, then I guess you'd better grab your coat." Jim said.

"Where are we going?" Blair asked as he picked his coat up off the back of the seat where it rested, and slipped his arms into it.

"To the last crime scene." Jim said.

Blair followed Jim out of the bullpen and to the elevators.

In the garage they walked over to Jim's truck and hopped in.

They drove to the docks where the last victim had been found. Once there Jim went over the crime scene using his superior senses, while Blair wove a spell.

Jim detected the workings of magic and looked over at Blair. "What are you doing?" The sentinel asked.

"It's a spell that detects blood magic." Blair said.

"Anything?" Jim asked.

"No. Which just tells me what we already knew, the mage wasn't killed here." Blair said.

Jim nodded. "If we could find were the murder took place we could find the murderer."

Blair nodded at that.

After a few minutes Jim growled. "This is a waste of time. I went over this place when we found the body."

"What were you hoping to find?" Blair asked.

"I was hoping the killer returned to the scene of the crime. They actually do that sometimes. It wouldn't surprise me to learn he was in the crown being kept back by the uniforms. But I think this guy covered his trail with magic. I could smell it that night, but its gone now."

"He probably did. Did any of the mages try any spells that night?" Blair asked.

"Henri tried a reveal spell. The only thing it revealed were things that had happened in the place before the murder."

"Then the killer erased everything. Very thorough."

Jim's cell phone rang, and the sentinel removed it from his jacket and flipped it open. "Ellison." He said into the mike.

"Yeah......alright....be there in a minute." Jim closed his phone and replaced it back in his pocket.

"That was Simon. They've found another body."

"Shit."

They made there way to Cascade park.

The body was covered by a sheet, and Simon was standing near a lit cigar in his mouth. Jim and Blair headed over to him.

"Jim, we've got a problem." Simon said and handed Jim a thin chain necklace.

Jim looked at the necklace and the small silver earring looped through it. "Damn, he had a familiar. Any sign of him?"

"Yes and no. There were paw prints in the mud around the body. The mage was dead for at least twelve hours, and Dan thinks the body's been here for at least six. The tracks however, are about two hours old."

"Which means we have a possible rogue sentinel on the loose." Jim said.

"We've got people on it. Marks and Richards from SCS(Society for the Care of Sentinels)."

Blair had taken the chain from Jim, and was studying the ring. "Poor guy. I hope they find him soon."

Jim said nothing and went to work around the crime scene. Blair joined him a few minutes later and began to weave the spell, but found no trace of blood magic. The body had been dumped there and the ritual had taken place somewhere else.

The body was bagged, and loaded into the waiting van, and Dan Wolfe went with it. Pictures were taken, and the crime scene was cordoned off.

Blair found Jim kneeling down staring at the ground not far from where the body had been found. Blair walked over and saw what Jim was looking at. Deep paw prints embedded in the mud.

"A lion." Jim said.

"Are you sure?" Blair asked.

Jim just looked at him.

"Alright," Blair said, "You're sure. Is he around?" Blair asked.

Jim made a sweep with his senses. "No, but I can still smell his scent. Definitely a lion, and full male, though we knew that from the lack of the birthing knot on the ring."

"Do you think he's gone rogue?" Blair asked.

Normally when a mage is killed, the backlash of pain, and death drives the familiar insane. Only when a mage dies a natural death is the familiar spared the pain of the death.

"Probably. His scent suggests it. I hope they find him before he hurts someone."

"So do I."

Afterwards they went back to the station, and Blair followed Jim down to the basement where the coroner's office was. Dan Wolfe was waiting for them.

The big mage greeted them. "your just in time. I was about to start." Dan said.

A few minutes into the autopsy and Blair left to find the nearest bathroom. But and tried to make it through. The menthol that he placed under his nose helped.

Eventually, he was there beside Dan as the other mage showed him where the wounds had pierced the mage's internal organs.

"Same as the others Jim. Superficial cuts, the one stab wound to the heart, then the kidneys, lungs, and brain post mortem."

"Part of the ritual. Damaging the internal organs after death to trap the mage's spirit. By trapping the spirit, Vlad believed it would allow the blood magic to remain for storage. But it didn't work otherwise he would have taken one of the organ to hold the blood magic in."

"The ritual doesn't work, but he keeps trying anyway." Jim said.

"Vlad killed hundreds of people this way before the Council was able to stop him."

"Let's hope the body count doesn't get that high." Dan said.

"Let's hope it doesn't get any higher than it already is." Jim said.

That evening Jim returned home stopping at Daniel's apartment to pick up Michael, who was already in pajamas and halfway asleep. Michael's brown eyes were barely opened but he managed a smile at the sight of Jim, and whispered in a tired kid's voice, "Love you, mommy." Jim smiled at his son as he carried him in his arms to his own apartment. Jim managed to unlock his apartment with one hand, and carry Michael with his other arm, and then entered the apartment using his foot to shut the door behind him. Jim carried the sleeping Michael into his room with the The Jungle Book theme sheets, comforter and curtains. Tucking him into bed beneath the sheets, Jim kissed his son's forehead, and left the room turning out the lights as he went.

Knowing Daniel had fed Michael, Jim went into the kitchen and heated up some leftover spaghetti in the microwave for his own dinner. He had missed lunch because of the latest murder. He was a bit behind on his paperwork as well, and spent the afternoon tracking down a few leads on other cases with the mage, Blair, following him like a puppy. Not that the mage wasn't useful. But to Jim it was damned weird to have a mage partner riding in his truck, sitting at his desk, and practically at Jim's elbow.

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Jim sprinkled Parmesan cheese over his spaghetti and forked it up as he thought about the events of the day. They were still no closer to finding the mage who was a Vlad the Impaler wannabe, nor had the SCS found the latest victim's familiar, and Jim wondered where the lion was, and whether or not he had gone rogue.

When he was done, Jim rinsed out his plate, drank the last of the bottled water he had opened tossing it into the recycle bin, then head upstairs to his own bed. Once upstairs, Jim stripped out of his clothes, tossing them into the laundry hamper in the corner. Clad only dark blue boxers, Jim crawled beneath his own sheets. Sleep found him soon after his head touched the down filled pillow.

Early the next morning after Jim dropped off Michael at school, he and Blair went to the park where the latest victim as found. Because of the light snow on the ground and the icy wind, the park was mostly deserted. A few mages braved the cold to jog along the paths. A lynx trotted alongside one of the mages. A few other sentinels were prowling around the park, one was in human form, and the other was an ocelot. While they were checking the area were the body was found, Jim's cell phone rang. Pulling out of his jacket, Jim flipped it open. "Ellison." He practically growled.

"I'm at the park......No I hadn't decided.....Sandburg's with me so I 
don't think so.....sure, Kyle, that sounds fine." Jim said into 

phone. Blair listened to Ellison's side of the conversation puzzled but patiently waiting for an explanation should Ellison decide to give one.

"That was Kyle Pierson. He and his brother asked us to lunch. They said they'd be here in a few minutes and we could decide where. If you interested that is." Jim said tucking his phone back into his jacket.

"Sounds good."

Jim opened his mouth to add something when a scream turned their attention to their left deeper into the park. The scream came from a terrified sentinel, a breeder if Jim's sense of smell was correct, who was on the ground with a huge black maned lion standing over him. The lion roared, and the breeder transformed turning into a snow leopard that snarled back despite the fact that he was on his back in a submissive posture.

"Shit." Jim cursed racing toward the lion shapeshifting n mid stride to a large black jaguar. Blair readied a few spell but was unable to unleash them. He realized quickly that the lion had a strong ward on him, which prevented Blair from using magic. It would take time to break the ward, time he didn't think they had.

Jim leaped upon the lion knocking the beast into a roll. While Jim was not as big as the lion, he was close in weight and size, enough that it and his momentum rolled the lion far enough away from the snow leopard that he was able to limp away. The lion roared in anger and turned his attention to Jim who leaped away from the lion's claws. The lion snarled and leaped after Jim, who met the charge shoulder to shoulder, claws tearing at each other, teeth snapping and biting.

The lion used its heavier weight to push Jim to the ground. Claws dug into Jim's sides, but Jim wiggled and struggled managing to free himself from beneath the lion, and swipe a paw over the lion's face leaving four bleeding parallel marks barely missing the lion's eye.

The lion roared in pain and leaped after Jim, who adroitly moved away keeping his distance from the lion knowing he was no match for the bigger cat.

Then two roars answered the lion's causing the beast to turn and meet the two beautiful white tigers like mirror copies of one another leaping toward him. The twin Siberian tigers rushed the rogue lion and tumbled the black maned lion with their greater weight. The lion regained its paws quickly, ignoring the wounded jaguar to face off against the two larger adversaries. The tiger worked as a team harrying the lion, tiring the beast out by their charges and feints, and managing to wound the rogue with swipes of their huge paws. The lion roared in pain, a note of fear in his roar.

The black jaguar, though wounded, was not yet out of the fight. Instead he circled the fighting cats waiting for his opportunity. When the lion was in the right position, Jim leaped, jaws closing over the lion's head. The lion screamed in pain, shaking his body and trying to dislodge the jaguar. But Jim ignored the claws that dug into his flank, and closed his powerful jaws tasting the blood in his mouth, hearing the cracking of the lion's skull as he killed the lion as only a jaguar can.

The lion fell over, dead, claws still embedded in Jim's flank. The two Siberian tigers circled the dead lion as if waiting for the beast to get back up. On the lion's body, Jim released the crushed skull, and stepped back from his kill wincing as the claws tore free from his flank. The two tigers came forward and sniffed the jaguar's face, and the Jim allowed the two tigers to lick his wounds with their rough tongues.

When the lion was dead, Blair came forward and knelt beside the carcass. His face was pale at the sight of the crushed skull, the brains and blood leaking from it. He looked up at Jim who was lying in the grass being groomed by the two full male tigers. Jim looked at him with green gold eyes, intelligence in their depths.

"The lion was warded." He told Jim. "I recognized the signature. It was the killer who warded the lion."

Jim blinked in surprise at that. The wail of an ambulance siren reached his ears and he turned his head in the direction the sound came from. He looked at the two tigers, who nodded in agreement.

The three of them shifted until Jim, Keith and Kyle stood before Blair, their clothes undamaged. Jim looked over at the lion's body, and then toward the direction the ambulance was coming from along with a police escort. He looked at Blair.

Blair answered the unspoken question, "I called for backup and an ambulance."

"If it wasn't for the fact that I have to stay to answer questions and help fill out a report, I'd leave. I have no wish to go back to the hospital yet again."

Blair shook his head at Jim's stubbornness, "I watched the fight, Jim. You've got some pretty deep wounds on your flanks and hind legs, and I can tell they are still bleeding."

Jim just glared at Blair, but said nothing as they waited for the ambulance.

The two patrol cars were followed by an SCS van. The sentinels from the SCS also took down Jim, Kyle's and Keith's statements about the fight. They loaded the lion's body into the van, while the medics looked over Jim, Kyle and Keith. The twins managed to get away with only a few scratches on their shoulders and flanks, but despite their verbal protests, they were loaded into the ambulances that arrived a few minutes after the first one. The first ambulance was already on its way to the hospital with Jim strapped to a gurney inside. Jim had managed to give Blair the keys to his truck, so the mage was on his way to the hospital after having given his report to the officers on the scene, and was calling Simon Banks as he drove.

Luckily, the mage doctor was willing to allow Blair to link with him, and together they healed Jim of his injuries as well as the twins. Jim was surprised by Blair's offer, but no more than Keith or Kyle was. All three were extremely happy that they didn't have to spend a night at the 'vet's'.

The Healing, however, took some of their energy. Captain Banks and Captain Frenelly of Vice ordered their respective detectives home to rest. A uniform drove Keith and Kyle home, but Blair took Jim home in Jim's truck and hitched a ride back to the station with a uniform. Keith and Kyle thanked Blair before they left, and Jim said his thanks at the door of his apartment.

"Your welcome," was all Blair said, but it was said in a warm and affectionate tone, and Jim found himself responding to it.

Blair left the apartment, and Jim found his way to his bed, and fell into a deep restful sleep.

Jim awoke when he felt someone approaching his door. His hearing told him who it was, and the sentinel climbed out of bed, putting on his robe. He opened the door to find Daniel and Michael waiting for him. Michael laughed, "Mommy!" He was happy to see Jim at home so early not understanding the possible implications. Daniel however did, and waited till Jim had scooped up his son into his arms then asked, "Everything alright, Jim?"

"Yeah, Daniel, everything's fine. Thanks. Come on in." He invited the other sentinel breeder. The sentinel accepted the invitation closing the door behind him. Jim turned his attention to Michael, "Did you have fun in school?" Jim asked.

"We went to the zoo and saw all the animals. " Michael said.

"All the animals?" Jim asked in an incredulous tone.

Michael laughed, "Yep, I saw the g'raffes, el'phants, k' garoos, dol-- -dolphins, and the monkeys."

"No you didn't." Jim teased.

"Did too." Michael insisted, smiling at his mother.

"You didn't see the camels." Jim continued.

"I did too, saw the camels, and the 'striches...and.."

"What about the alligators?" Jim asked. "Bet you didn't see them."

"Uhuh, did too. They grrr'ed at me, but I grrr'ed back." Michael said imitating his grrrr.

Behind them Daniel was smiling at the arguers.

"Did you see the snakes?" Jim asked.

Michael nodded. "Saw big snakes, and little snakes. Bobby didn't 'lieve me that we ate a snake. He said I was making it up."

"And just who is this Bobby who says my son is a liar?" Jim asked.

"One of my friends from school. But we did too eat a snake, didn't we momma?"

"I didn't think you'd remember that, Michael. You were so little." Jim said. "But we did eat a snake."

Michael grinned. "Knew I was right." Michael seemed satisfied at that. Jim just grinned at his son.

Jim sat down on the couch settling Michael in his lap. The boy snuggled against his mother happily, and Jim turned his attention to Daniel.

"I saw the news reports about the lion. Are you sure you are alright?" Daniel asked.

"I'm fine, Daniel. It had to be done, if I hadn't then the SCS would have. Its our law, you know that." Jim said.

"I know the Law as well." Daniel had a knowing look on his face. Jim dropped his eyes. Jim knew the law; rogues were killed by other sentinels. The mages never interfered in that Law. But rogues were killed by full male sentinels, not breeders. Not unless the rogue directly endangered a cub or child.

"It had to be done." Jim said.

Daniel just shook his head. "One day Jim, you'll have to deal with the Elders the way you go. Only your name had kept you out of their scrutiny."

"I am not afraid of the Elders. What can they do, those old, toothless, mangy cats have no real power and they know it. Al their power comes from their damn mages." Jim said in disgust.

Daniel said nothing not wanting to start up the old argument.

A few minutes later, Jim and Daniel both detected someone coming near the door. Jim recognized the sounds, and laying Michael who was half asleep on the couch, and then went to the door to open it for Blair Sandburg. The mage smiled at Jim as he opened the door. "Thought I'd come and check up on you, and give you the newest information."

"What information is that?" Jim said using his arm to invite Blair inside. The mage walked in and saw Daniel sitting on one of the chairs. The other sentinel breeder stood up at Blair's entrance.

"Blair this is Daniel McFain, Daniel this is Blair Sandburg." Jim introduced them.

"You're the mage that's helping Jim out." Daniel said holding out his hand.
Blair shook Daniel's hand, "Its good to meet you." Daniel finished.

"Glad to meet you, too." Blair said to the sentinel breeder.

Daniel turned to Jim, "I gotta go. Mother thinks John and Peter are too much of handful for him for too long." He turned to Blair, "Take care of him, Blair." Ignoring Jim's low growl, Daniel left the apartment.
Jim shut the door and glared at it for a while, then turned to Blair. "So what news?"

Blair looked at Michael who was napping on the couch. Satisfied the cub wouldn't hear them he turned to Jim, "Remember I told you that the rogue was warded." Jim nodded at that and Blair continued, "SCS found a collar on the lion. The collar was the source of the ward. Forensics had it, and they believe it will be the clue to finding this bastard. The collar was made from narwhal skin, pretty rare."

Jim grinned, "So he's made his first mistake. We find out who bought narwhal skin, and we'll find our killer."

"Unfortunately narwhal skin is illegal, and therefore can only be bought on the black-market. That's going to make it harder to find." Jim continued.
"Yeah, that does make it harder." Blair said. "Narwhal skin was used a few thousand years ago by mages. Its one of the few hides that will hold a magic spell or ward."

"What others can be used?" Jim asked as he walked into the kitchen glancing at the sleeping Michael on his way.

"All whale and dolphin skin will work, and also....sentinel hide." Blair answered. The last part made Jim shudder. "But all are illegal, and difficult to obtain. "

Jim opened the fridge and got out two bottle of water, and a fruit drink. Blair followed Jim, and took the proffered bottle of water. On the couch, Michael was just beginning to wake up. Jim turned to his son and said, "What do you want for your snack, Michael."

The little cub rubbed his eyes sleepily and answered, "P'nut butter n jelly."

Michael slid off the couch and headed into the bathroom using the step stool to reach the sink and wash his hands. In the kitchen, Jim took out the bread, peanut butter and jelly and made his son a sandwich that he cut in half and placed on a plate. He replaced the fruit drink with a glass of milk and placed Michael's chewable vitamin beside the plate.

Michael came out of the bathroom and clambered up into his chair at the bar, and dug into his sandwich chewing the vitamin under his mother's watchful gaze. Satisfied, Jim headed into he living room and invited Blair to take a seat.

"I have an idea on how to find out about the narwhal hide. I'll call John and see if he'll watch Michael tonight." Jim said.

"Tonight, Jim you know Simon told you to rest." Blair said.

"I did rest. I had a nice nap earlier. I'm fine now, and if we don't run with this lead soon, it might grow too cold." Jim picked up his phone and called John ignoring Blair's murmurs of 'stubborn, hard headed sentinels'.

John agreed to watch Michael, and Jim helped Michael pack a few toys to take over to John's. Blair trailed after the sentinel as Jim took his son down to the second floor where John's apartment was. John opened the door and smiled. John's cubs, Brandon and Jeremy were at their mother's legs, and were happy to see their playmate, Michael. Jeremy and Brandon quickly shapeshifted to cougar form, and Michael shifted and chased them into he apartment. Jim thanked John, then left with Blair to head downstairs to Jim's truck. "So where are we going?" Blair asked.

"To see snitch of mine. An expert in the field." Jim answered.

They drove in Jim's truck to an area filled with small diners, and small shops. Jim and Blair walked to one of the diners, and went inside. They waited a few minutes at on of the booths before a mage walked in wearing layers of loose clothing to keep out the cold. The mage had only one ring, and Blair could tell that he barely earned that in terms of power. The mage sat down across from Blair right beside Jim. "Hey, Jimmy." The mage said.

"Sneaks." Jim began without preamble. "Need a line on a black market dealer in rare and illegal hides and furs."

"Word on the street is that you got a clue as to whose doing those killings." Sneaks said. "And you want furs and hides?" Sneaks shook his head at that.

"Yes, I want furs and hides. Who in town has the rarest kind, narwhal, dolphins and whales?" Jim said, "I need a name, Sneaks."

Sneaks' eyes had narrowed at the animals Jim had named, but he answered, "You want stuff like that only place to go is to man by the name of Snake. He hangs out at Players down on 5th. Good friends with the owner."

"Snake. Mage or sentinel?" Jim asked.

"Mage, no sentinel would even think of selling illegal shit like that. Be careful, Jimmy, Snake ain't got no familiar, and he's a mid level. And I hear he's into more than just fur dealing." Sneaks said.

Jim nodded at the warning. He handed over a couple of fifties, and Sneaks shoved them into his pocket. "This is for free, Jimmy. Word on the street is someone's looking for you. Aien't heard no names or nothing, but word is that this person got some money he's willing to toss around as kind of a finder's fee, if you get my drift."

"I hear ya, sneaks, and thanks for the warning. Get yourself something to eat." Jim said clapping the mage on the shoulder and standing up.

As Blair passed Sneaks, the lesser mage reached out and grabbed his arm, "You watch out for Jimmy there. Players ain't no place for a breeder, 'specially a sentinel breeder. More mages 'sides Snake look'n to get himself a familiar."

Blair nodded to Sneaks, "I will." He promised the snitch, and Sneaks let his arms go and Blair left the diner to find Jim waiting for him at the truck.

They said nothing as they got into the truck, and Jim drove to Players.

Though it was early, there was still a line outside of Players. Two big looking full male sentinels were standing at the door letting some customers in, checking ID's, and turning some people away. Jim parked the truck, and waited for Blair to step up beside him before heading toward the front of the line. Jim ignored the wolf whistles from the line, as well as the verbal complaints. The two bouncers eyed Jim appreciatively when he stepped up to them. "Looking for some fun tonight?" One of them asked. Jim could tell by his musk that he was a leopard, while the other smelled like a Bengal tiger. Jim just brought out his badge. The two bouncers stepped back a little then the tiger said, "When you get tired of playing cops, Baby, come look me up."

With that they allowed Jim and Blair to go on inside. Jim headed directly to the bar with Blair trailing behind. He ordered a beer, and waited. Blair ordered a beer, and seated himself at the bar, waiting for Jim to make his move. A few minutes later a waitress showed up. The waitress, a mage breeder, with only one ring, and wearing only a black thong came up beside Jim. Jim smiled at the waitress who smiles back. "Hey, Angel, having fun?" Jim asked.

"Jimmy, what are you doing here?" Vice Detective Angel Summers asked.

"Looking for guy name Snake, can you point him out to me." Jim asks.

Angel bit his lip, and without turning his head said, "See the big guy in the black suit up on the second level in the back to your right. Got a hooker at his left side, and two bullyboy sentinels at his back."

Jim looked, "Yeah, I see 'em. Thanks Angel."

"You be careful, Jimmy. Snake likes breeders, and he likes power." Angel said then with one last kiss on Jim's cheek, he turned away and headed back into the crowd.

"Jim before we go greet this snake guy, let me shield you? I'd feel better knowing you were shielded." Blair asked.

Jim looked at Blair, then back up to where Snake sat his hands practically all over the breeder. "Alright." Jim said. They both headed into the men's room after Jim paid for the beers.

Inside the room, Jim stood still while Blair wove all five powers together into the intricate pattern and settled it on Jim's body. The sentinel could smell the scent of magic, clean, almost like new fallen snow, and felt only the slightest shiver from having it settle on him. "It's done." Blair said. "That's my strongest shield. If I don't unweave it myself it will last until Anlach."

"Which is in a couple of days." Jim commented. "That's a strong spell. Thanks, chief." Jim awkwardly placed his hand on Blair's shoulder, and felt a strange feeling inside at Blair's answering smile. Patting Blair's shoulder, Jim turned and walked out of the restroom, confident that Blair was right behind him.

As they walked toward the table, they were stopped by the two sentinel guards. Jim growled low. The two sentinels blinked in surprise. Behind the guards, Snake looked over Jim, and then waved the two sentinel guards away. "No need to chase off such beautiful company." Snake said. He looked at Blair, "You selling him, I can pay top dollar?"

Blair's eyes widened in shock at the question, but Jim pulled his badge and tossed it on the table in front of Snake. The big mage picked up the badge and looked it over, then looked at Jim, "A breeder sentinel cop. Now I really have seen everything. If you ain't here to play cop, then I would suggest you leave. I'd hate to see that pretty face of yours messed up."

"I'm not here to arrest you. I'll let Vice have its fun, but what I do need is some information."

"Do I look like the yellow pages, Baby?" Snake asked. "I ain't no snitch that earns my money squealing to pigs."

"I'm investigating the Vlad the Impaler murders, perhaps you've heard of them." Jim continued ignoring the looks from the mage.

At those words, the mage began to sweat a bit, some fear in his brown eyes. "I've heard of 'em, Baby. What's that got to do with me?"

"Word on the street is you can get your hands on some hides that are...shall we say, hard to come by." Jim continued. "Its...possible. " The man looked nervous wondering if this was a trick, but willing to see it through. The mage murders were a terrifying even to the underworld. Blood magic was something that even they weren't willing to play with.

"I need to know if there's been any purchases of narwhal hide within the last month or so." Jim asked.

"I might have had a customer looking for that, but what does that...." Snake trailed off. "You aein't saying that he is the killer are ya, Baby?"

Jim ignored the nickname in favor of getting the information, "I'm not saying that." Jim said. But Snake wasn't fooled, just as Jim knew he wouldn't be. The man leaned back in his chair and then whispered into the breeder's ear that sat beside him. The young mage stood up and left the table, one of the guards following him.

"Gordon here's going to frisk you both for certain devices. I can already tell there are no magical ones, other than that neat shield you put on pretty face here, mage. When I'm sure you ain't got no devices, then we'll talk." Snake said.

Gordon came forward, and Jim let the lion musked sentinel frisk him. The sentinel's hands were a bit to free, especially around Jim's ass and groin, but Jim said nothing. The sentinel bodyguard then frisked Blair who held his hands up as Jim had done, submitting to the pat search. When the guard was done, he stepped back and nodded to his boss.

Snake motioned for Jim and Blair to sit down. Jim took the seat the other breeder had been sitting in, but scooted the chair a little away from Snake. The man only grinned. Blair sat on Jim's other side. "So now we talk. Normally, I don't talk to cops, Beauty, but in this case I'll make an exception. Blood magic is as distasteful to us as it is to law-abiding mages. It corrupts the soul, and the magic. I would never corrupt my own power like that. I like it too much. So yes, there was a mage who purchased the item you asked about. And I don't sell just to anyone mind. Too easily they could turn out to be Feds. A big man, this was, dark eyes almost black. He creeped even me out. I suspect his name is a fake, but I met him at the empty warehouse on 12th and the waterfront."

"He said his name was Darren Cheevers. And he drove a Ford Taurus, black with Washington plates. The first three numbers were S1J. That's all I can tell you, Baby." He reached out a hand and ran it up Jim's thigh, "Now that business is out of the way...."

Jim and Blair left Players heading towards Jim's truck. He had easily pushed Snake's hand away from him, and stood up thanking the mage at the same time shuddering at the man's touch. Snake had only laughed, and patted Jim's ass as he turned to leave. Jim had said nothing, and instead had herded Blair down the stairs away from the Snake.

As he unlocked his truck, Jim' phone rang, and he pulled it from his coat. "Ellison."

Simon's voice came over the other end, "Where the hell are you at, Ellison! I tried your apartment where you are supposed to be, resting, and find you not at home."

"I just walked out of Players, Simon. Sneaks gave me a tip, and I followed up on it."

"Well get back to the station. Kyle and Keith turned up missing." Simon said.

"What...when?" Jim asked.

"Another officer went by their apartment and found the door broken in, and the two of them gone. There was also some blood at the scene. I need you to come in, you might be the next target." Simon ordered.

"Alright, sir..." Jim broke off as he heard a thumping noise, and smelled the scent of magic. "Blair?" Jim asked, walking around the truck. He found Blair laying on the ground a pool of blood beside his head. "Shit." Jim said, then spoke into a phone, "Simon, I need an ambulance and back-up here, now." Then hung up the phone, and knelt down beside the mage. Suddenly his sense caught the sound of footsteps, and the sickly smell of magic filled his nostrils as a blinding light hit his chest knocking Jim to the ground unconscious.

Jim woke slowly, his head feeling like an overripe melon ready to burst any second. As he slowly opened his eyes he began to make out his surroundings in the low light of the room. Moving his head was a bad idea that made the room spin, and his stomach churn. Groaning, Jim held his head between his hands trying to steady himself. A whirl of scents filled his nostrils, a familiar musk that said tiger to him, and Jim slowly lifted his head as he felt someone near him. At first he thought he was seeing double, then smiled as his brain told him what he was seeing. However, at that moment his stomach decided to rebel on him, and he leaned over on hands and knees and emptied his stomach. Behind him two sets of hands held him, stroking his bare back and shoulders, voices soothing as they spoke.

When his stomach was empty and it no longer heaved, the two sets of hands helped him to sit back on his haunches, and Jim looked up into the bright green eyes of Keith and Kyle. The two sentinels knelt on either side of him, their hands on his shoulders, their bruised faces filled with worry. Jim wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and looked at keith and Kyle again noticing the lack of clothing. It was then he realised he was similiarly unclothed. "Where are we,?" He asked not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"I'm not sure." Keith answered his fingers stroking Jim's left shoulder. "Its a warehouse, I think. One that had an old walk in refridgerator. Luckily there is air circultaing in here."

Jim looked around and discovered Keith was right. They were locked inside an old walk in fridge. There was a metal water tank about fifty gallons, in one corner of the room. There was a pile of blankets in the another corner of the room. "Who?" Jim asked. And Kyle understood the question.

"I'm not sure Jim, but I thinks its the blood mage." Kyle answered.

Jim wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. Kyle left his side and came back with a blanket that he wrapped around Jim's shoulders. As Kyle settled the blanket around him, Jim suddenly lurched up and looked at the two sentinels in fear, eyes wide. The two twins said nothing, their green eyes filled with the knowledge that had just hit Jim like a ton of bricks.

"No," Jim whispered tears already forming in his eyes. "No!" Jim shouted lunging at the solid steel door. He hit it hard again and again with his fists allt he while screaming at the blood mage whose heartbeat he could hear on the other side. "No, you son of a bitch! No!"

Hands grabbed him from behind, and dragged him away from the door. Strong arms held him as he struggled and soft voices whispered in his ears telling him to calm down. Eventually his struggle ceased and he allowed himself to be pulled to the ground lying on some blankets, snuggled between Keith and Kyle as he cried for his friends.

"Its alright, Jim. We know, we understand. Its not your fault. It won't be your fault. Shhh." The voices, familiar, comforting whispered in his ears while the strong hands that had held him stroked his body in comfort. But Jim continued to cry, seeing only in his mind the torn, bloody bodies of two beautiful white tigers. Because of him, because of his arrogance. Not for the first time in his life, Jim wished for death to take him.

At the sound of a lock being opened and the huge steel door moving, the three sentinels lifted their heads. Standing at the entrance to the door was a mage, standing at about six foot five, dark skin, dark eyes. The scent of blood and death swirled in the air reaching the sensitive nostrils of the sentinels. Over the mage's shoulder was the carcass of a cow, skinned, cut at the twelfth rib, obviously taken from a meat locker. The mage tossed the carcass on the ground. Kyle and Keith maneuvered themselves so that Jim was behind them, protecting the sentinel breeder with their bodies, their instincts screaming at them to protect. The mage laughed at the sight and said, "You think to protect him, when I can easily pluck him from your grasps. If it weren't for that damn shield he would be mine already. But I can wait. Anlach is but a few days away. After that, the bitch is mine, and your lovely pelts will be my blankets that I rape him on. Eat well" The mage laughed again, shutting the door behind him, locking it leaving the carcass behind.

All three listened as the heartbeat moved further away from the door. Then Kyle stood and went over to the carcass. Leaning down he sniffed it finding no scent of drugs or magic. He turned his head to look back at his brother and Jim. "Its celan." He announced.

"I'm not hungry." Jim said shaking his head.

Keith stood and went to the water tank drawing a bucket of water that he used to clean the vomit from the floor. the water and the human waste washed down a large drain in the center of the room. Jim watched their movements as he huddled on the floor, a blanket wrapped around him. "How long?" Jim asked hollowly.

"Less than two days." Kyle answered knowing what Jim asked.

"How can you guys be so calm?" Jim asked them.

You've been unconscious for a few hours. As soon as he dragged you in here, we knew what he planned. We can smell the magic on you. It smelled clean and familar. For a while we thought you had finally relented and allowed Blair to bond you, but now we know its a shield. Your protected from being bonded during Anlach, and the shield protects you till then. That gives us eight days for Simon and Blair to find you." Jim shivered at the calm in Kyle's voice. In a few days Anlach would begin. Jim would go into heat, his scent causing Kyle and Keith to go into rut. But there were two of them and only one of him, and there was no where for any losers to retreat to. Kyle and Keith, brothers and twins, would tear each other apart just to mate with Jim.

Blair groaned and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the concerned face of Simon Banks looking down at him. Groaning again, Blair tried to sit up, and a hand on his shoulder stopped him,"Easy, Balir. You took a hard knock to the head." Simon said.

"Ooh, what happened," Then memory hit, "Jim!" He shouted sitting up quickly causing his head to swim.

"Oh man, sorry I don't remember anything after leaving the club. You don't think that the blood mage got him."

"Unfortunatly, I do. I also think he was the one who kidnapped the other two officer." Simon answered.

"Mmm...what other two officers?" Blair asked.

"Two sentinels from Vice turned up missing. The two white tigers who helped Jim fight that rogue."

"Oh shit. Anlach is only a few days away, and I shielded Jim like I did before. The blood mage won't be able to bond Jim till after Anlach."

"Damn, I was hoping he wouldn't do that. If we don't find them before Anlach, we may only find two survivors."

"And a pregnant sentinel." Blair whispered, but Simon heard him.

"A guy named Snake at the club said he met a mage who bought a narwhal hide at a waterfront warehouse on 12th. We thought it might be the blood mage." Blair told Simon when they got into Simon' car. Simon nodded and opened his cell phone. He sent Rafe and Henri to check out the warehouse.

"Hopefully they will find something." Simon said.

"Hopefully they'll find Jim." Blair said.

Simon drove to the station parking in his spot inside the underground parking lot. Together, the two mages made their way up to the seventh floor and Major Crimes.

Inside the broken walk in refrigerator, three sentinels slept on a pile of old blankets cuddled up together like puppies. Jim lay protected between Keith and Kyle, his head resting on Keith's shoulder, while Kyle's arm and leg were rested over Jim's body.

The opening of the door woke the three sentinels from their sleep, and they raised their heads to look at the shadowy figure in the entrance.

"What a cute picture." The blood mage said with a sneer. "I hope you enjoy yourselves this next week. I know I will enjoy watching." With that the mage laughed maniacally and shut the door again.

"That mage is insane. And he stinks." Keith said.

"He's a blood mage. He stinks of blood and death." Jim said with a shudder.

Kyle patted Jim's shoulder soothingly while Keith stood and went over to the carcass still lying on the ground. He sniffed it, and found as of yet no sign of rot. Reaching out he ripped off a hunk of flesh from the haunch his hand changing to a sharp-clawed paw to do so. He stuffed the meat into his mouth, his stomach growling with hunger. As Anlach got closer and closer, the two full males would begin to get more and more animal like until eventually they would shapechange completely and stay that way. Kyle knew that they would also fight, mock fighting at first, dominant challenging. They might even mark Jim with their claws, but until Jim went into heat, they would not yet try to kill each other.

Kyle went over to his brother his own hands shapeshifting to white furred paws. Watching his brotherly covertly, Kyle tore a hunk of flesh from the carcass and began to feed as well. From the pallet Jim watched them closely ready to intervene should they become aggressive toward each other.

Then Keith shapeshifted his head, arms and upper torso so that he looked like a man tiger, the taste of blood heightening his animal awareness. Using his claws and teeth he ripped off one hind leg of the cow carcass, and began to feed. Kyle shifted his head, neck and shoulders, and began to feed on what was left of the carcass. Both brothers watched each other with light blue tiger-eyes, only a hint of recognition in them.

Then Kyle discontented with his food followed his nose to his brother's cache. Keith hissed at Kyle, who snarled back. Jim immediately went panther, and situated himself between the two rubbing his head beneath Kyle's chin. Kyle became disinterested in Keith's share of the meat and instead mouthed Jim's scruff shifting fully to tiger form. Keith continued to eat, hunger overriding sex for the moment.

Kyle mounted Jim who had lain down on his belly. Jim growled as Kyle thrusted away, Jim's scruff between his powerful jaws. Keith continued to eat, his tail lashing in agitation at the scents that pervaded the room.

After Kyle climaxed three times, he disengaged himself from Jim, and tired and sated made his way to the meat to satisfy another hunger. He did not try to steal Keith's food, too tired and sated to want to provoke a fight. Jim stood and made his way to the carcass as well. He tore flesh from the bones, and Kyle didn't try and stop him. In fact the tiger allowed Jim the more tender pieces. Keith finished off the haunch, then stood on his human legs, and made his way to the water tank shifting back to mostly human form as he did. He lapped water from the tank, and then turned to look at Jim and Kyle with his human eyes. There was more human intelligence in them than there had been before. The bloody meat had mostly sated the beast within.

Keith's nostrils flared as he caught the scent of sex that permeated the room, causing his cock to begin to fill with blood, but he did not shapechange. Human reason made him go to the blankets, and lie down rubbing his cock with his hand. He thumbed the head and rubbed his palm up and down in slow steady strokes. Using hi other hand he rolled his balls in their sac. From where he ate, Jim watched Keith pleasure himself. Swallowing a chunk of meat, Jim stood on all paws and flowed to Keith's side shifting to human form. Keith's eyes opened and watched as Jim took Keith's large cock into his mouth and began to suck, his tongue licking over the head. Keith's hands moved through Jim's short hair as he thrusted into Jim's mouth.

Jim swallowed the hot semen when Keith came, but the sentinel's cock didn't deflate, and Keith continued to thrust. With Anlach being so close, the two full male sentinels would be more cat than human, and their stamina would reflect that.

Keith suddenly grasped Jim shoulders and pulled the sentinel rolling until Jim was beneath him. Quickly he flipped Jim onto his stomach, his body shapechanging with his lust heightened, and the white Siberian tiger pushed his cock into Jim's ass and began to thrust mightily. Keith's jaws closed over Jim's neck and sharp claws raked Jim's flank as Keith fucked him hard. Jim groaned in pain and ecstasy as he shuddered and came himself.

Kyle watched from where he laid, his belly fully of meat, his lazy eyes half lidded in tiger form, head resting on his massive paws. The tip of his tail twitched in contentment.

Keith came, filling Jim's ass with his seed, and Jim shuddered and shook from his own orgasm. Keith withdrew his cock form Jim's body, and then licked at the three bloody parallel claw marks on Jim's side. They were not deep, and had stopped bleeding already. When the wounds were clean, Keith went over to the water tank and lapped up some more water, then lay down on the cement ground, and closed his eyes. Kyle already slept where he lay not far from the remains of the carcass. In human form, Jim rolled over and walked over to the tank. He drank his fill, and then went back to the carcass. Finding a rib bone with meat attached, Jim took it back to the pallet and finished it. His stomach full, and his body tired from sex, Jim lie down on the pallet and fell into a deep sleep.

At the station, Simon hung up the phone in his office after receiving the bad news. Rafe and Henri had searched the warehouse and the immediate vicinity and found nothing. Forensics was already on its way, but Simon didn't hold out any hope that they would find anything. He looked over at where Blair sat drinking a cup of lemon tea.

"They didn't find anything did they?" Blair asked but he already knew the answer. It would have been too easy, and the blood mage had already proved his intelligence. Simon only nodded, and Blair banged a fist on Simon's desk in frustration.

"We'll find them, Blair." Simon said but he wasn't too sure himself.

Blair shook his head, and looked back down at the crime reports for the day. No other murders had been committed, so the mage was directing all his energies towards the sentinels. "This is useless." Blair said slamming the folder down. He had already gone back over the reports from the other murders hoping to find some tie in that would help him locate the sentinels. But there was nothing. The bodies had not been killed where they had been found, and there was no forensic evidence to tell them where they had been killed. Uselss.

"I have to contact them, Blair." Simon said suddenly and Blair looked at the police captain.

"Can't it wait?" Blair asked. He was hoping to not have to bring them into it.

"I have no choice, Blair. Its procedure." Simon answered.

"I don't like it, but maybe their Sniffer's could find something we overlooked." Blair said.

Simon nodded, and picked up the phone. "Ron, contact the Council office in Geneva." He told his secretary.

The call came through, and Simon spoke to a secretary. He asked to speak to Gerald Huntington giving the secretary his own name and rank. It took several minutes but eventually Simon got through.

"This is Gerald Huntington." The High Mage said. "How can I help you Captain Banks?"

"We have a situation here they you need to know about." And Simon told him everything they knew.

"We were told about the Blood Mage. But this new information is very disturbing. Your man is an Ellison, and a breeder. That is more than disturbing. I will be there shortly, and we will deal with this matter if we have to." With that the High Mage hung up the phone.

"Well that was pleasant." Simon said putting the receiver on the hook.

"What did he say?" Blair asked.

"He's coming here." Simon answered.

"Did he say when?" Blair asked.

"He said shortly." Simon was confused.

"Then I suggest we step back. High Mages have the ability to create gateways." And with that a circle of light appeared in the room, became a vertical slash that opened and a man dressed in the dark colors of a High Mage entered the room followed by two other mages, and three sentinels. When the last person stepped through the portal vanished. Simon was staring wide eyed at the mages shock evident on his face.

Then quickly, both Simon and Blair knelt on one knee their heads bowed to the Council member in their midst.

"Stand." The High Mage said. When Blair and Simon both stood, the High Mage turned to look at Blair, "Well Blair, I was hoping that sending you here would have dealt with this blood mage, but I see we were wrong. We should have not underestimated him. My fault, I suppose."

"I underestimated him as well, Uncle. And now our arrogance may harm yet another Ellison." Blair said.

Simon blinked at Blair. He had not known that the Council had sent Blair nor that Blair had family who were Council members. Simon wasn't sure he could stand another shock.

"I brought two Sniffers with me, Blair. I hear Cascade is a dangerous city, but hopefully, they can track this blood mage with my help." Gerald said.

"He shielded the bodies, Uncle. I am not sure a Sniffer could find him."

"More of our arrogance at work I'm afraid. I didn't think he would be powerful enough to shield, which is why I sent you. Most blood mages were small in terms of power including Vlad. This shielding, you could not break it?" Gerald asked his nephew.

"No, Uncle, I could not. The blood mage is powerful or clever. I'm not sure it isn't both."

"Let us go to the last crime scene where the sentinel was kidnapped. Perhaps from there we can start." Gerald said. He turned to the other two mages who also wore black but had a red band around their left arms. "Blair this is Phillip and Steven, they are brothers, and two of my best Sniffers." Blair shook hands with the two men who did not even wear a ring.

"Shall we go?" Gerald said to Simon. The mage captain put his cigar in his mouth and grabbed his jacket. The eight of them left the office and went to the elevators. They drove to the club, which was closed to the area that had been shielded off where Jim and Blair had been attacked, and Jim had been kidnapped. Before Simon could unravel the shield, Gerald made a sharp gesture and the shield crumbled into itself, and the Sniffers raced into he area, and began to move in ever widening circles in the area, absently rubbing their noses as they did.

Simon stood in shock; he had never seen anyone destroy a shield like that. No wonder High Mages were respected, and even feared. And every member of the Mage Council was High Mages who were at least five centuries old.

The three sentinels had shapeshifted, and two cougars, and a snow leopard prowled the edges of the parking lot. The Sniffers continued to move around the area, and the three mages stood and waited.

"How's Naomi?" Blair asked his uncle. The man turned to look at Blair, "She's doing well. Dealing with stubborn mages over in Japan right now."

"She'll have them listening to her in now time, I'm sure." Blair said. "And have them wishing that she would disappear."

Gerald laughed at that. "Yes, my sister seems to have a knack for that."

"Naomi?" Simon said suddenly. "Naomi Sandburg.... Sandburg are you trying to tell me that your mother is the Exalted Councilor?"

"Yes." Gerald answered. "Blair is one of her sons by Mathew Sandburg. And will soon be in training to follow his mother onto the Council."

"That won't be for another couple hundred year, Uncle. Until then I am perfectly happy with what I do now." Blair said.

Gerald only shook his head.

Suddenly the Sniffers stopped and made their way back to the three mages.

"We have a trail." Phillip reported. "Its faint, but its there. It won't last very long, though, so I suggest we get started."

"We should scout from the air." Steven said. "It will be faster."

Simon had been about to pull his phone to call for a helicopter, but Blair stopped him. "No Simon, we'll use our powers to transform ourselves."

"How, I have never even heard of that?" Simon said.

"Only High Mages can do it, but fortunately they can do it to other mages as well. My uncle will take care of it."

"Any requests?" Gerard asked as he gathered the powers together and wove them into an intricate tapestry.

"Requests?" Simon echoed not understanding.

"Just give him a bald eagle, Uncle." Blair said. He then grinned at Simon, "It should fit him. At least in a couple of years."

"Bald eagle? Sandburg!" But Simon's voice changed as the tapestry Gerald had woven changed his form, and the cry of a mage turned into the scream of an eagle. The tapestry wove itself around every one of the mages including the two Sniffers. Blair changed into a gyrfalcon, while the two Sniffers became red tailed hawks, and Gerald transformed into a huge golden eagle.

How do I fly Simon asked.

Easily, just open your wings. The eagle will do the rest. And with that Blair launched himself into the air following his uncle. The two hawks were already flying. Simon had a shaky start, but eventually was a master of the air. They followed the red tailed hawks as they followed the scent trail only they could smell. Below them, the three sentinels followed as they could in cat form.

Jim was awakened when the door opened again. He tried to lift his head, only to discover that the very air around him had solidified and held him in place. However, he was able to follow the blood mage who entered the room with his eyes. The mage stepped over the two tigers that were snarling but unable to get up as well. The blood mage dropped another cow carcass on the ground, then walked over to Jim which made the two tigers roar and snarl even more, angered at not being able to protect the breeder.

The blood mage kneeled down beside Jim. He reached out through the solidified air easily, and touched Jim's short hair. Jim would have flinched if he could, the scent of blood and death filling Jim's nostrils. "Soon," the mage said. "But tonight, tonight comes Anlach. I enjoyed your show earlier, but I think I'll enjoy tonight's showing even better. Which one will it be, do you think? Which one will die, and which one will live to impregnate you. A pregnant sentinel is so much more powerful. I will enjoy raping you on their pretty white hides. I will sell your cub to the highest bidder, and continue to breed you selling your cubs." The mage laughed, and Jim shut his eyes as tears rolled down his cheeks while the mage petted his hair almost tenderly.

Then the mage gripped Jim's hair in a painful grip and tugged his head up. His mouth closed over Jim's and his tongue forced its way into the sentinel's mouth. Jim bit down hard, and blood filled his mouth. But the mage did not cry out, he only withdrew his mouth, licked the blood from his lips. He slapped Jim's face with the back of his hand. The laughed again standing as he did. "Soon, sentinel. The show will begin." And with that he left the room dissipating the shields that held them in place.

Keith and Kyle snarled and hissed at the door and the retreating heartbeat, then turned to pad over to where Jim lay. They sniffed him over, and Jim knew that the bestial ones were already subduing their human minds. Kyle licked the blood from Jim's mouth, a mixture of Jim's and the mages. Keith licked the wound on Jim's side removing the dried blood. They sniffed him over and licked his body, and Jim lay there and allowed it. But hunger overrode sex for the moment, and the two of them turned to the bloody cow carcass and began to feed. When Jim shifted and came over, the two tigers made room for him, allowing him the choicest parts. The three big cats fed, gorging on the raw meat. Jim ate, filling his stomach, as his mind filled with terror. Anlach was but hours away.

The birds of prey flew toward the warehouse district in a tight formation. They landed on a roof of a rundown building, and the two Sniffers cocked their heads. One of them flew to another building, circled it then came back, while the other circled yet another building. The three others watched the red tailed hawks, waiting. A cry from one of the hawks had the other heading into his direction, and the golden eagle launched itself to follow while the other two joined him. The red tailed hawks flew into a broken window on the roof followed by the other birds of prey. Inside they found an altar covered in blood. The two red tailed hawks perched on the beams while the other three landed on the ground. The shifted back to human form. "He's not here, but this is the place he killed those mages

Banks got out his cell phone and called for a forensics van while Blair and Gerald walked around the altar. "There's a complicated shield here. I wonder what its hiding." Gerald said as he gathered his powers.
He destroyed the shield making it collapse in on itself, and then studied the altar. Something had changed. There was a body lying on the altar now, having been hidden by the shield. "Snake." Blair said recognizing the dead mage.

"The man who told you about the location of the warehouse. Interesting. I think he was trying to set a trap. How amusing." Gerald said. "The shield was the trap. Had we walked into it we would have had something nasty happen to us I suspect. Since I destroyed the shield, I destroyed the trap. He's strong, but not very creative."

The two red tailed hawks flew down to the floor and shapechanged to human form. They began to circle the altar as they had in the parking lot. "What is they are tracking" Simon asked.

"Violence. They are tracking violence. Violence leaves a trail that Sniffers can follow. Sniffers are rare. They are not born with the ability to use magic, but they can detect violence. They have a few other talents which are useful." Gerald answered.

"I've never heard of Sniffers really are." Simon said.

"Only Council Members and a select few have ever known about them. I am going to have to ask that you tell no one about them." Gerald continued.

"No problem there." Simon answered.

"Milord, we have the scent." Steven said. "It is strong, but it goes everywhere. We will have to track it that way."

"Damn, that will cost us time, but I don't see where we have a choice. Alright then." Gerald gathered his power and wove again the complicated tapestry settling it onto everyone. They shapeshifted again and launched themselves into the air flying through the broke window in the roof as the forensics van and three patrol cars along with Henri and Rafe pulled up outside.

The red tailed hawks led them through the maze of warehouses and run down buildings. Twice they followed the same street and went circled the same building, but the red tailed hawks never lost the trail. Above them the sun slowly began its descent.

At one point the red tailed hawks led them away from the warehouse district into the red light district. The hawks led them to a seedy motel. Gerald used magic to open the window of the room where the red tailed hawks where precedent he rickety fire escape. They entered the room flying into the window. Inside a young breeder mage with only one ring lay on the mattress dead of a slit throat. The mage was naked and had obviously been raped. Gerald initiated the shapechange, but suddenly the air grew fiery hot, as the air began to solidify.

*It's a trap! * Gerald screamed in his mind.

Outside the sun slid behind the horizon, and the moon shone full in the night sky.

Inside the walk in refrigerator, Jim groaned and twisted in his blankets. Sweat rolled down his body, and his ass pulsated with the beating of his heart. His cock was heavy and thick. And Jim knew he was going into heat.
Across the room, Kyle and Keith paced in tiger form, growling and snarling as Jim's scent hit them in waves. Their focus however was on each other, and their feral eyes gleamed in the darkness of the room. Their own cocks hung from their sheaths, long and wet as they paced before each other, testing their opponents before committing to battle.

Then Kyle lunged with a snarl at his brother, and the two Siberian tigers locked into battle, claws digging into flesh, jaws snapping at necks. Snarls and growls filled the room as the two massive opponents did their best to kill each other.
Keith's jaws ripped off Kyle's left ear leaving bleeding stump as Kyle's claws tore at his brother's face. The two of them broke away from each other, and circled, huffing and snarling. Blood matted their beautiful white coats, dripping onto the cement floor. From his pallet, Jim lay watching the two combatants, his own blue eyes clouded over with bestial lust for blood and sex. He would wait and submit to the victor. There were no human thoughts to stop the fight.

Gerald gathered his powers under the terrible onslaught of fire, ignoring the flames that licked at his skin. Beside him on his knees, Blair opened up to his own powers trying to combat the trap that threatened to destroy them. On the ground, Simon lay unconscious, his skin burning where the flames touched. The two Sniffers were also unconscious. Gerald linked with Blair quickly, and slashed out with a weave of Spirit to the trap cutting a hole into the shield. The smoke began to leak through the hole, but the flames continued to strike at them. Gerald then used a weave of spirit and water to grasp the edges of the hole and pull them apart, at the same time using water, and earth to try and quench the fires.

Finally the trap was destroyed, and Gerald sank to his knees. Blair crawled over to Simon's still form and checked for the captain's pulse careful not to touch the burns. Blair sighed in relief as he felt the steady pulse against his fingertip. Gerald stood shaking off the effects of the trap and went to his Sniffers. Weaving all five powers, Air, Earth, Water, Fire, and Spirit, Gerald healed the two brothers. The two Sniffers's gasped and woke. They coughed, but their burns had been healed. Gerald, still linked with Blair then came over and healed Simon.

Blair caught his uncle when the mage's knees gave way, exhaustion written on his face. He looked at Blair, "It appears I am the arrogant one. I did not think he would set two traps." Blair looked over at Simon who had awoken and was coughing to clear his lungs. He then looked at his uncle, "You have a right to be arrogant uncle. I do not know of anyone who could stop such a trap, and then heal three people afterwards even linked with another mage."

"Perhaps. But the delay has cost us. Darkness has fallen and Anlach has begun." Gerald said as he gathered his powers one last time and healed Blair.

"Then we had better hurry." Simon said.

Blair looked at his uncle, "Do you have the strength to change us again. I can fight the mage, I think, but I cannot change our forms."

"I believe I have. " Gerald said.

"You can link with me." Simon said as he opened himself up to his powers. Gerald linked with Simon, and using Simon's power and some of his strength, wove the tapestry. They shifted again, and the two red tailed hawks led following the trail left by the mage.

Kyle lay on his side upon the cold cement floor, blood pouring into the drain. Above him his brother, huffed, snarling as blood poured from his nose. The tiger panted, then roared in triumph. An answering growl turned Keith's attention to the black jaguar whose intoxicating smell has him in a frenzy of lust.

Keith padded over to the jaguar, which hissed at him lying on his side. When Keith got closer, the jaguar submissively licked the wounds on Keith's face. Keith permitted the jaguar to lick him, and then reached out with a paw to bat at the jaguar's shoulder. The tiger's balls were heavy filled with his seed, and the musk of the tiger filled the room, and the jaguar submitted to the tiger. Keith's cock pierced Jim's ass beneath the long black tail, and the tiger thrusted, his jaws closing on Jim's scruff claws embedded in Jim's black furred shoulders.

Jim hissed and snarled as the tiger fucked him hard. Keith came but continued to thrust, his rock hard cock not even close to being sated. The claws sank deeper drawing blood, as did Keith's teeth into Jim's neck. Again Keith came, his seed filling Jim's ass to overflowing. The scent of sex filled the room mingling with musk and heat scent. Still Keith was not sated. He shifted to human form his cock still buried deep in Jim's jaguar body. He grasped the jaguar's hips with his hands and continued to thrust, head back, eyes closed as he panted through his mouth, his nose torn from his dying brother's claws.

Beneath him Jim shifted until he was in human form on hands and knees. He shuddered, orgasm racing through his nervous system, ass clenching and unclenching around Keith's cock, which continued to move in and out of the lubricated hole. Keith's body shuddered as he came, more seed flowing into Jim's ass. Keith fell over Jim's back, panting hard. His nose bleeds, as did his other wounds. His blonde hair was slicked to his head from sweat, and sweat covered his muscular body.

However, Keith's hard cock was still inside Jim's ass, and the sentinel shifted to tiger form, and began to thrust again into the human body beneath him. Claws swiped Jim's shoulders, and teeth gripped his neck. The thrusting was not nearly so rough or frenzied as before. Weariness filled the tiger's body, but lust overrode it as much as was possible.

Jim cried out as an orgasm ripped through his body, and Keith came one last time before falling down to collapse in an exhausted heap. Jim collapsed onto his stomach, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he lost consciousness.
The blood mage watched the performance on the TV monitor before him. His own cock lay spent in his hand, semen covering his stomach. He lay lounged on his couch, naked, feeling safe and secure in his lair.

Outside the old run down restaurant, five birds of prey perched on the roof of an adjacent building.

He's in there Steven told them.

*What are we waiting for? * Blair said. *Let's go in after him. *

Gerald shook his golden-feathered head, *There may be another trap inside. *

Then how... Simon began.

*I must search for the trap. Stay here. I am going to fly around the building and see what I can feel. * With that the golden eagle opened his wings and flew around the restaurant, his mage senses alert for another trap.

When he had circled the building twice, the golden eagle perched on the restaurants roof, and then called the others to him. They flew to perch beside the golden eagle. *There is a trap. But can destroy it. However, that will take the last of my energy, therefore Blair you will have to face the mage. Link with Simon, it will help you. * Gerald said.

*Of course uncle. * Blair said.

Gerald gathered his powers and unleashed a fist made of pure spirit launching it to the heart of the trap. The trap disintegrated which alerted the mage.
The gyrfalcon and the bald eagle launched themselves through the open window of the roof, and Blair gathered his powers having already linked with Simon. The mage struck out with a complicated weave, but Blair slashed it with a flow of spirit, and dived at the mage's face his talons raking skin. The mage cried out, and lost his concentration. Blair struck with a weave of fire, and the mage's arm caught aflame, and Blair launched himself away from the mage. The mage extinguished the flame with air, and struck out with a weave of fire and spirit, and Blair slashed it with a weave of spirit. Again and again the mage struck and again Blair slashed the weaves. From behind, Simon dove, talons out as high above as he could get. He hit the mage knocking the man to the floor. The mage had not been prepared for a physical assault and had not shielded himself properly. On the ground, the mage grabbed Simon and threw him across the room just as he answered a weave that Blair struck at him with a weave of his own. The powers dissipated as they touched, and Blair launched again and again this time going on the offensive forcing the mage to defend.
From where he had landed, Simon strove to get up only to find that his left wing was broken. He bated in anger.

The two red tailed hawks launched themselves at the mage, distracting him at the crucial moments, and Blair's weave struck the mage who burned from the inside out, flames engulfing the mage's body. The mage fell to the ground, his body burning to ashes. Blair landed, perching on a chair back. A golden eagle floated to the ground, and Gerald used the last of his strength to transform them back to human form.

"Good job, nephew." Gerald said. The two Sniffers were holding the man up. Blair went over to where Simon was seated holding his broken left arm tight against his body.

"Thank you, Uncle. Now we need to find the sentinels." Blair said. He looked over at the monitor. The three sentinels were not moving, and Blair feared for them.

"In the refrigerator towards the back." Gerald said. "And Blair, I give you permission to interfere in Anlach to rescue them." Blair nodded at that, and headed to the back with Simon following.

"In the refrigerator towards the back." Gerald said. "And Blair, I give you permission to interfere in Anlach to rescue them." Blair nodded at that, and headed to the back with Simon following. Blair opened the door of the fridge, and stepped inside. He went immediately to Kyle who was lying closest to the door, covered in dried blood. Laying his hand on the tiger's chest, Blair dropped his head when he could not find a heartbeat. "He's dead." Blair whispered to Simon whose own head dropped in misery tears falling down his cheeks.

Blair petted the tiger's head sadly, and then turned his attention to the other two. When he got closer, Keith lifted his head and growled at them. Blair immediately wove air and trapped the tiger, then picked him up and moved him to a corner. There we used air to build a pen to keep the tiger trapped, but able to move about. Then he turned his attention to Jim. The sentinel breeder snarled at Blair and shifted to jaguar form prepared to fight the mages he sensed. Blair wove air around the jaguar trapping him so that Blair could get closer.

The jaguar could not move, so Blair checked the sentinel's wounds. They had stopped bleeding, and did not appear to bad. After checking over Jim, Blair went to Keith. Keith's wounds were worse. His nose had been torn badly, and his wounds bleed sluggishly. Behind him Gerald walked in with the two Sniffer's help. "How are they?" Gerald asked.

"Kyle is dead. Keith is badly wounded. Jim appears to be all right. A few wounds, but nothing too bad." Blair said.

Gerald knelt beside Kyle's body. He rubbed his hand through the blood matted white fur. "Damn." He whispered.

Simon took out his cell phone and called for an ambulance. Blair wove another pen with air and placed Jim inside. He tied off his weaves, then released his power and fell back on his heels tired and sad. He wiped tears from his eyes and looked back at his uncle.

When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics were a bit shocked to find a Council member. The knelt immediately upon recognizing, Gerald. The mage waved them up.

"Listen to me. I want you to heal the tiger and jaguar, and then take the other tiger's body. Take Captain Banks to the hospital, and don't breathe a word of what has happened here, is that understood." Gerald's tone left no room for discussion.

The paramedics did as was ordered. Captain Banks rode in the ambulance, and
Kyle's body was also transported. When they were gone, Gerald looked at Blair.

"We have interfered in Anlach long enough, Blair."

Blair nodded at that.

"This is what needs to be done, Blair. I want you to place them both into a light sleep. Then remove the weavings of air. When that is done we will go, leaving the door open so they may go where they want. We will not interfere anymore in Anlach."

Blair nodded, and did as his uncle ordered. He laced both sentinels into a light sleep then unwove the air pens. The two Sniffers helped his uncle out of the restaurant and into a police car. The officer had been ordered to wait outside, and did not know what had occurred inside the run down restaurant. Blair used Air to clean up the ashes of the dead mage. There would be no questions asked because Gerald has witnessed it all, and he was a Council member and the Council was Law. Blair climbed into the patrol car, and the officer drove them to the hospital.

Inside the restaurant, the two sentinels awoke, and side-by-side they exited the restaurant. Then the jaguar nipped the tiger, and led the bigger beast on a chase through the streets and into a nearby park.

One week later....

Jim and Keith stood side-by-side and stared down at the flag covered coffin. Jim placed a hand on Keith's arm in an attempt to comfort the other sentinel, who wept unabashed. Around them were friends and colleagues. Jim, Keith and the rest of the officers were in full dress uniform. The sentinel priest of Bastet spoke about Kyle while Kyle's friends and family listened.
When the priest was done, he made signs over the coffin to ward away evil spirits who might attempt to lead Kyle's soul astray. Then he stepped back, and two officers came forward and began to fold the flag. Jim flinched when the guns fired in salute and the trumpet began its lament. The officer folded the flag into a triangle and handed the flag to Captain banks who then turned the flag over to Keith who took it wordlessly.

When it was over, Jim led Keith away from the place that would be Kyle's final resting place. Beside Jim's truck, Keith tried to hand Jim the flag, "Here Jim. I don't deserve this. I killed him." Keith said tears streaming down his face.
Jim refused to take it and only shook his head saying, "You didn't kill him, Keith. That damn mage did. You were not at fault. You know that."

"I just can't help feeling that I should have been the one to die, not Kyle." Keith said.

"Then Kyle would be standing RRITE HEERE beside me saying exactly the same thing." Jim said. "He doesn't blame you, I don't blame you. So don't blame yourself. Blame that mage. He knew what would happen. He is to blame."

Keith nodded and Jim opened the door to the truck to let him get inside. Shutting the door Jim walked around to the driver's side and slipped in. He started the truck and drove to Simon's house where everyone was headed for some time to heal from their wounds.

Joel, Simon's wife met them at the door. He took Keith into a comforting embrace and led the weary sentinel into the house. Simon had also stood at the door.

"You doing alright, Jim?" Simon asked.

The sentinel shrugged. "I'm alright."

Jim walked inside, and Simon shut the door behind him. They walked into the living room where the others waited. Jim stopped short, a lump in his throat when he saw Keith on his knees crying his heart out into Joel's chest as the breeder mage held him tightly rocking him as if he were a baby.

Arms wrapped themselves around Jim's leg, and the sentinel reached down and picked up his son, hugging Michael to him. The boy was crying to, not understanding the sadness that permeated the room. The others not knowing what to do left the living room giving Joel and Keith privacy. Some of the breeders stayed behind to help, their instincts calling out to them to do so. Jim ignored his instincts and went into the den where the others waited. He saw Blair talking to Simon's son Darryl. Darryl's friend from school, a breeder sentinel stood beside him. Jim carried Michael over to a chair and he sat down into it and began to rock Michael until the boy fell asleep in his arms.

A hand on his shoulder brought Jim back to reality, and he looked up into Captain's Bank's face. "You can lay him down in the bedroom, Jim. It will be quiet, and he'll be safe."

Jim nodded, "Thanks, Simon." He stood up careful not to wake Michael. He carried his son following Simon to the bedroom. He laid Michael down on the big king sized bed, and covered him with an afghan.

He touched the sleeping boy's head, stroking the fine downy hair, then leaned over to kiss his son's head. He straightened and followed Simon out of the room. The mage shut the door leaving it open just an inch. They made their way back to the den.

"Darryl asked Tommy. I was surprised. He hadn't told me he planned to do that." Simon said.

"What did Tommy say?" Jim asked. He was surprised, too.

"Tommy agreed. He seems excited by the prospect. I have reason to believe he and
Darryl are lovers." Simon said.

The sentinel breeder? Darryl asked him to be his familiar?

"That's usually how it starts. They haven't bonded yet, though." Jim said.

"No, they are going to wait till after the holiday season. I think they are afraid to be happy with everyone being so sad right now."

"Understandable.' Jim said. "I may not believe in it myself, but I understand why some sentinels agree to it."

They made their way into the den. Darryl and Tommy Wong were seated on the sofa, with Tommy snuggled against Darryl's side. Blair was talking to Rafe, and Henri, while Joel was seated on the couch with Keith's head lying in his lap. The sentinel looked like he was asleep, exhausted from his emotional outburst. Joel was petting the sentinel's head in a soothing manner.

"I wonder if I should be jealous." Simon said. Joel smiled at his husband and rolled his eyes at the same time.

Simon grinned and seated himself on the other side of his wife putting an arm around him.

Jim leaned against the doorframe as he watched his friends help each other heal. He smiled at that. Though he knew that the mage was to blame, he felt his own guilt in Kyle's death. After all the two brothers had fought over him. Like all sentinels he couldn't remember the events of Anlach completely. He saw bits and pieces in dreams, and the fight was the most vivid. Blair had told him what had occurred, how they had found Jim and Keith and fought the mage. He looked over at Blair who was still talking to Rafe and H. He knew the kid felt guilt as well. Guilty for not coming sooner to save Kyle, guilt for allowing Jim to be captured in the first place. They each had their own guilt to work through, and it would be a while before the grief and guilt were gone.

Eventually, the subdued party wound down. Rafe and H were the first to leave claiming they had to work the next day. Simon nodded at that. Jim was Keith's ride home. The full male sentinel carried Michael in his arms and they made their way to Jim's truck. At Keith's apartment, the sentinel hugged Jim, who hugged him back.

"Take care of yourself, Keith." Jim told the sentinel.

Keith nodded, "I will, Jim. Take care of yourself, and don't be a stranger." He then hesitantly patted Jim's flat stomach, "I'd like to be there when he's born."

"I'm sure that will be possible." Jim said. Keith nodded, and headed into the building. Jim watched him go, then went back into his truck and drove home.

He was surprised to find Blair waiting for him outside his door. He had come up the elevator carrying the sleepy Michael in his arms, and headed for his apartment when he saw the longhaired mage standing at his door waiting.

"Blair, I thought you'd be on your way home by now." Jim said as he used one hand to unlock the door while holding Michael with his other.

"I felt I had to come and see you for some reason. I'm sorry for disturbing you, I'll go..." Blair said. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't be sorry, its alright. Come on inside." Jim said. He walked through the opened door into the apartment. Blair followed and closed the door behind him. Jim took Michael into his room. He undressed the sleepy cub, put his pajamas on him and tucked him beneath the covers.

Kissing his son on the forehead, he left the room closing the French doors behind him. "You wanna beer?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Blair said. He was standing in the living room bouncing a bit on his toes, the scent of nervousness wafting from him.

Jim went to the fridge and took out beer and bottle water. Shutting the door with his hip, he walked over to where Blair stood and handed him the beer. Blair took it but didn't take a drink. Instead he eyed Jim's bottled water.

Jim looked down at the bottled water then back at Blair, "Yes, I'm pregnant." Jim said. "That was what you were wondering, wasn't it."

"Yeah, I mean I know that Anlach usually results in pregnancy, but not 100 % of the time." Blair said then took a swig of the beer.

"True, but I'm still young enough to get pregnant, and Keith's in his prime.
There was little doubt."

"I wasn't saying you were too old." Blair explained. Jim only grinned.

"I just. I'm sorry I'm not sure why I came." Blair looked as if he was going to leave. Jim reached out and grasped Blair's hand.

"Don't go." Jim said. Inside his brain was screaming at him asking him what they hell he thought he was doing. Jim ignored it.

Blair looked at where Jim had grabbed his hand, and then followed the arm up to Jim's face. Jim's face turned pink and he dropped Blair's hand. "Sorry," Jim mumbled.

"Its alright." Blair said. "I would like to stay." He reached out and grabbed Jim's wrist in a firm but gentle grip. He looked into Jim's blue eyes.
Blair set the beer down on the counter, and then gently took Jim's water bottle from him setting it next to the beer. "When I saw that screen, I was scared to death that we had come too late. I thought you were dead, and I wished I could resurrect the sonofabitch and kill him again for what he had done. I had never been more glad in my life when I found out you were alive."

"I wish I could remember that part at least. But at least I'll remember this night." Jim said.

Blair reached up with his hands putting them behind Jim's head then leaned up and kissed the sentinel's lips. Jim accepted Blair's kiss, their lips and tongue dancing together to the music of their heartbeats. Blair embraced Jim until they were chest to chest, their groins pressing against each other.

When their lips broke apart, Jim looked down into Blair's blue eyes and saw the question there that he knew the mage would never voice. "Yes, I accept." Jim answered.

"Are you sure?" Blair asked. Jim nodded. Blair smiled, a smile that lit up Jim's soul, and he followed the mage up the stairs to Jim's bedroom. He could smell the clean sweet scent of Blair's magic as the mage wove it together.

They made their way to the bed stripping out of their clothes. Blair wove the fine filaments of the five powers and laid them over himself and Jim as he kissed the sentinel once again. He gently maneuvered the naked sentinel onto his back on the bed, and leaned over him kissing the firm lips while his hands moved up and down Jim's flanks in smooth steady strokes. His mouth made its way down Jim's body kissing the hot skin until he reached the weeping cock that strutted out from Jim's body. Blair engulfed the cock into his mouth, his tongue lavishing the length of it.

His hands went beneath Jim's butt kneading the firm backside as he swallowed Jim's cock. Jim groaned in pleasure at the wet sensation around his cock, and kneaded his hands in Blair's hair. Blair continued to use his throat, mouth and tongue to bring the sentinel to climax. Jim shuddered and moaned as the orgasm washed over him in waves. Blair let the limp cock slide out of his mouth then lifted Jim's legs to reveal the wet pucker that was the entrance to Jim's tight ass. His tongue found the hole, and pushed its way inside, and Jim groaned again. His body was hot and covered with sweat, and Blair's magic wove around them both as it waited to be released when Blair released.

Blair licked and massaged Jim's hot hole with his tongue driving Jim to insanity with pleasure of it. When he pulled his head away and looked at Jim with a smile on his face, he knew the sentinel was ready. Blair released his legs and Jim turned over onto his hands and knees. "Fuck me, Blair." Jim whispered. Blair didn't need to be asked twice. He went to his knees on the bed behind Jim, and guided his cock to Jim's hole with his hand. With one thrust he pushed into he wet heat of Jim's ass, and began to thrust. "Harder." Jim whispered, pleasure making his voice sound strained. Blair obliged, rocking his hips faster and harder, pushing his cock in and out of Jim's asshole.

Then Jim shuddered violently, another orgasm hitting him like lightning, and the clenching muscles of Jim's ass brought Blair to climax and as he released his seed so to did the power release tightening itself around them.
And as Blair lay over Jim's broad back he could feel the sentinel's emotions like a little bundle inside his mind, and he smiled. The emotions were happiness, surprise, and contentment. Kissing the broad back, Blair slowly pulled his depleted cock from Jim's ass, and the two of them collapsed together in a heap. Blair wrapped his arms around his newly bonded familiar, and the two of them passed into a blissful sleep, content and safe.

The End

End Of Mages and Sentinels by Stormwolf Dawn: Stormwolf_dawn@yahoo.com

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