travlbug

It still does not make sense that Kenneman would abandon the body (making it's eventual discovery a certainty) and, instead, close down his filming operation (that's where he makes his money!). I'm still wondering if Trevor has disposed of Kenneman and if Cecil will find another body in his handling of Neall's death. (Even if Sebastian were to confirm by picture that "Kenneman" was at the Las Vegas airport, I wonder if anyone will be able to confirm that he actually arrived in Southern California.)

Tyler was incapable of organizing a sock drawer, let alone all the moving pieces Sebastian needed to keep track of. Sock drawers have more dimensions than kbois' Korner, so it's not a fair comparison! Kenneman, isn't it nice knowing you're a loose end? It may suddenly be dawning on you what the price may be for killing a werewolf child. But can you vanish before they find you…? If Kenneman indeed had two pups, what happened to the other one? Should our heroes be going to Southern California instead of Arizona? Tyler has yet to show a paranormal bone in his body, but what if a pup were prompting the dream? If any of the pups on their list have a connection to Boston, then maybe E and T should take the dream seriously and make Boston their next stop. That said, I agree that Elijah may not have heard Tyler's sleep-slurred mumbling correctly. Let's see what Tyler remembers when he receives his second dream! I'm going to work on a bunch of chapters while I'm lounging on my balcony all bundled up enjoying some damn cold air fir a change. You may get inundated the moment I have internet access. You can buy an internet package for use on board the ship! (I always buy the coffee drink package, but I don't drink enough Haberno or Peanut Butter Whiskey to make the alcohol package worthwhile.)

And I get them from eating Brussel sprouts.

"I don’t know how anyone can stand to live here.” My in-laws lived in Las Vegas for decades, and we love to visit! The air is fresh and clean; and with all the construction in west Las Vegas, the city has a new, clean feel. Further, I love all the used book stores, though sadly, their numbers have diminished in recent years. Every so often, we park the car and walk the strip (best way to see it) and explore the amazing hotels and sample the restaurants. Finally, the shows are just incredible. (By the way, I don't gamble [personal preference–the rest of my family are high rollers (and they always win!)], so this is the one aspect of Las Vegas I can't discuss.) "...It looks like Kellerman is heading out to L.A.. He booked a flight late last night for departure this morning. He's probably on his way to the airport now." If the body at the studio is Kellerman's, then a.) Someone may be trying to leave a paper trail making it look like Kenneman is still alive, but… b.) Why go to all that trouble and then leave the body behind to be discovered? c.) With plenty of airport cameras around, can Sebastian et al find a picture confirming Kenneman's presence at the airport? d.) If such a picture is found, but with Kenneman truly dead, then Trevor must be involved, but on whose behalf? e.) Also, if Trevor is the killer, then why the two-week delay in getting the hell out of Dodge? f.) Retrospectively, it would have been helpful if Elijah had checked Kenneman's refrigerator: Decaying food might suggest that Kinneman died at least 2 weeks prior. Alternatively, if a dead hybrid is found in the room, then who's to say that the body is Neall's, especially as we are now aware that Kenneman bought two pups? (While others have mentioned that the body in the room may not be Neall's, it hasn't been specifically discussed that a hybrid could be present who is not Neall.) By the way, why is everyone presuming there is only one dead body in the room? (Bwahahaha!)

Uncle Mathias took Kit to Milan: Why can't Kit take the boys to Zurich? (Perhaps he could wait a semester to see how his father is doing before making a final decision.)

"[Tyler's] eyes skimmed right past the healthy shit and, like a heat-seeking missile, landed on the colorful boxes with cartoon characters on the front." Even great heroes eat Cap'n Crunch! (I can still sing the jingle from when the cereal was first introduced–the power of advertising!) While it's horrible that Neall has already shown up in Kenneman's films, it's even more horrible that he vanished from them two months ago: Has he been killed (I can't believe that Kenneman would "invest" in a pup and then not exploit him), or has Kinnemen "reserved" him for his personal use–or to rent out as a party favor? Further, if Neall is still alive, where would he be imprisoned? If he has become Kenneman's plaything, he may be at the Southern California home; while as a "rental," he would be more likely kept in Las Vegas–party central. If E and T guess wrongly, they would likely put the other location on high alert (if Neall isn't moved to a more secure location). While the main goal is to "grab and go"--liberate the pups–nothing has been said about the use of lethal force. It's one thing to jimmy the lock of an unguarded cell door but quite another to take on armed heavies: Are E and T even packing (get your minds out of the gutter!), and has Sebastian given them license to kill? Finally, what if E and T prepare to rescue one pup and find two! Further, what if a pup has to be tranquilized before he can be moved or is so ill as to prove dead weight? (One can't assume that the pups will be able to aid in their own rescue.) I can also envision a scenario where our heroes are delayed in their retreat as a pup takes revenge and tears apart his owner (or jailer). One thing's for sure: Each rescue is bound to be unique and unpredictable! Bon voyage, Kbois, enjoy your cruise (you've earned it)! We wouldn't dream of holding it against you (ignore the pitchforks [we roast big marshmallows]... ).

Two hotel rooms in Sidney? Ok, guys, just whom do you think you're fooling? Mom, there's a little custom called divorce for when you don't get along with your spouse. Oh, I forgot: You're crazy. (Thank you for not using an AK-47. ) Mathias stepped forward to help Kye; but he puts Kye forward to take care of the siblings (though he remains in the background providing support). I think he is making opportunity out of adversity to help reconcile the brothers.

I was hoping that the story wouldn't go where it went--a beautiful fable, with ultimate loss. But how do you change humanity? (This is why I spend most of my time as a hamster.)

I love that Mother flees rather than face Kye. By doing so, she signals either guilt or inadequacy (or possibly both). She can't even speak about him, leaving it to Matt to explain about Kye to the younger brothers. I love that, instead of confrontation, Kye and his father experience reconciliation, so Kye knows that true family, and familial love, can be found by him in Australia. Interesting that the father has excluded Mom from any money management. What does this say about their relationship? And of course, Kye and Marcus remain inseparable! Now that our young men are going to vacation in Australia, I hope we meet Marcus' Aussie relations!

Tyler’s hand came out from where it was burrowed under the covers, and slowly the middle finger took an upright position high above all the other digits. Tyler's eloquence is truly inspiring! Whom to rescue first? While Tyler and Elijah argue the question from the perspective of time enslaved (and what that might mean for the pup), I think they should be thinking tactically–approach each operation on the basis of, and in the order of, most likely to succeed. In this manner, they will also gain experience which might come in handy for the more difficult raids. That said, I agree with @drpaladin and @CincyKris: I'm not sure it's wise for Elijah to ignore that "prickly feeling in his chest." (If Kage is suggesting to Elijah that he go after the Laramees first, there is likely a good reason.) On 8/31, I wrote, "The oldest of the missing pups would now be around18? Older? I'm wondering if one of them could actually be the fated mate for either Elijah or Tyler, who are themselves around 20 years old." Thus, I absolutely agree that at least one of the Laramees (or both?) could turn out to be mates for E and/or T (the reason behind the prickly feeling?). That said, the youngest abductees are 12 to 14: While the mating bond between fated mates may be one way of curing the hybridization, fated mates are not a guarantee, and the youth of many victims would preclude a cure for years. There must be a better way….

Marcus and Kit have become very good friends indeed. I love that Marcus can see past Kit's new face: Their multiple hugs are a measure of their mutual affection, which has grown with time and Kit's adversity. (I doubt that a straight boy would engage in quite so many hugs, so we may now be getting an inkling of Marcus' true feelings.) I'm fearful that Grandmother's funeral may allow for a confrontation between Kit and his parents. If so, at least he'll have Mathias by his side.

I have a sneaky suspicion that any individual listed as having bought a pup will be utterly destroyed…. It's just a matter of time. (If not immediately killed, they'll be on the run for the rest of their lives.) I'm still curious if Huntington bought/reserved any pups for himself. Doctors' handwriting? With the advent of the electronic medical record (EMR), everything is typed (and signed with an electronic signature). There's a whole generation that doesn't understand the jokes about the doctors' unique penmanship (unbelievably, my prior doctor started using an EMR in 2002–a full 20 years ago!). I love where Zev says "brother Tyler," leaving no doubt how he feels about Tyler's participation. "Move your money-maker, Tyler!" Kbois, you kill me! 😂😂😂 Ah, bacon! (The reason all pigs are atheists! 🤣) Since humans evolved before coffee and bacon even existed, why do we seem preprogrammed to adore them? 🤔 With many, or most, of the pups unable to speak or write, how can they be assessed, or assisted, regarding their certain psychological damage? Further, could fear, anxiety, withdrawal, lashing out, etc., be misconstrued as feral behavior? (In fact, could feral behavior in these circumstances–even where it actually exists– be considered a coping mechanism, and could it be more easily reversed in a youngster?) I don't think that any pup who is suspected of feral behavior should be killed out of hand. Rather, such individuals could be segregated and observed, as I suspect that most will prove salvageable: To kill them would be premature and would victimize them twice. Logan is uncircumcised, but he makes me wonder: If a werewolf were circumcised, just what would that do to his wolf? 🤔😁

Kit's workload at school is daunting (better him than me! 😅). I'd love to know more about Marcus' family: What prompts the move to Melbourne? (Marcus may be from Melbourne, but he attends school in Italy and proves at home with the family properties in Lichtenstein. [I wonder where he'll finally settle.]) I like this Prince: Rather than delegate, he personally rides out to ask Marcus to host the Youth Forum. (Kit is just about to meet a ton of new people!)

Ann Wilson (Heart) was the opening act, and her voice remains flexible and powerful at age 72! Sadly, neither she, her pet Barracuda, nor the Magic Man saw the pups. Pat Benatar (hard to believe she's going on 70) was in fine form, but she warned that finding the pups would be "a battlefield!" Of note, Pat's husband, Neil Giraldo (a guitar virtuoso [and her co-songwriter] who was also center stage) lost his father 3 months ago to dementia; so he has started a nonprofit to address the issue. As a fundraiser, he held a raffle at the concert for a signed guitar, with the proceeds to go to the nonprofit. We didn't win, but it was all for a good cause.

Technically, I suppose that Uncle Mathias is Kye's second cousin, but I love that he acts as a doting uncle. (The bigoted parents' loss is certainly Mathias' gain.) With Marco being gay--and having been Mathias' roommate in college--no wonder Mathias is so accepting of Kye's orientation. (Sometimes, what you learn in college outside of the classroom is just as important as what you learn inside it.) I love how Mathias has prepped Kye with the Italian language before surprising him with the move to Italy. (Kye may not have been quite as enthusiastic if he lacked the language.) Finally, I love how Kye shows his intelligence by questioning the reason for his gift of clothing. (Attending an international school should prove a fascinating experience!)

Sitting with spouse in the Pacific Amphitheater. Supposedly, we're here for the Pat Benitar concert (it starts in 15 minutes! [we're so jazzed!]), but we're really here to look for the pups!

Kbois, My deepest sympathy on your mother's passing. (My own mother died in similar circumstances.) May all your memories be happy ones. ❤ *** I love that kbois notes the sense of belonging which Elijah experiences on pack land: By, inference, he misses that feeling on an ordinary basis (even Tyler can't offer it to him). “It’s wonderful to have you back, young Elijah,” Silas said, his normally cloudy eyes clear as he gave him a once over from head to toe. Elijah felt as though the old man could see into his soul…. Kbois may say otherwise, but I swear that Silas has a unique power he just hasn't told Kbois about. 😂😂😂 (His smooth explanation about it just being "age" is too well rehearsed and is an obvious cover. 😉) Sad to hear that no solution has yet been found for the hybridization process. I wonder if Sebastian will ultimately petition the fae for a magical solution, though the payment required may be too high. (I see that other readers have also considered this possibility). Alternatively, since Elijah's cells are capable of turning into almost any animal, might his own DNA hold the key to treatment? Seventy-six missing pups identified. Does this number represent all the pups still missing, or are there still a huge number of kids unaccounted for? The oldest of the missing pups would now be around18? Older? I'm wondering if one of them could actually be the fated mate for either Elijah or Tyler, who are themselves around 20 years old. (Even if the pup is hidden, a fated mate could smell them out!) If Huntington has copies of the laptop records, he could have warned the purchasers that a breach of their information might have occurred. (Huntington is still out there, of course, but the purchasers may also be prepared for extraction attempts.) Now, time for some rescues!

I'd love to hear about Tyler's first introduction to Elijah's shape-shifting abilities. (At age 6, he likely tried to copy them and couldn't, but he doesn't seem to have been scarred by the experience. [At age 5, I saw my grandfather remove his teeth (dentures), but I couldn't remove mine: For years, I thought there was something wrong with me, and I was too embarrassed to ask my parents!]) No check points? The drive up to the pack house is an open road--friendly, but not very tactical. (I'll presume that guards are present but hidden along the approach.) Mama, Sandi.... No matter where you are in kbois' worlds, someone has to be manning the stew pot! (But who's minding the alcohol?! ) Honesty is a great tool for establishing trust: Reilly's decision to call Tyler out on his statement that he isn't fearful and the admission that werewolves can smell his fear is actually a good thing. The werewolves also use a tried-and-true method to establish friendship with Tyler: They use the entire dinner to get him to talk about himself! However, their best technique to make Tyler comfortable is visual, forcing a comparison between the evil wolves of horror films and kits at play (with a little eye candy thrown into the bargain). In fact, the sheer amount of time spent on gaining Tyler's trust shows how important our wolfies consider him. Yay for Lex! And it still took two hours to break into the laptop! (The laptop should still be checked for explosives because, well, it belonged to Huntington!) To answer this question literally, I believe we need to look no further than the connection between Lex and Cassie: If memory serves, the linkage color is blue.

Hmmm. If Elijah's mother's triple-great grandfather is a direct relation to King Oberon, then so is Elijah, though a bit more distantly. He is also distantly related to the Boss! I wonder if this relationship will become relevant to the story (e.g., give him standing in the Fae court). Why would a Fae prince give protection to Huntington? What could Huntington possibly give the fae in return to make it worth his while? (I briefly considered that Huntinton was blackmailing the Fae brother, but I don't think he would have survived the attempt.) The Boss does nothing without a reason: By telling Elijah that his soul's other half is still out there, he plants a seed of hope, even if Elijah's not ready to hear it. (He may be more willing to accept another love interest if he knows that Kage is not his "one and only.") "At this point, the only one who can undo the magic used to place the protection [for Huntington] is the King." A slight roadblock…. That said, "the Royal Court is not happy" with this protection, which means that King Oberon is not happy with it. So why hasn't he just gotten rid of it? "Things like the Chevy are obvious. Trust me, there's a lot more [clues] that aren't." I just knew the cookies were suspicious! (Mama as the Big Bad… I never would have guessed! 😂😂😂)

I love the smoky flavor and scent of this tea, but the aroma carries (everyone in the next several rooms knows you're drinking it ). Lapsang souchong (LS) is also a component of Russian Caravan (RC) tea, so if you like RC, you might as well get the LS (go right for the good stuff!). The "Arnold Palmer" is my husband's favorite! For those who like oil of bergamot, Earl Green (green tea with bergamot) is also heavenly! You really have to see Dragon Pearl Jasmin to get the full aesthetic, as the tea (and flowers) are hand-rolled into actual balls, or "pearls." Very tasty (and proof of being a geek ). Orange Pekoe? (Shudder.) But don't worry: I promise not to tell a soul....

The first Cracker Barrel in California opened in 2018, and my visit to North Carolina was in 2016. That said, the chain is still not in my area, so I have yet to go back. (Now you have me in the mood for seafood! )

I have never considered graduations a punishment and have traveled to support all my nieces and nephews for their special day. (The farthest I've traveled for this purpose is Elon University in North Carolina [we finally ate at a "Cracker Barrel," after hearing it mentioned by eastern folk]. However, the most beautiful graduation I've attended was at Pepperdine, as it overlooked the Pacific Ocean!) Anyway, Tyler, the graduation ceremony is meant for your parents–not you! "...He decided to roll up the flaps on the soft top so they could enjoy the fresh air. So what if his hair got messed up? That’s what brushes and combs were for." Duh! (I have a "sensible" car, but when I rent, I go for the convertibles. ) "Kage never gave me the impression his boss was dangerous." Famous last words…. (I'm actually very curious as to how the Boss will react to Kage's death. I also wonder if the Boss will be able to sense that fragment of Kage which has been implanted in Elijah. 🤔) Interesting that Tyler feels the road trip is fated. He's right!!! (It's funny that Tyler isn't keen on wolfies: if a werewolf lass turns out to be his fated mate, he could be turned into a werewolf himself. [What would Mama say! ])

I bet no one uses the proper name. Here in Southern California, we have one of the most famous cities where no one uses its proper name. Of course, I refer to El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles (de Porciúncula, though some don't include the name of the river). It may not be one word, but it's still a mouthful! My third grade teacher made us learn the full name for a spelling test. I'm just waiting for kbois to write her first story based in Los Angeles. And she has so many e̶v̶i̶l̶ eager West Coast readers to help!

Its discovery may be anticlimactic, but the laptop is still mysterious. (Who actually hid the laptop in the first place? The parents may have had nothing to do with it, even though they were likely killed for it.) Elijah, do you really expect the laptop to be unlocked/unencrypted? Worse, trying random passwords is like giving away wishes on a genie bottle for no return. (What if three wrong tries triggers a hard-disk wipe? [Or maybe an explosion, if you like spy thrillers!]) Now that you're down to your last attempt, you have no choice but to deliver the laptop to wiser heads. (Montana, here we come!) Interesting that Trevor shows up to warn off Elijah and Tyler. He is likely ordered to do so, which means that Huntington knows they're players. That said, he doesn't know that the Boss has summoned Elijah or that Elijah's aware he murdered Kage. (I think the encounter would have wound up with the boys dead otherwise.) Hmmm. Does Huntington market the hybrid pups as just another business, or does he "own" a few for his personal use? Would it be worth it for the werewolves to plan an all-out assault on all of his properties, looking for pups or additional information?

Wouldn't it be interesting if Elijah starts to develop shadow shifting abilities in addition to his shape shifting? "[Kage] left a piece of himself behind [inside Elijah]; a part of his energy, his soul." How much more explicit can kbois be on this issue? (I can't wait to see just how Kage manifests as the story proceeds!) Oooh! Kbois used the word adumbration! (I think I'm in love!) Elijah may have informed the Boss of Kage's death, but he fails to mention Trevor. Somehow, I get the feeling that the Boss will get in touch with Elijah to get more information. ("Kage is dead" is a bit sketchy.) I wouldn't be surprised if the Boss recruits Elijah to finish the mission.