Danners

Do you, by chance, suffer from panic attacks, @Salander? Because I do and your descriptions of the storm brewing, the random trigger, and even the disturbing brilliance of the bathroom lights were spot on. Textbook even. I drove myself to the ER in the middle of the night because I thought I was having a heart attack, only to be told it was "just" a panic attack while hooked up to an EKG machine. Reading the first third of the chapter nearly triggered my own disorder (GAD is fun like that) and that's, I suppose, a testament to your writing. Nic going to Arnie for sex afterwards (and after his semi-confrontation with Amos) isn't a surprise. Looking for relief -- any kind of relief -- after an episode is perfectly normal, especially since he didn't get his shower at Luke's. His cousin really loves him, by the way. Luke must be one of those rare guys who accepts things as they are and does what he can to help out of the kindness of his heart.

I think Gabe will write about the mystery that is Ridley and how, despite being the best basketball player the school has seen in decades, no one really knows anything about him. Gabe seems like a smart cookie and more perceptive than most, which is what makes him a good journalist. A good journalist follows the story and, where "Riddles" is concerned, the story is that there isn't one (to the untrained eye). Then he's free to explore what makes Ridley so mysterious and flirt with the truths he knows without truly revealing any of them, furthering the young man's mystique. If ole Gabe plays his cards right, his feature could paint "Riddles" as the most interesting student on campus and poor Ridley's evasion . . . well . . .

“Good. ‘Cause I don’t think I want that mouth on anybody else’s dick but mine.” The closest thing to a compliment he's ever received from Neil and it's high praise indeed. In fact, that may be the sweetest thing he's ever said to West. Ha ha ha! With that first out of the way, why do I anticipate West being pulled into restrooms and empty classrooms at random intervals to service his crush? (Neil strikes me as the "thrill of discovery" kind of guy.) Oh, and speaking of being discovered: West better guard that camera and memory card like Smeagol did the One ring. Slap Kaspar away from using his computer, hissing "My precioussssss!" Also, as if it needed to be said, that was hot as f*ck and totally worth the wait.

Go, Essell, go!

The next chapter cannot come soon enough.

Okay, I'm a little late to the game but I'm shocked the defense attorney (solicitor) hasn't demanded the judge recuse himself. He is clearly biased and not impartial; he has his own agenda. The judge is not allowed to influence the jury, which he clearly is. In the States this wouldn't fly and, even if Liam is convicted, an immediate appeal would be filed. Mrs. Stewart-Graham also missed her chance by not putting Liam on the stand. The prosecution's questions would have opened the door for Liam to speak on being bullied and given her the opportunity to recall previous witnesses and add new ones. Additionally, the judge striking Liam's testimony would've proved bias and achieved a mistrial at the very least. My heart breaks for this poor boy.

This chapter was illuminating. You confirmed my impressions of Suman and yet added to his mystery. He's still utterly intriguing and I can't quite pin down his loyalty, but I believe he cares about the children of his kingdom. He's connected to those who cannot defend themselves -- perhaps unwillingly, but the bond is there. I'm not surprised Loren clocked Suman's manipulation after he'd been the target of it. Noy only is he smart and quick-witted, he is perceptive to the point it could be construed as a flaw. He grew up in the royal court, where being painfully self-aware is a boon. It also explains why he was utterly gutted by Amaris: he allowed himself to be blindsided by someone he should've been able to trust implicitly. Loren's attraction to Suman isn't completely surprising. The man is a kindred spirit of sorts: an abused and ignored member of the royal family who defied his station by becoming a deadly combatant and a treasure trove of court intrigue. Hell, if I were Loren, I'd be equally turned on and disturbed by my erection. Rah remains the perfect envoy. She disappears into the background (for the most part) and only applies her influence and opinion when necessary. Likewise, I have to applaud Talon's intervention. If only every spouse was so willing to drop everything and come to their partner's aid. Gosh, your characters are complex. Even Sumerion, whom I wistfully imagine desperately clutching his bowels after Suman (or maybe Loren) has eviscerated the tyrant.

I almost feel bad for Suman. Given his childhood trauma and his oddly sonographic memory (is that a thing?), he was bound to end up damaged. That being said, I think Kalian was half-right about why Suman hasn't killed his uncle. It isn't that he's too weak to do it, it's that this ongoing plot is the only purpose he's ever known. He needs to hate Sumerion. (If I were him, I'd settle for driving him crazy with phantom sounds until the emperor doesn't know the difference between reality and delusion and ends up a drooling sack of flesh whose few coherent moments I'd fill with utter terror.) I'm glad Kalian finally showed him who he is really dealing with. It's a truth someone with Suman's upbringing wouldn't necessarily understand without a demonstration: those with true power only exercise it when they must. Are you really working on two stories at once?!

I can see West getting between them, physically if necessary. The blonde may end up catching an errant elbow, but that alone would snap Kaspar and Neil out of their respective rages. Neither boy wants West hurt.

I don't know, sub-sonics and infrasound can make a person incredibly suggestable, even completely hypnotize them. If Suman can do that, he can include himself in pretty much any discussion. I'm not saying he did that or he's capable of that level of control over sound, just that it's possible. How he ended up seated at the table wasn't stated. I assume he was included because the other envoys were also invited, perhaps in the interest of transparency, but we don't know for sure.

With what we've seen of his powers, Suman could easily manipulate his way in or coerce an invitation out of any of the Council members. By completely unnerving anyone who would question his presence, he avoided close scrutiny. In fact, as soon as Loren challenged his character, he pushed the man into violence that pulled everyone's attention. A sneaky snake's gonna sneak, but maybe he did it just to find out if he could -- y'know, test the proverbial waters.

I don't think Suman told the whole truth about his ability to manipulate emotions. That, or he's only aware of making people angry. I do think some of it is instinctual but the man has more control and a broader range than he let on. He amplified the unease of the Council members and I'll bet he did it on purpose because he enjoys making others uncomfortable. He did the same with Loren's anger. And Talon -- he definitely influenced Talon by muting his distrust and making him friendlier. Why Kalian hasn't been hit, I can only guess. Could be that Suman actually likes him or, less positive, thinks him weak and easily swayed already. I hope it's the former. Also, and it's weird to say, but I really don't think Suman would be against a good, old-fashioned grudge f*ck from Loren. This series is so good!

I have fingers, toes, arms, legs, and eyes crossed this doesn't go sideways.

Oh my gosh, I can't say how much this story touched my soul. Cyn, as the main character, defied the usual werewolf -- sorry, were-creature -- standards and made me contemplate the existence of prey species. Never before had I imagined that, for ever werewolf, there may be a were-deer or a were-rabbit. It. Blew. My. Mind. A typical werewolf story feeds us their perception and their life through the eyes of a predator but we seldom get to experience the life of the prey. Not only that, but we got to live Cyn's life as he ascended from a nameless Cernunnos to a pivotal figure in the pack's hierarchy. The mate of the pack enforcer. Finally, and this is purely selfish, @astone2292treated us to a bit of fan service. The aggressively male pack alpha fell for the socially inept but loveable man-who-would-be-beta -- no apologies given. The pack came together, like many of the relationships therein, on the whims of fate and, like the story, is stronger for the menagerie collected. I. Love. It.

Okay, Kieran in Beta mode . . ?

While Cook's death and Mrs. Potter's arrest are tragic and a necessary evil, respectively, I doubt either would change a thing. They did what they must as surrogate mother and father to protect those they considered family. I'd also like to think Cook held on until he knew they were in safe hands, just like Mrs. Potter may not have shot Gary if she didn't feel her charges would be safe. The silver lining in this is that the vacuum of care created by these two caregivers sacrificing themselves can and will probably be filled by Beau and Brad. In fact, I highly suspect Mrs. Potter, who was a planner and whose ex-husband was abusive, has something in writing that will allow Chip to remain in Keller Hall, likely in the care of Brad or Beau as guardians ad litem. If not, Chip would legally be returned to his biological father or be made a ward of the state -- neither outcomes Mrs. Potter would risk. And Cook, he really took Beau under his wing. While Beau isn't a doctor, he cares for each and every resident of Keller Hall as if they were family. I think Cook was grooming Beau to look after the group should anything happen to him -- voluntarily, not professionally. Whereas Cook was their overseer, Beau can be their companion and connect with them in ways a paid employee never could. My heart goes out to Chip. He's the only witness to what happened inside Gary Gaston's dorm room, the only one who can irrefutably disprove Gary's lies in a court of law. That means reliving sexual abuse and no one should be forced to do that, let alone a twelve year old boy. So, let's cling to the fact that Chip's support system couldn't be better and the amount of love and encouragement coming his way is without measure. Meanwhile, Gary Gaston may discover a future as a counter tenor and castrato in his prison's production of Les Miserables.

Puppy's putting up a front. He wants Steven as much as Steven wants him but he understands his brother's damage. Steven would want to keep their relationship a secret and for Puppy, someone who's taken great pains to live out loud, that's non-negotiable. He knows the conflict their relationship causes Steven, so he's giving his brother an easy out. Steven won't admit his attraction to and love for his brother to their parents, so Puppy can't consider having a genuine relationship with him. They could be fuck buddies but that isn't Puppy's style. I have fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that Steven will surprise both Puppy and their parents by stepping up to the plate and admitting his heart's desire. Only then can the brothers build a life together.

A long heartfelt and painfully honest conversation needs to happen between these two. No holding back because their parents won't understand (they will) or whatever. They have a connection of the undeniable sort and avoidance of such never, ever works because the magnetism between the two is a primal force. If they don't deal with it -- and by deal I mean explore -- the bitter "what ifs" will tear them apart and taint any relationships the two pursue independently. Find out what you fear. Name what you dream of. Cite your nightmares without fear of judgement. Agree upon what you could, at bare minimum, live with. These two young men are in a relationship whether they want to be or not and they must decide how to define it going forward, so neither is permanently scarred by the experience.

As far as bystanders are concerned, the ones who responded were pack. Their connection to Cyn went beyond human social constraints and I'd like to think that, even if they weren't friends, they'd still be obligated to help on a spiritual level. Their first instinct -- animal or otherwise -- was to help their packmate. Case in point: the first to respond was Sam, a prey animal attacking a (rabid) wolf. Even if Cyn and Sam weren't friends, or if their roles were reversed, I'm confident one would've rose to the defense of the other. Humans, on the other hand, would've sensed Eike was a predator among predators. With no personal connection to Cyn, Sam, or Eike, I believe self preservation would've trumped any inclination to jump into the fray. Fight, flight, or freeze -- and when faced with a superior opponent, fight seldom wins out.

H is totally Hawkeye, which leads me to believe there's either a lot of incest going on or the Morterero family aren't related by blood. With all the child abductions, I'm inclined to believe the latter. The more we learn about this twisted crime ring, the more I want them to pay.

Coy and Boone had a decade and a near-death experience to come to terms with their feelings. With Mitch and Will, their feelings never diminished despite the decades they spent apart. That's love -- true love. It's the most we can all hope for. Their rekindled relationship makes my heart sing.

I dunno, I picture it as a (gay) gasp. Pearls clutched. Knuckle bitten. Basement flooded with happiness.