84Mags

I read the interaction with Kage’s boss a little differently than earlier commenters. I believe Kage doesn’t know his name or specifics about his boss as a way to keep Kage safe. Remember, the boss is (through adoption) Kage’s brother. And the boss is correct, it might very well be safer for Kage to have Elijah with him on this mission as their two shifting abilities uniquely compliment each other. That in no way takes away the danger. Huntington baited Elijah with that fake caring note. A trap is being set. As for the idea of family and being together ‘forever’, well, I am a long game kind of person. We can often have what we never dared imagine we could if we can let our lives play out a little. Kage and Elijah have to get past outside, major pure evil intent first. Time will tell.

I’m not certain if it’s just my calmness before the warned storm, but it really helped to hear Kage explain the how and why of his work. After the last chapter I was a tad unsettled and it took a few days to realize that feeling was about the pretty gruesome torture of the fire elemental and Kage’s (verbal) involvement. However, Kage telling Elijah not only what goes into each and every assassin but the level of certainty needed to know that someone should be taken out makes perfect sense. Ultimately, there really is no doubt about who is evil and how to best handle every given situation. I am also glad that Elijah was able to wiggle his way into helping Kage! So I will take my calm and zen feelings from this chapter while awaiting what is surely some rough ones ahead.

Huntington is starting to slip up. He lost his data base, doesn’t have appropriate backup and is hiring or outright forcing ‘help’ that cannot possibly be loyal to him. Surely those around him realize their death is imminent if they have any knowledge whatsoever of what is on the laptop. That saying about there is no honor among thieves fits. It might make it easier for Huntington to be destroyed. He is making mistakes. It is too bad that the fire elemental cannot be reasoned with. She could help take Huntington down.

After I got over the fit of giggles about bringing lasagna on a camping trip, I really got into the explaining of shifting and how each works. If Kage and Elijah think about it (and right now their minds appear elsewhere 😉) and they team up to shift and work together, in unison, they will be a force. Their shifts compliment each others perfectly.

Welcome to the family, Kage! Truly a baptism by fire 💥🔥💥! Two weeks since the attempt to kill Tyler and Elijah, and just few earlier than that when Elijah’s parents were murdered. One would assume that Kage isn’t the only one watching Elijah. There should be police detectives skulking about. I really wonder about that. It makes me think someone high up on the force has been bought off or has been planted into the ranks. Obviously we are all worried what might happen on the camping trip, but in actuality every day is a dangerous waiting game. I’d much rather our guys weren’t on the defense.

I am going to go with this interaction as a bit of foreshadowing: “I am lucky. I can’t imagine what it's like knowing your parents gave you up because of your supernatural abilities. I can’t imagine any reason why a parent would give up their child.” “Sometimes it’s necessary. There are girls and women out there who get pregnant, not by their choice and they often have to choose between giving up their child or giving up their child’s life. If you ask them, they’ll tell you it’s the hardest choice they’ve ever had to make.” “Do you think it was like that with your mom?” “No. My parents willingly gave me up because they didn’t want a kid who could turn into a shadow. They thought I was evil. Any child who could melt into the night must be a son of Satan. At least that’s what I was told growing up. As a child, it confused me, and as an adult, I don’t give a shit. If my parents truly didn’t want me because my unusual ability wasn’t something normal like being a genius and reading War and Peace at the age of two, then fuck ‘em.” What if Kage's parents (mother?) didn't willingly give him up? What if he was just TOLD that by his adoptive father? His supernatural abilities are unusual, very impressive and an important asset. What if his parents had found someone to ask for help with Kage and his abilities, but instead he was taken from them? Also, what if the theory floated last chapter (I think...) in the comments is true? What if Elijah's parents are not his biological parents? Just because Elijah cannot imagine a reason a parent would give up a child, doesn't mean there aren't many good (and bad) reasons to do so. Perhaps BOTH of them might find out more about their upbringing, those who raised them and their biological parents.

I think it is what we are all banking on! The only real difference between an assassin, killer or someone who murders is that an assassin is always for pay or hire. That’s the difference I was originally commenting on. Kage speaks as though he considers himself unworthy of Elijah and is a killer. However, he was forced into this life and might now be doing so to survive. I hope through Elijah that Kage will learn that at his core he is not a bad person.

Such a sweet and intimate way to experience a first time. Good for Elijah for calling out Kage on saying he isn’t good enough for Elijah. Yes, Kage has killed, but is he a killer? Meaning, is that his mind set or something he was raised to do? He is detached from those who raised him for good reason. He was trained to be lethal but that doesn’t mean he agrees with or enjoys what he is tasked to do. Also, let’s not forget that technically Kage’s boss is his brother. Perhaps even though he is ruthless, he cares about Kage and that’s why Kage was able to persuade him to put pressure on Huntington. Whatever the reasoning, Elijah now has 24/7 protection. And that’s a good thing.

Absolutely exceptional job of interlacing the backstory with what is currently happening and ratcheting up the tension all in one chapter! Anit has become not just more understandable and perhaps likeable, but also tragic. Because of her direct bloodline and innate powers, she became destined to clash with her half sibling. Does she even know that she has a half-brother and bears the 'sins' of her father in Zal's eyes? It would seem not. One must wonder what could have been if only Nua had truly recognized Zal, and not just given him the family name. Maybe Zal would have been happy to have a been deemed worthy of entering the Fox Clan's mystic Log House. But instead, all of his ambitions and the millenniums of work had gone almost unnoticed by Nua. Once Zal had no true recognition or an outlet for his ambitions, he turned his hurt to scheming for power. Even with centuries upon centuries Anit and Sunu are still bonded and linked. They love each other. Perhaps once they figure out what caused their meeting, they will find a way to put past hurts aside and be together. They created Tani, after all, and he is now and will always be more powerful than Zal.

Well, well, well. Kage is starting to come to terms with being drawn to Elijah. Not really totally mentally processing it yet, but definitely not sidestepping. And Elijah made a move! Yay! This was brought up by a few commenters in the last chapter and I really wonder the same: why kill without the laptop? It seems both Elijah’s parents and his attempted murder should happen AFTER locating the laptop. Why not kidnap and torture the information from the parents / Elijah or kidnap Elijah and use him as ransom against his parents until they told where the laptop is located? Soooooo, that all says to me there is more to this than a missing laptop with potentially incriminating evidence. A message is getting sent to someone. Who? The strikers, on purpose, attempted this hit in plain sight at the home of a previous murder. Kage isn’t thinking completely clearly, even though he knows the strikers were instructed to kill rather than interrogate. His mind is occupied with Elijah. But his boss will be on top of it. I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say. Who knows as much as Elijah’s dad? There is someone else out there.

Even with his parents gone, Elijah has some wonderful safety nets in his life. It felt like the whole town was there to support him. Tyler is the absolute best kind of friend and knows exactly what Elijah needs to grieve. I was doing just fine until Click Clack Moo… was brought up. I admit it, I snagged our copy from the box of my kid’s childhood treasures and had to sniffle my way through it. Isn’t it funny how certain books bring childhood rushing back? And Kage, being in the exact right place at the exact right time…twice… one would almost think he is looking out for and watching over Elijah! 😉Guess Tyler is going to learn about the elusive Kage a bit sooner than Elijah intended. Wonder if he will pick up on their obvious chemistry?

Elijah presents quite the dilemma for Kage. His obvious physical attraction to Elijah seemed to cause Kage to share a bit more than he might have intended to, even with the history that he left unsaid. Being adopted, groomed and raised by caretakers/tutors from before your first birthday is very telling. Also, Kage said his adopted father’s son now runs the business. Kage didn’t call him his brother, which he would be by adoption. Again, very telling. Kage has established emotional barriers against those who raised him and were a part of his training. Could it be that Kage internally rebelled against what he was taught and made to do? Perhaps he isn’t a killer at heart. More to the point, what is keeping him in the ‘family’ business? That pesky laptop is well hidden. (Kinda glad it wasn’t behind the picture of Jay.) Completely agree with Kage, there is most likely a link between the stolen pups, the laptop, and Huntington.

A bit more information to start to start putting everything together. The attraction between Kage and Elijah is undeniable. Elijah's physical response coupled with admitting he really hasn't had strong attractions before, I think, is another piece of the mate puzzle. I agree with @spyke; why a laptop and not something much smaller and easier to store data like a memory card, flash drive or even cloud storage? Was the laptop stolen from Huntington or did it belong to Elijah's father, and he had company intel? If stolen, perhaps the data couldn't easily be retrieved, and Elijah's dad was hoping to hold the laptop in order to have leverage to stop being blackmailed. I think that @Danilo Syrtis @drsawzalland @CincyKris are right. Get that sweet ride and strip it looking for the laptop. I am with @chris191070, I think whatever is on that laptop has to do with stolen hybrids and who now has them. This was a chapter filled with just enough new information to get us all thinking! Best wishes on a smooth move. There is just no fun way to do it.

So…Kage is just a tad bit taken with Elijah! It’s going to really emotionally yank him up short when he actually realizes how much time he is spending thinking about Elijah. Is it too early to hope for mates?! Yeah, I know it is. Just putting it out there! Really great job weaving important background information into the story and tying it all into exactly what’s happening. Particularly liked the explanations of shifters, etc. and I really love this cast of characters. Something is on that laptop worth killing / dying over. And, with the house being torn up, I am guessing whoever is looking also realizes there is probably a USB flash drive as backup hidden somewhere. In my mind that makes Elijah in even more danger. Elijah’s last conversation with his parents held no clue so they most likely felt safe, at least at that time. I wonder what prompted their deaths.

I was still exhausted from work when I wrote my first comments. Elijah was a pivotal character in SW, so easily remembered. In SW there had been concern whether he could keep his shift long term and while sleeping or unconscious. He did all without a problem. He also kept it when surprised and suddenly kidnapped. He made a choice to not shift to a smaller animal in order to escape so that he could stay with the kidnapped children. Which means, he can shift from one shifted form to another. So, I found it very interesting he dropped his shift when Kage emerged from the darkness. I am assuming that might be important later on and am curious. Also, I actually looked just now because I am commenting and it was Ch 19 that he gave his backstory. It says there that he had ‘no external sense that he could tell the difference between humans and non humans’ so he felt at a disadvantage. He can be in a room full of people and not sense humans vs shifters. That also fits with this chapter. We aren’t told what Kage is and Elijah doesn’t know. That’s my long winded way to say that I think you’ve stuck to the character very well and there had been past discussions about Elijah and his ability to hold a shift. I am very intrigued by Kage. …the whole coming out of the shadows thing…

Welcome back! And it looks like instead of ratcheting up the rollercoaster ride, you had us start right out with going down the slope at 75 miles per hour. Whew! I am all in for the ride! Poor Elijah. And to be told while driving (yes, I know he pulled over, but still...) is terrible. But with him heading home, there really was no other way. As others have already astutely pointed out, most likely his parents' deaths are directly associated with him somehow. And to then arrive back at his home to find not only the crime scene but the house having been completely gone through. What were the perpetrators after? Here is the passage that really intrigues me: "The only light source was the full moon, currently obscured by clouds, its muted glow doing nothing to dispel the inky darkness. Just as he was about to give up, he saw the briefest flicker out of the corner of his eye. There! In front of the cold fireplace, the darkness stirred minisculely. Black sliding across black, shadow against shadow. Muscles bunched, he launched himself without warning, like a spring set loose from its tether. The instant his paws touched the cimmerian void, several things happened at once. Unable to control himself, he shifted back to his human state. He found himself grappling with someone. A rather large someone. Twisting and turning in the dark, Elijah put up a good fight, but it wasn’t enough. He was pinned beneath a behemoth, struggling uselessly to break free. The giant easily overpowered him, immobilizing his arms above his head." First, I wondered about his shift. In Spirit Wolves Elijah could shift but weren't there were problems with his abilities once he was in the shifted form? Is that the reason he was unable to control himself and remain shifted? Second, are the parts I bolded. All speak to the title of this book, especially the Cimmerian reference. While used as an adjective to describe the void, a Cimmerian from Greek mythology is a member of a mythical people living in darkness and mists. Sooooooo..... Kage? Did I mention I am all in?!

What a truly satisfying ending to an absolutely outstanding story. Obviously, along the way, these characters became real to us, in part because we seemed to see ourselves a little in each. Perhaps it was the imperfect yet perfect relationships, a good dose of humor and a lot of real life situations being tossed in. Each and every character is relatable. …even the few we really don’t like. Loren and Jay represent what a lot of us wish we could find in someone to walk in life besides. It isn’t about being millionaires or an NFL player or national level social influencer. It’s about respect, kindness and love. They are our hope for not just ourselves but what we wish for our children and loved ones to also find in someone. Loren, Jay and the whole group aren’t just living a good life… they are living their best lives.

I wonder about their whereabouts, as well. I left it out of my earlier comment, but I’m worried. The closer we get to the wedding and life long happiness, the more I am concerned that they will pop up. The good news is that Lars and Loren are strongly bonded and a united front. Plus, can you even imagine how Jay (and Seamus!) will react? Loren’ll be fine if they do rear their ugly heads.

Once Loren faced his fears and went all in, he went ALL IN. He is a fantastic fiancé and the uncle every kid wants. He’s an awesome friend, and an even better brother. He’s a loyal brother in law and, if allowed, will be a devoted son in law. This chapter allowed us, through Jay, to fall in love a little more with Loren. Something tells me that Jay’s parents will pout for awhile and then come to terms with their newly realized reality. Then they will move to Denver. And be welcomed. They both have a lot of love to give and there is a gaggle of kiddos who could benefit from another set of ‘grandparents’. I am not sure who is looking forward to the honeymoon more, Jay, Loren or US! Bring on the next chapter.

I know, right?! I think I was supposed to bracket that equation 🤷‍♀️But otherwise I think the mathematical theory is sound. 😂 Even more funny? That comment earned me a new badge for number of comments on this site. I don’t understand the system at all, but it cracked me up that saying coitus earned me a badge.

If you are lucky enough to find someone to go through this life with who can still surprise you as the years go along, grab them and never let go. Loren + proposal x Jay - coitus = forever.

OMG a castle! Can you even imagine?! COUSIN CAMP: Isn’t it funny how THAT is the part of this great chapter that caught a lot of our imaginations? A bunch of grown people thinking about zip lining! I started a family group chat after this chapter with my sibs and cousins about our, long ago, Cousin Camp. We are now a bunch of everything from farmers, to mechanics, to MBA’s, to lawyers and name a career in between. What have we spent a busy Monday morning doing? Laughing our asses off over our childhood.

AWWWWWW! That was very well written. Every part fit with the story, the characters and exactly how they would react. It is harder to achieve than most realize. Great job. Loren facing what he feared was difficult, but he did it and is happier because of it. Favorite line: "This house is just a house, but you’re my home. So—” Favorite part: Cousin Camp!!! I had Cousin Camp (literally called the same) growing up and it was a blast! Can you even imagine the absolute FUN / excitement / entertainment / amusement / delight / happiness / glee / adventure / escapades / exploits / MEMORIES... the kids will have with Jay and Loren?!

That shed light onto Anit’s behaviors and somewhat answers why she treats Tani in the manner that she does. There is so much emotional pain between the two. The Septum is all powerful, yet appears to not be all knowing. That is dangerous, especially with the fight between the Fox and Immortal Clans brewing over Tani. Also, the exchange with Eren still leaves open the question of who is bringing the Kara ot into the Mortal Realm. Dante is romancing Tani and that is exactly what Tani needs right now.

Yes, exactly! And you’ve written it very well. There are lots of reasons a person who has survived a traumatic childhood would live as Loren does, but it is time for Loren to consider if what he USED to want is what he NOW wants. Because, “But maybe…just maybe, Loren wants what Jay wants…”