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Drifting into Deep Waters; Prequel to Moon Tears
Topic Started: February 2, 2012, 4:20 pm (7,287 Views)
The Cosmic Gerbil
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Forbidden Forest Ranger
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A curse? That sounds scary :O B;imey, I wonder what is going to happen ?
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Lucifer's Angel
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Heavy Metal Seanchai
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Chapter 16

"I hope we don't get chosen last, but that we're here is something", said Kris dryly.

The players were all dressed in their best suits behind the scenes just as the All-Star Draft was about to start. Unlike previous years where the Eastern Conference would play the Western Conference, Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alffredsson and Boston Bruins' captain Zdeno Chara would draft players for their respective teams like in a fantasy draft in a football league. Each player would be announced and come out to the podium in order to get their game jersey and eventually pose for a picture with the team.

"If you go on other team, I will not hurt you much, this is fun game", said Evgeni. The big Russian center wore a black suit with a white shirt underneath and a red carnation pin in his lapel and a black tie, his curly dark hair tamed by a generous application of gel.

"Oui, mon ami Russe. After all, we have half the season left and the playoffs", said Kris with a laugh. He too wore a suit, his being a metallic gray one with dark red tie and his dark hair grazing his collar, a white silk lily in his lapel pocket.

Everyone's attention was turned to the video monitor as the draft was about to begin. Commissioner Gary Bettman stood with Alfredsson and Chara, the little man with his balding head and pale blue eyes looking out of place between the two players. Alfredsson was tall and dignified in a simple gray suit with his short red hair in a buzz cut and pale gray eyes, while Chara was an immense man at 6'9, wearing a black suit that framed his huge body perfectly.

"Pick Number 3 for Team Alfredsson, Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins", said Bettman.

"Mon ami, you are going to be playing with Datsuyk", said Kris excitedly, clapping his friend on the back as he left the room and was led to the podium where the Senators' captain handed him a blue uniform with his name and number on the back, shaking hands with he captain and teammates Pavel Datsuyk of the Detroit Red Wings and Zack Parise of the New Jersey Devils.

"Pick Number 5 for Team Chara, Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins", said Bettman. Kris went up to the podium and and was handed a red and white jersey with his name and number on the back, shaking hands and standing with teammates Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks, Claude Giroux and Danny Briere of the Flyers and Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks.

"I'm glad I wasn't picked last, I have a lot of family here", laughed Kris.

"Oui, mon vieux. My family's here too, that would have been embarrassing. We met your mom and your girlfriend yesterday, we showed them around Ottawa a bit", said Claude with his high-pitched laugh. He wore a black suit and his curly red hair was tamed with a lot of gel, looking far more adult than he had yesterday with the silly brown fur Russian hat.

"We're having a team dinner tonight", said Jonathan Toews. He was a tall, muscular young man with brown hair and dark eyes, the slight scar on his upper lip and serious demeanor making him look a lot older than twenty-three.

"Awesome, if there's a bar that'll be awesome", chortled Patrick Kane, clapping his friend on the back. He was about 5'10 and 170lbs, curly blond hair and big blue eyes in a round baby face making him look like a cross between an impish elf and a choirboy. His cocky air and mischievous grin seemed to suggest more of the former, the sort of elf who always seemed to plan mischief not unlike Rumpelstiltskin.

"Don't mind him, he is just eager to drink and hook up with girl", laughed Danny Briere as Pat glared. "I was with Claude yesterday when we met your mother and girlfriend, your mother is a very gracious lady. My sons are staying with their grandparents tonight, they are going to have a lot of stories to tell their friends come Monday", he chuckled.

With a totally straight face and without warning, Jonathan grabbed Pat and got him in a headlock as he rubbed his blond curls, much to everyone's amusement. "Dude, that hurts. My sisters do that", muttered Pat as he tried to get away.

"Your sisters give you headlocks?", asked Claude, raising an eyebrow.

"I've seen it, he's got three older sisters who are bigger than him", Jonathan said, the slightest smile on his face and a gleam in his dark eyes.

"I am so going to get you for that, Tazer", muttered Pat.

"Is the dinner just for the team or can we bring along our girlfriends? I don't want my girl stuck with my whole family", Kris chuckled.

"Sure, but how much of your family is here? My parents and brother are here", said Jonathan.

"My mother and her foster children are here, along with my cousin and my uncle and his son. I think she would rather be with us, n'cest pas?", he chuckled.

"Oui, Kris", he replied.

"You speak French, Toews?", asked Kris.

"Oui, mon ami Quebecois. Ma mere est de Quebec et j'ai grande en parlent le Francais, il n'est pas tres utile dans Chicago, mas il ses usages", he said dryly.

"Yeah, Tazer speaks French like no one's business. I keep asking him to teach me, but he won't", said Pat with a pout.

"C'est parce que vous voulez les mots sales, vous avez peu batard Irlandais. Je ne pense pas qui va impressioner les filles", said Jonathan.

"What the fuck did you just say, Tazer?", asked Pat with a confused look on his face.

"Never mind, dude. Kris, call your girlfriend so she can come with us, some of the guys wives and girlfriends are here and she can talk with the other women", said Jonathan as Kris took out his phone.


"The other guys are cool, but Patrick Kane petite batard. He's got a bad reputation for being a womanizer", said Kris.

Marie just laughed as she adjusted his tie. "Thank you for reminding me, Kris. I work in a bar, I can deal with his type", she chided.

Kris just laughed. He had changed into a charcoal gray suit with thin white pinstripes and a white shirt with a dark red tie, the white lily still in its pocket. Marie wore a purple taffeta dress the color of very dark wine trimmed with black lace, the skirt just above her knees and the top strapless. The outfit emphasized her dark hair and fair skin, her tiny frame so mall compared to his as they made a striking couple.

They left the room as Kris placed a black faux-fur coat around her shoulders as he led her outside to waiting cab. "Geno and Ellen are going to their team's dinner, we're all going to play nice here. The dinner is for the team members and their women only, I guess it's because there's going to be drinking and such. The Skills Competition is tomorrow anyways", he chuckled.

They arrived at the restaurant twenty minutes later as Kris paid the driver and helped her out of the cab. The doorman immediately led them to a private room in the back of the restaurant. "Hey, nice chick you got there. Not my type but hot", said Pat, sipping from a glass of Jack and Coke.

"Kaner, don't you know better to make a Frenchman jealous? I'm sorry about my teammate here, his sisters must have gotten him in one too many headlocks. I'm Jonathan Toews", he said.

"Bonjour, monsieur Toews", she replied as they shook hands.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle, vous Francais?", he asked, his French spoken correctly except for a strong prairie Canadian accent.

"Mon pere est Francais, ma mere est etait Americaine", she replied.

"Kris, keep this girl", he chuckled.

"And I'm Patrick Kane, the only French I know is merde because he doesn't want to teach me any", he joked, bringing her hand to his lips and giving it a very wet kiss.

"Ah, bonjour", she said, discreetly wiping the back of her hand against her dress.

"Kaner, that's not how you do it. Desole mademoiselle, je suis Claude Giroux", he said with a rakish grin, his rusty curls bobbing slightly as he lightly placed a kiss on her hand.

"Bonjour, monsieur Giroux. Je suis Marie Gagnon, tres heureux de vous renconter", she replied graciously.

"I'll introduce you to everyone", said Kris as he took her hand and led her around the room.

"Marie, this is our team captain Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators. Mr. Alfredsson, this is my girlfriend Marie Gagnon", he said.

Alfredsson smiled and shook her hand. "Very pleased to meet you, Miss Gagnon. I'm afraid my wife couldn't make it, Katrin is eight months pregnant and the doctors said for her to rest", he said apologetically, only a trace of a Swedish accent in his soft voice.

"Felicitations, monsieur Alfredsson. Is it a boy or a girl?", she asked.

"We're having a girl, we already have four boys and Katrin really wants a girl. I suppose with four brothers, the boys are not going to mess with our daughter", he joked.

Kris chuckled at the older man's joke and led her over to the bar in the corner. "It's all free", he said.

Marie just laughed, her blue eyes dancing with amusement. "You forgot that my father owns a bar, Kris", she teased.

"I'll have a Macallan", he said.

"And I will have a Poire William", she said.

"What's Macallan, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with it", said Jonathan as he joined them at the bar.

"That's single-malt Scotch, my personal favorite. I've quit drinking blends ever since I started with malts", said Kris.

"All right, I'll have a Macallan", he told the bartender. Jonathan took a sip and nodded in approval. "This is really good, I just usually go for Crown or Jack Daniels. I'll have to get some more when we get back to Chicago", he said.

Everyone went to sit at the small round tables when it was announced dinner was about to be served. Kris and Marie found themselves at a table with Jonathan and Claude as he pulled out a chair for her, a waiter pouring each a glass of water. "We have ourselves a little French foursome here, oui? At least Kaner isn't here to annoy us, no offense Toews", laughed Claude.

Jonathan just laughed, the corner of his upper lip twitching with a smile. "No offense taken, even if he is my best friend. It's just his mother drooped him on the head too many times", that or his sisters got him in too many headlocks", he deadpanned.

Marie almost choked on her drink, seeing the amused look on the other men's faces. "I thought you were being serious, Mr. Toews", she chided.

"I get called Captain Serious a lot, it's just that I got the crazy German humor from my dad. Kaner is wild and crazy, I'm a stick in the mud compared to him", he chuckled.

The first course of vegetable crudites was being served along with white wine as the waitress poured everyone a glass. "This a lot nicer than anything we had growing up in Hearst, I'm afraid the only wine we had was Boone's", said Claude, chewing on a piece of carrot.

"That stuff is terrible, monsieur Giroux. That is not even real wine, it's flavored beer", said Marie dismissively.

"Her father owns a bar and is a bartender", he explained as the men looked impressed.

"Tres bien, I had a friend in high school who's dad owned a bar, he would always get us beer and that was awesome", Jonathan chuckled.

"You know, that's how it was growing up in Hearst. There was nothing to do except drink and skate and play hockey during the winter, in the summer we'd go fishing and hunting. Hearst is so far away from anything, that's all we had to do", laughed Claude.

"But I thought it was difficult to hunt in Canada", she said.

"It depends, in a city like Toronto, forget it. But up in Hearst everyone has a rifle, my dad shoots deer during the season and we have quail and rabbit, there's no supermarket", said Claude.

"So Marie, what's the name of your dad's bar?", asked Jonathan, changing the subject.

"It's La Lys Blanc Pays in Green Tree, I must tell you that the jukebox is nothing but 30's and 40's music, that's my father's favorite music", she replied.

"As long as it's not rap, I wouldn't mind. Kaner loves rap, and he's a little Irish guy from Buffalo. That's so funny", laughed Jonathan as the waiter cleared the dishes.


Meanwhile, Evgeni and Ellen were at another private room in the restaurant seated at a table with Pavel Datsuyk and his wife Svetlana. "Pasha, this is my girlfriend Ellen Sutherland. Ellen, this is Pavel Datsuyk and his wife Svetlana", he said as they shook hands.

"Very glad to meet you, Miss Sutherland. It is always a pleasure to play in Ottawa, lovely city and nice people", said Pavel in his heavy Russian accent. He was of average height and thin with straight brown hair and hazel eyes in a sharp-featured, angular face with a long nose and prominent cheekbones. His suit was medium gray and with a white shirt underneath, a maroon and gray tie completing the outfit.

"Please call me Ellen, I'm not fond of being called Miss Sutherland, 'tis too formal", she chuckled.

"You are Scottish, I like your accent", said Svetlana. She was an attractive woman in her thirties with her dark hair in a French twist and sloe-dark eyes that looked so striking against her fair skin, wearing a black brocade evening gown complimented by a black fur stole that had been draped around her shoulders.

"Aye, I was born in Scotland in the Sutherland district, that's in the north of the Highlands. My father and I regularly make trips back to our ancestral lands during the summer, there's a huge family reunion as we are a large clan", she replied.

"How lovely, Pasha and I are going back to Sverdlosk with our children this summer, we have a big dacha there", said Svetlana.

Ellen nodded in understanding. She wore a deep forest green velvet evening gown held up by spaghetti straps with a waxy brownish-green Cairngorm stone pendant hanging on a long golden chain around her neck, matching earrings in her ears and rings on her fingers. The sixth fingers on each hand were clearly visible but Pavel and Svetlana were polite enough not to say anything, even though it clearly stood out as her fingernails were all painted a dark metallic purple.

"I hope 'tis not an odd question, but do you like country music? I ask everyone that", said Ellen with a chuckle.

"Nyet, it's not very popular in Russia. In Detroit, all the stations play loud rock or rap, but I do like 80's stuff like Motley Crue and Poison. When I was a teenager back in the 90's, it was very popular in Russia", said Pavel.

"Our daughters like Taylor Swift, she is a very nice girl and her songs are very pretty. Is that country music?", asked Svetlana.

"Aye, she has nice songs. I much prefer Hank III, but I'm afraid his songs are not so nice", she chuckled.

"Da, I am starting to like it. He does country music and then heavy metal too with Assjack. I like the Assjack stuff better, I don't think we have country music in Russia", laughed Evgeni.

"Neither in Scotland, but I love it anyways", she teased.

"Ellen, sing something for us", he said.

Ellen just chuckled at her boyfriend, an amused look in her green eyes. "Zhenya, do you know the old Celtic myth of Macha?, she asked as he shook his head. "Macha was a goddess of Ireland who was married to a wealthy farmer, she increased his wealth but he was not to mention her to anyone. She and husband were at a fair when he got drunk, he bragged that Macha could outrun the king's horses and her husband was ordered to have her race against the horses, in spite of the fact that she was pregnant. Macha won the race and gave birth to twins prematurely, she cursed the men of Ulster that they would suffer labor pains and be helpless as women during childbirth during their greatest time of need. In other words, don't ask odd favors of women, my gradhach", she giggled.

"I love it when you speak Gaelic, Ellen. I suppose it not a good idea to sing, there are a lot of people here", he said.

The older couple smiled at each other as they watched them banter. "Da, Zhenya, this is not the time to start singing", agreed Pavel as the waiter brought over their food.
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The Cosmic Gerbil
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Lol, I shouldn't laugh but Ellen's tale about the old Celtic myth was so funny :lol:
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Lilith
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xD Bwahahaha! yes, the story was awesome! "Don't ask odd favors from women." Ellen's pendant sounds interesting to me. She and Geno are just adorable together! :3
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Lucifer's Angel
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I hope this isn't a little filler chapter, but it sets up part of the next chapter :)

Chapter 17

"I am so glad my family is back in Scotland, they are sweet children but I canna imagine dealing with all these wee ones", said Ellen as Marie nodded in understanding.

"But they are going to enjoy the Skills Competition, Papa and I watched it last year on the telly but this is going to be a lot better", said Marie.

"Aye, especially since Kris is going to be competing. Zhenya is is going to be competing in the Breakaway Challenge, that sounds interesting. And Kris is going to be in the Fastest Skater competition, admit you want to see Kris skating with his hair flowing", teased Ellen as Marie blushed furiously.

The women were downstairs in the hotel lobby waiting for the charter bus taking the families to the Skills Competition at Scotiabank Centre. Kris' family emerged from the elevator with Renee and Christine and the children, a few people glancing their way. "Bonjour, medames", said Christine's brother Antoine Allen as he smiled kindly at the children, his eight year old son Jacques following behind. He was a middle aged fat man with sparse gray hair atop a beefy red face, a brown Russian-style hat on his head and wearing sweatpants and a camouflage winter jacket over a gray sweatshirt.

"Bonjour, Antoine et Jacques", replied Marie.

"Papa, this is so cool", said Jacques excitedly. He was a slight boy with straight black hair and big brown eyes in a narrow face, wearing jeans and a camouflage coat and a black Penguins cap as he tried to remain still.

"Calm down, Jacques", chided Antoine.

"Miss Ellen, where is the Russian bear?", asked Hughette, thinking that Evgeni was a bear.

"He is at the arena with his parents and the other players. And he is a bear, aye", said Ellen dryly as her and and Marie shared a laugh.

The families started boarding the bus as the children chattered eagerly amongst themselves. Marie now noticed how much Renee really stood out, wearing a navy blue dress with cream lace and black stockings and black patent leather boots which looked like something women wore in the Victorian era when they were at church rather than anything modern. The sight was odd to her that it gave her pause, reminding her of something she had seen before. Maybe I saw something like that in a movie, she mused as they boarded the bus.

Hugo hovered on the roof of the bus and watched as everyone boarded. He was careful not to make his presence known to Ellen as the last time had caused her seizure. Hugo noticed that Marie looked at the other woman curiously, subconsciously knowing something was off with them. She is one of us, she and Kris don't know it. But now is not the time, he mused as he disappeared.

Marie was still deep in thought as the bus arrived at Scotiabank Centre and everyone got off. She followed Ellen and Kris's family towards the seats, the families getting seats right by the rink with only the Plexiglass between them. "Wow", said Andre as he tapped the glass.

"I know, 'tis very good seats", agreed Ellen.

Marie was glad to find herself seated with Ellen, Christine and the children and Antoine and Jacques. The arena attendants were setting up orange plastic traffic cones that outlined the paths the skaters would take during the Fastest Skater challenge. "Kris won it last year, he was the fastest skater at over twenty five kilometers, and he did it backwards", said Christine proudly.

"Mon Dieu, and I haven't gone skating since I was a tot", said Maire, her eyes wide in astonishment.

"Je sais, but Kris has been on skates since he was old enough to walk. Thee was a pond near our apartment building and during the winter he and the other boys in our building would be skating and playing hockey, getting them back inside for lunch", said Christine with a fond smile.

Marie had to giggle, imagining her boyfriend as a youngster spending all day skating on a frozen pond and not wanting to stop for lunch. He must have been cute doing that, she mused.

The crowd stilled as the lights dimmed and a spotlight traced patterns on the ice. On one end of the ice by the visiting team's entrance there was a cloud of dry ice, the crowd murmuring in anticipation. There were cheers as each player was introduced and skated out onto the ice, the only boos reserved for provincial rivals Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dion Phaneuf. On the opposite end at the Senators' entrance, Team Alfredsson skated onto the ice one by one with the loudest cheers being reserved for the venerable Senators' captain, the noise loud enough to raise the roof.

"Calm down, Marie. I know my son is handsome, but try not to faint", teased Christine as Marie blushed deep red. Kris skated out onto the ice in his white Penguins uniform, his long hair flying behind him as he gave the crowd a slight smile. His dark eyes quickly scanned the crowd until he saw his family, trying to suppress the grin on his face as he removed his glove and shook hands with his teammates.

"Dude, I am so going to beat you at this", boasted Pat, an impish look in his blue eyes and a smirk on his face.

Kris just chuckled at the smaller man, biting his lip to keep from laughing. "We'll see about that, mon ami. You have quite an ego for a little guy", he teased.

"I know that all too well, Tanger. The little guys always have to prove something", said Jonathan as Pat pretended to glare at his friend and captain. Both men burst into laughter as there was no way anyone would have been intimidated by Pat, what with his curly blond hair, big blue eyes, round baby face and slight build about as scary as a Keebler elf.

The two teams skated over to their respective benches as they prepared for the Fastest Skater competition. Pat and Anze Kopitar of the LA Kings and Team Chara were the first as both players skated to the starting lines, a referee blowing a whistle as both men took off. The crowd cheered as they both skated the course at over twenty miles per hour going forwards, which was far faster than anyone in the stands could have done. Kopitar finished a few seconds ahead of Pat as the big Slovenian center smiled shyly at the crowd, his long blond hair resting over the collar of his silver and purple jersey.

Kris was the third up, racing against rookie Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes. Skinner was tall and skinny, a mop of brown curly hair atop his smooth face and looking considerably younger than eighteen. They got into position and took off as the referee blew his whistle, skating the patterns as the crowd cheered. Kris was ahead of Skinner as he had done this the year before, the young rookie just a step behind as he was unfamiliar with the course.

They passed the finish line as Kris won the race by three seconds, the crowd cheering warmly. "You did great, Mr. Letang. I just didn't know how", said Skinner as they shook hands at the end.

"Call me Kris, Mr. Letang makes me sound old', he chuckled.

The last heat was between Kris and Kopitar, the last heat being decided on who could skate the fastest backwards. Both men stood at the starting line as the referee blew his whistle, the men skating backwards as the crowd roared. They were neck and neck as both men skated backwards with the skill and proficiency of those who did this for a living. Kris skated just a touch faster as the finish line approached, a small smile of triumph on his face when he saw he had beaten Kopitar by the slimmest of margins.

"The winner of the Fastest Skater competition for the second consecutive year, Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins!", announced the voice over the PA as the crowd roared.

Kris waved to the crowd as he skated over to the bench, his teammates all embracing him and clapping him on the back. He tapped the glass with his stick as Christine beamed down at her son and Marie blew him a kiss, much to everyone's amusement.

"Ooh, getting all soft on us, eh?", teased Pat, his blue eyes dancing with mischief.

"Shut up, Kaner", he muttered as his cheeks turned a dull shade of red.

The cones were removed as a Zamboni machine cleaned up the ice, a goal being bolted to the ice for the Breakaway Challenge. Kris raised an eyebrow when he saw Evgeni say something and shake hands with his teammate and fellow Russian Alexander Ovechkin, as normally they would have been rivals.

During the Breakaway Challenge, the top goal scorers would try to get the puck past the best goalie, in this case Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins. Thomas was crouched in the net, wearing his black and yellow Bruins uniform and his face blocked by his custom mask with only his eyes visible. Thomas blocked most of the shots as the crowd booed the rival goalie good-naturedly, the Michigan native barely noticing them.

The crowd buzzed with anticipation as Ovechkin prepared to go next. They seemed confused at first when Evgeni nodded and went behind the bench, only to return with a brown Stetson hat with a miniature Canadian flag and sunglasses. He put the hat and shades on his teammate as the crowd roared with laughter, the hat one size too big and the sunglasses obscuring the top half of his head. Ovechkin skated out onto the ice in his ridiculous getup as players on both teams laughed hysterically, a hockey stick in each hand as skated with the puck towards the goals and the PA blaring loud Russian techno. He stopped momentarily in front of the net and fired a slap shot past Thomas, the normally stoic goalie unable to hide his laughter.

"The winner of the Breakaway Challenge, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals!", boomed the PA announcer. Ovechkin beamed like a kid on Christmas morning and doffed his hat to the crowd as they cheered.

"That's what Geno was doing, that was the funniest thing I've ever seen", said Kris, shaking his head.

"Those Russians are crazy bastards, I would've never come up with that", agreed Jonathan.

"I am going to buy Geno a drink for sure", said Kris, the smile still on his face.
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Lilith
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:lol: :lol: :lol: Ahahahahaha! That was so funny! Alex and Geno are adorable! :heart: So happy Kris won! :D
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The Cosmic Gerbil
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Me too :D The Skills Competition sounded like it was really fun :nanner:
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Lucifer's Angel
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Chapter 18

Hugo had a sad but proud smile on his face when he saw that Kris had defended his Fastest Skater title during the Skills competition. He was floating above the crowd at Scotiabank Centre invisible to everyone, casting a downwards glance at his family as they beamed with pride for his son.

He floated away from Ottawa and found himself in Pittsburgh at the Sutherland house, where Alisdair was waiting for him along with Magnus and Helgi Thorvaldssen, the heads of Sol Duga. Alisdair handed him a generous measure of Macallan, a calm look in his green eyes. "Hugo, it is time to break the curse. Kris and Marie must know of their true parentage and he must know who you are. Ellen needs to know as well and so does her man, this is young to be a chance to break the curse for a long while. Unless you want Kris to die like all your sons, you will tell them", he said.

Hugo said nothing as he drank the whisky, his wise silver eyes betraying no fear. "If my son decides he's going to, Alisdair. He is an intelligent young man and he could very well think I am a liar or insane. I believe Marie has a clue about herself and her father, she may be easier to persuade. And what about Ellen, the news could give her another fit", he said.

Alisdair sighed. "Every bloody doctor thinks it's epilepsy, but it's not. But that's why we had to go forward, her having extra fingers and toes and her fits, the eejits thought she was a changeling", he said bitterly.

"But you must do it, Hugo and Alisdair. The curse must be broken, or else you will continue to watch the sons you father die. If you want to have Letang heirs, you will tell them", said Magnus.

Hugo nodded as he drained his whisky and faded away. He flew through the air invisible to everyone as his mind became troubled, wondering how Kris would think about this whole messed-up situation. If only I had not gotten involved in the whole mess, he thought with a wry chuckle.

Hugo was suspended over the city as he watched the lights below, the lights from downtown and the various office buildings and houses and apartment buildings like fireflies in a glass jar. The Allegheny River was still frozen as the city lights and the moon and stars reflected off the still surface, only a few ripples under the ice visible.

I have to introduce myself to my own son, and I don't think he's going to like it. But I had to leave him and Christine, I have seen so many of my sons die over the years. This is some curse, he thought with a bitter smile.

Hugo floated back down to earth and took the shape of the middle-aged man he had used earlier and checked into his room at the Travelodge where he lived, the night clerk on duty barely noticing him. Once he got into his room, he changed into his other appearance that he had been all those years ago. He wore a black tunic with long sleeves and a white cape trimmed in ermine, his shoulder-length gray hair and silvery eyes reminiscent of Van Helsing from the popular Japanese manga. Hugo took out a book from a locked box and carefully lifted out of the wooden receptacle. The book weighed at least ten pounds with a bound leather cover and a lock that closed the pages, an inscription in Breton on the leather in molten gold ink.

He then took a tiny brass key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock, the good clasp opening to expose the pages. It was an old-fashioned photo album with heavy parchment papers with thin, transparent sheets of animal horn protecting the photos. The yellowing sheets made a crackling sound when the slightest pressure was applied, the photos ranging from ancient daguerreotypes from the 1800's to newer ones from the 20th century in both black and white and color.

The front of the book contained miniatures of people, the little pictures either paintings or copies of them. On the front page was a miniature painting of a young woman in a simple white wool tunic and her dark blond hair in braids to her waist, a kind look in her blue eyes. Next to her was a painting of a little boy about four years old with dark brown wavy hair and shining brown eyes, a smile smile on his face. Above each picture was their names, Bronwyn and Madoc.

Each page of the book contained the pictures and names of all of Hugo's women and their sons. His first wife Bronwyn had died in 33BC in Gaul along with their son Madoc, the first victims of the curse. His last wife Felicite and their son Paul had died back in the 1930's, Felicite having been in a train accident and Paul in a shootout at the nightclub where he played saxophone in a band.

Hugo sighed and closed his eyes, opening them to glance down at his son. Paul was a handsome young man with his black hair just an inch too long and slicked back under his fedora, a rakish grin on his face and his blue eyes merry. He wore a black suit with white pinstripes and a red carnation in his lapel, looking like the gangsters who killed him.

The page showed Christine when they were together, taken back in the mid 80's. She wore jeans and a red t-shirt that exposed just a hint of a baby bump, her dark hair in loose curls around her shoulders and her eyes merry. And I had to leave her and our son, I didn't want them to be victims of the cruse. I hope my son can forgive me, he thought sadly.

The following pictures showed various pictures of Kris, ranging from when he played junior hockey in Val D'or and later when he captained the Canadian junior team to a gold medal against Russia, all the way to his current season with the Penguins. Hugo smiled sadly when he saw the picture of Kris and his good friend Luc Bourdon after they had won the gold medal in the Junior Championships. Both teenage boys grinned at the camera with the gold medals around their necks, standing over the trophy. Kris wore the red and white Canadian jersey with a captain's C on the shoulder, his black hair brushing his shoulders and a proud look in his brown eyes. Luc was tall and on the thin side, his dark brown wavy hair growing out into a mullet and his brown eyes glowing with pride. Kris had his arm around his friend's shoulder and they both had the look of victorious boxers after a long match.

The picture next to it showed a small Catholic church in New Brunswick, huge arrangements of lilies atop a black coffin and a picture of Luc in a frame on the coffin. Kris was in a severe black suit and his eyes red-rimmed from crying, his head bowed as Christine put a hand on his shoulder, looking as though she had been crying herself. The little church was full of mourners, many of them family, friends, and various teammates from their junior team and Luc's team the Vancouver Canucks.

Perhaps if I had been with Kris and Christine, Luc would not have died. And how, getting run over by a truck while riding a motorcycle. I was being a coward, he thought angrily.

Hugo closed the book and placed it back in its box, his mind heavy. After putting the box away, a sudden idea came to him as he sat down on a chair and a slow smile formed on his lips. I am going to make arrangements to bring us all together, he thought as he took out his Mac and turned it on.


Kris lay on his back in bed with eyes wide open, physically tired but mentally unable to sleep. Back home he would have gone to the kitchen and poured himself a drink, but Marie was fast asleep and he didn't want to wake her up.

He had been sleeping himself when the dream came to him, so vivid it felt like being in a movie. Kris found himself seated at a table in a nightclub, a 30's type club with a jazz band playing onstage. It was a cozy pseudo-Moorish style place with brocade silk arranged on the ceiling like tent roofs, vases in dark terra cotta clay or tan earthenware adorning each table and each chair with an embroidered maroon cushion. The faint scent of cigarette smoke and aromatic smoke from hookahs in the back of the room a bar along the side did a brisk business.

Kris could see, hear and smell everything but he couldn't touch or feel it at all. The cushion on his chair could have been made from air as he didn't feel it, the tabletop appearing to be solid but hs hand went right through it as though it were pure air. To his dismay, he appeared to be invisible as people didn't notice he was there, passing by as though the table was empty. Even worse was that he couldn't move his body, his perspective never changing no matter how he tried to move.

The band played Blue Skies as a few couples danced to the song on the little dance floor. Kris was startled when he noticed the saxophonist as he did a solo, realizing he was the same ghost he had seen before. The saxophonist glanced his way and held his gaze, a sad but resigned look on his face.

The next few minutes unfolded before him like a movie, both in its action and his inability to move or change anything. A gunman wielding a Tommy gun burst into the room and opened fire, the patrons screaming and running for cover as blood splashed everywhere and bodies fell to the floor. The gunman then opened fire on the band as they scrambled for cover, a few managing to get away backstage. The saxophonist was cut to ribbons as half his face was blown away by the bullets, his brass instrument clattering to the floor from his bloodstained hands. The gunman smiled grimly and walked away from the carnage, the eerily silent room with bloodstained bodies and shattered cups everywhere with the stench of blood and gunpowder and spilled alcohol everywhere.

Kris' eyes flew open and his body was covered in a cold sweat, his heart thumping furiously as though he had skated suicides at practice. The room slowly came into focus as his heart rate went back to normal, a sense of relief coming over him to find himself back in the hotel room with Marie sleeping soundly. He was relieved to see she was still sleeping, not wanting her to wake up and ask him questions.

What the hell was that? I just had a few drinks tonight, unless they were spiked. Maybe I ought to not watch scary movies anymore, he thought sardonically.
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Lilith
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:o Hugo... I can't believe all I read... slowly the pieces of the puzzle start to come together. So Hugo is s changeling that has lived for hundreds (thousands) of years... Love it! :D I wanna know more... :heart:
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The Cosmic Gerbil
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Wow, that vision Kris had must have been really horrible :O That is really interesting about Hugo though :D I wonder what is going to happen next?
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Lucifer's Angel
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Chapter 19

Kris and Evgeni watched sadly as Marie and Ellen boarded their flight back to Pittsburgh, the women being escorted to first class by the flight attendant. "Mon ami Russe, somebody has got a crazy sense of humor. Our women are headed back to Pittsburgh and we must fly to Carolina to play the Hurricanes. And after that, we are going to Nashville, Ellen and Marie would love that. Especially Ellen as she is such a big country fan, we ought to do a road trip when the season is over", said Kris with a chuckle.

"Da, Kris. Let's take a lot of pictures to show the girls, but playing in Carolina is boring", said Evgeni.

"Je sais, Geno. And Jordan can't join us for anything fun because he is staying at his brother's house. They are going to be playing against each other and they are sharing the same house, c'est fou", he laughed.

"But isn't Jordan's brother wife very pregnant? If she have baby, Eric can't play", said Evgeni thoughtfully.

"And Jordan is going to be the proud uncle, imagine if he has his own kids. Remember when he told us that Eric made him watch the childbirth footage, that sounded terrible", said Kris as both men looked disgusted.

"If I see that, I no wanna have kids. And his brother make him watch, Tanya is nice lady but I don't wanna see that", he said with a shudder.

Both men went over to their gate where the flight to Raleigh was about to board. It was snowing lightly in the late Ottawa, the delicate flakes silhouetted against the dark sky. Team Chara won the high-scoring crazy game 11-10 on a shootout goal by Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils, the fans a bit disappointed that their beloved captain's team had lost but polite enough not to boo. Almost immediately after the game and press conference, the players had dispersed back to their teams, the Ottawa airport quite busy with autograph seekers looking for signings.

Kris and Evgeni boarded their flight to Raleigh and were led straight to first class. While Evgeni wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and placed a mask over his eyes to sleep, Kris was not at all tired and in spite of playing the game. He let the big Russian have the aisle seat away from the windows and he glanced outside, watching the last of the bags being loaded. The inky black sky combined with the delicate snowflakes and eerie glow from the lights of the airport made the scene outside resemble a snow globe, the heavy plastic glass of the window adding to the effect.

What the fuck is that about, it better not come back because I need my sleep. And I don't need to pass out on the ice, he thought sourly.

Kris barely heard the pilot over the intercom as the doors closed and the plane backed away from the gate. Once they were airborne and the clear was given, he took out his Ipod and turned it, looking through his playlists and finding one with vocal music from the 40's as Night and Day by Sinatra and the Dorsey band came over the earbuds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8TOomY8zpQ

Night and day, you are the one
Only you beneath the moon or under the sun
Whether near to me, or far
Its no matter darling where you are
I think of you

Day and night, night and day, why is it so
That this longing for you follows wherever I go
In the roaring traffics boom
In the silence of my lonely room
I think of you

Day and night, night and day
Under the hide of me
There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me
And this torment wont be through
Until you let me spend my life making love to you


Sinatra's version of the Cole Porter classic with the Dorsey orchestra provided a romantic backdrop as it reminded him of Marie, the ballad perfect for slow-dancing. Only five days until we get back to Pittsburgh, once this season is over I am not going to let her out of my sight, he vowed.

The plane landed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport three hours later at nearly three in the morning. "Wake up Geno, we're here", he said, shaking his shoulder.

"What? Okay, I glad we no have practice tomorrow", he muttered as they got out of their seats and left the plane.

An hour later, the cab dropped them off at a Hyatt in downtown Raleigh near the capital building. The two men went upstairs to their rooms and bid each other good night, closing the doors. Kris turned on the light and sent a text to Marie and another one to the coaches saying he was here, turning off the ringer before unmaking the bed. After unpacking some toiletries and changing into boxers and a sleeveless t-shirt, Kris reached for the remote and turned on the TV. He idly flipped through the channels until he found the Music Choice channel that was playing meta, frowning when they played some generic nu-metal as he changed over to Retro Rock as it played Promises by Megadeth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16wi4p8r2jc

Two hearts that shouldn't
Talk to each other become close
In a town much like a prison cell

People speak our names
On the street in hushed tones
Oh the stories they'd tell
If anyone would listen

You come from a town where
People don't bother saying hello
Unless somebody's born or dies

And I come from a place where they
Drag your hopes through the mud
Because their own dreams are all dying

And when we walk down the street
The wind sings our name in rebel songs
The sounds of the night should make us anxious
But it's much to late when the fear is gone

I will meet you in the Next Life, I promise you
Where we can be together, I promise you
I will wait till then in Heaven, I promise you
I promise, I promise

There's so many fighting
To get past the Pearly Gates
But nobody ever wants to die or get saved

Their intentions aren't that good
And I can smell the asphalt
That's their personal road to hell being paved

And when we walk down the street
The wind sings our name in rebel songs
But it's much to late when the fear is gone

I will meet you in the Next Life, I promise you
Where we can be together, I promise you
I will wait till then in Heaven, I promise you
I promise, I promise

I will meet you in the Next Life, I promise you
Where we can be together, I promise you
I will wait till then in Heaven, I promise you
I promise, I promise


Kris went through the mini bar and got himself a bottle of Jim Beam and a can of Coke, drinking a few large swallows of the soda before opening the bottle and dumping the bourbon into the can, stirring it with a plastic coffee straw as he took a sip. He drank from the can and watched more of Retro Rock as it played Bark at the Moon by Ozzy. I remember that video, that was lame as hell, Ozzy as a werewolf. Great song, though, he mused: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gswv_NODHa0

Screams break the silence
Waking from the dead of night
Vengence is boiling
Hes returned to kill the light
Then when hes found who hes looking for
Listen in awe and youll hear him

Bark at the moon

Years spent in torment
Buried in a nameless grave
Now he has risen
Miracles would have to save
Those that this beast is looking for
Listen in awe and youll hear him

Bark at the moon

They cursed and buried him
Along with shame
And thought his timeless soul had gone
In empty burning hell--unholy one
But now hes returned to prove them wrong (oh no)

Howling in shadows
Living in a lunar spell
He finds his heaven
Spewing from the mouth of hell

And when he finds who hes looking for
Listen in awe and youll hear him
Bark at the moon.


He finished the can and opened another bottle of Jim Beam, draining the bourbon in one gulp hoping he'd feel tired. Lucky we got the day off tomorrow, and too bad Jordan's got to be with his brother's family, he mused.

Kris grew pensive as the booze started taking effect, laying back on the bed as the channel now played Home Sweet Home by Motley Crue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5DPvCDDM-I

You know I'm a dreamer
But my heart's of gold
I had to run away high
So I wouldn't come home low

Just when things went right
Doesn't mean they were always wrong
Just take this song and you'll never feel
Left all alone

Take me to your heart
Feel me in your bones
Just one more night
And I'm comin' off this
Long & winding road

I'm on my way
I'm on my way
Home sweet home
Tonight, tonight
I'm on my way
I'm on my way
Home sweet home

You know that I've seen
Too many romantic dreams
Up in lights, fallin' off the silver screen

My heart's like an open book
For the whole world to read
Sometimes nothing keeps me together at the seams

I'm on my way
I'm on my way
Home sweet home
Tonight, tonight
I'm on my way
Just set me free
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home

I'm on my way
I'm on my way
Home Sweet Home
Yeah
I'm on my way
Just set me free
Home Sweet Home


He thought back to the year before after the season where Jordan had invited him and Max and Evgeni to his parents' farm in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It was fun and it was great being with his friends, but watching Jordan's big happy family almost depressed him. Jordan's older brothers Eric and Marc were there with families, along with his younger brother Jared and his girlfriend. Also, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends would drop on by, virtually all of them big, solid Dutch farmers like the Staal family.

And all I got is my Mom and Dad's weird family and Mom's foster kids, he thought sardonically.

Kris turned off the TV in disgust as he reached for another bottle of Jim Beam, opening the little bottle and downing the bourbon. He felt the strong liquor go right through him and the slow burn of the amber liquid as he smiled grimly. Kris felt his eyelids grow heavy as the combination of the game, the flight, and the liquor started having an effect.

Might as well turn in, hopefully I won't have the dream again. And lucky we have the day off and maybe Jordan's family is going to invite us over for dinner, he mused as he turned off the TV and flopped down on the bed.

Kris turned off the light and fell asleep almost immediately. Hugo materialized and made sure not to make himself conspicuous, floating near the ceiling as he looked down at his son. He closed his eyes and made sure he didn't have the dream again, seeing his son as he slept. Kristopher, we need you. I need to speak with you, he thought sadly as he faded away.


Kris was startled when he saw himself floating above in the air, just several feet from the roof. He looked down and saw a hockey rink with a game in progress, but it still looked a bit unfamiliar as he was able to maneuver himself downwards. The rink was an ugly mottled gray with off-white and darker gray and black streaks, the ice somewhat uneven as parts of it had started to melt. The players wore heavy wool sweaters and puffy padding and no helmets, all of them with hair cut short. The organist played something that sounded vaguely ragtime, the crowd all men in suits and hats and women in dresses with stockings and heels.

Kris had to chuckle when he appeared to be at an old-fashioned game, finding a good vantage point above the goals as he just hovered without effort as though he were sitting. He smiled wider when he recognized the uniforms of the Montreal Canadiens and the gaudy star-spangled uniforms of the New York Americans, the defunct team getting a good thrashing. The Americans were being outscored 5-1 in the second period according to the clock above the center ice. However, they did have possession as an Americans player got on a breakaway towards the Canadiens' goal. He scored as the Montreal crowd booed and the player was embraced by his teammates.

"But marqué par le nombre à quatre, Jean Gagnon", said the public address announcer.

Kris frowned when he heard the player's name. That's Marie's dad, but he played for Rochester, right? Maybe that's his grandpa or something, he mused.

The Americans' forward turned in his direction and Kris felt his heart skip a beat. The player looked just like a younger version of Marie's father, with his jet-black hair, olive complexion, startling blue eyes and short body. That's Marie's dad, it is. But why he is playing for the Americans, they went out of business in the 40's, he thought with a frown.

The sirens went off to mark the end of the period as the players skated off the ice and the fans went to either the bathroom or the concession stands. Kris followed the Americans towards their locker room as he went right through the door, hovering near the ceiling unseen by anyone. The locker room was smaller than a modern one with only a few narrow stalls and flimsy curtains to provide privacy. It was humid here in the bowels of the arena, the stink of sweat, liniment and potions from the trainer's room, old food and cigarette smoke permeating the little room. Some of the players stripped off their sweaters and socks as they handed them to the equipment manager.

Kris frowned when he saw the equipment manager, making a face as the man spit tobacco juice into a paper cup. He was of average height with whitish-blond hair under a black New York Giants baseball cap and icy blue eyes, his forearms and hands showing a tan that was now turning yellow. "You fellas stink real bad, and it ain't even over yet", he said, speaking with a harsh Texas twang.

"We all do, mon ami Texan", laughed Jean Gagnon, reaching for a pack of cigarettes and a silver lighter on the top shelf of his locker. Kris was shocked to see him take out a cigarette and put it to his lips, lighting the tip and taking a puff. He exhaled a large cloud of smoke as he sighed contentedly, a satisfied smile on his face.

Wow, but they're supposed to be bad for you. I'm surprised he can play, he thought.

Jean continued smoking as he blew smoke rings, the ephemeral circles floating for a bit before disappearing. "I hoe we can at least score a few goals, it is embarrassing to lose by five goals, mes amis", he said, taking the cigarette from his mouth and tapping the ashes onto the floor.


Kris felt himself floating back to earth, a slight smile on his face as he opened his eyes. The early dawn's light filtered through the curtains, thin winter sunshine that was as welcome as a hot chocolate after building a snowman.

That was a weird dream, the arenas were ugly back then and I can't imagine playing without a helmet. But that player looked just like Marie's dad, maybe it's her grandfather but they have the same name. I got to ask her or do a search on Google, he thought.

Kris sat up in bed, reaching into the drawer of the nightstand for a notepad and a pen. He quickly wrote down what he remembered from the dream, writing in French so it made more sense to him. I got to tell Geno, looks like we're crazy together, he chuckled.
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Lilith
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Jaimelicious

OMG! So there is also a strong connection with Marie and her dad (or grandpa) too. I loved the descriptions of the old days of hockey! :D
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The Cosmic Gerbil
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Wow, Kris had another vision :O I wonder what these visions are trying to tell him?
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Lucifer's Angel
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Chapter 20

"Dude, you should see Tanya, she's fucking huge', said Jordan with a shake of his head.

Kris just laughed as he watched Evgeni try to shoot a puck past Marc during practice, cursing good-naturedly in Russian when the goalie blocked the shot. "Lucky you're not the one having the baby, mon ami Nederlandais. But you could be the doting uncle, that's better", he chuckled.

"Yeah, it's going to be another boy and they want to name him Evan Dakota Staal. I swear, we can't have daughters, all the Staals have nothing but boys. Then again, if we had sisters they'd never be able to date", he joked.

"Oui, je sais. You would not need the shotgun, just the four of you is enough", laughed Kris.

The coach blew the whistle to end practice, everyone getting off the ice and heading to the locker room. "The one good thing about Carolina is that there's a lot of hot college coeds here, and the bars are awesome. Let's just hope Tanya doesn't pop out the kid while I'm here, then I can't go out", teased Jordan.

"Yeah, but we're here in the middle of nowhere and need to take the bus to the hotel. But we do have the rest of the day off, let's rest up and go out later", Max said as they entered the locker room.

Everyone dressed and showered before boarding the bus to their hotel in Raleigh. The rural area around the Hurricanes' practice facility was nothing but fallow tobacco fields covered a thin blanket of snow, occasional patches of dirt peeking through. Farm buildings or silos punctuated the flat fields, the lonesome caw of a crow heard from a fence where a group of the black birds stood watching the road.. Kris glanced out the window and took out his phone, smiling when Marie responded to his text. He texted back as he put the phone away, taking out his Ipod and programming it to the jazz playlist.

Kris lay back in his seat and smiled softly as Sunny Side of the Street by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra came from the earbuds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZmgv1ywdkw

Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worries on the doorstep
Just direct your feet
On the sunny side of the street

Don't you hear that pitter-pat
You know that happy tune is your step
Life could be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street

I used to walk in the shade with my blues on parade
Now you know I'm not afraid... I guess this rover done crossed over

If I never have a cent
I'd be rich as Rockefeller
Gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street


The mellow, swaying melody with the female chorus suiting the barren, sunny landscape as he hummed softly under his breath. Evgeni sat across from him with his own Ipod playing Korpiklaani as it blasted through his earbuds. An open book lay on his lap as he glanced down at the pages, concentrating as he slowly read the English words. He felt a slight blush form on his cheeks as he read slowly while moving his lips, hoping no one could see him.

"What are you reading, Geno?", asked Max, peeking over the chair.

Evgeni blushed as he took the buds from his ears, facing his teammate. "Ellen let me borrow book", he said, showing him the front.

"'Bulfinch's Mythology', cool. How big is that anyways?", he asked.

"It is over 600 pages, it has all the myths and King Arthur and medieval things. It has older English, but it not hard to read. My favorite is the Greek myths and the things with Ulysses. I read the Odyssey in Russian back in school, very good book", he said approvingly.

"I don't remember much, except for the Lotus Eaters and the Cyclops and Circe turning the guys into pigs. You're a genius, mon ami", said Max, clapping him on the back.

"I not a genius, I read this in English slow", he protested.

"Geno, your English is a lot better than my Russian. You're too modest, mon ami", he chided.

They arrived at the hotel forty-five minutes later as they all got off the bus and headed to their rooms. "I'm going to take a nap so I'll see you guys later", said Kris.

"Okay, see you later", said Evgeni as he opened the door to his room. He placed the book down on the dresser and changed into shorts and sleeveless tank top, quickly checking his phone for texts.

Evgeni turned the covers down off the bed and took out his laptop, opening the Mac and turning on the computer as he waited for it to load. He logged into Skype and smiled when he saw Ellen was online, clicking on her name as she came into view. His smile grew wider when he saw her wearing a brightly-colored red, blue and dark green long sleeved gown that vaguely resembled a kimono or a robe, her blond hair in two braids in front of the gown with a thin golden circlet around her forehead that made her look like a Celtic princess.

"Ya krasyvy, Ellen", he murmured.

"Aye, you ought to speak in Russian more often, Zhenya", she chuckled.

Evgeni blushed. "Da, vazgavareynat bolshe Russki yateym, Ellen. We just got back from practice, Kris is taking a nap and we are going out later. Jordan brother wife is having a baby, she very big as a house. He really want to be uncle", he laughed.

"I'm an only child, so I canna be an aunt. What's practice like, Kris makes it sounds bloody boring", she said.

"Da, it is boring but we have to go. I did read some of the book on the bus, I am reading about the Lotus Eaters with Ulysses", he replied.

"My favorite section of the Odyssey is when the crew has to speak with Tiresias in the Underworld. The Greek idea is so different from Tir an Nog, 'tis so dark except for the Elysian Fields", she said.

"It would be nice to see if what he said was true, it more sexy to be a man or a woman. I can only speak for myself as a man, but perhaps you can tell me", he teased.

"Since we don't know each other in the Biblical sense yet, I look forward to finding out", she said, an amused look in her green eyes.

"Ellen, you are the smartest girl I have met", he said in aw.

"Aye, I have a lot of brains, 'tis true. And you ought to see the rest of Da's library, you can borrow a book anytime", she replied.

"I see you again in a week. How is Aoife?", he asked.

Ellen just laughed as Aoife came over and laid her head down on her mistress' lap, scratching behind her ears as she murmured contentedly. "She is doing fine, the lass. I took her out of a walk this morning and she just had a bit of lunch. The maid came in this morning and did a spell of cleaning, 'tis a bloody big house we have and I canna clean it all by myself", she laughed.

"We have cleaning lady too, me and Kris don't clean either. We have no game tonight, Jordan and his brother are taking us to this barbecue restaurant in Raleigh. Eric's wife is ready to pop and she want him to go out and no worry so much. She say she call if baby comes, otherwise he start pacing around the house", he said.

"I have to agree, it canna be good for the poor lady if her husband is nervous, he'll not be the one having the bairn. I'm not one for barbecue much, 'tis a Yank thing I never got into. Then again, our stuff is not good either", she giggled.

"My parents are going to be in Pittsburgh and they are staying at the house during the playoffs, my mother cook Russian food for us. Kris like that, otherwise we have takeout because we don't cook", he said.

"Bloody hell, typical bachelors", she said with a smile.

"Da, ya paneymant. I am going to take a nap, talk to you later", said Evgeni.

"Talk to you later as well, Zhenya", said Ellen as she logged off.
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Lilith
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Aww... I love this couple, and their talks in Skype. And I love how you describe each city they visit. :3
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