Chapter 170 – Fallout

“Don’t be too jealous of the supernatural or paranormal races. You might see them having endless advantages over humanity, and they have a lot, but they are often affected by things we are not.” – Health and Fitness teacher – Windward Highschool.

“Urrrghhhh.” Kristi groaned from where she was curled up in a chair in the living room, the hood of her, formerly Kurt’s, sweatshirt pulled over her head. It was loud enough that everyone turned to look at her. She had only regained consciousness a few minutes before and had immediately asked Val to help her change into looser clothes. She then parked herself in the chair and had been suffering, mostly in silence, for the past two hours.

She was still faintly luminescent but much of it had receded while leaving some, apparently permanent, physical changes. Val had mentioned that things had changed but wouldn’t tell him much while she stayed glued to Kristi.

“What’s the matter? Had too much to eat?” Jay asked, his voice saccharine sweet.

Kristi opened an eye that was now a slit pupil with a green and gold iris. “Fuck…yoaaaaahhh.” Her insult trailed off as she hunched over again.

Jay just rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the conversation he was having with Kurt. “So anyway, that ward I have placed on all of you popped off shortly after you arrived. I would have been here sooner but the situation back in town is… messy.”

“I’ll bet.” Kurt muttered, keeping his voice low as to not disturb the medical team still hovering around Rindi. “What happened with Gretchen?”

“Same ole thing as always when the feds roll in. She intercepted the local PD, including your wolf buddy over in TC since he was in the area. She then pretty much bullied them into doing exactly as she said.” Jay explained.

“And you just left Taylor’s and Rupert’s teams with her?” Kurt wanted to get the level of it but couldn’t believe that would go over smoothly.

“Eh, no big deal.” Jay waived his hand dismissively. “Gretchen and I had a quick chat to make sure we are on the same page. Then Taylor and Shanna began their work of patching HUNDREDS OF HOLES!” he shouted the last part at Kristi who just gave him the finger.

“They should have all the damage fixed up in the next couple hours. It’s kinda their thing.” Jay finished.

Kurt decided to trust him on that but had to ask the next most important question. “Who were these people? I mean, I get who the Keepers were but what about this crew and the one back in town?” He pointed out the open front door to where Gella was still standing guard over their pile of captives that had grown to over a dozen people.

“The ones in town were a bunch of Frenchie’s” Jay said. “Probably their version of CIA who wanted to grab you or kill you.”

“Lovely.” Val commented dryly from where she was rubbing Kristi’s back. “Just what we needed.”

“Yes, well, these guys are probably the Brits if accents are anything to go by. Course they won’t admit it.” Jay said loud enough for them to hear. “I guess we will just kill them and hand them to the necromancers if they won’t talk to us and make a deal while alive.”

Kurt was pretty sure he heard one of them stary praying but it was hard to tell as they were all face down in the dirt. “Alright, fair enough, I guess. Why was Henry here?”

Jade waved her hand from where she sat on a barstool nearby. “That would be me, sire. I was giving him a tour when things kicked off, and he decided to go into town to try and help with a few of his officers meeting him there.”

“Ok, that’s- wait, tour?” He was about to move on when his brain caught up with what Jade had said.

Showing an unusual level of tact, Kurt listened as Jade filled him in on the plans the pack had made and how they wanted to expand the farm. She also explained that she wanted to consolidate as many werewolves onto the farm property as she could but wouldn’t be exclusive to them. She was fine with other para’s or their human partners as long as they played by the rules.

Kurt wanted to groan and burry his face in his hands, but he resisted the urge. Thankfully Jay was there to pick up the slack and slapped him on the shoulder. “Congrats, it sounds like you are going to get your very own hippie commune sooner than later.”

“Thanks, it’s everything I could ever want.” Kurt drawled before turning his attention back to Jade. “Given that you haven’t said anything, I assume we didn’t lose anyone?”

“No, sire.” Jade shook her head. “We had a few injuries, but they healed just fine as we normally do. Gus and Calumn both checked in after Jay brought them back.”

“What were they doing downtown?”

“Gus was tailing you, as is normal. We always have someone assigned to be nearby.” Jade ignored his judgmental look. “And Calumn was with Kate at the coffee shop.”

“Why was he there? I thought that cover closed down a while ago?” Kurt was pretty sure that was the case.

Jade smiled in a very mischievous way that would make even Val proud. “Just doing a little planning on how to talk to her parents.”

Kurt still didn’t get it, and his expression must have shown it because Jade continued. “They also have a new future to consider with the three of them.”

The pieces in Kurt’s head finally clicked together just as Val perked up, her ears swiveling around to point at Jade. “Kate is pregnant?”

“Shh, you didn’t hear that from me.” Jade held a finger to her lips. “They are really excited about it. I am planning on talking to them both about it. Since Cal is a fifth generation and Kate is a mundane, I think they need some counseling to help ease the transition between their lives. Also, if she wants to convert then it might be a bit of a process.”

Jade then looked him up and down with a scrutinizing expression. “And you, sire. You might also do well to spend some more time around the den and with your people. I know your history well enough to know you didn’t learn much about our culture, despite doing rather well in figuring it out along the way.

“Yeah, I probably could.” Slumping and leaning against the counter, Kurt couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. Primarily he felt irritated that those kids did something so stupid but also a little warm and tingly feeling from his wolf. “You know what, good for them. We could use some-EEAahhhhsssshhhhit!“

Kurt stopped mid-word as he felt a sudden pain in his ankle as the bones were ground together from what felt like a giant pair of vice-grips clamping down. That was matched with Rindi sudden gasping and beginning to shudder like she was having a violent seizure on the stretcher. She thankfully let him go a moment later as her hands flexed in a rictus grasp.

The medics, who had been simply observing, became a flurry of activity as all the portable monitoring devices began going haywire. One of them tried to throw a chest strap over Rindi but was knocked across the room as she sat up rapidly. Rindi’s eyes were wide, and her lips pulled back in a wordless snarl as her body rapidly began changing.

Her pants tore around the cuffs as her feet and legs morphed, going from a human shape to a distinctly non-human appearance. They took on a digitigrade shape, similar to Val’s when she shifted out of the normal human archetype making Kurt glad they had taken her boots off. Her hands went through a similar if less radical change, the muscles in her wrists swelling and fingers slightly lengthening while white and orange fur spread over the back of her hand and up her sleeve.

She then rolled over onto her hands and knees to vomit onto the floor, heaving up a torrent of black sludge. Kurt watched in helpless shock as her spine rippled and he heard the sound of breaking bones. He was sure she would have screamed if not for the mess she was making on his floor.

He looked up to the medics who were gesturing for everyone to stay back then turned to Jay. The old daemon looked rather interested though not worried, which helped relieve some of Kurt’s own anxiety. With nothing to do, he settled in to watch whatever was happening to the poor tigress.

Rindi’s forced purging eventually stopped, leaving her gasping on her hands and knees. They all thought it was over when she pushed herself up and sat on her heels, face uplifted to the sky for a brief moment before she once again hunched into a ball.

Somehow staying upright, Rindi threw her head back and roared to the sky, barring longer incisors that grew in as they watched. A shimmering ripple spread out behind her like the air above a fire and quickly resolved into a pair of wings. One of the black and orange fuzzy membranes sprang forth, knocking over a lamp from the new ten-foot-long appendage. The other ended up headed for Kurt’s groin but he managed to intercept with a hand.

A sudden pop followed by tearing fabric made Kurt look down from the wing tip he was holding at bay to see the two wings weren’t the only extra appendage. A tail suddenly sprouted from where it had split the seam of her trousers, just below the belt line.

As if the tail was the last thing waiting to emerge, Rindi gained a sudden clarity and calm descended on her features. She looked directly at Kurt and smiled, her teeth stained by blood and the black ichor. “I chose to be me. Like you always said.” She choked out in a deeper voice.

Kurt was about to ask what she meant but her eyes rolled back in her head as she groaned. Her wings vanished and she collapsed in a boneless heap right where she sat, tipping over her now significantly larger body onto Kurt and pinning him to the kitchen island.

“Ugh, shit. A little help here?” He asked while trying to hold her up.

The medics got the message and rushed forward, one of them rearranging the stretcher as they flopped her into it. They then had the good sense to lift it and move it out of the spreading puddle of bodily fluids that Jay was intently studying.

“What is it?” Jade asked as she also looked on. She had moved around the counter, coming to the opposite side of Kurt when she transformation had begun.

“I believe it is the remnants of the rest of her.” Jay answered cryptically. He managed to dodge the slap Jade had aimed for the back of his head but then elaborated anyway. “I think we have seen the end of her other shapes. At least for the time being if not permanently.” His phone rang a moment later and he stepped out on the porch to answer after glancing at the screen.

One of the medics looked up from his equipment then. “Sir? All her physical and spiritual levels are coming back as normal now and the unusual reading we got earlier is gone.”

“Ok, what does that mean?” Kurt asked, crouching down next to him. “I need like a ten-year-old level of explanation.”

The medic smiled and nodded. “No problem. We noticed some strange things earlier and couldn’t do much about it with our limited equipment and didn’t want to take her through a portal with her spirit in such a state. Now all that has leveled out and I think with the changes…” He gestured at the now very tall woman. “It is safe to say she has returned to a safe state of being.”

Another of the medics stood up, setting the lamp back on the end table as she did. “At this point we recommend she rest and someone to check in on her every so often. Also, probably a shower if you can manage. Don’t bother with her mouth, don’t want her to drown or something if you try to clean up the blood and gunk.”

Kurt nodded and stood up as they secured the rest of their equipment. “Thanks guys. What should I do if things turn for the worse?”

The first man handed him a card. “Call this number. We will come as soon as we can. Don’t worry about your portal, all Order medical personnel have override for access. Also, it’s not just for this. If you have another medical emergency, give us a shout or your handler can call us too.”

Taking the card, Kurt immediately put the number in his phone. He saw them out to the portal, thanking them as they left. Jay came back as the medical team returned to the Order and waved him over.

“That was the good director Perkins herself.” Jay began. “She wants to talk to you at your earliest convenience.”

“Really? She isn’t demanding to put me in a holding cell right now to interrogate me?” Kurt was almost shocked.

Jay smirked. “Well, she originally wanted to talk to you now, but I told her your team was recovering from injuries and ailments sustained from an attack by foreign powers on American soil. That cooled her jets long enough to remember what happened last time she tried to make demands of us.”

Kurt shrugged. “Alright, I will call you when we are up and moving.” He pointed to the still trussed up people in his driveway. “Need help with them?”

Jade raised her hand at that. “Sire, the pack is doing clean up and recovery. We collected all their equipment and vehicles already. We will also take care of this and get them to the Order detention facility.”

A shiver ran down Kurt’s spine as his imagination ran rampant with the thought of the Order version of Alcatraz. “Alright, I guess we will call it a night then.”

Jay and Jade showed themselves out, the demon pausing long enough to remind him to call when they are ready. He was already planning on being legal consul for this encounter as he had done the last time they met with the FBI.

The door closed a moment later and there was only a minute of commotion outside as the survivors and their equipment were packed away through the portal Jay summoned to the Order. Kurt then went over to Kristi and Val.

“You guys ok?” he asked while crouching down and taking Kristi’s hand. Her skin was feverishly warm still but not clammy. She returned his squeeze with a thankfully gentle grip.

“Fine. Just need some time.” Kristi grunted. “Like last time but more.”

Val’s ear flicked in annoyance. “I thought Jay said that it wouldn’t be so bad after the first time?”

Kristi made a humming noise. “Hmmmm. Two this time. Stronger angels too. I got more energy.” She then groaned and hunched tighter for a moment before relaxing. “It’s like really bad cramps and my skin is crawling and my muscles ache.”

“Sounds like growing pains mixed with the flu.” Val surmised.

“Yeah, just about.” Kurt agreed before turning to Val. “Hey, can you help with Rindi? If I get her to bed, can you clean her up?”

A familiar grin appearing on her face, Val leaned in. “What, don’t you want to go scrub her up yourself? I know you can be ‘professional’ about it.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and if she wakes up to me soaping her up what do you think is going to happen?” Kristi mumbled something but he didn’t catch it and continued talking with Val. “Look, if I can get her to bed on some towels, can you at least get the worst off her? Just cut her clothes off at this point and we can replace them.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can do that.” Val waved her hand dismissively. “Go put some towels down and pull back the covers so I can roll her into bed after. I’ll stay with the kitty tonight if you can keep an eye on our naughty lizard.”

“What do you mean naughty?” Kristi asked, somewhat straightening from her fetal position.

Val flicked her on the forehead, getting an echoing snap in the silence of the living room. “Who the fuck just goes charging off to fight a bunch of people on her own like that? You expect there to be no consequences for endangering yourself and us like you did?” Her voice had a stern edge to it, far different than her normal teasing lilt.

Kristi recoiled from the flick but ducked her head in acknowledgement. “You’re right. I am sorry.” She took a deep breath and suppressed a groan again. “I don’t know what came over me. I just felt the need to kill them and take their energy. Like some sort of vampire of something.”

The last part was said in a whisper that hinted that tears were not far behind. Kurt wrapped her in a hug and rubbed her back. “Hey, you’re nothing like them. Jay thinks this has something to do with that side of your heritage for some reason. He said it was a natural progression for lesser angels.”

She didn’t say anything, but Kirsti nodded and buried her face in his chest. She let him go a few moments later and whispered a thank you as she went back to dealing with her physical issues.

Kurt then went and got the bedroom ready for Rindi before carrying her to the room like a giant, fuzzy backpack. He flopped her on the prepared towels and Val came in right behind him with a bowl of warm water and several washcloths.

“Alright, I got her. You go take care of Kristi.” Val summoned a pair of trauma shears and began cutting off Rindi’s pants. “Just let me know when you are in bed so I can come get a kiss goodnight?”

“Of course.” Kurt smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek anyway. “Call if you need me. I am going to go clean up her mess before I get Kristi into the shower.”

“Yeah, you wash that dirty girl.” Val muttered to herself while carefully cutting up the seam on a pant leg.

Kurt chuckled as he returned to the living room, stopping for a mop along the way. He got most of the gunk cleaned up along the way and only had to toss one pillow that had gotten caught in the spill after being knocked off the couch. The vast majority of the mess ended up in the mop bucket with the stuff in the cracks being taken care of with a cleaning spell.

“Alright, up you go.” Kurt said, lifting Kristi and slinging an arm over his shoulder. “Shower first then straight to bed.” He had to adjust a little as her hip kept bumping into him as they walked.

“Hmm, you take such good care of us.” She murmured while shuffling along next to him. “I’m still really sorry about the angel thing.”

“Let’s save that for another time.” Kurt insisted, awkwardly pushing open the bathroom door and propping her on the toilet while he got the shower running. She remained in her hunched over position with her arms wrapped around herself the whole time.

He dismissed his clothes to his ring before resummoning them into his hands. He then got Kristi to do the same and took their clothes, along with the pile Val had dropped, right to the washer. After starting the load, he returned to bathroom where he found Kristi already sitting under the spray, the water pounding on her hunched form as she sat on a small stool.

The heat seemed to help and Kristi made that deep humming sound while still hunched over and letting the water hit her back. Kurt just went to the second shower head and washed off there. He was really enjoying the renovations the girls had asked for, though he wouldn’t have predicted this particular situation.

After getting himself washed up, he went to help Kristi. Though she wasn’t as dirty as him, she still had some dirt and blood on the exposed parts of her that hadn’t been covered by her uniform. “Alright let’s at least rinse your hair and wash the rest of you with soap.”

“Fine but can we hurry, I just want to sleep this off.” She grumbled while sitting up straight and putting her head under the spray.

Kurt retrieved the caddy with her soaps from the shelf and walked over. “I’ll go as fast as…I…” Kurt paused as he looked at her as she straightened out, sitting upright for the first time that night. “Kristi, did your ummm… did your boobs get bigger?”

Kristi’s eyes shot open and she looked down at her own chest and stared along with Kurt. There was no denying it, they had gotten noticeably bigger. It was even more apparent as she brought her hands up and cupped them, giving a little heft.

Where the slim and muscular woman had been an A cup, bordering a B on her ‘good boob’ days, she was now clearly into a C cup. Her band size didn’t appear to have changed much, and the rest of her upper torso appeared the same as far as he could tell. Then she stood up, reaching out a hand for him to help steady her.

She looked down, twisting as she examined herself. “What the hell happened to my hips!” She screamed.

Kurt wasn’t exactly helpful with the issues. He was distracted by his girlfriend going from a lean, mean, fighting machine to a definitively curvy femme fatale. How that happened currently escaped him but he was certain of one thing, Val was going to loose her shit when she saw the final results.