The sun had just begun to break through the top of the trees, indicating that the morning was soon coming to a start, and already it was turning out to be quite eventful as it were. A man could be seen running along the path through Elwynn Forest, just outside of the fences that lined the dirt path heading toward Goldshire. He could be seen looking back as he ran for dear life, the sound of a motorcycle revving as it went gunning after him. A sudden shot rang out in the morning air as a bullet made contact with the man that had been running, sending him toppling to the ground and grabbing his leg with a cry of pain. The motorcycle soon stopped and quick movements of feet could be heard as Mace was standing over him in but a moment.

A heavy boot nearly slammed down on top of the man that had been sent to the ground, bloody and almost broken apart, trying to squirm free of the weight that kept him down. In that moment, his nearly broken arm reached for the pistol beneath his shirt and tried to whip it around and aim it at the one who was trying to restrain him. With a quick kick from his other boot, Mace sent the gun flying across the dirt ground before his own revolver’s aim was set on him. “You fuckin’ prick-“ The man didn’t even manage to get a word out before Mace pressed his foot right into the side of his face to keep it in the dirt. “Oh, shut th’ fock up, you arsehole. You already knew this was comin’ when you decided to gut tha’ woman and burn her house down. Ya seem to remember ‘er kids were in it too, hmn?” He stowed his pistol away into the holster at his hip and pulled his foot away to reach down and grab the man’s arms. “Cole Turnbough, yer arse is goin’ away for a long time, if no’ executed with th’ shite you’ve done.”

He then pulled the pair of metal cuffs he had been given for the job and restrained the man’s wrists and arms behind his back. With ease, he grabbed hold and pulled the criminal to his feet, dragging him as the criminal struggled to walk. Mace leaned him over the back of his motorcycle to tie him down, acting as if it were the back of a horse. “You’re that Longclaw bastard, ain’t you? Heard ya got a real pretty wife, wouldn’t mind tryin’ to get a piece of her-“ A quick crack was heard as Mace’s fist made contact with his jaw, nearly breaking it before he finished tying him up. “Shut yer fockin’ arse up. She’d gut you an’ I wouldn’t have t’ do shite.” The man just groaned out with the pain, his neck nearly going limp as he hung off the back of the bike. Mace simply revved the engine again and took off back in the direction of Stormwind.

He pulled in front of the Stockades where some guards had been waiting, always eager to take in any criminals that were brought there. This day was no different as Mace got off his bike and pulled the asshole off it to drag him over to the pair. He held up the poster and handed him over with a nod from the older fellow. “Nice job, Longclaw. A bit brutal, but, it worked. Your pay should be sent in by the end of the day.” The guard said with a curt nod of his head. Mace just gave a simple nod, feeling the exhaustion settle in his bones now. He had been up nearly all night hunting down the man he just turned in, and some sleep was earned at this point. He waved them off as he watched the guards bring the man down into the stocks and he made his turn off to his bike to ride through the city and toward the Dwarven District; his home.

He made sure to drive slowly as it was still early in the morning, and he wasn’t sure if his wife and child were awake. Otherwise, he didn’t really care for the other people that lived in the district. He pulled the bike up to the side of the house and turned it off, pulling the keys from the ignition and locking it up with a chain to a bar against the house. As he stood up, his hand pressed to the side of his head feeling a sudden pain shoot through his temple. It even caused him to lean up against the wall to find support, teeth gritting at the harsh pain that he felt. As he opened his eyes, he swore he even saw someone standing in front of him with a blade that was nearly pushed right into his face. It caused him to tumble to the ground, fingers rubbing his eyes before he opened them again and whatever figure had been there was gone. He had had some crazy dreams in the past of people trying to attack him. But, to see such a thing while awake shook him right to his core. He had never had it this bad, thinking it was only because of his exhaustion. He hadn’t slept much in the past week or so because of either his bad dreams or getting up to help his wife with their newborn son. He just huffed out his breath, coming to stand as he heard a voice speak in the communicator in his ear. “Mace? Mace, brother, can you hear me?” It was Timwei. Quite the surprise it was to hear from him.

He adjusted the ear piece to be able to hear the other man more clearly, speaking out as he leaned up against the side of his bike to speak, “Yeah, Tim, I can hear ya. Th’ right hell ya callin’ me this early? Sun’s jus’ comin’ up.” His arms crossed over his chest as he listened to silence for a moment, then hearing Tim’s voice speak once more. “I thought it best to speak to you when you may have been alone. It’s about your wife.” Those words caused Mace’s heavy brows to furrow and he sighed out softly, rubbing his hand along the side of his temple. His eyes peered up to the high window where their bedroom was and where she was either tending to their son or sleeping. His voice hushed a bit as he responded. “What do you mean? Did somethin’ happen?”

Timwei’s voice was calm and collected as if there was nothing to worry about. He assured Mace in those next words, “I had tried to contact you a few days ago. But, no, no. Nothing happened. I had spoken with her a couple of days ago and she seemed quite out of it. I only ask that you keep an eye on her, yes?” A hand brushed along the front of his face and through his beard at those words, a bit of fear striking him. He simply relented and sighed, “Aye… I’ve been doin’ tha’. But, I’ll talk t’ her. Maybe see what’s goin’ on.” Tim just chuckled softly in response to that, and he could imagine the man just nodding his head in agreement. “Yes, my friend. Bring her and your son by soon, hm? It’s been some time since we all got together. I’m sure it would make my wife happy too. Talk to you again soon, yes?” Mace stood up and retrieved his keys from his pocket, moving toward the door of their house and unlocked it as he spoke. “Aye. Talk t’ ya soon, Tim.” He moved inside and clicked off the earpiece, showing signs of obvious worry as he leaned against the door after closing it.

He made slow and quiet steps toward the stairs, climbing them and entering his room once at the top. He saw Sable laying in bed, fast asleep, as was Timothy in his crib. He removed his armor and set it against the closet. Thankfully he was not all that dirty as he climbed into bed with her, eyes looking over her sleeping form with great fear in them. Just what was it that Timwei had called for? He knew it was -something-, but, he was just not telling him. He pushed away his own problems, worrying over his wife instead, wanting to talk to her when he got the chance. Right now, he needed some sleep, at least a few hours in the morning as he leaned in against her back. He fell into his rest rather quickly, a slumber filled with not so pleasant dreams.

To be continued…

A sudden pained scream filled the air as the killer twisted the crank one good time, attached to a slow drilling device jammed into the side of the man. “Rude!” she gasped out, putting a hand on her chest and turning the crank one more time. “I’m tryin’ to tell ya a fuckin’ story here, man, but you won’t shut the fuck up long enough to listen. S’all you can do anyway.. Ain’t like you can talk without ya fuckin’ tongue, Huh? Yeah.. That’s what I thought.” She glared then and gritted her teeth, releasing the device but allowing it to remain lodged. “Motherhood... Was .. -IS-.. It is not what I was expectin’ really. I expected my fuse to grow short, that I would hate it because of feelin’ fuckin’ tied down while my husband went out and made our coin, you know? We run our business together, but not much time for me to be in the office lately, so it all rests on his strong, handsome and capable shoulders.” she mused, continuing to speak as the man whimpered and bled. 

Sable’s shoulders lifted in a light shrug, “Buuut.. Come to find out. I actually really love that little being I created.” She smiled softly, wistful in its bliss. She soon propped her elbows on the table, waving her hands around as she talked, her expression of one in disbelief. “I know, right? S’hard to believe that these hands could nurture and love another, ain’t it, boy?” She chuckled softly, shaking her head as tears stung at her eyes. Having these sentimental moments with her victims was part of the ritual she didn’t even realize happened every single time she brought someone here. “But, ah... His name is Timothy Braenen. Got Timothy from the guy who’s watchin’ him outside. Timwei.. He saved my life when I almost died on fuckin’ Argus protectin’ this world, because I actually and finally gave a shit about it.” Her eyes widened and her lips turned downward in a ‘facial shrug’ as her shoulders rose and fell again slightly. “Braenen... Well, Braenen comes from a very important moment for me. One that, I...” she waved the knife she picked up in her hand around in a circle for a moment. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget. It was my first time. First time for everything. Love, sex, kiss.. kill.”

The man squirmed and writhed against his restraints, doing his best to scream in vain. “I killed Braenen. Was the first man I ever loved. First man I ever fucked.. First one I ever killed, baby. So you can see why that the name carries a great importance to me, hmn?” Another pleading squeal pierced the air, followed by more squirming and panting, desperate breath - the point of Sable’s knife dragging up and down his naked stomach. She didn’t let that deter her in the slightest. “My husband don’t know none of that. I’m sure if he did, he’d be furious and demand we change it. But.. what he don’t know won’t kill either of us.” She paused on that thought for a moment, sighing out. “No.. that’s all wrong. What he don’t know, won’t kill -me-.. Cause I’m sure if he knew just how deeply this shit went. I’d be the first on his goddamn hit list and then everyone else would follow. Which.. is another reason you gotta die, chunky boy. Along for the other reasons. .you know what they are.” She began counting on her fingers, holding her knife beneath her arm for a moment. “Liiiiike, raping and murdering all those young boys. And as you know.. -I- gotta baby boy, as I just informed you. Can’t have the fuckin’ scum that is you out and alive, continually escaping the system because they can’t find any proof of what you did. If only.. If -only- they would’ve thought to look beneath the floor boards of that shitshack you call a fuckin’ house. You kept their teeth, all of ‘em. One incisor per victim, right? Right. Well.. Like I said, man. Nothin’ personal.. yet. But I don’t ever want it to be personal. So fuckin’ thank me while you can, because if one of those boys had been -mine- This would be much, much slower.” 

With that, she jammed the knife down into his heart, releasing a deep sigh of ecstasy, nearly erotic in its fashion. “Mn... Can’t fuck my ol’ man... Guess this’ll have to do for now.” She stared then, watching him bleed out and the life leave his eyes. Slowly she collected just enough in a vial, putting it away in her usual lockbox that held the blood of all her victims, slowly placing it beneath her own floorboards when she was done. Another trophy, another need sated, another shit bag missed by the law off the streets, never to hurt another innocent again. This made her very happy, patting herself on the back for a job very well done.

Clean up was easy enough and completed in good time. Her gaze met with Timwei’s as she exited the broken down shack that served as a cover for what rest below. He looked as if he wanted and needed to say something to her, causing her lips to purse and question, “What?”

Tim’s nostrils flared as he carefully handed off his namesake to his mother. “You know what, Sable. Mace does not know about this. I did not learn of this until after you sent him out with that friend of his and found you here waiting. What have I always told you, little one? How have I told you that myself and Mollia lasted as long as we have. There are NO secrets between us. None.. Even if I do a most vile thing, she is to know, and she always trusts me because of this.” His eyes looked over the caramel skinned, blonde baby in her arms, then back up to her. “You have a son, Sable. A son -needs- his father. Do not let this.. this thing inside of you destroy that for him. And you! You need your husband, yes? Do you not love him, little one? I know what you went through to make sure you could be with him.. Please do not throw it away for this. Tell him.. Talk to him, as hard as it may be.”

Sable just dropped her head slightly, though her piercing gaze was upon Tim. She was on a high from her kill, and nothing would bring her down. A soft snort left her and a grin spread across her lips. “No,” she stated clearly. “I will not tell him, Tim. I -can’t- because THAT would definitely ruin all of this shit. I need to do this, and I swore I would try very hard to give it up. He needs to think I have. You don’t even KNOW how much he fuckin’ worries anyhow. I can barely fuckin’ breathe without him askin’ me if I’m alright. I love him for that, but I need this.. I need this so I don’t feel so damn suffocated by that, and the end game is the same as everyone else’s. I’m makin’ the fuckin’ world better by gettin’ rid of these assholes the system misses. Don’t you see that?” she questioned then. She truly believed what she spoke, and Tim could see it in her eyes and knew at this moment in time it would do no good to argue. 

He just sighed. “If you ever need me, Sable.. simply call as you have. I will be here.” He nodded then, raking his hands back over his dreaded locks. “Just.. keep yourself safe, and mindful of your priorities. Know that nothing is more important than your family. All of them. Your son, your husband, the people you work for now. Put them always above yourself, little one. That.. That is the only way this will ever work out, yes?”

Her head nodded, “I know, Tim.. I know. And trust me. They are -all- that matters to me. They really fuckin’ matter. I ain’t gonna throw that away. I promise.” Then she hugged him and he returned it, giving her a brotherly kiss on the top of her head.

“I will see you soon, little one. This I am sure.” He departed with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Sable was simply too high on cloud nine to notice it. Timwei was left with a dire choice, and one that would need a lot of thinking, and upon reaching his home back in Stranglethorn in the wee hours of the morning, he picked up an old communicator. He hoped that the only other in the world was still in the possession of the one he gave it to.

“Mace, brother. We need to talk....”

@macelongclaw

He was almost done putting together the crib that he had gotten the wood for, knowing they would need one for Timothy when the time came. Luckily, he was able to purchase it and put it together with some help of instruction from the lumber worker. He brushed back his disheveled and slightly sweaty locks, setting the metal tool off to the side to rest back against the front of their couch. His arms were now resting on the tops of his knees, his gaze settled forward toward the wall while he took his break from building the crib.

Those heavy eyes felt especially heavy when he tried to relax like this, letting him fully realize just how exhausted he had been… how little sleep he had been getting in the recent times. With Sable’s pregnancy, her being in constant pain; such needed him to be up when she was if she had to move or use the bathroom. His worry only grew for her, and for their unborn child, knowing deep down that they would be fine and healthy. But, he could not help but fear for the safety of them both if the case were to be that Timothy would come too much earlier than they expected.

He leaned his head back just a tad, resting against the cushion of the couch while he found his eyes beginning to close. He wasn’t going to let sleep overtake him and ruin any sort of rhythm he already had; especially if Sable were to awake and call for him. He clenched his hands together, feeling his arms shake some as he leaned up again. He had even found himself angrier than he had ever been, the cause of it… truly unknown to him. He thought it to be nothing, but, he knew something in him was changing as well… Something was different. Alongside of seeing truly just how loving his wife could be, knowing she was coming to terms with her feelings much unlike of what she was before. It made him feel good… Knowing he was playing a part in that.

Despite that happy thought, he felt darkness overtake him again and sweep it away as if to remind him just how bad he had done before. How he wasn’t the husband he needed to be, despite the constant praise from his wife. How he wasn’t sure if he would be the father that Timothy, and any other child to come after, truly deserved. He knew things had just felt… off, lately. He was forgetful, more on edge… And those odd, dark dreams were coming back... Worse than before, and much more vivid. Something he had barely talked about since. He only put it in accordance to his sleeping habits, and him finding the change to try and be a father soon enough. “What th’ fock is wrong with me...?”

He was drawn from his tired reverie by a quiet voice coming from upstairs, just hearing it before he heard it louder. “Baby? I… I need your help. Bathroom…” He sighed out softly and rose to his feet to make his way over to the staircase. “Comin’ darlin’…” When he arrived at their bedroom, he greeted her with a soft smile and moved over to help her out of bed and into his arms. He made no mention of what he had been thinking lately… Truly not wanting for his wife to worry about him above all. She could tell though, just how badly it had been for them both. It was no façade to how he acted… truly genuine when he was around her, and the only way he got away from those dark thoughts. It just made him realize more and more everyday just how much of an impact she made on his life, and how much more he loved her.