United Airlines Flight 8879
Monday, 1st October 2007
10:21am
"You don’t look well… you really should take better care of yourself than this," said Kate with a warm smile, stroking her fingers through Galen's short hair before laying a soft kiss on his forehead.
"I know... I will," sighed Galen contentedly, squeezing Kate’s slender hand in his own. He looked at her and smiled. After months of frantic searching he still couldn’t quite believe that he’d managed to track her down. What had he to go on after all? Rumours and speculations about a secret partnership between Jennifer Lawson and some people from The Ministry of Magic in England? Jack’s hackneyed explanation about the aforementioned organisation? It hadn’t been much.
Yet here they were, together again, as though none of that had ever taken place. As they glided through the sky towards Los Angeles, Galen raised Kate’s hand to his lips and kissed it softly before leaning into her and rubbing the edge of his nose against her cheek. Galen sighed again as he surrounded himself in the intoxicating scent of her hair and perfume. She smelled so good, like rose water and vanilla with a soothing musky undertone. He’d missed that scent so badly.
"And once we get back home and I let everyone know that you're safe and well, we'll take a break somewhere, just the two of us... I think we need it."
Kate smiled, continuing to comb her fingers through Galen's hair. "I never doubted for one minute that you wouldn't come and rescue me. Even when I was all alone... I felt you with me."
Her soft hands stroked against Galen's jaw, drawing him towards her. Kate smiled again, such a warm, radiant smile that sent a slight flutter of longing through Galen's stomach. She leaned forwards and kissed him then, her soft, full lips exploring the contours of his mouth.
"I missed you so much," she whispered quietly between kisses, "but I knew... I knew you’d come…"
"Sir? Sir? We've landed Sir..."
Galen awoke with a start, opening his eyes to see an awkward looking stewardess hovering just above him, gently shaking his shoulder.
"Sir, we've landed..." the woman repeated again, straightening up. She already held the man's threadbare backpack in her hands in a silent gesture of annoyance that said 'please get the hell off my plane now, and have a nice day!'
Galen coughed gruffly, an affliction he'd picked up from spending too many nights sleeping rough in the back of cars, ditches and even the occasional doorway. "Sorry I... I must have fallen asleep."
"Hmmm," said the stewardess circumspectly, helping Galen up from his cramped seat while also trying her best not to touch him at the same time. It wasn’t that he smelled, in fact he smelled surprisingly pleasant considering, it was just the way he looked. Kind of like a cross between a tramp and a hippie relic from Woodstock – all beard and long hair and weathered, dirty looking skin. God only knew how he managed to score himself a business class ticket on one of their premier flights – probably saved up forty years worth of coupons from boxes of pudding.
"Well... enjoy your stay in Los Angeles," she said with mock cheer, leading Galen up the rows of seats and towards the door. As he stumbled down the walkway she turned to one of her work colleagues and sighed. "God help me, if I get another of those travelling hobo types I'm quitting!"
****
“Actually… I think I like it,” smiled Kate, tugging on thick growth of bristly dark hair that covered Galen’s chin and jaw. She sat atop of his luggage as he pushed the trolley through the airport; one leg tucked up under her chin, the other swinging free like a child. “You know? It makes you look, ummm, what’s the word? …………Rugged.”
“You’re just saying that,” laughed Galen as he steered the metal cart around a group of students returning from a later summer break. “Darling, I’ve seen myself in the mirror, it’s okay, I know I look like Karl Marx.”
Kate giggled, sitting up straighter on the stack of luggage and holding Galen’s face in both her hands. With her fingers she stroked through the short, stubbly length of his beard. “Hmmm, I’d say more like Tom Selleck or… Peter the Great – both major hotties with a fondness for facial hair.”
“Don’t get too attached, soon as we get home this is seeing the sharp end of a Mach3.”
“Oh thank Gaia!” laughed Kate, clapping her hands together happily before suddenly turning serious. “I mean, not that I couldn’t have gotten used to it…”
Galen smiled. “Oh, of course not.”
“But the stubble rash…”
“I understand completely,” said Galen, his grin broadening as he leaned over the handlebar and stole a quick kiss from his wife. “Consider it gone.”
“Now the hair…” Kate hopped down from the trolley.
Galen halted the cart and ran a hand through his hair. It had grown considerably in the past two months, so long and unruly that it fell into his eyes constantly and tickled the back of his neck. “That too? Anyone would think you aren’t pleased to see me!”
“Oh you know I am,” smiled Kate, leaning over Galen’s shoulder. “Besides, I’ve always liked long hair on men…” she said, running her fingers through the thick length, “it’s very… sensual.”
Galen closed his eyes and grinned, enjoying the feel of Kate’s fingers against his scalp and the back of his neck. “If you say so,” he murmured quietly.
Suddenly Galen felt a cool chill on his skin and he opened his eyes abruptly. He no longer felt Kate’s fingers working through his hair and he spun around sharply, his eyes anxiously searching the crowds as he realised she’d vanished.
Jack had just managed to bustle his way into the arrival gate, plunging into the sea of bodies that struggled to hold onto bags and crying toddlers. He checked his watch, he was a little late what with the early morning traffic but he’d just double-checked with the arrivals board and Galen’s flight had only landed about forty minutes ago. Being the seasoned traveller that he was, Jack knew that it could sometimes take over an hour just to get through baggage claim, never mind immigration.
"Galen!” he shouted as he saw his son in law searching the crowds. When he didn’t seem to hear, Jack shouldered his way through groups of weary travellers and excited holidaymakers. “Galen? Galen!” shouted Jack again, coming up behind him. Still he seemed to be searching the crowds.
Jack patted him on the back, “Galen, are you okay?” he asked, smiling as the young man seemed to finally rouse himself – probably the shock of arriving home. Galen’s mouth cracked into a weary grin.
“Jack… hi, thanks for coming.”
“My god,” laughed Jack awkwardly as he helped his son-in-law pick up his luggage before heading towards the car park. “I barely recognised you with the beard and everything.”
“Yeah…” agreed Galen absently, his eyes still flitting around the airport, his head suddenly turning every time he thought he caught a glimpse of red hair. “I… I need a shave.”
Jack watched Galen carefully as they headed to the car, noting how lost and distant he seemed. He’d sounded as much on the telephone last week, that’s why Jack had insisted that he come home, catch the first flight back to L.A and they would think of something else to do, some other way of finding Kate. Eventually, he’d managed to convince Galen to do just that, but it hadn’t been easy. Convincing a man that he had to concede defeat, even a small defeat, never was.
Securing the luggage in the back of the car, Galen paused to light a cigarette, breathing in the fresh Los Angeles air. He’d dreamed of this moment for months, the day that he would return home… but in his dreams he always had Kate by his side.
Absently he flicked ash on the concrete floor, “I… I didn’t find her Jack,” he said quietly, his face slowly crumbling with emotion. He leaned back against the car, rubbing his hands over his face. “All that time… I tried, God I tried but… she was depending on me Jack, I was supposed to find her!”
Though he had never been one to openly display his emotions, Jack took Galen into his arms like the son he’d never had and held him close. “I know, I know,” he said softly, “you did what you could, it was all anyone could have done.”
“But I failed her, I let her down,” mumbled Galen quietly, his voice edged with all the pain and loneliness that he’d felt ever since the night he’d set off to find his wife. It had been a fool’s errand, he could see that now. In all his searching he’d not found one piece of evidence that he could hold up to refute the LAPD’s insistence that Kate had died in the fire that had taken down the station house. Nor had he uncovered the truth concerning Jennifer Lawson and her orders to initiate Operation Desdemona. And finally, he’d discovered nothing that could implicate or even suggest that the Ministry of Magic had any hand in the disappearance of either Lawson or his wife.
And yet… despite the lack of evidence or any tangible proof Galen knew… he knew unequivocally that Kate was still out there somewhere. It was a feeling, a feeling so strong and deep inside of him like the beat of his heart.
Loosening his hold on his son-in-law, Jack patted him gently on the back, opening the car door and helping him inside. “It’s okay Galen,” he said kindly, “it’s okay son, lets just go home.”
- Login to post comments
Post to Twitter
Raising Spirits
Raising Spirits
Not Far from Memorial Beach - Santa Monica, Los Angeles
Thursday, 11th October 2007
4:21am
The three of them approached the body on the beach like mourners at a funeral. Three silent figures slowly making their way across the wet sand, leaving nothing but footprints in their wake. Su Ling was the first to reach it and she hunkered down beside the lifeless corpse but wouldn’t touch it, while the others walked cautiously closer and then stood quietly watching.
“Dead,” announced Su Ling after forcing herself to check the child’s pulse, her voice flat and emotionless. “Like the others, all the blood’s been drained from her body. I’m afraid she’s too far gone, even for me.” Subconsciously she wiped her hand against her pants before brushing back her dark windswept hair from her face and rising to her feet.
“She looks just like all the others,” she noted sadly, folding her arms across her small chest, “so little, I bet she barely put up a fight.”
“It doesn’t look like she fought at all,” observed Zola coolly, bending down to examine the girl’s hands. “Not a mark on her, guess we can only hope that she was dead before the pain started.”
Kate was the last to speak, her eyes glued on the tiny, motionless form. She was just a girl, no more than eight-years old but she was dead all the same, lying face down in the sand, her bare skin covered with a layer of fine, silver-like grit. Kate knelt down by the child as Zola and Su Ling backed away. Her long blonde hair was ribboned with seaweed and fanned out across the beach like a mermaid’s. One small hand clutched at a handful of sand; her body so white in the pearly-grey morning mist that it looked almost translucent. The sea foamed briefly around her outstretched foot and then retreated.
Kate touched her fingers against a series of raw flagellation’s that ran across the girl’s naked back. “Like the others,” she murmured softly, her eyes taking on a glazed expression that she quickly shook away, looking up at the other two women. “I think you’re right Suz, it looks just like Elizabeth Báthory’s work – she fits the victim profile and the torture methods are an exact match to Báthory’s MO, even after all these years.”
A sigh. “I guess the Professor was wrong when he said it wasn’t a vampire.” Kate rose to her feet, inhaling deeply as she gazed across the dark, watery horizon. The ocean rocked back and forth, frothing waves crashing against the shore. “Number eight, she must be getting close.”
“Báthory,” echoed Su Ling quietly, trembling from more than just the early morning cold.
To explain, Elizabeth Báthory was a sixteenth century Hungarian Countess and ancestral descendant of Vlad Dracul. According to legend, she’d killed over six hundred and fifty young girls, most of them peasants, and bathed in their blood in the belief that it would grant her eternal youth. She was also noted for her sadistic torture methods of which flagellation was her speciality. After several decades of wholesale slaughter, she was eventually arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment – on the other side of a bricked up room.
Amongst certain supernatural circles it was believed that Báthory had been a vampire, and that her prison sentence had been enforced by a coven of witches. The general consensus, according to records both at The Ministry and The Watcher’s Council in London, was that years later a considerably weakened Báthory had been disposed of in a banishing rite by the very same coven, exiling her demonic essence into one of any number of hell dimensions for all eternity.
Now it seemed, she’d found a way to escape.
“Is she still around?”
Kate closed her eyes, pausing for a moment in contemplation as she reached out with her senses, her scarlet tresses billowing around her face in the morning breeze.
“Not near,” she said finally after several minutes, blinking her eyes. “We have a problem though, a police patrol team, two blocks away. Just as well we got here early."
“Obviously not early enough,” snorted Zola, “if Báthory is loose then it means the Hellmouth has already settled in Los Angeles. So much for Wolfram and Hart having everything under control. Looks like the Professor’s suspicions were right - the Hellmouth’s leaking demons, either that or some third-rate necro wannabe raised more than they bargained for.”
“Well there’s nothing we can do about either right now."
Kate walked around the lifeless body of the little girl, casting a thoughtful eye up and down the deserted beach. “It won’t be sunrise for a few hours but I think we should still cast a cloaking spell, make sure no stray college kids are tempted to drop in on us thinking we’re starting a beach party.” She grinned. “I wouldn’t want to give them another year in therapy because they saw us raising the dead.”
“You’re kidding right?” scoffed Zola with a roll of her eyes, “frat brats and sorority chicks are the worst, they’d probably want to join in. Nowadays anyone with the full DVD series of Charmed and a pentagram tattoo thinks they’re a faithful servant of the Old Ones.”
Su Ling smiled coyly, twirling a strand of thick oriental hair around her finger. “But that Alyssa Milano is so damn hot. I could eat her up with a spoon.” Suddenly she frowned, turning back to Catherine, “wait a minute, you’re not thinking of…”
“Can you think of any better way to find out what happened?” said Kate with a pragmatic shrug of her shoulders. “I say we talk to the girl.”
“You don’t mean?”
“I do. If Zola doesn’t have any objections?”
Zola smiled a lopsided grin, though she was by far the better skilled necro she was more than willing to indulge her sister. “None at all,” she removed her pouch of spell equipment and tossed it over. “The dead aren’t nearly as much fun as you’d imagine, in fact some are down right perverse. I’ll set up the cover spell.”
Kate caught the spell pouch and knelt down on the sand by the dead child. She shivered in the cool morning chill before removing her coat and laying it over the girl’s naked body. There were only a few things she needed to set up beforehand, a couple of candles and a hastily drawn pentagram in the sand and she was ready to begin. Sitting within the makeshift circle, Kate closed her eyes and began to concentrate, a steady humming noise emanating from her lips.
A few moments later a police patrol car drove past down by the far end of the beach, siren blaring and speeding at full pace. Zola lay a hand on Kate’s shoulder.
“The cover spell’s in place, they won’t see. Carry on.”
Kate nodded, rocking back and forth within the circle. It took her almost an hour of coaxing before she felt the strain begin to lessen. Opening her eyes she was faced with a thin and frail boy of about seventeen. His skin was a pale grey, his narrow shoulders draped with seaweed while his dark black hair dripped steadily onto the sand. A drowner.
He looked around in surprise, then saw Kate and gave her a slow once over, grin broadening by the second. Then he saw Zola and Su Ling and his grin widened even more.
“Well hell-o ladies!” he said, trying his best to appear suave and sophisticated, running a hand through his sopping wet hair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Zola whooped with laughter, slapping Kate on the back as she rose to her feet. “Wrong one, kiddo, guess you should leave the necro tricks to me.”
“Necro?” echoed the boy. “Is that what you three lovely ladies are?”
Zola nodded, “after a fashion.”
“Sweet.” He gave the three women another once-over, his grin returning. “Very sweet. So… what can I do for you all? Looking for a little incubus action?”
Zola rolled her eyes, “is that what you think you’re here for?”
The boy laughed, a grin spreading the breadth of his face. “Lets just say, that’s what I’m hoping I’m here for. Bunch of hot chicks alone on the beach at night, we could have ourselves a ghostly ménage à trois.”
“There are four of us, stud,” smirked Zola, “how old are you anyway? Die a virgin did you?”
“No!” cried the boy indignantly, “I had the honey’s lining up for a taste of me-“
“-How fitting then,” Zola interrupted, raising a handful of vervain up to her mouth, “now you spend your entire afterlife getting wet.” Without waiting for a reply she blew the herbs into the face of the boy, sending him back to… wherever he’d come from.
“Don’t worry,” smiled Zola, linking her arm through Kate’s, “even I summon the wrong spirit once in a while. She’s a recent, right?” Zola indicated towards the child’s body. “So she probably hasn’t even crossed over yet. Give me a few and I’ll see if I can find her.”
“He wasn’t the only one,” mumbled Kate grumpily as Zola dropped to the sand, legs tucked beneath her and began to chant.
Su Ling leaned in closer, her eyes locked on Zola as she whispered. “What do you mean?”
“Spirits,” replied Kate quietly, trying not to interrupt her other sister. “All around us in this place, can’t you feel-“
“Got her.”
Zola rose to her feet proudly, a wide grin on her face. In front of her stood a small girl, the same that lay motionless on the beach. Her shoulder length blond curls hung tiredly and damp down her back, her eyes watery and saddened as though she’d been crying.
“I’m cold.”
Kate’s nose wrinkled uncomfortably. Though she was not well versed in the power of necromancy she still knew that there were two types of spirits in the netherworld, those who embraced their passing and those who didn’t even realise they were dead. The latter was often the case for those only recently deceased, a sort of temporary limbo state before the final transition, but before that took place they could wander around the living world for days, shadowing their former lives and wondering why nobody seemed able to hear or see them.
Just as Zola had suspected, this child was a recent, her spirit still lingering on the mortal plain, not yet ready to make the journey to the other side.
“Of course you are,” said Kate gently, kneeling down so that she was at the same height as the child, who had taken to suckling the edge of her thumb. “You forgot your bathing suit and went out for a swim. Here let me help.” Kate made a pretence of threading the girl’s arms into the sleeves of her coat and then buttoning it up. “There, that’s better.”
“I’m still cold.”
Kate nodded, “I know. What’s your name sweetheart?”
“Emily…” sniffed the girl, dropping her thumb by her side. “Emily Watson. Where’s my mommy? She was here and then… the lady said she would help me find her.”
“Báthory,” whispered Zola under her breath.
“I know I shouldn’t, mommy told me never to talk with strangers, but I was scared and she seemed nice. Bad people don’t have such nice faces.”
“Can you tell me what she looked like?”
The girl gave a brief description of her, confirming Zola’s suspicions regarding Báthory. Next Kate questioned the child about the hours before her death. Though she could recall little it was enough to help point them in the right direction – a house in Pasadena where Emily had been taken prior to her death, though she omitted any details regarding her torture or the inevitable blood letting. It was always the same with the dead, especially children. They were usually too traumatised and disorientated to remember anything more than fragments of their demise.
“It wasn’t the woman though,” she mumbled softly, “the man… it was him, he made me go with her.”
The attention of all three women snapped to the girl. Kate’s eyes narrowed curiously, as far as any of the accounts detailed, Báthory had never had an accomplice, she liked to work alone. But who was this man? Someone she’d brought from the spirit world? Or… more likely… someone who had facilitated her escape…
“What did he do?”
Emily shrugged, “he made me go with her. The lady… she kept him in a box, a little box. When she opened the lid, he came out.”
Kate frowned, turning back to look at her sisters with a questioning in her eyes.
“Must be a spirit of some sort,” mumbled Zola before striding up to the little girl, a threatening gleam in her eye. “You’d better not be lying to us child!” she growled fiercely, baring her teeth. “Play games with me and I’ll send you to some hell dimension where you can spend your days having red hot pokers shoved up your ass!”
Emily pouted, tears in her eyes. “My mommy wouldn’t let you!”
“Your mommy,” mocked Zola, “will never be able to find you.”
Kate was about to intercede when Zola opened up her clenched fist and blew a handful of vervain into the girl’s face, immediately her spirit vanished. Her childish sobs, however, lingered on for a few moments afterwards.
Kate looked up, her eyes dark with anger. “You had no right to intrude, what did you think you were doing?”
“Kid was messing us around,” shot back Zola irritably. “Báthory’s a vampire, since when did she have the power to control spirits to do her bidding? The whole thing was a pile of horse shit.”
“Well now we’ll never now will we?” snapped Kate, barely containing her rage as she cleared away the ritual items, stuffing them back into the pouch. “I doubt Emily is going to want to talk to us again.”
“We found out what we needed to know, we know the murderer was Báthory and that, perhaps she had a male accomplice that is possibly a spirit. We also know a general address of a house where that Whore of the Devil is taking her kills. I think that counts as a job well done.”
Su Ling curled her lower lip ruefully. “I doubt the Professor will see things like that.”
“Then don’t tell him Suzie,” growled Zola, she whirled around to get Catherine’s support and stopped short as she saw the woman staring blankly into space. The harshness of her features quickly softened and she lay a concerned hand upon the other woman’s shoulder. “Catherine?”
Kate trembled as a cool shiver travelled the length of her spine. Her eyes surveyed the desolate stretch of beach but she saw nothing. The early morning breeze was cold against her damp clothes, but it was something else that had caused her to shiver.
“What is it sister?”
"Nothing…" said Kate quietly, turning slightly and closing her eyes. She felt the strangest feeling, something gentler than air caressed her skin, something softer than the morning breeze and the lazy ebbing of the tide sang in her ears.
“Is it… are you remembering something?” Su Ling asked warily, “the Professor said that you might when we arrived. Los Angeles used to be your home after all.”
“A long time ago,” said Kate quietly, looking around at the pale sands and sparse scattered trees. Again the slight brush against her skin, and the soft, unearthly singing in her ears. “I barely remember that life anymore, it’s just a shadow.”
Zola and Su Ling exchanged glances.
“You mentioned spirits? Earlier, after you summoned that boy?”
“I felt it too,” said Zola, nodding. “This is a place for the dead, a memorial of some sorts. The vibrations here are particularly strong.”
“Yes…” agreed Kate distantly, her eyes roving the dark sand dunes. There was something else too but she couldn’t put her finger on it, an aching familiarity like Su Ling had guessed. For some reason this place held strong memories, she just didn’t know what they were.
"Who scatters their dead on a beach of all places?"
"Humans," sniffed Zola, "don't try to understand them. They probably thought it was wistful – beach, sky, sea… kinda different when you see dog walkers letting their fur balls take a dump on your loved ones.”
She leaned down to pick up Kate’s coat from the body of the dead child and then straightened, wrapping her arm around the other woman’s shoulders again. “Come on, lets blow this place and get back to the car. We’ve got work to do.”
Gideon and Bàthroy
Streets of Downtown LA
Sunday, 14th October 2007
3:11am
Guest Starring Helena Bonham Carter as Erzsébeth Bàthroy, and Introducing Cillian Murphy as Gideon Rook
“Goddamn witches!” spat Elizabeth angrily, a foam of fresh blood bubbling up around her lips as she threw the dead rat to the ground. “When I get my hands on them…” she shuddered at the thought, “I’m going to drain every last drop, a feast indeed!”
Gideon side-stepped the dead rat, though he was a ghost he still found such habits difficult to break – a constant reminder of his once human life. “And what about me, vampire? Thou promised me a body, one I could keep. Dost thou imagine I enjoy inhabiting the bodies of children just so thou may indulge thy self?”
Elizabeth muttered an oath, snatching up another filthy rat and breaking it’s neck before biting down, sucking out the blood. “And do you think I enjoy this?” she gestured at the half-dozen or so dead rats scattered about. “In my day I fed from only the most exquisite specimens, I’d slit my own throat for a taste of a pure virgin, even some of these children…” she shuddered again.
“Tainted, this whole land is tainted. Where did you say we were again?”
“America, California. Los Angeles to be precise.” Gideon looked about himself distastefully. “Much has changed since I last stepped foot upon this earthly plane.”
“It’s those witches,” sneered Elizabeth, wiping at her bloody mouth and daintily lifting each blood-coated finger to her lips and sucking them clean. “Take your pick, Rook, for I think I shall let you have one for yourself. How would you like that hmmm? A witch host? Think of all the fun you could have with such a body…”
“And thou wouldst set me free?”
Bàthroy patted a carved wooden box that rested on the floor next to her. “I promised didn’t I?”
“Thoust did trick me once already.”
“Oh, come, come now,” crooned the woman with a crooked grin. “We make a good team. You get to possess my prey long enough that I may take their blood. We both get what we want.”
“Only I don’t get to choose my victim, and I don’t get to keep my prize.” Gideon’s face hardened, his form oscillating with anger. “I dost not want children, Erzsébeth, I require a fully grown host, someone with a weakened spirit so that I might take full and permanent control.”
“I promised you!” snarled Elizabeth, her fangs glittering in the dark night, coated with fresh blood. She snatched up the box and wrapped her arms around it possessively. “Serve me and I’ll give you what you want, what need should I have for a mere spook once I am strong and beautiful again?”
Gideon sighed, forcing his own anger to cool. He didn’t have much choice in the matter really. Erzsébeth had tricked him with the most simple of spells, binding him to the box so long as she desired him to do her bidding. The only way out was to either kill the vampire or rely on her to hold to her promise. Neither was a particularly attractive prospect.
His eyes suddenly snapped in the direction of another rodent, a big fat one this time, scurrying around beneath a pile of garbage. Gideon narrowed his field of vision, squinting at the rat until it suddenly flew through the air, landing at Bàthroy’s feet. The vampiress reached out and grabbed it swiftly, breaking its neck with a sickening crunch.
“Eat,” he ordered briskly, “you need to keep your strength up.”
Looking up at Gideon, Elizabeth smiled, twisting the rat’s head off between her hands. “Like I said, we make a good team.”
Kate's Erotic Dream
DREAM SEQUENCE ~
Kate and Galen’s House
Sunday, 12th November 2006
9:45pm
“Well… what do you think?”
Galen looked up from his stack of paperwork, a half grin slowly forming on his face. Kate stood in the doorway of the en-suite, wearing nothing but a chiffon baby-doll negligee and a fluffy pair of mules.
He dropped the file in his hand to one side, barely resisting the urge to just shove the whole lot off the bed and onto the floor. A broad smile stretched across his face as Kate strode over to where he lay on the bed and sat down besides him.
“I think I’m one lucky, lucky man,” he grinned, watching as she leaned across the bed and slid a hand up his leg, wrinkling the fabric of his pants while her fingers travelled up his inner thigh towards his groin. A quiet groan left Galen’s lips as she halted her caresses barely inches away from his growing erection, teasing along the inner seam of his pants by slowly gathering the fabric tightly in her hand
“And I guess this answers my question,” Kate smiled as she relented, allowing her long fingers to skim across the stiffness in her husband’s trousers, rubbing him gently. “Hmmm, it’s a bit hard-“
Galen almost choked, “a bit? Darling I don’t think it’s-“
“-I meant,” laughed Kate, “it’s a bit difficult for me to tell what I have here with your pants still on.”
A grin. “Well, that’s a problem easily remedied.”
Kate laughed again, shaking her head and taking a firm hold of Galen’s hand as he reached towards his flies. “Oh no, I don’t want you lifting a finger… well, maybe one or two but not just yet.” She sighed, unfastening that first button before easing down the zipper. “Jack offered to look after Emma… we have the whole night together, no interruptions.”
“Sounds positively… stimulating.” Galen smiled a crooked grin, taking another long look at his wife in that sexy little negligee as she slipped off her mules and climbed onto the bed, straddling his lower torso. The fabric was so sheer that he could see the dark pink aureoles of her nipples and the outline of her equally sheer panties underneath. He sighed heavily.
“May I ask what you have planned?”
“A seduction,” purred Kate quietly as she rubbed against his ever-hardening erection, working it into a comfortable position between her legs. Galen groaned sharply at the contact, his breath catching in the back of his throat. “A very… special kind of seduction.”
“I didn’t forget something did I?” he asked, watching with delight as, with a wave of Kate’s hand the buttons of his shirt slowly unbuttoned themselves, the material peeling back to expose his bare chest. Galen sighed heavily as she slid her fingers down his naked flesh before leaning low, her hair falling across his chest as she trailed warm, soft kisses across his skin. Starting at the top of his shoulders she slowly worked her way down, down his chest to his stomach, her tongue tracing the circumference of his navel.
“A-Anniversary…?” he asked as her fingers hooked beneath the waistband of his pants, sliding beneath. “Birthday perhaps? O-or, second Sunday after Samhain?”
Kate giggled, sitting up, a wicked smile on her face. “I wanted to do something nice… that’s all.”
“Oh, this IS nice.”
“And… I had a few spells I wanted to try out, you remember me telling you?”
Galen paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his brow. “Was this when you were talking about how you wanted to strip me down and slather my body with things that you were gonna lick off?”
“Could be.”
“And you expect me to remember anything else? I believe I was rather too taken with the whole prospect of taking a licking.”
A smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll get to that soon.”
“So these spells that you wanted to try out?” Galen tried to keep his expression impassive but it was difficult verging on the impossible. “Are we talking kinky sex spells?”
Kate shook her head, her scarlet waves bouncing back and forth. “Sorry to disappoint, this is more… “ she deliberated for a moment on how best to phrase things, “…spells with a viable application to heighten sexual pleasure.”
“Still sounds like kinky sex spells to me.”
“I’d prefer to call it practical magic.”
A half grin. “So what are we waiting for?”
“Your consent?”
“Darling,” Galen’s grin widened and he stroked his hands up Kate’s bare thighs, sliding beneath the hem of her slip and resting on her hips. “You had my consent the moment you walked out of the bathroom wearing…” he sighed in appreciation.
Kate caught hold of her husband’s wandering hands, tutting with feigned disappointment. “Not yet darling, this is still a non-participatory event… for the moment.”
Galen lay his hands back down on the bed, a slight grin curling his lips. “Well I wouldn’t want to break the rules – whatever they may be. Please, continue.”
A flicker of amusement crossed Kate’s face but she remained silent. Instead she waved her hand in a smooth gesture, murmuring a quiet incantation. Slowly, the air beneath her fingers began to shimmer, like a wave of rising heat off hot tarmac. Warily, Galen’s eyes flitted between his wife and the ripples of silvery fire emanating from her hand.
“Err… honey?”
“You’ll see,” she looked up and smiled, “trust me.”
Slowly Kate brought her hand down to her husband’s chest, holding it just above his skin. She smiled as he trembled, his flesh prickling with goose-pimples. Galen groaned low in the back of his throat, the feeling… it was like being brushed with feathers, delicate and soft and utterly arousing.
With a slight grin, Kate quickly whispered another incantation. The waves of shimmering heat increased, growing so warm that her own skin tingled. Smiling, she pressed her hot fingers against Galen’s bare chest. He gasped hoarsely at the intense heat of her touch as she slid her hand down his stomach and pushed her way inside his briefs. Another groan, longer this time, Galen’s breathing growing raspy as Kate caressed his genitals, squeezing and stroking him until she settled into a steady rhythm.
“That...” he gasped again, squeezing his eyes shut, “…wow, that is… you have no idea how amazing that feels.”
Kate laughed, slowing the pace of her stroking to something a little more comfortable for her husband. She wanted to prolong this sensation for him, draw it out and make it last, but she could feel his need already rising to the surface, wanting to erupt.
“I take it you approve?” she smiled. “I told you there was a more practical application to all offensive spellcasting, maybe you’d like to try something else from my repertoire?”
“Yes. Oh god yes,” groaned Galen eagerly, “anything... I mean,” he opened his eyes suddenly, looking up at his wife as she towered over him. God she looked sexy, her hand half-buried in his pants, pumping away, that hungry fire of sensuality in her eyes. Reaching out he took hold of her arm, halting her pleasurable ministrations - as pleasant as they were, he couldn’t possibly think like that.
“Something else? Just what did you have in mind?”
Kate bit her lower lip seductively. “Well let’s see…” she slowly slid her hand out from his briefs, playing with the elastic at his waist. “I think I could find a good use for a freezing spell, I could even combine it with a binding… it all depends on how kinky you want to go my love.”
“Well you know me,” Galen grinned, “always ready to try something new.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
Balancing on her hands and knees, Kate leaned over him lowering her lips down to his. While she kissed him, such long, lingering kisses, Galen slid a hand up her thigh, ignoring her mumbled protests as he slipped his fingers beneath those flimsy panties. She was wet, so very wet, a low moan arising from deep inside her throat as he touched her, pushing a finger inside in a long, leisurely probe.
Kate groaned as her husband’s fingers moved inside of her, slowly and deliberately, searching out the centre of her excitement. Her knees almost gave way from beneath her as her own need began to build up inside. Warm waves of pleasure flooding her whole body.
With another groan, she rubbed herself harder against his exploring hand, encouraging him to add a second finger and then a third.
All of a sudden Galen slipped his hand free, a broad grin spreading across his face as Kate opened her eyes, a glimmer of both surprise and annoyance flashing through those baby-blues. But before she had a chance to protest, he wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her down into bed, climbing on top. Twisting her panties to one side he slid inside her with a rasping groan.
“Sorry darling,” he sighed, a wicked grin alighting his face again. “I guess I got lost in the moment, I forgot this was supposed to be a non-participatory event… what did you say? I wasn’t supposed to lift even a finger?”
Kate moaned softly, feeling her husband moving slowly inside of her, setting a steady pace. Keeping her eyes focused on him she wrapped her legs tighter around his back and pulled him closer. “I think I’ll forgive you… this time.”
THE PRESENT DAY ~
Casa de los Dias Dorados – Beverly Hills, Los Angeles
Monday, 15th October 2007
8:11am
Kate awoke sharply, her chest heaving and her breath catching in her throat. The dream had been so vivid and yet she couldn’t remember a single detail of what it had been about. What was more, she was so fiercely aroused it was almost unbearable.
Throwing the tangle of sheets aside she climbed out of bed. Her bare feet met with the cool marble floor of her domicile, making a slapping sound as she crossed the room to the large, open-faced window. Naked, she glanced outside; it was almost daybreak with that faint haze of mist still hanging in the air and the birds twittering madly in the surrounding trees.
Sliding a hand down her stomach, she touched herself, a slick wetness coating her fingers. She sighed, leaning back against the window frame, her eyes glazing over as she slowly pleasured herself. Thus employed she lazily gazed out at the sprawling city below. There was so much about Los Angeles that was familiar, the sweltering midday heat, the constant buzz of activity and, as night fell, the sense of stillness and greying futility that filled the faces of the nameless hoards.
Yet, strangely for Kate, she could barely even remember so much as a street name.
Stranger even to think that there had once been a life here that had belonged to her, a mother and a father. Vaguely she remembered only fragments of her childhood - like a jigsaw puzzle that had been dropped on the floor scattering the pieces in all directions. Some were still in plain sight while others had been lost, and would probably never be found again.
Kate closed her eyes, shutting out everything except her own pleasure, the idle employ of her fingers keeping time to her breathing. Sometimes she felt the emptiness inside her like a deep, dark chasm. A black hole where her life had once been, sucking everything else into it and so strong it threatened to pull the rest of her down too.
Sensing her approaching climax, Kate quickened her strokes, her fingers efficiently servicing her need. For days they had hunted Bàthory and her cohort across the city, herding them away from any potential prey… she was so tense, she needed this, even if her relief would only be a temporary one. Rubbing her fingertips hard across her sensitive clitoris, she felt that warm, rising euphoria overflow. Her breath trapped in her throat, eventually spilling out in a single relieved sigh.
Sliding to the ground, Kate leaned back against the window again, her knees tucked up against her chest. Although momentarily relieved, the respite had barely satisfied the raging hunger that burned inside as a result of her dream. That feeling… it was more than sex, she could tell now. It was a piece of the puzzle that was missing.
Resting her cheek against her bare knee, Kate cast an eye across the city. It didn’t feel like a coincidence that she should have such a dream only days after arriving in LA. She had lived here once and out there… somewhere, were the answers she was looking for.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Bob’s Bar
11th October 2007
8:15pm
Bob looked up in surprise, "Zayn! we ain't seen you in here in a while. Got anything for me?"
Zayn waved to a booth as she stepped up to the bar. "How much for a jug of sewageraptor spit? Fresh, just milked it about 30 seconds ago."
Bob nodded, "That stuff's hard to keep, but I'll trade you this Frejan carnelian for it."
"Make it three, and you have a deal. And three Sam Adams - part of the deal."
Bob nodded and set the beers on the bar. The three gemstones went unseen into Zayn's pocket. She liked working with Bob, he knew subtle.
She slid into the booth and tossed the coaster with the ring of blood on it onto the floor. "I hate drinking at a table with a tampon on it, don't you?"
As she stood besides the table, Alessa giggled. She was just too funny. Milked them? Tampons?, suddenly her legs buckled beneath her. She regained her balance with the help of Galen’s arm and let herself drop at Zayn’s side in the booth. She giggled again.
Why was the woman just changing colours like that? She turned to Galen and giggled again. He was doing the same. “Hey! I want you to teach me that trick!” she said.
Zayn helped her into the booth along with Galen. He was clearly worried, but Zayn just clinked his beer,
"Sewageraptor's saliva is somewhat hallucinogenic to demons. Sort of like a hellish X. She'll feel fantastic for the next few hours and then tomorrow she'll be looking for a priest to confess to." Alessa's features were slowly melting and she was babbling about making Unity with the table. Zayn chuckled, "Actually, she might not. Demon, I take it? Verbati if I don't miss my guess."
Galen nodded, still worried. He wondered what Ellis would say if he took his girlfriend home in such a state, and on her birthday! “Isn’t there anything we can do? Demonic version of strong coffee or something?” He took the bottle of beer from the demoness hand when it was clear she didn’t know what to do with it. “Tomorrow’s her birthday, I don’t think she wants to spend it confessing.”
Zayn sipped her beer and there was a long silence over which the question of who she was hung in the air. She decided it was time to beak that silence. "So how is Daye these days? How about Victor? I haven't heard from you guys since the Cloch Cosan."
Galen started to cough and sprayed beer which Alessa thought was hilarious until Daye's name pierced the haze her mind was drowning in. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head, refusing to get caught by the bubbles in her beer again.
Instead she looked at Galen, trying hard to focus on his face and then at the woman with golden eyes. She closed her eyes when she saw a faint trail of her hand bringing the bottle to her mouth. She opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again. “Who- who did you say you were?” she finally managed to say.
Zayn leaned forward and looked into the verbati's dilated pupils. "Zayn'Jae Vex. Most folk just call me Zayn. I knew the gang way back when you were a bunch of strangers living in a run-down apartment building here in Alhambra."
She leaned back casually. "That's been a few years ago, mind you, but I liked your style. Tempest, Victor, Tash. I sort of kept an ear to the ground for a while thanks to Bob there but I've been out of the loop for a long time."
Galen glanced at Alessa but it was clear that in her present state she would be little help here. When it came to business surrounding the Cloch Cosan he was a relative outsider, having only met up with Tash and the rest of the ragtag group a couple of days before the assault on the Elder’s Compound to rescue Kate. He’d certainly never met this Zayn woman before, of that he was positive, though her name… her name he couldn’t be sure that he’d never heard before.
“You knew Tash and Victor?” he shook his head morbidly, thinking how many of those brave warriors from the night of the Cloch Cosan were now dead or lost… Tash, Victor, Sorrow, Jade, Tempest, Kate… many indeed.
“Can’t say either ever mentioned you though my wife – Kate, Kate Wiccham? I don’t know if you were ever acquainted with her? She may have mentioned something though my memory is a bit hazy on that score. So if you don’t mind my asking, what’s your speciality? From that display of strength out there I’m guessing you must be a supernatural of some sort.”
Zayn took a long drag on her beer to keep from smirking. *Supernatural,* she thought, *I was more than supernatural I was a god.* But of course such bragging would be less than helpful here. "You might say that." she said enigmatically. "It's complicated. Lets just say that this human-looking frame is a lot more durable than the chassis might suggest."
Galen looked unimpressed so Zayn elaborated some. "I come from another reality. One with many more dimensions than these pitiful six you deal with."
Galen started to say something and she cut him off, "Height, width, breadth, time, possibility and probability. You go through them all the time. With out those last two your 'magic' as you know it wouldn't work. So just keep your shorts on," she leered a little, and winked. "Unless you want to take them off. Anyway, since I am here now I can see energy flows. I can tap, redirect and alter currents and eddies of power like you might wave a hand to disrupt smoke coming from the next booth. Excuse me."
She slid out from the booth and leaned into the nearby one. "Want to put out that stogey, Smokey Joe? I like to taste my beer not your burning leaves!"
The troll seated there took exception to her attitude and swung a fist at her. She leaned back just enough to let it miss her and pulled the attached arm to throw him onto the floor. Bob started to shout and the two of them stood back from each other and then slowly went back to their seats.
Zayn knocked the table, "It’s a skill with some specific applications, but not all of them are immediately obvious. Let me get another round."
As Zayn slipped out again, there was a horrible smell of burning flesh and the shouts of the troll saying he had been burned. Zayn dropped a drink on the Troll's table and smiled sweetly before slipping back into her booth with Galen and Alessa.
Galen cleared his throat, reaching out to take hold of his fresh beer and then settling for just resting his hands on the table. He shook his head, trying to process everything that he’d heard along side the rest of what he already knew.
“I don’t want this to sound like an interrogation er… Zayn,” he said after a moment, “but I knew Tash and Victor for a couple of years and I don’t think they ever mentioned you. As for this Tempest… well I barely knew him to be honest, but he was there the night we went to rescue my wife – Kate, and the Cloch Cosan almost wiped out Poplar Avenue. It was pretty rough. We could have really used you in that. If you don't mind my asking, why weren't you there?"
Zayn smiled sweetly, there were a lot of things she missed between helping Tempest and tonight, but that was the past. She began to tell her tale. " I was not the only one who was aware of the small group who were opposing the Aetolus and the Beazor demons. Kain became concerned at the number of allies that were coming together against him..."
***Flashback***
February 19th, 2005
LOS ANGELES
Zayn looked out of the floor-to-ceiling windows of her bedroom yet again. Her encounters with the Battle Fiend Victor and his friends Tempest and Tash had left her feeling drained. *These beings with their worldly concerns and linear thinking. It is like dealing with children at times.*
Still, the Cloch Cosan and the resultant Nether Arch was a cosmic-level threat that was unpredictable even at the best of times. She should be there to help. Her abilities would be more than useful in redirecting the energy of the arch away from the chaos that it was capable of spawning.
She looked over at the computer on the desk and mentally directed it to scan through the ridiculously simple web-like connections of the thing the humans called the Internet. The email address she used didn't go anywhere in particular but her senses could discern it from any messages that would go anywhere. The computer, itself a grid-like tangle of power and energy flows, obeyed without question.
As Zayn closed her mind and let her body began to disappear, a disturbing jolt in the fabric of space yanked her back into the ever-so-flat and useless reality of the moment. A voice with culture and refinement and a hint of tweed said, "Good afternoon, my dear. How is the once-renown-but-now-forgotten Zayn Jae'vex?"
"Cups, you bastard," she hissed at the slightly rounded man in the tweed suit and bowler hat who stood in the centre of her bedroom. Behind him was a tall and solid looking man in a pitch-black kimono. The Japanese warrior (for his stance spoke of years of training and discipline) had a serene look upon his face and his katana and wakisazi nestled in the waistband of his coat. His coat was adorned by the unmistakable icon of Wolfram and Hart.
"Miss Vex, Mr. Swords and I are merely messengers bearing a reminder of the obligation you owe to the Partners for securing your presence here as a viable entity in this continuum rather than the non-existence of the void. They have been patient for these last twenty years, but such debts do so grow with neglect."
Zayn walked towards Cups and looked down on the shorter man with contempt. "You are bill collectors. I was told I could pay any time I wanted without penalty."
Mr. Cups shrugged and turned and walked out of the bedroom and into the dining area. Swords followed him with such grace that the silken hem of his black kimono hardly rippled. Zayn waited a moment before following. *Damn that Cups, he plays us all like chess pieces.*
When she reached them, Cups had removed his jacket and was wearing an apron with tea-pots on it. On the table was a full afternoon tea with clotted cream and scones. A three-layer tray of cucumber sandwiches and treats of all colours waited for the three of them to enjoy.
"My lovely girl," Mr. Cups said, clearly enjoying her bristling at the pet name. "You can pay at any time. Pay in full with no hard feelings and no residual debt. But you also cannot be as picky about how you pay. The senior partners have summoned you once to deal with the soulled vampire Angel and you refused. They asked you to intervene in the death of the Slayer in nearby Sunnydale and you refused. They asked you to stop the dimensional abomination known as the Cloch Cosan and we find that you are actually helping a group of local heroes to open the damn thing."
Zayn stood with her arms crossed waiting for the wind-bag Cups to finish, "Your point?"
"My point; Zayn Jae'vex, former Celestial Power, former of the court of the Oracle, former multi-dimensional entity, mortal, outcast, client of Wolfram and Hart; is that you are being asked again to stop interfering in the affairs of those above you and leave the meddling in these events to the Wolf, Ram and Hart. Do this and you shall be let off the hook – your debt will be cancelled. Continue, and we shall be forced to intervene on behalf of the Senior Partners."
Zayn stood and stared into the dark voids of Cups' eyes while she considered her choices. She had nothing invested in these mortals but she could divine even through the chaos of the Nether Arch that the small group of heroes wouldn't need her to defeat the threat. If she could see it, so could the Partners. If she walked away she was out of hock with the Wolf, Ram and Hart…those contemptuous dealmakers who were always playing the odds. They were gamblers with fate and they were opposed to both the Fates and the Oracles.
So why make a fuss about it? What did the Partners stand to gain by keeping her out of the fight? What would be her role in the fight? Her divination didn't work when she looked at her own line. She was always the outsider – unable to see her own fate. She was the only person whose involvement in the Cloch Cosan she could not predict the effect. Then it hit her. She was the key. Something would happen to her if she participated in the event. Something would change her in some way. She did not need to divine her fate to see it all fall into place.
Cups and Swords must have seen her realisation. She never even saw Swords' strike before she felt his Katana slice its way through her ribcage. It wasn't instantly fatal it was so fast. Mr. Swords stood there with sword extended for a moment as his chi drained with the strike and Zayn seized it. Swords reacted like a fish hooked on a line and jerked back from her but she held onto the line of energy that ran from Swords' centre.
She pulled his energy into herself. Swords began to unravel from reality, after all he and Cups were both fabrications of the Senior Partners. She was too for that matter, but Swords was still connected to them – an extension of them. She pulled more and she felt the chi drain from Swords into her: a silvery line that filled her with cold, heartless and dark energy.
Cups saw what was happening, withdrew one of his steely knives and hacked at the silver cord that was invisible to the eye. But his power was over mortal life not the lives of those without souls so his wild flailing was useless. He hacked at her, but the energies that filled her ever faster were capable of healing her form and repairing the fabric of her being faster than he could wound her.
He briefly extended some of his power in an attempt to stop her but as she greedily snapped at it and missed. He withdrew. She began to glow with a black aura and the head of the Wolf turned to her through the flickering form of Swords. Its yellowed eyes were full of fear. This is what they wanted to avoid. If she could tap into the energy of the Cloch Cosan she would have become a god again. A god of Chaos and Pain. Competition.
Now she would become a replacement for them. She would drain them all through their puppet and she would be the one and only Senior Partner. She would—
The puppet's strings got cut as soon as she realised what was happening. Cups had left and Swords – or rather the gooey mush that was left of him – remained. Zayn Jae'vex had had a taste of what it would mean to be a god once more. She had been granted a glimmer of the power she was forever to be denied in this plane. She would go to the Cloch Cosan, drain it of every iota of the Seelie power that the Sidhe had built into it and use that as the first step towards reclaiming her rightful place among the Celestials.
In that moment as she raised her eyes towards the setting sun she saw Mr. Cups in the street below. He made a final gesture and the earth opened up in one of the many Californian earthquakes and swallowed her, her condo, her 426 hemi Baracuda, and all of her neighbours. The Senior Partners made certain that the hole was very deep and that the debris was thoroughly crushed.
***End of Flashback***
"So you see that if Kain hadn't sent his goonboys over to my place to keep me from helping I'd have been there right along side you." she finished.
Galen remembered the Beazor demons as being somewhat indestructible. If there were 'four or five' of them then I can see how that might have hampered your involvement, but it doesn't explain where you've been for the last two years since."
Alessa finally grasped some of what was being said and blurted out, “Victor… wasn’t he Tash’s husband?” She rubbed her eyes and looked at her booth companions, forcing herself to concentrate. “You were part of their group, then?”
"Yep, Vrithetek. The G'rnathan Battle fiend. Not that anyone here would know that unless he told you. I mean, really, they hadn't been to this plane in over 10,000 years before he showed up. Got married to Tash did he? Gods help us. Love does indeed conquer all, even demons."
Galen took his beer in his hand this time, taking a long gulp. “Yeah… right.”
"Don't look so glum there, Ranger. You know that there's a lovely lady waiting for you back home, right? Or right here, if you get bored. Frankly love is too easy a word to say and too easy not to mean. There’s a lot more self-delusion in the world than love. And really, when you come right down to it, that's what wins in the end isn't it?"
Her two companions looked at her with undisguised disgust. "What? You really believe in that love crap?"
“I'm in love,” Alessa answered the woman, suddenly feeling elated. Her face softened in a smile and her eyes turned greener.
“Yeah and Ellis is gonna love the state that you’re in when I take you home.” Galen sighed, turning his attention back to Zayn. “Look, the truth is that they’re gone, dead – or as good as. Victor, Tash, Tempest…” he bit his lip, holding himself back from adding Kate’s name to that list. She wasn’t dead, she was coming back, he just didn’t know when.
“I don’t know how close you were to any of them but I’m sorry. There was no easy way of saying it.”
Zayn considered how to react. She had known this all of course but had let it sort of drift to this point. She went with incredulity. "No way! All of them? Tempest was one of the toughest fighters I ever saw. Tash had enough savvy to take on monsters a lot tougher than her, and I really thought Victor was indestructible. Who killed them? What killed them?"
Galen struggled to sum it up. "Entropy. The bad guys wore them down."
”Y se hizo la luz!” Alessa said happily, when both Galen and Zayn looked at her with puzzled eyes, she giggled. It was just too funny. “And the light was! What? You never read Asimov?”
Galen shook his head, gesturing to Bob as he kept a baleful eye fixed on their booth. “Can we get some coffee over here or something?”
Bob grunted a reply, rolling his eyes. “What do I look like fucking Starbucks?”
Alessa cocked her head, studying the balding bartender, “I’d say you look more like Adama, but that’d be calling Lorne Greene ugly.” She threw her tongue at the man. Then she looked at Zayn again, she was feeling a little more clear headed, but only a little. “So you’re a good guy too, she giggled again, “Or a good girl, we need good girls, don’t we, Galen?”
“The White Hats need you,” she said, with her best ‘Uncle Sam’s’ tone, not waiting for his answer.
Galen pulled a pencil out of his pocket and turned over the driest beer mat on the table. He still wasn’t sure what to make of Zayn, from what he’d seen she appeared to be a law unto herself – picking fights for no good reason and also somewhat mercenary if the run-in with the sewageraptors was any indication. But if Tash and Victor had decided to trust her…
“We’re not in the habit of picking up strange people in bars…” his eyes flickered in Zayn’s direction, “no offence. But we’re in an unusual situation and like Alessa said, we could do with a few more good people willing to fight.”
Again his gaze drifted up, “no pressure.” The 'cop' part of Galen's brain still had nagging questions, however. In time, perhaps he'd get all the answers.
Quickly he jotted down several details on the back of the beer mat. “I’m sure you know the address, but it’s here plus my cell number if you need backup or decide you’d like to meet.” He slid the mat across the table. “We’d like to hear from you sometime.”
Zayn took the coaster and pulled out one of her cards. She handed it over to Galen. "I’ll be in touch and take care of that Verbati. She's a good friend to have. And Galen," Zayn said with a twinkle in her eye, "Avoid dogs for a while."
Talking to Bob
Bob’s Bar
11th October 2007
9:23pm
After Zayn made her excuses and left, Galen finished his beer, hoping to give Alessa a little more chance to sober up before he took her home. Even so, Bob’s wasn’t the kind of place that he wanted to spend any longer than necessary and so, draining the last dregs from the bottle, he set it down on the table and rose to his feet.
He looked at Alessa, slumped back in the booth, her head resting on the battered wooden panel and sighed, trying to assess the best way to manoeuvre her out of there so that he could carry her. He’d barely got one arm looped under hers when he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. Galen’s spine turned rigid, fully aware of the kind of clientele Bob’s attracted. So some half-drunken vampire or demon had decided they looked like a good late night snack had they? He’d see about that.
Releasing his hold on Alessa, he let her sink back down on to the seat with a mumbled groan before quickly reaching for his half-cocked pistol and whirling around to meet whoever had interrupted him.
“WOAH! Hey!!” cried Bob when he found himself staring down the barrel of the other man’s gun. He threw his hands up in the air, taking a step back. “Fucking hell! Put that thing away would you! Gonna give a guy a heart attack.”
Galen holstered his pistol but remained alert. “What do you want Bob?”
Bob scratched the back of his scrawny neck, his eyes wandering to the hot demoness half-unconscious in the booth. “I heard about what happened to Kate, guess it didn’t take you long to get over your grief and move on huh?”
Galen looked back at Alessa, a deep scowl forming across his face as he turned back to Bob. “She’s a friend and-“ he stopped, his frown deepening, “and why am I even attempting to explain myself to you? It’s not like my personal life is any of your damn business.”
“Hey,” Bob grabbed the man’s shoulder again as he turned away, “look I like Kate, always have she’s a-“
“Yes,” growled Galen menacingly as he whipped around to face Bob a second time. “I heard just how fond you are of my wife.”
“You… you heard about that huh?” Bob retracted his hand and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly again. “Look what can I say? Kate’s a charming woman, pretty damn hot too, I’d be an idiot if I didn’t at least try my luck right?”
Bob’s use of the present tense didn’t pass by Galen idly, not when practically everyone he knew talked about Kate like she was dead and buried. It made him stop short, his stomach lurching slightly as though he’d just been punched.
“-but hell, that girl is devoted to you, more’s the pity,” continued Bob. “I heard you went looking for her when she went missing? Must have travelled half the world and back again. No luck huh?”
Galen’s eyes narrowed defensively. “And what would you know about it?”
“Hey, I’m not saying anything, if I had a wife like Kate… well lets just say I’d have a hard time finding an excuse to come to work every day. Can I just ask, I mean it’s something I’ve always wondered…” Bob leaned in closer, wrapping a conspiratorial arm about Galen’s shoulders.
“When you’re-“ he made a gyrating motion of his hips to indicate sex, “-does the magic thing ever come into it? I mean I’ve always wondered what a witch might be like in the sack, you know with all those pent-up energies… must get kinda wild.”
Galen squeezed his eyes shut tight in exasperation, removing Bob’s arm from his shoulder and giving him a rough shove backwards. “Is there a point to all this or are you just wanting to piss me off? ‘Cos let me tell you, I might not really be in the mood for kicking your ass but I’d be willing to make an exception after the night I’ve just had.”
“Hey, hey!” cried Bob, throwing his hands up in the air. “No need to go all Die Hard on me man, I was only asking! Thought you might want to throw a bone my way, we could talk about something else if you like. I always wanted to know what kind of panties she likes to wear. I always imagined red, something silky – just seems that type you know? Sexy but real classy like, with a wild edge.”
At the angry flare of Galen’s eyes, Bob threw up his hands again defensively. “What? Am I wrong? Is she a traditional black lace and suspenders kind of gal or perhaps something exotic like a satin animal print thong?”
Galen fought back the urge to punch Bob in the face. “Did you really stop me to discuss the contents of my wife’s lingerie draw or was there something else swimming around in that perverted little mind of yours – wait a minute, I really don’t want to know the answer to that.”
Taking a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet, Galen tucked it in the other man’s shirt pocket. “Here, go find yourself a cheap hooker and treat yourself to a blow-job. I think you need it.”
As Galen turned back to Alessa, Bob laid a hand on his shoulder again. “No, wait, okay sorry, I got kind of side-tracked there but there was a reason I wanted to talk to you. If we could sit down, order a couple of drinks, I’ll tell you…”
Galen glanced at Alessa who mumbled a string of barely audible sounds before tucking her hands under her cheek and drifting back off to sleep. He sighed. Was he interested in a damn word that Bob had to say? No, but he was desperate enough to hear anything that he had to say when it came to his wife. Against his better judgement, Galen nodded his head.
A few minutes later Bob dumped a couple of glasses on the table along with a bottle of whisky. Galen had taken the time to lay Alessa out fully on the bench and select a table just a few feet away so that he could keep an eye on her while she slept.
“This better not take long,” he warned as Bob filled the two glasses and sat down.
“Geez, a little gratitude would be nice bud,” said Bob with a roll of his eyes as he sipped his whisky, “I’m giving this to you for free, anyone else I’d charge the standard rate for info like this but… well this is for Kate so I’m making an exception – just this once.”
“I’ll hear what you have to say before I decide whether it’s worth my gratitude,” snapped Galen, taking hold of his glass but not raising it to his lips.
“Fine, whatever,” Bob grumbled, already regretting his decision to approach the man. What a hot babe like Kate saw in him he’d never know. “You remember about a year ago, when Kate came over to see me about The Brotherhood…”
“I hadn’t forgotten.”
Bob’s face reddened. “I wasn’t talking about that.”
“Then-“
“-Something I heard, about your father-in-law actually. Word back then was that he’d been seen hanging around a couple of guys from The Ministry of Magic – you know who that is right?” At Galen’s nod he continued. “Yeah, right sure you do, like you Majestic agents, they’re all about high morals and moralistic virtues but with little conscience for how to go about doing it.”
Galen scoffed. “You’re gonna give me a lecture on conscience?”
“You’re kinda missing the point,” stressed Bob, articulating his words firmly with an audible amount of irritation. “I told Kate about it when she came to see me that time, lets just say it was another one of my ‘pathetic attempts’ to get her into bed – which, before you start going all paranoid husband on me again, didn’t work.”
“Wow thank you for clearing that up, Bob,” chuckled Galen sarcastically, “because I was really starting to get worried for a second there.”
Bob grumbled a retort under his breath but thought better than to say it outloud, especially since he was sick of having his nose broken – he was such a regular down at the ER they were starting to make jokes about him owning shares and having his own designated bed.
“Wait,” said Galen suddenly, his face taking on a thoughtful expression. “This was… when? August last year, right?”
“Right – long time huh? Think there might be more to it now do you?” Bob chuckled. “How much did dear old dad actually tell you? Told you how he used to work for them did he? How he was head of their experimental division? Capturing live subjects for a spot of DNA splicing and some genetic engineering whatnot?”
Galen flinched. He most certainly had NOT told him that last part. “How much do you know about them? This Ministry.”
“Not much. They tend to close ranks on anyone outside the agency.”
Galen leaned forwards across the table. “But what do they do?”
“Another lousy do-gooders association like the Watchers, possibly older though it’s hard to tell. They get their ya-ya’s from saving the world like the rest but… they also have a bit of a reputation when it comes to methods, and once they set their sights on a possible recruit they don’t usually let up until they get what they want. WHO they want.”
“You think they had an interest in Kate?”
“Heh, they’d have to be mad not to…” at Galen’s stony glare Bob shrugged and cleared his throat. “Well that is, she’s from their neck of the woods right? Working for Sindell she’s bound to have come onto their radar at some point. Probably been tailing her for years if you ask me.”
“Then… she really is alive…”
Bob laughed, picking up his glass and draining the last dregs of whisky. “Let me guess everyone thinks you’re crazy? Hanging onto the dim hope that she’s still out there somewhere. Well… sometimes a bit of crazy is a good thing.”
Bob chuckled quietly to himself. “If I were you, I’d talk to that father-in-law of yours again. And this time, I’d make sure I got the truth.”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Oct. 11, 2007. 9:35 PM
Bob's Bar
As much as Adam hated to be in such shitholes as Bob's bar, and especially without his half-breed girlf, there were a few things he needed corroboration on. And he was pissed he'd have to take his break time to do it. He put a five on the bar and snapped, "Vodka." the place was falling apart, peeling the hell away, and totally in disarray. Posters for old porno movies, from the '30s, even, decorated the walls, the fluorescent lights had started to flicker when he walked in, a la David Lynch, and the cigarette machine was broken. Adam wished he could take control of this place. But then, people weren't here for the atmosphere. Bob finally worked his way over with Adam's drink, and said, "Aw, shit, not you again. Whaddaya need me for?"
"Corroboration." Adam stated simply. One hand strayed to his back, where Lady Death was shoved in the waist of his pants. "Pure and simple, paisan. I got some interesting leads on what the innocents don't know about when some execs got drunk, and I wanna know what you've heard about housecleaning recently. Housecleaning and...buses, I think. Yes, I need you to tell me all about those. The lambs are gonna be screaming soon if nothing's done. "
Bob sneered at him. " 'Zat a threat, you poofy-haired asshole? I got friends...."
"I know all about your friends." Adam said, cutting him off, "and what they're capable of. People talk, I listen. It's my job. But your friends aren't going to do anything to me. It's kind of against their principles. So give me what I want and I'll go away. All I want to know about is who and where the bus is."
Adam was clearly starting to get a little angry with Bob. Bob deflated. "All right. Word is, that bus you heard about pulled into South Central earlier this month. Carrying someone nasty from Port Exeter."
"This has to do with the freighter at the beach, right? The black one?"
"What? What the hell is this?"
"The Black Freighter. A dead crew. The story's familiar. Look, you don't need to know. What about the housecleaning?"
"Three John Does found in a dumpster in Downtown. Someone thought they weren't useful. I'm guessing it's a corporate thing."
"Good job. I'm assuming you want half the load from my distro?"
"Seventy-five/twenty-five, dickbreath. That was prime stuff you got right there."
Adam finished his drink and laughed. "Fuck you, man." he said. He flipped the glass upside-down and put a microtape on top of it. "That's all the blackmail shit. We're almost even. You give up stuff when I need some, and I call it square." he looked around the bar. "And would it kill you to put up an Inseminoid poster? That was the shit, I swear."
He looked at the half-conscious woman in the booth.
"On second thought, I want you to act as my distro for whatever the hell she had, and we can go back to haggling over my supply of alcohol for verification. Deal?"
"Whatever." Bob said.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Monday, 15th October 2007
11:24pm
Kate checked her watch; it was the fifth time she’d done it that night.
“Where is she?”
“She’ll be here,” grumbled Zola, “it’s just a matter of time.”
Kate paced the length of the alleyway, her shoes making a soft clacking sound against the concrete. Her eyes drifted across the garbage to where the body of Lanie Brown lay, bound, gagged… motionless. She was eight, just like the others had been – a runaway too which meant nobody would be looking for her, and if they were, wouldn’t be too shocked if she turned up dead. The streets of LA were no place for children.
For the past four days the three witches had tracked Bàthory, gradually closing in on her and driving her towards this part of the city. Each night they’d restricted her hunting ground, setting wards and traps to constrict her movements. For the past four nights Bàthory had not fed – at least, not from anything bigger than a sewer rat or the occasional stray alley cat. Tonight she must be almost frantic with the need to feed.
Lanie Brown was their bait – the equivalent of laying out a bucket of fried chicken to a homeless bum. Though it was a crude and loathsome scheme it was also the one most likely to bring their vampire out into the open. The smell of the child’s fresh blood was something that Bàthory would not be able to walk away from easily.
At least… that was the plan.
“I don’t think she’s going to show up,” observed Kate with a sigh, catching a glimpse of her distorted reflection in a nearby trash can. She frowned for a moment and then remembered that she’d cast a glamour at the instruction of the Professor. Not that Kate could imagine who might recognise her – sure she’d lived in LA once but that was years ago, as a child.
Flicking back her long blond waves, she sighed again. “This was too obvious, even for her.”
“Maybe we just…” Zola removed a knife from her belt, flipping it between her hands. Her eyes travelled across the alley to the child who lay tied and unconscious on the floor. “If just we let a little more blood…”
“We’ve done enough already,” said Kate firmly, stepping in Zola’s path. “If Bàthory’s nearby she’ll have already picked up the scent, now she’ll just be deciding whether it’s worth her trouble.”
“Or if she’s hungry enough to take the chance,” sounded Su Ling from her position, perched upon an upturned beer crate.
“She’ll show,” said Zola again, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her blade. “Just wait.”
And wait they did and it was not long before a creature of the night stumbled into their trap – Problem was, it was the wrong creature of the night.
Silently prowling the rooftops of one of LA’s grungier districts, Darian moved with purpose. In the recent weeks, several children had been brutally murdered, and from reports, it was definitely of demonic origin. After the second victim’s name had showed up in the paper, he’d vowed to find whoever or whatever it was and make sure it didn’t kill again – that was six kids ago and he was no further along in finding the culprit. That was until tonight, when his acute senses picked up the faint whimpering of a child down below.
Nimbly balancing on the edge of the building, Darian scanned the dark alleyway. Sure enough, his eyes confirmed his ears suspicions; there, lying gagged and bound amidst the garbage beneath him was a helpless little girl. He was so quick to jump down to her rescue that Darian hadn’t even noticed the three strange women lingering at the edge of the alley.
*Thissss doessn’t ssseem ssstrange to you; a captive chillllld withhh no captor?*
Darian ignored the voice in his head as he rushed to the girl’s aid. Although he was never that cautious, when it came to children his protective instinct generally overrode all common sense.
“Hey, hey it’s okay,” he said softly as he leant over the girl’s trembling form. “Everything is going to be alright.”
“Well, well, what do we have here?” cooed Zola, stepping out from the shadows, her eyes slowly taking in the fine figure of a man crouched over their bait.
“Pretty,” smiled Su Ling, “very pretty.”
“Fae,” Kate corrected as she narrowed her eyes upon the new arrival. His genus was unmistakable even at night and from such a distance. Muscular, well-built body with high sculptured cheekbones and vibrant purple eyes, even his skin seemed to glow with an inner luminosity in the dim moonlight. Sidhe blood and no mistake.
“Half-blood,” she added, taking a step closer, “but still fae.”
The others recoiled slightly at the news, though managed to maintain their authoritative stance. A half-blood fae was not as dangerous as a pure-blood sidhe, but there was no sense in letting confidence override caution. Many half-bloods merely possessed the extraordinary physical attributes of their otherworldly kin, though some also retained the power of their fae side – in other words, magic.
“So Emily Watson was right, Bàthory does have an accomplice,” snarled Zola, pointing her finger at the man. “Sent you to do her dirty work did she? Tell me wretch, where is your mistress?”
Darian had only just begun untying the girl’s restrains when the voice had cut through the darkness. *Shit.*
“Hey, hey wake up,” he urged, giving the child a nudge before turning his attention from the young girl to the new arrivals. There were three of them, all women in their mid twenties he gathered, and all quite beautiful. Stranger still, was that they weren’t vampires, or even demons for that matter… they were much worse. Judging from the fields of mystical energy swarming over the three, he had to conclude that they were witches.
The fae’s face went stone cold as he stood to his full height and took a menacing step towards them. “I don’t know who you are, or what the hell you mean by ‘my mistress’ but I do know that if you don’t let me untie this girl you are going to have a big problem on your hands.”
“Don’t play dumb now,” growled Zola with a grin, already uttering the beginnings of a binding incantation beneath her breath as she matched the man’s step forwards. “We talked to several of your victims, they described you perfectly, don’t tell me there are two tall dark and handsome supernatural types knocking around Los Angeles… my girlish heart won’t be able to take it.”
“And if you want the child,” added Kate, summoning a fireball in the palm of her hand as a precaution, “then you’re going to have to fight all three of us.”
*They harnessss great magic. Leave the girlllll; you are out matched.*
*No!* Darian responded internally, temporarily shutting up his dark side as he assessed the situation.
“Well if it’s a fight you want,” he began before his body magically vanished into the darkness of the alleyway, “then it’s a fight you’ll get.”
Before the girls knew what had happened, the shadows pulled back their veils revealing directly in front of Zola.
“Sister, watch out!” Kate shouted, but it was too late. With inhuman reflexes, Darian’s foot planted itself firmly in the witch’s gut, sending her flying backwards. Su Ling was quick to react, already conjuring up a spell. But the fae was faster still. Extending his palm in her direction, he summoned a great blast of wind. The elements lifted the Asian witch from the ground, knocking her painfully into the brick wall of the adjacent building.
Woooshhhh
The deadly fireball whizzed past Darian’s head as he flipped towards the last target. The blonde was summoning another fireball, but he put a stop to it, grabbing both her hands in his vice like grip. He was about to throw his captive over to the other fallen witches when something threw his concentration. Now that he was standing right next to her, he could see the magics of a glamour swirling around her, hiding away her red hair and pale skin.
*It cant be.*
Darian leaned in closer, concentrating on seeing past the illusion, and for just a brief second, he swore he saw Kate’s face in full concentration as she struggled to free herself from his hold.
“Kate?”
Kate blinked in surprise, a knock-back spell falling silent on her lips. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, a frown spreading across her forehead. Not only had this fae seen past her glamour but…
“You know me?”
No sooner were the words spoken than a ball of white energy flew past Kate and slammed into the young man’s chest. He sailed through the air with the force, crash landing in a pile of garbage on the other side of the alley.
Zola strode forwards followed by Su Ling, the two witches jostling past a stunned Kate to stand over the dazed fae.
“Not looking so powerful now, are we?” she grinned, another ball of white energy glowing in her hand. “I’ll give you the first for free but any more you’re going to have to pay for. Now…” she hoisted the fae off the ground and slammed him back against the wall. Zola held the ball of paralysing magics close against his face. “Where is your mistress, and if you fuck around with me a second time I’m going to stop playing nice.”
“Go to hell!”
“Wrong answer,” smiled Su Ling, grabbing hold of his right hand and slamming it against the wall. With her free hand she removed a plain handled blade and with one quick strike jammed it through his palm and into the wall, the blade sinking easily through his flesh and the soft mortar of the wall.
“If you want to be a martyr,” Zola cooed above his cries of pain, “we’ll treat you as one.” She sneered viscously, looking the man up and down. “I’d expect a low life like Bàthory to be capable of slaughtering helpless children, it’s in her nature after all. But you… that’s what really makes me sick – she’s a vampire, she knows no better, but you? Does she own you? Is that it? Some kind of favour or blood-oath?”
“Stop,” said Kate quietly, taking a small step forward. All she could think about was that look of recognition in the fae's eyes followed by his utterance… Kate? Had he really recognised her or had it simply been a trick? He could have read her mind or…
No. No, she hadn’t sensed anything like that, his surprise had been genuine she would have felt anything else.
“Stop!” she said again, louder this time as her sisters continued their torture methods in a bid to get the man to talk. Already Kate could hear the beginnings of a suffocation spell leaving Su Ling’s mouth; soon he would be struggling for breath, his face turning blue…
Kate strode towards the other two women, grabbing Zola by the arm and dragging her back. “I said STOP!” she shouted, “he knows me! He knows who I am!” she explained hastily, “I have to talk to him.”
While Kate was addressing her ‘sisters’, another conversation was going on in Darian’s head.
*Give yourselllf over to usss, we have ssssaved you in the passsst and we can sssave you now.*
*No, I’m not giving in to you, not again*
[ *You’re sssso tired, we can feellll it. It issss ssso sssimple, let ussss lllloossse and you can ressst.*
*Rest? Rest…I cant…but I’m so tired….the pain….no…*
[*Yessss*
Darian’s body went limp; the only thing keeping him upright was the knife through his palm. Since the fae seemed rather harmless now, the two witches took a momentary break in their assault to let Kate talk. She strode forwards, taking hold of his chin in her fingers and lifting his head up to face her.
“How do you know me?”
The man didn’t move, and for a second she thought that maybe he had passed out from the pain.
“How do you know me?” she repeated anxiously, “how do you know my name!?”
The man had yet to move when an eerie laugh began pouring from his lips. The women released her hold on him and took a step back. Transfixed, she watched as he slowly raised his head, a large grin plastered on his now distorted face. His ears and nose appeared more pointed, the skin that seemed to glow with inner light was now stained with a dark indigo and his once human eyes now glimmered with sinister malevolence.
“We feel thissss isssnt the time to discusss sssuch mattersss littlllle witch.”
Before they had time to process the change, the knife holding the faery in place crumpled into black rose petals which he quickly snatched from the air and threw at Zola. The woman shrieked as the flowers danced around her, turning back and forth between harmless petals and stinging insects.
“Dark fae…” mumbled Kate uneasily, taking several more wary steps backwards. Everything about the man had changed, turning his previous demeanour into a torrent of black energies… either he was a very good liar or…
“Possessed?” she whispered softly, glancing at Zola as, with an angry snarl she batted away the insects, burning them up in a burst of fire.
The momentary lapse in the witches’ concentration gave Evexus time to work his spells. As if conducting some unseen choir, he began waving around his index fingers in the air while humming a dreary tune. As the song grew louder the women knew it was too late. All it took was three graceful flicks of his wrists, and the girls went hurtling in all directions
”Weeee, llllike llittllle dollllls to plllay with,” he giggled as he skipped down the alley only to jump up on a large trashcan to get a better view of his diabolical show. Zola and Su Ling were already back on their feet and, in unison, already launching balls of white, paralysing energy.
The faery squealed in glee as he continued his melody and, with his baton like fingers, commanded the attacking balls to redirect themselves. A second later, the spells meant for him instead slammed into the assaulting witches.
”Up and Down, over and through, back around the joke’sss on you!”
Kate had only just gotten back to her feet when Evexus turned his sights on her. She only had time to register his creepy grin before, with another gesture of his fingers, she was pulled through the air towards his outstretched had.
While one hand tightened its grip around her neck, the other hand closed around the hilt of a sword that had just appeared out of thin air. “Thisss dolll isss hiding behind too many disguisssesss,” itsss time to ssstrip sssome of them away.”
*NO!!*
Unable to free herself, Kate closed her eyes, expecting the ebony blade the cut through her flesh at any moment, but surprisingly the pain never came. In fact, when she opened her eyes, she realised the fae wasn’t even holding her anymore but was instead stumbling backwards, as if wrestling with some invisible attacker. Finally he regained his composure, and Kate was surprised to see that the sword was gone and his features were back to normal.
The man looked confused, surveying the situation before his eyes met hers. The two lingered there; caught up in each others questioning stare until the groans of Lanie Brown’s stirring shattered the moment.
Both Darian and Kate turned their attention on the girl, but when Kate turned back to the man, he was already bounding down the alley. In one swift motion, he scooped up the terrified girl and leapt upwards onto the nearest rooftop, disappearing from view.
Kate took several running steps after him before she stopped, turning back to her sisters who lay writhing in pain on the ground. They needed her most right now.
As she attended to Zola and Su Ling however, healing their wounds and sitting with them while they returned to their senses, she couldn’t help but think about the fae, perhaps he was the key, the one she was looking for that would finally help her regain her memory.
She had to find him again.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Location Static – Streets of Los Angeles
11th October 2007
11:38pm
Alessa shuddered. It was cold. That was all she could think of at the moment. And what was that sound, a small cracking? *Oh, that must be my teeth. Cold. Windy and cold, where the hell am I?* Unconsciously, she fought the chill by growing a short pelt all over her body, as she braced herself and opened her eyes.
She was in the back seat of a car, that much was clear, with all four windows rolled down – no wonder it was cold! She straightened in the seat and looked around, small lights dancing in front of her eyes. They looked like the girl’s eyes… what was her name? Zayn. They looked like Zayn’s eyes. Alessa tried to catch one of the lights and almost fell off the seat. She giggled and regained her balance with some difficulty.
“Alessa?” Galen glanced in his rear view mirror as more giggling, girlish laughter followed. He shivered and turned up the heater, readjusting the fans so that they blowed directly on himself. It was a cold night, not the type to have the windows rolled down even in LA, but it was the only thing he’d been able to think of to sober Alessa up. She’d still been asleep, no, comatose, as he’d carried her out of Bob’s and laid her on the backseat of his car.
Taking a second glance in the mirror, his eyes focused on the Verbati as she reared her head, looking around woosily. He grinned. “Awake, finally, geez Alessa… I thought you’d gone into hibernation or something.”
At that, Alessa burst into another pearl of laughter. “What am I? A bear?” She manoeuvred between the seats to take her place next to Galen, making him almost lose control of the car at her sudden movement. “Oops, sorry,” she said, when she finally sat down next to him and started to roll up the windows. “What were you trying to do, chill me to death?”
“Well actually Alessa,” smiled Galen as he noticed the coating of fur that covered the woman’s skin. “You’re looking very bear like right now.”
“And who’s to blame?” she retorted, winking. She felt very light headed, and uncommonly happy. Taking a hand to her head, she rubbed her brow. “What the hell happened to me, Galen? Did you take advantage of this poor woman and got me drunk?”
Galen kept his eyes on the road as he talked. “Apparently, sewageraptor’s saliva is somewhat hallucinogenic to demons, according to our enigmatic new friend Zayn. You must have…” he pulled a face, “ingested some…” his eyes glanced in Alessa’s direction, “better not to think of it I expect, needless to say that is one demon you don’t ever want to make out with.”
“You bet,” Alessa grimaced, thinking about the drooling demon, and then she laughed again. “Or maybe I would, this feels… quite well. If you don’t pay attention to the ghostly shadows in the windowpane…”
“Who you’re gonna call? The White Hats!!” she disintonated, leaning forward to try and catch the forms, without much more luck than before.
“Just sit down and relax there Yogi,” grinned Galen, laying a hand on Alessa’s furry shoulder.“Would you believe Zayn actually milked that stuff right out their mouths? Eugh, sold it to Bob too-”
Suddenly Galen’s smile faltered and he fell silent. Bob… the man’s words still drummed inside his head. The Ministry of Magic… Jack’s involvement… could he really believe any of it? Rubbing his weary face with one hand, Galen blinked several times as he focused his eyes on the bright red taillights of the car in front.
Alessa seemed to notice the change in her companion, and she rested her head in the seat, crossing her legs beneath her. “What is it, Galen?” she asked, squinting to see him as he lighted a cigarette. His face looked sad in the glow of the cigarette ember.
Galen grunted uncomfortably, rolling down the window a crack and blowing the smoke outside. He sighed heavily, that first kick of nicotine hitting his system.
“Kate,” he mumbled quietly, taking another draw from his cigarette. “Bob he… apart from being a complete fu-” he glanced at Alessa and then stopped, clearing his throat awkwardly. “Last year when Tash and Victor and the others went missing, Kate went to Bob – to see if he had any info on what was going down. Well… about that time Bob heard news about some guys that had just arrived in LA, from the Ministry of Magic.”
“The Ministry?” Alessa frowned. She knew of the Ministry, you couldn’t be an demon in your eighties and not have heard of them. Especially after hanging around watchers most of her life. They believed themselves some hot shots too, from what she had heard. “And what would the Ministry have to do with Kate?”
“Wish I knew,” admitted Galen soberly, turning the car off the main highway. “Bob said these guys were harsh recruiters – the kind that don’t take no for an answer.” He paused, inhaling on his cigarette again and billowing out a cloud of smoke.
“He said… he said Jack used to work for them, something about an experimental division, capturing and detaining live subjects. I… I knew the first part, I mean, before I went off looking for Kate he told me – just not about the rest.”
Alessa went silent for a few seconds, she was quickly sobering up, and this news helped. Kate was a powerful witch, if the Ministry were recruiting they could have taken her, of course. And that would explain why there were no more traces of her. They were good at covering their tracks. She shivered, and this time it wasn’t from the cold. This was just too similar to Delancre’s Council antics.
“Sounds like Delancre all over again,” she mused, not noticing she had spoken aloud.
Galen nodded, not removing his eyes from the road. “It… it would make it easier, in some respect. If they wanted her so badly then… well then they would take care of her, wouldn’t they? They’d want to protect her, if she meant so much to them.”
*Yeah, like Delancre took care of me* Alessa thought, but didn’t say. The pain and hope in the man’s voice was too clear to wreck his optimism.
“I guess,” she ventured instead. “Kate is a very powerful witch, if that’s why they’ve taken her, I'm sure they won't hurt her.” She looked at the white gates of her home and sighed. “I’ll tell Ellis about this, Galen. We’ll follow this clue, at least it gives us something to work on.”
“Thank-you,” said Galen, slowing the car down as the gates swung open. As he set off up the driveway he glanced at Alessa, noticing her shivering. “Still cold?”
“A little,” she lied, the truth was that talking of recruiting had gotten under her skin, her furry skin. “Even Yogi gets cold.” She leaned forward towards the windowpane and looked up. There was something in the sky, something glowing, but then disappeared. “Either I'm still high or that’s Oz up there,” she squinted, following the trail of the graceful lamps that lighted the driveway. “Nah, I'm still high.”
“Geez,” laughed Galen as he pulled the car to a stop out front the big house. “Ellis is gonna kill me, this’ll be the last time I take his girlfriend out patrolling… well at least you’re not injured, right?”
“Ellis may not be home yet, maybe you’ll be spared,” Alessa chuckled, stopping when the big oak door opened to greet them. “Oops, or maybe you won't.”
Galen opened the car door just as Ellis Longwood emerged on the front step, casually dressed in that impeccable manner that seemed to come naturally to the English, one hand half hanging out of the pocket of his slacks. His face, however, was far from casual, in fact he looked like a man who had been fretfully checking his watch for the best part of an hour, rising from his chair whenever he thought he heard a noise that even resembled a car engine.
“Evening Ellis,” said Galen with feigned easiness. He walked around the car and opened the door for Alessa, silently praying that she wouldn’t fall out on her ass.
As Galen leaned to take her hand, Alessa grinned and locked her eyes to his. “Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite… much,” she whispered, and was happy to see him smile back. She jumped out of the car with too much force and almost tripped and fell, straightening in the last moment with the help of Galen’s hand. Sobering up, she made a face at her saviour and turned to Ellis.
*My God, I should ask Bob about this drool,* she half joked to herself as she felt a rush of excitement at the sight of her lover. “Hello gorgeous,” she said, unable to help herself, and heard Galen groan behind her. “You surely look hot tonight.”
“Before you say anything,” said Galen quickly, as Ellis looked over Alessa’s shoulder at him. “This has nothing to do with me. We… had a run in with a rather interesting breed of sewer demon and…” he shrugged, “I’ve been reliably informed that it’ll wear off, though you may want to keep the aspirin on standby tomorrow morning.”
“I see,” he answered, turning to look at Alessa again. She looked rather exotic in her short pelt, and her excitement came to him in waves, he couldn’t avoid responding to it. But he also took in the closing wound in her arm and the rip in her skirt. He smiled, at least she was safe, the last hour had been excruciating, to say the least.
“A sewageraptor, I guess. It will wear off in the morning, but I'm sure it’ll be a long night.”
Alessa laughed and walked towards the house, “it better be, mi amor. A long, looong night.” She stopped at the door and turned to blow a kiss at Galen, laughing again at Ellis’ embarrassed expression before she entered the house.
Galen scratched the back of his neck a little awkwardly, smiling at Ellis as he watched Alessa retreat, swinging her hips and purring like a cat in heat.
“Um…” he said, closing the car door with a soft thud. “I’m gonna head off home myself, I’m sure you can… take care of things from here? Tell Alessa happy birthday from me… when she’s sober enough to understand that is.”
“Happy birthday?” Ellis attention snapped from his girlfriend to the man. “What do you mean?”
“Err…” Galen’s hand unconsciously moved to touch the back of his neck again. “Birthday? As in the day on which one celebrates their birth? As in tomorrow is Alessa’s birthday… I got to say, she scrubs up well for a senior citizen.”
“I didn’t know…” Ellis trailed off as he watched the empty entrance door. He felt betrayed, and guilty. He’d been a little moody the past few days, what with that demon hunter still on the loose and tomorrow… “She didn’t tell me.”
Galen shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I'm sure she had her reasons,” he said, uneasily.
*Yeah, like being the day Dray’chen got loose, and my mother’s death anniversary.* He thought, no wonder she'd kept it from him.
“Indeed, and I know what they are.” He turned to Galen again, noticing his uncomfortable expression. He smiled at the man, reassuringly, and extended his hand. “Don’t worry, you didn’t say anything wrong. And thank you for taking care of her.”
Galen smiled awkwardly, taking Ellis’ hand. “I think we both know that Alessa needs little taking care of, at least, not when patrolling that is.”
Jingling his car keys in his hand, Galen turned and opened the door to his Ford. “Well it’s getting late and I should head off home.” *Not that I have anything to go home to,* he thought darkly. “Again, tell Alessa to have a good day tomorrow, that’s assuming her head can take it.”
“I will,” Ellis answered, as he watched Galen enter his car and start it. He waited until the car lost itself in the night before he entered the house.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 13th
Off the coast of Norway
As the boat cut through the freezing waters of the north, the wind began to blow cutting through Darlome and he pulled is heavy jacket tighter around himself. Walking into the Fomorians camp was almost certainly suicide and he new it, he palmed at his sword wondering if it’d be enough to pierce the flesh of the giants - some stories claimed their skin was as hard as steel, others said as soft as a rotten corpse.
He had spent the previous day imbuing all of their weapons with magic, even the bullets were blessed by some dark god or another. James would have said that he wasn’t taking any chances in his blessing of weapons, but this was a big chance, a Life or Death chance, and he wasn’t about to let the fucker forget it when he brought him back to his state of mind
He looked over at the huge mass of mist which they were heading straight for “hope to fuck King Kong isn’t home.”
The sentence managed to get a chuckle from a few of the younger crew but the leader gave then a scornful look and turned his attention back to the matter at hand.
Darlome looked towards the leader with a scowl, something he’d neglected early had just popped into his mind. “Tell me…if it’s your job to protect the world from Fomorians, why are you taking me into their land, risking everyone being captured and giving them a chance to escape?”
The huge leader cracked a smile for the first time “ first of little man we call them the Jotun. The Irish are the ones who named them the Fomorians, and second you’re a mage, I would have thought you would have known better. They could build boats and easily escape if they so wished, there entire island is trapped in a magical time fold. Thousands of years may pass here and only half the time has passed there. It takes time for their spell casters to break it so that they can all pass though, but it is not difficult for one lone Fomorian with a boat and a spell to break through. That is why we guard it. For more than one to travel takes a terrible cost, so the Jotun think in the long term etching away at it slowly and without fail to come out in force.”
“And your grandmother knows mine, wouldn’t want to go against the wishes of the old mothers would we?”
That last phrase from the high and mighty leader got a chuckle out of Inés this time, but neither men paid her any attention. Not that it was something strange. Darlome had been barely civil to her in their travel to Norway, as if his attitude would change her mind. He didn’t know her well, obviously. She rolled her eyes and turned back to staring at the ocean, the freezing wind frosting her hair and fur. She still looked human, but a seal-like short pelt covered her body, protecting her from the cold. They had been sailing for about an hour now and she had isolated herself in the boat’s prow and made herself busy – or bored – watching the waters. The leader had said it wouldn’t take long, and she was curious about this magical island to appear.
But there was nothing ahead, nothing but steely grey waters reflecting a steely grey sky. It looked as if there was no sun up there too. The temperature was descending and the wind blew furiously, she felt ice grow on her, and took her furry hands to her lips, blowing on them to give them warmth. The waves hit the boat with increasing strength, rocking it dangerously. Inés wished the trip to finish, even if it meant facing the Fomorians – or Jotun – sooner.
Then she saw it. A blurring of the horizon, like a wall, suspended on itself just above the waves. She turned to look at Darlome and noticed the demon had seen it too. Watching again, Inés felt the hairs on her neck stand – the wall was now just meters away from them and coming. She didn’t know if it was it or them that were advancing, but suddenly her world became unfocused, as if watched through an old man’s spectacles.
It was just a second, the longest in Inés’ life. A moment later the boat was plodding a very calm ocean, heading towards a huge island with dark green forests enveloped by mists.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
11 October 2007
Los Angeles
20:17
The woman walked, slightly hurried through the night, as she considered the task set before her. Heels clicked on the pavement as she glanced behind her, to make sure that the three were still there. *Good* she thought, *the idiots are doing exactly what they’re supposed to do.* Worry still gripped her; while she told them to attack her, it had been in another form, knowing that the risk was necessary.
*Click, click, click*
Where the hell was he? If she had to find another set of vampires to fool into the job because he didn’t get to ‘rescue’ her, she would be more than a little annoyed. She hadn’t spent time tracking his movements, after all, to have to kill the vampires herself.
As she reached the end of the street, she turned sharply, glad for being near enough to a residential neighbourhood that things were quiet. She resisted a smile when she saw the man she was looking for, finishing a brief talk with a blue-skinned demon in a Zoot Suit. The demon tipped its hat, then quickly turned, disappearing into a yard.
Increasing her pace, she quickened towards the man, a final glance over her shoulder to confirm the vampires trying to keep up. They would probably start running soon enough, when they realised that safety might be in sight for her.
Her timing was just right, and she reached the man she was looking for just as he started to turn, almost running into him with a final glance over her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he spoke, then noticing her state. “What’s wrong? Something is troubling you?”
“I need help,” she hissed quickly. “I’m… I’m being followed.”
Nikolai could feel the sense of panic and new-found hopefulness coming from the woman in front of him. Glancing from her face to behind her, he saw the approach of three people and was tempted to roll his eyes. How had he gone from someone completely ignorant of vampires, to running into them all the time? Then, maybe he just hadn’t known the subtle signs to look for before.
“Don’t worry,” Nikolai said, turning back to the woman. His eyes met hers for a moment, and he could tell that she felt slightly reassured. “I think I can help you. Just stay back.” She nodded quickly as he stepped around her, reaching inside his jacket to withdraw the hilt of the sword.
The three approached rapidly, closing the distance before they would have been able to get away. Nikolai expected a fight to come at any moment. “Awww, look at this,” the lead one said. “Looks like someone wants to play at being a hero.”
He took a moment to try to size up the three vampires standing before him. The spokesman was the largest of the group; one of the others sported a scar on her face, and an eye that looked taken out. Whether it was something done before her turning or after, he couldn’t tell, but if done after, it would likely be healing. Finally, there was one who put him in mind of an accountant; this last wore glasses, and looked more intellectual than evil.
“I would prefer not to fight you,” Nikolai said evenly, moving slightly to the side to block an advance towards the woman. He could still feel her behind him, adding concern for his safety to the mix, too afraid to flee. “Leave now, and we will have no further quarrel tonight.”
All three were more amused by this than anything else when the spokesman gave his answer. “Gee, you’re outnumbered. I suppose we can just eat you as well.” So saying, the three began to spread out. Nikolai heard the woman gasp and step back behind him, as the vampires changed their appearance.
Nikolai stood firm, trying to watch the three. It became readily apparent that their target was the woman, and quickly analysed the situation. He would need to use the stakes; his blade would be useful mainly for providing a quick strike to distract. Most of all, though, battling three vampires would be taxing.
“I take it this means I can’t convince you to discuss this over a cup of tea? No?” Taking a deep breath, Nikolai made a silent prayer for the woman’s life, and hope that Saref’s teachings would hold. “Shalas.”
In one fluid motion, he stepped towards the nearest vampire who tried to make a move towards the woman. Blades extended from the hilt. A quick twist sent the sword blades, upward, throwing the vampire off-balance. The spokesman began to move towards the woman as well. Nikolai spun towards him, slashing diagonally across his chest.
The spokesman let out a howl more of rage than pain. Nikolai took advantage of the moment to pull a small stake from his jacket, outfitted with a small counter-balance so that it acted like a throwing knife. Turning it in his quickly, Nikolai let fly at the first vampire who he struck at.
Moments later, her features began to change to dust.
This made the other two reconsider their opponent in new light: he had now proven himself to be dangerous, and to know what he was doing. With one glance towards the spokesman, the more intellectual one made a quick decision, and took off running. “Come back here, you coward!” the spokesman cried.
“Oh well,” he said, returning his attention to Nikolai, flashing a toothy smile. “Just leaves more fun for me.”
Nikolai balanced on his feet, trying to keep an eye on the final vampire. It gave a feint to the left, leaving Nikolai overextended. By the time he realised his error, the vampire crashed into him from the right. His sword left his hand, sliding down the sidewalk away from them.
Grasping the vampire’s shirt, Nikolai used the vampire’s momentum in an attempt to flip him off. It failed, resulting in pinning him to the ground. “Dinner time!” the vampire proclaimed, holding him fast to the ground. A look of surprised crossed his face, the outline suddenly turning to a grayish-black. His head slowly turned as the body broke into dust.
Looking up, he could see the woman taking a few steps back, breathing quickly. She was distraught by the whole thing, leaving Nikolai to wonder a number of things. Slowly he pulled himself up to his feet, looking at the obviously upset woman. Now he understood her concern for him: she had known the nature of the beasts that hunted her.
“I… I’m sorry….” she started. The woman continued to project the feelings that she wanted, knowing that it would take all of her talent to fool an empath in to getting the ‘right’ emotions from her. “I thought they would leave if they saw me with someone else….”
“Don’t worry about it,” Nikolai smiled, trying to put her at ease, as he walked the necessary few feet to pick up the extended blade. It had technically drawn blood; he could, therefore, retract the blades. Turning back to her, he put on his best concerned expression. “Fortunately, I’ve been fighting them… well… for a while now.”
The woman resisted raising an eyebrow at the emotions she was picking up on. There was a story connected with that, and one which she might be able to use later. “Still, you could have been killed…” she visibly forced herself to calm down. “Thank you.”
Nikolai nodded. “You’re welcome.” He took the chance to take in the sight of the woman: she was nearly his height, with red hair. From the way that she was dressed, he guessed that she had been out with someone before being attacked. For some reason, he felt slightly more protective of her. “They seemed rather intent on coming after you.”
“I don’t know why,” she confessed, stepping closer to him. She kept her head down, trying to appear still nervous. “They’ve just come after me a couple of times. You don’t… you couldn’t give me a ride home, could you?”
The question came on suddenly and without enough warning that it almost unbalanced Nikolai. He considered momentarily: the woman was obviously in need of help, and if a few vampires were trailing her in specific it beared investigation. “Certainly,” he motioned towards his car. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to you more about this, miss…?”
“Alaia,” she said, smiling meekly. Inwardly, the woman shouted in triumph. Her plan was underway! “And you are?”
“Call me Kolya,” he said with a reassuring smile, as he opened the door to the Monte Carlo.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
22:15
Nikolai considered his passenger as the car in silence as they initially started down the road. The events played over again in his head, as he gave the woman time to relax and calm down after her ordeal. It wasn’t everyone who knew about, was chased by, and escaped from vampires. Even with the greater experience Nikolai had as well, he knew that only the training at the Temple allowed him to be as successful as he had been.
Alaia fidgeted with her hands, folding and unfolding them nervously. He could pick up on the subtlety involved: she was grateful for the earlier help, but afraid that he would turn out to be a different kind of threat. Nikolai could appreciate the need for caution in the present world. “Thank you, again,” she finally said, cautiously.
“It’s not a problem,” Nikolai returned. If he was honest, he was more than a little curious as to the attacks. Usually, vampires only tried once for someone if they were just interested in snack foods. If she had been attacked multiple times, there was probably a reason.
But what?
“That was some . . . interesting . . . work back there.” Alaia’s worry continued to stay around, mixed with a bit of awe, as she finally was able to relax. It always took a bit of time for someone to return to normal after their life was threatened. “What were those wooden things?”
Reaching into his jacket, he passed a small wooden device over to Alaia. She examined it more closely, and smiled in appreciation at the work, though she continued to project worry. Anyone else would have carried a stake; from the appearance, it looked as though Nikolai had fashioned some wood into a strip about an inch in width, which came to a point at the end. Towards the back, a small metal piece was glued to the end. “Where did you get this?”
“Someone I met invented them.” That much was true: Saref insisted on teaching the technique, and this had been his first attempt at using the weapon. “Much easier than throwing a wooden stake at a vampire, since those are harder to get the proper balance – the idea with this was to create, basically, a wooden throwing knife.”
Alaia nodded, thinking the description apt. Her curiosity started to get the better of her as she glanced over and noticed that Kolya didn’t seem to be paying much attention to driving. *Another special talent of his?* she wondered, appreciating the challenge more. All she knew was that she would have to begin soon. “Are you a vampire hunter, then?”
At that, Nikolai frowned. Alaia let her own empathic abilities work on him, feeling a bit of loss there. It was the kind of pain that one felt towards the loss of a close friend. “Not really a hunter,” he returned with a hint of distance. “Hunters make it their mission to destroy vampires. I’m just filling in, in a sense, until another one arrives in town.”
“Just filing in?” Alaia was even more curious at this. A man who killed vampires, but apparently didn’t want to. “Wouldn’t the world be better off without them?”
“All things have their place in the world, even vampires and vampire hunters.” He turned to Alaia, noticing the slightly hurt and surprised look on her face, before focusing on the road again. “How long have you known about them?”
“What, you mean that they’re real?” Alaia at last began to allow herself to relax, though there was still a bit of an edge to her voice. “Well, they started coming after me two weeks ago. That makes tonight the third night, and if you hadn’t helped me….”
She didn’t need to say the last part for Nikolai to pick up the subtlety: if he hadn’t been there, Alaia believed that she would now be dead or dying. He made a few turns at her directions, unsure of where exactly the final destination would be. Until, of course, they hit the freeway, which had the look of a parking lot.
“Must be an accident up there,” Alaia said, looking at the nearly-halted cars. Inwardly, she smiled in triumph. This should give her more than enough time to make sure that Kolya remained interested in her and wanted to see her again. Directing him to the freeway had been a risk, but one that paid off this time.
“Or just LA being LA,” Nikolai returned, knowing full well that they could easily spend the better part of an hour waiting for things to finally get moving again. Closing his eyes for a moment, Nikolai dropped into rhythmic breathing. There was something about Alaia that made him want to get to know her better, to become closer to her.
The next half hour passed in something of a haze for the pair. Nikolai wasn’t entirely sure what, exactly they spoke about. Surprisingly, it didn’t seem to disturb him. What he could sense was that he had managed to put Alaia at ease, that at last she had found someone who she could talk to who wouldn’t look at her like she was crazy.
At the same time, Nikolai found himself becoming more at ease with her. She was someone who seemed new to the world of the supernatural, but at the same time open and willing to explore. It was somewhat refreshing, as most people tended to reject it out of hand, then reject anything else they hadn’t experienced. Regretfully, Nikolai remembered when he himself had been like that, doubting the existence of vampires while sitting on an alien world.
It was later when they arrived at home. Nikolai thought he felt a small regret at Alaia having to leave, when she turned to him. “Kolya,” she said softly, “I… do you think I could see you again? It’s just nice having someone to talk to who doesn’t think I’m crazy.”
Nikolai considered for a moment, then nodded, pleased that it wouldn’t be the end. “Of course, Alaia,” he returned. “Friday evening?” Alaia smiled in return, as the pair made their plans to meet again, before going separate ways.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
12 October 2007
Alaia's Apartment
20:18
With Patricia Tallman as Alaia
Nikolai had not realised that Friday was so soon, he'd even called Alaia to make sure that she still wanted to meet - but she had obviously been fully aware of the impending time of their date and had even sounded excited to see him again. That had put him in a rare good mood and Nikolai had found himself thinking of Alaia often throughout the day.
*Why do I feel so nervous?* he wondered, as he pulled up in front of Alaia's apartment complex, getting out to go upstairs. “I just want to talk,” she'd said, “not have to worry about people overhearing us.” But he still couldn't shake the nervous feeling. After all, she was an attractive woman, but there was nothing to suggest that this was anything more than trying to help someone.
It wasn't until he entered the building that he realised he had reflexively entered in to a calming breath technique. Making his way to room 209, Nikolai gathered his courage to knock. Almost immediately it opened, Alaia smiling at him. “Oh, Kolya,” she said, stepping aside. “Please, come in.”
Nikolai stepped inside, at a loss for words. Alaia was wearing her red hair up in a ponytail, along with a low-cut tank top that revealed an ample amount of cleavage, and a pair of black tights. Amusement came off of her, and something else; like she had planned to be this way. “I'm sorry,” she said, turning to face him. “I was just practising martial arts, and kind of lost track of time. Would have changed, but I didn't want you to think that I was snubbing you-”
“It's alright,” he got out, his mind repeating the thought look only at her eyes. He did notice that she'd pulled her furniture out to the wall, and lay out a mat in the middle of the room. Nikolai felt her hand brush against his lightly. “It would take more than that to offend me.” And, he didn't say, he was enjoying the view it offered.
Relief played over Alaia, at the genuineness of his response. For the first time, he noticed a lessoning of nerves as well, but something else under it all. Smiling at him, they walked to the couch to sit down. “I'm glad, Kolya,” she said. “Could I offer you a drink?”
Nikolai nodded, “Just water, thanks. I'm driving.” Was it just him, or was she aware of him watching her leave the room and relishing every moment of it? Alaia returned a few minutes later with two glasses and a bottle of red wine. “Well, surely one drink won't hurt you,” she said at his look.
Clearing his throat, Nikolai shook his head. In the back of his mind, he felt that something strange was happening to himself, and it wasn’t just the fact that he could barely take his eyes off Alaia. At the temple he’d learned to control, amongst over things, his sexual urges, but then, it had been a long time since he’d been so close to an attractive and interesting woman. Well, okay that wasn’t exactly true, pretty much all his female friends fitted into those two categories, but it had been a long time since one of those attractive and interesting women had been interested in him.
Something inside of him agreed: one drink really wouldn't affect him that much. Yes, he would be driving, but that would pass in time. “No, it won't. Thank you, Alaia.” Alaia opened the bottle, pouring each of them a glass, before sitting down near him. “How have you been since last night?”
“Much better,” she returned, casually letting her free hand come to rest on Nikolai's leg. Her hand just sat there for a moment, as she judged his reaction. “I wasn't quite myself last night – it's kind of surprising to find the living dead -”
“Undead,” Nikolai interjected.
Alaia smiled again. “Undead,” she corrected, moving her hand subtly. Nikolai felt himself becoming ever more captivated by her. “Anyway, it's kind of suprising to find the undead attacking you. But I have had a chance to think, Kolya, and...” Alaia took a deep breath, steadying herself. His hand fell on top of hers in a small gesture of support. “I'm attracted to you, Kolya . I want to see if there's something between us....”
For a moment, he was in the past, remembering when something similar happened with the next door neighbour. Because of that relationship, a good woman and her boy had been killed by the Russian mob, and he had extracted revenge personally. Then he had ruined the second relationship with his instability. “I think,” he said after some consideration, “I would like that.” The time seemed right, didn't it? And she knew how to take care of herself, and this time he could do things right.
“I'm glad, Kolya,” Alaia replied, taking his glass from him. She set the two drinks aside, sitting closer to him on the couch. Moving her body slightly closer to him, he could feel need rising inside of him, and from her as well. Alaia's smiled suddenly turned teasing and more seductive. “In fact... I think this could be the start of something... special.”
Without warning, Alaia leaned over and kissed him. Nikolai never got a chance to protest when their lips met, pushing Nikolai back. Almost momentarily, he relaxed, allowing himself to give in to the desire. Though he might be far more spiritual now, he was still a man, and a man with needs....
As his arms wrapped around her body, Alaia felt like cheering. This was looking like it could be easier than expected, but then, she wasn't going to make the mistake of assuming that. No, not until the first time was complete. Then she would work on her task, of making him hers. Letting the kiss break, she hovered above him on the couch, looking in to his eyes. She put as much effort as she dared in bending him to passionate desire. “Well... what do you think?”
Nikolai was at a loss for words. “There's definate possibilities,” he said, with a smile on his face. Desire almost seemed to radiate off of Alaia, and he could feel his breath coming shorter. While he didn't know which of them started the next kiss, it just felt right. Good. Nikolai's hands started to move over her body, feeling the curves of her hips.
Alaia moaned softly against Nikolai’s lips while inside she was crowing with delight. These were the sweetest moments, when she could still sense the slight remains of resistance in her prey. It made it all the more delicious when she finally succeeded. Taking hold of Nikolai’s hand she wrapped her fingers around his and drew his hand up her body until she reached her breast.
Alaia looked up at Nikolai, her eyes glowing a darker shade of blue as she pushed his fingers beneath her tank top and inside her bra. She smiled at the look on Nikolai’s face and moaned again, her soft nipple shrinking and growing hard like a little rosebud in the palm of his hand.
As he continued to pleasure her, he felt Alaia begin to rock herself gently against his body. Everything she did continued to increase his desire for her. When her shirt came over her head, he stopped momentarily to take in the sight of her before beginning to touch her again. “Alaia, I -”
“Shhh,” she said, moving to unbuckle his pants. “No talking.”
The last of Nikolai's resistance melted away as Alaia cut off any further protest with a kiss, her hands working efficiently. All he could think about was the feeling of her body against his, and how good it would be when they were finally together. He let out a groan as she continued to bring him to a greater height of passion.
Her hands worked with a practiced ease as she continued to undress him, continuing to feed his desire. She stood up for a moment to pull down tights, feeling nothing but triumph when Nikolai stood wrap her in his arms again. Falling back down on to the couch, Alaia pulled Nikolai down on top of her, wrapping her legs around his waist.
As Nikolai kissed her, her hair became a slightly darker red. Her breath became more laboured as they moved together, Alaia fighting to keep control. She couldn't afford to drain him completely, not until he had fallen completely... she gave a loud moan of pleasure, having him completely in her power, listening to him grunt with effort.
Later, Nikolai's breath began to return to normal. Alaia kissed him again, feeling the energy pass slowly from Nikolai to herself, before they broke it. As he collapsed on the couch next to her, she smiled at him. “Definate posssibilities,” she remarked seductively to him, brushing the side of his face with her hand. “So, shall we go out for dinner?”
Nikolai smiled, feeling slightly drained after the effort, but could tell that his energy was starting to return. Her words took a minute to penetrate his head as he thought, looking in to her eyes, now a lighter blue again. “I think that would be good,” he agreed.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 16th,
2:43 pm
When he dropped off young Lanie Brown at the police station she asked if he was an angel - It made him smile. He told the child not to worry and left her with that. There was no need for her to know the truth.
No…no one needed to know the truth about what had been happening to him. Really, it had just been a stressful couple of months, but he had things under control – really.
Focusing on the throbbing pain in his hand, he welcomed the distraction from the thoughts that were troubling him. The skin was beginning to heal and by morning there would be little evidence that he had been run through with a knife. In fact, there was already little signs of injury.
That’s odd. Sure he healed fast, but not usually this fast. What could it be, unless….no,
Actually it wasn’t that strange, he’d bounced back from things quickly in the past. Like after the fight with the slayer, I was up and running in no time. So yeah, really not that strange after all.
Happy with that answer, Darian turned his thoughts to the Kate look-a-like and picked up his pace. He was almost home and the only voice he could hear now was that of his lovely bed calling out to him.
***
When he pushed open the door to the apartment, Liala was waiting on the other side, her back turned as she stared silently out the window. She had her arms wrapped around herself as if trying to fight off a chill.
Finally she turned and gave the man a half hearted smile, “I’ve been worried.”
“It’s late, you should be asleep,” Darian answered, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before heading to the kitchen
Sighing, she waited for an explanation only to roll her eyes subtly behind his back when none was given. “Are you ok Darian?”
“Huh…Oh my hand? Yeah I’m fine,” he replied giving a plastic smile.
She looked down, noticing his blood stained hand but said nothing.
With an audible gulp, Darian finished off his tall glass of milk and made his way to the bedroom, pausing only to give Liala another brief kiss on her cheek. “Come to bed baby.”
Her slight shiver went unnoticed as he disappeared into the bedroom. For a moment she lingered, chewing anxiously on her lower lip as she stole one final glance out into the dark LA night.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Wednesday, October 10 2007
11:45 AM - Porfirio Diaz
The neon sign flickered in the front window, gently illuminating Benji as he wandered through the front doors of Porfirio Diaz. The vampire glanced around the sides of the dark room and tried to get a feel for the place. A lot of normals, Benji observed--regular humans just here for a cold intoxicating beverage. But as he stepped farther into the establishment he had the strangest feeling that he was somewhere else, somewhere not like any other place in Los Angeles. The place was…exotic. His eyes focused on the sign at the far end of the bar, just behind the counter. "IF YOU DO SOMETHING STUPID, ITS YOUR ASS." Oh yeah, Benji realized--this place was definitely worth looking into. Exotic and grungy, this place was everything that Julia would enjoy.
He slid past one drunken lout after another in the cavernous room until he reached the center. A strange couple cavorted in the middle of the club, but for the most part they didn't notice when Benji cut through them. He almost managed to belly up to the bar, but a slim figure caught the corner of his eye. A small, beautiful, Asian woman leaned near the end of the counter, conversing with someone working bar. Benji immediately thought she looked like his sister. A bizarre snake tattoo ran up her arm, and Benji's thoughts turned to the black serpent bracelet he'd bought Joy before he was turned. Benji rubbed his eyes. Of course he didn't want to believe that this was anything other than a coincidence, but he couldn't shake the feeling. This was a sign. This, seeing this woman here, was an omen. He took a step in her direction but was suddenly pulled backwards. As he spun, his eyes widened.
"What'll ya be havin', baby?" a voice cooed. There was woozy forty-something woman grinding up against Benji. He cringed, however he did take the time to look the barfly over. Pale, yellow eyes—Benji could tell that this was a vampire.
"I'll have what you're having," Benji agreed, then followed the disgusting vamp broad back to her table. He glanced back at the bar, but the lovely girl was gone.
"A Pissed Siberian for the young man," the vampire slurred, sliding a glass across the table. As Benji sat, the smell of the booze was overwhelming. "Whasyer name, cutie?" she warbled.
"Benji," he replied. "Hey--do a lot of vampires come through here?"
The drunken vamp shrugged. "Aw, I guess. A few a night." She burped loudly, then chuckled at herself. "As long as you ain't no rotting corpse, that mad-ass bastard who runs th' place is fine," she explained.
"I see," Benji said with a nod. He took a sip of the liquor, then shuddered. "God that's awful!" he cried. After taking a moment to recover, he went on. "Have you seen a red-haired woman come through here? Sort of eccentric, answers to the name 'Julia'?"
"Vampire, right?" the drunkard whispered, to which Benji winked. "Eh, I can't say as I have, babe. Too, too many people come in here," she hissed. "What say you and I get outta here and do somethin' fun, huh?"
Benji smiled. "Sure! I'll go to my place, and you can drop dead." He rose from the table and stomped off for the door with a groan. "Ugh," he moaned. "Not only was this a waste of time, but I got sick as well!"
From the back end of the room, a dark shape watched Benji leave. Would now be the time to confront him, make him pay for what he's done? Perhaps. The figure slipped into the nearby alley through a side entrance, then proceeded to watch Benji Law from the shadows.
Benji slipped his hands into his pants pockets and began to jog down the street anxiously. Where in the Hell was Julia and what in the world had she done with his van?
Days Earlier…
Sunday, October 7 2007
3:11 AM - LA Streets
"How the Hell could he do this to us--to me?" Julia growled at the dashboard. The black van, recently "borrowed" from Benji Law, roared down the street at a furious speed. "You realize he killed your old mommy, Bird?" she told the black cat sitting patiently on the passenger's seat.
"Meow," came the reply.
"Yes--I want him to pay, too," Julia agreed with an eager grin. "For all that we've lost…all that I've…" She shuddered and released a small groan. "All that I have lost," she sighed. She'd lost everything. Julia was alone now, save the two cats riding with her. No matter how much she tried to tell herself otherwise, Julia knew that cats were not real company.
Her whole world had pretty much died tonight after Benji admitted the truth. Even the reappearance of those little critters did some significant damage to her psyche. After Walt died, Benji was Julia's last chance, her final remaining tether to sanity. Julia knew that Benji could hurt her again someday, as he had on their vacation, but she never expected this.
"Oh, Benji knows me so well, friends," Julia lamented to Wally, who lay half-asleep in the back, and Bird, who now dropped to the van floor. "Benji knew just how to hurt me…just how to ruin everything." Wally yawned indifferently.
Wheels began turning in her mind. "Maybe I can find whoever took Benji's note," she mused. "I'll bet he…or maybe she will let me join the Black Veins. Then we can get revenge on Benji! What do you think, B?" she asked Bird. Bird wandered away from her and to the back of the van.
Julia shook her head. "No…no. The Black Veins are an unknown quantity now…I'll need to start from scratch, start fresh! I'll start my own gang! That will show Benji that I don't need him anymore," she laughed bitterly. "I'll call them 'Julia's Avengers'! No…perhaps 'The Ju Crew'?" Wally hissed, as if to say, "Think again, wacko."
Julia's eyes lit up and she turned her eyes from the road momentarily. "I know what I'll do now! I'll--"
There was a crash, and Julia's van slammed into something solid and unmoving, like a brick wall. With great speed, Julia's head whipped forwards, cracking onto the steering wheel. Her wild red hair flew around her face and soon became soaked in blood. The cats in the back flew forwards as well, but luckily they bounced off the back of the front seats and landed with a large thump on the metal floor.
A swirling shape slid to the driver's side door and ripped it from its hinges. Radiant green eyes peered inside surveyed Julia's body warily. In a deep tone, the shape purred and began to laugh. "We meet again," Vespajan hummed through his face-veil. "It's hard to believe it hasn't even been a week since we met," he said happily. "A lot can change in four days." In the front of the wrecked van, indented into the mangled grill, was the imprint of a man--Vespajan to be precise. Only a few days ago, the impact of Benji's van on Vespajan would have been lethal, but now it left barely a scratch on him. The blue demon reached into the van and hoisted Julia over his shoulder, then hovered away with her into the night.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
San Fransisco
October 14th - 8:02 pm
Though the building looked unimposing and rather ordinary, the two individuals standing before it knew the secrets that were kept within the brick and mortar walls.
“Wyndham-Price & Gunn Agency,” Orus said, as his mind’s eye read the letter decals stuck on the door’s windows. “I find it difficult to believe that an object of such importance would be stored here, guarded only by two mortals.”
Behind the hood of a long leather coat, a smile crossed the face of the fallen angel’s companion. “This is not the Testament’s original resting place, nor is this my first attempt at collecting it.”
“So why has it been moved here?” Orus responded, seemingly uninterested.
“Because after my first unsuccessful attempt at acquiring it, the old Turkish monks knew it was too dangerous for them to remain the guardians, so they thought to hide it here, among these ‘mortals’ as you so eloquently put it.”
“But you found it.”
“How perceptive of you.” With a veiled eye roll, the hooded figure pushed open the door; the chime of a small bell heralding their arrival.
Gunn was busy sharpening the blade of his battleaxe when the front door pushed open. At the tinkling of the bell he swiftly stashed the weapon beneath the counter and opened up a copy of Penthouse.
“Hey, Wes,” he called out in the direction of the back room behind him. “We got a couple of clients, get your backside out here.”
Wesley’s crisp South England tones could be heard even before he appeared but as soon as he saw the two new arrivals he plastered a smile across his weary features and held out his hand.
“Ah, good morning, how do you do? And how may I help you?”
Neither of the strangers bothered to answer. Instead, the hooded figure seemed to be scanning the room while the tall, blind remained simply didn’t react.
“Uhhh, is there anything we can do for you?” Wesley asked again, pulling back his hand when he realized neither of them was going to shake it.
Behind the desk, Gunn’s hand crept over the firm wood of his axe’s handle; their clients were never really ‘normal’ but these two gave him the heeby-jeebies.
“The man asked you two a question,” Gunn stated firmly, but again there was no answer.
His grip tightened. “Don’t make me ask you ag…”
“It’s in the basement,” the hooded figure said suddenly, cutting Gunn of mid sentence. “I shall return in a moment.”
“Like hell you will,” spat Gunn as he hefted his axe out from under the counter, holding the solid wooden handle in both his hands. He raised the blade up midway, just enough to look subtly threatening and stepped in the way of the hooded stranger, blocking their path.
“You’re in my way.”
Before Gunn could so much as lift the axe, the stranger tossed him aside as if he weighed no more than 10 lbs. Wesley now jumped into action, using his recent magical training to summon up a ball of energy and hurled it at his adversary.
With a dismissive gesture of its hand, the figure negated the spell into nothingness and then proceeded to make its way down the hall. “Orus make sure they don’t interrupt me.”
As if woken from a stupor the blind mad calmly moved so he stood blocking the path to his companion. “Do not be rash mortals, bringing you harm is not our goal. However, if you interfere, I will have no choice but to stop you.”
“Gunn, the Testament, they must be after the Testament,” Wesley cried out in fear as the gravity of the situation dawned on him.
Back on his feet, Gunn’s axe was already raised in attack mode. “You don’t need to tell me twice.”
The two warriors began advancing on their blind foe only to hesitate as a strange wave of fear and anxiety washed over them - there movement coming to a complete halt when the fallen angel unleashed his unholy radiance - Atop his head now rested a fiery red hallow that illuminated the spectral skeleton wings that unfolded from his back.
“Holy hell,” Gunn whispered as he pushed forwards, fighting the crippling fear that now clawed at his heart.
“How perceptive of you."
Beneath the building the hooded figure rummaged among a plethora of unmarked boxes. “Stupid men definitely need a woman around here to tidy this place up. Its amazing they can find anything in here. Lucky for me, the Testament has a wonderfully distinct flow,” the stranger mused as it picked up on an invisible wire of energy leading straight into the wall.
Scanning the general area, it did not take long to find the wobbly brick that concealed a prize behind it.
“A loose brick, how cliché.”
Snatching up the ebony cylinder that was now visible, the mysterious figure slowly pulled open one of its ends to reveal a flimsy piece of papyrus rolled up within. With gentle care, they removed the delicate scroll, and began to read.
Testament of Vasshan
The seed of my coming shall be born when purest light enters darkness.
When the tears of all Earth's creatures flow, my awakening shall be secured.
Assemble then, these instruments of flesh, blood and spirit upon an altar where hell's breath rises up to heaven.
Find a hunter of the night, who stalks in the light of day.
His shall be the beat of my heart
Fetch me eyes that see beyond seeing, that look beyond time and space.
I will speak of death and destruction from a tongue of silver
And lure all creation into my bestial jaw,
There my bite shall poison the race of man.
And like a phoenix shall my essence rise from the fires of a fallen hero’s spirit;
Darkness born from the ashes of light.
Bring unto me the gift of Gaia herself. In her occult depths I shall sate my eternal appetite and from her I shall feed and grow like a newborn babe.
Then anoint my vessel with an immortal’s kiss, so that my darkness may reach beyond the hands of time.
And when these instruments are formed as one, herald my coming with beautiful song; Three champions must cry out in pain, one from above, one from below and one from the race of man. Their calls of anguish shall guide me to your world.
Finally, when all else is done, brothers must spill each others’ blood, such will be the wine that nourishes me into existence.
“You were always one for flamboyance weren’t you Vasshy,” the figure mused aloud as they tucked away the scroll back into its protective shell.
***
Stepping over the dead body of the human guardians, Orus and his companion pulled open the front door causing the tiny bell to chime one final time.
“It tolls for those who have passed on,” Orus said flatly.
“Don’t be so depressing big guy. I prefer to think of it as ringing cause I’m getting my wings back.”
“You’re not an angel.”
“It’s a metaphor, dumbass.”
Guest starring J. August Richards as Gunn, and Alexis Denisof as Wesley
Special Thanks to Lou for helping write the ritual and for writing Gunn and Wesley
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 12th
7:05 am
Longwood Estates
Alessa woke and snuggled a little deeper into the chest she found herself wrapped around. Then the pain hit like a wrecking ball. Her head throbbed and her skin stung with pins and needles.
“Mi Dios,” she groaned.
The chest started to rumble with laughter, so she pulled one eye open.
“Hey you,” Ellis said softly. Alessa heard the voice, much to her regret. Even though a small point of her recognized that Ellis was trying to keep his voice down, it didn’t make a difference. Alessa’s head was throbbing too much to tolerate any noise.
“Please… don’t,” she managed to say, even if her mouth felt like a sandy desert.
The light chuckle that followed echoed painfully in her head. “Don’t what? Don’t speak, don’t move, don’t laugh?”
“Just don’t,” she grabbed her head. What had happened? She couldn’t remember a thing. She rolled over to the edge of the bed and found a bottle of water and aspirins waiting for her. She smiled at his thoughtfulness, then thirstily drank half a bottle. She popped a couple of aspirin and sat up against the headboard. “Thanks.”
“No problem. How are you feeling?”
She realized that she was naked and pulled the sheets to her breasts, a silly gesture that brought on another rumble of laughter from her companion. She didn’t mind, she felt vulnerable in this position, and sore… *what the hell?* She moved a little uncomfortably on the bed and looked at his merry blue eyes. “I haven’t had a hangover this bad in years,” she said, head in hands.
“Yeah, I bet. I hope it was worth it.”
Alessa looked at him through her fingers, Ellis was trying to contain his laughter and present a straight face. She didn’t need to be an empath to know he was pulling her leg. Then some of what had happened during the night hit her and Alessa turned a furious shade of red.
“You pompous bastard!! It was worth it, and you well know it!!”
Ellis grinned, and then moved up and pulled Alessa back to him. She tried to chuckle, but her head hurt too much, so she just closed her eyes. “Pompous bastard…,” she repeated.
“Yeah, but you love me,” he said softly.
“Yeah, I do.” And she fell asleep in his arms.
Ellis planted a kiss on her dark hair and snuggled again under the covers. “Happy birthday, Alessa,” he said to her sleeping form.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 16th
Iguazú Rainforest, Sudamerica
9:12 pm
Deep in the heart of the Iguazú rain forest, a lonely prisoner lay awake, contemplating what he would do if….when he was released. It was often the topic of his mind’s wanderings, and inevitably he always came back to the same conclusion – revenge. Revenge on the Manolos that kept him imprisoned here, revenge on that disgusting vampire James, and most importantly revenge on Inés and all her family and friends. It would be a sweet day indeed…but when would that day come?
That question was about to be answered.
Manuel Guillén was standing under the big tree, his stance serious and alert. The tree was a giant of the jungle, it stood fifty meters tall in the middle of a circle of grass, at least ten meters away from the line of the jungle. Up in the higher branches, a wooden platform could be seen. It sported no railings, stairs or climbing ropes. They weren’t necessary. Not for their race. The only thing keeping Raúl up there was the silent guardian and his companion, Manuel Ortega, standing on the other side of the massive trunk. A new experience for the Verbatis, who had never held prisoners before.
The thunderous sound of the falls was clear against the other natural sounds of the jungle, birds and beasts, but the Manolos only listened their prisoner. Their senses were highly attuned to Raúl, and from their position under the tree they could guess most of his movements.
So concentrated were they, that only minutes after the unnatural silence had descended on the jungle did the two guardians realize something was amiss.
“Where have the animals gone?” Ortega wondered aloud as his partner shook from a sudden shiver.
“I don’t know. But have you ever heard the jungle this quiet?”
Ortega’s eyes wandered over the area scanning for something, anything to explain what was going on. “No, no. I haven’t. But, I’ve got a bad feeling about this. We should wake the others.”
His friend was about to respond when his acute eyes noticed something far above the water fall. At first they could only make out a faint red glow in the darkness, but as it flew closer the warriors were quickly able to make out what was coming.
“It’s a man.” Guillén gasped in shock.
“Men do not fly, nor do they have glowing red circles floating above their heads,” Ortega whispered back, as his hands closed around the wooden hilt of his spear.
Soundlessly, the winged stranger landed before the two Manolos. “Are you the guardians of the Verbati Raúl?”
The man was tall and imposing, and though the Manolos were expertly trained warriors, they were surprised to feel the icy cold grasp of fear clench their hearts.
Gulping with difficult, Ortega took a step forward, although he had to gather all his courage to do so. He sensed his friend walking besides him and felt reassured by his presence at his side. “Who’s asking?” he said, “and what do you want?”
Orus remained motionless as the two guardians advanced on him.
“I do not want anything; however someone very important requires the Verbati’s presence. If you allow me to take him, no harm will come to you.”
The man left it at that, allowing the Verbati to formulate the alternative themselves.
The demons shared a look before answering. The feeling of fear had not passed and they felt shocked to the core, but they wouldn’t relinquish their duties. A silent message passed through them, and Guillén could ‘hear’ how his friend telegraphed an alert message to the rest of the tribe. He looked back at the stranger.
“We cannot do that. Raúl is a prisoner of this tribe, we won't let him go.”
“As you wish.”
Orus moved with surprising speed, as the back of his hand smashed into Guillén sending the Verbati flying backwards. In retaliation, Ortega tried to mount an offence, stabbing forward with his long spear, but the angel was ready and caught hold of the shaft before the blade could pierce his skin.
With a sudden tug of the spear, Ortega fumbled forward, placing him within arms reach of his adversary. He began to claw wildly at the man, but Orus easily batted away his attack, finally putting an end to the assault as his iron grip clasped around Verbati’s neck. Ortega’s eyes bulged, there was a sick snap, and then it was over.
Guillén got back just in time to see his friend’s lifeless body crumble at the angel’s feet. Rage engulfed him, overpowering the apprehension cloud that surrounded their attacker. He ran towards him, leaping into the air and rolling into a flying somersault. Orus jumped up and grabbed his ankle in mid-air. He didn’t even look at him and started to gyrate, gaining speed as he went. Guillén extended his arms, elongating them, trying to get hold of something to stop his captor. He felt like a toy in the hands of a giant toddler. Before he knew it, he was flying off, spinning away from the stranger, and his prisoner. And then all was black.
Orus watched the second Verbati’s body slam against a tree trunk and when the demon did not stir, the fallen angel turned his ‘sights’ upwards. Taking flight, he soared higher and higher until he landed on the wooden platform that housed the one he had come for.
“It’s not everyday I get visitors,” the jet black Verbati mused as he eyed the strange man before him. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this intrusion?”
“I am here to free you.”
“Oh? how nice of you,” Raúl replied with a smooth voice as his fur gave way to skin. When he moved out of the shadows, he was no longer the large furry monster, but instead a swarthy looking latino. “I’m assuming my freedom comes with strings?”
“The terms of your freedom will be discussed with the one who is in need of your services,” Orus answered monotonously.
“What’s stopping me from killing you, and freeing myself?” There was a dangerous glint in the Verbati’s eyes, but the angel did not flinch.
“Feel free to try demon, I assure you the outcome will not be pleasant.”
Raúl considered the man’s warning and something inside told him that the stranger was not bluffing. “All right, fine. I’m in. So where exactly are we heading?”
“Los Angeles.”
“Really.” A smile crept over the demon’s handsome face. “Well, this really is my lucky night.”
Introducing Juan Darthes as Manuel Ortega and Pablo Echarri as Manuel Guillén.
Reintroducing Eduardo Noriega as Raúl Montero.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 18th
Poplar Avenue
“Could you just stay in one night? Is that really so much to ask?”
The anger in Liala’s voice was evident, though it did little to detour the man from his mission. Tonight, like the night before, and the one before that and the one before that, Darian planned to go hunting; to keep the people of LA safe from the things that go bump in the night.
Pulling on his running shoes, he barely spared a glance at his girlfriend. “I told you already, I’ve got to go.”
“This hunting is turning into an unhealthy obsession Darian. At the rate you’re going you’re going to get yourself killed!”
“And if I don’t go, innocent people are going to get killed. What don’t you get about that?”
“What I don’t get,” she hissed, “is just what has gotten into you?”
Now Darian was getting annoyed. Every night, a variation of the same conversation; him justifying something he shouldn’t have to. “Nothing has ‘gotten into me’ so why don’t you back off”.
“I may not be a psychically inclined as I was,” Liala fumed, her tone crescendoing higher and higher, “but my other senses are still working perfectly, and right now I’m smelling the distinct scent of bullshit!”
Darian met her furious glare with icy resistance. “I don’t need to listen to this.” He began to make for the door but the ex-undine moved to block his path.
“You sure as hell do! Something is going on with you I know it!”
Darian tried to move around her, but each step he made, she mirrored. “You’re imagining things. Now get out of my way.”
“Oh, so I guess I’ve imagined all the times you’ve been waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweats, how you’ve been talking to yourself when you think I’m not around, or how everyone has to walk on eggs shells around you now cause you go off at the drop of a hat? Yes maybe I’m imagining all that!” she boomed. “And it’s not just me Darian, Kyle has also been noticing your weird behaviour also. You practically assaulted him for no reason a month ago, and then he finds you a few days later a wreck on the bathroom floor!”
Liala could tell that Darian was momentarily thrown off, but the man was quick to change the subject. “So you two have been talking behind my back?”
“Because we’re worried concerned about what’s happening to you”.
“Well you shouldn’t be - I’m. Fine.” He said through clenched teeth. “Now please move because I need to go.”
Looking into his strange purple eyes, Liala tried to find that kind, gentle and caring Darian that she loved, but tonight all she could see was anger, frustration…and fear?
“No, you need to start looking at what’s going on Darian, before its too late.”
Darian could see the tears glistening in her eyes but he simply walked past. “I’ll be home later,” was all he said before the door closed behind him.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 19th, 2:15 am
Poplar Avenue
A sliver of light crept into the bedroom, waking Liala from her troubled sleep. Darian had just returned from an uneventful night of hunting where the only monster he managed to wrestle with was the guilt in his heart. He had acted cold and uncaring earlier and after time to cool down, he realized just how stupid he had acted. It seemed to be his pattern as of late.
“I tried not to wake you,” came an apologetic voice from the doorway. Darian waited patiently for a response, but she said nothing and instead rolled on her other side so she would be facing away from him.
“Baby I’m sorry. I acted like a complete jerk tonight.”
“Yeah you did,” she answered without so much as lifting her head from the pillow.
“I deserve that.”
“Yeah you do.”
Closing the door behind him, Darian moved slowly to his side of the bed and sat. “You know I didn’t mean to hurt you before.” Reaching out, he tried to gently stroke her arm, but she retracted from his touch. “I love you,” he whispered softly, moving his hand through her lustrous blond hair. At first she flinched, but this time did not recoil. “And I promise to try to cut back on the hunting ok?”
Finally, turning back to look at him, Liala saw in his eyes what she had been searching for before – that tender kindness that made Darian so special. Though she tried to fight it, an ever so tiny smile found its way onto her picturesque face. She was tired of arguing, if only for a night.
“You can be quite an ass some times, you know that Darian Gray?”
“But I mean well and that counts for something right?”
Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her close and kissed her passionately.
Though initially surprised, it was not long before she was pulling off his T-shirt and gliding her hands over his powerful chest. They lingered there for a few moments, seductively massaging his muscular pecs, and then began to move south - seconds later the jeans he had been wearing were tossed haphazardly across the room.
With one hand, Darian continued to play in her long hair while his other teasingly caressed her thighs. As the anticipation built, he gently nibbled on Liala’s earlobe before turning his carnal hunger back to her waiting lips where he remained, rediscovering her as if it were there first time. Liala’s head fell back into the plump pillow as he started slow. She could feel Darian’s strong hands moving over her body; his quiet moans of ecstasy matching her own. As she turned her head in a slight spasm of delight, he kissed her neck fervently and through heavy breaths whispered into her ear “I love you.” She went to respond, but her breathing was growing quicker now and as the waves of rapture overtook her body, she was lost to the blissfulness of the moment.
The Forgotten
Casa Del Dias Dorados - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles
Tuesday, 16th October 2007
7:30am
Kate struggled to stifle a yawn. She’d barely slept all night and when she did her sleep had been interrupted with constant nightmares. They weren’t the usual dreams that had haunted her back in Russia - sights of a blistering, consuming death. Of disease and pestilence and war and famine. Those dreams were almost comforting, in a disturbing manner. At least she could attribute their cause to the swarming hive of evil that had reared its head. Kate knew that once the Hellmouth had been successfully contained and reintegrated into the fabric of Los Angeles that the dreams would stop.
But the nightmares of the past few weeks had been different, unnervingly so because they seemed to have no coherence or pattern. What was more, they were getting stronger – more prolonged and vivid, and the memories lingered within her consciousness beyond sleep, into the waking world.
Leaning against the wide open window, Kate lazily watched the early morning sun creep it’s way across the immaculately manicured lawns that surrounded Casa Del Dias Dorados. The erotic dreams, as frustrating as they were, she could cope with. When she awoke they left her with the nicest, warmest tingling feeling of arousal that she could even describe. But the others… she dreamed of sitting by a graveside and sobbing, such terrible and uncontrollable sobbing that she thought she might never stop. She dreamed of the death of her loved ones – people she couldn’t even remember and yet the sorrow she felt inside utterly consumed her. She dreamed of pain and hurt, of blood and death, of a brutal and savage past that blessedly she had no recollection of anymore.
Maybe it really was a blessing. How could any amount of happiness ever make up for that measure of pain?
“If you’re going to stand there watching me, Elliot, you might as well say what’s on your mind.” Kate turned around to face the ageing professor. “Otherwise people may get the wrong impression.”
Elliot’s expression remained impassive but he took a step forward from his post where he’d been watching the woman, his frame sending tall shadows across the sunlit floor. “Su Ling informed me of what happened last night.”
“Oh?” Kate turned back to the window, looking out at the beautiful gardens in the early morning haze. “And you felt the need to come talk to me about it?”
“She told me about the fae,” explained Elliot, sitting down on the window ledge beside her. “She told me that he’d recognised you. I thought I told to you use a glamour.”
Kate gritted her teeth against saying something she might regret. “I did,” her eyes blazed when she turned to look at him. “That is hardly the point.”
“Ah, because he recognised you, you immediately think that I’ve been lying? That I’ve held something back from you?”
“Are you trying to tell me you haven’t? From what you’ve told me of my past, I haven’t lived in this city since I was five years old.” Kate narrowed her eyes at the man. “I know there’s something you’re keeping from me, I can feel it in you even now.”
She unfolded her legs and rose to her feet. Her moves were fluid and graceful as she slowly stalked to where the professor was standing, the tight black fabric of her dress emphasising the firm yet lean muscle tone of her slender body. Kate waved her right hand back and forth in front of Elliot, her dark blue eyes transforming into a void of black liquid. She inhaled deeply.
“You would take me for a fool,” she said quietly, her voice hollow yet melodic. “That fae knew me. No, more than that he was surprised, like… like he expected me to be dead. If you don’t tell me what I want to know…” Kate trailed one long pale finger across Elliot’s forehead, “…I’ll have to resort to more creative methods of extracting the truth. And you know just how unpleasant that could be, you taught me after all.”
“I’m disappointed,” said Elliot calmly, his voice low and measured.
“Oh?”
Elliot grabbed hold of Kate’s wrist, yanking her hand away from him sharply. “Given the nature of our venture here in Los Angeles I’m disappointed that your primary concern seems to be entirely self-serving. I understand that you have your own interests, but now is not the time to indulge them.” Elliot dropped her arm and straightened out his necktie.
“You have more important things to occupy yourself with, or had you forgotten your complete failure to vanquish Erzsébeth Bàthroy and her cohort? Think how many more innocents she will have the opportunity to slay. Blood on your hands if you choose to ignore the threat.”
“And talking of dear Ms. Bàthroy,” interrupted Zola, smiling broadly and without the slightest indication of discomfort as the two turned to face her. All knew the Professor to have taken a rather personal interest in Catherine, much closer than the bond he’d fostered with herself and Su Ling. Sometimes Zola bridled at that knowledge, other times, like now, she confronted it head on without mercy.
“If the two of you have quite finished…” she purred, sliding up behind Kate and wrapping her bare arms around the other woman’s shoulders. “The egg-heads think they’ve managed to track Bàthroy’s little bitch – unlike her, he’s pure supernatural energy. Su Ling is planning another little excursion for tonight.”
“Excellent,” said Elliot with a wry smile, eyeing the two women as their bare arms intertwined with an almost erotic gentleness. “Then you should all go get some rest, you’re going to need it.”
He turned and began walking away, but not before he sensed something, a strong, deliberate psychic message.
*This isn’t over,* came Kate’s determined voice.
*No,* shot back Elliot as he continued to walk. *I don’t imagine it is.*
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 19th, 9:23 am
Poplar Avenue
Darian sat at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in hand as he stared out the window. He could still see her face, the witch’s face…Kate’s face. It had been a few days since his encounter with the three sorceresses, and at first he thought his mind was playing tricks on him, but now, he wasn’t so sure. Over and over the memory would return to him, each time more vivid than the last. Could it have been her?
We could hellllp you find out if it wassss her
And there it was. It had been several days since he last heard the serpentine voice and Darian hoped that maybe it had just been a phase. Now, all hope of that sank away.
* I don’t need your help*
Oh we beg to differ. You have been calllling to usss, borrowing our power each time you hunt
Forgetting his coffee, Darian moved to the sink but the cold water he splashed on his face did nothing to rid him of the alter ego.
We do not understand why you try to fight ussss. We can give you what you want.
*I don’t want anything from you!* he growled internally, trying to silence Evexus but to no avail.
Eerie laughter rang out in his mind sending shivers through his spine. You may llllie to yourssselllf, but not to usss. We know what eatssss away at you
*Yeah, you!*
Ignoring Darian, the dark fae continued And we have the power to make sssure it doessss not happen again. Allll you need to do isss ssstop fighting ussss, and embrace your desssstiny
*….you….you’re not my destiny* The man’s tone was meeker now, lacking the rage and certainty of before.
Our power will sssset you free
“Darian, is everything ok?”
Liala was standing in the doorway of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her waist. “Are you ok? You look like you’re going to ‘blow chunks’,” she asked, moving closer to better inspect him.
Since he couldn’t tell her what was happening, Darian chose the most obvious alternative “Blow chunks?”
“Don’t you humans say that? I heard it on TV yesterday”
“We humans? Baby you’re a human now, remember?”
The distraction seemed to have worked since the ex-undine marched back into the bathroom but not before rolling her large blue eyes. “Why must you remind me.”
Darian smirked slightly, but it soon vanished as his thoughts turned back to darker topics.
*Our power will set you free…..*
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 12th, 2007
11:45 am
Longwood States
When Alessa woke up for the second time she felt much better. Her head was clear and it certainly wasn’t hurting. *Thank you, Verbati genes,* she told herself before stretching languidly on the bed. She sat up and lowered her feet to the warm wooden floor, walking barefoot she headed for her bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror and cocked her head left and right, studying herself. The slash that the sewageraptor had made on her arm had closed neatly, merely a thin pink line of tender flesh standing out against the tanned tone of her skin. Her hair was messy and her eyes a little red, the only tell tale signs of the raging hangover she had suffered a while earlier. The exhilarating feeling of the sewageraptor’s spit had gone too.
“Not so bad for an eighty-eight year old, verdad?” Alessa spoke to herself, a hollow feeling in her chest. It was her birthday, yes. But never had she felt less like celebrating than this year. *Well, last year, of course,* she reflected, remembering the events of a year ago. Dray’chen’s taking control of Chance’s body, attacking her, killing Andrea Longwood and putting Ernie to a coma. A year ago a nightmare had started that had finally ended up in Chance’s leaving this dimension. *And me…*
Not very good memories. In fact, she felt like crying.
She sighed, and started to fill in the tub. Hot water steamed off when she stepped into it. She winced at the temperature, but didn’t add cold water. The burning feeling was cleansing. She slid into the water, submerging completely and closing her eyes.
She loved Ellis, but thinking about Chance, the real Chance, always made her sad. She still loved him, in a way, probably always would. And there were a lot of could have beens with that gorgeous, infuriating man. Could have beens that would never be answered now. She wondered if he could see her. He had known when Cole was wrong and had come to him. She admitted to herself that she had felt hurt about that. Why hadn’t he come to her? She had certainly needed him several times during the last year…
A lot had happened in one year. In a way amnesia had been bliss, she thought. If she stayed really quiet, and didn’t breathe, didn’t think, maybe she’d forget again. At least for a while… slowly the outside sounds: the surf, sea birds crying, house noises started to recede, and blackness replaced the red behind her lids as hot water cradled her. It felt good; if she could just let go…
“Alessa, Alessa!!” her name reached her as if from afar. The demoness just ignored it, till a non too gentle slap rocked her head. Sluggishly she opened her eyes, blinked, and tried to focus on her attacker. Ellis’ face looked imprecise, and she frowned.
“Are you all right?” He asked, his English accent thicker in his worry. He shook her again, just to be sure.
“Claro, ¿qué pasa?” she tried to sit up, and detachedly noticed that the bathtub was empty. She slipped on the tub's wet porcelain bottom and Ellis prevented her from hitting her head against its rim. She focused on his face, he looked worried. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at the office?”
“You… you were almost gone, Alessa-” Ellis messed his wet hair, unable to find the words to express himself. He was soaked after trying to take Alessa out of the tub. He had entered the bathroom to find the tub full of cold water, deadly still, the blurry form of Alessa resting on its bottom. Ellis had run to it, and tried to lift her up, but she had been almost unsubstantial, his hands unable to grab her body, as if trying to grab jelly. Blurriness hadn’t been an optical illusion. He had only thought of emptying the tub, and reaching to her. He had spent a good twenty minutes trying to wake her from that slumber she’d been in; slowly getting more solid as he went.
“No way, I wasn’t gone! I was just resting…” Alessa interrupted herself at his shaking. He was terrified, she hadn’t seen him so afraid since the night they had dusted Tash. She bit her lip; she had probably started to elapse into her primal form without noticing. “Demonios!” she cursed, suddenly very scared too.
“Don’t scare me like that again, love.” He said, and hugged her. “Please.”
“I won’t. I’m sorry, I’m still new at these Verbati… powers. I’ll be more careful.” She chuckled without humor. “The last thing I want is to slip away through my tub’s pipes.”
“You better, or I’ll have to follow you.”
“Sure you will,” Alessa smiled, not doubting it for a second, as she leant onto his arm to get out of the fateful tub. She wrapped a plush towel around her body and asked again. “What are you doing here, anyway? Not that I’m not grateful you are, but shouldn’t you be at the office?”
“I took the day off,” he smiled, admiring her form as she combed her hair. “It’s not everyday that’s your woman’s birthday.”
Alessa’s hand stopped midair, and she turned to look at him. She opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say. She had hoped he didn’t learnt of her birthday. “I’m sorry, Ellis. I didn’t want you to feel obliged, not on this date…”
“Obliged?” He asked, walking to her side, and taking the forgotten brush from her hand. He started to brush the long tresses himself. “To what? Bake a cake, light a candle? Or maybe buy you a present?”
The demoness shook her head. “You know what I mean. This is a very bad date, why, your mother…”
“I’ve mourned my mother, Alessa. I won’t forget her, but I won’t let her death ruin this date for you. You are alive, and I plan to spend a lot more birthdays with you.” He planted a kiss on her wet hair. “Maybe it is you who has to let go?” He added with that unnerving insight that he usually showed.
Alessa bit her lip, but didn’t answer. Sensing her confusion, Ellis moved away from her. “So, who wants some cake? Been baking the whole morning while somebody slept her hangover away.”
“You cheater! You couldn’t bake a huevo duro even if you tried!”
“Hey!” he complained, looking hurt. “Somebody had to tell Donny what color should the icing go!”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 18th, 10:56 pm
Warehouse in the Industrial District
The cloaked figure marched into the large warehouse, Orus, the fallen angel, in tow. Together, the two made an imposing pair, so much so that the few lingering vampires scurried and scuttled away into the shadows.
“It did not take long for the vampire to acquire a building did it?” The angel noted, his tone impassive as ever.
“Or to round up the local vermin vampires,” the clandestine character added, as another vampire hurried out of their path. “Though given his credentials, I’m sure he will put them to good use.”
The two made there way to the far end of the warehouse’s largest opening to where a flight of stairs led up to a more secluded room. The hooded stranger did not so much as hesitate to push open the door, revealing behind it an eclectic cast of characters.
The table dominated the middle of the room, one of the figures not looking up from the report that he was reading as the door opened, though his eyes did flicker over to them briefly. His clothing was only slightly outdated, and his hair was locked showing the first signs of greying.
“Aren't you going to greet our guests?” Alaia asked from another part of the room, flicking her hair back.
“We are still waiting for Conniech,” he replied evenly, still not removing his eyes from the report, “and these reports will not sort themselves out.”
Alaia smiled, pulling the report slightly down. She gave a quick glance to the new arrivals, before looking into his face, leaning her halter top over seductively. “You know, there are better passions than organization for you to engage in, even if you are German.”
An eyebrow arched and he finally set the report aside as a final figure appeared in the door, a glimpse of skull apparent, who took a seat near a handsome man in his early thirties. Ignoring Alaia as though she had never spoken, he finally stood to greet everyone. “My apologies,” he said. “I was reviewing the latest reports of some research into these 'white hats.'”
Orus’ senses scanned over the various individuals of the room. He could feel power emanating from them, though they were all ‘lessers’. None save him truly understood exactly what was going on, or who exactly had brought them all together. Quietly he leaned closer to his mysterious companion. “The vampire is extremely arrogant.”
“He’s also useful at taking care of details, so I put up with it…for now,” the figure answered, before ushering the angel to take his place at the table.
“Ah the White Hats, yes we will discuss them soon, but first let me thank you all for coming.” The hood shifted slightly and those around the table could only guess that whoever was behind the deep cloak was looking them over.
“Perhaps you have taken the time to acquaint yourselves, but if you haven’t, allow me to perform some introductions. Our host this evening is the famous Vigo Jaeger,” the mysterious master of ceremonies started as they pointed to the vampire at the far end of the table. “To his right is Tanora, though now I think she goes by Alaia Nahia.” Continuing clockwise the presentations continued. “This is Raul, a strong verbati warrior, and sitting next to him behind the cloak of his own is the powerful lich Conniech. Finally, this is my companion Orus.”
“And who exactly are you?” Raul spoke up, wondering why exactly he was there.
“Who I am is unimportant, what is however, is the reason you are all here,” the figure snapped back, as it slammed a parchment on the table. “I have already provided some of you with payment, like your freedom Raul, while others I have guaranteed compensation at a future date,” the figure started as those around the table began to eye the writings on the scroll. “This is what I ask for in return.”
Alaia smiled gleefully as she looked over the list, seeing immediately where she would get to employ her own talents. “Oh, this will be fun,” she said, licking her lips in anticipation. “We're already due to get together again, you know, so it'll be... what the hell are you doing?”
Everyone turned to face Vigo, who was by now hunched over a notebook, writing quickly in code. He would change it to a Beale cypher later, or get his secretary to do it... no, something this critical, he had to do himself. Peering over his shoulder, Alaia noticed that he was listing out each individual item and next to it, a possible method of acquiring it. That wasn't what made her roll her eyes, though. What made her roll her eyes at it was the level of detail there. Vigo wouldn't even have a torture session to extract information without making sure that every scream and utterance was recorded for future reference. He had once even delayed a session for a good half an hour until his secretary could arrive to record said session. She didn't doubt for a moment that, if he thought he could get away with it, he would send a memo to their benefactor detailing exactly what resources could be employed by him to achieve exactly which items.
“ I will speak of death and destruction from a tongue of silver….” Raul read, obviously confused.
The lich’s skeletal hand reached out to turn the parchment so he could better read. “The ritual leaves much to interpretation.”
“Luckily for you, and you Vigo,” the hooded figure announced, putting a momentary halt to the vampire’s writing, “that I will deal with the interpretation. All you have to do is acquire the different items.”
“And when we get all these things together, what exactly happens? What does the ritual do?” The Verbati asked, still not grasping everything.
“Does it matter? Once I have them all, you are a free man Raul.”
A flare of defiance flashed in the latino’s eyes. “Well I want to know.”
“It does not concern you.” This time it was Orus that addressed the verbati, his chilling, hollow voice putting an end to the man’s rebellious fire.
“It will, no doubt, be something which will cause these local do-gooders to interfere,” Vigo piped up, laying his pen down. He was curious as well, and drew on what he already knew for possible ways to solve things. Still, if their benefactor were using this group... he made a mental note to use his contacts to look in to the ritual. Obviously Orus had some clue what it did, but he doubted that the other would be forthcoming.
“Speaking of, this report concerns us,” he picked up the sheet of papers. “My people have been gathering as much as they can discretely. They report a period of temporary dissolution among the White Hats, which then ended. Even with an agent on the inside, I won't feel comfortable.”
“Don't worry,” Alaia felt hurt at the indirect slap at her. That was her job, after all. “Once I have him snagged, he'll stay snagged. The only reason you aren't is because your blood flow down there is as dead as your body.”
“The White Hats are not who worry me the most. Wolfram & Hart as well as The Ministry have become active players in LA. Be ware of them,” the leader announced, as she made a signal to Orus that it was time to leave. “Alaia, you obviously understand what must be done to begin the ritual, so I trust I can count on you to bring it to me in a timely manner. As for the rest, I shall contact you when the time comes. There are also others I hope to recruit so do not be surprised that at the next meeting you see a few new faces. Until then.” On that note, the cloaked mystery exited the room, the fallen angel companion once again following close behind.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 12th, 2007
7:30 pm
Somewhere in LA
The blond man reached into his coat pocket, fishing out a pack of cigarettes. He lit one, slowly exhaling a stream of smoke. He sneered in derision as he stared at the small house across the street. The husband had just got home, that thing was probably pouring him a drink, and chatting about the day. Dinner would be ready in about half an hour. It was like a clock. A perfect parody of a happily married, normal middle age couple. He smiled, tight lipped, and dropped his cigarette to the gravel, crushing the ember beneath his heel before crossing the street. His left hand clasped the sphere tightly, while his right unlocked the security of his weapon. It was time. When he got to the door he just knocked, and waited.
“Who was it?” the husband asked, from his seat in front of the television when he heard his wife close the door.
“Nobody, probably just some kids,” came the reply from the kitchen. She popped her head from the kitchen’s door. “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, dear.”
“Ok,” he answered back.
Three hours later...
“So, what do we have here?” Detective Galen Eldridge asked the officer in blue standing in front of the door of the pretty brick house. The man quickly opened a little notebook to read his notes, as Galen looked around, checking the site. The usual curious people were watching from behind of the DO NOT CROSS police tape, and there was already a television van with an almost unknown newswoman reporting the crime. Nobody important, it didn’t merit using a big figure for this.
Galen inhaled deeply and turned to the younger officer again. It was good to be back; he had been working for the department again for less than a week, but he was already feeling the effects of hard work. Keeping busy and being useful was much better than the course of action he had been leading of late. Alessa had been right.
“Mrs. Jordan. Dead. She was shot during dinner, there’s a piece of ham in her fork still. The husband’s food wasn’t even touched and he cannot be found on ground floor. There are no signs of forced entry and nothing looks disturbed.”
“Have you searched for him already?”
“Not yet, we assumed he did it and fled-”
Galen turned to the younger man and just stared till the officer blushed. “Don’t assume. Never assume in a murder case.” He looked at the door again. “What else do we know? Did they have any children? Family?”
“No.” The cop fumbled with his notebook, trying to hide his nervousness. “They’re English. Recently moved from London. The woman was the secretary of some hot shot executive in… Longwood Inc.”
“Shit,” he cursed, and the younger officer looked up from his notebook. “Tell me it’s not Ellis Longwood.”
The man nodded and Galen cursed again. “Ok, lets do this, officer…”
“Williams, Sir. Neil Williams,” the man offered as he hurried to follow his senior officer through the door.
When Galen first stepped into the house the scent of blood hit him full in the face. He looked around the dinning room and his gaze fell on a green bean, resting quietly on the hard wood floor, presumably besides the husband’s chair. It must be his chair, for the other had unfortunate Mrs. Jordan still sitting on it. The CSI guys had finished taking photographs of the grizzly scene and the coroner was waiting to put the corpse into a body-bag.
He looked around. There were no signs of forced entry, indeed, nor coming or goings. Just the dead woman…Ellis’ secretary. He looked at the woman again. She seemed human enough, but so did Alessa most of the time. There were too many coincidences… He needed to contact Ellis ASAP. But at the moment, he needed to search the house. The murderer could still be inside. It was unlikely, especially if it was Ellis’ demon hunter, but possible.
Turning to the stairs he ascended them carefully, the gun in his hand, trying not to disturb any evidence that could be there. He spotted a drop of blood on one of the steps and paused, alerting Williams behind him before continuing up to the second floor. As he turned the corner at the top of the stairs he saw a shining ball, the size of an orange, lying near the wall. A quick look around assured him that there were no threats and only closed doors. Galen’s attention returned to the ball. It was silver, shiny, and he thought it was humming. *I'm probably going to regret this,* he reflected, as he extended his hand to take the object.
The moment his hand touched the ball a scene straight from a nightmare appeared in front of him. Instead of the empty hall of half a second before, he found himself in a strange place – well, the same place, but strangely distorted. All sharp edges and oblique walls. And blood; weirdly shiny and splashing the blue paint of the walls. A middle aged man – probably Mr. Jordan – lay obviously dead against the wall, bleeding from two holes in his chest, his hand still holding a gun.
There was another man on the hall, a hand clutching his side as he lay slumped on the floor. The other hand was extended towards the silver ball. There was a P40 besides him. Aiming his gun at the uncouncious blond man, Galen slowly walked the final step onto the hall and approached him, kicking the weapon out of his reach before thrusting him none too gently with his foot. The man’s short shallow breathing was all the response he got.
Relaxing a little, Galen lowered his gun and turned around to see how Officer Williams was doing. The young cop was standing a couple of steps beneath the landing, a startled look in his light blue eyes. That wasn’t strange in itself. But he was immobile, and that was.
“This is getting better and better…” Galen mused and walked towards the stairs to take a better look at the man. He waved his gun in front of the officer's eyes, but Neil Williams was completely frozen - he wasn’t even breathing, and his eyes stared into nothing. Poking his head over the stair’s railing, Galen could see that the rest of the crew was frozen as well, a woman cop even had her feet in the air, caught in mid step. If he had been another man, he’d probably be terrified by then, but he’d seen stranger things than this. *You should be here, Kate,* he thought feeling the usual pang of sorrow. Kate would probably understand.
His gaze returned to the two men in the landing, the only people in the house who seemed to be attuned to him, even if one of them was dead. The living one had changed his position slightly - Galen could see the wound in his side now - and his breathing had become even more erratic. He realized he’d die if he didn’t do something. He had no time to lose.
“Cool, just cool, you son of a bitch. You better live through this so you can explain yourself.” Resting his gun on the floor, Galen sought for the man’s pulse in his neck, it was very weak. He realized then that he was still clutching the silver sphere in his left hand. He felt somewhat reluctant to let go, as if it were attached to his hand. He knew enough about magic to guess that the ball was probably the reason of this… alteration of reality. The problem was how to go back to normality. Probably just releasing the thing... He gripped one of the wounded man’s wrists and forced himself to drop the ball.
The moment the ball left his hand, Galen found himself overwhelmed by sound. He hadn’t realized till then how silent that place had been. The second thing he checked was the wounded man besides him, he was there too, but not the corpse. The third thing he felt was William’s foot on his hand.
“Hey!” he shouted, looking up to see the officer trying to avoid tripping over him.
“I’m sorry, Sir!” the young man exclaimed, stepping back. “I- I didn’t see-” he blinked when he saw the wounded man lying besides detective Eldridge. He could swear there was nothing in the landing a second ago…
“Don’t stare and go get the paramedics!” Galen commanded with urgency. He knew what Williams might be thinking and didn’t want him to guess too much. Besides, he needed to go there again… to get the husband.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Oct 12, 2007
9:00 PM
Bloodmoney's Lab
The figure walked up to the front door of the dilapidated building and rang the doorbell. Inside, the sound of a tortured scream came from the basement. No matter what Bloodmoney was actually like, he at least had the lab running. A door opened and a young blond woman came to the door. "He's expecting you." she said, "Right this way."
The two of them walked through corridors lined with festering body parts arranged in fractal designs until they reached the main lab. Half-concealed shrieks of delight came from behind the door. "Yes, Yes, raise the philistine monk a little higher, you Aristocrats!" Inside, a huge rotting beast was snapping at a body, eating the thing in two bites. it was a former Swedenborgian priest who had tried to solicit donations for his church. Now, it was Loathsome Creature chow.
The doctor seemed happy, so Ilsa turned to the stranger and stuck out her hand. "My name's Ilsa Bloodmoney. I'm the doctor's assistant."
The mysterious figure looked at her. "I'm not going to deal with a peon."
"You've got no choice." Ilsa sighed. "He's stark raving mad. You can't get a coherent sentence out of him. He speaks free-associatively."
The figure considered the options at hand and shrugged. "My organization wants you to join us. We're willing to aid you in killing Adam Young and his little whore."
Ilsa looked surprised. "Adam's getting pussy? Last I saw him, he was stuck in a cage in Codrescu." she shook it off. "Not important. We accept your offer." The deal, as it was laid out, involved the creation of zombies from fallen members of the organization. It also included excellent dental and free tentacle porn. Ilsa accepted the terms, though confused about the free tentacle porn offered to the zombies and other creatures, and showed the visitor out. "Don't hesitate to drop by." she called, "I always need someone for a drink." there was something about her phrasing that was off, but no one caught it.
OOC: Looks like the Bastard High Priest of Brevity's back, folks...
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 12th, 2007
Longwood Estates
7:30 pm
She twirled around him in an elegant sea of red. Her emerald eyes sparkled and her face glowed. The hemline floated at her ankles, accentuated by a thigh high slit, which gave the appearance that her tanned legs were never ending. Her smile was contagious and Ellis found himself responding to her. His face wrinkled in a smile as she danced before him in her new dress.
“I love it, Ellis,” she said as she watched herself in the full length mirror again. She hadn’t worn a dress this elegant since the times with Delancre, and she had forgotten how good it felt. “It’s a beautiful dress.”
“You look great in red,” he said. He knew she’d love it. His eyes roamed over Alessa as she began to spin again, taking in the 'full effect' of the dress. His gaze moved from the twirling hem, slowly up her body, to the spaghetti straps at her shoulders. Her skin seemed to glow in contrast.
He sort of resented her having kept her birthday from him, whatever her reasons, and after the scare she had given him in the morning he simply wanted to see her smile. He found himself staring again; the low neckline stopped just at the swelling of her small breasts, enough to allow imagination to roam. He looked to her full lips and imagined kissing her deeply, while he caressed the creamy skin of her breasts…
“Ellis?” Alessa asked, a amused expression in her face.
"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" he asked, fumbling with the turtle neck of his sweater. It was hot in there.
"I asked you if I’d have opportunity to wear my lovely birthday gift soon."
He smiled, "Oh yes, and I hope that you will allow me to escort you?"
“I don’t know, where are you thinking to take me?” Alessa smiled enticingly, “you know, this is a dress made to dance…”
“Dancing it is, then.” Ellis said, enjoying her surprise.
Alessa turned, surprised. "Really? Dancing?" Ellis nodded. “Well, you should change, then. Something according to the occasion."
"Of course," he answered and his mind wondered back to the dress and how it would look lying in a red pool around her feet. He shook his head to remove the images, or they’d not go anywhere that night. “Don’t worry, I’ll be ready.” He turned to leave the room but stopped near the her dresser. He tapped on an envelope lying on the wooden surface. “This came earlier, dear.”
Alessa checked her dress once more and walked to the dresser, taking the letter. England stamps? She frowned for a second till she recognized Cole’s handwriting. She was beaming as she took the card inside.
“Oh, Cole!” She giggled as a dozen fragrant red roses bloomed in front of her eyes when she opened the card. This birthday was getting better and better by the moment.
Pinning her hair up in a French twist, she tucked one of the roses in it, sure that the magical flower would remain alive and fragrant all through the night, applied some make up and left the room. She didn’t have to wait long for Ellis, looking oh, so handsome in a all black tux.
“I’ll be the envy of all ladies at the ball,” she said, appraising her man with bright eyes.
“I'm sure you won't,” he replied bowing courteously. “I'm sure nobody will envy me, at least.”
“Hey!” she exclaimed, sounding hurt. “What an ungentlemanly thing to say! Don’t I look pretty?” she asked, turning around again.
Ellis just laughed and caught her spinning form. “You’ll see,” he said, laying a kiss on top of her head.
***
“But… but, there’s nobody here!” Alessa protested, as they crossed the enormous crystal doors leading to L.A. Opera House central hall. It was like a scene right out of a Gaston Leroux’s novel. Except that it was empty. No masked dancers or spectators, neither costumed waiters.
“I told you nobody would be envious of me,” Ellis said, winking at her.
A bit disturbed by the awkward silence, Alessa allowed her gaze to wander about the extravagantly decorated hall. The last rays of the sun shone through the high crystal walls, reflecting on every surface. Everything seemed to be glazed in a frosty sheen, causing the whole room to shimmer. On a platform across from them, in front of a huge curling stairway, a band with a young female vocalist was setting up their instruments. They were the only other people in the room with them.
“What does this mean, Ellis?” she asked again, turning in his arms. “You just… couldn’t…”
“Couldn’t what?” He asked, enjoying her confusion. “Get them to open the night before their yearly charity ball? It was no big deal, in fact, they were happy to do it.”
He led her to the center of the dance floor. Her beautiful gown flowed with her movements as she clung to Ellis tightly. The band began to play, and Alessa felt a strange surge of longing dance through her as she heard the first accords of the song.
"Bed, bed, I couldn’t go to bed...my head’s too light to try to set it down.”
The sweet soprano of the singer onstage filled the room, and he asked in a tone he hoped was casual, “Would you like to dance, my fair lady?”
Her green eyes sparkled with excitement as she studied him, he never ceased to surprise her. “I’d love to.”
“I could have danced all night
I could have danced all night
And still have begged for more. ”
"I could’ve spread my wings," she sang along, staring up into Ellis’ eyes, "And done a thousand things I’ve never done before."
“I thought that a hundred year woman would have done enough things…” he said with a mischievous smile as they whirled around the empty ballroom.
“Che!, I'm not a hundred! I'm just eighty-eight.”
“Oh, yes. And a very beautiful eighty-eight-year-old.”
“Well… dancing alone like this…” she looked around at the frosted ballroom. It felt magical, having the whole Opera House just for themselves. “I feel like Bella. I just need a yellow gown.”
“Would that make me the Beast?” He asked, but before she answered he twirled her around and brought her to him again. “I can be an ugly hairy beast.”
Alessa giggled in his arms. “You let ugly hairy beasts for me, I have a little practice in the matter.”
“I'm sure you do,” Ellis laughed as he started to sing, his warble horribly off-key. "Danced, danced all niiiight!"
Alessa immediately dissolved into giggles again. "Stop it, Ellis," she ordered in a whisper.
"Why? Isn’t love supposed to make you fly instead of clipping your wings?"
The demoness didn’t reply. She could feel a bittersweet ache dancing in her heart as she stared at him; it was scaring to love him this much. She had felt like this twice, and both had ended badly. “Just leave singing to me,” she said at last.
“And me the loving,” he answered tenderly, drawing to a stop in the middle of the room. Raw emotion reached him, and he could almost hint at her thoughts. He traced the line of her jaw and raised her face to him.. “Alessa, I'm not going anywhere.”
Alessa opened her mouth to reply, but words failed her. A small smile rose the corners of his lips, and she found herself longing to kiss him. She smiled, setting them in motion again. He wouldn’t go anywhere, she’ll make sure of it.
“Why all at once my heart took flight.” Her voice joined the singer’s again. “I only know when he began to dance with me I could have danced, danced, danced All night!”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 13th, 2007
LA County Hospital
1:05 am
Ellis crossed the double doors leading to the LA County Hospital emergency room with a brisk pace and walked directly to the admission counter. It was way past midnight, but the emergency room buzzed with activity. The dark skinned nurse barely took her eyes off her computer screen, as if seeing a handsome man in a tux in the middle of the night was a common occurrence for her.
“Yes?” she asked with a bored tone, the man didn’t look hurt or sick, although a closer look at his blue eyes finally got her attention.
“I need to see Detective Eldridge, he’s with a patient…”
“LAPD’s felons are guarded and cannot be visited,” she replied in the same bored tone.
“I'm expected,” he said briskly, he didn’t have time for this, not after searching for this man for months, however the annoyed look in the nurse’s black eyes told him he had made a mistake. Fighting to control his bad temper, Ellis started again, a conciliatory smile in his face. “Look, nurse… Reyes, detective Eldridge called me. If you’d be so kind to just direct me, I’ll deal with LAPD myself.”
The woman tapped on her computer before replying, Ellis was on his way before she even finished talking.
Galen closed the ward door quietly behind him as he entered the corridor. It was late and the whole hospital seemed to have slowed to a steady whisper with only the occasional squeak of rubber soled sneakers or patient call alarm to break the silence. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and removed one, tapping the end against the cardboard carton but resisting the urge to light up.
“Why don’t you go take a coffee break?” he said to young officer Williams as he saw the familiar figure of Ellis Longwood turn at the end of the corridor. Galen fished a dime out of his pocket and tossed it to the rookie as he rose to his feet. “And call your girlfriend, let her know you’re okay, right?”
Ellis slowed his pace until he saw the officer in blue walk away. He extended his hand to Galen, he was seeing so much of this man lately he already looked like family, he thought, amused. “So, what have you got for me?” he asked, after the initial greeting words.
“Let’s go inside and I’ll explain,” said Galen, pushing the door to the small private room open and leading the way in. The two men stood looking at the patient lying unconscious in bed for several minutes before speaking. “I got called out to a reported homicide in Glendale last night, I’m afraid that one of the victims has already been identified as employee of yours, just recently arrived from London. A Mrs Jordan?”
Ellis tore his eyes from the blond man in the bed, and looked at Galen for a second before finally grasping what he was saying. “Mrs. Jordan? What do you mean? Is she dead? But…” He stopped talking, noticing how stupid he’d sound if he went on, *but I’ve just talked to her,* he wanted to say, *she sent me this very same tux I'm wearing this afternoon…*
He rubbed his eyes, controlling himself. Mrs. Jordan had been his secretary since he had assumed the presidency of Longwood Inc. almost ten years ago, she had been crucial in his growth as leader, her inside knowledge of the business an invaluable asset in his favour. But she had been more than that, she had been a friend. After a moment he spoke. “Tell me what happened,” he asked Galen in a forced calm tone.
“That, I’m afraid, may be a little more difficult,” explained Galen, reaching into his pocket and removing the spherical object he’d found back at the house. Carefully he unfolded his handkerchief and held out the object to Ellis. “Don’t ask me what it is, but if I had to guess I’d say it was some kind of time… altering ball. I found it just out of reach of our friend here. It seems to be activated by touch, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before – and that’s saying something.”
“I guess,” Ellis answered looking at the object in Galen’s hand. The ball’s surface was smooth and shiny, with no joinings or marks on it, perfectly spherical, and the size of an orange. He extended his hand but stopped, remembering the cop’s words. “Time altering? That would explain many things.” He raised his eyes at Galen again. “What about the rest? The bullets, cigarette butts…?”
“I’m still waiting for confirmation to come from ballistics but the ammo were single p40 calibre bullets just like the ones we extracted from the other victims, and several Marlboro cigarette butts were collected from beneath a tree in the grounds. It looks like he’d been waiting there for a while.”
Galen turned his attention to the blond man laid out on the bed. “I sent a sample of Mrs Jordan’s blood to a private lab for analysis but I imagine you’ll tell me what I already suspected.”
Ellis nodded briskly. “Half breed,” he said softly. Mrs. Jordan had been more human than demon, but yes. She’d had demon blood in her. He squeezed his fists hard, and walked towards the bed. He didn’t fail to see the connection there, “what did you intend?” he asked the unconscious man, his words showing his fury and his hands going to the man’s throat. “Were you sending me a message? You son of bitch…”
Galen grasped hold of Ellis about the shoulders and dragged him back. It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand his fury, after all, the next body they found could have been that of Alessa, but still…
“Let him go Ellis!” grunted Galen as he struggled to restrain the man. “He’s not worth it, we’ve got him now and believe me demon or not, we have enough evidence to make sure he goes to prison for a long time.”
“Okay, okay,” he said, raising his hands as Galen released him. He turned around, his back to the hunter. He wouldn’t look at him again. He breathed in, calming, before going on. “I’ll need something of his, for a DNA check, anyway. And if you don’t mind, I’d like my ‘M&R’ experts to take a look at that ball.”
“That’s fine by me,” answered Galen, retrieving the devise from his pocket and handing it over to Ellis. “It’s not like I can just hand it in to evidence anyway and to tell the truth, using that thing once was enough for me.”
Galen nodded in the direction of the hunter, “as for him, you can take what you like. I don’t think he’s in a position to object.”
“Indeed not,” he chuckled humourlessly. After putting the devise away he walked to the man again and pulled some hair, not too gently. “This will be enough.” Taking a last look down at him he noticed for the first time how pale the man was. “Will he be all right, it’ll be a shame that he died unpunished. And how was he hurt like this? After following him for months this really strange.”
“Mr Jordan,” said Galen simply, “it appears that he managed to wound the suspect before he was killed himself. Guy obviously wasn’t going down without a fight. As for Van Helsing here, I’m told his condition is stable, we’ll know more in the morning when the senior surgeon returns.”
“Good for you, Bill,” Ellis muttered, remembering the man. He’d socialised with him over the years too. He felt responsible for all this, if he hadn’t moved to LA in the first place… shaking his head he stopped that train of thought. There were more urgent matters. He’d have to go to the coroner first thing in the morning; the Jordan’s had no family. There was much to arrange. He didn’t think the coroner would pick on Sarah Jordan’s not humanity, but he needed to be prepared for that too. He rubbed his eyes again, tiredness getting the best of him. He hadn’t slept well the night before and it had been a long day.
He turned to Galen who looked tired too. “Thanks, Galen. I’ll be sure to pass you any information I’ll get on the ball and this bastard.” He doubted for a second, not sure if it was the best moment to talk of it, but he finally added. “Alessa told me what you talked about last night. I already have my people investigating the Ministry.”
“I really appreciate that,” said Galen with a weary sigh. “Right now they’re the only lead I have in finding Kate, even after all these months.” He sighed again. “And Alessa, did she have a good birthday?”
Ellis remembered the previous night and pictured Alessa as he had left her, clad in her red dress, and grinned. “It certainly started well,” he answered, and then he added quickly, “she had a good time, I took her dancing. Girls just love to dance.”
Galen smiled, slapping the other man on the back jovially. “Tell me about it.”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Thursday, 19 October 2007 – 2:15pm
Wolfram & Hart – LA Offices
Colin Dawson intertwined his dark, leathery fingers and stretched out his hands, the knuckles making a satisfying popping sound as he exhaled slowly. Then he reached for the small pile of envelopes that comprised his afternoon mail and began to open them. Shortly he reached one that carried no return address. With a deft twist of his wrist he tore open the flap and unfolded the two sheets of paper within.
Prominently displayed on the top page was a pink Post-It note covered in familiar handwriting. Smiling, he peeled it off, uncovering the words it had obscured on the front page of the photocopied report, and placed the note in a blank space on the second page. Gina worked with the police, and often turned up interesting tidbits for Colin. Intrigued, he began to read.
For a long moment the room was still, then the silence was disturbed by the noise of Colin fumbling for a yellow highlighter. Thus armed, he continued to read the document, marking phrases of note.
Absorbing the information, but not yet allowing himself to from any hypotheses, Colin methodically turned to the second page and continued to read, the highlighter ever poised in his fingers.
“Hmm.” Colin leaned back in his chair, pondering the meaning of what he’d just read. None of it sounded like any of the clients currently on their books, nor any past clients either, for that matter. Somebody new was in town, and it was just possible they might need legal representation.
Presently he picked up the phone. “Ronwé,” he spoke as soon as the demon answered, “I need you to do some research for me.”
with Morgan Freeman
as Colin Dawson
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 16th
Longwood Inc.
1:30 pm
It was the first time that Alessa had been to Ellis’ office after the demon hunter had been caught. There was a new secretary at Ms. Jordan’s desk, of course. A pretty thing, actually – all blond hair and blue eyes. Alessa frowned, but relaxed when Ellis greeted the girl courteously but very matter-of-factly before leading her to his office.
She sat down on her favorite sofa, and crossed her legs while she watched Ellis fumble about his desk for whatever he intended to show her. Ellis’ desk usually was very tidy, but that afternoon it showed a disorganized pile of papers on top of it.
“Not very efficient, is she?” she couldn’t help asking, and smiled sweetly when he raised his eyes, confusion clear in them. “Your new secretary.”
Ellis stared at her, blankly, for half a second, then he smiled too. A self satisfied smile that Alessa wanted to slap away from his face.
“Maybe you’d like to take her place?” he said slowly, his eyes twinkling with laughter.
“To bring you coffee and type your letters? No way.” Alessa waved dismissively with her hands, but she pursed her lips not to smile as well.
“I can think of other things you could do as my secretary, actually…”
“Write your reports, balance your sheets…?” She wetted her lips and added, “stick your stamps?”
“I think I’d like that very much, Miss. Hunt,” he answered, his eyes intent on hers. He had started to walk round the huge desk when a light tap on the office’s door, followed by Mike walking in, interrupted them. Alessa giggled when Ellis cursed softly against new secretaries before turning to his friend.
“Here’s the report on the ball, I took it-” Mike stopped when he noticed Alessa was in the office. “Oh, hello, Alessa. Didn’t know you were here. Am I interrupting something?” he said, his eyes darting from her to Ellis.
“Para nada,” Alessa got up quickly and went to greet the huge man. “Ellis was just trying to talk me into becoming his secretary.”
“Any luck?” he asked, this time to Ellis.
“Nope. She’s quite adamant about not making me coffee.” He extended his hand, taking the folder on the black man’s hand. “I was just looking for that.”
“Is it the report on the magic ball Galen found?” Alessa asked.
“Yeah, it’s a pretty interesting little thing too.”
“You bet,” Ellis chipped in, opening the folder. “What’s most interesting is that you don’t need to be a mage to use it – that’s probably why we couldn’t pick any magic resonance at the crime scenes, or my not recognizing the bastard as a mage himself.”
“And Galen used it too, right?” Alessa frowned a little, the use of magically created or enchanted objects sometimes didn’t require magic on the part of the user. There were plenty of objects of this kind. Once the charm or talisman – or in this case, the ball - had been imbued with the desired properties, the magical object could function with little or no effort on the part of the user. Of course, that made the practice all the more dangerous. However, the demon hunter – they didn’t know how to call him yet, since the man was still comatose – had been pretty efficient. “So what exactly can this ball do?”
“Well, this ball is called the ‘Sphere of Time’. It’s a mythical object, seemingly lost for centuries. Our mages took a while to recognize it because of that.” Ellis said, raising his eyes from the report. “It appears it can affect the currents of time, but that’s not all there is.”
“So long we’ve discovered it sort of makes a time shield around the user.” Mike added, leaning on the desk. “That means you can create an area of null time around yourself, anything that attempts to penetrate this zone becomes ‘stuck’ or trapped in it. Imagine a bullet, it’ll sort of freeze in front of you, at least while the shield is up." He chuckled. "Pretty practical, huh?”
“I could use one of those,” she replied.
Mike smiled, “me too. We think that is what the hunter had up when Galen found him. Somehow the ‘Sphere’ created this null time zone around him and Bill Jordan, and he just couldn’t turn it off. It was only luck Galen could enter it, otherwise he would have died in there too.”
“No big loss,” Ellis interrupted, but he knew Mike was right. The hunter had a lot of questions to answer still. He continued talking about the sphere. “It also allowed the hunter to move forward along his relative time flow more rapidly than normal, in a sort of speeding up effect.”
“The user’s point of view is that the rest of reality is moving much more slowly then he is, while it moves at normal speed; obviously, others experience the opposite effect,” explained Mike.
“That’s probably what he did at the ‘Fish Tank’,” Alessa mused. She remembered the ease and speed with which he had attacked the dancers at the strippers club.
“Yeah, probably. The mages are still researching the ball, it appears it can also alter time in other ways, like that speeding up effect affecting other people or objects, or making the opposite and slowing time instead. As I said, it’s really interesting.”
“And fortunately it’s in our hands now too,” the demoness said.
“Yes. Hopefully it’s the only one.”
“The only one?” she asked, extending her hand to get the report herself and take a look at it.
“Well, we know he’s not a mage, that much is clear. But this man really knew how to use that thing, and I don’t think it’s just coincidence. This ball alone doesn’t explain all of this. Maybe we’ve just found an experienced magic user, who knows what else he’s got?”
“You mean other magical objects?” Alessa asked, rising her eyes from the folder, the implications of that clear in her mind. Fortunately the man was safely guarded at the hospital, but you never knew. Ellis was right, a hunter this successful had to have some upper hand, and it could be just that.
She looked at Mike and he nodded. “All right, but if he has ‘the Comb of No Bad Hair Days Ever’ I want it.”
Ellis chuckled. “I guess we’ll just have to wait for him to wake up to know."
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
***Flashback***
Monday, October 8 2007
9:52 AM - Underground
Julia's eyes flickered open. Her vision, blurry at first, soon revealed her surroundings as dank and unfamiliar. She was also shackled to a metal chair. A rustling in the corner of the room alerted her to her captor's presence, which immediately spurred her to attention.
"Where am I?" she moaned.
"Deep underground," Vespajan stated abruptly. "So deep, not even your compatriot Mr. Law can hear you," he snickered.
Julia's vision cleared up and the demon came into focus. "It's you!" she gasped. "The one whose ass Benji accidentally kicked!" she mocked. "What, you too chicken to fight me freely and you gotta chain me up? Or is this just to lure Benji into a little deathtrap?" She shook her head. "Whatever it is, it's not gonna work."
The sea demon glided closer. "Benji...his time will come," he scoffed. "Hell, you’re a formidable opponent yourself—or at least, your vehicle is." He rubbed his bare shoulder. "As my invulnerability spell wears thinner, I'm beginning to feel some of the damage your van can do," he admitted with a small groan.
"The van," Julia remembered. "I was driving…there was a crash!" She watched Vespajan, who nodded back enigmatically. "I crashed into YOU?" she shouted. "No way! You couldn't survive that!"
"One of the many tricks to which I have new-found access," Vespajan boasted. "The spell renders me impervious to damage, but only for a limited time span." He released a sharp wince, then continued. "However, while I am guarded from any real physical damage, some of the pain seeps through as the spell expires, it seems." From his hovering position a foot off of the ground, Vespajan slowly landed on his feet and leaned against the dark chamber's brick wall.
"Whoa. Pretty handy," Julia said with slow-burning awe.
"I've...never used it before tonight."
"You shoulda told me it was your first time—I would've been more gentle," Julia remarked. "Oh my gosh the cats! Are they--?"
"Safe. Elsewhere."
Julia sighed anxiously. She'd have to believe him for now. "So where did you get that, uh, spell-thing, exactly?" She shrugged and her shackles rattled around her wrists. "Just, y'know, curious."
Vespajan slowly slid along the wall, supported by his non-battered shoulder. "Not that it matters, but a lot has changed since I met you a few days ago."
"Yeah," Julia murmured. "I've had a strange couple of days myself."
"I returned home, after all. I traveled by sea—my kind travels extremely fast that way. I didn't expect the Order to welcome me with open arms, of course, so before any action could be taken against me I made sure I was not ill equipped for future attacks."
"So, you stole a buncha magic stuff?" Julia asked with a prying tone.
Vespajan stood over her. "Do you judge me for it?" he hissed.
"Hell no. It's what I would've done."
"Still, it was all worth it to reach you," he explained.
"Why do you want me?" she asked the demon doubtfully. "I mean, why go to all this trouble just to get to me?"
"Because I serve a new master now, and I had to be tested. By capturing you, I've proven my loyalty...and my worth."
Julia scoffed. "Me? If you remember, it wasn't me who kicked your behind!" she yelled in protest. "Benji..."
"Yes, Benji. You'd have him take your place?" Vespajan asked.
Julia gritted her teeth for a moment. "Benji is to blame. For all of it. He's the one you want."
"Truth be told, he is," the blue demon seethed. "I want to get to Benji very much, but my master has plans for you."
Julia settled back into her chair as Vespajan pulled away. She watched him wobble as he hovered down a dark hallway, off to nurse his wounds, Julia supposed.
"You can't just keep me here!" Julia called after the demon.
"Don't take it personally," Vespajan offered. "It's just for the time being."
Monday, October 8 2007
12:05 PM - Underground
"Let me out, bastard!" Julia shrieked. "You've kept me here for God-knows-how-long and I need to drink!" The young vampire stomped her feet and rattled the chains that kept her confined to the chair. The musty sewer chamber was empty except for a wooden table with a strange little box on it. A torch in the corner lit the area, and Julia gazed into the dark doorway hoping for her demonic captor to return. "If I don't frickin' eat someone soon I swear to high Hell I'm gonna..."
Suddenly, the sea demon Vespajan appeared in the portal. "Getting a tad antsy, aren't we?" he hummed. He glided to Julia's side with a canteen in his hand. Holding it to her lips. Julia was pleasantly surprised to take in a large sip of blood. "It's not quite fresh, but it should suit."
Julia gasped after a few more gulps and glared at Vespajan. "What's the big idea here, anyway, Blue? You said your boss had plans for me, and I think after spending almost a day chained to a chair you've either gotta kill me or clue me in. It's, like, common politeness or whatever."
"Your wounds are mostly healed," Vespajan observed casually.
"The little ones are, yeah. Still got this nice and nasty one up here," she said, trying to gesture to where her head hit the steering wheel. "Smooth change of subject by the way."
The demon stood and moved over to the table. "We wanted to wait until you had recovered more fully before revealing this to you," he explained. He waved his hand over the box and continued. "However, there is simply too much on my master's plate at the moment and the time table seems to be advancing quite alarmingly."
"Time table?" Julia asked. "Sounds like some big plan your master's got..."
"Oh, we're pulling out all the stops on this one," Vespajan said, his green eyes flashing excitedly. "This is the plan to end all plans, my friend. And you have a role to play..." With a swift gesture Vespajan opened the box and lifted it to Julia's face.
"Sweet ring, Vespa," Julia muttered. She glanced down at the bright green gemstone, which almost matched the shade of Vespajan's eyes, and stared at the silver band. "Are you...like, proposing?" Julia batted her eyelashes flirtatiously. "Why Vespajan! The brutality—the kidnapping—I should've known! This is...foreplay!"
Vespajan laughed falsely, then shuddered. "Here," he said as he slipped the ring on Julia's finger.
"Gross!" Julia yelped. "I'm totally not marrying you, freak!" She kicked at him, but he darted out of her foot's reach. "When I get outta here I'm gonna kick your ass and mean it this time...when I get outta here I...I..."
"When you what?" Vespajan taunted.
"I'm going to get out of here and I'm gonna kill you!" she screamed. She thrust her arms forwards and after a moment the ring began to glow. In another second, the shackles the held her arms grew brittle and snapped into several pieces. "What the Hell?"
"You said you were going to get out," Vespajan explained. "You willed it so."
"You idiot," Julia growled. "I'm free now, and I'm still going to—" Suddenly she yelled and clutched her hand. "It burns!" she cried.
"Yes, that it does," the demon captor agreed. "Now, do you promise to be a good girl?"
"Get it off," she pleaded. Vespajan snatched the ring from her and held it tightly in his fist. "What is it?" Julia asked.
"Another little bauble taken from the Order, this time by my master's request. The Order of Valor still had it under study—they did not yet know it's full power. Now, if you agree, my master will grant this treasure to you..."
"Why?" Julia whined. "Why would you give this to me? What do you want from me?"
Vespajan turned away coldly as Julia's face sank into her hands. "If you promise to be a good girl I will teach you how to use this ring to get your revenge."
"Benji..." Julia whispered, turning up to the demon.
"...will never see this coming," Vespajan replied. The demon dropped the ring in the box and clasped the lid shut, then tucked it under his arm. Julia was free to move around the room now, but Vespajan closed a heavy metal door behind him, just in case. He'd never had to seal the room while Julia was chained, but he'd have to get used to keeping very tight security from now on.
Monday, October 8 2007
3:25 PM - Underground
Vespajan slid up to the door with his usual serpentine motion. He couldn't hear Julia inside the chamber, and called to her. He found Julia sitting on the chair and resting her arms on the wooden table.
She raised her head and Vespajan saw the look in her eyes—she was trying to determine if he was enchanted. "Raise a hand against me and see for yourself," he urged. "If I've cast my invulnerability spell, you'll know it when I strike you down."
"Nah," Julia answered tiredly. "I don't want to fight." She nodded at Vespajan's curious expression. "I want to talk. I mean, I've got some questions and you're gonna answer 'em," she proclaimed.
"Be my guest," Vespajan said. "Ask away."
"The ring: what does it do, exactly?"
Vespajan laughed deeply. "You saw for yourself..."
Julia shook her head. "It made the chains break when I wanted them to break. It..."
"...altered reality," Vespajan smiled. "On a very localized level, but still—it's a damn good trick."
"It hurt my hand," Julia said. "It burned me."
"Yes, a small price to pay for such power."
Julia stood. "Your master...I know why he wants to give it to me. He wants to test it on me before he uses it for himself, doesn't he?" She crossed her arms expectantly. "Tell me, Vespajan."
The demon shrugged. "If nothing else, I am an honest demon. Evil to the core, yes—but honest. What you say is true. But still, Julia...can you deny the power?"
Julia shrank back. "What use would I have for it? I'm not a damn witch. I don't do the occult. Why me?"
"My master needs a test subject with intense desire, for this is how the ring is activated. By indulging in darkest impulses...the ring reshapes reality." Vespajan paced along the wall to let Julia ruminate on this bit of information.
Julia rolled her eyes. "And what exactly do you think I desire?"
"Revenge, Julia. Think of what Benji has taken from you. He hurt you, and he hurt a lot of others, too." Vespajan's eyes narrowed as he spoke Benji's name. "He killed Rose Bellwether, and stole my master's victory..."
Julia sighed. "Wait—your boss was Rose's boss? Gee, that figures." She put her hands on her hips. Odd—if things were different, perhaps she would have served the same master as Vespajan. Perhaps she still could. "But you don't need to tell me what he did," Julia went on. "And that's exactly why I'm going consider helping you test this doohickey out."
"You're going to have to stay in this room until tomorrow...just as a precaution..." Vespajan pulled the canteen of fresh blood from his skirt and set it down on the table.
"I have no intention of going anywhere," Julia agreed. She stared at the table and lowered herself into the chair, listening to the sound of the metal door close behind Vespajan. "Benji may be a commitment-phobe, but when I set myself to something, I see it through," she told herself. "I at least want to know what this thing's all about before I take off..."
Tuesday, October 9 2007
11:15 PM - Underground
Julia closed the cap of the canteen as the sewer door creaked open. "It's about time," she cracked. "The service in this place sucks..."
"Well luckily for you we're getting a change of scenery." The blue-skinned demon extended his hand. "Come with me." Julia followed Vespajan out of the chamber and into a long and winding series of tunnels, culminating in a strange metal stairwell that led up to a nearly-abandoned hydroelectric plant.
"Where are we going?" Julia asked.
"A little reconnaissance mission," the demon replied.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
***Flashback***
Tuesday, October 9 2007
11:55 PM – The rooftop across from Bob's Bar
"See there?" the demon asked. "Down, below us."
Julia peered over down from the rooftop and watched Benji Law enter Bob's Bar. "What's he doing?"
"Looking for you, I assume."
Julia winced. "He's mad...I can tell."
"Does he have right to be?" Vespajan inquired.
"No, dammit! Well, yes, since I stole his ride, but I'm the wronged party here.
Vespajan whipped the long fold of his veil over his shoulder and crossed his arms. "There are demons who specialize in vengeance, you know. Perhaps we could call one of them?"
Julia cropped to her knees and stared across the street, leaning her arms on the rooftop ledge. "No, no. If I decide to strike at Benji I'll do it myself. If I decide to strike."
After the heat of the moment had died down, did she really want to take vengeance on Benji? She'd already gotten all that stuff off her chest in the van, hadn't she? But what Benji had done was directly related to the deaths of three important people in her life. Surely that couldn't be forgiven. No exceptions could be made, Julia tried to tell herself. Not even on account of true love.
The sea demon scoffed. "Are you going to let him do that to you? Betray you like he did?"
"I don't know what I'm going to do, honestly." Julia smacked her palm on the cement ledge. "But I don't want to be here anymore. Let's go back to Sewer Land."
"You don't want to even hunt while we're out?" Vespajan asked, puzzled.
Julia stood and began to walk away. "I'd rather just slink off to bed and never wake up."
Wednesday, October 10 2007
11:45 AM - Porfirio Diaz
From the back end of the room, two dark shapes watched Benji prepare to leave Porfirio Diaz. Would now be the time to confront him, make him pay for what he's done? Perhaps.
"He's relentless," Vespajan groaned to Julia, lowering the black sunglasses from his emerald eyes.
"I can't believe he's kept the search on this long," she mused, adjusting her wide-brimmed hat. "He must really be pissed about that van..."
"Not as pissed as he gonna be when if he ever saw what we did to it." Vespajan turned to his female vampire companion and snickered.
Julia shook her head as she watched Benji head for the door. "Are...are you sure he can't see us?" She pulled a scarf up around her neck nervously. "These disguises are a little dime-store, dontcha think?"
"No one's seen us," Vespajan assured her. "Yet another of the fantastic tricks I've...er, acquired from the Order of Valor. Vespajan pointed discreetly to a small scroll rolled into his long veil. "An 'incognito' spell...just in case our guises are not convincing enough. We may watch him from a safe distance."
"Benji's on the move," Julia noted, then rose from her seat at the back table. The vampiress and the demon slipped into the nearby alley through a side entrance, then proceeded to scout out Benji's movements.
Julia removed her own dark glasses and watched the young vampire walk down the street, head held a bit lower than usual. "Do ya think he misses me?" Vespajan grunted in apathetic reply. "Do you suppose he at least feels bad?" Julia pouted.
Suddenly a decrepit middle-aged vampiress poked her head out of Porfirio Diaz and waved drunkenly to Benji. "Hey, rude kid!" she called in a slurred growl. "Jus' for that, if I see this 'Julia' chick I'ma tell 'er to run th' other way! Bitch prolly isn't even gonna show up anyhow, and she ain't even worth my time!"
Benji turned back towards the woman and scowled. "This is it," Julia thought from the shadows. "He's going to defend me..." She released a small girlish giggle that she immediately regretted—Benji might hear! She clasped her scarf to her mouth as she watched. "Vindicate me, Benji! Validate this unreasonable love I have for you by declaring your love for me!"
Benji Law shook his small round bauble and shrugged. "You know what, why don't you just do that? Tell her to get the Hell out of LA. I don't care if I ever see Julia Strife again." And then he walked away.
Julia tossed her glasses and hat into an alley trashcan. "What? You don't like the disguise?" Vespajan asked, slightly offended. "I selected our garb specifically for prowling..."
"Screw it. I don't do sunglasses at night," Julia seethed. She turned to Vespajan and grabbed his gold-trimmed violet veil. "I don't need any more convincing. I want you to show me how to use that ring of yours...your boss wants me to play a role? Fine. More than happy to. But I'm sick of being a puppy dog. I'm sick of being a silly sidekick or cannon fodder for the big vamps. I want to be the big vamp, ya got me?" She pushed her index finger into Vespajan's bare blue chest. "So let's go: power me up, do what you need to do. Because let me tell you—I swear by all that is unholy I will see the end of Benji Law...if I have to kill every single person in Los Angeles to do it!"
"Um, yeah," Vespajan agreed with a polite nod. "We can do that."
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Thursday, October 25th
1318 Poplar Av., Darian’s apartment
5:00 pm
“Not good, right?” Alessa said to no one in particular. She was at Poplar Av., it was Thursday and there was nobody there, apart from Darian and herself. So much for the ‘Weekly White Hat Meeting’!
The demoness took a look around and sighed. Galen had excused himself, he was in the middle of some very important investigation. Same with Nikolai. From what she had been able to guess from the few phone calls they had exchanged, he had met somebody. Which was great, but geez! Kyle had simply not shown up. The ship seemed to be sinking indeed.
Darian looked her way from the kitchen and frowned. He took the coffee mugs he had been preparing and walked to the table. He knew what she meant. Sitting down, he pushed one of the mugs towards the demoness.
“I know. I thought Kyle will be here at least; he said he would- but you know how he is…” he grumbled, annoyed.
“Yeah, I do.” She hadn’t seen the Kaoshian in a while, actually, and that kinda worried her; but at least she knew that he came to sleep at Darian’s every other night. “I guess nobody else will come, maybe we should start?”
“Sure,” said the Fae as he handed her a couple of newspaper scraps.
Alessa scanned them quickly, they all talked about the recent series of children’s murders. She knew Darian had been working on that; she raised her eyes when she finished reading. There wasn’t much new in there, but the mention of a ‘Crying Lady’ - she wasn’t as skeptical as the reporter about her being real.
“You’ve learned something new? Something about this… ‘lady’?”
“Not really, but do you remember the girl I saved the other night?” At Alessa’s nod, Darian went on. “She had been taken by these three witches, although none of them fitted the description-” Darian hesitated for half a second, he hadn’t told Alessa about the glimpse of Kate he had seen… still didn’t quite know why.
“It’s worth a shot, anyway,” Alessa said, with another nod, not even noticing Darian’s faltering. “I say we try to find these women. If it’s children they want, we can give them children.”
“I won’t use a child as bait!” Darian exclaimed, sounding horrified at the mere thought of it.
“Who said we’d use a real child?” Alessa, winking at him. She smiled when she saw realization downing on him.
High atop a roof, the fae waited, his eyes focusing on the young girl down below. Of course if, whatever had been killing those kids, did stumble on the bait, it would be in for a big surprise.
*Amazing a Verbati can fit into that little body* he thought, picturing the difference in size between Alessa’s true form, and the one she was currently wearing. He still had a hard time getting over the fact that his 6’1 frame could shrink into a wolf. Of course recent years had taught him not to be shocked by anything really.
Alone below, in the middle of the dark alley, Alessa sat on a pile of flat cardboard boxes. Her short legs were pressed to her chest and her face leaning on them; she was singing softly in Spanish as she moved back and forth. Her long dark hair covered her face, and hid alert green eyes, the only part of her body that didn’t play the part of the lost, terrified child. Her good night vision helped her scan the alley, waiting for whatever she may attract, but so long, only a couple of rats had seemed interested enough to approach and whiff at her. They hadn’t been fooled by her appearance, and left quickly.
She knew where Darian was, even if she couldn’t spot him from her position, if she paid enough attention, she could almost hear him there. She sighed but went on with her pretence, she had been at the alley for almost an hour now.
“I don’t think anything’s coming” Darian’s gruff voice broke the silence, startling Alessa.
“I didn’t even hear you come down,” she said impressed.
Lending a hand to her, Darian pulled Alessa to her feet. “I don’t feel like wasting my night up there, maybe we can try something else… like patrol around, maybe try to feel out where there is more action. Would help if we still had some witches around to scry,” he mumbled as an afterthought, before becoming a little uneasy. That sighting of Kate still weighed heavily on his already burdened mind.
“I told you we should’ve gone to the park, maybe next time you’ll listen to me.” Alessa said. She dusted her pink girlish shorts and frowned. “And grass is not dusty.”
She looked up at the Fae, noticing his worried expression and bit her lip. She missed Kate and Daye too. “Come on, Darian. This is a good plan, we’ll find something soon. We don’t really need a witch…”
She walked beside him as they headed out of the alley, but Darian stopped suddenly.
“I think I saw Kate…like a week ago, here in LA.”
Alessa stopped as well, and blinked. Her small hand was surprisingly strong as she grabbed Darian’s wrist. She shook her head in confusion, and her mouth opened and closed before she could utter anything. “¿Qué? What?!!”
“I don’t know if it was her,” Darian replied, pausing briefly as if distracted by something in the alleyway. “Those 3 witches I fought with, one had a glamour, and when I got close, I saw Kate. But I…” he stopped again suddenly. “There something in the alley w…”
Before he could finish, some invisible force slammed into the fae, sending him flying back into the darkness.
Turning around, Alessa saw what had caused the magics. Standing between her and Darian were 3 bald men dressed in long black trench coats, there eyes all glowing a sickly yellow colour. Sniffing the air, she could tell that there human appearances hid a more demonic nature.
“I don’t think those are your witches, are they Darian?” Alessa mused, straining to listen to the fae, and relaxing when she heard him curse. She really didn’t want to lose eye contact with the demons. *I guess I did attract something after all,* she thought. She retreated a step, playing the terrified child again. “Who are you, what have you done to my daddy?”
“Don’t pretend Verbati, we see your real skin,” another laughed before pointing towards her. A chant began to tumble from his lips, and a second later, Alessa followed Darian’s lead by flying through the air and landing painfully on the pavement.
“Our luck day brothers; tonight we feast on demon heart.”
“And whatever you are,” another added turning his attention back to Darian who was just getting back to his feet. The demon chanted softly, as his hand clenched into a tight fist.
The magics cascaded from the hand and wrapped itself around the fae, dragging him forward in midair, while closing tightly around his neck. “I sense a spark of magic in you, but you are no demon I know.”
Darian’s hands struggled against the invisible rope around his throat, pulling frantically to stop it from constricting anymore.
*Such weak magic they wield, we can help destroy them human...* a familiar voice whispered from the back of Darian’s mind.
Alessa raised her head from the ground and turned to the demons again, she needed just a glance to see Darian was in trouble, but she hesitated about her course of action. She was powerless against magic and she knew it, but she wouldn’t go without a fight.
The surprise element was out of the question, so she smoothly changed to her hairy self and jumped off the floor with supernatural strength and speed, only to find herself crashing into a magic barrier between her and the little men. The momentum of her jump got her flying backwards again. She cursed as she got up from the ground a second time.
“Scrumptious Verbati heart!” The middle demon licked his lips as he, and the one to the left cast a magical circle around Alessa, while the other kept Darian in the chokehold.
*Leave ussss free or she will die*
Darian spared a glance at Alessa and saw Evexus was right. The 3 demons had caught them off guard, and with magic on their side, it would be a hard pressed fight without weapons to match. And it was with that thought that he fell back into himself, allowing the darkness to take over.
“Huh?” The demon facing Darian yelped in surprise as the man broke his spell with one fierce tug.
“Brothers, something is not right.”
A strange composure came upon the fae, as he pulled himself to his full height and began stalking forwards. “Oh no little Barak demonsss, What a Pandora’sss box you have opened…”
Pressing her claws against the magical barrier around herself, Alessa watched with relief how Darian released himself from the demon’s choking force. Her Verbati mouth widened into something similar to a smile that faltered a little with the strange sound of Darian’s voice. She again tried to move through the magics enveloping her to no avail as she watched how the fae viciously disposed of the demon who had been attacking him.
A smile came across the fae’s face as he heard the loud [b]crack[/i] of the mage demon’s neck as he twisted it with superhuman force. Stepping over the fallen body, Darian strode towards the other two.
“Brother look!” one of the Barak screamed, as the two turned their attention from Alessa to the approaching man. “A fae, in the mortal realm.” There was shock and worry in his voice as he dropped the magic ring and turned their magics against Darian.
Alessa almost fell over as the barrier beneath her hands suddenly disappeared. Using the distraction she turned towards one of the demons, her claws growing and ready to slash the little creep. She slid quickly and silently, regardless of her size, and positioned herself at the mage’s back; her claws shone for a second at the lone streetlamp’s light before they burrowed into its neck. “Hope you choke on your demon’s heart…” she whispered as the demon produced a strangled gurgle sound and slid to the ground.
The last remaining demon stole a glance at his comrade as he crumbled to the floor in a bloody heap.
“Wait wait, mercy! Mercy please!” it shrieked, falling to his knees before the fae.
Darian paused momentarily over the demon. There was a strangeness in his mannerisms, something about him that Alessa didn’t recognize.
“I… I can be of use to you, please...”
“Of usssse? Oh yesss, I think you can be,” Darian giggled before placing his hand on the demon’s bald head and chanting. “Hsssllllyaaaa rrrkkkniiii”
The fae took a step back and laughed as he watched a black moss grow from where he had touched the demons head. In a matter of moments in began consuming his whole body, slowly eating away the flesh.
“You will be of ussse, feeding the mineralssss of the Earth assss mulch!” Darian cackled, as the last of the demon’s screams died away.
Alessa gingerly stepped back as the pool of black muck that had been the demon expanded, as if searching for other prey, and finally slid through the cracks of the pavement, disappearing completely after a few seconds. She looked from the still slick spot where the demon had stood to the fae. She had never seen Darian kill in such a way, and she had seen him kill aplenty; but what startled her most was the fae’s expression, the delight in his eyes. She felt kinda revolted at the sight, and she was sure her feelings were openly displayed. Controlling herself, she finally managed to speak.
“Mi Dios, that was… strange.”
The man did not respond at first, only making Alessa more uncomfortable when he seemed to fall against the wall. His breathing became rapid and heavy and just when Alessa was going to reach out to him, it stopped.
“Darian?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just experimenting with my magics you know, sometimes it has some weird side effects.” He didn’t sound convincing, but before she could respond, he was already walking from the alley. “Lots more demons these days… strange. Anyways, lets go home.”
The demoness looked at his retreating form, frowning. Darian walked a little slumped, like an old man for a second, and then he recovered his youthful confident strait. She really didn’t know what to think, that had been more than strange. However, when she realized that he had reached the corner and was about to turn, she morphed into the little girl again, and put her short legs into motion to reach to him.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 20
20:20
Alaia waited patiently for the elevator to take her to the floor of Nikolai's condo, only feeing a little nervous. He was an empath, which meant that she had to be constantly on guard, lest she slip and reveal her manipulations internally. That just made her victory all the sweeter, though. And his energy! It wasn't entirely human, but the non-human bit of it that was there wasn't really there.
She walked down the hall, almost wishing that he'd been in a relationship with someone else. Those were always fun to corrupt. Of course, so were the more spiritual... to see them fall to their basest desires. It was kind of flattering in a way, even if they didn't know. The best part was the few who she made aware of her nature, and continued to submit to their desire. Maybe she would do that again.
Tolstoy went into hiding when the knock on the door came. Nikolai shook his head at the cat, who became more jumpy in the past couple of days. He considered taking the small animal to the vet, just in case something was wrong with him. Knocking came again at the door. Walking rapidly to open it, he felt his voice catch in his throat.
“Hi,” Alaia said, smiling at him and gently brushing past him to come inside. His eyes took in a long length of leg revealed by her short leather miniskirt. She turned towards him again, matching bra and mesh black top working together to keep him quite pleased to see her. Somewhere under the couch, the cat hissed at her, before bounding off towards the sun room. Alaia frowned a little as the small animal moved. “I don't think he likes me.”
Nikolai sighed. This wasn't like Tolstoy at all – unlike most cats, he actually liked people, even if like most cats, he regarded humans as his personal servants. With that, in all the time he'd had him. Tolstoy had only ever hissed at other animals or a person who would not let him go. “I'm sure he'll warm up to you.”
“He probably will.” Alaia walked deeper into the apartment, swaying her hips slightly suggestively. Nikolai could take his eyes off of her as she walked, feeling desire start to swell up inside of him again. They had gone from one-night stand to extended fling, he rationalised. Why not enjoy it while it lasted? Especially if she's going to keep doing things like that, the thought came unbidden as she scooted up on the table, managing to afford an even better view of her legs.
His voice caught in his throat, as he walked over towards her, remembering the day several nights before. Maybe there could be something more than fun there, if that was any indication. When he reached her, Alaia pulled him closer by the shirt and kissed him. Nikolai found himself smiling afterwords. “I wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed the other night,” he said.
Alaia smiled. She knew he had, of course few men failed to enjoy their time with her. Not that she hadn't enjoyed it either, though a more extended time with him would have been fun. So she decided to cement the work that she started, and maybe, depending on how it went, to start making the first suggestions of corruption. “I'm glad... I enjoyed it too, Kolya.”
In an instant, she made the decision, moving closer to him. A new ploy began to occur to her, as she fed him the proper emotion. Alaia rested her arms around him, laying her head gently on his chest. Kolya's arms instinctively wrapped loosely around her. “I wanted to thank you as well,” she said, moving her head to meet his eyes. “You've never judged me, even when we were talking about those . . . things.”
Kolya did not notice her hands moving lower, focused as he was on just the nearness of her. For a moment, he thought he saw her eyes flicker a darker blue, then dismissed the thought just as quickly as it occurred to him. “Alaia, there's nothing to be ashamed about,” he started. “All it is is not trying to rationalise away the other world.”
Alaia nodded, continuing to work on his belt. She felt Nikolai start to try to pull away, but it was too late. Pulling him close, she kissed him deeply again as she worked her hand down into his pants. This time, his resistance melted away faster, any objection quickly disappearing below the excitement she began to arouse in him. “Kolya,” she said, breaking the kiss, “I . . . I want you to make love to me.”
Memory came back to him of several nights before, at Alaia's apartment, when she had just leaned over and grabbed him. It lead an event of more wild, hurried passion than anything else. Now she wanted to do more . . . and he found himself most agreeable to the suggestion. Once again, eh wondered if there could be something more to them than unrestrained fun. Momentarily, he made the decision, bringing his lips to meet hers.
Alaia heard him give a groan as she removed her hand from below his pants, knowing that victory would not be far off. She allowed him to lead her to the bedroom, feeling his desire begin to grow. A few more sessions, and he'll be completely mine. Inwardly, she sighed to herself, wondering if perhaps she had misjudged the challenge. Then she was pushing him on to the bed, feeling his mouth open beneath hers.
Nikolai moved gently, softly caressing Alaia's body. His hands travelled up her back, listening to her breath come slightly quicker. Their kisses grew more passionate, more hungry quickly, as she pulled at shirt. Practised hands quickly unbuttoned it, feeling it fall to the wayside. Alaia pushed him back onto the bed, and he feel her hand working again on his growing erection.
“Are you sure?” he asked, breaking away momentarily.
Alaia resisted the urge to snap at him. Since when were men sensitive, and allowed to think? “Please, Kolya... I need you....” was her reply, using one of her more seductive voices. No way was he going to be allowed to worm his way out of this. Mercifully, she felt his hand begin to work its way down her back, slipping in under her miniskirt. Alaia smiled at his surprise. “I told you I needed you,” she winked him, moving her hips against his hand.
I should have known from Friday he thought to himself, knowing that Alaia was a very direct and straight-foward person. So unlike that initial, sympathetic visit. His mind worked to reconsile the two visions of Alaia, but he didn't really care to try. Not when she was so close, and moaning softly at the feeling of him against her, his other hand raising her shirt up. Alaia drew it the rest of the way off over the top of her head.
Somewhere along the line, he discovered that the woman had removed his pants. He could feel Alaia's desire, and momentarily, something shown through, an unnatural hunger of a sort he'd never found before. Stradeling him, she hiked her skirt up just far enough to allow access, moving his hands up to her breasts.
No, I have to keep control... Alaia thought. Still, she lost herself in it, as she drew him deeper into her power. Unable to resist any longer, she let out a loud moan as she began to take her latest lover. Looking down, she saw the pleasure on Nikolai's face, working to increase his passion, as she moved.
Alaia felt him meeting her movements below her, as she worked on him. Nikolai's energy drained into her, and she fought to keep it under control. It just felt so good she thought, a shame to have to destroy him in the end. Maybe she could string him along for an extra while. She felt his hands working on her gently, as her own need continued to grow, her need to possess and dominate.
Grabbing his wrists, she leaned forward, holding his hands on the bed above his head. Before Nikolai could protest, she silenced him with her lips, continuing to move against him. She felt her body rubbing lengthwise against his, as they began to approach. Breathlessly, she got out the words to the incantation, “The seed of my coming shall be born when purest light enters darkness.”
“Wha...?” Nikolai tried to say, before being lost in the sensations of being with the demoness. Alaia smiled and relished in her power, knowing that she had acomplished her task once again.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Oct. 22, 9:00 PM
("Distro Stockpile Night" at the Diaz)
Infernal Carbonari concert
Adam was crowd surfing. It had definitely been a while since he'd led Arson Photography charging headlong into the Jersey garage-punk scene, and it was cool that he was able to crowd surf like this again, even if he couldn't play or sing any more. Granted, he wasn't in the band, but still. He'd called in some favors and gotten the group to be able to play the biggest venue he could find-- a clearing overlooking some of the more celebrated and failed of the almighty Industry. Earlier, the band's bassist had projectile vomited on to a deck he swore was owned by "one of the biggest bitches still working in Hollywood". Everyone had been waiting the whole night for whoever it was to come out on their deck and see. Then the music started and no one cared any more. And Adam was crowd-surfing...on the biggest stockpile night in history. No one ever came to the bar on the 22nd. It was like an unwritten rule. Pretty soon, a hand grabbed Adam's and brought him down.
"What the hell are you doing?" a female voice asked angrily, "I'm not taking on Stockpile Night alone." Adam looked for the source. Sure enough, it was Rae.
"Hon', I told you, this is a big night for me." Adam replied, "'sides, the distro usually doesn't show up until ten. I've still got an hour." He was wigging because she looked like something bad had happened.
"Spill." he said, gently but firmly.
She told him. "It...it's my sister. She vanished. She was..." she broke off.
Adam brought her back to the Ferrari and closed the door. The top was up, so it was pretty silent. "She's gone. Vanished. I don't know where she is, and I was with her at the park, and then..." she looked pleadingly at him, "Can't you do something?" Adam nodded. "We'll find them and blow their fucking heads off." he said, resolute. She handed him a card. "A large man with a shaved head handed this to me. He said you'd know what it meant." Adam didn't even have to look. He knew damn well what was on the other side. A symbol of a cross made out of needles was on the other side of the black card, embossed in silver. "This man...he didn't happen to have a large dripping wound on his head, did he? Y'know, really large, about here?" he showed her. "Refused all help, something like that?" She nodded at him. So it was Gash. Gash was in town, which meant Ilsa and Dr. B were in town, which meant everything was gonna come full-circle. Either he was going to win and personally throw that fornicator into Hell like he deserved, or he was going to die and the undead would rule the world. "Rae, was Zen back at the bar, or did he come after me?" he asked, his voice flat, "'Cause either way, we're gonna need his help. I'm not going in without my partners in crime."
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Streets of East Los Angeles
Friday, 19th October 2007
11:23pm
Reintroducing Guest Star Helena Bonham Carter as Erzsébeth Bàthroy, and Cillian Murphy as Gideon Rook
“Bitches, bitches, bitches!”
“Calm thyself, lady,” mumbled Gideon as he hovered above a stack of empty beer crates, watching Bàthroy as she clawed her fingers through a pile of trash.
“Calm? CALM!” the vampiress leapt to her feet, clenching her fists tightly by her sides. She was almost spitting, such was her frustration. “You… you saw what those witches did to me! The girl, the girl…” she sighed and clutched her growling stomach. “Such a sweet delicate morsel, Mmmmmm! Mmmmmm!”
Gideon rolled his eyes as Bàthroy writhed around as though in ecstasy, licking her lips and rubbing her belly. He noticed, how much paler and worn his mistress had become with her lack of nourishment, how her fragile hold on reality had already begun to wither. Perhaps it would not be so bad if the witches managed to succeed in slaying the old hag, even working for witches – white witches – could not be as absurd and demoralising as being under the spell of Erzsébeth Bàthroy. The poor fool didn’t even seem to realise that she was being slowly and calculatingly herded like a lamb to the slaughter into the remoter areas of the city.
“I dost doubt the little bint would have sated thy bloodlust regardless,” he commented with an air of boredom. “Scrawny, skinny little thing t’was she, I never did understand thy preference for infants.”
Elizabeth sank back to her knees, resuming her forage in the trash of the ally. Muttering to herself, she eventually whooped in triumph and jumped up brandishing a dead mouse. Gideon scoffed.
“My, my, how the mighty have fallen,” chuckled Zola as she led the way into the filthy street ally. “The great Erzsébeth Bàthroy on her knees like a whore, scavenging for vermin.”
“Not particularly dignified,” agreed Kate as she deviated to one side, forming a semi-circular perimeter around Bàthroy and her spirit companion. “But I’ll admit that it’s fitting, even appropriate for a worthless piece of garbage like you.”
Elizabeth snapped her head around to face the three witches, her face contorting into that of the vampire, made even more grotesque by the stale blood stains that crusted her mouth and chin.
“You…” she hissed, extending one long bony arm to point at the women. “You three will regret trifling with me when I’m done with you! I’ll flay the skin from your twitching muscles, I’ll fillet your veins from your still warm flesh, and gorge myself on your life’s blood!”
“Yeah, yeah,” muttered Zola with feigned boredom. “And then you’ll fornicate with the dark master himself, baring his unholy son and becoming queen of the underworld. Sorry Liz but fantasy hour is over.”
“Can we just do this?” complained Su Ling, removing a wooden stake from her obi and tossing it from hand to hand. “We’ve already wasted too much precious time.”
Kate smiled, uncurling her right fist to reveal a ball of golden sunshine, hovering just above the palm of her hand. “Couldn’t agree more.”
Bàthroy hissed again, baring her fangs and hunkering backwards until she was crouched like an animal on its hind legs. Between her hands she clutched a small wooden box, her fingers playing over the carvings. “Pretty, pretty girls,” she hissed while slowly opening the lid. “We’ll see how confident you are after my acolyte Rook has had his way with you.”
Zola snorted, her eyes flickering in the direction of the spirited youth hovering above a stack of beer crates. “Hmmm, that doesn’t sound too bad actually.”
Flinging the lid of the box open, Bàthroy leapt to her feet. “ATTACK! ATTACK!!” she screeched in triumph, jumping up and down in excitement. Gideon, however, never wavered from his position above the beer crates. The three witches exchanged amused glances.
“Rook, you lazy son of a whore!” screamed Bàthroy, her pallid complexion purpling in rage. “I order you to attack!”
Gideon smiled sinisterly. “Why wouldst I wish to do that, my lady? So I may be condemned to purgatory soon ast thou are vanquished by these…” he sighed, gesturing towards the three witches, “charming examples of the Almighty’s grace?”
“I like this guy,” grinned Zola, “maybe we shouldn’t kill him after all?”
With a vicious snarl, Bàthroy threw the box to the ground and launched herself at the trio. Kate was the first to react as with a wave of her hand she fired her light ball at the ancient vampiress. The magics dispersed around her, scorching her skin like morning sunlight. Bàthroy screamed in agony as her flesh burnt before curling up into crisp charred flakes and peeling away.
The three witches quickly spun out of the way as Bàthroy continued to come at them. Incanting a quick flight spell, Su Ling floated gracefully above the ground, the silk of her kimono twirling around her like the petals of a flower.
”Adstringo, adnexus!” she chanted beneath her breath, releasing a blast of binding magics upon the vampiress. In her weakened state Erzsébeth was unable to fight and instead stood paralysed, tightly bound up in strands of glowing energy.
Kate tossed her wooden stake to Zola, never taking her eyes off the vampiress. “You should never have come back, Ms. Bàthroy.”
Zola laughed as Su Ling dropped the spell and she plunged the stake into the woman’s heart. With an ear-piercing screech, she fell upon the floor; turning to a fine dust that fell apart in the wind.
“Too easy,” she smirked, turning back to her sisters. “Well, if you don’t count the weeks of tracking her down that is.”
Kate knelt by the pile of dust and ashes, running her fingers through the fine powder. “We should have made her suffer more, she killed so many… children too. She deserved to feel pain.”
“Well I’m no expert but last I checked, having your skin burnt off wasn’t exactly pleasant,” snorted Zola laconically.
“And you think that compares?” asked Kate bitterly as she rose to her feet again. “For the centuries of death and slaughter that she created before she was vanquished? Just look at the destruction she’s caused in the past week, the number of children she’s tortured and murdered! How can you compare a few minutes of pain to that?”
“Sisters…” Su Ling admonished as she landed lightly on the ground, picking up the broken wooden box that Bàthroy had discarded. “It seems her spirit friend, Rook gained his freedom and didn’t want to wait around to say a formal goodbye.” Su Ling gestured towards the stack of beer crates; there was no sign of Rook.
“Damn,” muttered Zola, “and he was cute too.”
“Zola!” Kate laughed, joining hands with her sisters. “Honest to God!”
****
Gideon waited several minutes before emerging from out of one of the walls of the alleyway. A crooked grin wrinkled his lips as he floated above the pile of dust that had been his mistress, Erzsébeth Bàthroy. Quietly he began to chuckle, dispersing some of his energy force to allow him to kick at the vampiress’ remains, sending a cloud of grey ash flying through the air.
His laughter grew louder until he sounded almost hysterical. Happily he sent out tendrils of his power, searching, feeling for a living energy source – a body which he might inhabit. Several blocks away he sensed a stray alley cat, unimpressive for sure but strong enough to carry him to a more populated area. For the first time in years he was free to possess whomever he chose, whenever he chose. The mere thought made him feel light-headed.
Rising upwards, Gideon allowed himself to float on the night air, higher and higher until suddenly he felt a fierce pull from below.
“What?” Gideon tried to swoop upwards towards the heavens but every time he tried he felt himself being pulled back down. He whirled around and his eyes fell upon the carved remains of the wooden box of Bàthroy’s.
“No!” he wailed frantically, his eyes blazing malevolently upon the object of his confinement. He attempted again to rise up to the rooftops, and again he was dragged back down to earth, bound to the wooden remains of the box.
“NO!” he screamed again, whipping himself up into a crimson rage. “NO! NO! NO!”
“Quite a predicament, if only there were someone willing to free you.”
The voice floated out of the darkness, a crisp yet melodic voice, the sound of angels. Rook turned in on himself so that he faced the mysterious stranger as he stepped into the fractured moonlight. Composing himself, Rook’s contorted features easily slipped into those of a cherubic farm boy.
“Thou dost not look like a Good Samaritan, therefore I must presume thou wishes to name a price for my liberty.”
Orus smiled crookedly, “you have been wronged, Gideon Rook, wronged by humanity. I merely wish to even out the score. If you join me not only will you have your freedom, but also the means of exacting your revenge.”
“Thou hast the look of the devil, sir,” observed Rook, allowing himself to float closer to the stranger. “What guarantee do I have thou wilt uphold thy part of the bargain?”
“What guarantee would you like?”
“A gesture of good-will,” smiled Rook, “a host that I may inhabit, someone… young, healthy... beautiful”
Orus nodded. “It is done.”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Sunday, 28th October 2007
Chino Hills State Park – Los Angeles
1:07am
“Are you sure it’s here?”
Kate nodded, not breaking her concentration as she knelt at the water’s edge, her fingers barely breaking the surface. “It’s here, I can feel it. It’s waiting, and it’s hungry. It will need to rise if it is to feed.”
Zola paced the edge of the lake impatiently, beating her staff against the floor as she walked. “This thing has killed five people already while we were wasting our time on Bàthroy and her bitch. I say, if it won’t come out, I’ll make it come out.”
Kate twisted around to look up at her sister, her eyes a rolling void of blackness. “And just how do you plan on doing that?”
A faint grin twitched at the corner of Zola’s lips as she levelled her staff at the expanse of dark water. ”De Profundis…”
“No Zola,” began Su Ling, taking a step backwards. “Don’t…”
”De Profundis!“
“This is getting stupid,” Alessa said to herself as she followed Darian’s scent trail through the trees. Luckily the fae’s scent was distinctive enough, because she was wearing short legs again and was quickly falling behind. She hushed urgently to his running form, to no avail. “Demonios, Darian. Wait for me!”
She couldn’t hear whatever it was that had alerted him, they had been walking through the park, parading as father and child again, when he had suddenly frozen to start running a second later. And that had been some time ago. Growing increasingly angry, Alessa decided to get to her real form. She changed quickly, and grimaced at the tearing sound of her small childish clothes. “Great, so now I'm looking like a she Hulk, I just need to get green too,” she said.
“There’s an outburst of magic around here!” Darian finally called back, though never slowing. In fact, his pace increased as the faint sounds of a commotion could be heard off in the distance. “Come on Alessa, hurry!”
Had he bothered to turn back, he would have seen Alessa’s annoyed grimace. But he was too obsessed with finding just who, or what had caused such a magical focal point that he didn’t give a second thought before the loud thumping of his feet gave way to the light pitter-patter of much faster paws.
Still with her fingers in the water, Kate looked out towards the middle of the lake where the surface appeared to swell and sink and tremble as though a powerful battle were taking place below.
Zola smiled, her face contorting as her concentration increased, a small bead of sweat broke out on her forehead and began it’s slow journey down the side of her face. Across the lake a bright azure glow had begun to take form like a fog, obscuring the surface that had begun to boil and churn like an unattended stew.
“Get back,” mumbled Su Ling, grasping hold of Kate’s shoulder and pulling her away from the water’s edge. “Get back!”
All of a sudden the surface of the lake broke and a sea serpent the width of a Buick tore its way out of the water. It roared fiercely, a sound somewhere between a whale and a screeching pig, and displayed row upon row of sharp, viscous looking incisors.
“Fuck me,” swore Zola, stumbling backwards as a shower of water rained down from above.
“A Jörmungandr.”
The wolf entered the clearing where the man-made lake was being churned this way and that by an enormous serpent demon rising from its watery bottom. Darian’s paws skidded to a stop as he quickly assessed the situation.
*The witches!*
Fate had finally dealt them a winning hand and led him and Alessa (when she caught up) straight to the people they had been searching for. It was perfect… except for the huge serpent of course.
The wolf let out a number of loud barks, alerting his presence to the witches and the demon alike.
“Who let the dogs out?” snapped Zola as she pulled herself back up to her feet, dripping wet. Her eyes narrowed upon the wolf, clouds of blackness rolling in against the white of her eyes. With one swift gesture she fired a lightening bolt at the mutt, purposefully hitting the ground by his feet.
“This is not a time to be playing fetch, Zola,” shouted Kate irritably. She held her arms out towards the Jörmungandr, feeding a cord of paralysing energies about its vast girth and holding it in place. “In fact, a little help right now would be gratefully appreciat-.”
With a hair-raising screech the Jörmungandr flipped its muscular body in a series of convulsions. The water surged even more, sending great waves crashing upon the three already soaked witches. Kate struggled to hold her spell, feeding in as much energy as she could.
“Here,” gasped Zola as she staggered to Kate’s side and took her hand, lending her power to the spell. Together the women began to chant.
”Wound and bound, bound and wound,
So our words of will resound.
Holding, binding, clasping firm,
This beast, this brute, this hellish worm.
To bind and bid, to bid and bind,
Deeply, deeply with our mind.”
The scene that greeted Alessa looked right out of a nightmare, a wet nightmare too. She barely registered the witches - although she recognised them from Darian’s description – her whole attention was on the giant serpent coming out of the lake. It was convulsing violently, all powerful muscles rippling under its scales and dagger sharp teeth glistening in the moonshine, and its madly screech pierced her ears. It didn’t require much wisdom to guess it was suffering; whatever it was that the witches were doing it was working.
She turned to the women then, their magic was so strong that even she could notice its effects, the air around them seemed to swell and the water rippled in waves around their knees. The creature appeared to be receding inside itself, constricted by the powerful magics.
Alessa had just allowed herself to breathe out with relief, when a huge tail, as thick as a tree trunk spurted out of the water between her and the witches and started to descend towards them. Alessa jumped, turning as she went, and clawed the creature’s flesh. It was like trying to stop a tree from falling, so strong it was. The demoness found herself pushed into the water and under the appendage, in the middle of the witches.
The cold water of the lake was like a small electric shock as Kate was caught up in the serpent’s swinging tail and knocked unceremoniously into it’s ice cold depths. She dragged herself up, coughing and spluttering, the fabric of her dress a heavy, sodden tangle about her legs.
With her binding spell broken, the Jörmungandr whipped its muscular body through the waters, it’s sharp teeth snapping at those on the bank. Zola jumped and ducked, managing to dodge the demon’s attack while Su Ling propelled a rapid string of fireballs at the creature until the smell of scorched flesh filled the air.
Kate refocused her attention on the serpent, her eyes growing black as she formed a ball of deadly energy between her hands.
“Denizens of below, spirits from beneath,
Children of nightmares, Come to my side.
Bring with you the stench of death;
Feast on the flesh of my enemy.”
Kate aimed the spell, but just as she was about to release it upon the demon, she felt something brush against her foot. She took a step back but before she could react, the tail of the serpent wrapped around her ankle and dragged her beneath the waters.
Darian watched as Alessa and the witch were dragged below the waters. He knew the demoness could breath water as easily as air, but the other girl was probably not as fortunate. On top of it, it was her, Kate… or was it? Still there was no way to be sure, but what he did know was that if she drowned he would never know the truth.
With a loud growl, the wolf charged towards the lake and jumped. While in midair, the canine form gave way back to his human body before Darian gracefully dove into the water’s depth. The sudden rush of cold shocked his system, but he fought to ignore it and focused on finding the witch. Luckily, the great beast was still concerned with battling the other spell casters, allowing Darian to struggle through the strong currents of water the serpent was creating. Finally, he managed to reach the witch, but already his breath was beginning to run out. Maneuvering, he tried to pry the serpent’s tail from the woman’s leg, but the snake was much stronger than he.
*Damnit let go!* He could see the girl was also running out of oxygen, but despite his great strength it just wasn’t working. *LET GO!!!* Suddenly, Darian’s eyes flashed a deep purple as from deep within him rose a great surge of violent power, and with it, the fae forced open the beasts grip.
The witch was free, but unfortunately for him, the rush of energy left as quickly as it came, and now the snake had found a new prey – him. The tail quickly wrapped around his waste, squeezing more air from his already deplete lungs as it dragged him deeper into the water.
Kate kicked awkwardly, thrashing in the water as the heavy fabric of her dress tangled around her legs again, dragging her down. Panic washed over her like a bucket of ice water tipped down her back.
*I can’t swim,* she thought blindly, the realisation so startling that she felt strangely like laughing. Why couldn’t she swim? What had made her so irrationally terrified of the water?
She gasped for air and swallowed a mouthful of water, causing her to start coughing, inhaling more water in the process. Just when she thought she was dead, Kate felt cold air hit her face as she broke the surface. Choking and spluttering, she managed to breathe in a little air before her heavy clothes dragged her back under.
Alessa felt herself being pushed under water and against the muddy bottom of the lake. The moment Alessa recovered from the shock she turned into a Rinna, and glided from under the creature’s tail. Her improved underwater sight let her check the situation quickly, Darian had managed to free the witch - Kate? - from the demon’s grasp but it had seized him instead. The fae looked as if he could need her help, Alessa had started to swim towards him when she noticed that the witch was struggling to get to the surface, not very successfully. Evidently she wasn’t a good swimmer, and her heavy clothes didn’t help either.
She struggled for a second with the decision of who to help, when she saw the witch descend towards the lake’s bottom, her limbs showing the limpness of drowning. *Maldita sea!* she thought, and with a last glance towards Darian she rushed to swim to her side. Alessa slid a hand around the woman’s waist and propelled herself upward with her palmed feet, dragging the woman with her. A second later, they broke the lake’s surface, Kate still in her arms.
She looked around, the other two women were still working on their spells, trying to contain the beast. It didn’t look like the best place to take the unconscious woman, she took a quick glance at the witch and almost lost her grip on her. It was Kate! Darian had been right! A still and almost dead Kate, she told herself half a second after, she needed to take her to land. Unable to stop from smiling, the demoness glided the waters to shore.
“Come on, Kate, breathe!” she urged once she’d managed to drag the woman ashore. She didn’t seem to be breathing, so she started giving her mouth to mouth resuscitation, massaging her chest and raising and lowering her arms.
She didn’t know much about resuscitation techniques, only what she’d seen on TV, but her efforts were rewarded when the witch suddenly coughed and turned on her side to throw up a lot of water. Alessa lay back on her toes, as she watched Kate fight to regain her breath, suddenly feeling very tired and elated at the same time.
Darian’s lungs burned like fire, crying out for air, but he was helpless as the serpent just squeezed tighter. If his mind had not been so clouded, he may have felt the shooting pain as one of his ribs snapped beneath the pressure.
*I have… have… to….* Darian couldn’t string together a coherent thought, and that is when instinct took over. In a last ditch effort, he summoned up what last energy he could, and released it in a deadly electrical discharge. The demon writhed in pain, as its powerful tail flung out of the water, catapulting Darian onto the shore. He slammed against the ground, rolling several times before he finally found himself on hands and knees gasping for air and clutching at the broken rib he could now feel.
Kate continued to cough painfully, her lungs aching and her stomach churning from all the water she’d swallowed. Gasping tiredly for air, she looked up at the brunette woman that crouched by her side watching her.
“You… you saved me,” she rasped weakly, coughing up still more of the murky lake water. Wiping her mouth, Kate breathed in deeply, savouring the feel of air filling her lungs. “I don’t know who you are but, thank-you.”
Alessa frowned and peered intently into the woman’s face. Could it be that her senses were fooling her, and this woman be just her friend’s look alike? But no, her sight could fool her, but not her nose, and the witch smelled just like Kate.
“Kate… don’t you recognise me? I’m Alessa. I’m your friend…” she started to explain hesitantly.
“Alessa!” Darian cried out trying to get her attention through the sound of the beast’s screeching and the witches crackling spells. When he saw she didn’t hear, he tried to get up, but the pain coming from his ribs forced him down to one knee.
Sparing a look around he saw that Alessa and the witch were separated from the other two; now was their chance, he had to move. Pushing through the agony, he stumbled across the shore. “Alessa we have to leave now” he growled, upset that she hadn’t heard him calling out before.
Alessa parted her gaze from Kate with regret, it was like she couldn’t stop looking at her. The woman appeared somewhat dazed still, but she was all right. And she was alive! But the urgency of Darian’s voice finally caught her attention; she saw that he was running towards them, clutching his side.
“Leave?” she asked, confused. She looked at the other two witches, still struggling with their magics. “But they need our help! We can’t leave just like that!”
The fae grunted as he hoisted Kate up onto his broad shoulder. The extra weight only added to the stinging in his side. “Trust me, they can handle this themselves.” That was all he said before he began bounding down through the park, and away from the battle at hand.
Kate groaned drowsily as the man picked her up, carrying her over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift. Through her blurred vision she could just make out the two far off figures of Su Ling and Zola as they continued to fight the Jörmungandr.
*Sisters…* she called to them weakly, her thoughts growing heavy and indistinguishable as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Alessa frowned, and took a last glance at the witches too. She didn’t like to leave them in that situation, but Darian was right, they were faring all right for themselves, and they needed to get Kate away from them. “Ok,” she said to herself, and turned to follow the fae out of the park.
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Sunday, 28th October 2007
2:18am
It didn’t take long for the two supernatural beings to get out of the park and into Alessa’s VW; Darian rested the unconscious witch on the back seat and they quickly set off towards his apartment. They both had seen the witches in action and the sooner they got behind the warded walls of Poplar Ave. building the better.
Alessa gripped the steering wheel with strength as she drove; lost in her thoughts, although from time to time she shot a glance at the woman in the back, as if to convince herself she was real. She had been uncertain when Darian had told her about recognising Kate, refusing to believe him at first. Even if she had told Galen before that she would help him investigate the Ministry about her, she hadn’t really believed it would lead to anything. Because… why, if she was alive, wouldn’t Kate try and contact them? What were the odds of another White Hat with amnesia? And yet…
She sighed, and looked quickly at the man at her side. “I'm sorry, Darian,” she said, “for not believing you. You’re entitled to ‘I told you so’ me.”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Darian replied, his breathing forced. “What does is letting Galen know we found her, and finding out just what happened to her these last few months.
Alessa nodded, and smiled. She couldn’t wait to call him. “Indeed,” she answered, and shot a worried look at the fae. She didn’t like his laboured breathing nor how he was massaging his chest. She was about to ask him when they got to their destination.
“I’ll take her,” she said as she got out of the car and folded the seat forward, lifting Kate off the back seat. “You better take care of those ribs.” She heard him grunt but just followed him inside the building and up the stairs to his apartment.
Liala had heard movement in the building, and suspecting her boyfriend was back, was already opening the door. “Back so soon… Oh my!” She suddenly yelped seeing the expression of pain on Darian’s face, followed by the demoness carrying in the missing witch. “My love are you okay?!”
“Ill be fine,” Darian grumbled pushing past her. “Quick, place her down on the couch and I’ll call Galen.”
“You found Catherine?” Liala chirped, trying to get someone’s attention, but neither Darian nor Alessa were listening to her. “Well that is very good news, very good,” she said feigning such a great amount of excitement that it came across as fake... which was somewhat the truth. She didn’t really care about the woman, but finding her made Darian happy, so she guessed it should make her happy too. “Where did you find her?”
“Liala, shut up for a second!” her lover barked, as he dialled Galen’s number.
Alessa parted her eyes from her friend to watch the little exchange between the lovers, and she frowned. She didn’t know what to make of Darian’s girlfriend, but at the moment that wasn’t important. She didn’t put the woman on the couch, just like men not to notice things.
“Liala, you may be able to help me,” she said. “Could you lend me something for her to wear… she’s soaked. And lead me to the bedroom to change her?”
The woman seemed to hesitate for a moment, as she eyed the unconscious witch. “I... I don’t know if my clothes would fit her. I mean look at her thighs…” She stopped, catching the icy glare Darian was giving her, and began to move towards the bedroom. “I’m sure I can find some stretchy pyjama pants that may work.”
Alessa rolled her eyes and followed the woman into her bedroom. She quickly took off Kate’s drenching clothes and put on Liala’s pyjamas, as she listened to Darian’s excited words on the phone. She laughed when she heard him repeatedly calling for Galen after he told him the news, “don’t bother, Darian,” she told the fae, raising her voice for him to hear. “Knowing Galen he’s already on his way here.”
****
Galen had barely even allowed himself to believe his ears when he’d answered Darian’s frantic call. Even on the drive to Poplar Avenue, with his heart thumping like a bass drum in his chest, he’d not been able to believe it. After all, he’d searched half of Europe trying to track his wife, what were the chances of her just popping up in LA after all this time?
The moment he set foot inside the old brownstone building he knew. Her scent was suddenly strong and intoxicating, leading him up the stairwell and through the hallway to Darian’s apartment. He didn’t even bother to knock on the door, instead he just lurched inside looking like a madman, his eyes red with sleep-deprivation and his crumpled clothes looking like he’d barely had the time to pull them on before leaving the house – which was in fact the case.
“Kate…” he choked out breathlessly, leaning against the doorway in exhaustion. “She… she’s here? She’s really here? You found her?”
Darian had been waiting in the living room for Galen’s arrival, and was quick to usher him into the bedroom. “We found her buddy, she’s really here.” The fae barely had time to move out of the way as the man barrelled past, knocking into him as he did.
“Oumph…” he yelped, rubbing his sore ribs as he followed into the bedroom.
The breath caught in Galen’s throat and he stopped still in his tracks as he pushed the bedroom door open. There, lying in Darian’s bed as though she had never been away was Kate, pale and tired looking with her damp, scarlet tresses tangled against the pillow.
He stumbled blindly across the room, unable to take his eyes from her restful form in case it might all just be a cruel illusion. He fell to his knees at the bedside; months of restless searching and unwavering determination filled his limbs making them feel like lead. Slowly he reached out a hand, brushing damp curls back from Kate’s face.
“Is she okay?” he asked hesitantly, looking back at Alessa and Darian. “I mean… what happened? She’s all… and you, you’re all wet…”
Alessa looked at herself, noticing for the first time that she too was wet and muddy from the lake’s water. But her eyes returned to Galen immediately. The man looked so tired and dishevelled, and there was a home-made bandage on his right hand. *No more pain, Galen,* she thought. *Se terminó, at last.*
“She’s fine, Galen. We found her up at Chino Hill’s wrestling with some water demon, that’s all.” She smiled, and moved towards him. “Although… well, she sounded confused when I spoke to her. She didn’t even recognise me…”
“And she was with two other witches,” Darian added, trying to fill in what small pieces of information they did have. “And strong ones from the look of it. We came across them fighting this huge serpent like creature in the lake. We managed to grab Kate in the confusion.”
Galen turned his attention back to his wife, stroking her hair some more. “Why, darling?” he mumbled distantly, “why would you be in LA and not come home to me…”
His hand froze as Kate stirred, murmuring a string of indistinguishable sounds. “Darling?” Galen whispered gently, brushing away a smudge of dirt from her cheek. “Kate? Kate honey, are you awake? Can you hear me?”
With a weary sigh Kate opened her eyes. It was dark and it took her a while to make out her surroundings but when she did she smiled, recognising the handsome face hovering just a few inches from her own. His dark brown eyes, the boyish curl of his upper lip, the way his soft brown hair hung floppily into his eyes. How could she ever have forgotten him? The man from her dreams, the one who made love to her with such intense passion. Kate smiled again and lifted herself up on her elbow; oblivious to Alessa and Darian as she slid her arms around the man’s neck and pressed her lips against his.
“Mmmm, I knew you’d come back to me,” she murmured between kisses, her mouth furiously devouring that of her dream lover.
“She doesn’t waste much time does she?” Liala commented, before Darian and Alessa pulled her from the room to give the two some privacy.
“What’s going to happen now?” Alessa asked, as she took a seat by the kitchen table. “If she leaves here those other witches might be able to track her.”
“She isn’t going to stay in our bed is she Darian? Darian?”
Having been wrapped up in the events, the two women hadn’t noticed Darian stumble to the bathroom. He didn’t bother closing the door completely, before he began splashing water onto his face. Was it the broken ribs, or something else that was causing the sudden sense of vertigo and nausea?
We saved you once again, and you do not thank usss human? And there was his answer.
Darian jerked to attention, as he saw the familiar face of his alter ego staring back at him in the mirror.
Don’t look sssso ssshocked. You know it wasss our power that helllped you againssst the water demon…our power that heallsss your mortal ssshell as we ssspeak
Before the fae had even finished speaking, a warm feeling fell over Darian, easing away the pain in his gut until it was completely healed.
“I didn’t ask for your help,” Darian hissed, hoping that Liala and Alessa did not hear the conversation.
Not yet, but the time will come human, and you will have no choice but to free usss
“Shut up!”
“Darian? Liala pushed the door fully opened as she stepped into the room, her anxiety clearly marked on her face. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” he lied blatantly. “I was just feeling sick for a second, but I’m better now.” Before she could respond, he moved past her and back to the living room where Alessa was waiting.
Part Two
It was only when the bedroom door banged shut that Kate broke free from Galen’s eagerly returned kisses. She frowned in the direction of the door before slowly returning her attention to the man whom she still held in her arms. He was holding her now too, his arms wrapped around her back and holding her close.
“Oh Katie…” he whispered softly into her hair, “oh my darling I thought… I thought I’d never see you again… I looked for so long… but it doesn’t matter you’re here now, you’re here and I’m never going to let you go.”
The frown on Kate’s forehead deepened as she let the man ramble on quietly. He felt so strong yet he was trembling, pressing anxious kisses on her shoulder and holding her so tight she was beginning to find it difficult to breathe.
“No…” she mumbled in confusion, moving back and pushing him away with a growing sense of urgency. “No… no… let me go!”
Galen fell from her like he’d been burned, backing off and stumbling to his feet. “What… Kate? What is it?”
“This…” Kate climbed from under the bedclothes, raising a speculative eyebrow at the pink bunnies emblazoned across the vest she was wearing. “This… isn’t a dream, is it?”
Galen blinked, wrinkling his nose in confusion. “A dream? Why would it be a dream?”
“Because you… you were there, I…” Kate shot another glance towards the door before pushing her way past the man and out into the sitting room. She made it halfway to the front door before Darian jumped in her way.
“Let go of me,” she cried, as the man wrapped his strong arms around her, preventing her from moving.
“Kate, Kate, calm down, its me Darian,” he said comfortingly, trying his best to reassure her into to a state of calmness.
From the other side of the room, Liala ‘harrumphed’ her disapproval as she watched her man take Kate into his arms. She was about to make a comment, but what little discretion she had acquired whilst being human told her not to – though she did make a mental note to bring it up later.
“Calm down?” Kate shoved the man back sharply yet was unable to stop staring at him. For a moment she could have sworn the man was Gideon Rook, Erzsébeth Bàthroy’s not so willing acolyte. The likeness was uncanny. Then she realised where she recognised him from; he was the dark fae who had taken their child-bait the night they had been trying to lure the vampiress out of hiding. He had called out her name.
Kate took a wary step backwards, incanting a knock-back spell beneath her breath and never taking her eyes from the fae for even one second. “Come near me, devil of the Sidhe court and I’ll make you regret the day your mother first set eyes upon your daddy.”
“Kate!” Alessa called when she saw dark tendrils of smoke start forming through her friend’s eyes, aimed at Darian. It was obvious that the witch didn’t recognise any of them, and she wasn’t even listening. She took a small step forward, raising her hands in a conciliatory manner. “Kate, we’re your friends. I saved you from the water monster, remember? We wish you no harm, please… listen to us.”
“Friends? Of mine?” Kate laughed bitterly. “I don’t even know you, any of you! Except your child abducting fae-hybrid pal over there!” She continued shuffling backwards until she hit the wall; her hand still aimed at the fae while she turned her attention to the female who had just spoken. “You’re not human, what are you? You were a Rinna back at the lake and now…”
“I'm a Verbati,” Alessa admitted, grimacing inwardly; she had forgotten Kate had seen her in her demon form. “A shapeshifter, I turned into a Rinna in the water, but this is my human form. You know me, Kate. We’re friends. Me, and Darian – yes, he’s a fae, but he’s not evil. And Galen…”
“Don’t you even know me?” Galen asked gently; taking a slow, cautious step towards her. He couldn’t stand the look of bewilderment in her eyes, nor the way she looked at him – ALL of them - as though they were total strangers to her.
“Kate,” he said with forced calmness, “it’s me, Galen. I’m your husband and you… we’re married. You must remember.”
A restless sigh escaped Kate’s lips and she averted her eyes from his intense stare. But Galen took another step closer, taking hold of her trembling hands in his own. “You have to believe me,” he said softly, “I know you Kate. I know how you got that scar on your shoulder when you fell from a tree in your backyard when you were four. I know how you nearly drowned on a boat trip in Saint Lary-Soulan when you were eighteen, and how ever since then you’ve been terrified of water.”
Galen sighed painfully, tightening his hold on her hands. “You love to dance, in fact you used to dream of being a prima ballerina right up until your aunt insisted you join the coven. You cry at soap operas –especially the bad ones. You’ve read Wuthering Heights over a dozen times and yet you still get all frustrated when Cathy won’t admit she’s in love with Heathcliff.”
He laughed miserably. “You’re the only person I know in the world who thinks peanut butter is one of the four main food groups.”
“You’ve been hurt so many times,” continued Galen gently, “but you never stop loving and you never stop trusting in the basic goodness of humanity.” Softly he rubbed the ring finger of her left hand, in the exact spot where her wedding ring used to be. “I don’t know what happened to make you forget all that but I can’t let the wonderful, amazing woman that I know just disappear without at least trying to get her back.”
“There was an accident,” Kate confessed, looking at the man’s bandaged hand as he continued to hold hers. She could feel the truth of his words and the sincerity of his emotions. He wasn’t lying, but she still wasn’t sure whether to trust these people. After all, she’d seen the one they called Darian perform the blackest of magics, virtually transforming before her eyes.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what else I can tell you.” She looked up into Galen’s eyes sadly, “you seem like a really nice man I just… I don’t remember you,” she looked at the others in the room. “Any of you.”
“Maybe if you take her home, she’ll remember more.” All eyes turned to Liala, and she shrunk somewhat from the scorn in her lover’s eyes.
“That may not be a bad idea actually, maybe it will jog some of your memories,” Galen replied, turning to Kate who looked more than a little reluctant.
While Galen tried to convince his wife, Alessa moved to stand by Darian and Liala. “What if she tries to contact her friends as soon as she leaves?”
He nodded, realising she made a good point. “It’s a big possibility.”
“Use your powers Darian,” Liala whispered, cutting into the side conversation. “You can charm her so she wouldn’t.” The ex-Undine didn’t really care one way or another, but if Darian could tap into the powers to hypnotise Kate, it would be more evidence that his powers were growing which could only mean one thing – and that thing wasn’t good.
“I… I don’t know if I could, I don’t think I have that type of power,” he hesitated. “I’ve been able to put people to sleep or sometimes temporarily mesmerise someone, but a full-on hypnosis… I doubt I could.”
“All those of the Sidhe court can do it,” Liala coaxed, keeping a close eye on her lover’s reactions. “It’s just a matter of whether you know how to tap into that power.”
Alessa’s face went stern, “I don’t think hypnosis is the answer,” she said thinking Darian would know better, but the other woman was quick to counter.
“It’s the only way Darian, quickly do it.”
“I guess I could try,” he said reluctantly, before he began to hum softly. Slowly the haunting tune grew louder as he fixed his strange purple eyes on the witch, focusing on his goal.
Meanwhile, Alessa shot Liala a dark look, and was about to say something when Kate surprised them by making a quick move to the door, Galen close behind – she had quickly caught on and was trying a last ditch effort to escape.
Darian’s eyes widened in shock and despair until the familiar voice inside of him offered the power to stop Kate from leaving.
“Cuidado,” Alessa muttered, and she ran towards them. Things seemed to go in slow motion for a couple of seconds, as in a dream. Kate made it to the door and opened it, and the demoness listened in surprise as Darian’s soft melody was replaced with a strange incantation:
“Rsssnnniiiiii lllaaaaaaaallllllluuuuuuuurraaaaaa.”
Alessa continued to run towards the witch when she saw her falter, her legs and arms close to her body. Alessa caught the woman just in time and accompanied her fall, preventing her from hitting the floor. Her eyes locked on Kate’s scared ones, and she recoiled at her friend’s haunted look. Then time returned to normal.
“Darian!!” she yelled, furious. “What the hell do you think you’re doing!?”
“And what do you suggest we do, Alessa?” shot back Darian, still buzzing with the magical energy of his spell. “Let her walk out of here never to be seen again?”
Galen helped Alessa take hold of Kate, she was rigid and completely unable to move as though in the grip of a powerful binding spell. “I don’t agree with… whatever Darian’s done,” he said to Alessa, “but he’s right, we can’t just let her leave. I can’t just let her leave, we don’t even know what’s going on or anything.” He sighed, looking at his wife as she lay, unblinking, as though frozen in time.
“If she leaves and I never see her again, I’ll never forgive myself for not doing something.”
“I agree, but this isn’t the right something!” Alessa raised Kate from the floor and put her on the couch, the woman was like a marble statue in her arms, only her eyes showed some life. She glared at Darian, “release her. Now!”
Darian returned her angry look, a mutinous gesture in his mouth. “I won't. She’ll leave.”
“Damn right she’ll leave, more so after this, this… demonstration!” Alessa was so mad she couldn’t even talk right. “We’re doing a fine job at gaining her trust!”
Frustrated, she turned to Galen. “Please, Galen… she’s just confused. Give her some time. She’s heard us; she’s probably read us too… She must know we’re telling the truth.” She looked at Kate’s face and smiled, before looking at him again. “Besides, what are you going to do? Keep her like this forever?”
“I don’t know Alessa!” Galen declared frantically, “I just don’t want to lose her. Again.”
“Damn it, hombre! It’s Kate! Not some thing you can keep.” Alessa breathed in to calm down. “Please, don’t you do a Delancre here.”
Galen hesitated; all he wanted was to have his wife back - the compassionate, headstrong woman who he’d fallen in love with. The woman whose gentle kisses soothed away his worries, whose laughter filled him with joy and whose kind heart always gave him hope.
The woman who’d given birth to his only child.
He looked at Kate, paralysed within Darian’s spell. She barely even knew his name and yet he knew that the Kate he loved was still in there somewhere, he just needed a way to reach her.
“Alessa’s right,” he sighed reluctantly, running a hand through his bed-ruffled hair. “I don’t want to lose her but… but we can’t force her to stay against her will – not like this. It’s not right.” He turned to Darian, “just… let her go.”
The fae seemed hesitant and looked to Liala for support; surely she saw the logic in what he had done. Unfortunately, his girlfriend was eyeing him with the same disapproving look Alessa was using – and it had been her damned suggestion to do it in the first place!
“Love, release the spell,” she said finally, her ambiguous tone hard to interpret.
Turning to Kate, Darian, focused on the dark energy holding her tight, allowing them to dissipate into the cosmos from which they came. “There, but if she runs away, you don’t blame me,” he added defensively.
As the spell receded, Kate gasped for air, sinking into the softness of the couch as the stiffness in her limbs melted away. Glancing around at the four faces all focused upon her, she suddenly felt very dizzy and disorientated.
“What… what did you do to me?” she asked uneasily as she sat up, holding a hand against her aching forehead.
“I’m sorry,” apologised Galen, sitting on the couch beside her. “It was my fault, I didn’t want you to leave and…” he sighed, “I know this must all be confusing for you, but you must know that I, that none of us want to hurt you. We’re telling you the truth.”
Kate looked around at the small group, nodding reluctantly. “Yes. I know. It… it just doesn’t make any sense.”
“If you went home with Galen it might help you remember,” ventured Alessa. “You grew up in that house, it’s bound to be familiar. Plus the two of you could talk, look at pictures… it could help, and I could come with you too if you’d like.”
Kate was thoughtful for a long time before she slowly nodded again. If nothing else she wanted to find out who she was, or who she had been before the accident.
“Okay,” she said quietly, “but I won’t be able to stay long. The others will come looking for me.”
Though Darian was still irritated from being made to look like a villain, he could see the worry in his friend’s eyes when Kate suggested that someone would take her away from him again, and knew he needed to say something.
“Hey Galen, I’ll be around if ever you need something.” He knew it was vague, but was sure the man knew what he meant.
Galen nodded, smiling a little awkwardly. “I’m parked out front,” he said, removing his jacket and offering it to Kate almost without even thinking. She smiled faintly, pulling on the thick wool coat before following him out of the apartment.
Alessa followed, after exchanging somewhat awkward goodbyes with Darian and Liala. She was happy that they had found Kate, but things still weighed heavily on her mind. What did it mean that she couldn’t remember any of them? The verbati prayed that whatever the reason, it was nothing like her amnesia experience. And then there was Darian. Something wasn’t the same with him recently, and tonight only highlighted his increasingly strange behaviour. There would be much to contemplate later, but now she just had to make sure that …
“Kate’s alright?” came the familiar voice of the teenage Kaoshian, as he stepped into the building, having just past the husband and wife pair outside. The frantic Galen didn’t even notice the kid pass, and Kyle saw that now was not a good time to be bothering him, so he had decided to keep to himself.
“Oh hey Kyle,” Alessa looked up, not expecting to be disturbed from her thoughts. “For the most part. She cant seem to remember any of us, but at least she’s back,” Alessa said, trying to seem as positive as possible.
The kid, snuffed out his lit cigarette between his index and thumb as he lingered in the lobby for a second looking somewhat uncomfortable – he never quite knew what to say or do in these situations. “Uhhh anything I can do to help?”
“No,” she said, seeing the uncertainty in the boy’s face. “But it’s kind of you to offer Kyle.”
He shuffled his feet for a moment, before deciding there was nothing left to say. “So I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, take care Kyle.” Alessa waved tiredly, before stepping out into the night. She once again realised that she was still in soaking clothes, and for the moment couldn’t wait till he was back home, warm in her bed.
She had managed to make it as far as the door of her car before her acute senses picked up the tip tapping of feet on the pavement behind her. Spinning around, she was stunned to see Liala sneaking out of the building, and coming straight for her.
“I need to speak with you,” she called out, trying hard to keep her voice low. “Quickly, while he is preoccupied talking with the fire demon.”
The verbati rolled her eyes internally, half expecting the ex-faery to charge her for the clothes she lent Kate.
“I need to speak to you about Darian. You see, the spell he cast, on the witch -”
“You mean the one you told him to do?” Alessa interrupted angrily.
Now it was Liala’s turn to look aggravated “It was a necessity.”
“There is never a reason to take away someone’s free will. Its just not - ”
“-It was a necessity to see if he actually was able to do it,” Liala interrupted. “The circumstances of the situation are not the problem here,” she snapped back in her condescending tone.
Alessa’s Latin blood was firing up, but her sense of curiosity and the urgency in the other woman’s voice made her bite her tongue.
You see, I think there is something going on with Darian, something he isn’t telling us.”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 28th
Los Angeles County Hospital
1:35 am
Barry Strider groaned and opened his eyes to grey darkness. He reached for the lamp by his bed to turn on the light and discovered that he was bound to something, guiding himself by touch he realized that it was some sort of metallic rail at the sides of the bed. A somewhat hard bed, slightly bended at the waist. A hospital bed, probably. He tried to make out any shape in the dark and couldn't. He fought down panic as he realized it wasn't very dark and there were lights blinking besides him accompanied by a regular beeping; it was his eyesight that was failing him. His heart raced and his breathing quickened and then became shallow as he tried to concentrate, to remember how he'd gotten to a hospital room in the first place.
Strider frowned into the darkness. He could remember waiting inside of the Jordan’s place till they were sitting at the table. He also remembered turning away after he killed the demoness. What happened next was a blur. He put together fragmented images of Jordan aiming a gun at him and taking the sphere from his hand, running up the stairs and fighting for the ball… the sudden pain. And then oblivion.
The Sphere!!!
Strider’s heart raced again. No wonder his eyesight didn’t respond. He tried to sit up and noticed that only his left arm was attached to the bed, when he moved the other one he felt a stab of pain as his IV circuit pulled. That was good. He took several deep, steadying breaths. Using touch alone he examined the metal ring circling his left wrist. A handcuff. He tried working the metal over his hand and only stopped when he realized he was rubbing the skin raw. Strider let himself fall against the bed again.
He pressed his hand to his chest and felt bandages, but he didn’t feel pain, just some numbness. How long had he been in the hospital? And how come had they found him? He had been captured by the police, most probably, or he wouldn’t be handcuffed to his bed. Strider tried to relax, it wouldn’t be that long before somebody entered the room to check on him, and he needed to have a plan for whenever that happened. He had to get his Sphere back.
The door opened quietly, but Strider had spent the last hour trying to assess the hospital’s sounds and the sudden noise was thundering. He closed his eyes quickly.
Ellis snapped on the light and paused for a second in the threshold. The man on the bed lay motionlessly, but he had caught the sudden movement under his eyelids when the light shone. Besides, there was a tension in his body that hadn’t been there before. He could swear the man was awake. A small smile of triumph turned the corners of his mouth. He walked quietly towards the bed, his temper in check. He didn’t want to alert the hunter that he knew.
He had been visiting the hunter time and again, usually after he finished patrolling, but after almost twenty days of coma he was starting to believe the man wouldn’t wake up. The doctors hadn’t believed it either, they were puzzled by the case and couldn’t understand the decline of their patient. Greying hair, wrinkling skin, muscles loosing their tone… of course, he knew something the doctors didn’t.
“How long you’ve been awake?” he asked suddenly, his voice echoing in the silent room.
Strider opened his eyes, and closed them quickly when the bright light blinded him. He needed some time till his eyes adjusted to the new lighting, but he was relieved to see he could recognize the man hovering over him.
“Longwood,” he said, and his voice was coarse by lack of use. He swallowed and tried again. “Glad to see you. Could you get me something to drink? My throat’s parched.”
“Deal with it,” Ellis replied. He looked at the man with eyes so cold they looked like blue ice. “What’s your name?”
“What makes you think I’ll tell you?” the man answered, his mouth curving in a bitter smile and his free hand drawing a circle over his bed. “Hospitality is not an issue here.”
“I have your ball,” Ellis answered simply and let the words hang. He saw the hunter’s eyes go wide and then narrow when he realized Ellis knew.
“Ahhh, and surely you’re about to give it back, right?” Strider swallowed again to wet her mouth some as his brain worked furiously. The man’s face hardened and Strider sneered. He knew he wasn’t about to receive any mercy from Longwood, but he’d shown him none either. Rules of the game. “Do your homework, man. You’ll find no answers here.”
“I have time. Something you don’t.” Ellis straightened and smiled coldly at the man on the bed. “I don’t really need to find out your name... watching you die of old age will be amusing enough.”
Featuring Robbie Williams as Barry Strider
Getting to Know Me
Sunday, 28th October 2007
The House of Kate and Galen Eldridge
3:54am
Kate laughed as she threw the bouquet of flowers over her head, not even looking for who’d managed to catch it. Galen’s smile filled the screen as he jerkily passed the hand-held camera to some unknown guest and pulled his newly wedded wife into his arms.
Words passed between them, but the sound was too tinny and distorted to make out what they were. A photographer’s bulb flashed and Kate looked up at her husband for the first time, her eyes filled with silent devotion. She whispered softly against his ear, the movement of her lips giving away her secret message. “I love you.”
Galen smiled warmly, pulling her closer again before engaging her in a long, lingering kiss while a camera flashed, capturing the moment.
Galen stopped the tape, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly as he slumped onto the sofa next to Kate. Reaching for an already half-empty bottle of wine, he refilled their glasses before taking up his own and making himself more comfortable. Kate smiled, a sort of shy, half-smile that conveyed her obvious interest in the man by her side while maintaining an air of mystery – as though occupied in thoughts known only to herself.
“It was such a wonderful day,” said Galen as he drank his wine, “you looked so…”
Kate’s lips curled in another of her enigmatic smiles. She leaned across a coffee table strewn with photographs and letters – a love affair written in words and pictures, and picked up a white padded album with silver inlaid lettering saying simply Our Wedding.
Galen watched silently as she flipped the cover, a soft, wistful expression forming upon her face as she gazed at the first photograph and traced her fingers lightly across the two happy figures.
“It was one of those spur of the moment decisions,” he explained as Kate slowly turned the pages. “Not that I hadn’t been waiting months for the right moment to ask, I carried that ring around in my pocket for months. When I finally ‘popped the question’, we just couldn’t wait.”
“We look so happy,” mused Kate distantly as she paused on one picture of the two of them outside the temple archway. Galen looked particularly handsome, dressed in a classic tuxedo. Kate couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter, he seemed so happy, a beaming smile spread across his face as he gazed into they eyes of his bride.
Kate traced her finger across the image of herself. A sheaf of floaty white fabric hung gracefully from her body, without embellishment except for two ribbons of shell and crystal that wound about her breast and criss-crossed around her neck. She looked very pretty, simply so, with her long red hair half tied back in a mass of ringlets and loose curls. She wore a smile to equal that of her husband, incredible joy etched into all her features.
She turned the pages to see more of the same. Pictures of them both with their arms around each other, sharing sweet kisses that had been expertly captured by whomever had taken the photographs. Pictures of Galen carrying her in his arms, of them laughing and happy and content. She could hardly believe that she was the same woman as the joyful bride depicted within the pages. It didn’t seem possible, in fact Kate almost felt jealous.
“Life was good back then,” said Galen thoughtfully, noticing the subtle change in his wife’s mood. “We had Emma and each other, Jack had just come back into your life. There was a lot to be happy about.”
Kate sighed, closing the album. “I wish I could see Daddy again, it’s a shame he’s not here. All I have are these childhood memories of him… I haven’t seen him since I was five.”
Galen nodded. “I know.”
“Of course you do,” Kate smiled softly before glancing around the room at the array of photographs and love tokens that Galen had brought out for her to see in a vain attempt at jogging her memory. “I guess I still can’t quite get my head around the idea of all this. It’s like, there’s this whole other life here, one with family and friends… and you. I wish I could remember it.”
She picked up another photograph from the coffee table – a young child with red hair and laughing blue eyes. Kate smiled, looking at the picture for a long while before she spoke. “She really is adorable.”
“See how she has your eyes?” Galen leaned in a little to get a better look at the photo. In such a close proximity he could smell the sweet, delicate scent of his wife – a familiar combination of rose water, jasmine and lotus flower. It made his stomach tighten into aching knots of longing.
He sighed, sinking back into the sofa. “They’re the same shade of blue.”
Kate smiled and nodded, turning back to take better look at Galen. “She has your nose though.”
“Yeah… poor kid.”
“I won’t have that,” said Kate firmly. Returning the photograph to the pile, she made herself more comfortable on the sofa, tucking her feet up and leaning back against her arm so that she could study Galen properly.
“I think you’re a very handsome man,” she observed after a while, reddening somewhat as she was suddenly reminded of her dream and how fiercely, almost unbearably aroused it had made her feel. Embarrassed at her own thoughts, she reached for her glass of wine and drank.
Galen smiled, sensing her discomfort. Gently he reached out and took her hand, turning her fingers over in his own. “You know I looked for you,” he confessed. “I never stopped believing that I’d see you again, even when it seemed impossible, or stupid to keep believing. I couldn’t give up hope, and I absolutely refused to let you go.”
Kate smiled softly, settling back down against the sofa again. “So you’re stubborn too.”
“As the day is long.” Galen looked down at her delicate fingers, surrounded by his own broad ones. “I know this is difficult for you, and I know that there’s a possibility that you might never remember…” he sighed and looked up into her dark blue eyes. “I need to try though, I have to. So I’m gonna apologise in advance if I get pushy or demanding… it’s just… if you could only feel a fraction of what we shared, of the love that I have for you-“
“-I can,” Kate interrupted, returning Galen’s gaze steadily. “I can.”
She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. “After the accident… it was very difficult for me. I didn’t even know my own name. You don’t know what it’s like to look in the mirror and not even recognise your face. Maybe I was stupid, but I believed what they told me, even when it felt wrong because… I just figured that anything – even a lie, had to be better than nothing. And I never imagined, even for one moment, that I might have such a life – that I might have friends and a home and… a husband.”
Galen squeezed her fingers gently.
“I’ve had my life stolen from me,” Kate continued, “and yet I’ve been ready to lay down what little I had left for the very people that took it. I have so many questions.”
“I’m just happy to have you back, to know that you’re alive and well.” Galen searched her face, wanting more than anything in the world to hold her, to kiss her. “We have time for everything else. I can help you to remember… if you want me to.”
Kate tightened her fingers around Galen’s and smiled softly. “Yes, I do.”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Oct 21st
01:13
Industrial District
The vampire was already licking its lips as it trailed the red head further into the industrial district. He hadn’t had a tasty morsel like this one in awhile, and he was damned sure he was going to enjoy it.
“Hey baby, what brings you down here?”
The vamp waited for the expected sense of fear to wash out from her, disappointingly however it never came – in fact, the woman didn’t even bother turning around.
“What’s your rush,” he called again, picking up the pace on his prey. “All I want to do is talk.”
The click of her high heels on the pavement was all he received in response as she made a left towards one of the larger buildings. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” Tired of playing with his prey, the vampire shortened the gap between them before grabbing onto her arm. “I asked -”
“You asked ‘what brings me down here’,” the woman replied spinning around, surprising the vampire with her cool confidence. “I heard you the first time.”
The vamp stood there shocked as his prey eyed him from head to toe, before giving a coquettish smile. “So now that you have me, what did you want? To bite me,” she purred, seductively tugging on her low-cut V neck top, entirely exposing the area between her neck and right shoulder. “Or perhaps you wanted something else.” Slowly, the woman moved forward, bringing her bright crimson lips close to his.
“Well aren’t you frisky,” the vampire mumbled as he moved into the kiss. *Why not enjoy her abit before enjoying her*
They shared a quick, though passionate embrace before the woman moved her lips across his neck and up to his ear. “Not frisky….” She whispered between deep carnal breaths. “Busy.”
The vampire barely had time to process the comment before the woman’s hands moved from his groin area to his head, and with one swift twist, he was left nothing more than a pile of dust.
“Had it been any other night lover,” Alaia smiled as she made her way into the large warehouse. It was emptier tonight than the last time she had arrived, a few other vampires scurrying here and there in the main area, though unlike their unfortunate peer, none bothered her as the succubus made her way up the stares to the private office where that mysterious cloaked boss was waiting for her.
“Finally, someone who doesn’t waste my time.”
“I always come on time,” Alaia smirked. “So now what happens?”
The cloak shuffled across the room to a cabinet where it withdrew a blood red, crystal decanter.
The demoness smiled as she eyed the strange bottle “A toast to my success?”
“Not quite,” the boss replied, pulling out the crystal cork. “Now hold still”
Ever since she had been recruited into the so called “Black Hats,” Alaia couldn’t help feeling like she was an unknowing pawn in some big cloak and dagger game. The succubus hated being in the dark on everything that didn’t directly concern her, but the benefits were good, and something inside told her not to argue. She had tossed in her chips with whoever this mysterious cloaked leader was – for better or worse.
Alaia waited for several moments, as the stranger facing her didn’t move and didn’t speak.
“What exactly are you doing? Is everything ok -” she finally said before a strange feeling in her loins jogged her into silence. At first it was just a soft tingle, but it quickly elevated into a strong pressure and the succubus wasn’t sure whether to enjoy it or be frightened.
“ The seed of my coming shall be born when purest light enters darkness, ” the cloak whispered as a black smoke like wisp trailed out from under Alaia’s mini skirt and into the bottle. “Perfect”
“Well that was….interesting, what exactly happened.”
The boss was already replacing the crystal cork and placing the bottle back into the cabinet. “I extracted the energy you collected. “Now you may go.”
The demoness’ gaze lingered on the strange master as she tried to contemplate just who was behind that deep hood, and what game they were playing. Of course she had no more information than before and after a moment, she realized it was futile. “Alright, well you know how to reach me if you need something else,” she said, as she turned to leave. “Unless you have something else planned already,” she added as an afterthought, but the cloaked leader had vanished by the time she spun back around. “Strange guy.”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
Sunday, 28th October 2007
The House of Kate and Galen Eldridge
9:33am
Kate opened her eyes and yawned, brushing her cheek against the cool cotton pillow before rolling over onto her stomach and stretching out. She closed her eyes and smiled, listening to the quiet birdsong outside her window and luxuriating in the feel of the sunlight as it fell in warm golden shafts across the bed.
It took her a full five minutes before she even realised where she was. The events of only several hours ago fell upon her in heavy waves of reality. Climbing out of bed she wandered around the room, taking in her surroundings as she discarded Liala’s pyjamas in favour of her own clothes. Looking around, she had to admit that there was something achingly familiar about the whole house – like remembering a dream after waking or reminiscing over childhood memories. It manifested itself as a strange upside down feeling in her stomach, as though she’d hit a bump in the road while driving too fast. She’d noticed it last night but in the light of day it was even stronger.
Tiptoeing down the stairs, the aroma of blueberry pancakes and freshly ground coffee assailed her senses, leading her in the direction of the kitchen. There she found Galen, mulling over his breakfast while tending to the wound on his hand.
“You probably know I could heal that for you, right?”
Galen looked up as Kate walked into the room, her long dress-like robe trailing on the floor behind her. He’d heard her footsteps on the stairs but it was still a surprise to see her standing in front of him, as large as life. Silently Kate perched herself upon the edge of the table before taking hold of his hand in her lap, turning it over to get a better look at the wound. Despite being several days old it was still red and angry looking.
“This looks painful,” she observed with a slight cringe, “you should have let me look at it last night-“
“-It’s nothing,” interrupted Galen, “some stray I thought I’d hit. Gave me the fright of my life when I realised it was still alive. The mutt gave me a nip before running off. Besides, you were tired last night.”
Kate didn’t reply but continued to examine the bite mark, running her fingers lightly across the wound. Galen found himself smiling as she touched his hand, unable to take his eyes away from his wife. He could scarcely allow himself to believe that it was her, that she was real. Though he had known for certain that she was alive, a very real part of him had been resigned to the fact that he might never see her again. Yet here she was – holding his hand gently in her own as she healed him… beautiful, tangible, real.
“How does that feel?”
Galen looked down at his hand, squeezing his fingers into a fist. There was still a strange kind of tingle beneath his skin but the soreness of the wound had completely gone.
“Much better.“ He smiled awkwardly as Kate looked up at him, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. She squeezed his hand gently before hopping down from the table and crossing the kitchen to pour herself a cup of black coffee.
“I’m going to have to leave soon,” she said abruptly, ripples of steam warming her cheeks as she looked down into her cup of Javanese Mild Roast. “I shouldn’t have stayed here so long in the first place. My sisters will be looking for me…”
Galen was silent for while as he stared at Kate, trying to catch her gaze but she purposefully kept it fixed on the contents of her coffee cup. She might not remember him but she was still very much his Kate, he’d noticed it last night as they’d talked – kind hearted and caring with that playful sense of humour that he’d always found so irresistible. It was difficult for him to believe that anything was different… everything seemed so normal.
Rising to his feet, he moved to her side and took the cup from her hands.
“Can’t you stay?” he asked desperately, holding on to her hands. They were warm from the heat of the hot beverage. “We’ve got so much to talk about and, well… we’re getting on okay, aren’t we?”
“Yes…” Kate looked uncomfortable. “Galen… I really wish I could stay.”
“Last night you said you wanted my help and now, now you want to leave? To go back to the same people who stole you away from me in the first place?”
“You don’t understand.” Kate held Galen’s hands firmly in her own, she couldn’t explain the feelings that she had for him but part of her felt ill at the prospect of leaving. She couldn’t remember him or the life that they’d shared, but… but after last night, after finding out all that she had… she wanted to remember.
“I don’t want to leave,” she explained calmly, “but I don’t have a choice. I have to go back. I have responsibilities, duties that I can’t just walk away from. I can’t explain, so please don’t ask me to.”
Galen sighed, the last thing he wanted was for Kate to walk out that front door. He felt that if she did he might never see her again. “I don’t suppose these people you’re working for would just exactly let you stay here with me anyway.”
“No,” Kate smiled weakly, “they wouldn’t.”
“Then promise me one thing,” said Galen calmly, “promise you’ll let me see you again. I could cook you dinner or something, surely they let you eat.”
“Yes,” Kate’s smile brightened shyly, “I promise I’ll find a way to come see you.”
Galen sighed in relief and nodded. “Okay… well, how about some breakfast. I made your favourites.”
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
November 1st, 2007
1318 Poplar Ave.
5:00 pm
Darian watched from his window as the Ford Taurus pulled up in front of Poplar Avenue. Galen, the first of the remaining White Hat members had arrived for the meeting, not surprisingly minus one wife.
“Kyle, come on, people are here!”
Darian waited briefly for a response, but when all he got was a few jarbbled mumbles from the demon’s room, he decided not to wait. *He’ll catch up* The fae had made it half way out the apartment door, when his lover’s head popped out of his bedroom.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?”
The man turned around, half surprised, half annoyed since the front door buzzer was already ringing. “What? It’s a White Hat meeting, why would you want to come?”
“Why would I want to come? Ill have you remember how I saved all you and your mortal friends from Kronor a few months back. I am an important asset to this little group of yours.”
“But you don’t have powers anymore, remember?”
Raising her head in indignation, she strutted out of the room to stand in the hallway, her hands on her hips, her eyes locked on Darian’s. “Just because I am not immortal anymore does not mean that I’m powerless. I still more psychic than the lot of you… kinda… and I know a lot of magic… though I don’t know how humans really use it… OH and I’ve been around A LOT longer than any of you, so my wisdom can definitely come in handy!”
As the buzzer rang once more, Darian rolled his eyes and headed down the stairs. “Fine, come. But make sure Kyle is ready, and meet us upstairs.”
Galen leaned against the wall of the vestibule as he waited for a reply from Darian’s apartment. He wished he’d been able to get in contact with Kate, coming to a White Hat meeting might have helped. Besides, they really needed her, now more than ever before.
He was just about to buzz the apartment again when the door opened and Darian’s face peered out into the street. “Hi, on time I hope?”
“First to arrive actually,” he replied, shaking Galen’s hand before inviting him in. “Kyle and Liala are upstairs, so I guess that leaves Alessa and Nik.” As the two men began climbing the stairs up to the regular meeting area, there was a brief moment of silence. Both knew the dynamic of the meeting would be strange given the minimal number of white hats remaining.
“So how’s Kate?” Darian asked finally. Though he was genuinely concerned, he also couldn’t bare the quiet anymore.
*Wish I knew,* thought Galen as they reached the now vacant penthouse on the top floor and he pushed the door open. “She… she was fine, calm. She still doesn’t remember anything though.” He glanced briefly at the fae. “She went back to them, the other witches and these people… she wouldn’t tell me anything but I’d bet my last dollar that it had something to do with The Ministry. I just don’t know what this hold is they have over her.”
Darian wasn’t sure what to say. He couldn’t imagine being in his friend’s position, how he must feel, what he must be thinking…
“I’m sorry Galen. Though now at least we know she’s alive, and I promise I’ll do whatever I can to get her back.”
Alessa pushed the door as the remote buzzed her in. Kyle had sounded half asleep and annoyed to have to answer. She chuckled, at least something was like in the old times. Her light mood evaporated when she got to Tash’s old apartment, though.
The place had lost all her friend’s touch and looked empty and barren. It was obvious that Darian had made an effort to make it look like a ‘meeting place’. There was still the enormous leather sofa where she had talked countless times with Tash – probably because it was too big to get down the stairs – and Darian had placed some unpaired chairs around a small table, there was a strong smell of fresh coffee too; but it lacked that living feeling of a true home. Making an effort, she smiled again as she entered the penthouse and greeted her friends.
The small group exchanged pleasantries as they settled in place, all trying to act like it was like it was any other White Hat meeting, all knowing that there was an obvious emptiness to the group.
“So is that everyone?” Kyle yawned, as he repeatedly flicked the top of his zippo open and closed.
“Nik hasn’t shown up yet,” Darian replied, as he stole a glance out the window to the street down below. “Its not like him to miss a meeting.”
“Maybe he is with his new woman, you know the one he’s been spending so much time with recently” Liala piped in, trying to be useful.
Letting his gaze rest there one moment longer, Darian conceded that he probably wasn’t going to show. “Maybe you’re right. Anyways we should probably get started.”
Alessa took out a little notepad from her handbag and started fumbling with the pages for a second, then she looked up as she sensed all eyes focused on her.
“What?” she asked, blushing slightly. “I’ve made a list. Don’t you ever make lists?”
Not waiting for their answer she started reading her notes. “Ok, first. Children. Somehow it seems that all those horrible children murders have stopped – I’m not sad to stop changing into a girl, actually. Do you have any idea what happened? Because definitely it wasn’t us.”
“Well,” Galen cleared his throat as the group shifted their gaze to him. “I asked Kate about the night Darian first saw her, she didn’t go into a lot of detail but she said that she and her other two witch friends had been hunting a legendary vampiress – Elizabeth Bathory. I’ve only heard of her in horror stories, you know, the kind you tell around a campfire. Apparently she’s real – or was real, , her specialty was killing children and bathing in their blood.”
“Niiice,” Alessa said. “Ok, that’s one less then, thanks to Kate and Co. That leads me to point two, though… have you noticed how many more nasties have we got around? There isn’t a night we don’t find some.”
Taking a moment from playing with the lighter, Kyle looked up, with a half grin on his face. “Well more nasties mean more things to do right. Can’t complain that its boring at least.”
“Don’t joke about that Kyle,” Darian interrupted, reprimanding him in a un-Darianly harsh tone of voice. “I don’t know if you looked around the room, but we’re not as many as we used to be, and we’ve lost a lot of our heavy hitters. So no, more nasties isn’t a good thing.”
Kyle seemed somewhat stunned at Darian’s reaction, and was ready to retort when he thought better of it. “Whatever,” he mumbled, before going back to fidgeting with the lighter.
“Does anyone have any idea just why there are so many more demons crawling the city lately?” the fae asked, cooling down his attitude somewhat.
***
Zayn looked up at the old brownstone building and smiled.
Over two years had passed since she’d first ventured to 1318 Poplar Avenue, the Cloch Cosan had almost ripped the whole place in two back then – or so she’d heard. If it hadn’t been for those bastards Cups and Swords she would have been able to avert the near-tragedy and she wouldn’t be standing here now with so much of her precious time wasted.
Removing her leather biker gloves, she lay a hand upon the building. Yes… it still buzzed with magical energy, deep in the ground, in the stone of the walls… and just like all those years ago there were a collection of adepts and supernaturals gathering within – lost and lacking direction.
Zayn chuckled to herself as she took the worn beer coaster with the Poplar address hastily scrawled across the back. Her ‘invitation’ to the White Hats.
*Well, here goes nothing.*
Alessa was in mid sentence when the buzzer to the building went off, stopping her abruptly. “Think Nik finally made it?”
“Not unless Nik bought himself a Harley Davidson,” Darian grimaced, as he looked out the window to see the empty bike parked.
The fae walked over to the intercom and lifted the handset, “who is it?”
Zayn sighed, slumping against the wall as she spoke into the little set of holes by the buzzer. “Name’s Zayn’Jae Vex, I’m looking for a group of people called ‘The White Hats’ – I was given this address by a member of their’s. A cute guy, middle-aged, brown hair, nice ass but way too paranoid for his own good.”
Darian turned to Galen and held out the handset. “It’s for you, Zayn… something or other. Said you gave her our address?”
“Oh.” Galen looked abashed as he took the handset. He’d actually forgotten all about the woman, it seemed like months ago since he and Alessa had run into her, in fact it had only been a couple of weeks. Pressing the door release, he buzzed the woman in before turning back to the rest of the group.
“Alessa and I met her awhile ago while out patrolling. She was fighting a couple of sewageraptors and needed a little assistance.”
“You invited her?” Alessa asked, “I really don't remember much about that night...”
“Well, you weren’t in your best moment,” he answered her, his eyes twinkling with laughter, but hurried to go on when he saw her blush. “However, she used to know Tash and Victor from the early days so I figured if she was interested, I’d introduce her to the group.”
The group exchanged some confused glances as they waited for the mysterious stranger to arrive.
“How did she know there was a meeting tonight?” Liala asked, though unfortunately no one answered. Instead, all eyes were on the strikingly beautiful, albeit tough looking woman who appeared in the doorway.
“Does it matter?” Kyle whispered back smiling, his attention finally on something other that his annoying zippo.
“So you guys are the White Hats,” Zayn said ambiguously, as she studied the group, never bothering to take off her glasses. “And judging by the fact that I don’t recognize any of you from the apocalypse a few years back, I’ll take a stab and venture you’re the new generation of do-gooders here in LA.”
Darian studied the mysterious stranger carefully – something about her made him feel uneasy, but given their numbers, they couldn’t start turning away new recruits on the bases of ‘feelings’.
“I’m Darian, and this is Kyle and Liala. I take it you already know Galen and Alessa,” he said coldly, though politely. “So what brings you to our meeting?”
Zayn smiled at the one called Darian as she removed her sunglasses to get a better look at him. An aura of magic was clearly visible around him, together with the purple eyes and the slight glow of ‘otherworldliness’ in his skin he could only be a member of the fae.
“Luck,” she said simply, turning to Galen. “Hey James Bond, how’s the aim? Alessa! Glad to see you’re not tripping on that sewageraptor saliva anymore. Stuff can be addictive.”
Liala moved closer to her lover and whispered non to discreetly. “I…I think I’ve met her before.” As she said it, her eyes made contact with Zayn’s and the woman seemed to almost tense up. Had Zayn recognized her also?
“Do I know you?” the ex-undine asked, silencing the rest in the room. “Because I really feel like we know each other from somewhere.”
Had people not been looking at Liala, they may have noticed that Zayn seemed phased by the question, but only for a moment. “Who knows? I’ve been around LA for awhile now, so maybe we’ve met, though I can’t say I remember you,” she said brushing away the comment before she took the liberty to sit down. “So you guys noticed that the cities been crawling with more demons then ever?” she asked, changing the topic skillfully.
“We were just talking about that,” said Alessa, “and trying to come up with a possible answer. I don’t suppose you have any ideas?”
“You were pretty cliquey with Bob that night we met,” added Galen, “not to mention the fact that you obviously move in supernatural circles.”
Zayn shrugged. “I wish I could give you an answer there, gorgeous. But I’m in the dark as much as you guys appear to be. Potentially we could be looking at anything from a mystic portal or nexus drawing these nasties into LA, or the next Big Bad looking to recruit new muscle. Those I’ve talked to seem… jittery I guess is the best word. It’s like people can sense something’s up but can’t quite put their finger on it.”
Kyle, pocketing his lighter, took a seat next to Zayn. “So what do we do about it? I doubt we’ll just stumble on a portal in the center of downtown.”
Zayn smiled at the Kaoshian as she briefly read the energies whirling inside him; *A fire demon, its as if the powers that be are helping me,* she mused before turning to the rest of the group. “Did you guys think of marking places of attacks, you know, try to find a pattern, allot patrol grounds between the group.”
“If there was a portal, I think I would have sensed it,” Darian said frigidly. “And I don’t think it’s a great idea for people to split up and hunt alone.”
“Why not, you do it all the time,” Kyle retorted, before turning back to look at Zayn.
Darian’s face was beginning to redden. “Its not the same thing Kyle. I’ve got magic and more experience than the rest of you.”
“Recently a lot more magic,” Alessa cut in, exchanging a quick glance with Liala.
“What is that supposed to mean Alessa?” Darian lashed back.
The demoness frowned, as she observed Darian grow even angrier. “Nothing.”
“Look, I patrol alone so you guys don’t have to. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for everyone to patrol alone.”
“I’m sorry,” apologized Zayn, holding her hands up, “I guess I was just thinking of the old days with Tash and Daye and Victor. I didn’t realize that you guys were less…” she let her sentence remain unfinished, placing her sunglasses back over her eyes so that she could better gauge the response without seeming too overt. “I just thought that the more ground we cover the quicker we can find out what’s going down. The best way to do that is by splitting up and reporting back, it’s not like we have to actually engage in a confrontation. It could be a simple recon, no contact. But… well I understand if you think it’s too dangerous. Like you said Darian, not everyone here has your magical ability.”
“I think she makes a good point. Maybe we should split up and designate quadrants of the city to investigate. Maybe then we could find out what’s going on,” Galen said finally. *And find Kate*
Alessa watched the exchange with growing annoyance, she didn’t like to be underestimated, even less by a stranger. She turned to Zayn, “hunting alone was Tash’s downfall; it’s just a matter of common sense, not weakness.”
“Besides, it’s not like we’re as helpless as you make us out to be Darian,” she added, the fae’s superior attitude getting at her too. “I know you’ve only got good intentions Darian, but it’s a little offensive that you think we can’t take care of ourselves.”
She frowned, what the woman had said made sense nevertheless – they were going to make some scouting, not actual fighting. She made up her mind. “I guess we could spit up for some reconnaissance, sure.”
Darian was about to say something when Kyle cut him off, making one more in the new woman’s corner. “Yeah sounds like a great idea, I’m in!” he said excitedly, looking forward to the future hunting.
“Well then we’ll need a map of the city if we’re going to do this right, and maybe a time table of nights so we know who is where and when,” the stranger said.
As White Hats, save for the fae, scrambled to get the materials she asked for, Zayn smiled – things were going better than planned!
Season Five: October 1, 2007 - Unknown
October 31th
Los Angeles County Hospital
6:30 am
Strider woke up early; the shades were up and the bright morning sunlight shone through the window, reflecting on some piece of equipment and forming four bright rings on the ceiling. It wasn’t the sort of thing Strider would have given much thought to in the past; there wasn’t anything particularly interesting about the rings, just three concentric circles glowing a bright yellow against the harsh white of a hospital ceiling. That is, if he didn’t take into account that each day those circles glowed blurrier and blurrier. It was funny, he hadn’t really thought about his vision for decades, he had almost forgotten he was short-sighted.
Strider shivered and closed his eyes. Another day. He would lie in bed for hours and hours. Doctors would come in and out of his room throughout the day, checking his status, wondering what was going on. Nurses would attend to him but flit out the second they were done. He knew he made them nervous, with his stubborn silence. But he had enough to think about.
He wasn’t recovering, he could feel it. He was decaying alive. His wounds refused to heal, his body refused to work properly. It was as if it wanted to give up. It was almost as if the world was waiting for him to plunge into his miserable death.
His thoughts of misery were interrupted by the morning nurse. It was a new one, she even talked to him as she went about her chores, most of the rest didn’t bother anymore.
“Don't try to be such a tough guy next time. Ask for your pain shot when you first think you might need it.” She said, noticing his grimacing when he moved him to change the sheets. At his continued silence she sighed. “Ok, we’re feeling mute today. Your life, your pain.”
“You should listen to your nurse. You'll probably feel better.”
Strider’s head snapped up as he heard the voice, and his eyes widened when he found its source. There was a woman there, at least she sounded as a woman. A long cape covered her from head to toes, its hood obscuring her features. Golden eyes shone from the darkness inside. Strider turned to the nurse then, but she didn’t seem to have noticed anything as she gathered her equipment and looked around the room.
“Who are you?” he asked, looking at the hooded woman again.
It was the nurse's time to be startled, but she recovered quickly “Mary Robinson, dear. Great to hear your voice, I knew it was there… somewhere.” She beamed at him. “Now that you’re speaking remember to ask for your shot. Don’t forget that there's always going to be a delay between the asking and the getting.”
“Yes, dear,” the figure mimicked the nurse. “Please remember.”
Strider waited for the nurse to leave the room before speaking again. It was clear that whoever this was, only he could see her. “Who are you?” he repeated.
“That is of no importance,” the woman answered. “What is, is what I can offer you.”
Strider didn’t even ponder his answer. This was definitely a supernatural being, he had no business with her kind. “Nothing you can offer will interest me.”
He could feel more than see her smile as she walked towards the bed, "you really are hurting, aren't you?"
She rested her hand on Strider’s leg, and the man felt his whole left side shot in a flaming pain. His hand flew to his mouth and he bit it not to shout. After a few encruxiating seconds the pain disappeared, as abruptly as it had started. Completely. It was as if he had never been shot. More so, he could see the woman now. Really see her. Every wrinkle on her cape, every thread of its fabric. Oh, so very clear. Even the darkness inside the hood seemed to have gained texture.
Then it was over. His eyesight worsened again and the dull pain in his chest returned.
“I can heal you. I can also give you your youth back, at least long enough for you to recover your trinket.”
Suddenly, Strider developed an interest in his bedding. He straightened the sheets and smoothed out the wrinkles around him. The impatience in the woman’s voice was barely contained when she spoke again.
“You know, I won't wait forever.”
Ignoring her words, Strider continued to fuss with the bedding. His mind was far from ignoring her, though. She was a supernatural, but for some reason, she needed him. Nobody gave something for nothing.
“What do you want?” he asked at last in a flat voice, still not looking at her.
“What, Barry, I didn't hear you?” The smile on her voice gave the lie to her question.
“What do you want in exchange?!” he growled this time.
“Just what you do best. Killing.”
Strider looked at her then, noticing she was the only thing definite in his hazy world. He guessed her smile, and felt suddenly defeated. They both knew he’d accept. He really didn't have a choice.
She smiled again, and turned to the door. “I’ll be waiting outside. The guards will be no problem.”
By the time he was alone again, the sun had shifted and the rings of light reflecting on the ceiling were distorted, barely visible. After a couple of minutes Strider straightened, got off the bed and walked out of the door.