Disclaimer: The Witchblade Movie, Series, Comics, and characters belong to Top Cow Productions. I own nothing but the idea here.

Thanks for everyone's nice reviews! ^_^ ...Hey, Divamercury, hope to hear more from "Danger Zone"! Wonderful work so far! Same with moondreamer! I love "A Day in the Life"! I hope Ian turns up soon! And Jady, I see we have some 'mysterioso' with "An Angel's Sacrifice"! Post soon!

Immortal Beloved
Chapter 1

With a muffled moan, a hand crept out from under the covers and slammed the alarm clock to silence. A dark head of hair followed soon after with a frown. The covers were shoved off and a slender form stepped onto the floor on bare feet. A passing glance out the window caused emerald eyes to roll.

"Doesn't he have somewhere else to be?"

"Maybe not," a cheerful voice chirped in.

The eyes shifted to land on the newcomer.

"If you don't have a cup of joe, leave."

"Ah. That time of the month, hn?"

A night shirt was flung at the man as the bathroom door slammed. Minutes later, the young woman walked out and went into the kitchen to throw together something to eat.

"What the hell do you want at this time of the day, Danny?"

"Why? I can't just come around to greet you a good morning?"

A glare got a laugh out of the man, then he became serious.

"Someone has an eye on you."

"And don't I know it." The woman scowled out the window.

"I didn't mean him, Pez."

She turned to frown at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Watch your back."

"Isn't that his job?" She remarked sarcastically with a nod outside.

"Maybe he can't do anything about it."

"So, it's Irons?" The man just shrugged.

"Just remember. Everything's connected."

Then, she was alone once more.

"Damn way to start the day," she growled.

Another scowl out the window, then she was out the door.


"So, what do we have on the woman from yesterday?"

"Charlotte Cross...single, white female...lived alone...part-time model...unemployed...no criminal record...just some unpaid tickets...friend, Diana Abbot, reported her missing the day before yesterday...they were supposed to meet up for movies...she didn't show...fiancé in London...no possessive ex-boyfriend... That's all."

"That can't be all if she's a cold corpse in the morgue, Jake."

"I can see why you're pissed off, Sara. But, we have zilch."

"Then, spin straw into gold and find something for me, wonder boy."

"Time of the month. Hn," he muttered.

A pencil flew out after him just before the office door swung shut.

"Men."

She shook her head and buried herself in paperwork to push away mental pictures of her double on an iron slab. It wasn't that she was worried for herself... It was just...creepy. Like a premonition.

"Sara, check this out!" Her partner shouted as he stormed back in.

With raised brow, she took the thick stack he handed her. After the first few pages, her feet went down from the table and settled on the floor as she frowned. They were a compilation of reports on murders that went as far back as the 1950's. They stretched out from Europe to Asia, then the Americas. Some were marked as solved, but most seem to have been buried after years of failure. And all had the same sort of victims. This couldn't be just a coincidence...

"Is this for real?"

"Asked myself the same...but, hell, the same M.O. all this time? It must be a cult of copycats!"

Sara's eyebrows shot up.

"...Well, it could be!"

Jake smiled sheepishly.

"The last file here is from Philadelphia. Call them and see what turns up, OK?"

"Yes, master."

"Careful." Sara smirked. "I might get ideas."

The man just laughed and picked up the phone.

As he spoke to a contact in the other state, his partner compared the crime scene photos from various states and countries. It was eerie how each one seemed exactly alike. The women...the way they were posed... It was as if they were all done by the same person... Ridiculous, Sara reprimanded herself. The perp behind the crimes would have to be almost ancient. ...Or he could have had an apprentice of sorts. She shuddered in disgust at the thought.

Then, something caught her eye.

She snatched up a magnifying glass from the desk and peered at the pictures. What was that in their hands... A flower...a rose?

"Jake... Jake!"

She pelted him with a crumpled memo.

"Hey, I'm on the phone here!"

"Were there any flowers at the scene?"

"There was a rose - "

"Aside from that! A bouquet maybe?"

"Not that I saw."

He returned to his conversation as she went through the other reports. All the same. A rose in the hand. Same M.O. And so? She already knew that. Still, she knew this was important...this...

A vision hit her.

~
"Roses in the winter? How sweet."

"Not as sweet as you."

"You're such a charmer you know."

A pale hand was clasped and kissed.

"All I know is you love your roses."

"And what I want, you'll give. Is that it?"

"Anything and everything for you."

The sun glinted on bangle...
~

It was over...

Her eyes shut as she absorbed what she'd seen. The bracelet...the Blade... The woman was a Wielder. But, which one? And who was the man with her? What did -they- have to do with her case?

What did all mean?

Whatever it was...

She knew it was just the start.