Savitar's palm pressed against his cheek, coming away with ichor staining his fingers. Damn it. Damn it all to hell. He watched as the Daimon that held Maira perished with a cry and the woman's body collapsed, her head connecting forcefully with the cement below. He sheathed his sword, his eyes settling on the woman strewn on the street like a rag doll. That was way too close. For the first time in a long time he had attracted more power than necessary, and he was sure it was going to attract unwanted attention. There was also the question of the human. She had seen him use his abilities and it would be pointless to kill her now given all the trouble he just went through to save her. Her eyes were glazed with a blank stare, her dark eye staring into nothing. Sav approached the faint glow coming from the stone around her neck, a soft purple glow pulsing from it as if it was sleeping along with its owner. Except, Sav could not sense a heartbeat.

Cursing underneath his breath he knelt beside the woman, his eyes snapping to the gaping wound in her neck. Crimson blood slowly carved a path against her brown skin, as her life waned. It was a shame for her end to be like this, Savitar thought, pressing a hand to her chest to dispatch an electrical charge and jumpstart her heart. After a few moments, he could hear her heart beat again—it was faint, but it was there.

And then he saw it.

Images upon images flooded his brain like a vicious nightmare. He saw men breaking out into fights, wars breaking out among mortal and god alike, blood and ichor flowing freely down the streets and mixing into one. Scorpions swarmed homes while the Earth was consumed with a rampant fire. Through the flames he saw the woman at his feet, as he lay motionless in a pool of his own blood, watching in horror as she approached to finish him off. And just like that the vision changed, this one worse than the last as Savitar physically felt the woman's hand clench around his throat, her free hand dangerously close to her face as it glowed with heavenly light. She had that same look in her eye, dark and murderous with a tinge of something else—the pain of betrayal deep in its depths, and an imminent death for him on either end.

Savitar choked on a breath, watching the girl in horror. For a second she struck fear into his heart, and it was a feeling he was unfamiliar with. How could he have forgotten? An act as simple as reviving a human already dead altered the course of the universe, what was he thinking reviving one Daimons had been after, for a reason unknown? Now the woman herself would be the cause of his own demise, a fate he had set in motion just by restarting her heart. Maira began to stir as she drew her first breath, and Sav knew that if he remained on the street more demons would come looking for them. Sav picked up the woman in his arms with little effort, flashing them to the only place he could think of going with a problem as big as this one.

Behind him, the night seemed cold and unforgiving.

::~

Acheron's strummed his guitar lightly, the tune carrying throughout the hall just as Savitar flashed in with Maira in his arms. Acheron stood then, his eyes alight with fire. "How could you let a human—" He started, boiling hot with anger at having a human in his domain when he caught the expression in Savitar's eyes. Acheron's hands balled into fists, his guitar long forgotten on his chair as he struggled with his anger at the intrusion and his concern for his friend. It was a moment before Acheron figured that Savitar must have had a good reason for this intrusion, as he was the only person that understood some of what Ash had been through. Ash huffed hotly. "You look like hell," he said in greeting.

Sav's lips cracked a smile, and yet it seemed forced. "What's your excuse?" He shot back, just as Soteria entered the room.

"Savitar, we weren't—holy shitballs," Tory rushed over, taking note of the woman in Sav's arms. Savitar barely managed to greet her before she was already whisking the woman away from him. "I'll take her to a guest room and heal her, meanwhile you sit down and relax. Baby," Tory said, turning towards Ash, who was watching the exchange in amusement. "Get him something to drink, he looks like he's seen a ghost." It was true, Savitar's face had lost its golden glow. Instead he looked ashen, his eyes wide at the revelation bringing Maira back had caused. Ash watched him with interest, despite remaining still in his spot in the room. Savitar still hadn't explained why he was in Katoteros and not in his own realm.

"Are you going to say something or are we going to keep staring at each other?" Ash asked as he crossed his arms coolly. That seemed to snap Sav out of whatever daze he was in, which was strange given he'd only ever seen the Chthonian calm and collected.

"I'm sorry for bringing her here. We'll be out in a minute. I swear I just went for a cup of fucking coffee," Sav sighed as he manifested a chair, not having the energy to find one in Acheron's vast hall. "Daimons had lured her out and tried to kill her. No, not tried. They killed her." And yet the girl was breathing. Acheron raised a brow, putting two and two together.

"You're not one to act out so rashly."

"I know. Hades will be pissed." Not that Savitar cared in particular, but this case was different.

"So? What's one human to the hundreds of souls he gets a day?" Ash asked.

"She's no human." Savitar revealed. He then recounted all of the events that happened earlier—how vicious the attack on Maira had been, how the Daimons had been intent on grabbing the necklace from her and how it repelled their touch. Savitar didn't know himself why he was telling Acheron—it wasn't like it was his business. It was a problem Savitar had set into motion himself and one he would have to fix on his own, but maybe what he really needed right now was someone to bounce his ideas off of.

"No, you can't just kill her again," Ash shook his head at Savitar's suggestion. It was always his first answer to everything, especially when it came to a human. Kill them and get it over with, Sav had suggested every single time Acheron had a problem. Unfortunately, the surfer didn't share the same compassion as Ash when it came to the weaker species.

Sav knew it wasn't possible, and yet he still put it out there. It was worth a shot, anyhow. If she was meant to be dead even after he'd revived her on accident, what was the point in delaying the inevitable? He'd make it a quick death, at least.

"Look, it's obvious she is not of our kind. We would have known by now. The best thing to do is look after her until we find out just who—or what she is, and what Daimons want from her." Ash said with finality just as Soteria entered the room.

"She's sleeping now and I healed her neck. But it's definitely going to leave a nasty scar," Tory said as she scrunched her nose, as if she could feel the pain herself. "What's new?" She asked, her eyes flitting between both men, who looked like they were caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"We might-" Acheron started before Savitar sharply interrupted.

"No. I'll take her." He said his black curly hair shaking along with his head. He knew Acheron loathed having other present in Katoteros, much less a quasi-human. Acheron looked to him in surprise, before his eyes filled with understanding.

"You're going to take her with you?"

"She's my problem."

Savitar was never one to unload his work onto others. The girl was his to deal with for now. He wanted to be the first one to know about her when she awoke.

"I'll just take her and go," Savitar said, starting towards one of the rooms.

"At least leave her here for the night," Tory said, taking a step forward although her eyes were asking a question of Acheron, who tensed slightly before giving her a small nod. "She's badly hurt, she shouldn't be moved." Tory continued before her eyes finally settled on Savitar. Gripping his staff firm in his hands, Savitar gave her a curt nod before glancing down the hallway where Tory had disappeared with the girl moments before.

"C'mon Sav, let's catch up. Beer and videos games, it's on me." Ash said with a nod towards another room, knowing that it was best to distract the being for now. In all his years Ash had never seen him so worried about tampering with fate. Whatever he saw as a result had to have been huge, otherwise Savitar would have brushed it off, as he did everything else.

::~

Maira woke to a dull ache in her neck, her hand instinctively going to it and finding the skin still tender. She winced as she sat up and tried to crack the crick in her neck, nearly making her want to double over in pain. Just then the door to her room cracked open, and in came a woman—freakishly tall, carrying a tray of some sorts in her arms. "Good, you're awake. I was beginning to think you'd die on us. Again," she said with a warm smile. It was then that Maira's eyes strayed and took in her surroundings, and she found out she wasn't in her room at all, but in some sort of vastly decorated chamber.

"Eat up! It's the best batch of baklava I've made I think," Tory said with finality as she set the tray of food on the bedside table. "When you're done we can go join the others, but you're not leaving until you've at least tried it. You haven't eaten in hours." She said as Maira tried to process what had happened. The last thing she remembered was the sight of crackling electricity on some sort of metal and a flurry of polished black shoes underneath black slacks. Now she was sitting in an unfamiliar room with a woman who thought she could boss her around.

"Um," Maira responded unceremoniously, the look on her face said it all. "Backtrack, I lost you. Who are you again?" Maira asked, shifting tentatively on the bed to cross her legs. When she felt no pain anywhere else other than the usual stiffness that came from sleeping in one spot for too long, she relaxed. Just like that, Tory plopped onto the bed beside her.

"Dr. Soteria Kafieri-Parthenopaeus, nice to meet you." She said with a smile and an extended hand. Maira shook it gently, the scent of food distracting her from the questions she still had.

"That's quite a mouthful of a name. You cook?" Maira asked as she took a plate and placed it on her lap, digging into the food.

"Only when you have to write it down. I cook any chance I get. My cousin says I've been cursed to be eternally hungry, but if you ask me she could eat a whole horse and still have space for a burger," Tory said with a shrug and a smile. "Are you feeling better? You came in with a nasty bite." Tory asked as she peered over to take a look at her neck. Maira felt the urge to nod before she thought better of it. But she couldn't exactly answer with a mouthful of food either, so she resorted to using her index finger to signal yes. That seemed to please Tory, who had been taken up with an interest to the necklace just inches from the affected area.

"That's quite the trinket, can I see?" Tory asked, lowering her head to get a better look. Maira hesitated, memories flushing back to her from her attack and the importance her necklace held for those men with suits and fangs. Still, the other woman seemed harmless enough. Maira tilted her head slightly, just as Tory moved to touch it. She couldn't get within an inch form the stone before she was zapped, cradling her hand in her arms. "Shitballs—what was that?!" Tory asked, looking to Maira for an answer and yet she was unable to give her one.

"This is so cool. It zaps anyone who tries to touch it, and yet it's doing nothing to you. Can you touch it?" Tory asked, and Maira nodded, pressing her fingers to the cold stone. She often did it when she felt nervous, and it offered a bit of comfort. Tory observed the stone carefully, trying to find a tell-tale sign of its origin—Greek or Atlantean writing, but she could find neither—at least from where she was sitting.

"It was a gift from my grandmother," Maira explained, noting the other's interest. It was strange to speak after such a long time, her voice hoarse, her hunger sated and her curiosity piqued. "She gave it to me when I was eight, when I first moved to the States." Coincidentally, it would be the same year she lost her grandmother. The woman had died in Lebanon before she could move in with her parents, and unfortunately Maira was unable to ask her more about her gift.

That didn't mean she didn't guard it with her life.

There had been several run ins with strangers over the nature of her necklace. But none as serious as this, however. She honestly didn't think she would have survived had it not been for the purple-eyed man who'd intervened.

"Those things—the men with fangs they—" Maira started, before Tory came over with a rag and a cold basin of water.

"They're called Daimons. Soulless blood-suckers. Before you ask, no. They're nothing like the ones in the books," Tory answered as Maira took the rag gratefully and pressed it to her skin. Thankfully it didn't throb nearly as much as it did when she got it, it was the type of pain she could bear now. Tory looked as if she wanted to say more, but figuring Maira had enough for one day, she thought better of it. "Finish your food, sweetie. It'll do you good."

::~

By the time the two women came around the corner from the hallway they were leaning into each other and chatting like good friends, and Maira was wearing an oversized navy t shirt as she walked across the floor bare. Apparently the cold of the marble didn't seem to bother her, and she looked just find except for the large red gash across her neck. Both men paused their video games and stood, oblivious to the curses of Jaden and Talon on the other end. They gave each other one look, a look of understanding.

They're bonding.

"Tory, come here a sec."

"Hey you, give me that necklace." Savitar growled, starting towards the two as amethyst eyes honed in on the girl in question. Maira, once second before anxious to meet the man she was told had saved her, took an uncertain step back, her fingers pressing against the stone as she broke from Soteria's hold.

"What? No!" She answered defiantly, her brows knit in concern at the ire behind this man's eye. She assumed he was Savitar, the telltale sign being the color of his eyes that Soteria had vividly described earlier. This man did not appear laid-back at all. In fact, he looked like he was out for vengeance.

"Give it!" Savitar lunged, Maira once again keeping the entire distance of the room between them. No sooner had she entered it than he'd come for her.

"Savitar, cut it out!" Tory called from Acheron's side, surprised when Ash held fast to her arm. "Let him," Acheron said quietly, through grit teeth. Tory's eyes snapped to her husband, giving him an incredulous look. "She's done nothing wrong." She defended. Ash nodded, a small "I know," leaving his lips. But this was something Savitar needed to deal with on his own.

Savitar growled low in his throat. "Give me the necklace." Once he took it off her he'd have to deal with the jewel itself, and not the human attached to it. It was for the best of the both of them. And yet, the human girl was defiant.

"I'd sooner die," she spat, clutching the stone tightly in her hand as she glared daggers at him from across the room. Ungrateful bitch. Couldn't she see he was trying to save her?

"I can arrange that," he shot back, manifesting his staff at his side. He charged at her with no mercy.