The moon was oddly bright. Maybe it was simply the way it shined off the first snowfall of the season. Or perhaps it was just the magic of that quiet December night. That strong light shown through the radiant stained glass window. A portrayal of Mary holding the baby Jesus. The serene mother looking down at her infant son with a sedate smile upon her face. Watching over the old chapel. The building rarely used for its actual purpose these days. Usually it was just a place for the girls in the connected school to take naps. Despite it's age and lack of upkeep, the building was a warm and tranquil place. The rarely disturbed soft carpet and wooden pews were a place of comfort. The watchful eyes of Mary saw everything.
A shrill scream echoed throughout the halls of the school. Pounding footsteps soon followed on a creaky wooden floor, headed towards the chapel. The doorknob rattled frantically before the door flew open. A girl with long blond hair burst in. Violently slamming the door shut behind her. Glancing around with wild eyes, she grabbed a small table and shoved it in front of the doors. Realizing it wasn't enough she gave a soft wail of frustration. Clutching the small gold cross at her throat. Frantic eyes scanning the room until they fell upon the confessionals. Dashing forward, the girl quickly ducked inside. Pressing herself to the walls of the little room. Listening intently to the outside world. Every sound was a gunshot in her terror. The whistling wind, the click of the heat registers, even her own breathing was a torment to hear. In desperation she began to pray. Whispering the words through trembling lips. "Hail Mary, full of grace-" she heard a creak and froze. Completely still for a few long moments. Starting up again when the sound wasn't repeated. This time barely more then mouthing the words in prayer.
"The lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women-" The confessional door slammed open. The girl shrieked, staring at the terrifying figure before her. It had found her.
"Confess!" The thing hissed in an evil tone. Dark fog rolling off its body and seeping onto the girl. A powerful chill trickled down her back. Paralyzing her.
"I..I didn't do anything!" The girl wailed. Her gaze fell to the window with the image of Mary. Her hands clasped the cross in supplication. Starting up the prayer once more. "And blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary-" The dark figure raised its hand. "-Mother of God, pray for us sinners-" The girl closed her eyes. Her voice raising in volume. "-Now and at the hour of our death-" The figure sunk its hand into her chest. Screaming, the girl bowed her head. Collapsing to the floor. The dark figure stood over her for a moment.
"Amen." It whispered before vanishing, leaving no witnesses except for the smiling eyes of the Blessed Mother.
Kali couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen. Shoveling the ice cream down her throat. "I will never understand why women are portrayed in such a way." Her voice was filled with disgust. The huntress rolling her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Sam's gaze shifted from the screen to the woman. Curiously watching her face. Their vicious fight seemed to have been just what was needed to bring them both to a rational state of mind. Far calmer Kali had brought the fellow hunter back to her place. Cleaning them both up and learning why they had been there. After a quick bit of research they realized what had happened. In this world they were completely useless. No way to offer any sort of assistance. But she had complete faith Mel would know what to do. So really it was just a waiting game at this point. Without much else to do she popped in a movie.
"I mean't being that weak. Why was she alone in the dark in the first place? Why didn't she try to fight back? I would have." She shoved another spooful of the treat into her mouth. The scene almost comical against her words. Sam couldn't help but laugh at it. Earning him a full blown glare.
"Well not everyone is like us. They get into stupid situations because of dares or curiosity. But they don't have our training so fighting doesn't come naturally to them." He offered his best guess at an explanation.
"Well I wou-" Kali began.
"Most girls aren't you. And most guys aren't me." He cut her off. There's a moment as she looked at him. A thoughtful and curious expression upon her face. Finally looking back at the movie.
"True." She answered with a shrug.
The car ride was tense. After a quick discussion to get clear up the many misunderstandings, silence became the norm. Now only broken by the occasionally muttered death threat spilling past Mel's lips. Her eyes were burning with such anger. Upset at the car theft and abandonment. Maybe it was because he was older, or maybe it was just because he had escaped death and baby had been right where he left her, but either way he seemed to be handling this far better. His calmer state let him understand the other side of the situation. They had disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Not exactly a rarity in their line of work. But still not something you could get used to. Staying at the scene of the crime was pointless unless there were clues. And if those clues existed elsewhere, well that's where you needed to go.
"Try to cut them some slack." That irritated gaze flew to him. Anger still flashing in those deep pools. "You take your work home with you right? From the conventional job I mean." That intensity in the irises dampened a bit. She wasn't completely lost to reason. After a few moments she nodded. "Look at it from their point of view. We just vanished. Possibly because of something in that room. Your sister probably doesn't know where to even begin looking there. But your notes might offer some clue. So she could stick around and hope something changes, or she could try and research. In this job you know which one you're supposed to do."
The car fell back to it's original silence. This time broken by a somewhat calmer Mel."I guess." She uttered with a shrug and a sigh.
"Oh don't get me wrong. You have every right to be pissed about the car. I'd normally punch Sam for daring to touch baby like that. But in a high stress situation like this I think a little panic can be forgiven." A flicker of a smile touched at her lips. The female hunter finally relenting in her anger. " I knew there was a smile hidden there somewhere." He wasn't intending to flirt. Not really. But it helped negate any left over tension.
"You'd be the first." She scoffed with that slight smile still on her face. His risen brow and curious look prompted a light chuckle. " In our circle I'm the one known as the ice queen." It wasn't guaranteed to mean anything to him. Hunters were scattered all over the world. One might know those in the local area, perhaps further if they had something of a reputation. But it was still always a hit or miss. In her case she hadn't anticipated exactly how far her own reputation had spread.
"Really? You're the ice queen?" He had accepted the hunter line without question. Her knowledge and actions vouched for that pretty well. But he had trouble seeing the girl before him as the famed ice queen. The actual name hadn't spread as far, but most hunters knew of the title. It was a hunting pair. Siblings like he and Sam. The ice queen and the fire princess. Both strong, smart, and incredibly competent. But while the princess was warm and affectionate the queen was her opposite. Cold and if some were to be believed a bit of a stuck up bitch. Though he gave that last bit some scrutiny. Hunters could be a bit lecherous and stuck up could just be code for not putting out. But just about anyone that had worked with her had used the term cold. He had always envisioned the queen to be some scarred and grizzled veteran hunter. A harsh disposition that kept others at arms length. It was hard to integrate that idea with the girl that currently resided in the passenger seat. Sure she hadn't exactly been friendly initially, but that was a matter of circumstance. Right now she seemed like a nice enough kid.
A few more minutes, and a few sporadic instructions, later and the car was pulling into a driveway. Mel was out the door the moment it stopped. Practically flying into the house. His words had gotten to her. She had been so pissed off at Kali's actions she hadn't fully thought about what might have prompted them. The poor girl was probably going crazy right now. Pouring over stacks of notes and praying she could find something useful. With that in mind she raced in shouting. "Butterfly I-" Her words were cut off at the scene before her. Her precious sister who she had thought would be in such a state of panic. Currently sitting calmly on the couch with a tub of ice cream on her lap. Some stupid horror movie on the TV. "Butterfly what the actual fuck!"