{ SIX }

As Ziva was walking along the street in the Quarter, she noticed a psychic reading place to her left. In the entire time she lived here, she never really paid too much attention to it, for she truly did not put too much stock into what this supposed psychic could do. However, something about being pregnant changed her way of thinking. Swallowing contemplatively, she debated internally about whether to go in. Finally, she did.

"Hello!" The psychic greeted. "How may I help you?"

"Can… Can you do a reading for me?" Ziva questioned with much hesitance apparent in her voice.

"Sure! What kind, darling? Tarot, palm; what?"

"Um… tarot, I suppose."

"Alright, then, I just need ten dollars, please." She responded, not willing to start without the financial part out of the way.

Ziva set two five dollar bills on the table, which made the clairvoyant smile. She instructed for the Israeli to have a seat before shuffling the deck. Cutting it a few times, she set it right in front of the customer.

"What are you seeking guidance on, today….?" She started, leaving pause so as to allow her querent to tell her what her name was.

"Ziva." She responded simply before thinking a moment. "I want to know what is in store for me… for my future."

"Well, Ziva… the cards do not specifically tell one's future, though readings can reveal a great deal about the past and present, which may guide you towards future decisions, and future responses to events." She explained. "However, I will see what I can do."

"Thank you,"

"Alright, pick six cards from the deck, please. Afterwards, hand them to me." The psychic instructed.

Ziva took a breath before allowing her left hand to pick exactly six cards, before handing them over to the woman. She placed the top one sideways in the center, then the second vertically on top of the first. The other four were placed around the middle, going north, south, east, and west. Her brows furrowed, clearly perplexed by what the cards were saying.

"The middle… it shows you… or it represents you, that is. Are you by any chance pregnant, Ziva?"

She could only nod in response, wondering skeptically if this was the cards talking, or if the psychic was just overly-observant.

"Alright, firstly: congratulations. Secondly; these side cards here…" She tapped them both with her long fingernails before continuing. "… You have a very difficult decision upon you. The card which represents yourself is facing towards the left, it means… your decision may save more people than harm, but you know it will not leave anyone without suffering."

This confused Ziva more than anything. She did not understand fully what this was, or what it meant. Biting her bottom lip a little roughly, the hybrid allowed her to continue. The psychic's eyes drifted to the top card; worry soon etching her features.

"You have been cursed. You have something within yourself that you hide, that you are ashamed of. However, this curse may not bring as much bad as you believe, or as much pain as those who've cursed you intended."

Ziva figured this had to do with her being a hybrid. Not for a second did she think this had anything to do with her pregnancy, however it had all too much to do with it. The psychic then continued to the bottom card.

"A witch… in the past you have had a run-in with a witch… an evil witch. She warned you of something, but you did not listen when you should have."

It was then when the Jewess' blood ran cold and face turned pale white with shock. Those words sent her in an incredible amount of shock. At first, she did not understand, however she remembered something which chilled her. Less than half a year ago, a group of witches attacked the compound. All but one had been killed in the brutal battle, however that very one which survived said something to Klaus and Ziva afterward. They both dismissed it as a crazy woman's ramblings. It was so much more than that. It was an extremely serious threat against them both.

You two have taken everyone I have ever loved away from me. You will both pay for this. Come the next blood moon, demons will be unleashed upon you! You will pay the price for crossing us, and you will not think to ever do so again.

There was more to her threat, though Ziva could not remember it. Both hybrids thought nothing of it, especially after the blood moon came and went and nothing happened. She remembered in that instant as she sat in that chair at the psychic's table the night of the blood moon and its events. That night, they went deep into the woods near the bayou and fucked like they never had been. It was wild, primal, phenomenal, anything and everything of their wildest dreams. However, they attributed this to the effects of the deep red moon above them in the sky. With the reading nearly finished, the Israeli finally had the answers she had been curious about. Only, she now regretted searching for them.

Before, the psychic could even finish, Ziva stood up and ran from the establishment as quickly as she possibly could. Not worrying for a moment about the babies she carried within her, she ran as far as her legs could possibly take her. As she dashed through the ever-growing crowd of pedestrians throughout the city, she began regretting not getting the abortion. She regretted everything that happened following the night of the blood moon. Meanwhile, the psychic was picking up the cards when she noticed the card she strategically yet unconsciously placed beneath the center. Fear struck her eyes when she noticed the card read pure evil.