Chapter Ten:

Ghost

Day Forty-Four...

Location: Hollywood...

How am I supposed to deal with this? Zatanna wondered, meandering down along the sidewalk. Isaac's description of the Gargoyle living in the Asian theater did nothing to reassure her. The very thought of destroying it made her wonder the true limit of her own abilities.

It wasn't like she was degrading herself but reality had hit her hard. She had yet to prove herself to those around her in terms of fighting supernatural beings. She hadn't impressed herself and therefore, unlikely to impress her peers.

A vibration in her front pocket pulled her from the absent thoughts plaguing her mind. Pausing in mid-step, Zatanna pulled out her phone and saw she had a text message from Rosa.

Rosa was a clairvoyant thin-blood in Santa Monica. When Zatanna had been working down there for LaCroix just after her Embrace, she had come across the thin-bloods who were just as scared and as confused as she was. The group had found companionship with the newly Embraced neonate and she helped them with some things.

Since then, Rosa had sent text messages to Zatanna of cryptic messages that she honestly had no clue to what they were. Like this one.

~The Lone Wolf searches for the Lady Rogue while the stone warrior is awaiting in Asia.~

She pinched the bridge of her nose, a tired sigh escaping her lips as she pocketed her phone once more. Past messages from the clairvoyant had always involved code-names for people. As far as she was aware, Beckett was the Lone Wolf, LaCroix was Prince With No Crown and she was Lady Rogue.

So Beckett was looking for her. There was not a single doubt in her mind that he wouldn't find her. The dannatamente Gangrel knew where she would be or was before even she knew it herself.

I'll wait for him to come to me, she decided, rubbing her throat slightly as the burning sensation returned to her. It was that time, the one she hated the most.

Scanning around, Zatanna found a suitable prostitute standing by a corner, obviously waiting for someone to hire her. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she marched over and tapped the blonde girl's shoulder.

The prostitute turned around and raised a brow at her in disgust. "I don't do chicks," she sneered, as if she had standards.

And yet, you'll let anyone check out your backyard, Zatanna thought at the irony, mentally rolling her eyes as she gazed straight into hers. Feeling the familiar buzz in the back of her mind, she summoned the energy for the Dominate discipline. "Follow me to the alley behind us."

A haze fell on her eyes as the prostitute nodded slowly. "Let's go to the alley behind us," she slurred, following Zatanna into the alley behind where they had stood. As the prostitute stood silent, still under the influence of the discipline, the neonate made sure no one was looking before quickly grabbing her neck and sinking her teeth in.

She drank the warm, metallic liquid that riveted down her throat until the burning sensation died down. When she drew away, the first thing to check was the prostitute's pulse.

Zatanna placed her on the ground, her back slumped against the wall as she knelt in front of her. Lightly placing her fingers on her neck, a small pulse was beating steady as the blonde woman fell unconscious from the bite.

Assured that she hadn't killed her and broken the masquerade, Zatanna stood and turned her focus to the street down the alleyway. As she stepped back out onto the street, a small breeze ran through her red hair and she stopped short. Her fingers lightly touched the hair that was part of her identity...when she was human.

Maybe it's time for a change, she figured, sighing quietly and gazed up at the full moon.

oOo

Day Forty-Four...

Location: Asian Theater, Hollywood...

She unlocked the door, using the key Isaac had given her before quietly, entering the abandoned theater. There was nothing but ruined walls, debris and planks of broken wood.

Cautiously, Zatanna skulked into the middle, examining her surroundings as a shadow caught her eye. She glanced down at the ground for a split second before jumping back as a stone, Terracotta warrior inspired thing crashed into the ground.

It stood up and glared murderously at her. "Kindred invader!" it roared as she took another step back. "Monster! I will smash you, crush you, tear the flesh from your bones!"

"Steady there, I'm only here to talk," she told him calmly, despite the fact that she was secretly shitting herself. "May I approach, guerriero di pietra?"

"Talk?" he spat in disbelief. "No! Always Kindred are talking, scheming, hurting others with their lies! Monsters, you all! Abominations! A curse upon the earth!"

Zatanna placed her hands on her hips. "You think I wanted to be this?" she demanded, gesturing to herself.

Okay, sure, it was a bad idea to fire back at the stone thing that would no doubt kill her but she couldn't take what it said lying down.

"I had a...pretty decent life until forty-four days ago when some asshole decided, 'hey, I got something to show you' and then fucking bites my neck and turns me into a blood sucker!" she ranted, running a hand through her hair as she paced a bit. "And not only that, I was going to get killed for no reason. Then I was forced to blow up some warehouse, almost got killed for that too by the way, then go swimming in the ocean because the boat I was on drifted away! I've been almost burnt, attacked, almost raped, rejected and forced to drink blood. Blood!"

She halted in her pacing and pointed her finger at him. "So if you want to call me an abomination, go ahead. But never, ever call me a liar. Sto stato chiaro?"

It fell silent for a few moments, watching her in interest as her face fell in realisation. She had just yelled at it...but it felt good. Good to rant to someone and finally get it all off of her chest.

"I apologise for...well...that," Zatanna said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Kindred is not like the others...maybe you can free me," it hissed and she frowned.

"Free? Are you trapped or bound to something?"

"Maximilian Strauss bound my blood to his black heart. Stole my flesh and turned it into stone," it growled in hatred at the man and Zatanna's eyes widened. It saw the recognition in her eyes and bared its stone teeth in warning. "You know of this demon?"

Sadly, she nodded. "I know him...I just never thought it was possible to do this to someone," she reached out before pausing. "May I approach?"

It said nothing and she took that as a yes, stepping closer before placing her hand on its stone chest. The danced along her senses and she felt the magic behind this spell.

"I am still young and don't have the knowledge to free you entirely," she murmured quietly, regretfully before looking up at him. "But I do know of a spell to switch your body from this stone one into another. Perhaps a bird or a dog if you wish."

"It is better than nothing...as long as I am free from that demon and the rest of the Kindred!" it barked, not intentionally but out of a force of habit, something she understood.

"Then perhaps I could be of assistance," a familiar, sarcastic voice offered as Zatanna turned around, finding Beckett by the door. The gargoyle growled at the threat, taking an intimidating step forward.

"He's a friend, don't worry," she reassured the stone warrior who refused to take its eyes off of the Gangrel. "Beckett, what do you have?"

"A dead bird," he answered, holding out a dead Snowy Owl. "Your thin-blood associate informed me that I would be in need of this. Now I understand what she had meant."

Zatanna met him halfway, taking the owl's body gently in her hands as she stared up into his yellow eyes. "Will this work?" she asked him quietly, doubting her skills a little.

"That all depends on you, neonate," he answered, handing her a piece of white chalk. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and laid the owl down in the necessary position.

She instructed the stone gargoyle to do the same as she began to draw a pentagram around them with the white chalk. Ancient Greek symbols, along with a few chinese characters to acknowledge the place where the spell would take place, were drawn along the outside of the pentagram.

Inside, was a small star in the middle of a full moon.

When she had finished drawing, Zatanna gently bit her finger and drew blood. As the gargoyle stood opposite of the dead owl, the neonate began to chant the spell.

"Selene dea, te precor, hanc animam accipere libertatem commutatione sanguis. Sinite noctua corpus anima incolae. Ut fiat, fiat ut sit ..." Zatanna chanted as the pentagram lit up in a bright, white light. She closed her eyes, allowing the drops of her blood to hit the chalk.

Her body was filled with electrical pulses, a burning sensation running across her right arm as the energy was sucked out of her body like a vacuum cleaner.

Suddenly, like a rubber band pulled to far, it all snapped back at once and she gasped, falling to her knees as her legs gave way. Gasping for air, she stared at the chalk as the gargoyle's previous stone body crumbled into debris and dust as the owl slowly stood up, flapping its wings.

"Benedicta es tu," she breathed, exhaling slowly as arms steadied her from behind. The chalk was slowly absorbed into the wooden planks as the owl hopped towards her, its yellow eyes staring at her. "How do you find your new body?"

"Better...I feel...liberated," it said, the voice no longer harsh or deep but small and polite. "You have my deepest gratitude, Kindred."

She gently stroked its head before allowing it to test its wings and fly out of the Asian Theater, without looking back.

"You need blood, that spell drained you significantly," Beckett informed her, helping her onto her feet as she leaned on him for support. "But you did well, for a neonate."

"Thanks," Zatanna murmured tiredly, closing her eyes.

oOo

Day Forty-Five...

Location: Isaac's Barony...

His reason for helping her was unclear and Zatanna questioned as to why Beckett sought her out in the first place. Many questions and so few to answer them.

Like why the fuck was her hair brown?

It wasn't until she was throwing her hair back into a low ponytail did the neonate realise it was no longer the bright, orange-red it was. No, now it was a dark, brown-black colour.

I'd have to ask Strauss when I get the chance...or Beckett might know something, she figured, doing the buttons to her light brown duffle coat, her grey turtle neck shirt and black tights.

When she arrived downstairs after finding herself presentable, Beckett and Isaac had ceased their conversation and turned towards her.

"Beckett, why the hell am I a damn brunette now?" Zatanna demanded, pointing to her new hair colour.

Beckett just looked at her calmly. "That was the exchange you had made to Selene upon doing the spell. Some of your life force had to be offered in order for the soul to transfer bodies."

"Since when did hair have life force?"

"Always, young one."

She scowled at him slightly as Isaac chuckled, watching their exchange with a smile on his face.

"I admit, I thought you'd come back here with a stone foot lodged in your backside," the baron of Hollywood admitted as she came to stand next to Beckett. "But I am glad to see you've proved otherwise. You've got a lot of promise -it's a shame you're working full time on the wrong side."

Immediately, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a cold stare. "I work for no one," she hissed at him. Isaac stared a her for a few more moments before nodding.

"I have a lead on the Nosferatu's location, I suggest you take it as part of your investigation," Isaac informed her. "Go to the sewer entrance behind the Fast Buck. The Nosferatu will find you from there."

"And the favour I need of you?" she pressed, knowing he understood what she had meant.

"You have my word."

Satisfied, she looked at Beckett before heading out of the store, back onto the streets of Hollywood. The Gangrel joined her momentarily, hooking his arm through hers once again.

"So you were looking for me," Zatanna stated as they walked past a strip club. "What for?"

"I was made aware of the blood hunt called for Nines Rodriguez and Sebastian LaCroix's sudden decision to send you away to Hollywood," Beckett began informing her. "My suspicions were raised and decided to investigate as to why you were sent."

She glanced at him, a smirk on her face. "Just admit you care about it."

"You mistake caring for entertainment."

No reply came from her as they arrived at the Fast Buck. Wrinkling her nose at the idea of another run in the sewers, Zatanna prayed that it would go better this time.

oOo

Day Forty-Five...

Location: Nosferatu Hideout, Hollywood...

Beckett had left her to go pursue another matter of his, no doubt finding she was well. Before he had left however, she asked him to do her a favour and watch over Nines as best as he could.

"You are putting yourself in a position where I expect something in return, neonate," Beckett smirked in interest at the idea of her owing him something later down the track. "Does this Brujah mean a lot to you?"

"He means something to me," Zatanna answered before climbing down into the sewers.

As she walked past a door, finding the hangout not as bad as she had assumed, a Nosferatu in punk style appearance stood by the doorway, watching her.

"Hey, you're that new Tremere kid," he commented as she stopped and looked at him. "Hotter than I had pictured, Lady Rogue."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Mildly disturbed and flattered at the same time. I'm looking for Gary."

"Yeah, he knows why you're here. LaCroix must be pissed. But I hope you're not here looking for some payback. LaCroix knows better than to mess with Gary, sheriff or no sheriff," he warned her and she rolled her eyes. "The names Mitnick by the way."

"Zatanna Ible," she introduced herself, reaching out and gently shook his hand before withdrawing it. "I've got bigger things to worry about than LaCroix's beef with Gary. I just want to talk with him so where is he?"

He pointed his thumb to the double door at the end of the hall. "His room is just down the hall. You'll find him there," he smirked slightly. "Or maybe he'll find you."

She turned her eyes onto the door pointed and waved goodbye at Mitnick, heading towards the doors without another word.

Translations:

Italian -

dannatamente - damn

guerriero di pietra - stone warrior

Sto stato chiaro - am I understood?

Latin -

Selene dea, te precor, hanc animam accipere libertatem commutatione sanguis. Sinite noctua corpus anima incolae. Ut fiat, fiat ut sit ... - Selene Goddess, I pray you, save this life to receive the freedom of the exchange of blood. Let owl body soul rest. In order to be the case, he may become ...

Benedicta es tu, - Blessed art thou

Okay, so a couple of you have expressed your dislike for having to scroll down to find the translations and it annoys me slightly. It feels like there is nothing I can do in regards to fixing this issue. So if any of you have suggestions, write them in the review box and I'll work something out.

Now, someone stated that the game was made in 2007. I did not know this but I have not stated a specific time year this is set in. Also, the fact that Zatanna would not blurt out random Italian words under stress because she would have trained herself to control it as a lawyer is half true. But she is no longer human and has experienced things WAY out of the ordinary so therefore, the stress has tripled compared to a courtroom.

And as I have stated before and will state again, I am Australian so words that look wrong for a couple of you are correct for me and I refuse to change it because that is asking me to change my english. I hope you understand that.

Anyway, besides that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and if you did make sure to hit that review button and let me know what you like about it or the story in general. Thanks for reading it :)

Song: Ghost by Ella Henderson