Lauren
Silence falls over the room. Trish is watching me, that hard, blank look back in her stone walled face. Tears still in her eyes, Sarah nods, sniffling as she remains slumped on the ground.
"Well," I force brightness into my voice, "at least you get an army." Glancing at me, Sarah snorts, unamused. Already I can see the grit of fey court life returning to the hard line of her mouth. She knows how to keep things close and her whole body is becoming a vault. THe stiffness of her shoulders, the clenched hands in her lap, the bowed chin. The girl in front of me has seen a lot more than most.
"Get some rest," I murmur quietly to her. "Give me some time to think of something. Come find me tomorrow and I should have something by then." I gently reached out to rub her shoulder, but then thought better of it. Curling my hand I stand up. Silent now, her tears mostly dry, Sarah stands as well. Eyes on the floor she leaves without further comment, her walk slow and measured. She closes the door to the room behind her firmly and there's a weird finality with the sound.
"How exactly do you plan on helping?" Trish asks, breaking the silence of the room. The detective's wife is watching me. The juxtaposition of a concerned friend with the clinical detachment of a detective gives her face a razored softness. Cunning eyes with a mouth twisted into a disapproving frown.
"If I told you that would mean I have an idea," I say slowly. Trish raised both eyebrows, disbelief flitting across her face.
"Seriously?" she demands. I shake my head, trying to clear it of racing thoughts and the general feeling of betrayal I get from time to time. I glance at Raziel again. He's in his wraith form now, watching me with glowing ethereal eyes. His arms are crossed and he's not talking. Then I look back to the box of tissues on the bed and the pile of spent ones Sarah left behind. The conversation of Medusa with Vergil floats back into my head. Was that conversation a coincidence? Correction: more coincidence?
"If I flipped a coin would you call heads or tails?" I demand suddenly, thinking hard.
"Depends on the coin," Trish replies thoughtfully. "Why are we flipping it and what does this coin have to do with that?" She nods at the door, after Sarah. Blinking, I look at her surprised. What does the coin have to do with Sarah and her current-read: my current-fey problem. Everything. Frickin' everything. And nothing. A paradox. Maybe, but not a true one, which means there's a way out of the box.
Deal with the cards you are given, Raziel reminds me. I sigh. Of course nothing is ever straightforward. Those in service to a divine purpose are sworn to silence. That's why Verigl can't say anything-if he knows anything. That's why RAziel and Loki keep repeating the same shit on loop. Well that and they're dead.
I'm losing my fucking mind.
After making plans to spar with Trish tomorrow-its night apparently-I'm too restless to stay in Vergil's room. I need to move. I need to think. I stalk the halls of Delta Two, my hands burrowed in my hoodie pocket. It's quiet, for the most part, but there are so many people squeezed into one place its almost impossible to avoid stragglers. I skip out on the common areas where it seems like people are slowly dispersing from. I don't need another incident to land me in isolation. I'm not even sure what I'm looking for until I find myself in a generally big warehouse.
A wide open space has been cleared out and markings put on the ground in a large white circle. It's obvious this is a training area. There's a makeshift shooting range and a caged weapon's locker close to where I'm standing. For the most part the lights overhead are off, but dim emergency lights are still on. The moving shadows in the middle of the circle catch my attention.
Vergil and Dante are sparring. For a moment I watch them. Dante has discarded his shirt and is bootless. A sweaty sheen covers his skin and rebellion flashes in his hand. He's smirking at his twin, sliding across the floor on one knee and one foot. For his part, Vergil wears a sleeveless black shirt. Otherwise he too is bootless and wearing the same cinched bottom sweatpants as Dante. Vergil holds Yamoto in his hand. I watch them for a moment. They talk-their voices not carrying-as they spar. I notice that they are not using any aura attacks. Dante smirks, saying something to Vergil. Vergil's mouth curls at the corners, the most he ever seems to grin.
Trish might have said Dante was sticking to Vergil to figure out what he was after, however I'm not certain that was the only reason. Quietly I slip out of the room. I don't want to bother them. Instead I head back to Vergil's room. I should eat but nah. I want to talk to Loki. I have questions. It's crazy easy to fall asleep. And there, rising out of the fog like a corpse from a black and white movie, the church greets me. The dead, blackened trees with branches clawing at a twilight sky that never changes. Ignoring the gothic scenery, I push on the dying door and let myself in.
"You've returned of your own volition," she greets me, her voice cool and feather light.
"I have questions," I say, crossing the room. I come to halt before her bone throne. Long black nails tap at the armrest as violet eyes study me in the shade and gloom.
"You may ask them, I may not answer them or," she raises a delicate eyebrow, "I may give you an incomplete answer." Right, divinity is bound to silence. Something Loki was rambling about. I blink. That's why she was rambling, I realize. Spiders race across my skin as things click into place. That's why she's full of contradictions. Whatever bound Vergil is binding her as well. There are things she can't tell me. Just as she told me there are things Vergil can't say. Sobered, I study her. This is a game. Like everything else. Except I'm tired of being a pawn piece to be tugged at between demons, angels and a demented god.
"What is it you want?" I demand bluntly. I know full well, even as I ask the question, the answer is only going to frustrate me.
"I am death," Loki's voice is quiet. "I do not want. All come to me in time. I may not make exceptions as I am the great equalizer." I blink. Yet she made exceptions. Three times. Twice for a demon and his son. Once for me. I narrow my eyes at her. Loki waits, impassively.
"Am I bound to your will as your fragment?" I demand. Loki's hooded eyes fix on me. I sigh and gesture with a hand. "As one of the angels of your house."
"You are mine and of my house." She agrees, tilting her head to the side, "Just as Jothiel was of Raziel's orderly house." I grit my jaw. So that's a yes? A no? Because she's never actually forced me to do a damn thing, but honestly, it was do as she asked or not be alive. And excuse me, but Jothiel? Who the fuck?
"Jothiel?" I repeat the name.
"His human name was Josh," Loki watches me intently, one of her hands playing with the end tip of her hair. Josh. My josh-or I mean, Tiffany's Josh? Stunned, I let that sink in. I knew Josh years before I knew Vergil. Years before I knew of angels and an angry god. Years before I saw dead people all over the place.
"How long have you been fucking with my life?" I demand, my voice faint even to my own ears.
"You have always been surrounded by heavenly grace," Loki replies. I scowl at her. Perfect non answer that answers everything and nothing. "All of creation is bound by the strings of fate. What is meant to be will come to pass. Free will, is an illusion. A divine illusion. A single choice can spawn a myriad of diverse consequences."
"Consequences?"
"A reaction," Loki clarifies. "A consequence is neither bad nor good, just the end of an equation." I shake my head, scratching at the new scar at my temple.
"People are not equations," I retort. "And what the hell am I supposed to do with the upcoming Spring Equinox? How the hell does that have anything to do with cutting down-"
"The universe is unbalanced," Loki interrupts me. "Two of three angelic clans have been wiped from existence. When Valiel, my sister and the matriarch of chaos, staked a claim at our father's power the world became unbalanced. Too much order can sow the seeds of chaos. Too much chaos creates the opportunity for circumstantial coincidence." I sigh heavily. My head hurts. I'm not going to get any easy answers here. As always, I'm on my own. I turn to leave.
"Were there no puppet master, there would be no need for puppets" Loki comments. I freeze, my hand on the front door. Once again I recall the conversation with Vergil and Medusa. The woman who was cursed and blessed. There is an invisible chain around Vergil, binding what he can tell me. That same chain is around Loki. More than a few bind master. I know one person who considers himself as one and I want the fucker dead. One action can have a million million answers to it's equation. I feel my back stiffen as a puzzle piece clicks into place.
"If I flipped a coin, what would it land on?" I demand, half turning to her. At that a smile crosses Loki's face. A real smile, one filled with satisfaction and delight. "Heads or tails?" I ask her. Sacrifice or willing victim? God's toy or God's executioner? We deal with the cards we are dealt. Over and over again Raziel said it.
"When a coin lands on its edge it is both and neither," Loki comments, reclining back in her throne. "There is a third option. There is always a third option."
Hunnigan
"I'm glad you were all able to make it," Hunnigan greeted the familiar group. Lounging in the makeshift practice arena the usual suspects were gathered. To her left, Chris, Jill, Leon stood to attention. Dante and Trish stood opposite the trio, while the dhampire lounged further back, leaning on plastic storage crates that held spent shell casings. Next to her Lucia was silent as she stood between the half vampire and Trish. Fleshing out the circle was Vergil and a rumpled Lauren. To Hunnigan's right, Sarah sat on the ground, cross legged, pointedly not looking at the fey that stood across the circle from her. The fey that had had chosen to attend, stood tightly together, filling the space between Lauren and Chris. Tweak interestingly enough, was absent for this particular meeting. Mike as well had opted out of the meeting as he was furiously close to an antidote.
"We have a couple of things to discuss," Hunnigan began without preamble. "The weather is predicted to cease soon. We are currently under several feet of snow, while it is helping with insulating delta two, scavenging teams to replenish our food stock will be top priority." Hunnigan sighed, adjusting the red framed glasses. "That aside, in two weeks we're expected to host the Fey. I have little to no information on them and they are demanding human tithes for their celebrations. While Sarah and the fey delegates have informed me of the general tradition of this celebration, if any one has any additional information?" As her voice trailed, silence filled the small gathering.
"Their blood lacks metal," Rayne commented casually after a moment. She leaned against a stack of empty storage boxes, a half drained blood pack in her hand. She popped it in her mouth and sucked on it like a child with a juice box.
"Lacks metal?" Hunnigan repeated.
"It has to do with why iron burns them," Sarah muttered from her seat on the ground. "Kills them if they're exposed to it too much."
"Right," Hunnigan sighed, two fingers going to her forehead. Closing her eyes, she rubbed the skin there. "People we can't come up with a proactive plan if we lack information."
The silence was deafening. Sarah shifted her weight, her eyes going to Lauren. Hunnigan narrowed her eyes.
"Anything you two want to share with us?" Hunnigan asked dryly. Lauren glared at Sarah. Cheeks going red, Sarah's eyes drifted to the floor and her mouth went in a line.
"Lauren?" Hunnigan prompted, crossing her arms. She was prepared to wait. Vergil raised an eyebrow, glancing at her. Lauren shot that same glare to him, crossing her arms uncomfortably. She was the center of attention. With a heavy exasperated sigh, Lauren rolled her eyes.
"Depends on what you want to know." Hunnigan raised an arched eyebrow.
"Everything."
"We ain't got the time for everything," Lauren scowled.
"Start with the tithes."
"No," Lauren retorted flatly. "Let's start with what you're going to do to protect the people here. The fey are coming here for their celebrations, but they aren't staying here for them, which means they'll drag as many kids and stupid people that they can with them." Lauren pointed a finger at Hunnigan. "So what is your plan to prevent that? I'd say make them put clover in their left shoes but its winter." She gestured pointedly to the hangar doors.
"Spring," Sarah muttered correcting her. Lauren shot her another dark look.
"Clover?" Leon asked disbelievingly.
"Listen boy scout," Laruen glared at him, shaking her head, "you have fancy technology and gps and shit but the fey don't work that way. Every back door, small town superstitious myth about plants, trees, or herbs or you've ever heard of?" She shrugged. "Most of it has a grain of truth. Pinch of spilled salt over your shoulder? Milk outside of the doorstep on a full moon? Any of this ringing a bell?"
"No," Leon said, his face blank.
"Pinch of salt to keep bad luck at bay. Milk outside of the doorstep on a full moon to ward off misfortune of house elves," Sarah supplied quietly, still staring at the floor. "Plucked clover tucked into your left shoe to ward off evil and to provide protection against fey magiks." She raised her eyes to look at the group, her gaze lingering on the fey. "Hold your breath around a cemetery to avoid waking the dead."
"A little late for that," Chris muttered.
"Point is, they will spirit people away to act as servants or entertainment. Or both." Lauren crossed her arms. "The fey are not particularly huge fans of humans. Given how we're habitually destroying the planet, you can expect some hostile sentiments. " Leon cocked his head to the side, exchanging a look with Jill, a question in his eyes.
"Define entertainment," Chris demanded, beating him to the punch. As with most things, Chris wore a stern expression, his thick arms crossed.
"You remember the story of snow white?" Lauren asked. Brow furrowed, Chris nodded. "You remember the part where the step mother danced in red shoes?" At that Chris' face joined Leon's in confusion. Exasperated Lauren sighed again.
"Oh jeezus, are you? Seriously?" She looked about to be greeted by a plethora of blank faces. "Look, the stepmother danced in metal shoes heated in fire until they were red. Snow white had her step mother crippled. Rip Van Winkle? Dude joins a fey bowling league in the middle of the night, gets smashed and passes out, wakes up like 100 years later. The fey do shit like that, just to pass time. They put you under with magik and you do whatever they want however they want you to, especially if you aren't protected from it. They think it's funny to watch you eat garbage? You'll be licking the crusty bits off bin after emptying it until they tell you stop." Lauren gestured with a hand. "They turn harmless shit lethal."
"And they're coming here?" Jill demanded, her attention turning towards Hunnigan.
"So what do you propose?" Hunnigan asked. "How would you protect people?" Blinking, Lauren turned a thoughtful gaze to Sarah.
"Pine?" she asked the woman across the circle.
"Pine," Sarah nodded, meeting her look. "Or Cedar."
"Cedar doesn't grow in Colorado," Leon commented.
"So no Cedar." Sarah shrugged. "Pine isn't going to work as well as clover anyways." She paused, toying with a shoelace. "Yarrow would have worked too."
"It's winter," Lauren retorted, giving her a pointed look.
"Spring," Sarah retorted with a shrug. This time Lauren gave her a black look.
"What exactly do you do with the pine? Wear it in your shoe?" Hunnigan demanded. She was graced with twin looks of disbelief from Sarah and Lauren.
"No," Lauren said flatly, shaking her head. She looked at Hunnigan as if she were a moron. "Why the hell would you do that?"
"Put it on the door frame," Sarah explained. "Little sprigs of it prevent entry without permission."
"Like vampires and garlic?" Perplexed Leon stared at Rayne. She popped the blood sac out of her mouth, offering a smirk.
"That's a literary myth for nerds," Rayne purred.
"That might work too," Sarah stared at the dhampire thoughtfully. "It's supposed to protect you from those with negative intentions towards you."
"Wait a minute," Leon pointed at Rayen. "No garlic," he pointed at the silent group of fey, "yes garlic."
"Of the earth," Lauren said very slowly and clearly. "The fey are of the earth. So if it grows out of the ground it can affect them."
"I mean just keep people in here," Sarah gestured to the hangar, "I don't think any full blooded fey would dare to enter. Too much metal." At that Chris ground his jaw, his pulse jumping at his temple.
"Why didn't you start with that?" He demanded incredulously.
"Because it's not going to matter," Sarah said dully. "People will hear the music and come. Everyone always does."
"Music?" Jill asked, her voice soft.
"There's a party, at the presentation of the tithes," Sarah shifted her weight. Looking about the circle she realized she held everyone's attention. "There's the Jubilee, where the tithes for spring and winter are presented. Then the wild hunt happens the night after. Then the Festival of life the day after that."
"Wild hunt? Festival of Life?" Chris demanded. For her part, Hunnigan remained silent.
"The wild hunt is where winter tries to slay spring," Laruen explained quietly. "It's a game as much as it is symbolic. Spring gets an army of willing warriors. When winter is cut down by spring's army-before the sun rises on the next day-a new year can begin." Lauren paused, glancing to Sarah. "So does the Festival of Life."
"How do you know this?" Chris demanded, glancing at Hunnigan, who did not look his way.
"I just do," Lauren said flatly, her mouth a line.
"Bullshit," Chris retorted. At that Laruen gave him a grin and flashed him the bird. Chris did not rise to the bait, shaking his head.
"And this is happening in two weeks?" Leon asked.
"One week and six days," Sarah said quietly.
"So they use human tithes? Are we just handing people over to them?" Jill asked, her quiet voice silencing the group. Her blue eyes looked to Hunnigan, then to the fey group.
"Tithes are voluntary," Sarah started.
"Voluntold," Lauren retorted dryly.
"I''m spring." Sarah added, refusing to look up from the ground.
"So who's winter?" Jill asked.
"She is," the fey woman spoke for the first time. Her voice sounded like water running over stones in a brook. She glared at Lauren. "She is winter." Impassive, Lauren held her gaze, tilting her head to the side before a grin spread on her mouth.
"You nominated me? How thoughtful."
"I am not royalty," the fey woman replied. Laruen raised an eyebrow.
"Not shit errand girl. Who did you talk to?" Lauren demanded, the grin on her mouth belying a lethal charm. The fey woman kept her mouth shut as she glared at Lauren. At her silence Lauren nodded. "The right person then," she said. "That must of have cost you a lot so why bother?"
"You murdered my brother." Unimpressed, Lauren stared at her.
"And?" The question was cold. "I have murdered more than one person's family member." She gestured to the rest of the circle. "Where exactly do you think you are? Every person here has blood on their hands." Lauren raised a cold eyebrow. "You included. So be more specific." At that a stillness fell over the circle. A chord had been struck. Sarah looked between the blank and grim faces of those gathered, realizing the blatant truth of Lauren's words.
"It's your turn to face a cold embrace," she retorted, her eyes hot and her back stiff. Lauren snorted.
"Riiiight." Shaking her head she turned away. "There you have it," she said to Chris. "I murdered her brother." She turned to Hunnigan. "We done here?"
"Unless there's anything else you'd like to share," Hunnigan replied. Laruen gave her a flat stare.
"How many fey did you kill?" Leon asked, looking between the tight group and the very annoyed black haired woman.
"Enough," The same fey woman spoke again. At that Lauren raised an eyebrow.
"Obviously not, you're still here aren't you?" Lauren retorted. At that the fey woman took a step forward, her hands clenched into fists. An electric current ran over Leon's skin, raising the hairs there. The wrist band he still wore plummeted a color. Chris shifted his weight, his hands dropping loosely to his side while Jill watched the two women intently, the muscles between her shoulders tense.
"Do it," Lauren said softly, her eyes flashing. The look on her face caused the fey to stop short. "Try it. I dare you." She tilted her head to the side, the jagged scar at her temple obvious with the new hair growth. "Just don't miss. You'll only get one chance." Wordlessly, the fey took a step back. Lauren clicked her tongue, shaking her head. She shifted her look to Hunnigan, raising an eyebrow.
"We are done here," Hunnigan said, wary. "Expect a summons the minute the snow stops. Seems we have quite a bit of work to do once it does."