Making Hypatia
The bar was a few towns over from Midnight. Patience didn't want to risk her new neighbours seeing her like this. Crying into a drink wasn't something that she did often, but God and Goddess she needed it today. Kai was ignoring her again. He had been all week because he was busy. Too busy to acknowledge his own wife's existence.
The bar was called the Copper. Though Patience knew of the demons and the monsters and the dark, she didn't know enough to understand the name's meaning. It was an invitation to some and a warning to others. The Bronze had gone down with Sunnydale, but there were still other hunting grounds.
Despite the Hellmouth, the Bronze had been almost tame. It belonged to the vampires for the most part. They only wanted blood. The Copper was a different beast. It played host to the whole spectrum of demons that preyed on humans, from the flesh-eaters to the blood-drinkers to the soul-suckers. In one way, Patience was lucky that the monster that claimed her wasn't one of the ones that would split her open from throat to groin and feast on her organs while she was still alive. In another way, that fate would have been kinder.
Patience wiped away her tears with the lovely embroidered handkerchief that the woman sitting across from her had pressed into her hand. "This is so stupid."
The woman who called herself Annie patted Patience's hand. She spoke with a Southern accent, one that was close to where Patience had grown up. "No, it is not. You deserve better than a man who abandons you when it suits him."
Patience sniffed. "I just wish that Kai'd pay attention to me. I spend so much time telling other women who come to us that they're queens and goddesses. I wish he'd see that I'm a queen too."
Her words opened up such delightful possibilities. The woman who called herself Annie could see all of them, but there was one that she liked much more than the others. Yes, that would be so interesting to see unfold.
Anyanka smiled. "Done."
Patience saw a light from Annie's necklace and for a second the true face of Anyanka smiled at her. Then the vengeance demon was gone and so was Patience.
Hypatia threw back the last of her drink and smiled. All of her goals were in reach. Soon she'd have her brother back.