It had been a few weeks since the operation at the mine. Malcolm, true to his word had covered the operation up. The local news was buzzing with the tale of the sudden, and tragic gas leak that caused an explosion deep in the park and claimed many lives. No one was the wiser. Merril found herself knocking on Kevfire's door. They'd drifted apart in such a short time, and she was sick of it. If she'd done something wrong then she wanted to know about it. She was done with this silly, kindergarten bullshit.

Thor was out dealing with some tribe issues again. He told her not to worry about it. In fact she'd been so oddly queasy that evening that she could hardly care what he was up to. They'd grown closer in the last few weeks. She'd told him to let up on the territorialness and to his credit he'd given her more room to roam. She was hardly weak, but as they became more comfortable with each other she found herself becoming increasingly interested in the gentle, sweet man she'd been sharing her bed with.

She turned her attention back to door when she heard the click of a lock. Kevfire looked back at her, his eyes slightly veiled by the pair of glasses balanced on the bridge of his long nose. She blinked at him. "Glasses again?"

He chuckled. "I forgot to order contacts." He looked behind her, pointedly. "Where's your warden?"

She bristled. "Thor is busy tonight. I came to see what you were up to."

And decide if I should kick your ass.

He shrugged and stepped away from the door. She entered and was surprised to see several papers, and a huge map with pins in it spread out across the bed. "What the Hell is all of this?"

He shut the door and went to his project. An inner fire lit up his face with pleasure as he began to go over it. "Well, I'm banned from the faerie quarter right? So I got all of the boundaries marked by the robot. I figure I'll set up a lawn chair at the edge, and just wait with a map on my lap until one of them approaches me. I figure at that point I can request to see Siro."

Her head was spinning as she tried to untangle his logic. The man was insane. "What for?"

His face filled with sincere sorrow. "I want to apologize."

She moved to the bed and sat cross legged on an empty spot. "He probably won't lift the ban."

He nodded. "I figured as much. However I was still an asshole that night, and I should apologize for it."

She bit her lip. Her hand crept up to the tip of her pigtail and she quickly grabbed it and pulled it back to her lap. Kevfire grinned at her and reached out to give her pigtail one small, playful tug. Her face warmed and turned a rosy pink.

She swallowed and looked over the mess on the bed. He'd really thought this out. However as well thought out as it was it wouldn't get him any closer to his lady love. Her stomach turned and she swallowed again, hoping she didn't see her breakfast again. "I have a better idea. This will get you an audience, maybe, but if you want to see Kyra I think you should do something else."

He studied her, and she had the uncomfortable feeling that he was seeing too much. He took her chin in his fingers and really looked at her. "You're green. Are you alright?"

She waved him off. "Fine. Just a little sick."

He nodded in sympathy. "Must suck to be a thin blood. So what's this plan?"

She shrugged. "What's your strength? What's one thing you know will catch her attention?"

Kevfire looked at her with confusion causing her to sigh. Sometimes he was just so dense. "Dancing. It's one of your most honed seduction skills." He grinned and twirled twice. "So, why don't you set up a pop up dance studio?"

His face screwed up. "A what?"

She leaned back on the pillows. Her feet ached something fierce tonight. "A pop up studio. Like set what nights and open up in different parts of the city. All inclusive. Market for a bit first to make sure she hears about it. I'll be she can't resist it, and then she'll see you in your element. We both know once that happens it's over."

He laid next to her, not quite touching, his legs crinkling the papers strewn about the bed. "That's a good idea. It worked once, so it should work again. And if she falls for me again then there's no way Siro can keep us apart." He grinned at her. "Thanks Mer. You're always full of good ideas."

She smiled weakly, before getting up and dashing for the door. She marveled later as she praised the porcelain god that he'd been sincere about her ideas. It had almost been like the old days. She cursed herself a little. She'd been so focused on stopping him from doing something stupid that she'd forgotten to bring up what she'd meant to talk about. Ah well, surely they had plenty of time.

Merril tried to get comfortable in her chair. The nausea has thankfully passed, but sitting was causing a bit of strain in her spine that she wasn't accustomed to. Stupid fold out chairs. Couldn't they have sprung for something more comfortable. The dull ache made concentrating on what Phil was saying difficult. Her mind just kept focusing on the pain in her lower back. Her eyes drifted shut as she tried to ignore it.

"HEY!" she yelped out when something soft and pliable was shoved behind her. She whirled in her seat to see Thor grinning down at her. "You looked like you could use that." he said.

"Use what?" she asked and looked down. Her favorite pillow, a soft, squishy mess of a thing had been placed in between her spine and the hard back of the chair. Her shoulders relaxed, and her lips twitched into a smile. "Thank you, honey." Thor beamed down at her and took his seat.

Kevfire was late again, and their team was getting impatient. "Where's-" Phil started before the door to the war room opened. As if the thought had conjured the man Kevfire glided into the room, a steaming mug of something in his hands. Without acknowledging any of them he set the mug before Merril and took his new place at the farthest possible point at the table.

Merril blinked at him and turned her attention to the mug. Her nose wrinkled and twitched as the aroma hit her. Cloves, blueberries, ginger, and? She took a sip. Raspberries and enough sugar to give her diabetes. Exactly as she liked her tea. She watched him, and his posture relaxed as she accepted his offering. How had he known? Her face flushed pink. She'd never realized that he'd paid that close of attention to her preferences. Her small smile spread across her face as she took another sip. "Why ginger?"

His soft smile and sparkling eyes changed his face. Beautiful yes, but now he seemed more human, more real, instead of a statue chiseled out of polished marble. "You said your stomach was bothering you."

Try as she might she couldn't keep the blood out of her face and it became a beacon for her pleasure. Anyone who believed that Kevfire didn't pick up on the tiny details was in for a rude awakening.

Phil called them to attention. "Alright, I've got the summary of the mining operation. More specifically I've got the body count."

He clicked through his laptop. "The good news is that fifty cultists were caught in the collapse."

Merril waiting, continuing to sip her tea, while Kevfire drummed his fingers on the table. A quick glance at Groven's fury had him gripping his fingers with his other hand and bringing them to his lap. "And the bad news?"

Haley piped up. "Who says there's bad news?"

Kevfire scoffed at her. "If he's starting with 'The good news is,' then there's obviously bad news."

"He's right." Phil continued. "The bad news is that there's no sign of that werewolf. It's possible that he's among the dead but I feel that's unlikely. Keep an eye out, don't do anything reckless until we put it down." He gave a pointed glare at Kevfire and Haley, both of whom answered with smiles that would make an angel look like a demon.

Merril finished her tea. "What's our next move?"

Phil shut his laptop. "At the moment try to find out if there's more of this cult around. We need to shut that down quickly."

Kevfire's eyes narrowed. "Thought we were dealing with the vampire problem."

"Yes, but we need you all higher in the ranks of Longwei's organization. Taking care of this cult is likely to help with that. On top of that there's no point in us taking over this city while there's a cult trying to destroy it."

Kevfire grudgingly agreed. Merril got up, gesturing for him to do the same. His impatience was going to be a problem if they didn't redirect it. It'd be just like him to charge off and challenge Longwei to a duel or something equally suicidal if he thought they were taking too long. "Come on Kev. Let's go get started on marketing your new plan."

Hewey and Haley followed them out. "We can help!"

The four reconvened in their designated chill out room. Thor tried to follow but Merril waved him off. "I'm fine. I don't need another man fussing over me. I'm perfectly ok, and will stay ok. Leave me be."

Kevfire smirked, his eyes becoming flat, purple stones. He had come up with a plan to get the dog away from her. He treated her well, and she deserved that, but he had a sneaking suspicion that Thor was going to turn at any moment. He needed to go. Kevfire knew he couldn't take the golden son in a straight fight. He would need help, and knew exactly where to get it.

That's not the only reason you hate him.

The room faded from his vision. He was standing in a dark place, neither warm nor cold, hard or soft. It simply was. Ahead of him lounging on a throne was a figure. He started as he recognized the strong jaw, long nose, and slim, almost feminine proportions. The flaming tresses were longer, somehow more lustrous, and shining to a near glow. The purple eyes held an inferno within them, a dangerous fire that could burn, destroy, and would at a moment's notice. He wore a long white robe, nearly translucent. He cocked his head and smirked. "So, you finally made it down here."

"Who-" His voice echoed in the space.

The man answered in a voice that was his, and yet was more ethereal, more beautiful and melodic. "Isn't it obvious? I'm you."

He rose, a fluid motion and approached. He glided like water along a stream, no movement wasted. Kevfire glanced down to his feet half expecting to see that they didn't even touch the ground. The other one stopped his expression thoughtful. "Well, I suppose that's not quite accurate. I'm your...idealized version of yourself."

This close Kevfire was able to make out more details. The green Celtic tattoos encircling his arms, and under his eyes. The fire within him that burned with a fervor bordering on madness. Idealized? Perhaps. But there was something more. It hit him suddenly, like a lead pipe late for a meeting with his teeth. "You're my demon."

The smirk grew, revealing two long, sharp fangs that dripped with blood. "I don't like that term, Kevin. It's so gauche."

Kevfire swallowed a lump in his throat. Where on earth was he? How was this conversation even possible. The demon was meant to be a mindless killing machine. And yet here he was talking to it.

The creature examined it's perfectly manicure and tinted nails. "Here's the thing. You are holding so much of yourself back. Yes, I know anxiety and trauma are bitches. I'm aware. But honestly? Your indecision is boring. I'm bored. I want to play and you're not letting me. I can live with that."

"Your latest plan is good. Might just nab you a princess. Perhaps the dashing prince to if you play your cards right." Kevfire began to protest but the other held up a hand and silenced him. "Don't deny it, I know your appetites quite well. I know what you're searching for, I know what you want. Grabbing either of them will get you...nothing towards that goal. You know it. I know it. You know what you need to do to get all you've dreamed of."

He moved then, and Kevfire wasn't ready for it. He was faster than him, scarily so, and had him pinned before he could move. Still a warmth radiated from him, calming Kevfire's mind, stilling his panicked struggles.

"Whether I wear glowing white, or black and am bathed in blood is entirely up to you." The demon caressed his face, somehow soothing him more. "Keep me sated, feed me, keep me happy here and I will leave them all be." The nails raked across his face, sharp and pointed like claws now. "If you don't, I'll devour them all."

He got up, and lifted Kevfire to his feet. "In time you'll be ready to learn about yourself. When you are, you'll find we're not so different, you and I. Now, Keeper, handle it. Learn who you are, and then we will speak again."