The call had come around midnight. She, Haley, and Kevfire were to report immediately to Malcolm for an assignment. It had always been somewhat uncomfortable coming here, but given their new double agent status she couldn't help but wonder if they'd were reporting to their own executions. It'd be just their luck.

The door hit the wall with a loud thunk and Malcolm stalked into the room before taking his customary spot in front of his desk, with his hands clasped in front of him. "So, Merril I take it you filled the other two in about the cage?"

Merril nodded and her friends came to join her. Without any input from her, her ahnd reached out and twined her fingers with Kevfire's. He gave her a small squeeze of reassurance. "Yes, I did mention that to them after-well, after."

He studied her, and then took a little too long of a glance at their joined hands. Kevfire bared his teeth in a feral grin, but widely said nothing. "Right. Here's the deal. We've known about that thing down there for a long time. Madam Longwei is been working to thwart this cult since before she was the Baron here."

Haley piped up. "That's a really long time."

Malcolm smirked. "Not as long as you might think. She's actually only been the Baron since 1986."

Kevfire squeezed until Merril was afraid he'd break her fingers. "What happened in 1986?"

Malcolm shrugged. "It was before my time here. I was just a grunt back then. Rumor has it that she pulled off a massive move against an enemy and won the respect of the vampires here. It solidified her position."

Merril chanced a glance at Kevfire. He was deathly white, even more so that usual, and his shoulders trembled with repressed emotion. She stroked her thumb across his death grip, hoping to ground him, praying she could bring him back to the present. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach as to what the act Longwei had committed had been.

Malcolm continued as if he hadn't noticed Kevfire's reaction. "At any rate there's a mystical cage underneath the city. People can get down there but that thing can't escape." He met her eyes. "At least not normally. In the past year it's been weakening. With the right amount of force, sacrifice, it could be opened and that thing will go free."

Merril gulped. That was the last thing they needed. "A sacrifice?"

Malcolm waved a hand. "It's not that strict. From what I've been told if enough blood is spilled at once at the right places it'll crack the lock open."

"So, if a bunch of vampires and werewolves were to have gotten into a fight at these places?" Merril asked, thinking back to the doomed party that they'd narrowly escaped from.

"Sure, that'd work fine. It's just a matter of quantity and location. Or so I'm told." He leaned back against his desk. "Thing is this cult is trying to bust it open and with the weakening happening we don't have enough magic using vampires to strengthen it back up. That's what I need you three to do. Go find me some and bring them back here."

Haley and Merril agreed but Kevfire didn't move. He was just staring at nothing, everything, his racing faster than he could understand. It had been bad enough to know that Longwei had massacred his family. Somehow it was so much worse to know that she'd done it for no other reason than ambition. Their blood, his blood, had bought her a cushy job and power beyond his imagining. He absently followed the tugging on his hand, never blinking, stranded somewhere deep within himself.

We can end this. Let me end this.

He ignored the voice of his inner demon, summoning his will to crush it back into a the dark corners of his soul. He almost felt it chuckling as he did.

The drive home was unnervingly quiet. Merril wasn't sure what Kevfire was thinking but she was certain it wasn't good. Once back at the base she lead him by the arm, terrified that he'd run off is she didn't, and settled the three of them in their comfy room. "Kev-"

He held up a hand to stop her. "No. Not right now. Focus on the task."

She bristled a little. "Fine. I think a good place to start would be the college."

"Why?"

"Because everyone goes there. These magic wielding vampires tend to like to learn more than most. It makes sense that there would be some there."

He turned his flat gaze on her. "Any we find there likely already work for her."

She shrugged. "It's fine."

A knock startled them. Groven maneuvered his bulk into the room and plopped down onto the sofa next to Merril, one of his arms settling behind her head. Merril felt her stomach flip and fought the urge to vomit. Kevfire looked equally disgusted. "What do you want Dad?"

Groven grunted and settled a bit, his hip now touching hers. She tried to move over, get some space, but just ended up hip checking the arm of the sofa. "I've got news on your faerie girl."

Kevfire's face lit up. "Oh?"

Groven gave him a sly smile. "She's engaged to be married."

Her heart broke as she watched Kevfire's face fall. Misery etched lines across the porcelain, aging him. He whispered, almost to himself. "What do I do?"

Groven snorted. "Leave it be, Boy. Stay away from the fae."

Kevfire stared at the floor. How could he? He was so close to having a chance at love, real love. Possibly. If Merril was right at least then he had to fight, didn't he? She had Thor, and he watched as they fell a little more every night. He wanted that, needed that with a desperation he didn't know he was capable of. For most of his life, he'd kept himself detached from romance, only truly exploring it in novels. He'd failed with Holly's mother, and had lost any chance with Kassimera. He'd be damned if he was going to give up on Kyra now. "I have a plan. I'm not quitting now."

Groven glared at him before scoffing. "Fine." He lifted himself up and sidled out of the room. Merril sighed in relief.

Kevfire was still seething, and she felt that he needed a distraction. "Kev, why don't you take tonight off while I go search the campus?"

Kev pulled a face at her. "And do what?"

She shrugged. It didn't really matter so long as he stayed out of trouble. "Play video games, watch t.v.?" Her eyes lit up. "Are there any plays running this late?"

Kevfire nodded. He hadn't been to the theatre in months but a few did run late at night for a more exclusive clientele. She smiled. "Go see a play. I know you enjoy them. Take Haley with you."

Haley screwed up her face. "Does that mean I have to get dressed up?"

"Yes." Kevfire said.

"No." Merril said. "Just wear a suit and some sunglasses. You can pose as his bodyguard."

"What the fuck do I need that for?" Kevfire asked.

"Anyone of renown needs one. It's all about presentation." She smiled at him, daring him to tell her she was wrong. He couldn't, and they both knew it. He believed in that sentiment far too strongly.

He got up and and went to the door stopping to give her a friendly kiss on the top of her head. "Fine. We'll go be good. Don't die."

After they'd left, no doubt to take another half an hour getting ready, Merril sighed with relief. With any luck she'd get some work done tonight and they'd have a nice evening. They couldn't possibly get in trouble watching a play.

Kevfire had to admit that the play was amusing. It felt good to be out and about, and paying a premium for a private box had helped immensely. Haley kept whispering to him and try as he might to ignore her, he was sure that he knew everything there was to know about some guy she'd met named Sebastian. On one hand it was wonderful that she'd found a little bit more of herself and he was grateful to this Sebastian for that. On the other he really wished she'd just shut up, or that he'd thought to pack duct tape.

He shouldn't even be here. He still had an assassination target to take care of. An odious man, a human who was talking openly to the wrong people, and had become an annoying gnat biting Longwei's ass. If he didn't want to end up in one of those files he needed to finish the kill quickly.

His eyes lit up suddenly, and he heightened his vision, locking on to a person in the box across from him. What a lucky night it was. Lounging across the way conspicuously alone was the man he was looking for. Enormous with no neck to speak up and thick sausages for fingers, he was a disgusting sight. It wasn't so much his physicality that was gross, but the nasty colors of malice running through his aura was turning him right off. He quickly thought of a plan and got to work. It was lucky that he kept a small kit in the pocket of his jacket just in case he needed to move quickly.

Haley watched him, questions dancing in her eyes. He pulled out a small black case, and then the vial inside. He poured the contents onto his left hand just as the curtain came down and the house lights went up, signaling the intermission. She opened her mouth but he held a finger to his lips to silence her. "I'm going down to get some wine."

She got up. "I'll go with you. You know we can't drink just wine right?"

He laughed quietly. "Presentation my dear Haley."

Together they made their way down to the atrium, Kevfire carefully keeping his left hand in his pocket and away from other people. He waited close to bar, and Haley took up a position on the other side. After a few minutes Kevfire felt an excitement building as his target came up and ordered a glass of sparkling wine.

The order came up but before the man could grab it, Kevfire did, gripping the glass with his left hand and thanking the bartender. They looked confused and he pushed his will toward them, warmly embracing their mind, willing them to say nothing. Their eyes went hazy and they went back to work without protest.

The larger man however was blustering angrily, his ramblings growing in volume. Kevfire redirected his mind to him, and felt disgusted at the depression and self loathing this man felt. He began to pity him, but quickly reminded himself that it was this unknown man, or him. He pushed harder, quickly enrapturing the weaker mind. "I'm so sorry, there must've been a mix up. I thought this was my drink. Here, please take it with my sincere apology."

The larger man took the glass, wrapping his thick fingers around it and downing the contents. Kevfire stepped away and the man made his way back into his private box. Haley came to join him and looked alarmed by something behind him. He felt his heart sink. Had it worked faster than intended? He took out his handkerchief and quickly started wiping down his hand. He didn't intend for their to be accidents tonight. Haley was gesturing behind him and he turned, stifling a gasp of recognition.

They were standing less than five feet from them, smiling from ear to ear. They were completely decked out, Xavier in eighteenth century formal wear, and Chantal in a dress that probably cost more than a house. She clapped her hands and skipped over to them, taking him into her arms. Xavier stayed back but nodded in greeting when their eyes met.

After a moment she pulled away and held his face in her hands. "Oh, my little lamb! How are you?"

He had to dredge deep to pull out a smile. It would be best to play along for now. "Auntie! What a pleasure to see you. I'm quite well. I'm so sorry but I had to leave the city on some business for a while. I should've called you."

She pouted slightly. Seeing this Xavier came over and put an arm around her. "Yes, you should have. I was so worried for you. The last time we met was just so exciting."

Oh shit. Did she remember? He wasn't about to bring that up in a place like this. At best he'd just sound like a lunatic, at worst his suspicions would be confirmed. "I'm very sorry, Auntie."

Her pout warmed into a smile and suddenly she looked over her shoulder. Following her gaze his mouth went dry. Standing near the door to another booth was Kyra, dressed in beautiful silks the color of a summer sky. He felt the familiar pull and began to step towards her before he stopped himself. Chantal gave him a sly look. "Why must you play hard to get?"

His face fell. "I'm not. I've had a bit of an altercation with her brother and am not supposed to approach her. I have a plan for that. Also I hear that she's engaged."

She blinked in confusion before waving her hand dismissively. "Oh, yes. I'm sure you'll come up with something."

"Oh I have." He didn't want to talk about Kyra, and luckily the lights dimmed signaling it was time to return to their seats. "Ah time to get back. I hope you're finding the play enjoyable."

She and Xavier nodded. "It's quite interesting.

He gave her one more hug, and a nod to Xavier. "Give it about twenty minutes and it's going to get even more interesting." Gesturing to Haley to follow him they went back to their places.

True to his word approximately twenty minutes later the condemned man suddenly began be in some discomfort. It would be a slow death. After nearly an hour he began coughing, loudly enough to get the attention of an usher, while clutching his stomach in obvious pian. As they were trying to quiet the man, he slumped in his seat. The usher called out to him, shook him a few times before panicking and running out. Kevfire watched it all from his seat, glancing around until he spotted Xavier and Chantal. They were both watching him and he inclined his head in a nod and had returned his attention to the play just as the curtain came down and the performance was interrupted due to a terrible accident.